The Frame-Up by Gwenda Bond
Contemporary romance with magic abilities and demon.
Dani Poissant is the daughter of a famous art thief. At seventeen, and fearing the mysterious influence of Archer, Dani worked with the FBI to stop her mother and crew from using their magic to steal. Ten years later, Dani is forced to go back to her mother’s crew to help her steal a painter of Archer that dates back to 1890. She has questions, but so do all those she betrayed. Why would they work with her again or trust her?

The magical elements are intriguing. Dani can reproduce a masterpiece that will fool the experts. Sunflower, the dog was my favorite character.
There are a lot of secondary characters that make up crew with unique abilities as well but needed a list to keep track of everyone. Unfortunately I lost interest at about 25% and it took me a few months to find the time to get back to it. Picking it up again, I was hoping for a unique magical painting switch but the demon manipulation, the FBI, and trying to reflame an old crush felt forced and unfocused for me.
This is the second disappointing read for me by this author. With so much new each month, it will probably be my last.
The ending is happy and successful.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. ( )

Characters: Interesting enough people, but no one I'd like to get to know better.
Plot: Interesting and pretty unique.
Worldbuilding: Rather vague and uninspiring. It was honestly rather disappointing that apparently all magic users are criminals [or crime-adjacent]. ( )

I had expected Mission Impossible with fairy dust and got a good heist story with realistic characters who have differing magical talents. I like the way this one is written much better. The publisher's blurb is rather encompassing so there is no need to repeat it.
I requested and received an EARC from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey via NetGalley. THANK YOU! ( )

I received an advance copy via NetGalley.

The Frame-Up is a heist romp with a touch of magic. Dani has been roving on her own since, as a teenager, she turned her art-thief mother in to the FBI. When her mom's mysterious old partner shows up to hire her for an ambitious new job, nabbing a portrait from a veritable fortress of priceless works, Dani uneasily reconnects with her mom's old crew--and her estranged mother.

This is a fun, fast read. The scale is intimate, more cozy, nothing here on a grand world-saving scale. Dani feels very much in the mold of urban fantasy heroines, packed with bitterness and snark. The cast is diverse, especially in terms of magical abilities, though the fantasy element here is light and never examined in a bigger scope. There's also a bit of romance, but I didn't feel the vibe from those relationships. ( )