![]() ![]() But when Libby locates her birth father, Phin Thomsen, who lived as a teenager with Lucy and Henry-all their parents were part of a cult led by Phin’s father and died together in a suicide pact-the family begins making plans to go visit him in Botswana until word comes that Phin has taken a leave of absence from his job. Lucy Lamb is living with her brother, Henry, after the two have been reunited, and she’s focused on reconnecting with her eldest daughter, Libby, and building a more stable life for her younger kids. In this sequel to The Family Upstairs (2019), two siblings continue to deal with the fallout of their traumatic childhoods. ![]() The conclusion leaves a few too many loose ends, but the chemistry between the characters and unexpected twists throughout make for a satisfying read. Despite a limited cast of characters and very few setting changes, the narrative manages to remain both fast-paced and engaging. Peppered with elements of mystery, psychological thriller, and contemporary romance, the novel explores questions about how quickly true love can develop, as well as the conflicts that can imperil even the strongest connections. Told entirely from Leeds’ point of view, the author’s first foray into paranormal romance does not disappoint. As events unfold, it becomes clear that Willow will either be the key to saving Leeds’ relationship with Layla or the catalyst that finally extinguishes the last shreds of their epic romance. When they get there, though, Leeds meets Willow, another guest, and finds himself drawn to her in spite of himself. In a last-ditch effort to save their relationship, he brings Layla back to the bed-and-breakfast where they first met. Gone is her special spark, her quirkiness, and the connection that had entranced Leeds months before. Layla spends months recovering in a hospital, and it seems the girl Leeds fell for might be forever changed. A former girlfriend–turned-stalker wastes no time in finding and attacking Layla. A blissful courtship follows, but then Leeds makes the mistake of posting a picture of himself with Layla on social media. ![]() When Leeds approaches Layla, their connection is both instant and intense. Through the interview, readers learn that Leeds was wasting both his time and his musical talent playing backup for a small-town wedding troupe called Garrett’s Band when he spied Layla dancing her heart out to their mediocre music at a wedding. The story opens as Leeds Gabriel meets with a detective while his girlfriend, Layla, is restrained in a room one flight above them. Even the revelation of why fire terrifies Emma is anticlimactic she never comes alive enough for us to care about her past or future.Ī shallow story about intrigue in the luxurious international art world.Īn aimless young musician meets the girl of his dreams only to have his newfound happiness threatened by several inexplicable-and possibly supernatural-events. Katz is trying to highlight their shallowness, but they’re so generic that telling them apart is almost impossible. The luxury impresses Emma-who, as it turns out, is a fantastic saleswoman despite her lack of experience-but grows tedious to the reader, and the characters are a blur of similar qualities. The plot stumbles forward too slowly, overly concerned with relaying details about art parties and galleries, what it’s like to fly on a private jet and amass thousands of followers on social media. But the biggest problem with this novel is its lack of urgency: It’s a thriller without thrills. But the question niggles: Is Leonard trying to accomplish something illegal with this generosity? The answer is obvious, though not to naïve Emma. He sets her up with a new job at a gallery and a studio apartment, and soon she's traveling to Art Basel Hong Kong and partying late into the night with a variety of dubious figures, including her favorite Instagram influencer. Then Russian oligarch Leonard Sobetsky singles her out and introduces her to the glamorous international art world. Still, she stays busy, though her job is a painful reminder of how her own painting has stalled. Still reeling from a family disaster, Emma has only one rule: She refuses to copy any paintings that involve fire. A young painter who creates copies of masterpieces for the wealthy gets a mysterious new benefactor.Įmma Caan is a young artist with a real job in a world of fakes: She paints copies of the great masterpieces for wealthy collectors and museums to display so that the valuable originals can be safely hidden away. ![]()
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