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May102010
BOOK REVIEW: ‘A Licence To Steal’ by Samantha Graves
by Carolyn • Posted in 3.5 Star Reviews, Authors E-H, Book Reviews, Piatkus, Reviews by Carolyn, Romantic Suspense
Title: A Licence To Steal
Author: Samantha Graves
Publisher: Piatkus
Publication Date: May 2010
Paperback: 303 pages
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Source: Review Copy
Reviewed by: Carolyn
RATING: 7/10 – Very good.
AMAZON SUMMARY:
Can an art thief earn an honest living? Raven Callahan does, with the help of a rare psychic power that lets her read the emotions locked inside ancient objects. But when her partner is kidnapped and Raven is forced to steal a priceless masterpiece to save him, ESP takes a backseat to quick wits, steely nerves, and the lethal skills she needs to survive.
Ex-cop Dax Maddox made just one mistake on the job, but it took a young rookie’s life and cost Dax his ability to see colour. Now stalking a killer brings Raven into his life – and floods his grey world with vivid and conflicting emotions: anger and lust, suspicion and awe. Are the criminals they seek one and the same? If so, Dax and Raven’s growing need for each other could inspire a madman’s terrifying scheme for the ultimate revenge…
REVIEW:
‘A Licence To Steal‘ is a romantic suspense, but it also has elements of paranormal. Raven Callahan is a world class thief, but she has a sixth sense, psychometry, and can sense emotions, thoughts and scents from all objects she handles. Raven is a complex character. She’s focused, determined and career driven and who lives only for her work. Her psychic ability has caused her to retreat from the world around her, including her family. She has no friends and takes one job after an other to avoid human attachments.
However, Raven’s unusual ability does take a back-seat to the suspenseful plot and steamy romance, but it’s still a very important aspect to the story because it’s really the fundamental reason for Raven’s shut-off existence and cold, hard to reach persona.
When we first meet Raven she is in a cave collecting an ancient medallion she’s been hired to retrieve. It began like an underwater adventure with a priceless artifact and someone willing to kill for it as Raven is attacked and has to fight for her life by reaching the surface before drowning. Luckily she’s still in possession of the medallion and full of adrenalin heads back to the Antiquities Preservation Institute – her employer.
This was a very promising start and I had expectations of a ‘Romancing the Stone’ kind of adventure but unfortunately it turned into a fairly run-of-the-mill thriller. However, ‘A Licence To Steal‘ is still a very good read, and when Raven’s partner, Walter, is kidnapped, Raven unwillingly joins forces with sexy ex-cop Maddox to try and find him. Maddox’s involvement irritates Raven as she prefers to work alone, but this time she doesn’t have a choice as it’s at the request of the kidnapper, who, she soon finds out, has already killed before.
Maddox is an ex-cop who left the police force after his partner was killed, and due to a blow to the head is now colour blind and sees the world in shades of grey. Maddox is also a multi-layered character and not a lot unlike Raven. He’s also closed off from the world, focusing only on finding the killer who murdered his partner.
At first Raven and Maddox struggle with working together, and although they were attracted to each other from the start the respect they begin to feel for each other is where the relationship between them shifts and moves from reluctant partners unwilling to reveal their feelings to having lots of steamy sex in the kitchen! The love scenes are written well and are not too graphic, but the heat generated by these two characters would satisfy any romance reader.
“He grinned a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. Even after hours of driving and no sleep, he looked good in a rumpled, sexy kind of way. How did men do that? It was the curse of women everywhere.”
VERDICT:
A Licence To Steal is a little predictable but is still a very enjoyable book, from the fast-paced plot to the nicely layered characters. It’s a book I would definitely recommend and an author I would absolutely read again.
You can also find out more about the author here:
7 Comments
It sounds like even though it is predictable it was enjoyable. Sometimes those can be great comfort reads. I had actually not heard of Samantha Graves–I will have to put her on my look up list when I get my current pile of books down to a reasonable amount
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Sounds like this one has all the elements of a good read – plot, character, "steamy" romance, etc. Glad you enjoyed reading it thought it was predictable!
Harvee
Mailbox Monday
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What a neat ability! The plot itself has been done before a lot but at least the characters are unique!
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Great review! Adding to my list!
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Felicia – It was a really good read and I did enjoy it, but yet it was predictable, but as you say sometimes it doesn't matter and this was one of those times.
Book Dilettante – It does have a lot going for it and I really did like both Raven and Maddox.
Ladytink – I really liked the characters and the relationship between them, it was what really moved the story along for me.
Fredamans – Yes! Definitely one to add to your reading list
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While reading the plot I imagined Catherine Zeta Jones' role in the Entrapment. Although the plot is not original, the characters' powers gave the plot and the whole book a good twist.
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Don't know how I missed this one. Added it to the to buy list! Great review.
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