Book Club: Art Heist

Okay, let me start by saying, I loved, loved, loved this book! I hadn't read this one since writing it, so this was a true reader experience. Also, this book has the biggest word count of any book I've written, so it took me a while to get through it. The good news, though, is this story needed every single word.

The book starts with single mother, Raewyn Goldwyn, starting her first day of work at Bennett Art Gallery. She's excited and thrilled, eager and nervous. A big part of this story is seeing, through Raewyn's eyes, a lot of what happens behind the scenes in an art gallery. That feels very real, and is a very interesting glimpse into an environment most will never experience. Full disclosure, I actually held the job Raewyn has in this story, so I had a lot of insider information when writing this book. I also did loosely base some of the characters off actual people I worked with at the gallery.

Even though this book is called Art Heist, this is really a love story. The actual heist only occurs in the last third of the book. I have wondered if the title is too misleading, but reading it reassured me that the title fits. The possibility of a heist is a backdrop to the story from day one. That way, the book is full of potential suspects and red herrings, the love relationship is firmly established, and the compications are all in place by the time Raewyn becomes the prime suspect in the robbery.

Because, Raewyn becomes the prime suspect in the art heist that happens in this book. She's even fired as a result. Before that happens, though, she foils a smaller robbery attempt. This should have given her credibility in the eyes of her employer. Instead, her boss finds her involvement suspicious.

Kurt Wilder is the love interest in this book. Kurt works in construction, but he also is a talented artist. This is something he doesn't broadcast to the world. In fact, Kurt had a lousy childhood and has an ex-con brother, so Kurt is pretty sheilded in general with the vibe he puts out. Raewyn takes one look at him and sees right through him. He takes one look at her, and sees her as the subject of his work and his sexual fantasies. He intends to have her in the bedroom and intends to immortalize her on canvas. Rae, though, takes one look at him and sees secrets and danger. She is attracted to him, anyway, but that only means she needs to keep him at a distance.

That works fine for her right up to the day that she and her daughter, Chloe, bump into Kurt and his dog, Baxter, at the local art store. Chloe falls hard for Baxter, and Kurt is not above using that to score points with the little girl's mom.

Kurt is a bit of a rough around the edges hero, but he's also strong and sure of himself, and he's just alpha enough to take care of those who matter to him. He quickly becomes a rock for Raewyn, and before long, Chloe is calling him Daddy Kurt. The complication is that Raewyn is currently in a custody battle with her violent ex, and Kurt's brother has only recently gotten out of jail. Can she risk having a relationship with the man at this moment in her life? And of course, once the heist happens, Dean and his criminal past is just another strike against the perception of her at the gallery.

So, does she take a risk with Kurt, or does she walk away from this good man and all he adds to their lives out of self-preservation instincts? Of course, love is always a risk. Raewyn has to decide if the risk is worth the reward.

A lot of Art Heist is about family. Any single mother story will have to involve family, and the relationships between Raewyn and Chloe, Raewyn and Kurt, and Chloe and Kurt are explored prominently and naturally against the backdrop of life and its complications and its stresses. The secondary relationships of Dean (Kurt's brother) as family, and Raewyn's parents as part of the family also feel realistic. As well, Raewyn does become close to some of the gallery employees, and the idea of what real friendship requires is another concept in this story.

Overall, Art Heist left a warm feeling in its wake. Although I had a pretty good idea who the bad guy was going to be, there were multiple villains involved in the heist, so that left some room for speculation and surprise. The sex scenes between Raewyn and Kurt happen behind closed doors in this story, which feels right for this story and this couple. Kurt might be a bit rough and ready, but Raewyn is kind of classy. And Kurt is just possessive enough to want to keep what happens between them private.

The ending of Art Heist, for me, was incredibly satisfying. Kurt, Raewyn, and Chloe are getting the happily ever after they deserve, and the suffering they go through in this story actually services what comes next.

I would definitely recommend Art Heist as a read for lovers of clean romance with a slight edge. Hopefully, you will enjoy it as much as I did!