A review by lugysuperfly
The Art of Scandal by Regina Black

emotional hopeful reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

This story follows Rachel after she gets a very risky text from her politician husband that was absolutely not meant for her. This spirals into an ordeal in which we learn more and more about Rachel's life story and the lengths she has had to go through to maintain face while being the perfect wife. We also have her counterpart, Nathan, who is just roaming through life with so much pain from family and feeling inadequate to fulfill his role in a very prominent family. Well, I don't really know what to think about this story. I guess I'll start with what I liked. I enjoyed seeing Rachel awaken from the numbness of this awful social life she has had to endure. She is basically coerced to navigate her marital problems while maintaining a public persona for her and her cheating husband. Rachel ends up meeting Nathan when both feel at their lowest or just trapped in this airless container life and develop a deep connection that leads them to the inevitable love for each other. The families in this story are intense, for lack of a better term. They have deep communication issues and secrets. We see race, social status and money rule the story and the character's lives. Also, the main characters are artists that have been restrained by their societal roles and I enjoyed seeing them break free from those chains. This read like a soap opera and even though it is not a long story, it felt long. We get very detailed information about their lives but it is done in a concise way giving the story a very mature and grounded feel. I hope this makes sense and gives you enough insight to peak your interest in the story.