TO LOVE A THIEF tells the story of Gideon Cole, a brilliant barrister, and Lily Masters, an orphan pickpocket from the slums of St. Giles, and how her transformation into a lady of high society changes both of their lives forever. This longtime reader favorite and nominee for Rita, Holt Medallion, Bookseller's Best and Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards is a full length novel--and as a bonus, includes the first chapter of Julie Anne Long's WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE, selected by Amazon as one of the Best Books of 2011!
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
This longtime reader favorite and nominee for Rita, Holt Medallion, Bookseller's Best and Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards is a full length novel--and as a bonus, includes the first chapter of Julie Anne Long's WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE, selected by Amazon as one of the Best Books of 2011!
From the Inside Flap
From Rakehell:
"What an amazing book! Julie Anne Long writes like a master.....To Love a Thief may be one of the most wonderful Pygmalion stories yet to come out of the romance genre. "
--Cybil Solyn
From Romance Reader at Heart:
TOP PICK! "I knew when I read Julie Anne Long's first offering, THE RUNAWAY DUKE, that she was an author destined to become a favorite of mine. I wasn't wrong. What a delightful love story she writes in TO LOVE A THIEF, a romance that sparkles with touches of My Fair Lady woven inside a Cinderella fairy tale (minus the wicked stepmother and stepsisters). If ever there was a charmer of a romance, TO LOVE A THIEF takes the cake. It's fun, witty, filled with a colorful cast of characters, and simply pure romantic escapism at its best."--Nancy Davis
From Romantic Times BOOKClub Magazine:
TOP PICK! "Long's sprightly My Fair Lady/Cinderella story is endearing, delightful and unforgettable. Designed to warm your heart and titillate your senses, this is a must for anyone who loves laughter wrapped in tears." --Kathe Robin
From Historical Romance Writers
A PERFECT 10! ...this "Thief" will steal your heart...I highly recommend both this book and this author to be put on most romance lovers 'auto-buy' lists."--Marilyn Rondeau
From Romance Reviews Today:
If you are seeking a novel that will leave you breathless with its laughter and passion, look no further. TO LOVE A THIEF is the best of the best."--Edith Morrison, Senior Reviewer
"What an amazing book! Julie Anne Long writes like a master.....To Love a Thief may be one of the most wonderful Pygmalion stories yet to come out of the romance genre. "
--Cybil Solyn
From Romance Reader at Heart:
TOP PICK! "I knew when I read Julie Anne Long's first offering, THE RUNAWAY DUKE, that she was an author destined to become a favorite of mine. I wasn't wrong. What a delightful love story she writes in TO LOVE A THIEF, a romance that sparkles with touches of My Fair Lady woven inside a Cinderella fairy tale (minus the wicked stepmother and stepsisters). If ever there was a charmer of a romance, TO LOVE A THIEF takes the cake. It's fun, witty, filled with a colorful cast of characters, and simply pure romantic escapism at its best."--Nancy Davis
From Romantic Times BOOKClub Magazine:
TOP PICK! "Long's sprightly My Fair Lady/Cinderella story is endearing, delightful and unforgettable. Designed to warm your heart and titillate your senses, this is a must for anyone who loves laughter wrapped in tears." --Kathe Robin
From Historical Romance Writers
A PERFECT 10! ...this "Thief" will steal your heart...I highly recommend both this book and this author to be put on most romance lovers 'auto-buy' lists."--Marilyn Rondeau
From Romance Reviews Today:
If you are seeking a novel that will leave you breathless with its laughter and passion, look no further. TO LOVE A THIEF is the best of the best."--Edith Morrison, Senior Reviewer
Product Details
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
37 of 38 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
TO LOVE A THIEF by Julie Anne Long
May 27, 2005
Amazon rating 4/5
In Julie Anne Long's TO LOVE A THIEF, Gideon Cole is trying to woo the woman of his dreams, but instead finds himself falling in love with a pickpocket.
Gideon is a barrister, but tends to take on cases in which clients do not have much money to pay him with. In order for Gideon to secure a title and wealth, he needs to marry up, and Constance, who is beautiful and wealthy, is his ticket. He isn't just after her money, however. He truly believes she's the right woman for him and he thinks he loves her. And since his Uncle Edward, who is supposedly on his deathbed, is to pass on his estate to Gideon, Gideon feels he should look good in Constance's eyes.
Lily is the pickpocket that Gideon saves from going to jail, and he makes a bargain with her. He and his best friend Laurie (Lord Kilmartin) will coach her until she is presentable in society, and with her help, he will win Constance's heart by making her jealous.
It's a variation on the Eliza Doolittle story, and for me it worked. I enjoyed the characters and their shenanigans as they (and Lily) fooled society. Lily becomes the toast of the town, and of course Gideon finds himself infatuated by her. Lily also finds herself falling for him, but both know that this is a romance that can never be, as they are from different worlds.
Lily's young sister Alice is also a charming addition to the story, and as usual a child in a historical romance makes for a welcome subplot. Lily and Alice are orphaned, and so it is Lily who is looking after her ten-year old sister. Lily makes her living as a pickpocket because there was no other way. But stepping into Gideon's world makes her own world look even worse, and she dreads the day she and Alice will have to return to it.
For those who enjoy regency romances, I recommend TO LOVE A THIEF. It's funny and charming and the author did a good job describing the world of Regency London. It was a definitely fun book to read.
May 27, 2005
Amazon rating 4/5
In Julie Anne Long's TO LOVE A THIEF, Gideon Cole is trying to woo the woman of his dreams, but instead finds himself falling in love with a pickpocket.
Gideon is a barrister, but tends to take on cases in which clients do not have much money to pay him with. In order for Gideon to secure a title and wealth, he needs to marry up, and Constance, who is beautiful and wealthy, is his ticket. He isn't just after her money, however. He truly believes she's the right woman for him and he thinks he loves her. And since his Uncle Edward, who is supposedly on his deathbed, is to pass on his estate to Gideon, Gideon feels he should look good in Constance's eyes.
Lily is the pickpocket that Gideon saves from going to jail, and he makes a bargain with her. He and his best friend Laurie (Lord Kilmartin) will coach her until she is presentable in society, and with her help, he will win Constance's heart by making her jealous.
It's a variation on the Eliza Doolittle story, and for me it worked. I enjoyed the characters and their shenanigans as they (and Lily) fooled society. Lily becomes the toast of the town, and of course Gideon finds himself infatuated by her. Lily also finds herself falling for him, but both know that this is a romance that can never be, as they are from different worlds.
Lily's young sister Alice is also a charming addition to the story, and as usual a child in a historical romance makes for a welcome subplot. Lily and Alice are orphaned, and so it is Lily who is looking after her ten-year old sister. Lily makes her living as a pickpocket because there was no other way. But stepping into Gideon's world makes her own world look even worse, and she dreads the day she and Alice will have to return to it.
For those who enjoy regency romances, I recommend TO LOVE A THIEF. It's funny and charming and the author did a good job describing the world of Regency London. It was a definitely fun book to read.
24 of 27 people found the following review helpful
Format:Mass Market Paperback
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Julie Anne Long! This book is a treasure! My husband teased me because I carried it everywhere around the house with me so I could read it whenever I had a free moment. He said it was the first book since we've been married that I didn't ask him if he knew where I'd left it because I never put it down! In my opinion it surpasses Long's first romance "The Runaway Duke", which was my favorite book of last year. Long outdoes herself and is proving to be a unique and talented new voice in Regency romance. She is a master at developing charming, unique characters that you remember long after you've read the last page. The "intimate" moments between her protagonists are tender while being heated and lush at the same time. Even her antagonists are interesting and sympathetic in their own way. Gentle humor pervades her work, and she is quickly becoming my favorite romance write. The heroine and hero in this book, Lily and Gideon, are two of my favorite literary characters in recent and far memory. And I can see Lady Constance so clearly in my mind's eye! Her character is painted so vividly by Long's words. I wish Long wasn't so new so that she had a body of work that I could dive into while I await her next book.
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By Badger
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
First, a disclaimer: I am a male, a husband and father whose customary literary fare is epic fantasy novels and civil war biographies. I have read a few romance novels before such as Danielle Steel's Legacy and Sisters (one of my favorites by her), Lisa Kleypas, Mary Jo Putney, and a bunch of others. After finding 'To Love a Thief' on my kindle and at a bargain price of $0.99 - I opted to give it a try.
I read the entire thing in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I found myself actually liking the male character, he was an honest fellow, loyal to his family and friends, and was downright adorable making Alice (Lily's younger sister) feel at home on his estate. The female protagonist was whip smart and probably the most honest thief around. It's hard to dislike a female protagonist that has found love but is willing to sacrifice it to make her lover's dream come true which entails marrying a wealthy heiress that would lift his family out of debt.
I loved reading this book so much I also bought several of her other books!
I read the entire thing in one sitting because I couldn't put it down. I found myself actually liking the male character, he was an honest fellow, loyal to his family and friends, and was downright adorable making Alice (Lily's younger sister) feel at home on his estate. The female protagonist was whip smart and probably the most honest thief around. It's hard to dislike a female protagonist that has found love but is willing to sacrifice it to make her lover's dream come true which entails marrying a wealthy heiress that would lift his family out of debt.
I loved reading this book so much I also bought several of her other books!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just okay....
Was this a good read? Yep. My reason for giving it 3 stars was that I counln't really get into it. This kind of plot sounds a little too unreal to me, handsome well-bred man falls... Read more
Published 1 month ago by AustenFan
2.0 out of 5 stars
Lame story
The story lacks substance and the characters are week. The book is rather boring. It is not the worst but it isn`t worth it either.
Published 1 month ago by someone2013
4.0 out of 5 stars
Perfect romance.
Anyone who is a fan of romances should pick up this book. I laughed, I cried, I stayed up way too late reading "just one more chapter." I will definitely be reading this again
Published 2 months ago by Elisha Megan Kenny
5.0 out of 5 stars
Heartwarming!
Love this story. Love how it turned out. Not rags to riches, but rags to happiness. It was very rewarding to read.
Published 2 months ago by Shopping Gal
4.0 out of 5 stars
5 stars for the book; 3 stars for the editing on Kindle
I really enjoyed the heroine in this book. She was refreshing and the storyline between her and the hero was great. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Rachael Yarnell
5.0 out of 5 stars
To Love a Thief
I gave this book five stars because it was well written and very entertaining. Julie Anne Long is one of my favorites. Read more
Published 3 months ago by DW
3.0 out of 5 stars
Just okay
I gave this book three stars out of respect. I love Julie Anne Long 's writing but this must have been one of her first books she ever wrote. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jacey
4.0 out of 5 stars
Reading all of them!
To Love A Thief is my fourth Julie Anne Long book. Come on now! Would you read four books by the same author if they weren't good? Me neither. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Nuphillygirl 1
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book is amazing
Hello my Romance fans I have found you a gem I need to tell you about. While trolling the romance blogs I came across a book that people were raving about so I decided to check it... Read more
Published 4 months ago by bookstore girl
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
To Love a Thief is the first book I've read by Long. It was truly funny and sexy. I laughed out loud many times. Read more
Published 4 months ago by vow2598
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More About the Author
San Francisco Bay Area native Julie Anne Long set out to be a rock star when she grew up (and she has the guitars and fringed clothing stuffed in the back of her closet to prove it), but writing was always her first love. She began her academic career as a Journalism major, then realized Creative Writing was a better fit for her freewheeling imagination and overdeveloped sense of whimsy. Still, for years she worked by day in finance, software development, web & graphic design, and marketing and promotions...until the fateful day when playing guitar in dank, sticky clubs by night lost its "charm." Which is when she realized she could incorporate all the best things about being in a band--namely drama, passion and men with unruly hair--into novels, while indulging her love of history and research. Since then, her books have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Romance Writers of America Rita, Romantic Times Reviewer's choice, the Bookseller's Best and the Quills, and reviewers have been known to use words such as "dazzling," "brilliant" and "impossible to put down" to describe them. Her latest, WHAT I DID FOR A DUKE, was chosen as one of Amazon's Best Book of 2011.
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