Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman

★★★★★

When Livy O’Brien spies a young boy jostling a man walking along the boardwalk, she recognizes the act for what it is. After all, she used to be known as Light-Fingered Livy. But that was before she put her past behind her and moved to the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, where she’s helping to run an orphanage. Now she’ll do almost anything to protect the street kids like herself. 

Sheriff’s deputy Jake Russell had no idea what he was in for when he ran into Livy – literally –while chasing down a pickpocket. With a rash of robberies and a growing number of street kids in town – as well as a loan on the family farm that needs to be paid off – Jake doesn’t have time to pursue a girl. Still, he can't seem to get Livy out of his mind. He wants to get to know her better… but Livy isn’t willing to trust any man, especially not a lawman.

As a consistent fan of historical fiction, I can easily say I just loved Pam Hillman’s Stealing Jake. It’s an all-around charming historical read with a touch of suspense, adventure and romance, and I would not hesitate to recommend it. Within the growing town of Chestnut, Illinois, Livy O’Brien and Jake Russell act as wonderfully dynamic main characters, each dealing with certain issues presented by the street children of the day. As these two set to overcome both external and internal challenges, Hillman masterfully tells their story with captivatingly easy storytelling and kept me turning pages from start to finish. Quite the delight to read, Stealing Jake would be a great book for any readers looking for inspirational historical fiction. It’s an entertaining read that cannot be put down easily - and certainly has me interested in reading more from Pam Hillman in the future.

Thanks to Tyndale BlogNetwork, I received a copy of Stealing Jake and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.