The Earl’s heir And the rebel artist Artist Artemisia Stansfield has four months to prove herself to the Royal Academy of Arts. When she finds out that aristocratic art critic Darius Rutherford has been snooping in her studio, she’s furious! Sparks of anger turn into flames of desire, but one lapse in judgment could give Darius all the fuel he needs to ruin her, as a lady and as an artist! … as an artist! Unless she trusts him enough to take the risk…
From Harlequin Historical: Your romantic escape to the past.
The Rebellious Sisterhood
Female artists…taking their world by storm!
Book 1: Portrait of a Forbidden Love
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Portrait of a Forbidden Love by Bronwyn Scott was a delight to read! The characters were intriguing, and the ending was a surprise solution to the character’s dilemma. I didn’t see the ending of the book coming, and the couple’s way through was a happy surprise. In my head I know that there was supposed to be a happy ending, but I couldn’t see how that would come to be.
Artemisia and Darius had all the strictures of society against them (of course!) yet they were able to find a solution through it. I didn’t understand why Artemisia was so untrusting and the reveal felt genuine – my curiosity was piqued by not knowing and kept me confused (in a good way!) as to her resistance to love. Her independence and willingness to break the mold of what was expected felt period appropriate and all the more challenging for it.
I enjoy it when a character can grow – and in this case the changes were subtle and gradual. It made the characters believable. All the details we learn come together by the end, and things that were small in the beginning become important at the end. Each piece of life is a factor in the story of who we become and we see it happen here.
I appreciate how Ms. Scott let the secondary characters grow as well. Darius’ mother, and her story, made me the happiest, I think. She comes to terms with her own life in a way that, even though it is unresolved, is satisfying.
I am excited to read the 2nd in the series and see what lies in store for the characters!
Portrait of a Forbidden Love is the first book in the whole new; The Rebellious Sisterhood series and oh, boy what a great start to what I can see is going to be a wonderfully romantic and fun series. I always get very excited when I pick up a whole new Bronwyn Scott book, she is one of my whole time favourite historical romance authors. Scott is a bright light that sparkles in a competitive genre and she never fails to entertain and make Regency her own.
Artemisia is an independent, determined, intelligent, courageous, gifted, stubborn and incredibly strong woman who knows what she wants and fights for it, she refuses to allow the pompous men on the board of the Royal Academy of Arts to stand in the way of her dream to be a recognised and respected artist in her own right. She pushes for equality and to prove that she is should be admitted to the Academy on her skill alone and not by her sex. I really like Artemisia she is revolutionary, she is years ahead of her time in the way she thinks and acts and she is constantly pushing for her right to be the person she wants to be and for the rights of those young girls who will be coming after her.
The Academy has given her four months to create a new collection which will be assessed whether she can be admitted into the prestigious Academy. So she sets off to the coast with her sister in the hope of finding new inspiration and perspective which will blow the academy’s board socks off, in hot pursuit is dashing, cynical Darius Rutherford, a reputed art critic who has been sent by the Academy to put the cat amongst the pigeons, he has the task of spying on Artemisia to see what she is working on so he can report back that she is as they expected; not worthy.
As we all know, life doesn’t exactly go as planned and soon Artemisia and Darius form an unlikely friendship which quickly turns into much more. She instantly knows why he is there and is on guard it’s lovely to see her defences slowly comes down as he shows her the respect she is due. Whereas she brings out the human side of Darius, he is so wrapped in his misery that he has sort of forgotten about his ability and his love of art, it’s so heart-warming to see that spark light up what was a very stoic man.
I will admit that I wasn’t taken with Darius at first, it took me a good portion of the first half of the book to be charmed by him and to be perfectly honest I don’t think even at the end I wasn’t as enthralled by him as I have been other heroes by Bronwyn Scott. I am not saying he isn’t a wonderful character, there are quite a few misconceptions and a few misunderstandings which were resolved but still, I did think there was something rather staid about him, something which didn’t ignite the spark, and yet I enjoyed the journey between him and Artemisia.
I liked the relationship between Artemisia and Darius, even though there is a spark between them their romance isn’t straightforward, it’s a blossoming romance that makes them work hard for that much sought after happily ever after and I liked that, I liked that their relationship doesn’t go smoothly and that there are hurdles which they both have to jump to get to the finish line.
What I particularly liked about Portrait of a Forbidden Love is that even though this is essentially a romance, I love that Scott showed off Artemisia’s artistic ability and her knowledge of the arts, but also it shows just how much of a struggle it was for women like Artemisia during the regency period who wanted nothing more than to follow their hearts and be an artist.
Portrait of a Forbidden Love is a beautifully written, articulate and hugely enjoyable love story, with two very different individuals who work hard for their happily ever after. I liked the faster pacing, which was a little bit of surprise for me as I am so used to Bronwyn Scott steadily building up the tension and slowly dropping breadcrumbs for the reader to follow which ends in an enlightening love story. Not here, oh no! This has a very different feel to her previous work – believe me I have read a lot of Bronwyn Scott’s books – and I like it far better, I can’t explain it but it feels very grown-up (I know that sounds a bit odd).
I love how easily the story flows and how incredibly fast you become fully transported into the creative and glittery world which Scott has gifted us with. That stereotypical Regency glitter which we are all used to is secondary to the ambitious and intriguing plot as soon as I started reading, I was instantly lost in the story
Portrait of a Forbidden Love is an exceptionally good romance, with strong and determined characters, picturesque and atmospheric settings – each scene is rich in historical detail, Scott captured the senses with her flawless writing and research I could almost taste the salty sea air and feel the chemistry building around our couple, at times it was sexy and lustful and other times it was fun and playful.
I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series, I think it is going to go from strength to strength. I do love a good old historical romance with a gutsy and clever heroine and a hero who is well and truly put in his place by the said woman. This is a great quick read, it’s full of idyllic charm and I know that any reader who loves their Regency romance then this is the book for you.
As a female artist, Artemisia struggles for full acceptance by the royal academy. Darius, an art critic and an earl’s son, wants to help her find the recognition she deserves based on her merits. But when their alliance turns to love, can they overcome social barriers?
This was an interesting book with a unique storyline. The discrimination that Artemisia faces plays a significant role, but ultimately the message is one of hope. As an artist, she isn’t constrained by the same strictures as a debutante. The physical aspects of her relationship with Darius can flourish freely. So the book is deeply passionate without being particularly graphic.
Darius is intelligent but a bit stodgy in the beginning. His demeanor quickly changes when he falls under Artemisia’s spell. She reminds him of the artistic nature he had suppressed to do his duty as a nobleman’s son. These two characters have more than attraction between them: they fit together, each making the other a better version of themselves. This book is quietly beautiful, an engaging, emotional read with a satisfying ending.
I received and read an advance copy of this book. This is my voluntary and unsolicited review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Good book. The story opens as Artemisia arrived at the Royal Academy of Arts to hear their decision on her acceptance into that group. She is confident of that approval as she is well aware of her talent. She was furious when they turned her down for the flimsiest of reasons. Though they unbent enough to offer her a second chance, Artemisia’s fury is evident in her rebuttal. I loved her parting shot as she makes it clear she suspects their intentions.
Darius Rutherford is a well-known art critic as well as being the heir to an earldom. His initial reaction to Artemisia is typical of a man of that time. He thinks she is too forward, too flamboyant, and doesn’t know her place. He is not happy when the Academy asks him to judge her work, with the implication that he is to follow their lead. He prides himself on his honesty.
Artemisia and her sister go to Kent, where Artemisia plans to paint a collection that will guarantee her acceptance. Three weeks later, Darius shows up and manages to look at her work while she isn’t there. Though blown away by what he sees, he also knows what is expected of him and has a decision to make. I was disappointed by his sneakiness and laughed out loud when Artemisia arrived to confront him. I loved how she got his attention and challenged him to remain there and get to know her as an artist.
Over the next few weeks, Artemisia and Darius spend a great deal of time together. It was fascinating to see Artemisia’s process as she put her heart and soul into her work. I also enjoyed seeing her educate Darius on what it is like to be a woman in a man’s world. It was an eye-opening experience for him, and I liked the evolution of his attitude. As they got to know each other better, the initial sparks of attraction between them began to grow. However, there are some trust issues that they need to overcome. Artemisia worries that Darius will use their passion against her, while Darius wonders if Artemisia uses it to influence his decision. It made me happy to see them talk about it rather than let their questions drive a wedge between them.
As their attraction grows stronger, so do the feelings that accompany it. Though Darius has ideas for their future, Artemisia sees too big a gap between them. I ached for her as she saw no hope for her love to go anywhere. She is well-aware of the obstacles, while Darius expects things to go his way. It was fantastic to see Darius’s determination to see that Artemisia gets the respect she deserves, and I enjoyed how he carried it out. However, some of Artemisia’s fears resurface, and she flees to protect herself and Darius. I hurt for him and liked how his love for her gave him the strength he needed to overcome the obstacles. I loved how well he knew her and how he used that knowledge to show his love. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic. The epilogue was great.
I just loved this story, the more I read, the more I enjoyed it. Artemisia Stanford is struggling to get the recognition she deserves for her art, in a man’s world. Darius Rutherford, Viscount St. Helier, an art critic, is tasked with overseeing her work in progress. At first, they seem to be at loggerheads but gradually as they spend time with each other, so their understanding of each and their feelings towards each other change. There are some beautiful winter settings on the coast, with cosy meals around an open fire. Darius has been brought up to believe in duty comes first, so he is face with a dilemma of duty versus love. There are some truly heartfelt moments and the way that Darius really understood what Artemisia was all about, was very engaging. I have read a number of books by this author and they are always a good read with engaging characters. I received a copy and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Artist Artemisia Stansfield has four months to prove herself to the Royal Academy of Arts in order to become an academian after being rejected once. When she finds out that aristocratic art critic, Darius Rutherford, has been snooping in her studio, so she & her sister Addy go to the farmhouse in Kent, which their Great Aunt bequeathed them where she can paint in peace. Until Darius turns up on the doorstep.
I loved Artemisia who was fighting a uphill battle to be recognised as an artist in 1819, the author painted a vivid picture of her struggles. Darius is heir to an earldom so expected to marry well & soon as he’s thirty five, he gave up his painting to please his father but has become an renowned art critic. I loved the chemistry between the pair & how their relationship developed & overcame the hurdles thrown in their way. A well written engrossing, entertaining read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read