Kelly Siskind

Falling for her mark would make Clementine the World's Dumbest Conwoman, but Jack is charmingly persistent, always singing sweet songs in her ear. All too soon, she learns what it means to risk it all for love. Perfect for fans of Penny Reid and Jen DeLuca!

Don't Go Stealing My Heart

Colleen

3 Stars
 
*An enjoyable Romance with a very niche target audience*

ARC provided by Agora Books via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.


In my quest for something lighthearted the read, I came across Don’t Go Stealing My Heart on Netgalley. My interest was piqued by the synopsis about an art thief falling for her mark.

I think I was expecting something along the lines of Catherine Zeta Jones from Entrapment. So I was surprised that the main characters were both extremely insecure and neurotic. There ended up being a lot of heavy topics in this book including child abuse, bullying, psychological manipulation, suicide, and violence. So this was far from the light and happy read for which I was looking.

The story also ended up being less caper and more con. I wanted some fun heist action. But Don’t Go Stealing My Heart is really about being a con artist. And conning is just lying with criminal intent. 

Despite that, I did enjoy most of the story. There were some fun moments, some heartwarming moments, and some steamy moments. I liked the characters. I liked that they both had pet reptiles. 

But there were two things that greatly decreased my enjoyment of this book. And admittedly, they are both entirely matters of person taste.

The first thing is that I am not attracted to Elvis impersonators. That is not something I'd ever thought about one way or the other. Nor did I ever think I would need to state that. But having read Don’t Go Stealing My Heart, I feel the need to unequivocally proclaim that Elvis impersonators do NOT fill me with burning love! Quite the opposite; I made my "ewwww" face several times.

Here's the thing: if there is a gene that makes people obsess over celebrities, then I didn't inherite it. Celebrities are fake personas, and I've never understood what drives people to obsess over them. And being attracted to someone pretending to be a celebrity just adds another level of creepiness. And no, it doesn't make one iota of difference if you split hairs about "impersonators" versus "tribute artist." I've enjoyed several tribute shows, but as soon as you start turning that into a sexual fetish, I'll be hightailing it to the door! 

Clementine does a complete turnabout on the subject, going from thinking it's corny to being over-the-top horny the second she sees Jack dressed as Elvis. This is followed by multiple make out scenes when Jack is pretending to be Elvis. Which is where the next level of creepiness gets added. Jack takes the alter-ego thing too far. To the point where he literally becomes a different person. And while it does explain how he developed that psychosis, it was still too much for me. Really, if the book synopsis had mentioned the whole Elvis thing, I would have skipped this book.

The second personal objection is was a much smaller part of the story but still something that highly irritates me. Dear Writers, Stop romanticizing unprotected sex!!! While having unprotected sex does involve a certain amount of trust (or disregard for consequences), it should NOT be portrayed as a sign of romance. And I'm sick to death of Romances portraying that toxic troupe. And to any doe-eyed Innocents out there, please, please, please, please do not think that some guy telling you not to use a condom is a sign of true love! Why do writers reinforce this terrible notion the best way to demonstrate true love is to forgo protection?! STOP! 

Climbing off my soap box, I liked the overall story well-enough. But if it had been marketed more accurately, I would have skipped it. And I don't think I'll pick up this author again.


RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 4 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Characters and Character Development: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 3 Stars
Originality: 3 Stars

Maegan Kennedy

This arc was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 	

 This book was so amazing! I love adult romance and this one did not disappoint! I was instantly captivated by the synopsis and the story made me fall in love with it! The premise was so interesting – a gender-bent Robin Hood stealing from a shy Elvis tribute artist – I mean, what’s not to love. The characters were so lovable and adorable. Both of their backstories and family dynamics were interesting to read about, and I love that they were such a big part of the story. I loved the quirkiness o the town and its occupants; they were fun to get to know and see how the MCs interacted with them. The romance was hot and was welcome after having been reading so much fantasy. The twist at the end was a welcome surprise. I’m a sucker for damsel-in-distress stories. I liked that Clementine’s character was strong and independent, while Jack’s character was shy and family-oriented, it is nice to see this difference compared to other romances. The entirety of the story was simple and easy to read which Is good when it comes to romances. This book has humour as well as trauma and heartbreak. This book was so well written, and I look forward to reading other books by this author. I give this book a 5/5 star rating!

Oh, this was so good. I found myself savoring it instead of blowing through it. There were some twists and turns I didn't see coming, along with a fair few feels and plenty of laughs and swoons. Clementine and Jack were just wonderful. This one was totally unique, with a planned art heist, Elvis impersonators and even bearded dragons. So much love for it.

Sarah Williams

4/5 stars

I was so excited to read DON'T GO STEALING MY HEART after I read and loved Kelly Siskind’s previous book, NEW ORLEANS RUSH, last year and this did not disappoint. Like NEW ORLEANS RUSH, DON'T GO STEALING MY HEART is full of Siskind’s silly, one-of-a-kind, endearing humor. 

Clementine Abernathy lives a relatively simple life—she lives alone with her bearded dragon, Lucy, doesn’t have any friends, and is a highly-skilled con artist and thief. Yes, she’s technically a criminal, but she’s more like Robin Hood—she steals from the rich to fund Lucien’s, her boss and father-figure, charitable pursuits.

Clementine’s newest job is to steal a priceless Van Gogh from Maxwell David—a spoiled, trust-fund brat who’s a big fish in his small town. Early on, Clementine realizes that there’s no way this heist will go off according to plan. Clementine quickly learns that Maxwell “Jack” David isn’t the spoiled brat she thought. No, he’s adorable, kind, and still a little shy from his days as a lanky, awkward teen. He’s also a fellow herpetologist (reptile-lover) who rehabilitates abused reptiles in a sanctuary he built in his home. Clementine knows that falling for her mark is the worst idea but the more time she spends with Jack, the more she begins to imagine what a life with him could mean.

Siskind has a knack for writing unique and original characters that are just the right amount of quirky without seeming annoying or trite. Clementine is the perfect example of this—quick-witted, a little unusual, and also on the fringe. What makes Clementine so endearing is that underneath all of that personality and strength, there’s a girl just looking to find connection and roots.

"She liked knowing these details, little nothings that made her feel like she was on the inside: Imelda’s daughter struggled with math, Jack’s grandfather had been a roadie for Elvis, Tami had loved her husband since tenth grade. To her, those nothings felt like a whole lot of somethings."

And the same can be said for Jack—sweet, shy (except in the bedroom!) Jack, who doesn’t quite know how to be. Ultimately, this is what makes DON'T GO STEALING MY HEART so satisfying; the romance between Clementine and Jack is made all the more meaningful because with each other, Clementine and Jack feel seen for the very first time in their lives.

There’s so much to Jack and I loved how rich his story was. Jack’s family’s company is the biggest source of employment and income for his small town and he carries the weight of that responsibility on his shoulders. He also struggles to reconcile the man he is today with the painfully awkward teenager he once was in a town that’s small enough to remember that phase vividly. And did I mention that he’s an Elvis impersonator? Yeah, I know, it doesn’t sound sexy but he pulls it off—trust me.

"Performing had changed his life. It connected him to his granddad and had allowed him to be someone other than a stuttering kid with lanky limbs. It made him fearless, bold, seductive."

While I loved Clementine and Jack’s connection, it did feel like there was some insta-love. I’m never a fan of insta-love, much preferring a good slow burn. And I found myself somewhat skeptical of the depths of their connection given how short of a time they’d known each other. But it didn’t bother me as much as it normally does because Siskind’s books are just so special and unique.

If you’re looking for a feel-good, sexy (open door but not erotica-level steam) rom-com involving a heist, bearded dragons, and Elvis impersonators, look no further than DON'T GO STEALING MY HEART.

I received a copy of this book from the author In exchange for my honest review. This has not impacted or influenced my review or my opinions.

For more reviews, check out my Instagram and my Blog!

Lacey

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It’s adorable, quirky, dorky, and so, so sweet. I loved the shy hero - he was the perfect guy for the Robin Hood heroine. This book had so many random things, from Elvis impersonators, bearded dragons with matching names, to a painting heist, but it all completely worked for me! If you’re looking for a rom-com (with a hint of suspense) to read this spring, let it be this one.

Don’t Go Stealing My Heart had me hooked from the blurb. A Robin Hood heroine who steals from the rich to give to the poor? And her next mark is none other than the hero?? Sign me up for ALL of that. I had high expectations going into this, but I was truly taken by surprise with how charming this romance turned out to be, with such lovable main characters. Clementine is a sweetheart of a heroine, despite the not-so-good things she does for a good cause. Jack is a cinnamon roll of a hero - pure and kind-hearted! He’s also so adorkable - he’s a freaking Elvis impersonator! I fell head over heels in love with him. He’s shy and blushing at first when it comes to Clementine, but as they get to know each other, his swooniness (is that a word?) and a bit of an alpha edge to him comes out. They were just PERFECT for each other and I really can’t describe how much I loved both of them.

Obviously, Clementine is trying to hide the fact that she’s planning on stealing from Jack, with Jack being none the wiser. There’s a little bit of angst and heartache when it comes to that, but this book as a whole just made my heart happy. I can’t recommend this enough if you want something feel-good that will put a smile on your face. This book is already going on my “best of 2020” list!

Don't Go Stealing My Heart

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