To Catch a Raven (Women Who Dare, #3)
Beverly Jenkins
The newest novel in USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins’s compelling Women Who Dare series features a fearless grifter who goes undercover to reclaim the stolen Declaration of Independence. Lying and cheating may be sins to some people, but for Raven Moreaux, it is a way of life. She comes from a long line of grifters and couldn’t be prouder…Until she’s forced to help the government. A former Confederate official is suspected of stealing the Declaration of Independence, and Raven, posing as his housekeeper, is tasked with getting it back. Her partner is the too handsome Braxton Steel. Masquerading as a valet/driver, Brax is also supposed to be her “husband.” He has his own reasons for doing this job, but when their pretend marriage ignites into fiery passion, they’ll have to put everything—including their hearts—on the line.
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First off--now that's how you do a fucking romance novel cover. Good God. The shirtlessness! The cleavage! The touching! The artfully draped dress!
Anyway. To Catch A Raven centers on (for a lovely change of pace) a con artist heroine. Raven Moreaux was raised by a grifter mother and quite good at the art of the steal herself--but unfortunately, she's now being tasked by the Pinkertons with catching a thief herself (or else). A former high-ranking Confederate is suspected of stealing the Declaration of Independence, and it's up to Raven to get it back.
She's meant to accomplish this by posing a housekeeper of the accused thief... and the super hot, super smooth Braxton Steel is meant to play the household valet--and her husband. Obviously. Raven immediately can't stand Brax. But, you know. Love and hate. All that.
Doesn't that sound like a fun, slightly bonkers plot? That's because it is. And there are actually more bonkers details sprinkled throughout. For one, Hazel has a young, adopted sister of sorts named Dorcas who has the gift of the Sight (and she immediately pronounces that Brax and Raven will be getting married for real, natch). This was such an old school touch that I almost lost my mind. A psychic child who just goes around being like "that's your husband"? Why not? Additionally, Brax's father and Hazel's mother have a history (don't worry--from well before Raven was conceived) and don't take much time to pick it back up again. The hilarity of Brax and Raven hearing their parents gleefully get it on in the next room over while attempting to deal with their own lust was.... too much. Drive Me Crazy, anyone?
I wouldn't call this an enemies to lovers romance, exactly--because while Raven has an issue with Brax off the bat, he's pretty quickly charmed by her and isn't shy about it. A lot of the driving plot is the bananas elements of going undercover as a married couple, finding the person who stole the Declaration of Independence (not Nic Cage) and so on. The book has that Beverly Jenkins quality of having a really well-established world and environment, as well as great chemistry between the leads.
And by the way--the foreplay in this novel? Really good. Brax is a tailor, and Jenkins gets a ton of mileage out of the eroticism of a man who knows how to make clothes admiring the drape and cut of fabric on his lover's body, loving watching her unbutton her gowns. It's great. Also, the fucking lines?
"May I have some cock now, please?" I. DIED. WAS DEAD TO THE GROUND.
I feel like this is a bit lighter than some of Beverly's older books, though there's still a good bit of drama. The caper elements keep it from getting too heavy, but there's a poignancy to Raven trying to figure out where she stands in Brax's world. She's a grifter, he's upper class. And as drawn as he is to her, you kind of get the idea that he's a bit worried about how she'll fit into his life, and not without reason.
If you love Beverly Jenkins, you'll enjoy the hell out of this. If you've never read Beverly Jenkins, you should, and you'll most likely enjoy the hell out of this. It's just a lot of fun, and don't we need that at this moment?
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
04.5⭐️. Raven is part of a family of con artists, trying to bring their extended family out of poverty to financial security. Braxton is tailor, roped into a heist by a devious Pinkerton, trying to catch Raven in crimes AND coerce her Inti finding a stolen copy of the Declaration of Independence. The premise is a little bonkers, but it gets these opposites attract hero and heroine together.
Braxton is rich, morally driven, hot & handsome, kind and… a dirty talker. He’s a 10. Raven is a bad ass, does what she needs to survive, strategist, also sexy as hell.
The pacing is interesting here. The heist doesn’t get under way until 50% in, instead we get a lot of time with Raven and Braxton on page together, releasing stress, getting to know each other.
0This book was fun, but I think the premise is so fun. I will say the plot bit fell flat for me. I was expecting a bit more adventure in this story.
If you go in knowing it's a cozier style of plot than the summary says i think you will have a great time. Raven and Brax have fantastic chemistry and there's so many cute moments together.
ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley
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