Woman on Fire
Ratings7
Average rating4.3
THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER, SOON TO BE A MOVIE PRODUCED BY AND STARRING SHARON STONE A BUZZFEED MUST-READ FOR 2022 A young journalist embroiled in an international art scandal centred around a Nazi-looted masterpiece, forcing the ultimate showdown between passion and possession, lovers and liars, history and truth. After talking her way into a job in Chicago, young journalist Jules Roth is given an unusual assignment: locate a painting stolen by the Nazis more than 75 years ago. The painting? None other than legendary artist Ernst Engel's most famous work, Woman on Fire. A dying designer covets the portrait for deeply personal reasons. Jules doesn't have much time. Meanwhile, in Europe, Margaux de Laurent – powerful heir to her family's millions – also searches for the painting. A cunning gallerist who gets everything she wants, the only thing standing in her way is Jules. Yet Jules has resources of her own, including the designer's grandson, Adam. A recovering addict and artist in his own right, Adam was once in Margaux's clutches, and he'll do anything to help Jules locate the painting first. Woman on Fire is a thrilling tale of secrets, love, sacrifice and an exquisite work of art that burns bright, moving through hands, hearts and history. ___________ PRAISE FOR WOMAN ON FIRE: 'Part-thriller, part-historical fiction, this book will have you gripping the pages until the very end' Buzzfeed 'Addictively propulsive and laced with rapid-fire twists and turns, this sizzling tale crackles with tension' Kristin Harmel 'Thick with history, scandal, romance and deceit... A truly compulsive read' Mary Kubica 'An exuberant thriller laced with sex, art, and history' Alyson Richman 'Had me on the edge of my seat' Fiona Davis
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So this book took me weeks to read. Not because I didn't enjoy this book, because I DID (I gave it 4.5⭐). I just have so many NetGalley books to get through that I was “multi-tasking” with books LOL. Anyone else relate?
Anyway, this was my first Lisa Barr book and WOW. Just wow. There was a beautiful mix of romance, deceit, mystery and suspense. I haven't picked up a historical fiction in awhile and this piqued my interest in HF again. (Pretty sure the last historical fiction I read was The Nightingale). I went in blind, and was quickly reeled in. I'm not too big into the art scene but this story was so compelling and truly had me in its grips. I adored, yet loathed the characters. The plot development was on point. There is mention of drug/alcohol addiction and murder/violence, which could be triggering to some. If I had to nit-pick, I would say that there are A LOT of characters, which could be a bit confusing at times; and I feel as though the book could have been a wee bit shorter (about 50 pages too long). But overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Woman on Fire by Lisa Barr is an exhilarating thrill-ride of a novel, one that will keep you turning the pages long into the night as you're sucked into this complex story of Nazi-looted art masterpieces, the dark web, unresolved jealousies and long-standing feuds, some dating back decades, some fresh on the page. Jules Roth, our hero, is an ambitious young reporter helping track down the theft of Ernst Engel's last painting, a stunning portrait of a beautiful woman who died during the second world war. Another woman, scheming, take-no-prisoners Margaux de Laurent is after the painting as well, for reasons both personal and financial. Add in Adam, the talented painter who left Margaux to reclaim his life and has fallen for Jules, his grandfather Ellis Baum, world-renowned shoe designer with ties to the woman in the portrait, and Dan, investigative journalist and Jules' mentor, and you've got a complex set of characters both fascinating and flawed. This twisty tale of international intrigue, heart-rending betrayal, and epic courage in the face of certain danger will capture both your heart and mind and won't let go until the harrowing end.
My thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
