Skip to content

New Release Review: THE FAMILY JEWELS by Christine Bell

The Family Jewels
by Christine Bell

Synopsis:

Sadie Leighton spends her days slinging hash, but she spends her nights stealing from the rich and undeserving, taking what she needs from the worst of the lot to make ends meet. This last job is supposed to be the mother lode…the one to get her out of the biz altogether, if only she can get past the infuriatingly gorgeous stranger intent on foiling her plans and haunting her dreams…

Jake Callahan has one thing on his mind, and that’s revenge. After years of preparation, he’s finally got all the pieces in place to destroy the man who cost his father his career and, ultimately, his life. Now that the end is in sight, he won’t let anything get in his way. Especially not some fake Countess trying to steal his mark, no matter how sexy she is.

Never one to back down from a challenge, Sadie engages Jake in a battle of wits, but winning it just might put her in danger of losing her heart…

 

Review:

A fun con man vs con woman story–with a twist!

I really enjoyed The Family Jewels. Sadie and Jake were a lot of fun to read about–both devoted to their families, both so good at manipulation to get what they want (her: money to help her sick sister…him: taking down the guy who ruined his father’s name and led to his death), and both so, so hot together. A win-win!

I loved all of Sadie’s disguises and the way that Jake was able to see through them from the start and recognize the real her. (Every time he called her “Sadie Leighton, Waitress Countess of Bavaria” in his head, I snort-laughed a little bit.) Her sense of humor really made me smile (“Prison was bad. Getting murdered by a psychopath was way worse”) and I loved her relationship with her sister Clarissa.

And Jake. Irish accent. Dimples. Smells of Irish Spring soap rather than cloying cologne. Mmmmm.

Not to mention he’s dedicated his life to doing right by the people he cares about: his parents, his brother, and soon, Sadie. Is there a downside here?

Well, there might be, if he can’t let go of his need for revenge on time to save himself and his relationship with Sadie. Or if his nemesis holds true to his promise to see Jake pay for the less-than-legal methods he used to try and put him away…

Will he or won’t he? Jake and Sadie will find their HEA by the end of the book, thank goodness. But will it be enough? We’ll have to wait for his brother Mike’s book to come out to be sure…

Rating: 4 stars / B+

I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

AddtoGoodreads

View all my reviews

Published in4 starsB+Book reviewsBOOKS!new releasespotlight