An Honorable Thief

An Honorable Thief

When Miss Kit Singleton's arrival in London coincided with a spate of robberies from members of the ton, Hugo Devenish couldn't explain why he suspected the innocent-looking beauty. But when the clues added up, Hugo knew his instincts had been right all along. Kit had to cease this dangerous game immediately!

Only for Kit, it wasn't a game; she'd made a sacred promise to avenge her papa's honour. Surely Hugo could understand that she mustn't break her word - even to please the man she was falling in love with.

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Reviews

C.L. Jeffries of Heartstrings reviews gave it a rating of "Exceptional Merit" and said "dazzling characterizations... provocative, tantalizing and wonderfully witty romantic fiction... Unexpected plot twists, tongue-in-cheek humor, and [a] sensually fraught battle of wits between the hero and heroine... as perfect a hero as one could hope for or imagine... a love story that defies judgment, handily avoids unnecessary misunderstandings, and embraces the romance genre's truest heart."

Thus, An Honorable Thief deserves more than an honorable mention from this reviewer. Read on, dear readers, and I think you'll
understand why this historical Regency is an exceptional find!"

read the whole review

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Lori-Anne Cohen of All About Romance gave An Honorable Thief their highest "Desert Island Keepers" status.

I adored Hugo and Kit and I couldn't wait for them to get their HEA. Kit is bright and has a big heart despite the circumstances she has been thrown into. She's brave and smart, and all she has ever wanted is a stable home and love. She has a keen sense of her own survival as well, and she also possesses some talents that are not typical of young heiresses in those days.

Author Gracie lives up to her reputation for creating enjoyable secondary characters as well. Maggie Bone, Kit's maid, was wonderful - and the story of how she came to work for Kit is very touching. It was nice to see her get her own happily ever after. Kit's "aunt" Rose is also a lovely character and there is quite the plot twist involving her. I swear I teared up on the bus when I got to it. The last 90 odd pages of this book held me in thrall and are what changed a solid B+ grade to an A. I definitely went on an emotional roller coaster with this one.

Whether you are a fan of the Regency era or not, this book is a wonderful way to spend an evening or two. Kudos to Anne Gracie, she's turned out another wonderful story!

To read the full review go to All About Romance

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by Kris Alice of A Romance Review

Anne Gracie's latest, An Honourable Thief, is begging to be read! It has an intriguing story lineyou will not want to miss.

London has two sensations in the season of 1816: A Chinese burglar and a diamond heiress, both new in town, neither of whom want to be caught. The heiress is a spirited young woman who traveled the world with her exiled gambler father. After her father's death, she returns to England to fulfill her promise to him: to restore her family's honour.

Playing the social game, Kit Singleton, with her unconventional ideas and manners befriends and rescues damsels in distress and sparks the interest of one Hugo Devenish. Arrogantly protective of Kit and his own family, Hugo is an unfashionable but dangerously attractive man; he's a strong, tall and dark man, a man that a woman could easily fall in love with - but he's also a man looking for the thief. It's a joy to follow Kit's escapades and to see her sneak her way into Hugo's mind and heart. He might think he's got it all under control but of course we, the readers, know better.

I love romance novels with thieves and mistaken identities and I love my heroines daring, unique and on the wild side. Throw in some costly artefacts, jewels and a hero that is brooding, rich and unpretentious with no regard for society's strictures and you have a mix that is irresistible.

Ms. Gracie weaves a story more complex than expected, surprising her readers with twists and turns yet never getting lost in them. I immensely enjoyed her writing, not just for a story well told but even more so for her way with words that had me re-reading whole scenes just for the pleasure of it. Anne Gracie has a style and rhythm that is both smooth and riveting, never cute but witty, never pretentious but always vivid.

An Honourable Thief made me laugh out loud more than once. It might not be as obvious as with her fabulous Harlequin Duets story, How the Sheriff Was Won, but her comic talent still shines through. Anne Gracie carries the humour, in bold and utterly true lines, throughout the story with an ease that had me giggling in understanding and sympathy.

This is a true find and definitely a keeper especially for regency fans. It's going to be hard waiting for Ms. Gracie's next release.

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by Marilyn Heyman of The Best Reviews

"Light-Hearted and Delightful"

It is 1815 and Kit's father is shot while cheating at cards in the East Indies. He begs his daughter to avenge him and, against her better judgment, she agrees to his dying wish. She goes to reside with her Aunt Rose in London and although she is a little too old to be a debutante, dons the required white dresses and acts the part of a young miss just out of the classroom.

Mr. Hugo Devenish comes to London when he hears that his nephew,
Thomas, is interested in the elusive Kit Singleton. Reportedly, she is quite
wealthy with a diamond mine to her credit and Thomas' mother is determined to get some of the money. Hugo finds himself very attracted to the young woman. The mystery that surrounds her has intrigued him as well.

Who is the mysterious Chinese burglar that is robbing the wealthy of
London? Hugo has him within his grasp several times but the young robber is fleet of foot and able to get away.

Kit is an enjoyable character who is smart, feisty and a thoroughly marvelous heroine. Hugo doesn't quite know what to make of her -- he thinks she is insipid one moment and not so sure what she is about at other times. Kit is fascinated with Hugo but is determined to carry out the plan she had promised her father on his deathbed. The mother of Thomas is an outrageous and laughable character with her hatred of people in trade but wanting her son to marry money.

AN HONORABLE THIEF is a very enjoyable light- hearted read and Anne Gracie is a terrific author who has made a huge splash with her delightful Harlequin Historicals.

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Amazon.com review
***** (5 stars) Fun and well-crafted, June 28, 2002
Reviewer: A reader from New Zealand

I read this book after having read Tallie’s Knight and Gallant Waif and found this as delightful as the others.

Kit Singleton arrives in London after a life spent in foreign parts with her father. She is charged with a mission to fulfill a deathbed promise she made to him. At the same time Hugo Devenish meets her and becomes curious about her past.
Anne Gracie skilfully weaves a quite complex story against the background of life amongst the ton of London.

Kit and Hugo are unusual characters in this setting; both loners without normal family relationships who seem to swan in and out of society functions without really belonging. They are drawn together and I love the way Hugo is captivated by Kit without consciously recognising it. In my opinion an almost perfect hero. The side characters are well-drawn with lives of their own that add depth to the story.

Gracie’s writing style helps make her work so appealing to me. She uses unusually short sentences, a kind of mental shorthand, when she is depicting Hugo’s point of view, for example. Humour lurks in the background of every scene. I love her descriptive use of words - "watchdoggery" and "Sir Primrose", for example.

All in all a treat which I have already read twice.

Readers comments about An Honorable Thief:

Finished the book last night. You've done it again! What a charming story, I
really enjoyed it. You are a terrific writer - love your characters... Can't wait to see what you come up with next.
Cheryl.

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Got your latest book yesterday. Started it last night and finished it this morning. Had a lie in. <BG> I loved it. It made me laugh and it made me cry. DH wasn't too happy about me laughing as it shook the bed. That's when I turned out the light and decided I'd better finish it the morning.
Frances.

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