4.5 stars rounded up

This sultry, slow burn romance also leans into vulnerability, grief, and survival. I adored Nathan and Rachel and their complex path to each other. Regina Black did not shy away from the drama and scandals, and their love story is backlit by DC politics and intense powerplays of the rich and famous.

Read this if you're in need of:
- biracial couple- Black woman & Latinx man
- age gap
- disability rep- he has dyslexia, she has panic attacks
- political scandals & drama
- seductive slow burn
- art history & art

I flew through this one and can't wait to see what this debut author delivers next. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC.

Imagine you are throwing your husband a 40th birthday party and you randomly get a nude from said husband that you know was not meant for you. When I tell you that immediately blew my mind. Rachel comes up with a deal to keep being the trophy wife as long as she gets the house and a million in the bank. What her husband doesn’t expect is for Rachel to meet Nathan sexy, lost, young artist.

I will say that this was a good debut. After reading the synopsis and seeing the cover one can only assume that this will be a book with scandal of course and possibly a great amount of spice with some juicy secrets revealed. While that’s exactly what I had in mind that was not exactly what was delivered. While this was a romance with scandal, it was really less about the scandal and more about the characters rekindling old passions and finding the courage to pursue passions. However it was not what I assumed it was going to be I still enjoyed this book from beginning to end. I enjoyed the characters journey together and also their self journey.

Thank you Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for this e-ARC.

This one had an interesting plot but I didn’t really connect to any of the characters. I felt like the author was introducing them to me and telling me who they were instead of letting me get to know them through the story.

Rachel Abbott is the black wife of a rising white politician in Virginia. When she realizes he is cheating on her she ends up meeting Nathan Vasquez who, like Rachel, is an artist. Nathan is much younger and the son of a billionaire businessman from whom he is semi-estranged. The Art of Scandal is the story of their relationship and the fallout from their affair as well as Rachel’s husband’s misdeeds. This was a solid read about a woman going after what she wants regardless of the consequences. I would never guess that this is a debut. I thank NetGalley and Grand Central publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Rachel learns that her political husband has been having an affair and she’s ready to make some major changes in her life. As part of those changes, she meets Nathan and a friendship is formed. However, the timing of their friendship is ill-fated and she has to choose between doing what is best for her heart or choosing the lesser scandalous road and not causing an uproar with their families.

This was beautifully written and I loved the character growth that we saw with both Rachel and Nathan as their friendship and love grew for each other. However, I struggled to connect with the plot and storyline. I’ve never tried to watch any of the more scandal related TV shows because it’s never been something that I was hugely interested in. So maybe this is a good reminder that I tend to go for the more light-hearted reads that I can also emotionally connect with.

While I didn’t love this book, I will be keeping my eye on Regina Black - she has an incredible way with words and I would definitely be interested in trying another of her books.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing & Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You know a book is going to be good when you immediately text two of your bookish friends to discuss the opening lines. This is the whirlwind that is The Art of Scandal; a perfect title for everything it encompasses—two artists, neither producing and the scandal that is publicized between them. The thing about a scandal is that there’s always another side to it and Rachel’s voice has long been muted as the First Lady to Mayor Matt Abbott and his high profile family. Ultimately this is what TAOS is about; finding your voice, being honest with yourself and learning to accept love.
What would you do, if you received a d!{k pic from your husband that was meant for someone else? This sets off the dissolution of Rachel and Matt’s marriage and allows new relationships to squeeze through. Rachel never plans to meet someone like Nathan so when conversation rolls easily between them, a friendship partially based on loneliness begins. You can imagine what happens next, but I loved the inclusion of art as a way of finding your voice and being therapeutic. Nathan creates fan art, but has never pushed himself to work beyond that, and Rachel gave up her photography when Matt’s needs became greater than her own.
The other thing that shapes this book is culture. Rachel is the black trophy wife for Matt who was an unwed single teen parent prior to meeting him. Nathan is the son of a Hispanic multimillionaire coffee exporter who downplays his family’s wealth by owning a laundromat that he lives above. Gender, race, wealth, and culture are woven into this book and into the reasons Nathan and Rachel might be considered scandalous. I enjoyed every minute of it and rooted for them even when all odds were stacked against them. This book made me want to get back to my own artwork and reading it stirred up some of that forgotten passion for drawing. I hope it can bring up those feelings for other readers as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central for this advanced copy.
4.5 ⭐️
Content Warnings: cheating spouse, parental death, homelessness, alcohol and drug use

This book is everything!!! If you grew up watching primetime soapy shows, this book is going to seriously scratch that itch. I loved the family dynamics and drama, and I really loved the relationship between our two leads. If I had been watching their story play out on TV, I would have been waiting for the other shoe to drop, but the best thing about romance is I knew they were going to be okay and that allowed me to fully invest in their relationship. This was delightful from start to finish!

I absolutely loved this book! Regina Black's writing style is so immersive, I felt like I was in the look while I was reading it. The love story between Rachel and Nathan is just so good. The love scenes were top tier. It was all around just a fabulous read. I loved the pacing of the book as well. I loved the character development that the FMC Rachel has in the book. I just absolutely loved this book.

4.5/5 stars

This book is so dang steamy. I can feel the adult pent up sexual tension between Nathan and Rachel, it’s wild. Matt is trash - I’m guessing towards the end of the story we will see who he had an affair with which as of now there’s no real contenders.

How Nathan and Rachel end up being forced to work together after such sizzle and steam radiate off of them when they are together is magical. I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan but close proximity is my second favorite and though they weren’t locked in a house together while a raging hurricane was going on, they were forced to work together for days leading up a big event and their chemistry and wanting for each other was so taboo it made my heart race!

When you find out the mistress it was shocking but not in a WTF way. The ending was good but if you’ve ever been through a divorce you know it’s not nearly how this one went down (for the most part.)

I can’t believe this is a debut. Regina’s writing it sexy, gorgeous, and riveting. Rachel and Nathan are an explosive combination that I couldn’t get enough of.

This was a steamy that i did not want to put away. It had political drama, cheating husband and romance. The characters were written great, the lead was strong and i loved her.

One of my favorite Books of 2023! This is an addictive, steamy and unputdownable book. Regina Black is also local to me and I'm thrilled. I can't wait for more from this author! An auto buy for me.

First Thank you Net galley for this e-arc,

What happens when you catch your husband of 13 years cheating? And he tells you, you can’t leave yet because he needs to win the next mayor re-election, so you agree that you will do if you get the house, a divorce and a certain amount of money……

The art of scandal is definitely true to its name and it was scandalous!!!! The blackmail, the cheating husband who had the audacity and the hot artist who owned a laundromat that made our main character feel alive again. All the secrets, political drama and family feuds I kept expecting for Olivia Pope to come in because if this was an episode on scandal she would had a field day with Rachel!!! I can’t believe this is the authors first book. It was so well written and from the first line the book sucks you in and when you come back to reality you realized you aren’t in Oasis Springs with Rachel

Tropes
Political drama
Family feuds
Age gap romance
Cheating

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
The Art of Scandal is a debut that has been on my radar for a while since I saw the cover…how rare is it that we see single-title contemporary romances with actual people on them, especially a) with BIPOC rep, and b) in a clinch pose. While I’ll defend well-done illustrated covers, and the right for those to exist in general, it’s just so refreshing to see this. So, I was onboard without even knowing what it was about, and once I finished the book? I was even more blown away.
I loved Rachel. She’s such a strong lead, and I loved reading about a character who doesn’t let her philandering husband walk all over her. While I personally would have walked out sooner and damn the consequences, I respect that she wasn’t in that place yet in the beginning of the story, and I loved following her as she rediscovered herself. I respect that she’s never weak; even when she’s in a toxic marriage, she does advocate for herself, and she eventually does the work to find herself and who she wants to be on her own terms.
And given the historically puritanical views on what counts as cheating in romance, I find it incredibly transgressive for her to still be legally married and acting the part of loyal, supportive politician’s wife, while simultaneously being swept up in an affair with a younger man.
As for Nathan, I like that this wasn’t a case of there being a massive power imbalance, and he has his own messy history with the elite, coming from a wealthy and powerful family who he’s on the outs with, being a bit of a disappointment to them. Like Rachel, however, he has his own untapped potential, and he also makes peace with his past, while going through self-growth and being inspired in his artistic pursuits.
Their romance hits all the right notes: it’s very sexy, yet also extremely emotionally vulnerable. The high stakes with Rachel and Nathan’s clandestine affair going on while she’s also pretending to be a happy politician’s wife predictably come to a head, but not quite in the way I expected, and I’m glad that the husband also got his just deserts in the process (even if it didn’t come without a dose of hypocrisy on his part).
This was everything I wanted and more, and I’m so excited to read more from Regina Black in the future. If you’re looking for a romance with political intrigue and scandal and/or with BIPOC characters by a Black author, I’d recommend checking this one out!

I was really excited about this one, but for me right now, contemporaries have not been doing it for me. I think I may revisit this when I'm not just devouring historicals, but for now, it isn't for me.

Think HTGAWM meets Scandal crossover. Rachel though is no stranger to scandal but when we meet her she is a hallow version of herself until her bum husband cheats and isn't very sloppy about it. For a debut Black weaves in the internal struggle of being in IR with a trust fund baby who thinks she should be greatful. In a heated argument Matt said he pulled her out of the gutter (definitely was seething when I read it) but then also acknowledged his career, his standing she had so much to do with curating it for him. See why he's a bum.

Now enters in lost puppy Nathan not sure where he's going but knows he is passively living. I think it was interesting to couple these 2 together when they are both at a crossroads. Love can be inconvenient but what I loved was Nathan actively trying to be present even if it wasn't perfect. He struggled with insecurities, anger. and loneliness. My heart ached for him bc I felt his struggle so while I was rooting for them I also wanted him to (really both of them) to have an easier chance for love.

While these two were struggling to stay away from each other we also read a strong theme of family obligations, how it impacts relationships, causes misunderstandings, and it could rob you from forgiveness. This alone can be a review in its self. I have so many highlights, this was such a good read and infused with art- chef's kiss

I have been waiting to read this book since 2021, and it was worth the wait! It's about identity, family expectations, learning to forgive yourself and a romance all wrapped up into one.

The Art of Scandal is a mix of Desperate Housewives, Scandal and The Good Wife where Rachel, who has transformed herself into the perfect politician's wife, learns her husband is cheating on her when she receives a dick pic that he meant for his mistress. He's a white, liberal mayor, and she became the cardboard cutout of a Black woman who was a teenage mother and was lifted out of poverty through their marriage. Once their facade drops, Rachel is convinced to stay in the marriage until after the election cycle ends in exchange for $1M and ownership of their house.

On the night Rachel learns of the affair, she meets Nathan Vasquez, a younger Latinx man who is also struggling to find his identity. He's the spare son who has been in the shadow of his perfect older brother and domineering father. When Nathan and Rachel meet there's a pull toward each other neither can deny, and through a lot of interconnected people, forced-proximity and a forbidden relationship compel each to decide what will make them happy, and if they'll be brave enough to pursue it.

Regina Black's prose made each scene appear like a movie in my head, where I learned people's secrets while being introduced to them and I was still shocked by some of the twists! I hope Regina will write a future book about the side characters because there are a lot of layers among the group, and there are some hints and cliffhangers that I would love to see resolved - especially Mia and Joe! I also would like more steam, but that is a personal preference!

I'm looking forward to what Regina writes next, and am so glad to have read her debut.

Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for an eARC in exchange for a review.
Pub date: Aug. 1

This book was recommended by Sarah from Sarah’s Bookshelves Live and I absolutely loved it. It is a smart, sexy and original romance, breaking the typical romance formula and not falling into the dreaded lack of communication trope. I truly cared about both protagonists, and loved the art woven in, as well as the friends and family introduced. Yes, it is steamy, but I think even appreciators of more closed door romances would be drawn in because of the high quality writing and story development. I loved this one!

A lot of traditionally published romance novels have been flattened down to be toothless, take no stand, and touch on nothing controversial. That is not this book. It has bite. It's voicey and opinionated, tough and smart. It's also very sexy and hopeful.

This book is sexy, seductive, important, heartfelt. It's a romance that starts at a time when both main characters are adrift - unsure of their next steps, living a half life. But Black gives them time to grow, both together and separately. Nothing feels rushed.

I loved Rachel and Nathan - usually in romance novels I like one person more than the other but honestly both were so strong. Complex, deep, confused yet independent, struggling to find themselves. I loved the age gap - the fact that Nathan always had to be older and Rachel never had anyone take care of her. "He had always been attracted to women with ambition because it required a level of confidence he didn't have." He truly worships her - loves her for everything she is and everything she wants to be.

Then we have the art, which adds to the seductiveness of the story. The way Nathan looks at art, the way Rachel loves art even when she wasn't allowed to do it the way she wanted to. Their art is deep, their love of art is deep, and helps to form their connection.

Side characters - Matt is GARBAGE. Like you know he's garbage from the first sentence *which never has a first sentence in a book made me as excited since Tia Williams Seven Days in June*. But he gets worseeeee. I loved his brother. I loved Nathan's brother Joe, and his mom and Dad. I loved Mia and Rachel's extended family. Understanding and learning about Rachel and Nathan's family helps to give a broader view of who they both are. Nathan's relationship with his dad, realizing that he loves him "an extension of your soul in someone else". Like truly tears.

And I have to talk about the racial aspects of this book. Matt, being a white man married to a Black woman. Using his "platform" to make rants that show he's a good white person, a woke white person. And the utter exhaustion Rachel feels. Those scenes felt so real - ripped from everyday relationships. "She never told him it was exhausting...". "Kind of like being married to a white man, I guess. Some parts fit. Others don't. Try to have more that fits." - GOSH THAT IS PERFECT.

Plus the background of the town, and how Alesha's family had owned the bank until the Vasquez family abandoned them. The cross-racial history woven into the story just elevated it even more. The comments on racism in the art community. All of it made such a well rounded story.

Lastly, I was SHOCKED by the Matt mistress reveal. But I loved the way Black wrapped up the story.

I need a Joe and Mia story STAT.