Machiavellian twists and turns keep readers on their toes as Cosway adds new information to change the direction of story at any given time. She takes her time making her way to the conflict in the first half of the book, artfully building the romance while giving us clues that Stu is far more complicated than we first suspected and there is more to the story at hand. Cosway doesn’t make it easy for this couple. The humor and the inclusion of a well developed cast of secondary characters helps to elevate the story from a simple opposites attract to a complicated journey of growth, redemption, and learning to let go. The delicious push and pull of the slow burning forbidden romance is punctuated by the sexual tension and some cheesy but fun innuendos. “Even when you’ve given up on yourself, I won’t give up on you.” Only this time he has an ulterior motive which soon leads to confusion because his feelings become real. Never one to turn down a challenge, he pursues what he wants with a single mindedness. Not as playful as his brothers, its his intensity that is the attraction. Similar to Lee, Stu is also an attractive bad boy whose charm and innate sexuality flows like water. By taking the blame for car ring, Stu was able to pay his brother back for all he had done and assuage himself of that guilt. Lee, his younger brother, shouldered a majority of the weight and Stu allowed that. Abandoned by their parents, Stu and his brothers took to a life of crime to support themselves. We already know Stu’s story from the previous book. She grounds him while he teaches her how to fly. They “see” each other for who they really are beneath the surface and understand what made the fuel behind what fires them. She’s pretty solid and I felt that aspect of her personality is what Stu needed. I like Andrea though she didn’t exhibit the same dynamic as some of the other heroines. A widow with a normal, uneventful childhood and life, Stu is like an exotic untamed animal she wants to touch but knows will eventually turn on her. He pushes all her boundaries, challenging everything that defines her. Told from Andrea’s point of view, we see Stu through her eyes and it’s an interesting view as she fluctuates between excitement and dread. Wouldn’t you prefer it to have a rainbow?” “… if you go around living your life indifferent to new experiences, you’re going to have a grey life. Something that could get them both in trouble. His family is worried about him, especially when they see him trying to strike up a romance with his teacher. Deals he made to stay alive while in there leave him stuck between a rock and a hard place. Now two years later, Stu is out of prison but still not free. To briefly recap, at the end of Hearts of Blue, Stu took the fall for the family’s illegal car theft ring, making a deal that effectively frees his family from a crime boss’s clutches. Cosway’s Hearts series and revolves around the eldest Cross brother, Stu. Thief of Hearts is the fifth installment in L. She shows us the hidden side of a stereotypical screw up who’s immaturity and assumed lack of intelligence disguises a brilliant, compassionate, heartfelt warrior whose player days fall to the wayside when they meet the ‘one.’ Using this character as a base, she writes a story brimming with humor, intrigue, fantastic chemistry, and some emotional bittersweet moments to create a solid storyline that firmly engages your heart as you watch an impossibly matched couple fight for what they want against some incredible odds. Once again, Cosway tossed down the gauntlet to show us there is much more to a previously introduced character then what we originally thought. But Stu never predicted he would fall for his mark and unless he proceeds with caution, he will lose everything. His new teacher has something he needs to repay a debt or his family will pay the ultimate price. His appearance in Andie’s class is anything but a coincidence. Stuart (Stu) Cross just got out of prison after a two year stint for robbery. Love is not something she aspires to until a dangerous and sexy ex-convict enters her classroom and makes her feel emotions she long thought dead. That’s how I was before I met you.”Īndrea (Andie) Anderson is a widow whose job teaching adults trying to re-enter the world of education and taking care of her cousin is her whole world after her husband passed away. Favorite Quote: “ People like you give people like me a soft place to fall.
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