The Thief and the Noble

LeCheminant (the Simple Love Story series) launches her Robin Hood Regency series with a sweet, aristocratic twist on the Robin Hood legend. Lady Marian Russell takes a stint as a kitchen maid at a London tavern so she can better understand the difficulties faced by those less fortunate. The job lands her literally in the lap of noble thief Robin, who, believing her to be poor, offers her money he stole from the rich. Marian and Robin are surprised when they meet again at a ball and Marian realizes that Robin is really Lord Robert Loxley, Earl of Huntingdon. They agree to keep each other’s secrets, and Marian convinces him to take her along on a thieving expedition, impressing Robin with her resilience and beauty. When the pair discover that there’s another prominent—and far more dangerous—thief operating in London, they risk revealing their hearts to one another as they work to learn the criminal’s identity. LeCheminant’s progressive aristocratic protagonists are refreshing and appealing as they discover love along the way in their quest to help those wronged by their fellow nobles. Fans of earnest, chaste romance and characters who defy societal norms will be well pleased. (Feb.)