by: Sloane Steele
Series: Counterfeit Capers
Genre: Heist Romance/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: April 27, 2021
Publisher: Carina Press
Amazon | Paperback | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Kobo | Goodreads
Don’t miss this new high-stakes romantic caper series, where they’re planning the art heist of the century—to right the wrongs of the past.
When catching a thief requires becoming one.
Jared Towers has skills. One of them is being able to talk his way out of—or into—anything.
Audrey Abbott has skills, too. Need something hacked and only the best will do? She’s your girl.
He’s charming.
She’s reclusive.
They have absolutely nothing in common—except for a driving desire to take care of those who need it the most.
For Jared, that means assembling a team of thieves to steal back what rightfully belongs to the victims of a crime perpetrated by his own father. For Audrey, it means doing whatever she can to make sure her grandma never has to worry again.
And now they have something else in common: the art heist of the century.
It was supposed to be all business. Get in and get out, then move on to the next target. But when Jared finds himself falling for Audrey, artwork isn’t the only thing at risk of being stolen…
I am doing well. I’m excited to be back at Read Your Writes. It’s been a while. Thanks for having me.
You’re very welcome. I addressed you as Shannyn because of my first question. Sloane Steele is your new pen name. How did you come up with it?
Before Carina Press acquired the Counterfeit Capers series, I never considered a pen name. The publisher asked if I would be open to using one because they could launch It Takes a Thief as a debut, and since it is a little different than my other romances, I agreed. I went to my writing friends and they had a blast in a group chat bouncing names around. I definitely played on the word steal, since these books are all about heists. And since my real initials are SS, I wanted to keep that for my pen name. My friends all suggested I keep it Irish, as my real name is, and Sloane was born. But I do have one friend who lobbied hard for Sassy as a name.
Sassy? Really? Welcome to the publishing world, Sloane. What can readers expect from your Counterfeit Capers series?
The Counterfeit Capers are light romantic suspense. I wanted people to know that they’re light and fun, which is why I used the word Capers in the series name. There’s no violence or murder. The crew steals art and replaces it with forgeries. Some of the heists are definitely caper-y, especially as the crew finds its rhythm working together as a team. Each book is still a stand-alone romance, so a new couple stars in each book, and they get their HEA.
It Takes a Thief is the first book in the series. What can you tell me about it?
Being the first book in the series, It Takes a Thief is all about bringing the team together. Readers are introduced to all of the teammates as they plan the first heist. You learn why Mia and Jared are doing this, even though they keep it a secret from the rest of the crew for a long time. Hint: it’s a really good reason. Audrey is the hacker Jared hires to get their thief past alarms. He’s hired her for other, smaller jobs in the past, and they’ve had a flirtatious relationship online. Working closely ignites more of those flirtations and they start to fall for each other. The problem is, they are both so used to working alone, they keep a ton of secrets.
What initially attracts Audrey and Jared to each other?
For Audrey, Jared has always been a nice break from her life. She carries a lot of stress and worry, but when he reaches out to hire her, it’s always light, fun banter. Plus, he pays really well.
Jared is enamored by Audrey’s skillset. She’s brilliant and works hard and he thinks she sells herself short.
When they meet in person, the physical attraction sparks every bit as much.
What do you like/love about them individually and together?
I love Audrey’s sense of loyalty to those she cares about. She’s willing to do whatever she can to keep those she loves safe, whether it’s her grandma, who raised her, or Nikki, the thief she’s been hired to help.
I like Jared’s ability to recognize the brilliance of the women he’s surrounded himself by. He’s not threatened by them at all, which makes him a very sexy hero.
Audrey and Jared balance each other out – light and dark, good and bad, serious and flirty. They can butt heads and still see the good in the other.
What was your favorite part of this story to write?
I enjoyed the banter between Jared and Audrey. Especially at the beginning when it’s all online and Audrey feels free to have fun because she’s safe in her room and it doesn’t have to be real.
Tell us about one of your favorite scenes from the book, and why is it a favorite?
One of my favorite scenes is near the end of the book when the team decides to do a heist during a party at the mark’s house. Of course, things don’t go exactly the way they should (where’s the fun in that?) and instead of Nikki stealing the sculpture, Audrey has to smuggle it out of the house. There are so many moving parts that it was fun to write. Plus, it forced Audrey WAY out of her comfort zone.
Was there anything that surprised you about this story?
I think the thing that surprised me most about this story is how much fun I had writing it. This is a series I thought about for a long time before attempting to tackle it because I thought it would require a lot of plotting, which I don’t do. So when I decided to jump in and try it, it was a lot of fun. I let weird and funny things happen, even if they were a little unrealistic because this series is light and fun. I still had to do some plotting, and there were more than a few times that I wrote myself into a corner, but it’s a world I’ve had so much fun hanging out in that I had a hard time leaving it.
Can you tell us a fun fact or two about It Takes a Thief?
It’s no secret that the series was borne out of my love for the TV show Leverage. Because of that, I decided to have a little fun and I have Easter eggs all through all three books that are Leverage references. I also reference a bunch of other shows and movies, but there’s more Leverage than anything.
I’ve watched a couple of episodes of Leverage. It was a good show. Shannyn, thank you so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions.
Thank you so much for having me. It’s always fun!
At noon, Mia entered the apartment carrying bags of food for lunch. His cousin might not like the people he’d hired, but she was always the consummate host. She glanced around as if to take note of the lack of Data’s presence. Before she could comment, the bell rang.
He met Data at the door. He didn’t want another scene between Data and Mia. For some inexplicable reason, he was protective of Data. “I’ve sent five grand to your usual account. You need to quit the job.”
“I need that job.”
“No, you don’t. You’ll make plenty from us. You at least have to take a leave of absence while we’re doing this. It’s not negotiable.” He couldn’t understand why she was working a menial job that didn’t even utilize her skills, but now was not the time to ask.
“Is this her doing?”
“It’s an expectation we have of all of you. We’re under a tight deadline. We need your undivided attention.” He looked closely at her face. She looked even more exhausted than she had yesterday. “What time did you start today?”
“Four a.m.”
“Are you going to be able to focus?”
She crossed her arms. “What time did you get up for your day of world domination?”
“Four thirty, but I’m not the one walking around with dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep.”
“I’m fine. I’ll make sure to apply some makeup tomorrow to look more presentable.”
He sighed and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I don’t have a problem with the way you look.” Just the opposite. I want to spend far too much time looking at you. “I’m concerned that you’re not taking care of yourself.”
“I’m good. I take care of myself just fine.” She pointed to the apartment behind him. “Let’s do this.”
Great. Now he’d pissed her off. He needed to take a page from his own book and relax when it came to these players. They’d chosen people who work alone and now they were expecting an instantaneous team, but it would take a little time. Hopefully not too much. He’d have to put his attraction aside because Data no longer seemed all that interested.
In the kitchen, Mia had a full spread of food. Three kinds of salad, cold cuts, cheeses, a dessert tray. “Help yourself,” she said as she walked to the couch carrying a cup of coffee.
While Mia might see it as a sign of weakness to eat in front of Data and Nikki, he dove in. As usual, Nikki piled a plate high with food. He had no idea how she managed to eat so much. Data made a simple sandwich and wrapped it in a napkin.
Sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, Nikki took a bite of sandwich and said, “Shoot. Give us the deets.”
Mia inhaled slowly. “As you know, we’ve hired you to steal a painting. Data, your job will be to bypass the security system to get Nikki in and out.”
“That’s it? All the buildup for that?” Nikki sounded disappointed.
“What were you hoping for?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know. Something more spectacular than steal a painting.”
*
Jay brushed his hands together and then tapped on the keyboard. Audrey watched his fingers fly over the keys. She knew it was weird, but she always found it sexy when a man could type without chicken pecking. Admittedly, her standards were pretty low.
Focus. He’s the boss. Plus, he just got done telling me that I look like ass. She pushed down her obnoxious inner voice and forced her attention to the TV.
“It is a little more than that,” he said. On the screen, an image of a huge house—a mansion really. “This is the house. Not only will you steal a painting, but you’ll replace it with a forgery.”
Nikki sat up straighter. “Well, that’s a little more interesting. Why?”
“So the owner doesn’t realize he’s been robbed.”
Nikki’s whole face frowned. “Where’s the fun in that? When I get one over on someone, I want him to know. I want to push his nose in my superiority.”
“This isn’t about proving your superiority,” Ms. Green said.
And she would know all about a superiority complex.
“Then what?” Nikki continued.
“Money. Pure and simple.”
Audrey listened to what the woman said, but she wasn’t buying it. The Greens were not like her and Nikki. They didn’t need money. They looked like they stepped off the set of a nighttime soap opera. There was more to the situation than they were letting on.
“Who’s doing the forgery?” Nikki asked.
Audrey didn’t much care. She knew next to nothing about art. She wouldn’t be able to tell a fake from the original.
“Not your concern,” Mia said. “We’ll be providing that.”
“And we’re supposed to trust that this forger is good enough that no one will be able to tell?”
“I’ll make sure of it,” Mia said confidently.
The woman was so confident that Audrey wondered if she was the forger.
“Not to sound like a bitch, or anything, but I’ve stolen plenty of things in my life. Why do I need you?”
“We have access to clientele who are interested in this particular painting.” Jay rose with a smile and crossed the room.
Audrey could imagine him in a boardroom owning everything. He commanded attention. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He wasn’t a huge guy, maybe five-ten and fit, but not physically imposing. It was the way he carried himself, as if he could do whatever he wanted and no one would question him. And if they did, he wouldn’t care.
He continued, “Masterpieces are rarely stolen. When they are, they’re usually found and returned quickly. Part of the reason is that it’s hard to fence a priceless work of art.”
“Or you could just ransom it instead of fencing it.”
“Ransom?” Audrey asked.
“You steal a painting and as soon as they discover it’s missing you call and demand a ransom for the safe return.” Nikki chuckled. “I’ve done it with the same Dali three times.”
Dali? So much for masterpieces not being stolen. Audrey had no reason to doubt Nikki. She’d come across the woman’s name in passing, although they didn’t travel or work in the same circles. Where Audrey flew under the radar, Nikki liked to let everyone know how fabulous she was.
“What makes this different? As far as fencing it,” Audrey asked.
“Me. I have access to the right people,” Jay said.
When his dark eyes met hers, she saw a spark of excitement.
“People who won’t care that it’s stolen,” Nikki said. “You sound like you have a plan, but we get paid up front.” She flipped a thumb toward Audrey.
Audrey felt an odd kinship with Nikki, like they were in this together. Which in a way they were, separate from the Greens.
He met Data at the door. He didn’t want another scene between Data and Mia. For some inexplicable reason, he was protective of Data. “I’ve sent five grand to your usual account. You need to quit the job.”
“I need that job.”
“No, you don’t. You’ll make plenty from us. You at least have to take a leave of absence while we’re doing this. It’s not negotiable.” He couldn’t understand why she was working a menial job that didn’t even utilize her skills, but now was not the time to ask.
“Is this her doing?”
“It’s an expectation we have of all of you. We’re under a tight deadline. We need your undivided attention.” He looked closely at her face. She looked even more exhausted than she had yesterday. “What time did you start today?”
“Four a.m.”
“Are you going to be able to focus?”
She crossed her arms. “What time did you get up for your day of world domination?”
“Four thirty, but I’m not the one walking around with dark circles under my eyes from lack of sleep.”
“I’m fine. I’ll make sure to apply some makeup tomorrow to look more presentable.”
He sighed and shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I don’t have a problem with the way you look.” Just the opposite. I want to spend far too much time looking at you. “I’m concerned that you’re not taking care of yourself.”
“I’m good. I take care of myself just fine.” She pointed to the apartment behind him. “Let’s do this.”
Great. Now he’d pissed her off. He needed to take a page from his own book and relax when it came to these players. They’d chosen people who work alone and now they were expecting an instantaneous team, but it would take a little time. Hopefully not too much. He’d have to put his attraction aside because Data no longer seemed all that interested.
In the kitchen, Mia had a full spread of food. Three kinds of salad, cold cuts, cheeses, a dessert tray. “Help yourself,” she said as she walked to the couch carrying a cup of coffee.
While Mia might see it as a sign of weakness to eat in front of Data and Nikki, he dove in. As usual, Nikki piled a plate high with food. He had no idea how she managed to eat so much. Data made a simple sandwich and wrapped it in a napkin.
Sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, Nikki took a bite of sandwich and said, “Shoot. Give us the deets.”
Mia inhaled slowly. “As you know, we’ve hired you to steal a painting. Data, your job will be to bypass the security system to get Nikki in and out.”
“That’s it? All the buildup for that?” Nikki sounded disappointed.
“What were you hoping for?” Mia asked.
“I don’t know. Something more spectacular than steal a painting.”
*
Jay brushed his hands together and then tapped on the keyboard. Audrey watched his fingers fly over the keys. She knew it was weird, but she always found it sexy when a man could type without chicken pecking. Admittedly, her standards were pretty low.
Focus. He’s the boss. Plus, he just got done telling me that I look like ass. She pushed down her obnoxious inner voice and forced her attention to the TV.
“It is a little more than that,” he said. On the screen, an image of a huge house—a mansion really. “This is the house. Not only will you steal a painting, but you’ll replace it with a forgery.”
Nikki sat up straighter. “Well, that’s a little more interesting. Why?”
“So the owner doesn’t realize he’s been robbed.”
Nikki’s whole face frowned. “Where’s the fun in that? When I get one over on someone, I want him to know. I want to push his nose in my superiority.”
“This isn’t about proving your superiority,” Ms. Green said.
And she would know all about a superiority complex.
“Then what?” Nikki continued.
“Money. Pure and simple.”
Audrey listened to what the woman said, but she wasn’t buying it. The Greens were not like her and Nikki. They didn’t need money. They looked like they stepped off the set of a nighttime soap opera. There was more to the situation than they were letting on.
“Who’s doing the forgery?” Nikki asked.
Audrey didn’t much care. She knew next to nothing about art. She wouldn’t be able to tell a fake from the original.
“Not your concern,” Mia said. “We’ll be providing that.”
“And we’re supposed to trust that this forger is good enough that no one will be able to tell?”
“I’ll make sure of it,” Mia said confidently.
The woman was so confident that Audrey wondered if she was the forger.
“Not to sound like a bitch, or anything, but I’ve stolen plenty of things in my life. Why do I need you?”
“We have access to clientele who are interested in this particular painting.” Jay rose with a smile and crossed the room.
Audrey could imagine him in a boardroom owning everything. He commanded attention. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. He wasn’t a huge guy, maybe five-ten and fit, but not physically imposing. It was the way he carried himself, as if he could do whatever he wanted and no one would question him. And if they did, he wouldn’t care.
He continued, “Masterpieces are rarely stolen. When they are, they’re usually found and returned quickly. Part of the reason is that it’s hard to fence a priceless work of art.”
“Or you could just ransom it instead of fencing it.”
“Ransom?” Audrey asked.
“You steal a painting and as soon as they discover it’s missing you call and demand a ransom for the safe return.” Nikki chuckled. “I’ve done it with the same Dali three times.”
Dali? So much for masterpieces not being stolen. Audrey had no reason to doubt Nikki. She’d come across the woman’s name in passing, although they didn’t travel or work in the same circles. Where Audrey flew under the radar, Nikki liked to let everyone know how fabulous she was.
“What makes this different? As far as fencing it,” Audrey asked.
“Me. I have access to the right people,” Jay said.
When his dark eyes met hers, she saw a spark of excitement.
“People who won’t care that it’s stolen,” Nikki said. “You sound like you have a plan, but we get paid up front.” She flipped a thumb toward Audrey.
Audrey felt an odd kinship with Nikki, like they were in this together. Which in a way they were, separate from the Greens.
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