We’re celebrating the release of THIEF OF HEARTS by L.H. Cosway! Check out the review and giveaway below!

Thief of Hearts
by L.H. Cosway

Released October 4, 2016!

AVAILABLE NOW!
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon CA | Amazon AU
iBooks | Kobo | Nook | Smashwords | Paperback

Find Thief of Hearts on Goodreads

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Blurb

Seduce the teacher.
Meet the cousin.
Make a deal.
Steal the painting.

Andrea Anderson has no clue of the thoughts churning around in the dark and dangerous ex-con’s head as he enters her classroom. In fact, she’s momentarily lost for words. Not in her entire teaching career has she had a student who looked quite like Stu Cross.

A widow at just twenty-eight, love is something Andie hasn’t considered a part of her life for a very long time. However, when lingering touches turn to whispered words and hot, searching stares, she begins to wonder if maybe she should take a leap of faith.

But Stu is in her class for a reason, and it has nothing to do with love. He’s there to burrow his way into her life and repay a debt, otherwise his family will suffer. Andie is the first person to show him true kindness since he left prison, and though he doesn’t want to mislead her, he doesn’t have another choice.

Before long, Stu can’t tell whether or not he’s acting anymore, and his feelings for Andie could throw all of his carefully crafted plans into complete and utter disarray.

**Can be read as a stand alone**

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Review

4.5 stars!

Thief of Hearts by L.H. Cosway is an enthralling forbidden romance and so much more. Cosway creates characters with such depth that they are intriguing, complex, entertaining and real. She does a great job at blending sweet and sexy moments as well as adding suspense and excitement to the mix. This book has everything I have come to love from Cosway – beautiful writing, captivating storyline, interesting twists, and lovable characters.

Andie Anderson teaches an education class geared toward adults returning to college. She has a tragic past, becoming a widow at 28 years old, and she has been dedicating her time to teaching others to mask her grief. After losing the love of her life, she doesn’t believe she will ever find love again.

Stu Cross is 30 years old and the oldest Cross brother.  If you have read Hearts of Blue then you know all about Stu and how he took the fall for the illegal activity the family was mixed up in and was sent to prison. In Thief of Hearts he is fresh out of a two-year sentence when he walks into Andie’s classroom.

Glancing up, our new student had arrived, and I had to take a second to catch my breath.
Stuart Cross looked dangerous, in a James Dean, careless-male-beauty, leather jacket wearing sort of way.

There is something intriguing about Stu, and feelings that have laid dormant for a long time start stirring deep inside of Andie when he enters her life. She tries to deny the connection the two share because Stu is her student; however, Stu is determined to make Andie his.

It was like some little Cupid baby had shot him with a love arrow and all of a sudden Stuart Cross was hot for his teacher.

Stu is a total flirt and speaks his mind even if it makes Andie uncomfortable or embarrassed. But more than that, he truly sees her and understands her. And Andie, seeing so much potential in Stu, strives to help him succeed. The forbidden aspect of their relationship doesn’t faze Stu, and Andie is unable to fight the strong response she has to his presence and words. The chemistry is intense and the sexual tension is palpable. You can feel the lust pulsating through them and the powerful emotion that is breaking free.

Stu Cross made me feel alive. So much so that it took him coming into my life to make me realise I hadn’t been living. I’d been imprisoned in the past, hiding behind a future that was lost to me.

But then the real reason for Stu’s actions is revealed and Andie is faced with a big decision.  Will she go along with the plan and what will it mean for her future?

“I’m going to make you see I’m worth it. We’re worth it, luv. One of these days you’re going to look at me and think, now there’s a bloke I could fall in love with.”

I loved Thief of Hearts! L.H. Cosway brings her stories to life, making you emotionally invested in the characters and all that surrounds them. The entire story was captivating and I enjoyed every bit of it.

Andie was a great character. She was a genuinely kind and supportive person and friend, and I loved her dedication to her students. My heart broke for the loss she experienced and the pain she felt thinking about the possibility of it happening again. I loved how encouraging she was and that she tried to think only the best of people. She had a huge heart and was willing to give them a fair chance, even when the odds were stacked against them.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t like Stu all that much in Hearts of Blue. I was concerned that my preconceived notions of him would make me like this book less than the others. Oh how wrong I was. I loved Stu! In the beginning I knew he had an ulterior motive for the attention he was showing Andie, so when he came clean my stomach dropped and heart ached because I didn’t want him to risk his future again. He really was a good guy who had a tough childhood that forced him to make the decisions he did. But Stu was wonderful and a really nice surprise. He was different than I had expected. After his appearances in Hearts of Blue I thought him to be rough, cold, and the complete opposite of Andie.

“People like you give people like me a soft place to fall. Otherwise we’d just be cold and hard.”

And though he was different than her in many ways, he was also sensitive, vulnerable, intelligent, and extremely loyal. His love for his family was solid and his willingness to do anything for them was endearing. When Stu falls for Andie the same would understandably hold true for her.

Together, Stu and Andie were a fantastic couple and they complimented each other well. Their interactions were steamy and the push and pull between them was entertaining. I loved Stu’s dirty mouth and the steam that accompanied every touch. Even the glances between them were hot! Their connection was intense from the beginning and the forbidden aspect made it more so.

This book is far from being just a romance though. It had twists that I did not see coming and the anticipation of what was going to happen had my heart beating wildly and my palms sweating. It held my attention from the first word to the last, and I felt everything that Andie and Stu went through and the decisions they made.

The supporting characters were amazing too. I loved getting to know Alfie and Jamie and the role they played in the story and in Andie’s life. Seeing Stu’s brothers again was wonderful and now I seriously can’t wait to get my grabby hands on the next book, Hearts on Air, featuring Trevor and Reya! 2017 cannot come soon enough!

*ARC generously provided by the author via Wordsmith Publicity in exchange for an honest review*

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The Hearts series (All books can be read as a stand alone)

 

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Giveaway

*Three Prizes*

 ENTER GIVEAWAY

The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway.

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About the Author

L.H. Cosway lives in Dublin, Ireland. Her inspiration to write comes from music. Her favourite things in life include writing stories, vintage clothing, dark cabaret music, food, musical comedy, and of course, books. She thinks that imperfect people are the most interesting kind. They tell the best stories. L.H. is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency.

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