An impoverished English Rose with a quirky eye for art forgeries and a revenge-seeking South African with a priceless collection match wits in this sizzling, award winning historical romance.The Art is fake. The Love is real. The Risk is ruin.May, 1850, London, England“Beware, darling. Disaster rolls in on a whisper.”Jilted by her fiancé, abandoned by her father, and scorned by her friends, Lady … her father, and scorned by her friends, Lady Lydia Pierpont and her pregnant, 15 year-old sister will be homeless by midnight unless she can charm the deed of her family’s home out of the mysterious South African who won the estate in a poker game.
Grieving over the death of his Jewish father and English mother, Simon Cohen has no time for gallantry. He’s out to reclaim his mother’s name from the aristocracy who humiliated her. With an art collection worth millions and the National Gallery begging for a donation, revenge is within reach.
But when Lydia points out that Simon’s treasure trove includes at least one forgery, they strike a deal. She’ll ferret out the fakes and if the debut of his collection goes smoothly, she’ll win back her home. If she fails, she will take the blame and go to jail.
Together, Lydia and Simon will feign an engagement, delve into the world of art forgery, and navigate the narrow-minded prejudices of London society to discover that love is forged, never faked.
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I recieved this book as an ARC and this is my honest review freely given.
And what a thoroughly enjoyable read. A first by this author for my reading pleasure and she did an outstanding job!
I highly recommend this book and as for me , I will certainly add her books to the list of TBR !
Awesome art history , a strong female character(Lydia) with a backbone and a most appealing leading man (Simon)cast along side her ! Let the tale commence!!
Suzanne Tierney
This book is an easy 10 stars! This is my first Suzanne Tierney novel but it definitely won’t be my last! I’d easily give this book 10 stars! This is a most superbly written story with a wonderful plot and the most amazing cast of characters. Our heroine, Lydia is a wonderful young woman of strength, courage and intelligence. Simon is a bit complex, perhaps a bit moody but still very much the swoon worthy hero we all look forward to. The story is eloquently written and the authors use of imagery was so vividly real you became one with the story. She has a lovely way of invoking the past for the reader. I was enthralled from the very first page to the last word with this engaging story. I loved it and I can’t wait to read everything else she’s written. Thank you so much Suzanne for sharing this superbly delicious story!
A bargain
Lydia and her pregnant sister are destitute. Her father has gambled away everything, including their homes. Simon is focused on his goal of collecting paintings and creating a wing in the National Gallery in honor of his parents. Lydia makes a bargain with Simon. She’ll look for forgeries in his collection of paintings, in return for a place to live. A lot of complications and secrets. A little slow at first, but takes off when all the pieces start to fall into place.
Love the premise of this action-packed romance by Suzanne Tierney. Fascinating setting and all the ‘feels’.
Ok…..I have some thoughts. I loved Simon and Lydia’s journey to their happily ever after. They fought hard and they had many obstacles to overcome. I enjoyed the elements the author added about life for Jewish people in 18th century England. I don’t think I’ve read anything like that before and maybe I should have. I loved Lydia and how she came into her own throughout the story. She transformed from the “perfect” English Rose to Lydia with all her quirks and accepted who she was and who Simon was to her. My heart hurt for Simon. I could almost feel his grief and loss. Like I said, they had a journey.
My main problem was that I continually felt that I was missing some detail. I kept backtracking thinking I had missed some movement or something somebody had said or who was who. Sometimes it was just a simple matter of trying to figure out when that arm got there or how something happened. It did take a little away from the story for me. It took me out of the story – if that makes sense. I couldn’t lose myself in the story because I kept trying to figure out some small detail that probably wasn’t significant but it felt like it might be and I couldn’t figure out what I had missed. I still enjoyed the story but I spent too much time trying to figure out what was going on….maybe it was just me. Christmas festivities can be a tad distracting.
I didn’t realize this was the author’s only book. I hope she writes more about these characters. I’d love more Simon and Lydia. Maybe Kitty and Ben?? I’ll cross my fingers and watch and hope.
This story is whimsical and funny. Both our hero and heroine are outrageous. If two people ever deserved each other, it is these two. It is because no one else could probably stand to be with them in the same room. The chemistry is hot and both are very passionate about the art. This book brought tears to my eyes as some of the scenes are very funny. I enjoyed this story very much.
I read an ARC copy and positively loved this book. Simon is beautiful – swoon-worthy – and Lydia is smart and powerful in her own right – she is NOT a doormat. I greatly enjoyed the art and the history – the first Jewish angle was new and unexpected. This is a great read!
Well, this was a very different story and I liked it. The descriptions of the art and how to differentiate a forgery (not that I can go out and do that now! Ha) was very interesting and kept me hooked. There are lots of twists in this story. I also loved the dynamic between Simon and Lydia. Great debut novel.
I received a complimentary copy.
Exquisitely written historical romance – ARC review
Suzanne Tierney is a new-to-me author, but I’m already hooked on her elegant prose, her vivid, painterly descriptions, and her beautifully complex characters. England in 1850 stood on the verge of great changes. The rigid social structure of the aristocracy was more and more exposed to ridicule and push-back from a prosperous merchant class and the working class laborers, whose egalitarian ambitions and growing economic power channeled into political clout in the House of Commons. Simon Cohen, son of a an english Jew and the aristocratic daughter of an earl, has returned from Cape Town, South Africa to fulfill a vow of revenge: HIs parents’ art collection will be given to the National Trust if the museum wing bears his parents’ names. It is a public acknowledgement of the legitimacy of their lives, their love, and his mixed heritage – and a clap-back at the blue bloods who disowned them. Lady Lydia, aristocratic and impoverished by her noble father’s gambling, is undone by her reckless younger sister’s out-of-wedlock pregnancy and her father gambling away their home.. Homeless, destitute, and desperate, she makes a plea for the return of her home to the man who won it – Simon Cohen. There follows a mystery, a trail of possible art forgeries, and a tangled web of corrupt and dishonorable frenemies who plot their own gains at Lydia’s or Simon’s expense. Lydia and Simon stand at the crux of social, political, and personal changes that threaten to destroy the growing love between them. their journey to love and happiness is one of personal tragedy and triumph, as each must find a way to balance religious differences, social censure, and personal vulnerability. Lydia’s wit, keen observations, and courage bring out the best in Simon, while his powerful protection and faith in her keep her grounded and bolster her attempts to cope with her difficulties. It’s a moving and passionate love story, at times provoking outrage, but ever hopeful. Highly recommended!
A story of desperation and bravery. Lydia has to find her voice when everything in her life starts to fall apart. Simon comes to her rescue and they strike a bargain. Together they have to maneuver all the difficulties they encounter. As they struggle against political, social and personal roadblocks they discover that together they make a formidable pair. This is a story about values and how they shape us. In the end we can only be true to our selves.
A wonderfully written story that caught my attention from the first page. With a talking parrot on the sholder of an old Colonel and a Dowager Countess who carried her toy poodle Waterloo wearing a mtaching gown and tiara, I had to smile. Lady Lydia Pierpoint was on top of the world with her engagement to the man she had loved forever. But it seemed the opening line “Beware, darling. Disaster rolls in on a whisper” was about to come true!
She ends up jilted by her beloved fiance and homeless unless she can gain the deed to her house out of Simon, who has his own goals.
This author’s words literally bring the characters and surroundings alive! Filed with humor, angst, intrigue and everything that is needed to make a brilliant story, I was totally enchanted and have to say, I could not put it down until the end! I cannot wait for more from this author that is new to me and highly recommend this one to all!
The Art of the Scandal will have you swooning, smiling, crying, laughing, and cheering! Perfect for fans of steamy, smart historical romance!
Set against a backdrop of family secrets, political injustice, and paintings by the Renaissance masters, two outcasts–a destitute English Rose of the highest order and a Jewish transplant from Cape Town–find an unlikely love. Suzanne’s debut novel is a captivating and refreshing read. Well written and thoroughly researched, I enjoyed every page. A wonderful read.
Me, at about 75%: There is NO WAY all these issues can be resolved and the couple can find its HEA by the end.
Me, at the end: Holy cow! The author managed to destroy the bad guy, sort out the family troubles, and give Simon and Lydia a happily ever after!
I love when authors are able to create that doubt and this is certainly one of those well-crafted stories that kept me on the edge of my seat for a long while.
Keeping my fingers crossed for a little insight into Benjamin’s life going forward. A novella, maybe?
Suzanne Tierney’s debut will keep you up late—making deals with yourself—one more page, okay, I’ll set this down after I finish the chapter. Like me, you’ll want to read this book in one greedy sitting. This story was so intriguing I could not put it down. Wicked fast pacing and unforgettable characters created a page-turning read. I fell in love with Simon and Lady Lydia. This book has a prominent spot on my keeper list.