Love Is an Art

New York Spark #2

by Kathy Strobos

He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.

Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.

The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.

I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.

Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink, we’re definitely flirting, and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot. I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.

But then he says he hates lawyers.
Now what?

Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.

And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.

She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her.

Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.

Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.

All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

400 pages, Paperback

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Kathy Strobos is a writer living in New York City with her husband and two children, amid a growing collection of books, toys and dollhouses. Born and raised in Manhattan, she loves writing about New York City and her smart heroines who live and fall in love there, amidst its vibrant energy and the aroma of homemade chocolate chip cookies. She is the award-winning author of: A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts, Partner Pursuit, Is This for Real?, Caper Crush, My Book Boyfriend, Love Is an Art, My Secret Snowflake, and My Rock Star Neighbor. Her books have been translated into multiple languages.

Reviews

[Hristina Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book ☺️ I received an ARC by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op and I am soo grateful for it!! The first thing I saw was the cover and then I read the title and I was sold. The story was amazing, realy well written with different POVs and amazing characters. She pretends to be an artist to catch a scammer guy. How can this not be cool? They’re both dog people, which is always a point up for me😄 and the way the art was described was also incredible. I haven’t read the first book yet, but I definitely will !!

[Lisa Mandina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first book in this series, My Book Boyfriend, and was excited to read this one. I liked the characters and their chemistry was fun. They both had a lot of issues with their last relationship, or even earlier ones. Very similar issues, so they kind of kept pulling away from each other in the same way. It was more than just relationship issues and even job issues. Both had competing co-workers or bosses, exes who seemed to be around just to cause problems, and then there was both their jobs and also the detective work that actually led to their first meeting, and really the biggest obstacle in their budding romance.

I did enjoy all the different things with their jobs though. The figuring out what was going on with a company he’d recommended for portfolios. Her pro bono work to help a woman get her grandmother’s apartment back. And I enjoyed once again all the different characters and hope to read more about who I think the next romance will be, a rock star and his neighbor.

I did have the same issues though, and these are personal issues, not even really bad things. It was just a little long for me, or at least a little too much back and forth between the characters on ending up together. But it didn’t drag or anything, those were just things that I may have skimmed through a bit as I wanted to get to the excitement getting solved and their happily ever after.

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this book.


The cover is the first thing that caught my eye and then once I read the blurb, I was hooked.

This is a sweet and amazing read. The main characters had so much depth and growth during this book. It hooked me in and I didn’t want to put it down until I knew how it ended.

Tessa & Zeke were just the best together and always bring out the best in each other. They had to both grow after bad ex partners hurt them in some way.

Recommend to read

[Lynda Riggers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, clean romance.

Love is an Art is my first Kathy Strobos read. Akin to Katherine Center or a clean Molly Henry, Strobos will make you fall in love with Tessa and Zeke.

Set in New York City, both Tessa and Zeke are reeling from break-ups; her for being a workaholic attorney, him for dating a cheating/lying attorney. When the two meet during an art exhibit where Tessa is posing as an artist to catch a con-man, Zeke is interested but mentions he won’t date an attorney or a liar. Tessa feels stuck as she is posing and not being forthcoming.

With the usual ups and downs typical to HEA rom-coms, Love is an Art checks all the boxes. I struggled a bit with the first-person dual protagonists, her/him, but once I got the cadence, it was a quick, easy read.

Interesting note - author Kathy Strobos not only writes from a place of experience (she was a practicing attorney in NYC prior to her writing career), and she intertwines some of the characters throughout her several books.

[Kathy Strobos]

I had so much fun writing this book! It was such a rollercoaster of emotion from making me laugh out loud to cry.
If you're looking for:
- a fake identity romantic comedy
- a lawyer who can't paint pretending to be an artist (!)
- a great group of girlfriends for Tessa
- a great group of guy friends for Zeke
- a romance set in New York City
- undercover investigations to bring down the bad guys
- some zany hijinks
- and a feel-good HEA
please check out LOVE IS AN ART!

[Esther]

I LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

It is such a great book, I will be reading it again! Tessa and Zeke's love story is so interesting. There is a fake identity (aka Tessa) and a lawyer who can't paint but is pretending to be an artist. It's just the perfect romantic comedy!!

[Nerea Cano Santos · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW. I have no words. This book was brilliant, so well written and I was hooked. Never read anything by Kathy but I am now going to check her books because I enjoyed so much that I can not wait to read about the other side characters in this book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Author to give me a change to read the ARC, but this is my honest opinion :)

Tessa is a LAWYER. but today she is pretending to be a struggling artist to help one of her friends to catch a Scammer, what she did not expect is to find herself attracted to a very handsome blonde guy, so she tries to get the blonde's attention aka Zeke, and she does manage for him to get her a drink and to talk to her, sadly Scammer guy was there when Zeke ask what does she do for a living. Did she do what a normal person would do? No!
She carried on pretending because they really wanted to catch this guy. She thought I will tell him later, and he will understand, RIGHT?

Zeke has come out of a very bad brake up, she cheated and he now does not trust LAWYERS and LIARS. So when Tessa hears Zeke saying he does not want to date a lawyer, she decides she needs to convince him, just pretend for one or two more dates and tell him the truth. How will it go?

Well I don't want to give any spoilers, but what a ride! This book was full of action, giggles, tension and chemistry, I loved Tessa's character, she was so lovable from the beggining, she is one of those characters that she would do anything for her loved ones, like crazy anything, and Zeke, oh he has been hurt, so I understand his reluctancy on Tessa, and I enjoyed how the author described in the book real life insecurities and how both characters deal with them as individuals. It was a very realistic book where helps some peope to feel identified.

This is a closed door romance, so don't expect any spicy or steam, but the build up chemistry and tension, makes up for it. I just wished the book was longer because I really enjoyed it!

[Helen Causer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa, a lawyer in a big Corporate Company meets Zeke, who is a Fund Manager at a Finance Company, at an art show, where she is trying to catch a scammer, who had fleeced one of her good friends.
She overhears him telling his friends that he would never date a lawyer, so Tessa lies to him when he asks her what she does, and she replies that she’s an Artist.

The couple are attracted to each other, but both are still getting over being dumped, in Tessa’s case, or cheated on in Zeke’s case, so they are wary of getting involved.

Fate has other plans for them though, and they are thrown together on a business trip.

There are lots of twists and turns in this romance, which is very well plotted, and which really kept me hooked to the end.
The characters are believable, but not all nice, which added to the drama.
I loved how the couple weathered the storms caused by outside influences, overcoming obstacles thrown in their path.
This was an interesting read, and I learned a lot about the business life of a lawyer, and that of a Fund Manager.
I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received an advance review copy for free, and am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. This is another fun New York City based story from this author. I enjoy seeing the city through her eyes. She really makes it an additional character in many ways. “‘I love checking out the different neighborhoods of New York…Whenever I feel a craving for travel but can’t, I take a trip to a different part. There’s so much to see - and feel.’ Lawyer Tessa, posing as an artist to lure in a scammer who preys on hopeful artists, met Zeke at an art show. Tessa was trapped in her charade by the circumstances, but she and Zeke really connected and started to see each other. Of course, inevitably, the truth had to come out. I actually really liked that the whole book wasn’t built around the false identity and that Tessa didn’t drag it out, but felt the need to come clean on a reasonable timeline. “People make mistakes all the time. What matters is what happens next.” Then we got to see the fallout, working through it, reconciliation, and other subsequent problems that occurred. They were fun characters and so was the story. This story ties to others by the author but reads very well as a standalone. This is a fade-to-black story with some innuendo and a small amount of mild harsh language.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plot: 3.75
Engagement: 4
Characters: 4
Style: 4
Overall Rating: 3.94/5

Review: I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I have read another book in this series (My Book Boyfriend). I felt Love is an Art was less captivating overall. I'm not as into art as I am with books, so there was a disconnect on that. I also had a harder time connecting to the characters and felt their conflict was a little forced. It seemed silly that they both were dumped unceremoniously and had the same "trauma" over that, but Zeke still wanted to break it off with Tessa over something minor in my opinion.

It was nice to see a continuation/further story with this friend group. It just didn't catch me like the other book did. Still looking forward to more New York Spark series.

It was overall a light, quick romance. Read if you like: rom com, clean/closed door romance.

[Stephanie Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:

I really enjoyed the main characters in this book. I loved how they brought realistic baggage and insecurities into the relationship and worked through them. I’m sure most people reading can relate to something the characters have gone through in the past relationship. I found myself not wanting to put the book down come the end. Not just for the outcome of the relationship, but also the outcome of Tessa’s cases.
Great read!

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Lilly’s story before Tessa’s and fell in love with this group of friends. The next book comes out next year and I can’t wait to read it too! I got this book an as ARC as well and I just loved the story. Some points I felt were a little unnecessary but overall it came together so well. A lawyer who works all the time falls in love with a man who has sworn or workaholic lawyers by pretending to be an artist. The twists and turns made this book great!

*DISCLAIMER:
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Carolyn Schaeperkoetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oooooh, this was cute.

Initially, I had a little harder time getting into the story due to Tessa and Zeke discussing some jargon about their jobs, which is necessary, I get it for the authenticity of the characters and their world, but it kinda made me lose interest at times. Perhaps workplace romance really isn't for me. And then there was all the details about New York that I somehow had trouble seeing in my head, as if only if you lived in New York would you understand it.

Nevertheless, the plot was relatively original, and the story took many turns that I did not expect.

So, we start off with Tessa and Zeke meeting at an art gallery where Tessa is posing as an artist in order to bait a Jurgen, a possible scam artist, as a way to help her friend's friend. At the opening, she notices a hot guy, and begins to flirt with him while she's also trying to stay undercover to rope in the scammer guy. Well, the consequence of this is, in order to keep up pretenses to draw in the scammer guy, she ends up lying to Zeke too that she is indeed, and artist, and Zeke takes the bait. This was fine for a little while, and she never meant to deceive Zeke, until he reveals to her that he HATES lawyers because his ex was a lawyer who cheated on him.

And thus begins the deception.

However, this is only a small part of the story, as the plot becomes more complex than this.

Zeke and Tessa a each fleshed out very well in this story. You look into their worlds separately and see how they collide together. Relationship-wise, each one as a lot of baggage, especially where trust is involved. Although well-before the half-way mark of the book, the jig is up and Tessa reveals that she is indeed a lawyer, something Zeke hated, this is where the REAL story begins, and this is where they truly fall in love and get to know each other.

I really loved it when Zeke decides to tag along with Tessa to be involved in her sleuthing once he sees her in action during one of his own problems that could hurt his career. This is the part where the book truly starts to shine, and where they learn to work together and trust. Even though here, they have broken up, the spark is still there, and Tessa tries to win Zeke back. It works, but the baggage each one carries remains, and they learn to overcome their issues to get back together.

Again, this did lose one star because at times the book dragged, especially when getting into their jobs, but I understand why it was necessary, and only goes to show workplace romance is not for me, as I've had problems with another book like this before. Nevertheless, this book got exciting, and took a turn I didn't see coming, especially at the end where the entire story comes around full circle. I was cheering Tessa and Zeke to the very end.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Storied Conversation · Rating 5 out of 5]

Allow me to introduce you to Tessa, a diligent corporate lawyer whose compassionate nature knows no bounds. She's always ready to lend a helping hand to those in need. Then there's Zeke, another hardworking corporate lawyer, but he carries a heavy burden—he's developed an intense aversion to female lawyers due to a painful betrayal by his lawyer girlfriend.

When Tessa learns that a dear artist friend of hers has been conned out of thousands of dollars by a cunning scam artist who preys on creative souls, she's fueled by righteous anger. Determined to bring this con artist to justice, she hatches a bold plan. Tessa disguises herself as a painter and infiltrates an art gallery, hoping to catch the scammer in the act. There's just one tiny snag—Tessa possesses not one artistic bone in her body. Can she pull off her scheme without arousing the con man's suspicion?

Meanwhile, Zeke happens to be at the same art gallery and crosses paths with Tessa, whom he believes to be a struggling artist. Instantly, sparks fly between them, and their chemistry is impossible to deny. However, as Tessa delves deeper into their connection, she uncovers Zeke's deep-seated aversion to lawyers and his profound trust issues stemming from a past relationship.

Now, Tessa faces her most daunting challenge yet: how to reveal the true purpose of her artistic deception, which was rooted in helping her friend, and the fact that she is, in reality, a lawyer. The real question is, can she win Zeke's trust and heart despite the web of deceit that initially brought them together?

The author of this enthralling tale possesses an unparalleled gift for storytelling. Her narratives are a tapestry of distinctive plots and unforgettable characters, capable of captivating your attention from the very first page right through to the exhilarating finish.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.  This review was originally posted on Storied Conversation 

[Judith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A feel-good, action-packed romantic novel. 4*
In the first half of the book, I was rather upset with the character of Zeke, who was behaving like a mimosa, a hurt one, due to being cheated on by his ex. His mistrust and criteria regarding what he can and won’t put up with from a new partner seemed unreasonable and pretentious. He meets Tessa, who is an intelligent, sassy, compassionate, and fun young woman. Unfortunately, due to necessity, she lied to him about her profession as she was trying to entrap and observe a conman, preying on young artists. She pretends to be an artist but in reality, she is a very talented lawyer/litigator. Definitely not someone Zeke would ever consider dating. There is a lot of slow-burn toing and froing, breakup, and forced proximity because of working together. From then on though, the story gathers momentum, becomes action-packed and the protagonists make a concerted effort to forgive and give each other another chance. Just as well, because they are perfect together. The path of true love however never runs smoothly and with two exes who both want another chance with them, who also don’t play fair, and colleagues trying to put every obstacle in the way of their career advancement, there is quite a bit of tension a lot of action but above all, there is the full blooming of their love. The novel terminates on a well-deserved HEA.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Heather Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital ARC of this book. This is the 2nd book in the series and could technically be read as a stand alone book, but the main girl character is a side character in book one and other characters cross over from that book as well. Tessa is a lawyer, but she’s pretending to be an artist to try and trap a guy who is scamming artists. While she’s at this art show she spots a super hot guy who keeps rejecting women who are flirting with him. She hatches a plan with her friends to see if it will work. Sure enough it does. But when Zeke’s talking to her the scammer guy is within earshot and so she has to keep pretending to be an artist. They hit it off and leave together, but just as she’s about to tell Zeke the truth, his phone rings and it’s a lawyer and exclaims that he hates lawyers. So she decides to keep pretending to be an artist to try and get him to like her for her before admitting she’s a lawyer. What could go wrong? The next day at work she finds out how much can go wrong. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but you will be routing for Tessa and Zeke to make it through all the ups and downs, including exes that want them back for themselves. I started this book last night and finished it today. I’m looking forward to more books in this series.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

She's a lawyer pretending to be a struggling artist
Wearing a paint splattered shirt so she won't be missed!
In the art gallery she's hoping to trap a conman
And she's doing the best that she can.

She never expected to see someone so hot
But with conman nearby she loses the plot.
She claims to be an artist as the con man nears-
She can't reveal the truth in case he hears!

So starts her romance with this attractive man
But his hating lawyers wasn't in the plan!
What happens when she reveals that she lied?
She'll have to leave it to fate to decide.

A story where the influence of past romances
Could easily scupper this pairs' chances.
Especially as both are still on the scene
And both are manipulative and possibly too keen!

Get ready for pro bono cases to touch your heart,
Detective work and painting as everyone plays a part.
Can they get over what happened in the past
And move forward together to a future that will last?

A heartwarming read with surprises and shocks
As these two discover what opportunities knock.
To find what they choose and how they decide, too,
You'll need to read it yourself all the way through!

For my complementary copy of this book, I say thank you,
Such an enthralling read and this is my honest review.

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit what caught my attention was the cute cover and after reading the summary, I definitely wanted to give this a try. I was not disappointed! The story was fun and cute with entertaining characters and I had a great time reading this. Tessa is a lawyer and she is trying to help one of her friends out by catching a scammer and poses as a struggling artist. She knows nothing about being an artist, but that is the line of work she claims to be in when she meets the cute guy, Zeke, at the art gallery. The scammer was close by, so she couldn't reveal what her true profession was, but then she learns that Zeke hates lawyers, so what is she to do? Zeke's ex was also a lawyer and she lied to him, and now he doesn't trust them and wants nothing to do with them. Zeke and Tessa really hit it off, but how does she tell him the truth? Will he accept her and want to continue a friendship with her?
This was a sweet and adorable read with endearing characters. The storyline flowed nicely and kept me engaged from start to finish. A clean and charming romance that I am glad to have had the opportunity to read!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Ade · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the series and after reading the first one, My Book Boyfriend, I wanted to read this.

The book started off sluggish for me even though it had an interesting premise. I didn’t feel anything even though there was chemistry between the two main characters.

This catapulted when the dynamics of the story changed (don’t want to give anything away). It became lively and interesting and entertaining.
There was also the element of suspense which started building as nothing could be anticipated again.

Told from a dual point of view, I liked the dynamics between the two main characters. I enjoyed their synergy and how they eased seamlessly into each other’s lives and profession.

I enjoyed meeting the gang again even though I wanted a bit more on how Lily and Rupert are getting on.

It fell a bit flat for me as I was tired of waiting for both characters to work out their issues and get their acts together.

If you enjoy rom com with dashes of hilarity and workplace chaos and drama then you will enjoy this.

I received an advanced copy of this book and the review is mine and voluntary.

[Chelsea Lamb · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Kathy Strobos - she never disappoints me. This has some character roll-over from her previous book "My Book Boyfriend" and thank goodness for that because I loved that book so much and my only complaint was that I wanted more of it and I wanted to know all of the characters better and I wanted them to all have HEAs, and (and and) I wanted ALL the things - obviously expressed by all my 'and's. This book delivered that. I finally got more insight into the characters I already loved. There is a romance in this book that starts on a lie with two cautious (previously hurt) main characters. Then once the truth comes out they are thrown together in a working partnership and have to make things work. Will Zeke realize he wants to be with Tessa, or will he let the lie she kept to help a friend get in the way? What will happen when both exes try to get back with Zeke and Tessa? Will they choose this budding romance of to be with people that hurt them in the past? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lisa Benison · Rating 5 out of 5]

New York City Set False -Identity Rom-Com with Madcap Hijinks and Lots of Heart

This book was so much fun with so many wonderful aspects I don't know where to begin. It was well written and told from dual POV so the reader is privy to both Zeke's and Tessa's inner thoughts and motivations. They were both hurt in past relationships which makes trusting each other difficult, despite their chemistry and the fact the Tessa is pretending to be something she is not albeit for a great cause. I also loved both of their friend groups who were supportive and able to help them work through their past emotional traumas. There were also a few fun "legal investigations" where Tessa and Zeke worked together to actually solve cases and help clients which made the book even more intriguing. I loved the merging of their friends and can't wait for the next book in the series - Enjoy!

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving my honest review.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
When Tessa meets Zeke, she’s pretending to be an artist to try and catch a guy who’s been scamming her artist friend. Now, she’s caught between trying to figure out if Zeke knows the scammer, and telling the man who hates lawyers that she’s also a lawyer. Yikes. When she has to create art and it’s terrible, she can’t believe both Zeke and the scammer play along with the deception. Can she come clean?

𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀
This lovely, super entertaining, story had me laughing out loud at Tessa’s antics. She and Zeke have a warm and fun dynamic and I adored how they seem to make the best of the situations facing them. Both have stressful jobs and messy relationships in the past, but the miscommunication is handled quickly and with upfront honesty. Their friends are supportive and quickly call them out on taking their neuroses too far, which is awesome. As with Kathy Strobos’ other stories, the Manhattan setting is a character in itself with wonderful descriptions of the areas and the nighttime scenes. If you have read her previous stories, a few of the main characters make appearances here! This story has a perfect balance of things happening countered with Tessa and Zeke’s thoughts…. It’s a goodie! ❤️

Read an eARC copy courtesy of the author
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Pub Date 10 Oct 2023

[Ulli Zaiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book in the "New York Spark"series by Kathy Strobos but it can definitely be read as a stand-alone.

The book is a dual POV romance featuring Tess and Zeke. Tess is a lawyer pretending to be an artist in order to catch a scammer when she meets Zeke. There is instant attraction but Zeke doesn't like lawyers and hates being lied to so their relationship seems doomed from the start.

I enjoyed reading this book, it was very entertaining and the main characters were very relatable and their attractionwas palpable. I specifically liked that the story tells so much about Tess' job as a lawyer and all that entailed.

I also enjoyed meeting the characters from the author's other books again and I am already looking forward to reading Maddie's story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kimberly Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve read all of Strobos’ novels, and I was pleased to discover her newest release, a fast-paced women’s fiction/romance read.

Tessa is an ambitious, New York corporate lawyer, reeling from a painful break-up and certain she’ll never meet the right guy. When her artist apartment-mate needs help unmasking a possible art scammer who is preying on struggling artists, Tessa offers her help posing as a gullible artist/possible target at an art opening. She certainly isn’t expecting to meet handsome, successful Zeke. Maybe she’s been too hasty writing off all men?

There’s definite chemistry between Tessa and Zeke, but Tessa can’t let her friend down and drop her cover. And Zeke's’ just come off a disastrous relationship with a lawyer – and vowed to never make the same mistake twice. How long can a decidedly artistically-challenged Tessa get away with impersonating an artist? And can love destined to last be constructed on lies?

This story is told through the alternating perspectives of Tessa and Zeke, and it was a fun, romantic read that also tackles the pressures of career women caught up in competitive office politics, not even certain if they’re fighting for what they truly want. A fun, romantic and fast-paced read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy - all thoughts are my own.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in this series, although you don't need to have read the previous book. Zeke and Tessa have both had previous messy relationships. Tessa trying to be a good friend pretends to be someone she isn't, trying to catch the guy scamming her friend who's an artist. The antics that follow are not only funny and entertaining but totally believable. Can she find the right time to come clean and tell the truth. This story builds and grows the further you read and draws you to the characters. It's one of those that's keeps you hooked and makes you want a happy outcome for the main characters. I was lucky enough to receive this as an ARC copy and this is my own opinion and review of the book

[Piper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to Rachel's Random Resource for the arc here's my honest review from the heart ❤️

Welcome to book 2 in the New York Spark Series by Kathy Strobos.
This is such a nice and easy read that it. It has that lovely causing atmosphere as you are following. As we are following Tessa and Zeke u have enjoyed the slow and explosive part of thier relationship. Especially the team work they and dedication they both share to a cause. I love how each character get there own chapter so we delve into each of them in depth.
It was great tk see how both parties have previously had a messy relationship and how quickly thier miscommunication is dealt with and am so glad it didn't drag on. I would definitely recommend this doe a cosy read at any time of the year.

[Monica]

Tessa is a lawyer and trying to help a friend catch an art scammer (ironically, by scamming him into thinking she's an artist) when she meets Zeke, a finance guy he feels a strong attraction to. Can a relationship grow on a foundation of misrepresentations?

This book was so painfully repetitive. So. Painfully. REPETITIVE. I very quickly got really tired of reading about Scammer Guy and Tessa's objectives with him and how she also needed to show Zeke her real self while continuing not to do so. I thought this premise had potential, but the writing style didn't work for me, and it was way, way longer than it needed to be, so I cannot recommend it.

Thank you to the author via Strawbundle Publishing for gifting me with an ARC to review. I wish it was a better fit for me.

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tessa and Zeke's NY romance is a realistic look of two people who have trust issues and are career-driven. Their road to love is full of angst, humor and intrigue. Although I felt the story was a little long (there were times I literally thought enough all ready) I thought all the backstories and relationships are essential to the characterization of Tessa and Zeke. The descriptions of NYC and Mexico City are superb-I could literally picture Tessa and Zeke looking out over the East River and enjoying the art in Mexico City. This is where the author shines! I recommend this heart warming series to all lovers of romance and am looking forward to reading Maddie's story. I received an advanced review copy for free and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tessa is a lawyer trying to pursue the person scamming new artists. She is posing as an artist at an art gallery. Zeke is intrigued with Tessa, and she finds out he hates lawyers. Paisley, who Zeke thought he would marry, is a lawyer and cheated on him. Tessa knows she needs to tell Zeke the truth but cannot find the right time. It doesn’t help when she finds out the person she helped with a law suit is Zeke. I loved the excursions Tessa and Zeke had as they spent time in New York City. I loved their friends as well. Tessa’s ex, Wyatt, dumped her but when he sees her, he has hopes of getting together again. Paisley wants Zeke back as well. Trust is an issue for both, and they weather that storm well. Great book with lots of love and humor

[Dania Njeim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ratings:
Quality of writing: 3.5/5
Pace: 4/5
Plot development: 5/5
Characters: 4/5
Enjoybility: 4.5/5
Ease of reading: 4.5/5
Ending: 5/5
Overall: 4/5

Review:
Overall I quite enjoyed this book, the writing was good but some scenes were over explained in the beginning which can be understandable to help ease the reader into the book.
I enjoyed the plot, once I went threw the first few chapters I couldn't put it down, to the point I finished it in 4 hours.
We noticed a big development in the main characters personalities, the dynamic between Tessa and Zeke was chefs kiss, tension always present along with that passion you yearn for.
The ending was solid that locked every opened problem in the storyline and left no room for questioning, which is what I like most of the times in a romcom.