Adorable jewel thief meets stuffy but caring billionaire -- what's not to like?

Nine times out of ten when I read romance I read historicals only, unless it's a quick Harlequin presents or something like that. So it really surprised me how much I enjoyed the Rick and Samantha series.

I think what I liked best was the luxury of the settings, the splendor and the wealth, plus the clash of Sam's street-person instincts (trust no one, keep backpack ready to climb out window) and the warm and almost hypnotic tenderness of Rick's devotion.

The only reason I give this book a four instead of a five is that there's not QUITE enough sex, and also Rick's ex-wife is too much of an annoying cartoon character. And I would have liked more scenes of Sam wallowing in luxury -- always a big plus for me.

But those are just pet peeves -- this book is an amazing classic, and a real rarity to find an author who's actually sexier in contemporaries than she is in her usual Regency setting! I think the key is that Suzanne Enoch isn't trying too hard to be "heavy" just because she's in the present. She's still having fun with the basic concept of romance. (Lisa Kleypas, are you taking notes?)