The Reluctant Smuggler, the third installment in Jill Elizabeth Nelson's To Catch A Thief series, takes the reader from the snow covered landscape of Boston to the tropical jungles of the Yucatan Peninsula, to archaeological digs.

While trying to find flaws in the Mexican museum's security system, Desiree Jacobs finds herself chased and the false artifact she carries stolen. Back in Boston, her fiancée, FBI agent Tony Lucano is almost killed during a raid and lies in a coma. Page turning thrills and suspense tie these two incidents together and threaten to jeopardize Desi's and Tony's upcoming wedding.

In The Reluctant Smuggler, Jill Elizabeth Nelson digs deeper in Desi's and Tony's love for each other, the dangers of crime-solving and protecting precious antiquities, and shows us the strength of true-love. The Reluctant Smuggler was my favorite of the three books in the To Catch a Thief Series. Full of romance, danger, suspense and God's sovereignty. I'm looking forward to more adventures written by Jill Elizabeth Nelson

The third book in the 'Reluctant' series and possibly the best - it's kinda hard to tell for sure. I love them all. I love the characters, the suspense, the humor and the romance. And the faith woven throughout the book is outstanding. The deep down kind of faith that survives anything, even moments of doubt and fear. The only downside to this book is that it is the last in the series. How I wish there were more!!!

Desi and Tony are strong, confident and vulnerable. Intricately plotted, the suspense builds as they try to stay alive while pitting themselves against the rulers of darkness in the world of stolen art and antiquities. Unable to walk away from the battle, Desi and Tony struggle to submit themselves to God, no matter what the cost. The books in this series are keepers that I'll read again and again. Jill Elizabeth Nelson has again crafted a gripping tale of love and adventure, and selfless sacrifice.

The To Catch a Thief series stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best fiction on the shelves, anywhere, CBA or ABA.

Security consultant Desiree Jacobs is at it--again! What should have been a simple artifact retrieval lands her in the jungles of Mexico, where differentiating the good guys from drug traffickers is no easy job. Whether or not Desiree can outrun the nasty boys and keep her wedding date with FBI agent Tony Lucano proves to be Desiree's greatest adventure yet.

Book three of the To Catch A Thief series, Reluctant Smuggler by author Jill Elizabeth Nelson is another front runner! Decisively character driven, Reluctant Smuggler is packed with action and riveting suspense that makes for an intense page-turner. I applaud Jill Elizabeth Nelson's gift to transport readers to a world of romantic suspense and, to believe they are with Desiree whether inside a grand palace or the mysterious Mayan ruins.

Nelson has a natural gift of unobtrusively showing Desiree's and Tony's unwavering faith. Reluctant Smuggler will appeal to inspirational and secular readers alike.

And if you haven't read the fist two books of this amazing series you must! Jill Elizabeth Nelson's, Reluctant Smuggler is my favorite of the Catch A Thief series. I'm chewing my nails in suspenseful anticipation for her next book!

This was a fascinating story, full of artifacts and danger around every corner. This was suspenseful romance at it's best. Jill did a great job in the authenticity of her story and I enjoyed it very much. I loved the relationship between Desi and Tony as they attempted to trust the Lord when they couldn't communicate.
I believe you will love this book as much as I did.

Paulette L. Harris Author/Speaker

For security consultant Desiree Jacobs, the operation should have been almost too easy: Steal an ancient Mayan artifact from a Mexican museum and then return it, thus proving the organization's security measures inadequate and acquiring the job for her own company.

Her goal is to get it done, then scoot on out of Mexico and home to Tony Lucano, her hunky FBI agent fiancé.

But powerful forces have other ideas, and Desi's simple operation soon becomes a dangerous mission to recover stolen national artifacts. With key figures in the Mexican government playing both sides of the law, it's impossible to tell friends from enemies and good guys from bad.

The heinous El Jaguar, trafficker of drugs and humans and looter of national antiquities, could be hidden behind the smiles of any number of government officials. As Desi digs closer to the truth, both she and Tony are targets for elimination, and are in danger even in their own homes on American soil.

Will either of them survive long enough to say "I do"?

A pulse-pounding, nail-biting tale of danger and intrigue...yet the author weaves in a romantic element strong enough to satisfy even the sappiest of readers. Jill Elizabeth Nelson paints a picture of evil perfectly contrasted by indomitable courage, honor, and unselfish love. Softly drawn and perfectly placed, elements of faith accent the vivid colors of this stunning masterpiece. Reluctant Smuggler is word art at its best!

Jill Elizabeth Nelson has created a fascinating world of art, smuggling, romance and security. Some of my favorite scenes are when she describes breaking into museums in order to prove that their security is lacking. This book is #3 in the series and I had read #1, but not #2 so while background is helpful it is not absolutely necessary. I highly recommend Jill's series because it is unique and intriguing. You won't regret joining Desiree and Tony as they embark on their adventures!

Desiree Jacobs wants to be married. And she has everything she could ask for in her fiancé, FBI Agent Tony Lucano. But so much seems to be in their way of setting a date. She becomes sidetracked when her assignment to "steal" an ancient Mayan artifact goes awry and turns into an archeological nightmare. The search for clues brings up old memories she wished she could forget. When Tony becomes seriously injured during an investigation, his life as he knows it is threatened. While grateful to be alive after a near death experience, can he adapt to another career should he be unable to pass his FBI physical? Could he marry Desi if he is not the man she fell in love with? Once again, Jill Nelson brings this couple through a series of challenges. The excitement is non stop from page one. As challenging as their missions, so is their faith tested throughout the journey. Well written and well crafted, the story is sure to please.

The Reluctant Smuggler is the third and best of Jill Elizabeth Nelson's To Catch a Thief series, with the author's knowledge of art and antiquities adding spice to the narrative's suspense. Desiree (Desi) Jacobs is head of her late father's firm that specializes in museum security. Hired by the Mexican government to find out how the nation's art treasures are being stolen, she follows the trail to the Yucatan Peninsula, where her own artifact and jewelry are stolen and her life threatened by an international gang headed by a man known only as El Jaguar.
Meanwhile, Desi's fiancé, FBI-agent Tony Lucano, is injured in a raid on a human smuggling ship and lies in a coma back in Boston. While Desi helps Tony regain his health, Tony is marked for assassination because the smuggling operation was El Jaguar's, and the gangster's woman was killed during the raid. Tony and Desi survive and tie up the U.S. end of the case, are married, and embark on their honeymoon in Cancun.
There they again become entangled in the smuggling operation and, separately, land in captivity at El Jaguar's hideout in the Yucatan jungles. From that point, the plot moves ever more quickly, with intricate twists, until its explosive resolution.
In the telling, the author provides something of interest to everyone: plenty of romance between Desi and Tony, and plenty of suspense in the fast-paced action scenes, which often rival Clive Cussler in the skill of narration. In sum, this is a novel that provides clean entertainment as it deals with the sordid realities of art theft, murder, and human smuggling.

This is the third book in the To Catch a Thief series. I have not read the first two books, yet I was not lost and now have the desire to go back to the first two just to get more background on the characters, whom I loved. The characters were so aptly described that I felt like I knew them personally. The suspense and action kept me interested all throughout. Desi is a woman who knows what she wants and is very independent. Tony is her fiance and an FBI agent. They both find themselves in impossible situations where they each have to learn to trust in God. I kept anticipating what would happen next and was never disappointed by the outcomes. I would highly recommend this book and I can't wait to read the first two.