“A lush, romantic historical mystery...a heroine to root for.” —Kristin Hannah, New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale
“Fascinating…an enchanting glimpse of Jazz Age New York.” —Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train and A Piece of the World
The New York Times bestselling author of The Library of Light and Shadow crafts a dazzling Jazz Age jewel—a novel of ambition, betrayal, and passion about a young painter whose traumatic past threatens to derail her career at a prestigious summer artists’ colony run by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co. fame. “[M.J. Rose] transports the reader into the past better than a time machine could accomplish” (The Associated Press).
New York, 1924. Twenty‑four‑year‑old Jenny Bell is one of a dozen burgeoning artists invited to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s prestigious artists’ colony. Gifted and determined, Jenny vows to avoid distractions and romantic entanglements and take full advantage of the many wonders to be found at Laurelton Hall.
But Jenny’s past has followed her to Long Island. Images of her beloved mother, her hard-hearted stepfather, waterfalls, and murder, and the dank hallways of Canada’s notorious Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women overwhelm Jenny’s thoughts, even as she is inextricably drawn to Oliver, Tiffany’s charismatic grandson.
As the summer shimmers on, and the competition between the artists grows fierce as they vie for a spot at Tiffany’s New York gallery, a series of suspicious and disturbing occurrences suggest someone knows enough about Jenny’s childhood trauma to expose her.
Supported by her closest friend Minx Deering, a seemingly carefree socialite yet dedicated sculptor, and Oliver, Jenny pushes her demons aside. Between stolen kisses and stolen jewels, the champagne flows and the jazz plays on until one moonless night when Jenny’s past and present are thrown together in a desperate moment, that will threaten her promising future, her love, her friendships, and her very life.
Jenny Bell is a burgeoning artist with a past she’s trying to hide. We learn more about her past little by little as we get to know her. She and her friend Minx get the chance to study at Laurelton Institute where Jenny gets to meet her idol Mr. Tiffany and his grandson Oliver.
I’ve loved everything I have read from the author and this doesn’t make an exception. It has less mystical elements in it than the other books I’ve read but the writing is great as always.
Jenny has trouble forgetting the horrible stuff that happened in her past, but it was nice to see how she learns to open up and grow. She learns to use colors in her art, something she has refused to do in the past and a lot of that has to do with Oliver. I loved seeing how their romance grew and he helps Jenny find some confidence in her art.
Another great book by Rose and she always has amazing covers in her books!
