A well-researched novel set in Cornwall in the 18th Century. This novel follows the story of a young woman, Jenna and her desire to break free from the criminal family's roots and make an honest life for herself. She finds herself working for Jack, a man involved in eliminating the smuggling trade, and finds that she can never really escape her family name.
A good read with engaging characters and writing that brings Cornwall to life.

Fantastic historical romance - I loved this book. Well written and compulsive reading - I couldn't put it down.

Set in the beautiful location of the rugged Cornish coast, stunning scenery descriptions - I was there with the characters. I loved the relationship dynamics between the lead characters - they have great chemistry. I found it heartwarming to see their relationship grow closer - their romance is perfectly paced. A good cast of surrounding characters. It is a story about family, love and betrayal set against a dangerous background of smuggling.

A delight to read, I highly recommend this book and look forward to the next one from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Lovers of Poldark will love this book.
Meet the new Ross, Jack who has a score to settle with smugglers and the harsh punishment they inflict on innocent people who refuse to help them in their trade.
Jack is a professional thief taker who is paid to catch people who break the law such as poachers or smugglers.
Jenna a young widow will do anything to help her brother who is in debtors prison and is as crooked as they come. After the disappearance of her thieving parents her brother cared for her and put food in her mouth when she was a child and for this reason Jenna has remained loyal to her brother even though she does not like his thieving ways.
Desperate to pay off her brothers debts Jenna takes a job as Jacks housekeeper and soon even though they both try to fight it for different reasons they are both drawn to each other and this is when the fun begins.
Great read just couldn't put it down and read it in one day.
This is the first of Victoria Cornwall,s Cornish novels can't wait for the next.

I loved this! If you like and know Cornwall you will love this book. Based in the late 1700s, and focussing mainly on two characters, it gives a very realistic account of smuggling and the authorities, the 'thief takers' trying to prevent it. I could 'see' the cliffs, cottages, parties and people as they came to life in this book. Jenna and her brother Silas, whose parents and older siblings were arrested and her parents hung. How Jenna herself helped kill her husband, and helped Silas to get out of goal. How she became housekeeper for one of the 'thief takers' without knowing what he did, and her marriage to him. How he found one of her older brothers who had run away to sea and never been heard of again, how the local Judge was found to be in charge of the smugglers, and why they always hanged when they came up before him. I found this to be a riveting read, I couldn't put the book down, and want to read more by Victoria Cornwell.

Thank you Victoria Cornwall and Netgalley for a copy of this book.

Jenna was the odd one out in her family of thieves, pick pockets, and sellers of stolen goods. She refused to steal from other people and was seen as being odd by her parents and brothers. Then, one by one, her family disappeared; her brother Mark ran away to sea in the hope of a better life, her two brothers Paul and David had been sent to prison and not heard of again and her parents simply vanished one day. Only her brother Silas remained.

At 16, Jenna married in the naive hope of ridding herself of the Cartwright families bad reputation and of the belief life would become simpler. Instead she quickly discovered her husband Henry Kestle was a bully and wife beater. When she was 18 he was hung for poaching leaving Jenna finally free. Her path crosses with Jack Penhale - a tall, handsome, dark stranger who is trying to rid Cornwall of the smuggling trade, after witnessing first hand as a child, the devastating effect it could have, Jack is determined to take down the notorious Blake brothers and the mysterious person who is financing them. Yet he his finding this easier said than done, nobody is willing to testify against them or speak out against them in fear of retribution.

Meanwhile Silas has found himself in the debtors prison and asks Jenna for help. Against her best wishes she finds herself caught up in the dangerous smuggling trade. Stuck between two worlds, she finds herself caught up in old family allegiances which could ruin her hopes of a happy future, and trying to lead an honest and simply life.

Set in 18th century impoverished Cornwall, many people find themselves with no choice but to get involved in the world of smuggling. The Thief's daughter is a classic tale of adventure, intrigue, betrayal and a beautiful love story; perfect for fans of historical fiction.

The storyline is full of tension and excitement, which the quick pacing of the book adds to. One minute the plot is entangled in the middle of the smugglers activities in a hidden cove, and the next minute the setting is the cottage overlooking the cliff tops where a meeting is taking place to stop the smuggling activities.

There is a whole cast of colourful and complex characters - from a good sprinkling of baddies and are they/aren't they baddies, to the ordinary locals who are coerced into accepting smuggled goods, to the people trying to rid Cornwall of smuggling. The descriptions of Cornwall and its wild coastline are vivid and beautifully written, bringing the characters and story to life.

The Thief's Daughter is pure escapism at its finest, the pages will pull you in from the start and have you totally mesmerized. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and Choc Lit for the opportunity to read this ARC, in return for an honest and unbiased review.

Jenna is born into a family of thieving criminals and although her family try their utmost to train and convince Jenna to join them in their criminal ways, her conscience is too strong and she refuses. She marries very young to escape from her criminal family and unwittingly marries a man into-hoots with her family and is extremely abusive towards Jenna.

After Jenna’s husband is hung for his crimes, her path crosses with that of Jack Penhale, a thief-taker, who shows her kindness and that not all men treat women badly. They fall in love, but the secrets between them could very easily tear them apart.

This is a period drama set in 1765 in Cornwall during times of intense smuggling and criminal activity. It is very well written and engages the reader, enabling them to feel as though they are there with Jenna and Jack.

I really enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down. Through the highs and lows I was on the edge of my seat and eager to find out what was going to happen next. Definitely a good read.

Travel back in time to Cornwall where the burdens of England’s two wars and a hardscrabble life for many of her citizens finds smuggling to avoid taxation, theft and morally questionable acts are all that come between many families and starvation. Jenna Cartwright is the youngest child in her notorious family, raised with thieving, smuggling and learning her parent’s craft. At four or five, she has already lost two older brothers to jail, and the third child has eschewed the family trade to seek his own life at sea, leaving his sister, younger brother and parents behind. Starting with a glimpse at Jenna’s first strong memory, we see the child hiding quietly and trying to stay unnoticed from the thief takers (think bounty hunters) as they have come for her parents. She’s discovered but left behind after a thorough scaring: and soon her only remaining family member, her brother Silas, comes to comfort her.

Jack Penhale is a thief-taker, one of the best in the business. He’s first encountered Jenna as she’s running from assisting her husband’s death during a hanging, to the anger and dismay of the crowd. Now without a home or support, she’s gone to the Mop Faire, hoping to find employment. While Jack isn’t interested in having anyone in his home, he finds himself with a housekeeper, one that he’s intrigued by far more than he should be.

What follows is layered, complex and completely organic in feel. Jenna is nothing like her family, and has worked incredibly hard to overcome the name she was born to, going so far as to marry the first who showed interest: a horrible man who was as free with his fists. She’s only got her brother Silas as family, he’s now in debtor’s prison and consistently abusing her trust and caring for him with lies, schemes and more lies. Jack is determined to discover just who is running the smugglers in the area, he’s been brought in by a local man with political connections and ambitions to achieve that goal. But, he’s still not told Jenna of his work, and she’s not shared her life in it’s entirety with him. Both have plenty of secrets they keep, but his treatment of Jenna: teaching her to read, providing her safe haven, even treating her as an equal and with respect is like nothing she’s ever encountered, and feelings are growing. Despite his determination to not need anyone, or anything, Jack’s desire for and attraction to Jenna, the person she is: loyalties and curiosity included, have him battling his own secretive nature and worries that if she knew what he was doing, she’d be in danger, or share her knowledge with those who can’t be trusted.

Victoria Cornwall brings the place, time and these characters to life: while you understand Jack’s quandaries: understanding that people are starving and the smuggling puts a few meager pennies into their pockets; pennies that could mean the difference between existence and starving, his determination to root out the ringleaders and end the terrorizing of merchants and townsfolk from the smugglers is one that he clearly struggles with. Not everything, for him, is black and white after Jenna appears in his life: he’s seeing the greys and having a difficult time balancing the crimes and punishments wth his own personal prejudices. For her part, Jenna has never been able to rely on any but family, and even knowing that Silas is more prone to lie than truth, she can’t overcome the doubts and questions that he places in her mind: still thinking as the little girl with only her brother to protect her. When you add the writing and the complexity of life experience, desires for more and the reality of the secrets held far too long, the story builds into clear pictures as you read on, wishing that things work out even as you believe they just may not. Corruption, larceny, tension and moments of heat where the connection between Jack and Jenna sparks into flame, the story unfolds in a way that demands attention and keeps giving more. I can’t wait to see where the next book leads, as I’m ready to go back to see the changes and progress as time marches on.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9nj/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

I generally don't read this period of historical romantic fiction (late 1700's) but the blurb on this book was compelling for me. Jenna Cartwright Kestle is the daughter and sister of well-known Cartwright family of thieves and scoundrels. She, on the other hand, has been able to keep herself from becoming a criminal.

The story begins with a prologue into her childhood and very rapidly moves to her present time with a shocking scene when a poacher is hung for his crimes. We come to find out Jenna's relationship to the poacher and how she ends up destitute and homeless.

She has to hire herself out as a housekeeper/cleaner and falls in with Jack Penhale. That Jack is the very type of person her parents warned her about is something she doesn't know until very late in the story. In the meantime, she finds much admirable about him and a relationship begins to emerge. Jenna finds the ties of love and those of family cross and are put to the test.

The book has some sexual content; however, the author does not go into elaborate descriptions. The story is mostly about the growing relationship and trust between two individuals who have a hard time trusting others.

I enjoyed the book so much, I have already pre-ordered the second book in the series.

I was provided a digital advance reader copy of this book by the publisher via Netgalley.

Jenna Cartwright is from a family of thieves, her parents are sent to the goal when they are caught, two of her older brothers are caught and she doesn't know what happened to them. One brother ran to sea, that leaves just her and her younger brother. Jack Penhale is a thief taker, he is investigating a violent and cruel smuggler gang.
The story is in 1765 when smuggling is rampant and the government wants them gone. There are so many twists and turns to this tale but thanks to the author she has managed to put together a cohesive, even paced and smooth story. I found I was unable to put it down, it was that good. The characters were so interesting and life like and the dialogue fit well. The descriptions were excellent but scary in places, like when her husband was hanged. I feel that this book was a marvelous read and so worth the time to do so..

I do not usually read historic fiction but the Poldark factor influenced my choice and piqued my interest in Cornwall and the smuggling among its beaches. I liked Jenna and Jack and enjoyed reading about them and their growing romance. A little slow and repetitive in places but overall a good and engaging read.

I am voluntarily submitting my honest review after receiving a copy of this ebook from NetGalley.

This novel is a flawlessly written, fabulous read! Reminiscent of Poldark in subject matter, but with a style and perspective all its own, The Thief's Daughter is a gripping, emotional look at the dark underbelly of smuggling during its heyday in one Cornish community. Told largely from the perspectives of an honest young woman born into a family of thieves and smugglers, and a man bent on vengeance after the murder of his father, this novel is also a beautiful love story between two hurting, but healing hearts. The author's evocative description of the landscape makes the wild, rugged seas almost another character. The characters are fascinating people, and the plot is well thought out and moves quickly. I loved this book and I think it would make a great movie!

The writing was good though the beginning felt slow. I enjoyed Jenna's character and her determination to not fall into her family's habits.

Hide from the thief-taker, for if he finds you, he will take you away …
Eighteenth-century Cornwall is crippled by debt and poverty, while the gibbet casts a shadow of fear over the land. Yet, when night falls, free traders swarm onto the beaches and smuggling prospers.
Terrified by a thief-taker’s warning as a child, Jenna has resolved to be good. When her brother, Silas, asks for her help to pay his creditors, Jenna feels unable to refuse and finds herself entering the dangerous world of the smuggling trade.
Jack Penhale hunts down the smuggling gangs in revenge for his father’s death. Drawn to Jenna at a hiring fayre, they discover their lives are entangled. But as Jenna struggles to decide where her allegiances lie, the worlds of justice and crime collide, leading to danger and heartache for all concerned...

Jenna has been brought up with the family name of Cartwright's, the only trouble is the name is renowned for being thief's!! Jenna doesn't want to be tarred with the same brush as her family name so rushes into marriage to get rid of her maiden name, but the marriage doesn't work out as Jenna hoped and Jenna is mistreated through out her marriage.

Jenna only wants to live a honest life with a man she loves, can this ever happen for her or will she always be known as a thief?? If Silas her brother has his way Jenna will always work on the wrong side of the law. Can Jenna fight back and rid herself of this background.

Good storyline that flows very nicely, good descriptive characters and the setting really brings you into the storyline.

This novel is set in Cornwall, England during the 18th Century. Jenna Cartwright belongs to a well known family of thieves, but she has morals and does not want to stoop to that kind of lifestyle. In order to disengage herself from her surname, she marries Henry Kestle. Unfortunately, she has to endure an abusive marriage until Henry, also a thief, is caught poaching and sentenced by Judge Buller to hang.

Jenna eventually becomes the housekeeper for Jack Penhale. Penhale is a thief taker, a man who is employed to find and arrest thieves. He is working incognito, trying to uncover who is at the head of the smuggling ring.

The relationship develops between Jenna and Jack. However, events unfold whereby neither believe that they can trust each other. Jack travels to Europe in a bid to find further evidence about the smuggling ring. Both are in danger, do they survive, are the smugglers captured?

A very enjoyable read with twists, turns and excellent characters. The author describes very well about smuggling in 18th century Cornwall. A great debut novel. I will be keeping an eye out for future novels by this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Choc-lit and the author, for providing me with a free eBook copy in return for my honest opinion.

But of course someone with the name (nom de plume?) of Victoria Cornwall is going to write about smugglers, ne'er do wells and romance. Works for me as I am delighted to follow down the path I first discovered with Jane Aiken Hodge, Victoria Holt and Daphne Du Maurier.
This is a much darker story than the historical romances I grew up on. From the opening scenes when a young woman, disguised as a man jumps on her husband’s hanging body to make sure he is really most sincerely dead (this was not a happy marriage) to the beating death of an informer, this is an exciting and many layered book. The later years of the eighteen hundreds, one of the darker periods of English history-losing the war in the Americas, the people being taxed beyond reason to pay for this war, and smuggling moving beyond a few locals in a murderous and torturous business.
Jenna Cartwright the daughter of thieves tries to live a good and honest life. It's not working out too well for her as she married a smuggler /poacher who was later hanged; plus her thieving brother Silas who really has tried to take care of Jenna all her life is in debtors prison and needs her help to get out.
Through a series of unfortunate events Jenna ends up as the housekeeper to Jack Penhale, a thief-taker. Thief-takers have been the men who have decimated Jenna's family over the years and she has carried a terror of them since she was four. Penhale is working undercover to expose the head of the vicious smuggling ring that has terrorized parts of Cornwall for years.
For the most part this book was well-written although the there were conversations I thought were stilted. Cornwall's descriptions of Cornwall, the history, and the living conditions sounded spot on.
The romance was not as chaste as Hodge et al, but I wouldn't classify this as a bodice-ripper either.
Jenna finds herself constantly betrayed and forced into situations she has tried to avoid all her life.
She and Penhale try for a connection but the lack of trust and the betrayals and lies make this almost impossible.
I greatly enjoyed The Thief’s Daughter and look forward to Cornwall's next book.

The Thief's Daughter is a stand alone novel by Victoria Cornwall.

Jenna Cartwright comes from a long line of smugglers and thieves in her family and has seen all of them disappear or arrested for their crimes. She is determined to remain honest and prove that all Cartwrights are not the same. She's suffered a marriage to an abusive man who ends up hung for being caught poaching. Her brother who has raised her since her parents disappeared is in debtors jail, and has begged her to help him pay off his debts. He wants her to steal, but she refuses, but she needs a job with a place to stay, so attends a mop fair (an old fashioned job fair if you like) where she hopes to be employed as a house keeper. She intends to use her wages to pay off her brother's debts. He on the other hand wants the money faster than that, and asks her to give up her good girl ways just enough to get the money.

Jack Penhale is a thief taker. A man who is employed to find and arrest people who have stolen from others. It was actually him who arrested Jenna's brother (not that she knows that). He sees Jenna at the mop fair and against his better judgement he hires her for one day in order to rescue her from being hired by a lecherous man who obviously wants her for more than her housekeeping services. He doesn't want her services and tells he so, but she insists on doing what she has been paid for, and she fully plans on convincing him to keep her on for at least a year.

Jack is in Cornwall to discover who is behind a nasty smuggling ring, he keeps what he is doing a secret from everyone including Jenna. She on the other hand has her own secrets, neither one of them trust each other, but despite that, there is an instant attraction between them that they both try to fight. His secrets and her secrets are intertwined little do they know, and it's going to lead to a showdown one way or another.

What follows is a story full of twists and turns, betrayal, near betrayal, life and death situations, and a wonderful blossoming romance that by rights could end in tears.

I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense of Jack trying to uncover the smugglers' boss, and then the shock of finding out who it was. The way the author describes the Cornish coast, and the way the smugglers use the coves to smuggle was fascinating, I could almost picture myself there. The romance between Jack and Jenna was so lovely to see develop and it was wonderful to read how passionate they became but without too much detail. It was very nicely done. From page one I was hooked on the storyline, and couldn't read quickly enough to find out how everything would be resolved. I wasn't disappointed. This book definitely had the wow factor for me, I really really loved it.

I voluntarily read an advanced readers' copy of this book.