Title: To Steal From ThievesAuthor: M.K. Lobb
Pages: 400
Publication Date: March 25, 2025
Publisher: Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Genres: Fiction / Romance / Fantasy / Romantasy
Synopsis:
In this high-stakes heist novel, an alchemologist and a con man team up to steal a rare necklace—but complicated feelings of attraction and deception threaten to destroy everything and everyone they love—for fans of Alexandra Bracken and Judy I. Lin.
Within the dazzling halls of London’s Crystal Palace, the event of the season has arrived: The Great Exhibition. An opportunity for the greatest minds of the century to come together under one roof in an unprecedented display of art and invention. And for two unlikely partners in crime, it’s about to become the score of a lifetime.
Charming conman Kane Durante works alone—or on occasion with his best friend, Fletcher. But when his boss, the infamous Kingpin of London’s magical dark market, gives him the impossible task of stealing a priceless artifact from the Great Exhibition, he knows it’s a job he can’t pull off alone. Enter Zaria Mendoza, daughter of one of London’s greatest alchemologists. Ever since her father’s death, Zaria’s been struggling to keep her underground business afloat, and impatient clients are becoming violent. When the infuriatingly handsome Kane offers her the promise of enough money to get out of debt and leave London entirely, she knows she can’t walk away from this dangerous partnership.
But robbing one of the most public, heavily-guarded buildings in London isn’t going to be easy, especially when love and betrayal threaten to ruin everything they’ve worked so hard for.
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To Steal From Thieves is a fun, high-stakes fantasy with a good mix of magic and danger, and angsty enemies-to-lovers vibes. I really enjoyed it. I had heard a lot of good things about the author’s other books, and as soon as I read the blurb for this one, I knew I had to read it. I’m glad I did because I really liked the writing style and story.
From the beginning, the setting is atmospheric and immersive. The Great Exhibition felt grand and glittering, and it contrasted the darker corners of London’s magical underworld so well. It’s a place where deception and survival go hand in hand, and it was the perfect backdrop for the heist. I was also really drawn to the alchemology magic system. It was so unique and intriguing, and it was detailed without feeling info-dumpy at any time.
The characters are great too. Zaria was sharp, stubborn, and determined, and I could relate to some of her complicated and contradictory feelings about herself. She’s been through her fair share of struggles, trying to keep her father’s legacy alive while navigating London’s magical underworld, and her strength and resilience were fantastic.
Kane was charming and cunning, and I loved him because there’s so much more to him underneath the surface. Beneath his smooth, charismatic exterior was someone desperate to protect the people he cared about. They are both dynamically developed, and the multiple POVs add so much depth to the characters. You really get to see both Zaria and Kane’s perspectives, motivations, and inner struggles as well as a few other characters too.
The growing connection between Zaria and Kane was complicated, messy, and full of trust issues. They are such unlikely partners, but for some reason, they work. They had strong enemies-to-lovers vibes, and the banter was so good. Their relationship had a constant push and pull feel that I always enjoy. The side characters were interesting too, and I’m eager to learn more about a few of them since they weren’t as fleshed out as the main characters.
If you’re a fan of heist books like Six of Crows, this would probably be a good fit for you. The heist in this book was complex and difficult with danger, deception, manipulation, and shifting alliances that made it hard to tell who was playing who. These characters are morally grey, and you never know who can be trusted. There are a few twists and turns that surprised me.
I thought this was a great start to the Thieves and Kings series, and after that ending, I’m eager to read the next book and see what will happen to some of my favorite characters. Special thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
- enemies to lovers
- dual pov
- broody mmc
- heist
M. K. Lobb is a fantasy writer with a love of all things dark— be it literature, humour, or general aesthetic. She grew up in small-town Canada and now lives by the lake with her partner and their cats. When not reading or writing, she can be found at the gym or contemplating the harsh realities of existence.
