To Heist and to Hold by Christina Britton is the first book in her new Regency romance series, Wimpole Street Widows.
To Heist and to Hold is not the usual Regency romance involving titled heroes and very young heroines experiencing the entertainments of London for the first time. Instead, the heroine Heloise Marlowe is a 32 year old widow, living with a group of women in similar circumstances. And the hero, Ethan Sinclair is the owner of one of the most famous gaming hells, Dionysus. Their paths cross when Heloise and her fellow widows must investigate Ethan’s club to clear her sister-in-law’s name.
Heloise is an unusual heroine, in that not only is she not a young, innocent debutante, but she is trained as a blacksmith and used to assist her husband by making weapons and training people in fencing. She had overcome a number of challenges in her life prior to being asked to join the Wimpole Street Widows and it made her character an interesting one.
From the moment they met, it was clear there was instant attraction between Heloise and Ethan, but not insta-love. In fact I had to laugh, because at one point Ethan decides to continue their affair to prove to himself that he’s not in love with Heloise.
Both Ethan and Heloise had deep emotional issues that they were living with, and watching them come together and help each other heal was a moving experience. There was no question in my mind that they suited each other, and cared for each other, deeply.
To Heist and To Hold has a bit of everything for the reader with intrigue, deception, betrayal, friendship, and love. It was a much sweeter story than I was expecting, although that’s not to say there weren’t some spicy moments.
I look forward to reading further books in the series to fine out more about Ethan’s partners, the other members of the Wimpole Street Widows, and the backstory to their little group.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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