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The Art of Desire

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Trouble comes in threes...

One doomed love affair after another has made lovely Alex Walton swear off men. Now, she's determined to try something that maybe she can succeed a writing career. Little does she know that a chance meeting with a strikingly handsome stranger, a mysterious obelisk, and a lost kingdom will change her life forever. As Alex is about to discover, truth can be stranger—and far more dangerous—than fiction.

...but true love comes only once.

After three years inside a terrorist organization, Phillip Turman is trying to rebuild his life. His first assignment is to pick up Alex Walton, the maid of honor for his best friend's wedding, at the airport. His second is to deal with his instant attraction to her. But his third may be the to keep Alex out of danger as his past—and her need to know about it—threaten to destroy their future.

285 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 25, 2001

112 people are currently reading
4903 people want to read

About the author

Selena Montgomery

19 books1,134 followers
Selena Montgomery is the nom de plume of Stacey Abrams, an American politician, lawyer, voting rights activist, and author who served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 2007 to 2017. She founded Fair Fight Action, an organization to address voter suppression, in 2018.

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5 stars
97 (20%)
4 stars
117 (24%)
3 stars
177 (36%)
2 stars
59 (12%)
1 star
30 (6%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
Profile Image for myo ⋆。˚ ❀ *.
1,325 reviews8,860 followers
dnf
January 31, 2024
dnf @ 4% i hate when books don’t start off interesting like i just got here why am i bored?
Profile Image for Wobilba.
856 reviews132 followers
September 16, 2023
3.5 stars

My first Stacey Abrams read. I’m giddy!

Well this was really good. Action packed. Great chemistry between the MCs. But some reason it just couldn’t hold my attention. My mind kept drifting every five minutes 😔
Profile Image for Traci Thomas.
873 reviews13.3k followers
July 28, 2023
Romance thriller is a fun time. Clunky in parts. Packs a lot in a short amount.
Profile Image for Shelby (catching up on 2025 reviews).
1,005 reviews166 followers
September 9, 2023
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪

Thank you #partners @berkleyromance @prhaudio for the #gifted copies. #BerkleyIG #penguinrandomhousepartner
#berkleypartner

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗿𝗲
𝗕𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗲𝘆 𝗔𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗮 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗴𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘆
𝗣𝘂𝗯: 𝟵/𝟱/𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯

Print: ⭐⭐⭐
Audio: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Average: ⭐⭐⭐💫

Untitled design - 6

📖 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁: The Art of Desire is a romantic suspense / political thriller about Alex, an aspiring writer who has sworn off men, and Phillip, a secret agent who recently finished serving three years inside a terrorist organization.

The two meet when Phillip is tasked with being Alex's chaperone to their mutual friends' wedding. Neither are looking for love, but when their lives are threatened by a political organization after something in Alex's possession, the two are thrust into a tantalizing, high-stakes love affair, just hoping to escape with their lives.

This can be read as a standalone, but it is a direct follow-up to Rules of Engagement. Though I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I'd read book one first and had that backstory.

💭 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀: The Art of Desire has a lot going for it: an intriguing story, suspense galore, high stakes, and a sizzling romance. That said, it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I found some of the dialogue to be unnatural, and it felt as if too many things were crammed into a single book... a love story AND a political thriller. Sadly, the execution was a bit clunky and lacked cohesion. I often felt lost while reading, and perhaps that's because I should have read book one first. Judging by the reviews, I'm not alone in my thoughts here. Though if you've enjoyed Abrams's previous work, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!☺️

🎧 𝗔𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸: I initially started this one in print and switched to audio when I receiced an ALC from PRHA. The audiobook narrator is one of my all-time favorites: January Lavoy! Lavoy carried this story and performed it brilliantly, which is why I gave the audiobook a higher rating. Her narration was the highlight for me. ❤️

📌 Out now!
Profile Image for J.L. Campbell.
Author 110 books307 followers
May 28, 2011
I found Selena Montgomery’s gem of a novel in a used book store last week when I went in to drop off my book. Of course, I snapped it up because the place where I buy books rarely carries novels by black romance writers.

I liked the spy angle which meshed nicely with the romance. In Alex Walton, Montgomery created a refreshing character, nicely complemented by Phillip’s solid presence. I’m not sure why, but during the last third of the book, I wasn’t as drawn in as when I started, but that could be due to my short attention span.

See full review at http://readerssuite.blogspot.com/2010...
Profile Image for MD.
41 reviews
October 29, 2023
Gave up in the middle. The main guy is kind of a dick. I don’t like the way he speaks to the woman he is aggressively pursuing.
Profile Image for Amanda Caswell.
84 reviews1 follower
January 30, 2024
Yikes, this book was terrible! Like, really and truly terrible — the writing was nearly incoherent between the tense changes and the unnecessary $5 words, and none of the characters were remotely likeable or interesting. It felt like someone's impression of what a romance novel is like, rather than written from a love of the genre. Even worse is that this was a reissue, where there was the opportunity to update the book based on how our understanding of consent has changed since it was first released in 2001. Alas. I went in expecting great things, seeing as I support Stacey Abrams and her political advocacy, but this was far worse than many self-published books I've read. DNF.
Profile Image for Kathi.
1,340 reviews4 followers
did-not-finish
November 23, 2023
This is apparently a sequel to a book written decades ago. I gave up halfway through Chapter 1 (after reading the foreword and Prologue) because Phillip's background story was too confusing and apparently plays a big role in this story.
Profile Image for Brooke | bookswithbabs.
541 reviews18 followers
October 18, 2023
3.5/5 rounded up

Thank you Berkely Publishing Group and Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! Thank you, also, to Penguin Random House Audio for the listening copy! I ended up finishing this on audio and really enjoyed that format!

Phillip Turman is working towards rebuilding his life after being held captive by a terrorist organization for the last few years. He's just looking for some stability. Enter: Alex Walton. Fresh off of a string of heartbreaks, Alex is determined to swear off of men and focus on her writing career. Little do Alex and Phillip know that when their paths cross, chemistry comes with it, leaving them straying from their respective goals and into a series of unexpected dangers. When a mysterious obelisk and Phillip's past comes to haunt them, Phillip and Alex must test their morals and themselves.

This was a really confusing book to get into at the start, but turned into a satisfying romantic suspense/mystery by the end. I wasn't really sure what to expect with this one so I had a hard time connecting with the characters. When I switched to the audio version, I was gripped by the narrator, January LaVoy. Her story-telling and portrayal of the characters brought them to life and turned this into a story I could get behind. The sexual tension between our characters was off the charts and the action was fast-paced and startling. I'm not sure if I liked the romance or the suspense more! There were a few moments, though, where this felt like it was dragging on and, again, I felt a bit confused at a number of points. Overall, this was a great dip into Stacey Abrams' writing and the world of these characters, and I would definitely come back!
Profile Image for Danielle.
1,231 reviews94 followers
August 23, 2023
I am not sure if it was the book, or me, but this did not do it.

There were some seriously cringey interactions between the main characters - Alex and Phillip. And the storyline just felt confusing and a bit all over the place. There were many time I felt like I missed something and it was a bit too often for it not to be the book.

There were parts that still held my attention, but overall I probably wouldn’t recommend this one…(2.5)
Profile Image for EscapethrupageswithWhit.
111 reviews1 follower
March 4, 2024
This was very disappointing I suggested this book for my book club and I will have to apologize for doing so. The synopsis and the cover drew me to this book, the book seemed very rushed and didn’t go into the ISA side of things enough, the relationship between Alex and Phillip could have been explored better, the desire aspect of it seemed very rushed. Once it got into the action parts I was kinda of lost and was like what is going on here?? I almost DNF
Profile Image for Dareion Smith .
7 reviews
March 16, 2024
This book has A LOT of potential. The beginning was very slow, I almost decided to put it down. Once you get to the middle it gets better. It has a lot of $10 words, which is unnecessary if you want to keep readers engaged on the book and not the dictionary. The verbiage used during conversations wasn’t the best. The author used so much description and imagery to the point where you’re thinking OK GET TO THE POINT. Overall, it was an ok book.
760 reviews44 followers
May 28, 2024
While I really enjoyed Rogue Justice, this was disappointing.
Between the numerous characters with multiple identities, including code names used interchangeably with real names, obscure references to a dicey dangerous foreign regime, and the life-threatening situations the main characters seemed to continually be exposed to in the course of an oddly complicated relationship, just felt this overall did not meet my expectations.
Profile Image for Kaylee.
958 reviews5 followers
April 3, 2024
Oh man, I had high hopes. Alas, both MC's were a bit too problematic for me - he was far too aggressive, even in the face of her saying no, because she supposedly didn't mean "no".

The political intrigue/special forces aspect was fun, but also, I couldn't fully suspend that disbelief enough, so alas. Not a winner for me.
Profile Image for Barb Lie.
2,085 reviews4 followers
September 4, 2023
The Art of Desire by Selena Montgomery (aka Stacey Abrams) is a standalone thriller. I have not read the previous books by Montgomery, but I did enjoy this book, so I will have to look into more of her books.

Phillip Thurman, our hero, is a secret agent, who was held behind bars for three years, by a terrorist organization. Phillip is trying to resume his life, and is attending his best friend’s wedding as best man. He has soured on any relationship, as his previous girlfriend, before he was taken prisoner, dumped him. Phillip is assigned to watch over Alex Walton, especially to pick her up to bring her to the wedding, where she is the maid of honor. Despite his determination to not become involved, Phillip finds himself becoming extremely attracted to Alex.

Alex Walton, our heroine, is a very talented artist, as well as a writer, not to mention she is beautiful. Alex has had her share of men, whom never stays long with. Then she meets Phillip and the attraction between them is sizzling. Alex was a great heroine, very talkative and witty, and she will rival Phillip along the way. We get to see Adam and Raleigh from the previous book, Rules of Engagement; as it is their wedding, and Adam is close to Phillip and Raleigh is best friends with Alex.

All of them will team up, as there is a conspiracy to seize the kingdom of Jafir, and Alex’s friend, Damon turns out to be the true heir. The danger escalates as those determined to rule will stop at nothing to kill Phillip, Damon and Alex. It is Alex who has what the terrorists need, an Obelisk and a Ruby, which is required for the accession. Phillip, who has totally fallen in love with Alex, is determined to keep her away from Jafir, being too dangerous; not to mention he still is threaten by those terrorists.

What follows is an exciting, wild, intense last half of the book, that kept me glued to my kindle. Who will survive? The Art of Desire was very well written by Selena Montgomery. If you enjoy political thrillers, I suggest you read this book. I did enjoy it very much.

Barb
The Reading Cafe
Profile Image for Jess.
913 reviews41 followers
September 8, 2023
Thanks to the publisher & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC; all opinions my own.

A rereleased romantic suspense, The Art of Desire by Stacey Abrams writing as Selena Montgomery is action-packed & full throttle, with intriguing leads who are forced to spend more time together (yay!) as they attend a wedding, try to stay safe from various attacks, & realize that they’re both embroiled in the monarchic affairs of a country on the brink.

The hardest thing about reviewing this book is that it definitely feels like a romantic suspense book that released in 2002, for better or for worse. I mean no shade whatsoever by that comment. But there are aspects of characters & books that I remember enjoying as a reader in 2002 that I wouldn’t appreciate nearly as much now.

With that being said, the hero Phillip Turman is not always my fave, he also has a mustache (not my preferred facial hair accoutrement ), the shifts in perspective mid-chapter are a bit confusing, & the romantic suspense plot is kinda bonkers in moments.

But there are lots of things to appreciate about this book too. Phillip & Alex are very passionate & while Phillip sometimes frustrates with his temper, his unwillingness to fully appreciate Alex, &/or his strategies in trying to dissuade her from possible harm, I adore how Alex stands up for herself. She doesn’t fade into the background, she knows her worth, & she’s talented in so many different ways.

Though aspects of this book don’t always work for me I’d like to try another Selena Montgomery book in the future. Maybe it will work better for me.

3⭐️. Out now!

Please see a trusted reviewer’s list of CWs.
Profile Image for Khalia Braswell.
68 reviews15 followers
September 19, 2024
This was my first time reading a book by Selena Montgomery, AKA, Stacey Abram’s. I want to start by saying how I think it’s super cool that she is saving our democracy while writing romance novels!

Unfortunately this book didn’t work for me. I started the book to follow Alex, but the book started off with Phillip’s story and I was confused about what was happening for a while. Additionally, the POV shifted a lot mid dialogue. This was the first time I read a book like that and I didn’t love it. It wasn’t hard to follow just a little disjointed.

Lastly, I didn’t love the way the book ended. Maybe that’s because it felt Iike the mission took precedence over the romance.
Profile Image for Hulean Lani.
120 reviews1 follower
February 8, 2025
I have not read a spy thriller/ action book in a long time. I was excited to read this book. I finished it but I could have sat it down and never picked it up. Sometimes, I wonder am I at an age where sex doesn't really need to be in every book. Just imply it and keep the action going. This book doubled down on the sex more than the adventure, If I want hot and steamy then I would read a romance novel. I gather, I miss read the intentions. It says The Art of Desire. Desire it was. I should note that my daughter enjoyed the book and if she was on Goodreads would give it 4 to 5 stars. We disagree on the character development or lack of.
582 reviews2 followers
November 20, 2023
I really wish the book cover hadn't featured Stacey Abrams name in larger letters than the damn title. I took this home thinking it might have been another legal thriller, like her brilliant While Justice Sleeps. Instead, it's Ms. Abrams writing as her Selena Montgomery nom de plume and it's a romance/lost kingdom/? that lost me at Chapter 6. I hate romance novels, so it's probably not fair to give it two stars. But I do feel the publisher put one over on me, and I gave this read more than 100 pages of my time, so my 2 stars are my 2 cents' worth.
Profile Image for Lisa Albright.
1,774 reviews65 followers
September 9, 2023
I listened to this romantic suspense novel, narrated by January LaVoy, and really enjoyed it. I could feel the sparks between the main characters and I liked the development of their relationship. The mystery was intriguing and the resolution very satisfying. I haven't read The Rules of Engagement yet, and I'm excited to listen to that story next.

I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Aliyah.
3 reviews
June 26, 2024
Honestly I’m glad I was able to find this book! And I was even more excited that it was the second book after “Rules of Engagement” I personally think that if your going to read this book you should read “Rules of engagement “ first to get the back story on both Phillip and Alex not that you would be lost but you understand them and the truths they tell. I enjoyed the ride and I think it would be a good t.v series
Profile Image for Melissa.
583 reviews70 followers
October 10, 2023
This would make a great action movie. Think Jack Ryan but with a heavy romance plot and a really interesting female lead. I love a good action book that involves foreign politics and that mixed with the romance was perfect for me. I love the way the author writes passion. You can feel the characters sentiments as they get entangled. This was a quick read as I couldn’t put it down!
1,244 reviews9 followers
March 5, 2024
Good read

Good read, I liked the characters and story. Phillip and Alex’s attraction was strong. There was lots of intrigue and action. During their most dangerous events passionately seemed to overcome them. It was romantic but could have been deadly. It was great catching up with Raleigh and Adam.
.
70 reviews
September 13, 2024
I wish I had actually liked this novel. I picked it up solely because Stacey Abrams is the author, and I think she’s fantastic. I still think she’s fantastic, but I can’t recommend this book. I was ready to forgive a lot, but I found myself skimming pages just to get through to the end. The characters were completely unbelievable, formulaic yet they did things that made no sense, and sadly, I was completely uninterested.
65 reviews
September 22, 2023
Exciting Romance

Absolutely love this story. While weaving the struggles of new love and the challenges it brings, Abrams creates a real-like fantasy with travel and suspense that keeps you in edge. Great read!
Profile Image for Gabriella Cole.
9 reviews
October 20, 2023
The book started off exciting, but it was definitely missing details and didn’t have the best flow. It seemed rushed and too short, so the end was clunky and left me feeling unsatisfied. A bummer after Stacy’s most recent series, which was amazing.
Profile Image for Deandra.
392 reviews10 followers
October 30, 2023
I truly fell asleep reading this every time I picked it up. I didn't read the book before this so I felt lost the entire time. I hated the will they/won't they of the romance and the ending just felt blah. I feel bad rating this so low and I'm sure other people would enjoy it but I didn't.
Profile Image for Rachel.
601 reviews
April 1, 2024
4.5⭐️ Dear Stacey Abrams,

We ready knew you were queen but this was amazing! I was gasping and giggling. This definitely sit in both the romance and thriller/political thriller camp.

Oh my gosh, so hot. So thrilling.

She already has my vote and now I will read everything she writes!
Profile Image for Dona.
391 reviews11 followers
October 21, 2024
3.5 Selena Montgomery/Stacey Abrams provides what one expects from a romance novel. This is one of her earlier novels. Her storylines are interesting and well-research. Having read some of her more recent offerings, she has only gotten better.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews

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