"Love Painted in Lies: A Maida Vale Tale" by Holly Denham, eBook, 271 pages
From GoodReads: Love Painted in Lies is a laugh-out-loud feel-good British comedy romp. Minty's return to Maida Vale isn't just about the chaos of raising twins, Old English Sheepdog shenanigans, school runs, and caring for her parents. Her life is shadowed by whispers of her involvement in a family art forgery ring that once duped the London elite. The watchful eyes of the law linger on Minty; they're convinced she’s back to unearth a treasure trove of truths about a legendary missing painting. Minty must prove her new life is a genuine fresh start but does she know more than she's revealing, or is her return an honest attempt to repaint her life’s canvas?
Amidst it all, a mysterious stranger strolls into her already turbulent world, bringing a hint of intrigue and the possibility of romance. Is he a brushstroke of fate or a shadow from her past? While juggling these challenges, she's also navigating the cutthroat world of London school admissions, where playing the church-attendance game is more about strategy and less about faith. With gangsters on her heels and love at her door, Minty’s journey is a hilarious adventure, with a touch of romantic entanglement, where art and reality comically collide in Maida Vale.
I had high hopes for this book. I read the sample and it hooked me into reading the book. However, I quickly found myself getting confused. Here's why. If you're like me, throughout the day you have a million and one thoughts that run through your head. They all run together and at times you jump from topic to topic only to circle back eventually to What was I thinking about? Oh yeah...and proceed down the original train of thought. I felt like that reading this book. Minty is a mom in her 30s with twins in school and yet at times I questioned how old she was. Yes she is artistic and cleaning the house in a fairy costume makes sense but there were other scenes where it almost felt like she was acting the same age as her children and also talking about her love life. I also don't know if it's because I'm American and this is a British novel but the relationships and some of the expressions didn't make sense to me which I think also lead to it sometimes feeling off. I truly feel like the scatter-brained Minty was taken too far and took away from the story. This was giving me major 3.75 feelings. Will I read from this author again? Maybe. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
3.75/5 Stars
2024 Reading Challenge: 18/50 complete
