A vigilante widow and a casino owner are both trying to bluff their way to a winning hand.

Heloise Marlowe has always forged her own path. As a former blacksmith and fencing instructor, she wasn’t just going to sit around knitting after her husband died. The Wimpole Street Widows Society, a secret group dedicated to balancing the scales of justice, was a much better fit for her skills. Her newest mission: seduce the owner of the club Dionysus and gain access to the den’s inner workings. She didn’t mind putting her body on the line, but she wasn’t prepared to gamble her heart.

Ethan Sinclaire has worked hard to clean up his club after the betrayal of his brother. But now, rumors are swirling that his club is just as crooked as before. He won’t let anyone destroy what he’s built, so when Heloise starts poking around, he decides to go all in, in hopes that she’ll show her hand. Enjoying her company is the easy part. Keeping himself from falling—that’s a whole different card game.

Titles in the Wimpole Street Widows Society series include:  To Heist and To Hold ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  To Heist and To Hold
Series:  Wimpole Street Widows Society #1
Author:  Christina Britton
Published:  September 30, 2025
Publisher:  Forever
My Rating:  4 stars

To Heist and To Hold is the first title in the Wimpole Street Widows Society series, as Heloise and Ethan take center stage in a most unlikely union that sets off sparks immediately, although whether those sparks are from attraction or irritation is yet to be seen.

I adored Heloise; she’s been a widow for a few years now, she’s a trained blacksmith and fencing master, and is excellent at both. She’s a member of a somewhat secret society of widows who have banded together to fight for justice for members of the working class who are often left with nowhere to turn in troubling times.  When her sister-in-law is accused of the theft of an heirloom necklace, which was being offered as collateral while its owner visited a gambling den, Heloise and her friends step in with a plan of their own… maybe not the best plan, but an interesting one.

Ethan, along with his brother and two friends, started the gaming den in which the theft took place.  Recently, rumors have been spreading about the dangers and unsafe conditions of the business to the point where Ethan needs to take action, as their reputation is everything in this business.  Together, he and Heloise will end up falling for each other and searching for the source of not only the theft but the rumors threatening Ethan’s business.

I enjoyed To Heist and To Hold by Christina Britton very much.  Unlike most Historical or Regency Romances, this one features characters and situations from the viewpoint of the working class. Instead of glittering ballrooms and front parlors, we’re thrust into the everyday events of those who work for (in some fashion) those in the higher classes.  I found this approach fascinating, and enjoyed my time in this world.

If you enjoy a well-written, emotional, steamy, and intriguing Historical Romance with a couple who fit together so well, then you’d love Heloise and Ethan… and the ladies of the Wimpole Street Widows Society.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust.  It is my choice to leave a review, giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)