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Pages: 72
Goes Well With: Eggplant parmesan and thick slices of Italian bread, with a good merlot
To Love a Thief is a fun tale with romantic locations, sun, and sea, as well as diamonds, danger, humor, and love. It would certainly make a fine movie: handsome Italian provides protection for glorious French treasure. Mysteriously beautiful woman with delightful body parts and a very large gun steals jewel. Innocent victim is held hostage.
But it’s really not so simple. There are other characters coercing the innocent and not-quite-so-innocent. And there are curious family loyalties in the background.
Rome makes a fine backdrop for this romantic suspense, and the scene easily shifts from expensive villa to cliff-side road to secret raids and plans. The city had the history of a hungry, brutal metropolis, thinks Clarisse as Nick drives her back to his seaside home. Meanwhile, as “a well-trained strategist,” she tries to work out what he really wants from her. But she’s drawn to trust him, the security expert who so easily let her pick his pocket. And Nick soon finds himself trusting Clarisse, too, despite her deceptions and skills in thievery.
But Nick hides more than beautiful jewels. And Clarisse isn’t really sure what she’s hiding or who she can trust.
Like a summer movie, To Love a Thief has enough fun dialogue to overcome its plot holes and unedited glitches. It also has excitement, road chases, safe-breaking, danger, and love. Double-crosses abound. Thwarted plans realign. Allies gather. And normal order is restored… except for heart-breaking betrayal and loss that won’t find resolution till the final scene.
A quick read and a pleasant reminder of summer and sun, To Love a Thief will turn winter’s wind to seaside waves and transport the willing reader to Mediterranean delights over lunch. Good food and wine will help.
