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The Feminine Art of Revenge
The darkly romantic revenge thriller featuring ballet and broken hearts
He broke her heart on purpose and for that he must be punished.
Forced to abandon her lifelong dream of becoming a ballet dancer, Sylvie finds herself unqualified and unfulfilled in an admin job she hates. She doesn't know what she's doing with her life - until she meets her new boss Jay.
Handsome, rich and mysterious, Jay captures Sylvie's imagination. They embark on a passionate affair that consumes her every waking moment.
Until Sylvie discovers he's already married.
But heartbreak quickly turns to fury, and she finally knows her true revenge.
He broke her heart on purpose and for that he must be punished.
Forced to abandon her lifelong dream of becoming a ballet dancer, Sylvie finds herself unqualified and unfulfilled in an admin job she hates. She doesn't know what she's doing with her life - until she meets her new boss Jay.
Handsome, rich and mysterious, Jay captures Sylvie's imagination. They embark on a passionate affair that consumes her every waking moment.
Until Sylvie discovers he's already married.
But heartbreak quickly turns to fury, and she finally knows her true revenge.
318 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 11, 2025
6 people are currently reading
368 people want to read
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October 24, 2025the ballerina to murderer pipeline
September 10, 2025
3.75 🌟 rounded up to 4!
The Feminine Art Of Revenge took me by surprise, I’m completely new to the author, and I’d really like to see a new genre set aside for feminine rage,
Initially I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the title, it began fairly suddenly and I think Georgia Landers narration was what captured my interest more than the book itself, but then something clicked and I was in. Sylvie is a ballerina fallen from grace and forced to return home from her prestigious school and take an office job that she has no real desire for, she does desire boss Jay though and she quite easily hooks him on the line, but this man is dangerous, he’s playing games and he’s picked the wrong girl, and revenge is on the cards.
Sylvie wasn’t easy to warm to, she’s ever so slightly unhinged and I didn’t fully trust her to portray the story, what was excellent was the advice left behind in her great aunts journals, she quite literally teaches Sylvie the feminine art of revenge.
Great job, lots of fun, fantastic narration.
Huge thanks to WF Howes Ltd and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
The Feminine Art Of Revenge took me by surprise, I’m completely new to the author, and I’d really like to see a new genre set aside for feminine rage,
Initially I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from the title, it began fairly suddenly and I think Georgia Landers narration was what captured my interest more than the book itself, but then something clicked and I was in. Sylvie is a ballerina fallen from grace and forced to return home from her prestigious school and take an office job that she has no real desire for, she does desire boss Jay though and she quite easily hooks him on the line, but this man is dangerous, he’s playing games and he’s picked the wrong girl, and revenge is on the cards.
Sylvie wasn’t easy to warm to, she’s ever so slightly unhinged and I didn’t fully trust her to portray the story, what was excellent was the advice left behind in her great aunts journals, she quite literally teaches Sylvie the feminine art of revenge.
Great job, lots of fun, fantastic narration.
Huge thanks to WF Howes Ltd and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC 🎧
September 14, 2025
The Feminine Art of Revenge is marketed as a thriller, but it felt more like a messy story about obsession with dark romance vibes and some half baked revenge thrown in.
I was intrigued by the premise, but the execution sadly fell flat for me. The timeline was confusing, the diary entries were hard to follow, and the pacing felt uneven.
Both main characters also came across as insufferable rather than compelling, and the declarations of love after only a week, the over the top threats (even swallowing a necklace at one point) were hard to take seriously. The obsession came across as uncomfortable rather than compelling, and instead of female rage, Sylvie just felt unhinged.
I will say things picked up a little halfway through, and Greg was a character I actually liked, but overall, this one just wasn’t for me.
I think readers looking for a dark, chaotic story with some Haunting Adeline vibes may find more to enjoy here, but if you’re expecting a thriller with strong female rage themes, you might be disappointed.
I was intrigued by the premise, but the execution sadly fell flat for me. The timeline was confusing, the diary entries were hard to follow, and the pacing felt uneven.
Both main characters also came across as insufferable rather than compelling, and the declarations of love after only a week, the over the top threats (even swallowing a necklace at one point) were hard to take seriously. The obsession came across as uncomfortable rather than compelling, and instead of female rage, Sylvie just felt unhinged.
I will say things picked up a little halfway through, and Greg was a character I actually liked, but overall, this one just wasn’t for me.
I think readers looking for a dark, chaotic story with some Haunting Adeline vibes may find more to enjoy here, but if you’re expecting a thriller with strong female rage themes, you might be disappointed.
May 22, 2025
"Revenge is a feminine art."
Celine brings to life the romantic ballet Giselle, which tells the story of a young girl who falls in love with a deceptive nobleman, and eventually dies of a broken heart.
This is the first book I've read in a while that's out of my regular genres, but I loved every second of it. The Feminine Art of Revenge is a story of a ballet dancer who falls in love with the wrong man and proceeds to get revenge with the advice of her late aunts diaries; showing us all that the best way to revenge is being eloquent and graceful.
I will admit, for the first 30% I wasn't sure this book would be my cup of tea as the beginning felt very fast in terms of the relationship developing, but after continuing, it slowly clicked that was the whole point. Sylvie seems to have an obsessive personality, hence her falling in love so quickly, and why she obsessed over getting revenge on the man who lied and cheated.
The ending felt bittersweet to me, and that landed perfectly. Revenge isn't something that ends up being fulfilling most of the time, but instead somewhat sad.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc! I'll definitely be checking out Celine's other book!
Celine brings to life the romantic ballet Giselle, which tells the story of a young girl who falls in love with a deceptive nobleman, and eventually dies of a broken heart.
This is the first book I've read in a while that's out of my regular genres, but I loved every second of it. The Feminine Art of Revenge is a story of a ballet dancer who falls in love with the wrong man and proceeds to get revenge with the advice of her late aunts diaries; showing us all that the best way to revenge is being eloquent and graceful.
I will admit, for the first 30% I wasn't sure this book would be my cup of tea as the beginning felt very fast in terms of the relationship developing, but after continuing, it slowly clicked that was the whole point. Sylvie seems to have an obsessive personality, hence her falling in love so quickly, and why she obsessed over getting revenge on the man who lied and cheated.
The ending felt bittersweet to me, and that landed perfectly. Revenge isn't something that ends up being fulfilling most of the time, but instead somewhat sad.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc! I'll definitely be checking out Celine's other book!
August 18, 2025
3.75🌟 1🌶️
My favourite quote from this book was, "We women may be no match for the brute strength of a man on the battlefield, so we must make our own battlefields, choose our own weapons."
I really enjoyed this book, but feel that it was missing something (I'm really not sure what though!).
It follows Sylvie, a ballerina recently removed from ballet school for some mysterious reason, we learn that she is still grieving her beloved Aunt Jaq whose anniversary is upcoming, and is about to start a new job with a flirtatious boss.
Sylvie inherited her Aunt's old journals and comes across a "how to" for seeking revenge against anyone (particularly men) who have wronged you, " you are a steel fist in a velvet glove. We bow to no one and never allow a man to diminish us. I hope you will find some comfort and amusement in the diaries and a little inspiration in the art of feminine warfare." Sylvie puts a plan into action, but can she carry it through as well as her Aunt could?
I highlighted so many amazing quotes in this book, some beautiful, some hilarious and some quite sad. Part way through the story though, I had wished that Sylvie had just chosen a different outcome, there is something about enacting revenge when innocent third parties get hurt-I understand that the book wouldn't be the same without the path she chose, so I suppose this is a useless statement. I also wasn't a fan of how often the characters would have a drink and drive home after.
My favourite quote from this book was, "We women may be no match for the brute strength of a man on the battlefield, so we must make our own battlefields, choose our own weapons."
I really enjoyed this book, but feel that it was missing something (I'm really not sure what though!).
It follows Sylvie, a ballerina recently removed from ballet school for some mysterious reason, we learn that she is still grieving her beloved Aunt Jaq whose anniversary is upcoming, and is about to start a new job with a flirtatious boss.
Sylvie inherited her Aunt's old journals and comes across a "how to" for seeking revenge against anyone (particularly men) who have wronged you, " you are a steel fist in a velvet glove. We bow to no one and never allow a man to diminish us. I hope you will find some comfort and amusement in the diaries and a little inspiration in the art of feminine warfare." Sylvie puts a plan into action, but can she carry it through as well as her Aunt could?
I highlighted so many amazing quotes in this book, some beautiful, some hilarious and some quite sad. Part way through the story though, I had wished that Sylvie had just chosen a different outcome, there is something about enacting revenge when innocent third parties get hurt-I understand that the book wouldn't be the same without the path she chose, so I suppose this is a useless statement. I also wasn't a fan of how often the characters would have a drink and drive home after.
May 25, 2025
Title and cover top tier. Feminine Art of Revenge is such a great name for the genre of female rage.
I think it’s a hard line for female revenge books to give us enough of the story with the man who wronged them without it going on too much because the sort of main part of the story is the after. In the case of this book it’s about the 35% mark and I definitely understood what a terrible guy he was and how the fmc got swept up. And then the real story begins.
The feminine art of revenge at its core centre’s around ballet and the ballet story of Giselle told at the beginning of the book.
I truly loved the relationship between the fmc (Sylvie) and her great aunt who was this fabulous lady and influence for Sylvie whose relationship was really crucial for her while at Ballet school and then in her journals.
I don’t know how to explain how this book felt less for the thrills of revenge but more life lessons for women knowing their worth and not seeking all affirmation in men. Felt like I wanted to keep her aunts journals for myself to re-read when you need to find your sparkle again.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc. I will definitely check out more from the author!
I think it’s a hard line for female revenge books to give us enough of the story with the man who wronged them without it going on too much because the sort of main part of the story is the after. In the case of this book it’s about the 35% mark and I definitely understood what a terrible guy he was and how the fmc got swept up. And then the real story begins.
The feminine art of revenge at its core centre’s around ballet and the ballet story of Giselle told at the beginning of the book.
I truly loved the relationship between the fmc (Sylvie) and her great aunt who was this fabulous lady and influence for Sylvie whose relationship was really crucial for her while at Ballet school and then in her journals.
I don’t know how to explain how this book felt less for the thrills of revenge but more life lessons for women knowing their worth and not seeking all affirmation in men. Felt like I wanted to keep her aunts journals for myself to re-read when you need to find your sparkle again.
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for the e-arc. I will definitely check out more from the author!
September 14, 2025
I am in two minds about this book. Whilst I liked the ending I found the lead up to be too slow for me. It is definitely a slow burn story. I think I expected more of a dramatic, rage filled story. I almost DNFd a couple of times.
I found it hard to like the main character as I didn't feel a connection to her. I feel if this had been written in first person I would have felt more of a bond. As it stands, I found her decisions to be very questionable. I thought the relationship with her boss should have had more depth for the actions that resulted from it. Personally I think she should have just gone to therapy.
I did enjoy her finding her grandmothers journal, getting to know her grandmother on a deeper level, and feeling that connection. This brought a new level to the story that made it more than about a man and a betrayal.
The narration was good, but I did have to speed it up to keep myself interested in the story.
Overall, I like the premise of the book more than the actual delivery. I am glad I got to the ending though as I enjoyed this part.
Thank you to W F Howes for the advanced audio copy.
I found it hard to like the main character as I didn't feel a connection to her. I feel if this had been written in first person I would have felt more of a bond. As it stands, I found her decisions to be very questionable. I thought the relationship with her boss should have had more depth for the actions that resulted from it. Personally I think she should have just gone to therapy.
I did enjoy her finding her grandmothers journal, getting to know her grandmother on a deeper level, and feeling that connection. This brought a new level to the story that made it more than about a man and a betrayal.
The narration was good, but I did have to speed it up to keep myself interested in the story.
Overall, I like the premise of the book more than the actual delivery. I am glad I got to the ending though as I enjoyed this part.
Thank you to W F Howes for the advanced audio copy.
October 21, 2025
3.5 Stars
The Feminine Art of Revenge by Celine Saintclare is a slow, seductive unraveling of heartbreak, obsession, and the quiet kind of fury that simmers instead of explodes.
Sylvie once dreamed of being a ballerina, but life had other plans, now she’s stuck in an admin job she hates, feeling invisible, until her new boss Jay sweeps in. He’s charming, magnetic, and (of course) married.
Cue the chaos, the affair, the heartbreak… and the slow awakening of a woman who’s finally had enough.
This was definitely a slow burn...atmospheric, emotional, and more psychological than dramatic.
I went in expecting claws out vengeance, but instead got a quiet, elegant revenge steeped in melancholy and self discovery.
The writing is sharp, and the ending really landed for me... it wrapped everything up in a way that felt satisfyingly cold and poetic.
A dark, moody read for fans of flawed women, toxic love, and slow bloom revenge.
Just don’t expect fire and fury like I did... this one simmers instead of scorches.
The Feminine Art of Revenge by Celine Saintclare is a slow, seductive unraveling of heartbreak, obsession, and the quiet kind of fury that simmers instead of explodes.
Sylvie once dreamed of being a ballerina, but life had other plans, now she’s stuck in an admin job she hates, feeling invisible, until her new boss Jay sweeps in. He’s charming, magnetic, and (of course) married.
Cue the chaos, the affair, the heartbreak… and the slow awakening of a woman who’s finally had enough.
This was definitely a slow burn...atmospheric, emotional, and more psychological than dramatic.
I went in expecting claws out vengeance, but instead got a quiet, elegant revenge steeped in melancholy and self discovery.
The writing is sharp, and the ending really landed for me... it wrapped everything up in a way that felt satisfyingly cold and poetic.
A dark, moody read for fans of flawed women, toxic love, and slow bloom revenge.
Just don’t expect fire and fury like I did... this one simmers instead of scorches.
September 25, 2025
I enjoyed Sugar, Baby, so when I spotted a new Celine Saintclare release, it jumped straight to the top of my tbr pile! This ended up being in the same vein as Bad Manners and all the female revenge crime books but not as well executed imho. I thought there was something more nefarious at play but was sadly mistaken ✌🏻
September 12, 2025
2.5. rounded down to 2 🫤 tldr; you like someone only bcs of 'lust', then find out he has a wife, you get upset and angry because he once said "i love you" but it was all lie, and then you want revenge. you think you'll look cool and badass, but you're only inspired by your aunt, and actually your plan is cheap and makes you look weak instead. oops. it honestly didn't make any sense for me 🤷🏻♀️
October 24, 2025
i loved sugar, baby so i had high hopes for this but it just didn't work for me at all. very cool premise let down by some clunky and simplistic writing. i found the characters one dimensional so i didn't root for sylvie at all, i just wanted her to shut up tbh. i really wanted to like this but i didn't :(
August 19, 2025
Another banger!! Thanks so much to Atlantic for my copy
August 25, 2025
DNF’d unfortunately at 39%
The synopsis intrigued me but I struggled with carrying on after a few chapters. Nothing to do with the writing style, it’s the plot that didn’t do it for me.
The synopsis intrigued me but I struggled with carrying on after a few chapters. Nothing to do with the writing style, it’s the plot that didn’t do it for me.
September 12, 2025
A light, easy read that's sheer escapism, especially for anyone who ever wanted to take revenge! It's totally unrealistic and not that well written but great fun nevertheless.
September 14, 2025
another great book by Celine Saintclare - loved the plot, the darkness of the main character, the feminine elements and aunt's Jacqueline diaries!
we need a book about aunt Jacqueline
we need a book about aunt Jacqueline
September 22, 2025
*2.5
love and naivety leads to revenge with a dash of ballet!
love and naivety leads to revenge with a dash of ballet!
Want to read
September 24, 2025I really didn’t like Saintclaire’s debut Sugar, Baby when I read it early last year, but I’ve been wanting to give Saintclaire a second chance and I love the premise of this!
September 28, 2025
I support women’s rights and wrongs!!
December 3, 2025
Cheating men deserve to be punished. 'nuff said.
August 30, 2025
The book draws on the themes of the ballet Giselle, where the main character is a young woman who dies of a broken heart after she falls in love with a wealthy man who betrays her.
When her ballet career falls apart, our fmc Sylvie finds herself in an uninspiring admin job, where she falls in love with her charismatic boss, before realising he has lied to her about his availability because he is married. Determined to punish him for this betrayal, Sylvie takes drastic measures...
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me because I didn't really warm to Sylvie's character, who did not seem to take proper responsibility for her own subpar choices. But I did like the role assigned to her aunt, and the use of her journals.
The audiobook does a better job of creating a degree of empathy for the fmc than the book, thanks to the skills of the narrator. All in all, I would give it a maximum of 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
When her ballet career falls apart, our fmc Sylvie finds herself in an uninspiring admin job, where she falls in love with her charismatic boss, before realising he has lied to her about his availability because he is married. Determined to punish him for this betrayal, Sylvie takes drastic measures...
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me because I didn't really warm to Sylvie's character, who did not seem to take proper responsibility for her own subpar choices. But I did like the role assigned to her aunt, and the use of her journals.
The audiobook does a better job of creating a degree of empathy for the fmc than the book, thanks to the skills of the narrator. All in all, I would give it a maximum of 3.5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
September 27, 2025
''He broke her heart on purpose and for that he must be punished.''
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. The cover and title immediately grab your attention. A beautifully written work in the genre of female rage. A wonderful book you can read without ever getting bored.
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
This was the first book I’ve read by the author. The cover and title immediately grab your attention. A beautifully written work in the genre of female rage. A wonderful book you can read without ever getting bored.
This is an ARC review. I appreciate receiving this copy from NetGalley and the publisher in return for an honest review.
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