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Stealing Jake
by
Pam Hillman (Goodreads Author)
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 l...more
Kindle Edition
Published
(first published June 24th 2011)
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Beautiful. Heartwarming. Soul-stirring.
I could go on, but why? STEALING JAKE is wonderful. I laughed. I cried. I squirmed with conviction for not doing enough for others, not caring enough about the less fortunate. I ached with sorrow for little ones without a place to lay their heads. If touching the reader’s emotions is what makes a book memorable, then STEALING JAKE is destined to be absolutely unforgettable.
I won’t rehash the plotline—the back cover text does that quite well. But I will say...more
I could go on, but why? STEALING JAKE is wonderful. I laughed. I cried. I squirmed with conviction for not doing enough for others, not caring enough about the less fortunate. I ached with sorrow for little ones without a place to lay their heads. If touching the reader’s emotions is what makes a book memorable, then STEALING JAKE is destined to be absolutely unforgettable.
I won’t rehash the plotline—the back cover text does that quite well. But I will say...more
This is another Christian Fiction but the only thing that bothered me was the fact that every time they worried about something you'd hear those silent prayer... e.g we have no food in the cupboard please god provide us with something... next minute there is a knock at the door, 3 children turn up whose carriage has gone off the road and their father has died. The father had stocked up his carriage with food that will feed the town (almost). Yet no silent prayer went up to find the childrens rel...more
This was almost a great read, but for some odd reason toward the end the author does all this dumb stuff that made no sense. Like there's this rich man who sets up a glove factory in a small town and yet nobody gets hired, and it never seems odd to the townfolks that nobody knows anybody who is employed there? Then Jake hears that there is a sweat shop n his town, so he checks the local mines, but the mysterious glove factory that operates with no known employees never even crosses his mind, duh...more
This book is amazing. I loved the story. Livy has lived on the streets and has a real heart for street kids. She remembers what its like to have to struggle for food, warmth and survival. Jake has no idea he thinks street kids are a problem that needs to be moved on. Jakes opinion is common of many people. Add a to this mix the fact the street kids are being brought to town by an unknown man. I love reading livy's story how her life has changed and she is now working in an orphanage helping look...more
Pam Hillman’s debut novel, Stealing Jake, is a joy to read! From the very first scene we are caught up in Livy O’Brien’s world – a world where homeless street children are forced into a life of crime in order to survive, and if caught, are “sold” to unscrupulous men who use them for cheap labor in sweat shops. Although Livy has escaped that life by the grace of God, she refuses to leave it behind completely, knowing that she can be the instrument God uses to save others from that miserable exist...more
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Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman, copyright 2011, published by Tyndale is twenty-nine chapters of light, sweet romance between Livy Lightfingers and Jake Russell. Livy pickpocketed to survive on the Chicago streets, so she knows all about child labor and sweatshops, the theme of this novel. It makes a great beach or weekend read because it's fast paced, quick and easy to read, and I enjoyed it. Livy moves to Chestnut and becomes a Christian under the influence of Mrs. Brooks, but she feels even thou...more
This novel grabs your heart on page one and doesn’t let go ‘til the end.
Light-fingered Livy O’Brien grew up on the streets of Chicago. Raised on the cold and hunger of homelessness, friend to pain and the tragic death of her sister, hers is a story of God’s love shining in the most broken of hearts.
Jake Russell is Deputy Sheriff of Chestnut, Illinois. He doesn’t know what he’s getting in for the day he bumps (literally) into sweet little Miss O’Brien.
A romance that makes you smile, an intricate...more
Light-fingered Livy O’Brien grew up on the streets of Chicago. Raised on the cold and hunger of homelessness, friend to pain and the tragic death of her sister, hers is a story of God’s love shining in the most broken of hearts.
Jake Russell is Deputy Sheriff of Chestnut, Illinois. He doesn’t know what he’s getting in for the day he bumps (literally) into sweet little Miss O’Brien.
A romance that makes you smile, an intricate...more
Light fingered Livy who was an expert at pick pocketing has given up her old ways of living and has changed for the better! She is now a Christian and is helping run an orphanage in a small time to start a new life for herself. She is troubled though by all the street kids in her new small town that are getting a bad name because someone is stealing and everyone is blaming them. She is trying to help figure out who is the thief to clear the street-kids names and at the same time trying to convin...more
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For me, a good inspirational romance is never a simple tale of a hero and heroine who fall in love. The main characters’ life history, setting, and secondary characters combine to create a tale which teaches and informs as well as entertains. Pam Hillman’s Stealing Jake is such a story.
Set outside of Chicago, when life was harsh for children and adults alike, Hillman’s tale of Livy and Jake features a charming hero with more than his share of responsibilities, an earnest heroine trying to overc...more
Set outside of Chicago, when life was harsh for children and adults alike, Hillman’s tale of Livy and Jake features a charming hero with more than his share of responsibilities, an earnest heroine trying to overc...more
Livy O’Brien knows all too well the plight of street children. Though once a child who wandered the streets, she now assists in running the local town orphanage. Yet running the orphanage is not enough for her. She longs to reach out to the children who still wander the streets, but she knows their fear and how hard it is for them to trust anyone. It’s a fear she once shared—and still shares when it comes to lawman, Jake Russell--which is why she’s determined to keep her attraction to him from g...more
An incredible read!This book has so much within it. Excitement, love, redemption, trust, suspense for starters.
Jake Russell is working as a deputy in the town of Chestnut, Illinois. His father and 28 others were killed in a mine explosion some years earlier and he was trapped in the mine. He was not about to go back.
Livy O'Brien grew up on the streets of Chicago, literally. She only had her sister Katie but she died. When the town of Chestnut started having robberies they were blaming street kid...more
Jake Russell is working as a deputy in the town of Chestnut, Illinois. His father and 28 others were killed in a mine explosion some years earlier and he was trapped in the mine. He was not about to go back.
Livy O'Brien grew up on the streets of Chicago, literally. She only had her sister Katie but she died. When the town of Chestnut started having robberies they were blaming street kid...more
I LOVED this book. It was such a good, fast, inspiring, romantic, sentimental, adventurous read. This is a book you DO NOT want to judge by it's cover or title (both are kinda ehhh). The book is written from the perspective of those 4 above characters, which really gives you the chance to know every angle of the story.
Yes, it's a Christian book... but I did not find it to be pushy or preachy at all. I thought that it portrayed the message well without over doing it. And, being that it's the mid...more
Yes, it's a Christian book... but I did not find it to be pushy or preachy at all. I thought that it portrayed the message well without over doing it. And, being that it's the mid...more
Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman is a wonderful historical fiction novel that shows the forgiving love and amazing grace our our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
"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 anyth...more
"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 anyth...more
The story is very fast paced with lots of action and glimpses of God at work. At times the story seemed hurried and almost too fast paced, but there is a lot of information to get through. The dialogue scenes felt a little halted to me at times and I wish there was more dialogue to get points across instead of 'reading' about what was happening. A few minor historical inaccuracies, but it is a fiction story! Otherwise, this story is a great read for those times when you don't want anything reall...more
Pam Hillman's award-winning debut novel captured my interest from the start. The story revolves around the budding romance between sheriff's deputy Jake Russell and reformed pickpocket Livy O'Brien. Livy is determined to rescue the orphaned children living in shantytown and prove they are not responsible for a recent spate of robberies. Jake is trying to uphold the law while making sure a deadly mine is not reopened only to take more lives. With an intriguing cast of characters and excellent sto...more
Aug 11, 2011
Stacy
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
christian-fiction,
kindle
A recent freebie from Amazon for my Kindle. It sort of reminded me of another book I read recently, "A Tailor-Made Bride", in that the time period was the same (late 1800's), and there was a woman new to town, and a guy she's going to fall in love with who lives there. This one revolves around former thief/pickpocket Livy O'Brien who has moved from Chicago to Chestnut, IL to help in the new orphanage there. There's some "street kids" from Chicago that she's trying to help, and Jake Russell, loca...more
While I really enjoyed the historical fiction/mystery/romance aspects of this story, like some of the other readers I felt it went overboard on the Christianity. I am a practicing Christian myself but found it a bit much, with what seemed a constant reference to Jesus and a lot of praying. I don't mind a little bit, it sometimes adds to the story line, but I felt it was being forced upon the reader at times and I was thinking "Enough is enough! I get it!". The plot line was unique and the charac...more
This book really surprised me, I got totally drawn in and found myself near tears several times. Pam did a wonderful job of telling the story of Livy O'Brien, homeless children, and Jake Russell. I am bad about judging a book by it's cover, and this one did not really catch my interest nor did the title, but once I started reading it I couldn't put it down.
Livy, known as "Light-Fingered Livy" in Chicago, has made a new start in Chestnut, IL thanks to widowed Mrs Brooks. They take in orphans and...more
Livy, known as "Light-Fingered Livy" in Chicago, has made a new start in Chestnut, IL thanks to widowed Mrs Brooks. They take in orphans and...more
3.5 Stars
Livy has a past but thanks to the redeeming blood of Christ she knows she can have a new life but she still worries about what other people might think if they find out. She got off the streets and is now helping to run an orphanage. Her wish is to help get other kids off the street as well. Jake is a deputy and is working to try and find the street kids who he believes is behind a rash of robberies. Soon Livy and Jake find themselves working together to find out the truth about these s...more
Livy has a past but thanks to the redeeming blood of Christ she knows she can have a new life but she still worries about what other people might think if they find out. She got off the streets and is now helping to run an orphanage. Her wish is to help get other kids off the street as well. Jake is a deputy and is working to try and find the street kids who he believes is behind a rash of robberies. Soon Livy and Jake find themselves working together to find out the truth about these s...more
I agree with those that thought it went overboard on the Christianity. I am a practicing Christian myself but found it a bit much, with what seemed a constant reference to Jesus and a lot of praying. I don't mind a little bit, it sometimes adds to the story line, but I found myself skimming through some areas. The plot line was unique and the characters interesting, but there was a lot of repetition as one other reviewer mentioned. For the inexpensive cost of a kindle book it was ok.
Stealing Jake stopped me with its cover and once I read the back blurb I knew it was a book I'd like to read. It didn't disappoint. While in places I found the romance a tad flowery for my taste, those spots were few and far between. Overall the sweet story between Livy and Jake had me smiling and was well balanced with a string of suspense. The story moved at a good pace and kept me interested from beginning to end. A great debut novel for Pam Hillman.
The premies wasn't bad, but then it became rather preachy with lengthy inner monologues about Jesus. Show, don't tell please. I also liked the idea of Livy, but I think an ex Chicago street rat would be a bit more cunning in life and death situations and far more street smart then blatantly wandering about carrying goods in a time of scarcity. It's alright if you want to do away with a few hours of your life for no real reason.
I’m not particularly fond of “romance” novels. However, I read this cannot-put-down book in one day, staying up until 2AM when my eyes clamped shut from fatigue.
At the end, when I read that this is her debut novel, I was shocked. I could not find one chapter, one paragraph, one word that I didn’t love about this book. It is definitely an exceptional, unforgettable book.
I loved the way the author interwove the romance part of the story through a touching and inspirational, yet suspenseful and a...more
At the end, when I read that this is her debut novel, I was shocked. I could not find one chapter, one paragraph, one word that I didn’t love about this book. It is definitely an exceptional, unforgettable book.
I loved the way the author interwove the romance part of the story through a touching and inspirational, yet suspenseful and a...more
This book was somewhat hard for me to get through. I felt like the description was misleading and I thought that the story was mostly going to be about Jake and Livy but their story was mostly in the background so the book was a little boring for me.
However, I was happy that there were no grammatical or spelling errors as there have been in a lot of the ebooks lately so I will give props to the author and publisher for that.
However, I was happy that there were no grammatical or spelling errors as there have been in a lot of the ebooks lately so I will give props to the author and publisher for that.
It ended up to be better than I expected. I felt like the descriptions were sometimes cheesy. For example, when Jake gets in a fight it's full of cliches. "blinding pain, the breath knocked out of him, blackness." But I loved the kids! It is really true that kids see the world through different eyes. Trust comes from experience, not reason. Love and fear and forgiveness come easily. The romance on a scale of 1-10, I'll give it a 6.
Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman 3 stars
Livy O'Brien has a past that only a few people know about. She has left it behind when she moved to Chester, Illinois and opened a orphanage with Mrs. Brooks.
Suddenly there is a upswing in crime and the influx of street kids from Chicago are taking the rap. Livy doesn't believe it's the kids and it's complicated by the deputy Jake who keeps stopping by.
Enjoyable read only drawback was a bit preachy.
Livy O'Brien has a past that only a few people know about. She has left it behind when she moved to Chester, Illinois and opened a orphanage with Mrs. Brooks.
Suddenly there is a upswing in crime and the influx of street kids from Chicago are taking the rap. Livy doesn't believe it's the kids and it's complicated by the deputy Jake who keeps stopping by.
Enjoyable read only drawback was a bit preachy.
Excellent story
A story where orphans are thought of as criminals until Livy O'Brien sheds some light on the subject. She fully understands because she once was an orphan herself in the streets of Chicago until Mrs. Brooks reached out a hand and taught her love and trust. Now Livy and Mrs. Brooks run an orphanage and strive to help the children off the streets.
Can Livy save them from the business owners out there who are using them for child labor before he disposes of those who are useless? Will...more
A story where orphans are thought of as criminals until Livy O'Brien sheds some light on the subject. She fully understands because she once was an orphan herself in the streets of Chicago until Mrs. Brooks reached out a hand and taught her love and trust. Now Livy and Mrs. Brooks run an orphanage and strive to help the children off the streets.
Can Livy save them from the business owners out there who are using them for child labor before he disposes of those who are useless? Will...more
Light romance, the usual "he can't possibly love me or accept my past"/"I can't possibly overcome my fear." Mild Christian emphasis.
One thing I did NOT like about this book was that all the ends were tied up in neat little bows. (view spoiler)
One thing I did NOT like about this book was that all the ends were tied up in neat little bows. (view spoiler)
I hate how a lot of Christian "historical" fiction have a tendency to place characters with modern views and personalities in a historical setting - wearing long dresses and doing chores is about the only historically accurate part. I would have liked this book a lot better if every single person in the book hadn't been against "child labor" in any form... in 1874.
Livy, a former pickpocket turned orphanage mistress, falls for Jake, the deputy chasing street kids. As much as I enjoyed the "children who steal food are not evil" message, this story lacked a little something. A bit long and meandery, and Livy is eh as a heroine. Also, it was hit-you-over-the-head religious, which I had not anticipated.
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Award-winning author Pam Hillman writes inspirational fiction set in the turbulent times of the American West and the Gilded Age. Her debut novel, Stealing Jake, was a finalist in the International Digital Awards and the 2013 EPIC eBook Awards. Claiming Mariah, her second novel, won Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart. She lives in Mississippi with her husband and family. Visit h...more
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