This was a great narration! I really enjoyed the storyline overall and liked that there were all kinds of twists!

This book was a lot different from what I had expected. Based on the description, I was imagining a mystery/thriller about art heists, but the book turned out to be more coming-of-age/contemporary fiction. I don’t read much of that genre, but I ending up liking this book more than I thought I would. It was a quick and easy read that kept me entertained. There were a few twists that kept me interested in the plot and wanting to read more. I think art fans would definitely enjoy this book.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Emily Lawrence. She did a great job, and I enjoyed her storytelling. I was absorbed in the story and wanted to keep listening.

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

In this colorful and humorous tale, a hopeful young painter finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists…and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.

I’m not super familiar with art so I very much appreciated learning about the art scene! Who knew they made copies of famous art pieces to pass as real ones in case of emergencies?!?! Let me tell you the mother daughter relationship here was heartwarming to see. I definitely loved how the author tied in some feelings here. If you’re looking for a lighthearted semi cozy mystery consider checking out Veridian Sterling Fakes It!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC!

I enjoyed this book so much. It was hard to put it down. I enjoyed it from page one!!

I loved this! Veri is a fun, down on her luck, artist who just wants to have a show and make it in the art world. The twists and turns her career takes are fascinating and I learned a few things about art in the process. The writing flowed well and was easy to get wrapped up in, with a fast-enough pace to keep you listening well into the night. The other characters, particularly Charles and Tate, were just as interesting and I wish this was a series that followed the work she does with Charles.

Veridian Sterling Fakes it
By Jennifer Gooch Hummer

Thank you so much Brilliance publishing and NetGalley for the free audiobook.

Blurb:
In this colorful and humorous tale, a hopeful young painter finds herself embroiled in the world of art heists...and possibly responsible for the counterfeits needed to cover them up.

✨ My thoughts:
A super fast listen! I had a lot of fun listening to it. I loved Veridian’s character and found the storyline to be unique and it held my attention throughout the entire thing. When Verdi’s mom was in the story she really stood out and I would have loved to see more of her. With the way the book ended, I wonder if maybe there’s going to be another book because there’s definitely a lot of story left to tell! The audiobook narrator did a fabulous job bringing this story to life. I would totally listen to more books narrated by them. Overall I enjoyed this story and I’m so happy it was listed on the summer reading challenge for Booksparks #src2024 #GameSetRead. If you’re looking for something fast, fun, and unique, you should really consider giving this one a read. Veridian Sterling Fakes it is out now!

Happy reading 📖 🎨🖌️🖼️

I am always a huge fan of books that center around art so this thriller book with humor weaved in and out, was a real winner for me!

Narrator was excellent, one of the best I've listened to in a long time.

So Veridian is a fresh out of art school artist and she wants her work hung in art galleries and on walls of patrons. Trouble is, her work isn't something anyone is interested in but when an art gallery offers her a job answering the phones, its better than nothing. When an art dealer takes a shine to her, she gets caught in a riptide of underground art and now she doesn't know which way to turn.

It was brillaint. I loved the characters and the plot! It was absolutely brilliant!

I loved how it ended too and all the little twists we got along the way made for a really riveting read!

5 stars

This is written in a lighthearted whimsical style and reminded me just a little of Stephanie Plum and the likes. And the quote to start the book sums it up perfectly. "Exaggerate the essential, leave the obvious vague." - Vincent Van Gogh I am not sure this is in the vain of a highly researched art world heist book, but it is a fun fictional slice of it.

I loved the New York City setting for a book centered around art. I was also intrigued by the art world both the legit and the shady side of it. I went back and forth on what I thought of Veridian. At times her choices drove me a little nuts, but her quirky and free spirited ways fit the humor in the story.

There are some unexpected surprises as Veridian works to solve not only her problems but track down the missing painting.

Emily Lawrence did a great job of picking up the tone and vibe of the book. The humor, the suspense, the more serious parts. She made it an even more fun escape.

It's a little bit of a mystery, a little bit of a romance, a little bit of finding yourself and quite entertaining.

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨, 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖 𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛, 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚’𝙨.


I love a good art heist story, but 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐈𝐭 is not your average crime novel.

Veridian, a recent design school graduate, works in New York City. She struggles to be taken seriously as an artist, but before she knows it, she is caught up in the world of counterfeit art and may, unintentionally, be headed down a life of crime.

I loved Veridian’s mother-daughter relationship, all the great NYC vibes, and the immersion into the art world. But what sets this one apart from other art heist novels is the humor. It felt like a mix of a comedy caper, an art lover’s story, and chick lit rolled into a twisty, fun read.



Thank you @wunderbookspr and @lakeunionpublishing for a gifted book.

Thank you @brilliancepublishing for the gifted audiobook.

This one was a pretty interesting take on a cozy mystery. I liked the art world vibes and the nyc setting. The main character wasn’t my favorite, she was a bit whiney for my taste, but overall I still enjoyed the read. The audio narrator did a fantastic job!

Read this if you like:
🖼️ the art world
🖼️ NYC setting
🖼️ cozy mysteries
🖼️ humor
🖼️ bad bosses

I love stories about art, art heists, and forgeries and this included a bit of all three. It also included a reference/scene to the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, the largest art theft in history, that I find fascinating and have read a book about. What made this book extra fun and unique was the charming character of Veridian. Side note: The way art enthusiasts immediate knew her name as a color was brilliant. Veri is trying to make a name for herself in the art world, but a snowball effect of challenges thrust her into a shady area and the twists just keep coming. The secondary characters are delightful and provide an extra dose of amusement. The narrator, Emily Lawrence, is fabulous and I love the energy she brought to the audiobook.

The art aspect of this book pulled me in!! I really enjoyed the idea of this story plot line. Veridian just graduated art school and is wanting to get her art featured into galleries in New York City. Something that’s not always the easiest to do. She takes a job at a local art gallery and learns about a missing Van Gough piece with a nice reward. This money would help her pay off her school loans and help her mother. Loved the mystery accept of this. It’s light, fun enjoyable read. I really liked Veridian’s character and determination. Emily Lawrence does the audiobook narration. She captures the essence of the story, mystery and makes this a fantastic listen. I loved her ability to change voices and accents to bring in personalities of the characters in this book.