A really good read. The characters are brilliant and a lot of fun. I especially loved Minty, totally eccentric and the type of person you would love as a friend. Life would never be boring! The story line is good and I’m sure there are people like Quinn in the criminal underworld (although I did have a bit of trouble with his language). Holly writes about art theft and fraud with a good dose of humour. Enjoyable read.

I was enticed by the premise as I was born into the art world…..not forgery although my parents may have been less poor if they’d tried it….and was interested in a story from this angle. The overall storyline and comedy did remind me of the old Lovejoy series though. Altogether a lighthearted and funny/laugh out loud read to while away a lazy afternoon.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC

I enjoyed this book, it is a funny and light-hearted read with an entertaining story and many likeable characters, I loved the main character’s parents in particular. I had almost finished reading the book when I was advised of an updated edition with timeline clarifications, presumably made in response to other reader comments, I had no issues with the earlier version so did not reread and can only assume the changes make it even more enjoyable.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book.

This one started off a bit chaotic for me and took a while to get into. It starts off showing us that the main character Minty has quite a disorganised and chaotic life and can barely get through the day with her kids. Turns out that she used to be an Art forger.
I quite enjoyed the mystery and learning about the world of Art Forgery.
This book is really funny. It's a fun and light read even though it took a while to get into and the writing felt convoluted at some points.

I really wanted to love this novel, the plot seemed enticing and funny, but it fell flat.

The writing style was to all over the place for me, it might of been done on purpose as Minty is a chaotic main character but it affected my enjoyment and understanding. The use of past/present was messy and took away from the story. I think it lacked overall realism and/or logic.

The characters were not as likable as you would want when reading a funny romance. I don't think likable characters are needed in a story, especially one like this but the writing style and vibe just was not aligned with it at all. I felt like the character was very chaotic and confusing.

I think some people would love this funny romance however I did not particularly like it, however I don't regret reading this story.

Loved this story and how fun it was yet a genuine emotional part of managing families when hard times hit. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Really enjoyed reading this book, especially with the laugh out bits too! Loved meeting all the characters and their stories too! A perfect an easy summer read.

Gosh, Minty is absolutely bonkers and this book is very funny. It made me cringe often, laugh out loud and also be genuinely happy for her that she somehow finds a way to solve the muddle she’s in. It’s gloriously far fetched and full of hilarious cliches and it had me guessing about the end right up until I reached it. Would absolutely recommend

I was immediately intrigued by the premise. I absolutely love the art world but know fairly little about it, so the thought of exploring the vastness of it's underbelly via a somewhat light-hearted and comedic medium sounded brilliant.

Unfortunately, I just found the main character to be too all over the place for me (and this too was reflected very well in the writing style). The confusion of her life, the chaos inside her head, and the jumps between past and present did not do enough to salvage the story which hadn't even really kicked off at the 30% mark.

If you like vivacious characters and slowly uncovered mysteries, Love Painted in Lies is just the novel for you!

Love Painted in Lies: A Maida Vale Tale tells the story of a determined and compassionate woman in her mid-thirties who engaged in art forgery in her youth and now faces the consequences of her past actions.

It took me a while to get into the story, to be honest, as the character of protagonist Minty, and the narrative here, is quite quirky and focuses more on Minty’s current day-to-day which only really becomes interesting once the full picture is set. Ms. Denham chooses to slowly reveal the mystery of what’s gone on before as the pages progress in the opening 1/3 of the novel. Stick with it, as once I was into the story, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and Minty became, in fact, highly relatable as she navigates life, family, gangsters, police, and a potential new relationship.

The humor sprinkled throughout the book was largely hits, and I found myself chuckling along as I read. Minty’s ability to juggle family and personal relationships amidst a dangerous criminal underworld and police scrutiny is both amusing and endearing. Her quirky character is most evident in her interactions with family members, particularly her children and elderly parents, who are all nuts! Yet, Holly Denham doesn't shy away here from exploring heavier themes like self-acceptance, loss, and overcoming bullying.

Once the story takes off, you’ll likely find yourself immersed into Minty's chaotic world, find moments of genuine laughter that are skillfully balanced with touching portrayals of everyday family life. If you, at first, find the extravagance of painting, gangsters, and Minty’s past a little exaggerated, don’t worry—just go with it, I suggest. It’s all undeniably enjoyable, with a style that is simple and whimsical, creating a delightful and all-too-quick read.

This is a delightful book that made me laugh out loud at places.
It paints the picture of a dysfunctional family trying their best to cope with the dramas of life.

I loved the main character in this book who didn’t care about opinions of other, worrying about what others think of you or jerking up with the Jones’.

This books had a great plot and was enriched by all the characters in it.
It kept you guessing what was going to happen and made me roar with laughter throughout.

An easy summer read!

I really liked Minty as a character, and her family was fascinating too. The relationships between them all felt so real, the loss of her husband, the children’s reactions to having to move to live with their grandparents, Mintys guilt about her past indiscretions and just their generally chaotic way of life. . I did find the pace of the story a bit slow to start with, and at times found felt a bit confused about what was going on, but it’s a heart warming, if improbable tale, that is such a nice read you can forgive the odd stereotype (Quinn) for the subtle ( and not so subtle at times) humour that runs through the whole book.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was such an enjoyable book. A romance but not just a romance, full of complex relationships and family dynamics it made me laugh but also made me pause for thought. Set in a part of London that I know well, it tells the story of Minty a young widow with twins and a mother with Alzheimer’s but the focus is on Minty’s shady past as an art forger. Minty’s mishaps are a joy to read about and I was rooting for her from the start. All in all a very enjoyable book that I can highly recommend.

I loved the sound of Love Painted in Lies but this read was not for me. It was one of those books that just didn’t grab my attention and I struggled to get into the story so much that I kept putting down my kindle for a while and going back to it hoping the story would get more gripping. The writing felt a little disjointed as the story jumped from Minty in the present day to episodes from her past and I couldn’t see the connection or relevance and at times I felt myself getting confused. I did finish the book but overall, I was just left feeling disappointed that it didn’t grab me as much as I hoped it would. Thank you to netgalley for allowing me to review this book.

Not my usual type of book, I usually go for crime stories. I found this book funny and entertaining, made me laugh several times.

This book is absolutely bonkers!! So very different to my usual macabre reads. It was a refreshing change to settle into this very entertaining and madcap read. Had me giggling and chuckling throughout.

Well written, an entertaining read, and a totally original storyline, that kept me interested. I enjoyed Devon, and his unlikely relationship with Minty.

Everything about this was enjoyable, but for some reason I found myself not enjoying it, but I think I know why. I'm one of those annoyingly organised people; I have a bullet journal for work, and one for home. I make lists for everything. My calendar app is my bible, and I need to know what's happening from one day to the next, or I get a bit anxious.

Minty's life is pure chaos! Just the thought of living like that terrifies me, and I think made it an uncomfortable read. I just need my routines too much!

Fun and entertaining a good feel good read. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This book had me laughing out loud, although did find some of the story line a little far fetched, overall an enjoyable easy read

I really wanted to love this more as the blurb enticed me in. I read this whilst on holidays and I struggled to get into it. It felt disjointed at times and I had to reread sections to see if I missed something. The humour bypassed me, but that is very subjective from person to person so others I am sure will love it. Overall and the reason for the lower rating was I just didn't believe any of it was plausible, I am ok with suspending belief to a point for a good story but this was all just to much for me.