Love & Other Scams by PJ Ellis is a delightful and engaging romantic comedy that is sure to leave you with a smile on your face. The book follows the story of Emma, a young woman who is struggling to make ends meet in New York City, and Jack, a charming and handsome con artist who is looking for his next mark.

Ellis's writing is sharp and witty, and she creates a compelling and entertaining story filled with twists and turns. The banter between Emma and Jack is delightful, and the chemistry between them is electric.

What sets Love & Other Scams apart from other romantic comedies is its clever plot and the way in which it subverts our expectations. The book offers a fresh take on the genre and is filled with surprising twists and turns that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Overall, Love & Other Scams is a fun and entertaining read that is perfect for fans of romantic comedies. It is a celebration of the power of love and the importance of taking risks and following your heart.

I’ve been having a challenging time in life lately (who hasn’t!) and this book was just the perfect antidote to that as well as providing some much needed escapism. This story of Cat, a down on her luck artists, and Jake, barman turned con artist was a joy to read. Funny, clever and heart warming.

Really enjoyed the plot idea!

However probably because I had other reads that I enjoyed more at the time, I felt this one was a bit slow paced.

Main character is Cat, she is interesting. Her story and how she is who she is today can be heartbreaking.
I found the relationship between her and her father very well written and explains how she is who she is today.

The elements of the novel involving a heist but with a funny twist without too many characters was quite enjoyable.

I do definitely recommend this read for a lighter read.
Thanks to the publishers for sending this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

A really, really good read. The story was a mix of heist and romance and all the characters were so well written they jumped from the pages. Great writing and a joy to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book would totally recommend.

A great love story from a different angle. The story follows Cat who is running out of money and is good con artist who meets Jake a bar tender who is also a con artist. When one of Cat's friends a rich girl called Louisa sends her a wedding invitation she aske Jake to be her boyfriend especially as Louisa's engagement ring is a priceless jewel and they plot to swap the ring with a decoy jewel.
A great story full of twists when it comes to carry out the heist, a modern love story.
Highly recommended.
Thanks to NetGalley & HarperNorth for a ARC for a honest review.

This was an excellent read. On one hand, a heist novel, but also a love story. For me, the best part was the characterisation, there was a depth to each of the main people and no one was squeaky clean, but all had flaws and some redeeming features. The attitudes and behaviours of modern twenty year olds were portrayed well and this was all wrapped up in a decent storyline that held your attention and had a few twists and turns until the end. A worthwhile read. When is the sequel?

Do you know how nice it is to read a book written by a man with a female main character and it NOT be sexist 90% of the time?

'Love and Other Scams' is so. much. fun. That's the only word to give it. Sure, it's not revolutionary literature and it doesn't particularly do anything that we haven't seen before - but who cares? It's entertaining! The novel follows Cat, a freelance graphic designer who has lost her job, is about to lose her house and has barely any money to her name. She gets invited to be a bridesmaid for a toxic ex-friend (who needed a proper punch in the throat, but sadly never got it) who has a priceless engagement ring. And so, to solve her money woes, she teams up with a con-man to get it.

Packed full of action and plenty of rich people being dicks and, occasionally, getting what's coming to them, I could feel visceral rage on Cat's behalf during a lot of this novel - and I think that's a great thing. The chemistry between Cat and Jake is perfect, with the witty back-and-forth hanging around for just long enough not to get annoying. There were such twists and turns to their plan that made it feel like you were watching the heist unfold in front of you, with a lot of heart involved as well.

I knocked off a star because I felt like some of the storylines weren't well wrapped up. I got to the 80% mark and thought - holy shit, there's no way this is right because there's so much more plot to get through. And yes, it does end quite abruptly, but it's a satisfying ending and that's all you can ask for. I sort of wished other plot lines like the inclusion of shitty ex Ronan were included or a more cathartic final showdown between Cat and her old friend (there's no dialogue, it's just kind of glances and looks). It was also a little bit cliché how it all ended up being unravelled, but it didn't take away from the overall ending. Also, by the end it was getting way too mushy and rom-commy for me - just let her be a badass!

I have a feeling this is going to be such a buzzy beach read come the summer (even though it's being released in March). I would also speculate it'll get picked up for some kind of adaptation (because everybody loves heists, right?)

This genre-crossing novel was a fun ride from beginning to end. It was filled with such a lively cast of characters, with the morally questionable Cat leading the pack. Despite knowing of her less than legal masterplan to steal her frenemy’s engagement ring, Cat was really easy to root for. Her financial and relationship struggles felt authentic and it did help that Louisa, the bride, was easy to root against. Cat was far from perfect but recognised her flaws and wanted to improve.

Some of the plot felt far-fetched but this didn’t detract from my enjoyment. It packed in enough twists and turns to keep me on my toes.

The relationship between Cat and Jake was effortless. The romance itself felt rather subdued and more like a partnership but I wasn’t complaining. I thought their dynamic was perfect for the novel and I preferred that the romance wasn’t heavily relied on to propel the plot. Instead, I was genuinely intrigued by how they’d pull off the heist. The story was wrapped up perfectly and I even felt like it could have kept going.

OVERALL: This heist was filled with unexpected twists and a surprising amount of heart. I was won over by the morally questionable yet endearing characters and was happy to be brought along on their high-stakes scam.

Would I recommend?… Yes, this genre-crossing novel felt cinematic!

Well written and entertaining but I didn’t warm to Cat at all. After losing her job and being threatened with eviction Cat upgrades from petty crime to planning a larger sting with a new accomplice in tow. Thanks NetGalley!

A love story like no other - packed full of mayhem, mischief and madness. A refreshing take on a romance novel full of fun and heart. Love & Other Scams is a fast-paced, funny tale about two people who never wanted to fall in love, but that plan, like many, failed spectacularly.

Honestly, this book was the perfect read to compliment the winter. Albeit, it was set in the Summer, but the vibes of the book just fit winter.

A heist, a romance, a wedding, this book had it all.... or did it?

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a review copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Love and Other Scams by Philip Ellis is a breezy romance set against the backdrop of the freelancer grind and extravagant middle class weddings.

I enjoyed the ride here with Cat and Jake, although at times the emotional beats risked becoming over-sentimental. The flashback passages to Cat’s time at university were especially effective and well-rendered, and I’d love to see Ellis explore something more in this vein in future.

There’s no thrill like breaking the rules…
Cat has a dangerously dwindling bank balance. She also has:

· a month before her landlord kicks her out
· a surprise wedding invitation from rich mean girl, Louisa
· a secret talent for con artistry

A priceless jewel the size of a cocktail olive is glinting on Louisa’s finger.

And when Cat meets her ideal plus one, Jake – who’s gifted at hustling and posing as the perfect boyfriend – this wedding becomes a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. After all,

An absolutely delightful romp of a book which puts a really fun spin on the heist genre. It's absolutely made to be read while pouring yourself a glass of Rosé the size of your head.

I put off reading this for so long and I’ve no idea why?! It’s been on my TBR pile for ages and I finally picked it up and devoured it. I loved the heist storyline as well as the romantic one. And the resolution of it all was intriguing and unexpected in some ways! I loved it.

When down on her luck Cat is invited to the lavish wedding of her once best friend, she hatches a plot with her local bartender Jake to steal the impressive diamond engagement ring.

I think this book is supposed to be a romance, but the relationship between the main characters was a bit uninspiring. The twist at the end was interesting, but quickly turned a bit clichéd. Not a book I'll be going back to!

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! . . . This book had cute lines, all the feels and just enough drama. 100% recommend. This was such great read! . . .

I so enjoyed reading this! It’s so fun, it’s funny, it’s poignant and true at points, and it has been the most welcome escape during a mad time in life!!! If you’re looking for something light and a laugh, this is the one.

The premise of this book sounded very interesting, but I felt quite detached to the characters and plot lines. I also did struggle with the motivations she had for her... life of crime, because let's face it, that's what it was. She was too feeble and quick to excuse her own behaviour by pointing the finger in the other direction, some accountability would be nice. The writing was okay.

A well written easy romantic read. All the characters certainly play they part. Enjoy the read.and a few characters stick out.