Steal is the third book in the Seaside Pictures series by Rachel Van Dyken. Each book is a standalone story, though for full enjoyment I would recommend reading them in order as they are interconnected and the characters from previous books play somewhat large roles here. I did have some mixed feelings with Steal, and while I liked it I didn't love it like I was hoping for. The secondary characters are great though, and this series is one I have enjoyed overall.
Will and Angelica once loved each other until everything fell apart. Both are famous and the aftermath of their relationship was anything but pretty. But with a last chance to save her career, Angelica finds herself playing a role that should be easy but might be hardest of all...herself. Now faced with seeing Will again, she realizes that her past mistakes are what has caused him to look at her with judgment rather than love. But can they find a way to move forward and let go of the past when it is clear that there is still something between them?
My biggest issue here unfortunately was Will and Angelica. I had a hard time relating to either of them, and I just didn't ever really feel invested in them like I normally do with RVD's characters. I felt sort of removed and there were just a lot of things that made it hard for me to really like either one of them. They weren't bad and I did think that they each had redeeming qualities about them, they just didn't ever really grab my attention. I saw that there was so much more to them, especially with Ang, than met the eye and it was enjoyable to get to know them beyond the surface, but for me that was it. I just wasn't quite drawn in like I normally am with RVD's books.
Overall, this book was one I liked but didn't love. It didn't have the same feel as the previous books in the series, though I did like the secondary characters a lot. It was great to see characters from the previous books and to get to know Will and Ang better but it just felt like something was missing here for me. I was never emotionally invested and that made this one just okay when I think it had the potential to be so much more. Rachel Van Dyken is a great writer and I have loved so many of her books. Steal wasn't my favorite from her, but it definitely won't be the last I read from her.
**ARC Provided by Social Butterfly PR**
Sorry to hear this one missed the mark for you. There is always one or two in a series that fall a little. I'm glad to hear you'll continue to read this author's books!
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