I enjoyed Reay’s exploration of happiness and career fulfillment. Both Diana, as Tate Gallery’s Keeper of Modern Collections, and Lily, as her assistant, have broken all barriers in the UK as the first female keepers in a major institution. Their personal lives are as curated as their workplace. When Lily discovers that happiness isn’t what she does but how she feels about what she does, she’s willing to undertake gasp-worthy moves! The art of sacrifice kept me intrigued.

Although I’ve read plenty about the art world during the Nazi regime, it was good to see how Reay linked this to equality and freedom for women in the workplace. It was equally interesting to learn about the art of forgery and Picasso.

This story about risks, scandal and personal/professional growth will resonate with many; especially those who take time to peel back the veneer.

I was gifted this copy by Harper Muse and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE by KATHERINE REAY is the extremely well written story of Lily Summers, a talented young woman who loves art, seeing a flaw in a Picasso painting which is part of a special exhibition at the Tate Gallery, causing mayhem in the art and insurance worlds, as well as involving Scotland Yard, and a search for the forger.
Lily works under Diana Gilden who is the first woman Keeper of Modern Collections and feels guilty for causing the person who has done so much for her to lose her job. Still she is sure she is right. She has always followed Diana’s tastes and directions assiduously until she is in trouble and realizes she needs to be her real self and trust her own opinions and feelings. This is true in her painting and in her family life. She needs to be more accessible to her family and friends and trust in her own ability rather than copy famous artists……
The story is gripping as the author takes us through these two women’s emotions, and we wonder at the outcome.
There are other interesting characters as the author, who is obviously knowledgeable about London’s art scene in the 1970’s and passionate about art, creates a scenario that is full of mystery, even going back to the Nazi’s art thefts during World War 11…….
I cannot recommend this interesting and exciting novel strongly enough.
I waa given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Harper Muse. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

The English Masterpiece by Katherine Reay is a fantastic story about the possible forgery of a famous Picasso painting in 1970s London.
We meet Lily, the assistant to Diana, who runs a Collections Gallery. Picasso has recently passed away so they create a collection by bringing in Picasso art to display. This is where Lily thinks she can see one of the paintings as a forgery.
This story had me captivated from the start. I loved the characters in this novel.
I really didn't know much about Picasso's work and was intrigued. I found myself looking him up online so I could see his paintings.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and received an advanced complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When Picasso dies in 1973, Diana Gilden, Keeper of Modern Collections at the Tate Gallery asks for her assistant Lily’s help in planning a memorial exhibition that will secure both of their places in the art world.

Their success seems inevitable until Lily unexpectedly ruins the exhibition opening by declaring one of the paintings to be a forgery.

As the police and insurance inspectors work to investigate the claim, readers begin to realize that both women are living carefully curated lives, lives they convince themselves will bring them happiness, even if it demands they sacrifice embracing their true selves.

Katherine Reay does a superb job of keeping readers guessing about the authenticity of the painting while layering in connections to so many other conflicts. She touches on the Nazi’s theft of hundreds of thousands of paintings during WWII. She explores the difficulties of being women trying to establish themselves in a male-dominated field. And she highlights the complicated nature of families where trauma, guilt, and desperation for acceptance can all get in the way of love and connection.

This was my first time experiencing Reay’s work, and I’m eager to read more. Thanks to Harper Muse and Netgalley for providing me with a complimentary ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

THE ENGLISH MASTERPIECE is a thoroughly enjoyable novel to sink yourself into. Lily and Diana are terrific POV protagonists, and the differences between their lifestyles are immediately noticeable. I had a little bit of a hard time believing Lily's outburst, which serves as the inciting incident, but I suspended my disbelief and was able to immerse myself into the story. The 1970s art world in London is vividly conveyed, and the mystery surrounding the alleged forgery kept me turning the pages. The resolution is completely satisfying. This is another winner from Katherine Reay. Highly recommended for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction. You don't need an interest in art to enjoy the novel, but readers who do have such an interest will find much of interest here.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance e-galley; all opinions in my review are 100% my own.