Review - Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott

Stealing Heaven by Elizabeth Scott
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Genre: Young Adult / Contemporary

Rating: 4 stars
Pages: 336

Summary: Dani has been trained as a thief by the best--her mother. Together, they move from town to town, targeting wealthy homes and making a living by stealing antique silver. They never stay in one place long enough to make real connections, real friends--a real life

In the beach town of Heaven, though, everything changes. For the first time, Dani starts to feel at home. She's making friends and has even met a guy. But these people can never know the real Dani--because of who she is. When it turns out that her new friend lives in the house they've targeted for their next job and the cute guy is a cop, Dani must question where her loyalties lie: with the life she's always known--or the one she's always wanted.

Thoughts: I was surprised by Stealing Heaven.  I picked it up expecting a cheery, chick-lit read - Ocean's Eleven a-la-Sophie-Kinsella.  That would have been great, but what Scott delivers is about 20x better.  Stealing Heaven is a serious book.  Dani grows up with a mother who has indoctrinated her into a life of crime - a life that Dani is just not meant for.  She's never been to school, never been able to tell anyone her real name, never had any friends - and, on top of that, there's her absent father and her mother's manic relationship with thievery.  Less than ideal is putting it mildly.

But even as Dani's mom behaves in ways unbefitting a mother, Dani is able to recognise why her mother her is behaving so thoughtlessly.  It's really easy for a teen to just turn around and hate their parents - but Dani doesn't because, even as a teen, she can see her mother with the eyes of an adult.  I read this book wishing I could hate her mom - but I just couldn't.  It is fantastic, and adds a whole new level to what could have been a simple break-away-from-your-family book.

Stealing Heaven is about a girl working out who she is, and what that means for her family.  About a girl who has to wake up, take her head out of the sand, and truly examine her life.  She doesn't do it for a boy - although she does have an extremely influential romance with, get this, a cop - and she doesn't do it for a friend - although she makes pals with a lovely girl along the way.  Dani changes her life for herself, and it is wonderful to read.

Bottom line?  A fantastic contemporary read for young adults.  This book is sweet, sad, and thoughtful - you'll love it.  I can't wait to read more by Elizabeth Scott!