Thief of Hearts

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life 3.5 STARS I’ve adored every book in L.H. Cosway’s Hearts series, and though Thief of Hearts isn’t quite my favorite, it’s still a great addition to the series, and one that fans of the author should definitely read. This is the eldest Cross brother’s story, and we get to experience this ex-con fall for his teacher. A delicious forbidden love, a dirty-minded alpha, and a painting heist all made for one entertaining read. Andrea Anderson may have been a widow for four years, but she hasn’t been able to let go of her husband and high school sweetheart. She works day to day at an adult school, barely making ends meet, and in serious hospital debt back when her husband was ailing. Things seem bleak until a mysterious, gorgeous bad boy enrolls in her class. Stu Cross is everything she should stay away from, but he’s the one man who’s been able to make her forget her troubles. She sees in him the intelligence and potential everyone seems to glance over – and can’t help falling for him because of it. But when he ropes her into helping him steal a painting, things start to get complicated. Can Andie really trust Stu’s feelings for her, or is he just using her for the painting? Stu Cross made me feel alive. So much so that it took him coming into my life to make me realise I hadn’t been living. I’d been imprisoned in the past, hiding behind a future that was lost to me. L.H. Cosway has such a quirky way of writing – I can’t say that I love it, but it’s different and a little refreshing to read. Andie was a sweet, adorable character I really felt for. Stu is a swoony hero – loyal, caring, and willing to do whatever it takes to protect his family. And he certainly knows how to use his mouth, the dirty talker. Their romance was seriously the sweetest thing – I was rooting for them from the start, though their story is certainly not the least bit easy. The plot with the blackmail and painting made things way more complicated, and I sadly didn’t find myself caring that much about it. All I really wanted to focus on was the romance, which was good enough for me. Overall, Thief of Hearts is a great installment to the series, and though it can be read as a standalone, I do recommend reading at least the book before it, Hearts of Blue, which is where the Cross family is first introduced. Right now, I’m dying to read the final Cross brother’s book – I love friends-to-lovers romances, and I can’t wait for Trevor and his best friend Reya to get their story! Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review. Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version. Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/2drQPFu Liked this review? Subscribe to Booklovers For Life for more!