📚𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴 𝓡𝓮𝓿𝓲𝓮𝔀 📚
3.5/5 🌟

I know this is an unpopular opinion, but while this suspense/thriller married two of my favorite subjects to read about (art history and the Holocaust) the writing style and pace of the story just weren’t my speed.

The subject matter and story are fascinating, and there’s a lot packed into this quickly moving novel (and clearly a ton of research) but a too-large cast of characters with intricate backstories, most of whom fell flat for me, plus many plot lines and back and forth timing just didn’t work for me.

Bottom line, there was too much going on in this densely woven novel for me to feel any kind of connection to it. I can see how it will make an entertaining, fast-paced movie and I’m looking forward to seeing it play out on screen. I can’t wait to see how they depict the titular painting!

This book has tons of great reviews on Goodreads, so while it didn’t resonate for me, I still recommend giving it at chance!

#bibliophile #stephsalwaysreading #bookrecommendations #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #historicalfiction#holocaustfiction#arthistory

*Thank you to Get Red PR books and Harper Collins for a finished copy of the book. This review contains my own thoughts and opinions.*

Woman on Fire is a must-read. During World War II, Nazis stole many pieces of art, calling it degenerate. However, instead of destroying it all, they sold many pieces to fund their war machine. One piece is the focus of the search here - The Woman on Fire.

The story was absolutely riveting and captivated me from prologue to the very end. The main characters - Jules, the young reporter; Ellis, the renowned shoe designer; and Margaux, the ruthless art gallerist, all have unique POV and motivations and were fascinating to read about.

Woman on Fire was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me, and one of my favorites so far for 2022!

Woman on Fire is a fast pace tour-de-force. So many interweaving plots that tangle and ricochet off each other until you get to the end. What a fantastic ride. It's such a mash-up of genres: Women's Fiction, Suspense, Romance and they all meld together perfectly. Lisa Barr has chops as a writer and masterfully crafts this story. Even if you don't know a thing about fine art, you'll love riding along with Jules as she pieces together the clues and with Margaux as she plays her wicked games. This is a story about strong women and it is delightful to watch them match wits. You will be rooting for Jules through the whole story and standing with her until the end.

This book was absolutely unbelievable. I was hooked from the start and never wanted to put it down. If you're in a reading rut, this is the book to get you out of it.

Lisa Barr packed a punch with this one. WOMAN ON FIRE has a little bit of everything: historical fiction, thriller/mystery and the art world with a touch of romance. The story was so clever; I was on the edge of my seat the entire time while reading and at no point did I ever know what was going to happen. There's so many twists and so many emotions.

I was super intrigued by the topic of Nazi-stolen art. I've never read a book before with this topic, and I've never heard of one written by a Jewish author, so I couldn't wait to read this. Barr clearly put so much research, thought and effort into this book, and it just made everything so good.

I highly, highly recommend this book, and I can't wait to re-read it.

What an exhilarating book! This was a mix between thriller, mystery, heist, investigative reporting and historical fiction. The author, @lisabarr18 has managed to pull it off!⁣
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There are lots of storylines yet the plot moved very quickly, and I found myself being able to keep up and unable to put this one down. ⁣
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I also LOVE the great characters written. It’s a cat and mouse game between two women. Both are relentless and cunning. ⁣
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Jules Roth breathes and lives for investigative journalism. While in high school, she used herself as bait to get a sexual predator behind bars with a national story. She covets working for the best reporter in Chicago, Dan Mansfield, and manages to get him to hire him. Only, he hires her for a private story, a story that involves a painting that was stolen by the Nazis and has been suspected to be found. In her way is Margaux de Laurent. She’s a manipulative, smart, and ruthless art collector who will stop at nothing to get the painting for herself. Two strong women face off to obtain the stolen painting and only one can win. ⁣
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Sharon Stone will be producing and possibly starring in the adaption. I cannot wait to see it!

Lisa Barr is a terrific storyteller. This book reminds me of a Ron Balson novel. It's face paced, multi-facetted, well developed characters and of course, some evil.

Thank you you NetGalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An amazing story of heroism, truth seeking and what it is to do right and to do good for others. The book kept me sucked in. I had to get to the end. The efforts of Jules , her slyness yet her ability to not let fear stand in her way. And Lillian, what an amazing character, her strength even with the small role. Really enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley.

Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr. Pub Date: March 1, 2022. Rating: 🌟🌟🌟. I was really intrigued by the premise of a missing piece of art rooted in Nazi connections because I enjoy reading WWII historical fiction novels. Unfortunately I didn’t love this story, but appreciated the thriller vibes mixed with historical fiction to keep the story flowing. In my opinion, there was a lot going on with many characters that sometimes made the story too much. I really enjoyed the art history aspects in relation to WWII. It reminded me of the movie The Monument’s Men. Thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookworm #igreads #womanonfire #netgalley #harperperennial @netgalley @harperperennial

Buckle up for a stunning story in Lisa Barr's newest book, Woman on Fire.

Jules, an ambitious investigative journalist, is working on a story about a piece of art that was stolen by the Nazi's during WWII.

But she's not the only one looking to track down Woman on Fire. Margaux, a gallerist and art thief, also wants to get her hands on the painting.

As we learn the origins of the painting and the many hands it switched to over the years, we also discover the dark underbelly of the art world.

I was ENTHRALLED. I'll be putting this on every must-read list we do this year. It was thrilling and informative. Buy it now, thank me later.

Stolen art and strong women are the central themes of Lisa Barr’s exciting new thriller that rockets back and forth between now and here, then and there, Europe and the U.S. of A . . . . while at the same time educating, entertaining and fascinating her readers with a thriller about the wholesale pillaging of Europe’s cultural treasures and all the stolen art looted from the Jews during World War II. It .begins in present day Chicago when a just-graduated journalist named Jules Roth pushes her way into a dream job working for a legendary investigative reporter named Dan Mansfield; her personal hero. But instead of toiling away for Chicago’s largest newspaper, he asks her to join himself and a trusted aide in attempting to find the last painting by noted German Expressionist Ernst Engel, who was murdered by the Nazis in 1939. It’s called Woman On Fire, and it’s now considered a masterpiece that’s worth millions. Mansfield is trying to find the missing work of art on behalf of his good friend Ellis Baum, whose mother was the model for the artist. Ellis, a world-renowned shoe designer, has been diagnosed with cancer and has only months to live. His last wish is to recover the painting which was stolen by a high ranking Nazi during the war and hasn’t been seen since. Complicating the hunt is an amoral woman named Margaux de Laurent, owner of the largest, most important, and secretly bankrupt, art galleries in the world—who also desires the painting for her own selfish reasons and who’ll let nothing stop her from getting it, up to, and including murder.
As the action switches back and forth between Europe and the United States, the turbulent story of the painting is revealed in the reminisces of various characters who recreate the atmosphere of wartime Germany and the ransacking of the Continent’s art treasures by the rapacious Third Reich. The novel is well researched, well written, and a thoroughly captivating read!

what an amazing story!!

I haven't been this hooked in a historical fiction in forever. This book has one of the most despicable and incredible characters I've ever read about. Margaux!

Also, this book transports us to so many different beautiful placed: NY, Amsterdam, Paris... it was incredible from beginning to end!

This book explores a niche topic relating to World War II - recovery of the art and precious treasures stolen by the Nazis.

In a race against time, two competing forces are looking to claim the same lost piece of art - a piece called Woman on Fire.

This book had plenty of history and scandal but also romance. It reads at edge of your seat, breakneck speed and it felt like I barely took a breath until the very end. I loved learning more about the art world and reading about this niche of World War 2 history that I definitely haven’t really been exposed to.

If you love a mystery, or reading about art, or historical fiction, this book is for you! Lisa Barr finds a way to entwine all those elements into one fantastic novel!

Woman on Fire was a wild ride, but thoroughly enjoyable! I love historical fiction and also novels about art so this one really combined the best of both worlds for me. The multiple plot lines was a little confusing at first, but as I continued reading, I really enjoyed putting all of the pieces of the puzzle together and I found this book unputdownable. I LOVED this book and can’t wait to read more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr and Harper Perennial Paperbacks. All opinions are my own.

Great storyline. Interesting characters. Lots of cultural changes making it a really good mix of people places and things! Lots of salacious sex, most of which was unnecessary as it didn’t move the story along. I’d recommend this to my newspaper and book group, as we are all looking for a great read we can escape with. Good job Lisa Barr

Woman on Fire is an action packed thrill ride of people chasing down a painting stolen by Nazis. It’s a thrilling chase through present day Europe and into the US to untangle past wrong-doings.

Although this was a very exciting read, I prefer a bit more character development and had a bit of a hard time connecting to the story.

Thank you Harper Paperbacks and Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow. I hadn’t read a WWII historical fiction or in this cause WWII historical adjacent book in what feels like ages, it might have been a whole year!

Woman On Fire by Lisa Barr did not disappoint. We are reading from the perspectives of several characters in present day as well as getting snapshots of the past all revolving around a missing painting and the last know work of a famous artist who was killed at the hands of the Nazis in WWII. We have investigative journalists, artists with secrets and a front row seat to what can be the dark side of art collecting and curation, especially where Nazi stolen art is concerned.

What I loved most about this book is how all complicated all of our Jewish lead characters were whether they were out young go getter investigative journalist, cold sociopathic art collector or elderly famous man in the fashion world finally ready to face his past and tell his story. How it was all woven together was stunning. I absolutely loved it!

Thank you to Net Galley and Harper Perennial for the e-copy of this book, which came out on March 1st, 2022.

Woman on Fire had my on the edge of my seat, holding my breath. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

This book follows multiple perspectives through a high-stakes scramble to find a coveted piece of art - the Woman on Fire. The art community is small and you never know who can be trusted.

This book is full of complex relationships, investigation and people who will stop at absolutely nothing to have this painting. I absolutely loved it!

Thank you @getredpr @getredprbooks and @netgalley for a complimentary copy. The review expresses my own personal opinions.

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I have seen that Woman on Fire is being called historical fiction, but I really think it’s contemporary with an historical element. Nazi looting prior to and during WWII meant that masterpieces are still missing decades later, and in this novel, a painting titled “Woman on Fire” is behind a lot of drama.

My thoughts are a smidge incoherent today, so I’ll just tell you that this book is so good and you should read it. If you’re not an historical fiction reader, still read this. If you love a good mystery or suspend, it’s in here. Romance? There’s a bit of that; too.
Just read it!
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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I love how this book combined my favorite time period for historical fiction with art and art history. The premise was extremely captivating, but I felt that there were sometimes too many plot lines and characters to keep up with, and eventually lost interest.

Definitely going to be a top read of 2022! This story mixes WWII history, secrets and stolen art with suspense and thrill in the best way possible. The writing was exquisite, the characters were well-developed, and while the plot may not seem unique when skimming over the summary, you will realize how original it is the second you start reading. Told in multiple perspectives, you get a classic hero vs. villain story as two women are in search of the same painting, Woman on Fire. The chapters take place in many cities around the world (Chicago, NYC, Berlin, Paris, and Amsterdam to name a few), and while the majority of the book occurs in present day, some chapters shift back to the 1930s. Barr does such a great job interweaving the multiple storylines together. I am not lying when I say I was at the edge of my seat biting my nails during the second half of the book. Hands down an extremely memorable and fun read!

Read if interested in:
-Investigative journalism
-Art heists/ art history
-WWII
-Suspense and crime fiction
-Family drama and secrets