Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Joanna Lowell’s new release: Artfully Yours
Sparks fly between a lordly art critic and a lady forger in this enthralling Victorian historical romance from the author of The Runaway Duchess.
Nina Finch isn’t suited for a life of crime. Raised by her art-forger brother, she can paint like Botticelli. But she’d so much rather be baking gooseberry tarts. She finally has the money she needs to open her own bakery. Unfortunately, her brother’s carelessness lands her—and their forgeries—directly under the nose of London’s most discerning art critic, Alan De’Ath. De’Ath knows the paintings are fake. He doesn’t know that Nina had a hand in their creation. In fact, he offers her a job in his household. Accepting it is the most dangerous thing she has ever done….
Alan takes pride in seeing things other people miss. He plans to catch the forger and cement his reputation. There’s only one problem: the closer he gets to the beguiling woman he hired, the less he trusts his perspective. Nina isn’t what she seems. But despite their false start, she just might hold the real key to his heart.
As Nina and Alan’s attraction grows, divided loyalties threaten to pull them apart and shatter their worlds. They’ll lose everything, or discover how powerful true love can be….
Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Artfully Yours
Chapter One
May 1885
Alan pointed to the painting on the drawing room wall.
“Fake,” he said. The maid dropped the tea tray with a crash, so he repeated himself, in case his brother hadn’t heard.
“That painting. It’s a fake, not a Rembrandt. It’s no more Dutch than the devil. Or perhaps the devil is Dutch.” He shrugged. “I’ve always pictured him as an English aristocrat. Better the devil you know, as they say.”
“Your devilry is my only concern of the moment.” Geoffrey sat rigid in his chair, face as starched as his collar. “Lord Death.”
“De’Ath,” corrected Alan absently, still eyeing the picture. He’d adopted his nom de plume thirteen years ago while a student at Oxford, the same summer their father died and Geoffrey himself assumed a new name. Duke of Umfreville.
All of Alan’s enemies called him Lord Death. Geoffrey was as original as . . . well, that bloody Rembrandt.
A ringing thud. The maid had fetched up the silver sugar pot only to let it slip again. Judging from the sound and the sugar pot’s location on the floor, Alan surmised that it had struck the edge of the marble tabletop on the way down.
“Leave that alone,” barked Geoffrey. The maid was on her knees, scooping the sugar back into the pot. She scrambled up. All around her feet, the Turkish carpet glittered with crystals.
“Send a competent parlormaid to clean up,” said Geoffrey. “And see that she brings a fresh tray.”
Alan leaned over the curved arm of the settee and felt for the teacup he’d seen bounce toward the flower stand. He hooked the bone china handle with his finger, set the cup on the table, and smiled at the maid.
“Don’t mind him.” He tipped his head toward Geoffrey. “His dander’s up about his sham masterpiece.”
Among other things, none of which pertained to a bumbled tea tray.
Upon inspection, the maid appeared less mortified than Alan had expected. She was staring at Geoffrey with open hostility. She had the sort of round, short-nosed face associated with angelic sweetness. And yet her expression left no doubt. There was more than one devil in the room.
“Now,” said Geoffrey, and the maid wiped her sugar-coated hands on her tea-splashed apron, turned on her heel, and marched out.
“She’s new.” Geoffrey inspected his cuff as though his very proximity to the mess might have left a smudge. “She won’t last long.”
“I’m sure she won’t,” murmured Alan.
From ARTFULLY YOURS published by arrangement with Berkley, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2023 by Joanna Lowell.
Giveaway: 1 Finished copy of ARTFULLY YOURS by Joanna Lowell
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Meet the Author:
Joanna Lowell lives among the fig trees in North Carolina, where she teaches in the English department at Wake Forest University. When she’s not writing historical romance, she writes collections and novels as Joanna Ruocco. Those books include Dan, Another Governess / The Least Blacksmith, The Week, and Field Glass, coauthored with Joanna Howard.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/634627/artfully-yours-by-joanna-lowell/
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EC
How intriguing. Thanks for the excerpt, HJ!
Mary Preston
This sounds like a lot of fun.
Janine
I really enjoyed the excerpt.
Lori R
I enjoyed it and I want to read the book!
hartfiction
Interesting brothers! And I think the maid is more than a maid…
Glenda M
What a great way to start a book!
Rita Wray
Sounds like a book I will enjoy.
Texas Book Lover
Sounds really fun!
Barbara Bates
Sounds very interesting!
Debra Guyette
Excellent. Thanks so much
Daniel M
looks like a fun one
Summer
I liked that immediately he’s discerning enough to spot the fake and think there’s more going on behind her sweet appearance so both these characters have a cunning quality to them which should be fun.
bn100
fun
Latesha B.
It had me laughing out loud. I loved seeing how different the brothers are and look forward to learning more about them.
Amy R
Sounds good
Dianne Casey
I really enjoyed the excerpt from the book. Sounds like a book I would like to read.
Diana Hardt
I liked the excerpt. It sounds like a really interesting book.
Bonnie
What an interesting book! Great excerpt. I’d love to read more.
Shannon Capelle
This sounds interesting
lasvegasnan
Sounds good.
Sunnymay
Love the slang in the excerpt. This looks like a smart mystery with a family of forgers bumping heads with an art critic. It seems like they’re all destined for trouble.
Lori Byrd
sounds so good.
Rachael
Sounds really good. Xx
Patricia B.
A sharp eyed and discerning gentleman will be a difficult target for anyone trying to put something over on him. This shows that Lord De’Ath is both of those and any one that comes up against him will have a strong opponent.