Book Review

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Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

Synopsis from the Back of the Book:

If Desiree Jacobs knows anything, its art. Her father, whose security company is internationally renowned, taught her everything he knew. Most of all, he taught her about honor. Integrity. Faith. So surely God will forgive her for despising the one man determined to destroy her father’s good name?

Special Agent Tony Lucano knows Hiram Jacobs is an art thief. But what he can’t figure out is Desiree. Is she an innocent victim… or a clever accomplice?

Then Hiram is murdered. And along with his company, he leaves Desiree a hidden container full of stolen paintings. But she can’t admit her father was a thief! That would destroy their business, put people out of jobs, and embarrass international museums that have been displaying clever forgeries. No, she must find out why her honest father would turn criminal. And she must return the priceless art to the rightful owners without their knowledge. Even if it means facing down a ring of cutthroat art thieves… or accepting help from the man she most distrusts.

My review:

I really enjoyed this book. I am one of those people that doesn’t have much time to sit and read for long periods. I catch minutes here and there. So I really appreciate stories that make me take extra minutes – those stories that I have to tear myself away from them. This was one of those stories. From the beginning to the end, I was hooked – trying to figure out who murdered Desiree’s father, rooting for Desiree and Tony to get together and just keeping up with Desiree trying to get through her grief while facing the fact that things may not be what she thought.

Desiree Jacobs is a strong woman and I really admired her work ethic, her love for her father and his company, and her faith. I walked with her as she struggled when she found that her perceptions of people were false. I really enjoyed watching her faith grow stronger in the midst of adversity and also watching her feelings develop toward Tony.

Onto Tony, what can I say about him? He has a past which made me feel sorry for him, but I liked that his faith was strong. He isn’t sure if he can trust Desiree, but he finds himself falling for her anyway. It is a struggle, but I just kept cheering him on, because I knew that he would find out that his gut instinct about Desiree was correct.

What I enjoyed most about this book:

Strong characters with a strong suspenseful plot. I loved that I had trouble putting the book down! This book is copyrighted 2006 which just goes to show you that a good suspense story really stands the test of time.

What I didn’t like about this book:

I won’t give any spoilers, but I was a tiny bit disappointed that I wouldn’t have been able to figure out who did it. I like having enough clues sprinkled in that I can make a good guess to figure it out. Perhaps I missed something in my reading, but I enjoyed the story anyway.

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Would I recommend this book to others?

Oh yes. This was fast paced, intriguing and had good characters. This is the first book in the To Catch A Thief series and I am looking forward to revisiting Desiree and Tony.

Where can I learn more about this author and their books?

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Author Website

Reluctant Burglar by Jill Elizabeth Nelson (4 out of 5 Stars) #BookReview

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