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The Art of Scandal
"Love would be so much easier if it were perfect..."
On the night of her husband Matt’s fortieth birthday, Rachel Abbott receives a sexy, explicit text from her husband that she quickly realizes was meant for another woman. Divorce is inevitable, and Rachel is determined not to leave her thirteen-year marriage empty handed. Meanwhile, Matt, a rising star mayor with his eye on the White House, can’t afford a messy split in the middle of his reelection campaign. They strike a deal: Rachel gets one million dollars and their lavish house in the wealthy DC suburb of Oasis Springs, as long as she keeps playing the ideal Black trophy wife until the election.
Then Rachel meets Nathan Vasquez, a very handsome, very lost twenty-six-year-old artist, and their connection makes Rachel forget about being the perfect politician’s wife. As Rachel reawakens Nathan’s long-dormant artistic aspirations, their attraction becomes impossible to resist. But secrets are hard to keep in a town like Oasis Springs, and Nathan has a few of his own. With the risk of scandal looming and their hearts on the line, they’ll have to decide whether the possibility of losing everything is worth taking a chance on love.
The Art of Scandal is a sizzling, conversation-starting debut about rekindling passion, the transformative power of art, and finding love in unexpected places.
On the night of her husband Matt’s fortieth birthday, Rachel Abbott receives a sexy, explicit text from her husband that she quickly realizes was meant for another woman. Divorce is inevitable, and Rachel is determined not to leave her thirteen-year marriage empty handed. Meanwhile, Matt, a rising star mayor with his eye on the White House, can’t afford a messy split in the middle of his reelection campaign. They strike a deal: Rachel gets one million dollars and their lavish house in the wealthy DC suburb of Oasis Springs, as long as she keeps playing the ideal Black trophy wife until the election.
Then Rachel meets Nathan Vasquez, a very handsome, very lost twenty-six-year-old artist, and their connection makes Rachel forget about being the perfect politician’s wife. As Rachel reawakens Nathan’s long-dormant artistic aspirations, their attraction becomes impossible to resist. But secrets are hard to keep in a town like Oasis Springs, and Nathan has a few of his own. With the risk of scandal looming and their hearts on the line, they’ll have to decide whether the possibility of losing everything is worth taking a chance on love.
The Art of Scandal is a sizzling, conversation-starting debut about rekindling passion, the transformative power of art, and finding love in unexpected places.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2023
570 people are currently reading
26286 people want to read
About the author
Regina Black
2 books519 followersRegina Black is a former civil litigator, current law school administrator, and lifelong romance reader who has always been passionate about the depiction of Black women in popular culture. She currently resides in the southeastern United States with her husband and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,112 reviews
February 25, 2024
i love when good women cheat on bad men
August 12, 2023
Okay, hear me out: this book is basically what would happen if there was a crossover between Scandal and The Perfect Find, in the best way possible.
The main character, Rachel, was a force to be reckoned with. She went from homeless teen mom to prim and proper wife of the mayor of a wealthy suburbia with an eye on the White House.
The book starts out as Rachel is thirty-seven and is pretty much reconciled with the direction her life took; she spends her days planning her life according to her husband Matt’s schedule, putting his dreams and ambitions well above hers, but it’s all worth it for the life she was able to provide her daughter and for not having to struggle anymore, right?
Well, not exactly.
While decorating Matt’s birthday cake, in the middle of his fortieth birthday party, she receives a very explicit picture from him over text. It’s very unexpected, totally unprecedented, and followed by a strange interaction where he does not acknowledge it at all. So, yep, the picture very clearly was not meant for her.
This was such a visceral first scene to the book, and it immediately grabbed my attention.
That night, Rachel gets drunk and ends up at a movie drive-in without her shoes (or her pride). That’s where she meets Nathan Vasquez, a gorgeous twenty-six-year-old with beautiful tattoos and just the right things to say.
What Rachel doesn’t know, as she and Nathan begin to have an affair, is that he is the son of an extremely wealthy and influential couple in the community with whom Rachel and her husband have to rub shoulders all the time. In fact, Rachel has promised to work on his mother’s foundation’s gala, which means the families are as entwined as ever.
Should Rachel leave her marriage to be with Nathan, that would mean literally blowing up her life. She would lose financial security, her house, her community, her status – basically the result of years and years of effort. Plus, her daughter would lose the comfort of knowing her mom and stepdad are happily married, right where she left them.
The book had many plot twists and the final reckoning ended up being very satisfying.
This was a great read with a forbidden relationship, fun side characters and even some light political intrigue. I don’t think I loved it enough to give it 5 stars, but I still had a great time reading it!
The main character, Rachel, was a force to be reckoned with. She went from homeless teen mom to prim and proper wife of the mayor of a wealthy suburbia with an eye on the White House.
The book starts out as Rachel is thirty-seven and is pretty much reconciled with the direction her life took; she spends her days planning her life according to her husband Matt’s schedule, putting his dreams and ambitions well above hers, but it’s all worth it for the life she was able to provide her daughter and for not having to struggle anymore, right?
Well, not exactly.
While decorating Matt’s birthday cake, in the middle of his fortieth birthday party, she receives a very explicit picture from him over text. It’s very unexpected, totally unprecedented, and followed by a strange interaction where he does not acknowledge it at all. So, yep, the picture very clearly was not meant for her.
This was such a visceral first scene to the book, and it immediately grabbed my attention.
That night, Rachel gets drunk and ends up at a movie drive-in without her shoes (or her pride). That’s where she meets Nathan Vasquez, a gorgeous twenty-six-year-old with beautiful tattoos and just the right things to say.
What Rachel doesn’t know, as she and Nathan begin to have an affair, is that he is the son of an extremely wealthy and influential couple in the community with whom Rachel and her husband have to rub shoulders all the time. In fact, Rachel has promised to work on his mother’s foundation’s gala, which means the families are as entwined as ever.
Should Rachel leave her marriage to be with Nathan, that would mean literally blowing up her life. She would lose financial security, her house, her community, her status – basically the result of years and years of effort. Plus, her daughter would lose the comfort of knowing her mom and stepdad are happily married, right where she left them.
The book had many plot twists and the final reckoning ended up being very satisfying.
This was a great read with a forbidden relationship, fun side characters and even some light political intrigue. I don’t think I loved it enough to give it 5 stars, but I still had a great time reading it!
December 17, 2023
4/5 ⭐️
- This book reminds me so much of the show scandal.. well I’ve never seen the show, but I feel like it gives off the same vibe! The writing has a similar feel to seven days in June so if you loved that book, you’ll love this one!
- I can’t believe this is Regina Black’s first book!! The depth of this story is incredible. There’s a beautiful romance, but it’s so so so much more than that. It’s about the courage to make hard decisions, learning how to put yourself first, and a million more things!
- Would love to have a second book and see Mia’s story or more from Nathan’s brother! Crossing my fingers we get to stay in this world a little longer.
- This book reminds me so much of the show scandal.. well I’ve never seen the show, but I feel like it gives off the same vibe! The writing has a similar feel to seven days in June so if you loved that book, you’ll love this one!
- I can’t believe this is Regina Black’s first book!! The depth of this story is incredible. There’s a beautiful romance, but it’s so so so much more than that. It’s about the courage to make hard decisions, learning how to put yourself first, and a million more things!
- Would love to have a second book and see Mia’s story or more from Nathan’s brother! Crossing my fingers we get to stay in this world a little longer.
Read
November 6, 2023Exceedingly messy contemporary romance between a woman who's just learned her politician husband is cheating and a decade-younger unmotivated artist with daddy issues. Messy understates it, tbh. Rachel is a great character, a woman who has lost herself in the quest for love and security, and this is very much her story of clawing back space for herself in her own life. I enjoyed that hugely.
I didn't find Nathan's story quite so satisfying in that a lot of characters send a lot of the book telling him to shape the hell up, and I was alongside them. (He does an absolutely terrible thing towards the end which precipitates a massive explosion: he does it while drunk, it's a gross violation of Rachel's privacy, and the book barely acknowledges how entirely not okay that is. Possibly it just got lost in all the other mess.) So, not Team Nathan here, and I didn't honestly leave the book believing in them as a long term couple. That's not to diss it as a romance: it's thoroughly enjoyable and emotional, but the HEA here is between Rachel and the Rachel she wants to become. Worked for me.
Mostly great secondary characters, though I felt the cheating husband was a bit Schrödinger's character, in that he's both a long term scheming dickhead and a guy who was genuinely loving and caring, and it never quite settled for me. This is always a problem with an evil ex, tbh, it inevitably calls the MC's judgement into question. Lots of focus on US racial politics and division as well as the way women are treated at home and in the public eye.
Well written, highly readable, very soapy, which is useful for cleaning up the mess, lol.
I didn't find Nathan's story quite so satisfying in that a lot of characters send a lot of the book telling him to shape the hell up, and I was alongside them. (He does an absolutely terrible thing towards the end which precipitates a massive explosion: he does it while drunk, it's a gross violation of Rachel's privacy, and the book barely acknowledges how entirely not okay that is. Possibly it just got lost in all the other mess.) So, not Team Nathan here, and I didn't honestly leave the book believing in them as a long term couple. That's not to diss it as a romance: it's thoroughly enjoyable and emotional, but the HEA here is between Rachel and the Rachel she wants to become. Worked for me.
Mostly great secondary characters, though I felt the cheating husband was a bit Schrödinger's character, in that he's both a long term scheming dickhead and a guy who was genuinely loving and caring, and it never quite settled for me. This is always a problem with an evil ex, tbh, it inevitably calls the MC's judgement into question. Lots of focus on US racial politics and division as well as the way women are treated at home and in the public eye.
Well written, highly readable, very soapy, which is useful for cleaning up the mess, lol.
November 6, 2023
Sadly, I’m in the minority with this one. The Art of Scandal captivated me with its first few pages. However, as the story progressed, I found the relationship between Nathan and Rachel watered down and lacklustre (I couldn’t connect with either characters). My interest waned after the first 25% of the book. I kept reading in hopes it would’ve picked up again.
July 23, 2023
As soon as I saw the cover (we all know I’m such a sucker for a great cover) and read the scintillating synopsis, I knew I needed to get my hands on this one. And then the heavens aligned and Libro.fm included the audiobook in their newest drop, and the rest was history. I listened to this entire book in under a day, simply because I could not put it down.
One of my favorite trope combos is age gap and forbidden romance. In 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘭, Regina Black does an impeccable job of writing the most perfect reverse age gap dynamic between two artists living very different lives, facing very different responsibilities, but in such a relatable and realistic way. And while politics and the political world is a bit of a side character in the story, its use is primarily as a vehicle to explore why characters make the decisions they do.
Trust me when I say, this is the hot summer read we have all been waiting for. Think Robinne Lee’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 meets Shonda Rhimes’s Scandal. Grab a copy to read at the beach or by the pool, or go ahead and add it to your audiobook playlist for workouts or while doing laundry. Whatever you do, check this book out asap. You will not be disappointed.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
•family dramas
•age gap
•steamy romance
•forbidden love
•political backdrop
•the world of art
•bingy reads
Thank you to {partners} Grand Central Publishing and Libro.fm for the gifted copies.
One of my favorite trope combos is age gap and forbidden romance. In 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘚𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘢𝘭, Regina Black does an impeccable job of writing the most perfect reverse age gap dynamic between two artists living very different lives, facing very different responsibilities, but in such a relatable and realistic way. And while politics and the political world is a bit of a side character in the story, its use is primarily as a vehicle to explore why characters make the decisions they do.
Trust me when I say, this is the hot summer read we have all been waiting for. Think Robinne Lee’s 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢 𝘰𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 meets Shonda Rhimes’s Scandal. Grab a copy to read at the beach or by the pool, or go ahead and add it to your audiobook playlist for workouts or while doing laundry. Whatever you do, check this book out asap. You will not be disappointed.
𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞:
•family dramas
•age gap
•steamy romance
•forbidden love
•political backdrop
•the world of art
•bingy reads
Thank you to {partners} Grand Central Publishing and Libro.fm for the gifted copies.
September 20, 2023
***A 2023 TOP PICK***
I loved every word.
Plot in a nutshell: Rachel is a politician's wife who gets a very rude awakening at the start of the story and then shortly thereafter meets the ten-years-younger Nathan. Their connection rocks them both to their cores.
Wow, these two😱 Rachel and Nate were 100% flawed and I ate it up. Is there anything better than characters who grow and stretch their wings over the course of a book?
On the surface, Rachel wasn't likeable. But underneath, she was a flesh and blood woman . . . and searching . . .
And it was all delivered in such sharp, beautiful prose.
Love didn't work that way. You didn't fall for pieces of someone and gamble on the rest.If you're looking for your next fluffy romance read, you'll want to walk away . . . because The Art of Scandal packed an incredible emotional punch.
I loved every word.
Plot in a nutshell: Rachel is a politician's wife who gets a very rude awakening at the start of the story and then shortly thereafter meets the ten-years-younger Nathan. Their connection rocks them both to their cores.
Wow, these two😱 Rachel and Nate were 100% flawed and I ate it up. Is there anything better than characters who grow and stretch their wings over the course of a book?
On the surface, Rachel wasn't likeable. But underneath, she was a flesh and blood woman . . . and searching . . .
"My whole life has been selfish cravings. Guilty pleasures. Being desperate for things I can't admit that I want out loud."And while Nate came across as a teddy bear in the beginning . . .
He should have taken her home and reminded himself of his no-drama policy, which included women who made you forget to hide how desperate for affection you really were.. . . he only revealed his shortcomings in a much more subtle way. And I couldn't get enough of either of them, either separately or together.
And it was all delivered in such sharp, beautiful prose.
How could she look at him as if he were oxygen one minute and hold her breath the next?I'm eagerly awaiting this author's next book!
August 23, 2023
In The Art of Scandal, Rachel receives a text from her husband Matt during his 40th birthday party that she quickly realizes wasn’t intended for her. Rachel is livid but feels some level of dependency on Matt and the life they’ve built over the years so they strike a deal as Matt can’t afford a messy split right now with election season approaching.
Holding up the deal is more challenging though, especially when Rachel meets a young artist, Nathan, who comes from a wealthy, well-known family. Nathan’s family is full of tension, some of which he feels responsible for creating when he decided to take a different route than the other men in his family by pursuing his artistic ambition.
Initially I was hooked by the story but this began to fade and I found myself starting and finishing several books along the way as I continued to read this one. It wasn’t bad by any means and I did want to see it through, it just didn’t quite captivate me like I hoped.
While they’re not overly similar, I couldn’t help but be reminded of The Perfect Find at times while reading The Art of Scandal — The two stories are different enough but both involve an age gap (less of one in TAOS) and a forbidden (to an extent) romance — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Holding up the deal is more challenging though, especially when Rachel meets a young artist, Nathan, who comes from a wealthy, well-known family. Nathan’s family is full of tension, some of which he feels responsible for creating when he decided to take a different route than the other men in his family by pursuing his artistic ambition.
Initially I was hooked by the story but this began to fade and I found myself starting and finishing several books along the way as I continued to read this one. It wasn’t bad by any means and I did want to see it through, it just didn’t quite captivate me like I hoped.
While they’re not overly similar, I couldn’t help but be reminded of The Perfect Find at times while reading The Art of Scandal — The two stories are different enough but both involve an age gap (less of one in TAOS) and a forbidden (to an extent) romance — 3.5 stars
Thank you to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
August 14, 2023
DAMN. This was masterful. A simmering meditation on art, family, privilege, self-realization, shame, and love.
September 8, 2024
2.75⭐️
Ok so hear me out. I gave this one a pretty low rating because I went in thinking that this was a steamy drama-filled political romance but it actually ended up being more women’s fiction. There were so many points in this where I was ready to DNF with NO regrets but then something would happen to make me believe that there was hope for a pick me up. Nope, never happened.😒
Was this terrible? No, but I didn’t really enjoy it? Not too much. Pretty disappointed in this one, not gonna lie.
Ok so hear me out. I gave this one a pretty low rating because I went in thinking that this was a steamy drama-filled political romance but it actually ended up being more women’s fiction. There were so many points in this where I was ready to DNF with NO regrets but then something would happen to make me believe that there was hope for a pick me up. Nope, never happened.😒
Was this terrible? No, but I didn’t really enjoy it? Not too much. Pretty disappointed in this one, not gonna lie.
July 26, 2023
• BOOKSTAGRAM •
This book is so dang steamy. I can feel the adult pent up sexual tension between Nathan and Rachel, it’s wild. Matt is trash - I’m guessing towards the end of the story we will see who he had an affair with which as of now there’s no real contenders.
How Nathan and Rachel end up being forced to work together after such sizzle and steam radiate off of them when they are together is magical. I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan but close proximity is my second favorite and though they weren’t locked in a house together while a raging hurricane was going on, they were forced to work together for days leading up a big event and their chemistry and wanting for each other was so taboo it made my heart race!
When you find out the mistress it was shocking but not in a WTF way. The ending was good but if you’ve ever been through a divorce you know it’s not nearly how this one went down (for the most part.)
This book is so dang steamy. I can feel the adult pent up sexual tension between Nathan and Rachel, it’s wild. Matt is trash - I’m guessing towards the end of the story we will see who he had an affair with which as of now there’s no real contenders.
How Nathan and Rachel end up being forced to work together after such sizzle and steam radiate off of them when they are together is magical. I’m a huge enemies to lovers fan but close proximity is my second favorite and though they weren’t locked in a house together while a raging hurricane was going on, they were forced to work together for days leading up a big event and their chemistry and wanting for each other was so taboo it made my heart race!
When you find out the mistress it was shocking but not in a WTF way. The ending was good but if you’ve ever been through a divorce you know it’s not nearly how this one went down (for the most part.)
August 17, 2024
OHMYGOD this book is good!
I’ve been wanting to read a good book where the husband cheated on the wife and the wife had an affair on her own but eventually fell in love with the OM and this book IS IT!!
The writing flows so easily you can’t notice the chapters progressing. The characters were done artfully also ughhh. Even Matt the scumbag made me feel a *little bit* sorry for him. But I still hated him.
Nathan. Oh sweet Nathan. This is a character who’s emotions we’re written right. Kudos to the author! His personality is not just being the OM, the lover of Rachel. He is his own person with his issues with his family, his estranged relationship with his art. Ughhh I love him so so much.
And of course Rachel. I love the concept of rediscovering yourself outside of another man. I love that her husband’s affair were just the trigger to THINK about herself and what she became and that her disconnect to her marriage is long overdue happening and not because of the affair. I love how she stood with her own conviction to have that money, the house and building because she is right! She owns that for that for all the years she built Matt.
“The money wasn’t enough?”
Rachel looked at Herman, who watched them with his dead, gray eyes. “When it’s for your dignity, it never is.”
This quote is EVERYTHING! I literally gasped and laughed victoriously for her! You dropped this Rachel 👑
The side characters are so interesting specially Julia, Joe and Mia. They are not just caricatures but it’s like they are their own main characters. So. Much. To. Unpack.
My just tiny little bit complain is me hoping begging for an epilogue of some sorts. I’m a romantic at heart and I just wanted a glance at their HEA in the future 😭
I’ve been wanting to read a good book where the husband cheated on the wife and the wife had an affair on her own but eventually fell in love with the OM and this book IS IT!!
The writing flows so easily you can’t notice the chapters progressing. The characters were done artfully also ughhh. Even Matt the scumbag made me feel a *little bit* sorry for him. But I still hated him.
Nathan. Oh sweet Nathan. This is a character who’s emotions we’re written right. Kudos to the author! His personality is not just being the OM, the lover of Rachel. He is his own person with his issues with his family, his estranged relationship with his art. Ughhh I love him so so much.
And of course Rachel. I love the concept of rediscovering yourself outside of another man. I love that her husband’s affair were just the trigger to THINK about herself and what she became and that her disconnect to her marriage is long overdue happening and not because of the affair. I love how she stood with her own conviction to have that money, the house and building because she is right! She owns that for that for all the years she built Matt.
“The money wasn’t enough?”
Rachel looked at Herman, who watched them with his dead, gray eyes. “When it’s for your dignity, it never is.”
This quote is EVERYTHING! I literally gasped and laughed victoriously for her! You dropped this Rachel 👑
The side characters are so interesting specially Julia, Joe and Mia. They are not just caricatures but it’s like they are their own main characters. So. Much. To. Unpack.
My just tiny little bit complain is me hoping begging for an epilogue of some sorts. I’m a romantic at heart and I just wanted a glance at their HEA in the future 😭
January 12, 2024
4 stars
To all those people who love the angsty and messy side of romance, this is the book for you. The writing was beautiful and the characters were flawed, but fantastic.
I love a good forbidden and age-gap romance, but I’m not going to lie… I’m not a fan of cheating in books (specifically in a marriage). Even though I understood the situation, it still isn’t my favorite thing to read about, still, I loved reading about Rachel’s journey. This was so much more than just the romance part of the book. Seeing Rachel come back into her own and find herself again was my favorite part of the story, and of course, I loved Nathan. How could you not?
I am so impressed with this debut novel. The Art of Scandal reads like it was written by a seasoned author. I found the writing to be eloquent and poignant and the character development was superb. I will certainly be checking out her future works.
Love would be so much easier if it were perfect…
To all those people who love the angsty and messy side of romance, this is the book for you. The writing was beautiful and the characters were flawed, but fantastic.
I love a good forbidden and age-gap romance, but I’m not going to lie… I’m not a fan of cheating in books (specifically in a marriage). Even though I understood the situation, it still isn’t my favorite thing to read about, still, I loved reading about Rachel’s journey. This was so much more than just the romance part of the book. Seeing Rachel come back into her own and find herself again was my favorite part of the story, and of course, I loved Nathan. How could you not?
I am so impressed with this debut novel. The Art of Scandal reads like it was written by a seasoned author. I found the writing to be eloquent and poignant and the character development was superb. I will certainly be checking out her future works.
Audio book source: Libby
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Mela Lee
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 10h 26m
Read
July 28, 2021I read an early version of this book and it blew me away on every way a book can-- heart, heat, intrigue, heat (Did I say that already?), excellent writing and an exciting premise. I can't wait to read the final version and give 5 enthusiastic stars!
February 18, 2024
If there is anything good about this book it's that Mela Lee was acting her ass off in this audiobook, automatically joining the ranks of go to audiobook narrators, give them all the checks.
As for the actual book itself? Garbage... Sorry it was just giving pitiful from start to finish.
Rachel has been a stay at home wife for years. She married into the weathly Abbott family when her daughter was still a baby and for years she has stood by her husband. Cut to the night of her husband's fortieth birthday party when she receives a dick pick that she slowly deduces was not meant for her. This is far from the first crack in their marriage but it is the crack that leads her to push his cake off the counter. Later that night it also leads her to getting drunk at the local drive in where she meets her love interest, Nate Vasquez.
Nate is younger, twenty-six, and they have a flirtatious conversation, but that's where it ends intially. When Rachel gets back home she agrees to continue to play the role of doting housewife while her husband makes his run for office, but they are certainly headed for divorce. The next morning hungover Rachel makes her way to the only laundry mat in town, owned by none other than Nate. It's here that they finally exchange numbers and go on a date, something that continues to happen...
This book requires you to not think too much. The town is so small that Rachel is a celebrity in part by virtue of her marriage, but also her star power is more than her husbands. She is meant to stay on board to help her husband in the polls but then they keep from her that she's actually damaging him and lowering his viability only for in the climax he's desperate for her to buoy his approval ratings... Nate is the son of her in town rival but she is unable to connect that dot and assumes him to be a distant cousin...
All of that on top of the fact that I just constantly felt like I was watching a woman in the middle of a midlife crisis and not meeting the next love of her life. Sure, Nate might've been a step up and she should leave her husband... but not for this?
Nathan also had the classic hero storyline of his parents not fully approving of him, namely his father. He was constantly portrayed as this unserious artist that doodles instead of taking his rightful place in the family business... and sure, having the father be upset his son isn't working in the family business could be interesting, but Nathan also doesn't view being an artist as a serious career path. It's definitely a hobby, something he can afford to have since he runs the only laundrymat in the city that he was able to start with the inheritance from his grandmother... Nate never comes off as the person his parents view him as and so the conflict there seems entirely imagined...
It's not the worst book I've ever read, and for parts of it I was actively entertained. It's only in asking me to believe that Rachel and Nate were ever going to make anything serious work that I just have to laugh.
As for the actual book itself? Garbage... Sorry it was just giving pitiful from start to finish.
Rachel has been a stay at home wife for years. She married into the weathly Abbott family when her daughter was still a baby and for years she has stood by her husband. Cut to the night of her husband's fortieth birthday party when she receives a dick pick that she slowly deduces was not meant for her. This is far from the first crack in their marriage but it is the crack that leads her to push his cake off the counter. Later that night it also leads her to getting drunk at the local drive in where she meets her love interest, Nate Vasquez.
Nate is younger, twenty-six, and they have a flirtatious conversation, but that's where it ends intially. When Rachel gets back home she agrees to continue to play the role of doting housewife while her husband makes his run for office, but they are certainly headed for divorce. The next morning hungover Rachel makes her way to the only laundry mat in town, owned by none other than Nate. It's here that they finally exchange numbers and go on a date, something that continues to happen...
This book requires you to not think too much. The town is so small that Rachel is a celebrity in part by virtue of her marriage, but also her star power is more than her husbands. She is meant to stay on board to help her husband in the polls but then they keep from her that she's actually damaging him and lowering his viability only for in the climax he's desperate for her to buoy his approval ratings... Nate is the son of her in town rival but she is unable to connect that dot and assumes him to be a distant cousin...
All of that on top of the fact that I just constantly felt like I was watching a woman in the middle of a midlife crisis and not meeting the next love of her life. Sure, Nate might've been a step up and she should leave her husband... but not for this?
Nathan also had the classic hero storyline of his parents not fully approving of him, namely his father. He was constantly portrayed as this unserious artist that doodles instead of taking his rightful place in the family business... and sure, having the father be upset his son isn't working in the family business could be interesting, but Nathan also doesn't view being an artist as a serious career path. It's definitely a hobby, something he can afford to have since he runs the only laundrymat in the city that he was able to start with the inheritance from his grandmother... Nate never comes off as the person his parents view him as and so the conflict there seems entirely imagined...
It's not the worst book I've ever read, and for parts of it I was actively entertained. It's only in asking me to believe that Rachel and Nate were ever going to make anything serious work that I just have to laugh.
August 24, 2023
The marketing of this novel as a steamy romance is a disservice to the author and to readers. It is not steamy and may not even be a Romance. Yes, there is a happy for now ending, but the leads spend too little time together. It reads more like women’s fiction.
Additionally, there were too many characters and too many conflicts for a novel of this short length. As a result, none of the storylines felt fully developed. The romance happens mostly off page and the other characters’ stories wrapped too quickly.
I do appreciate seeing truly flawed characters instead of the too perfect leads we have seen of late. Here, however, the leads had real issues which needed to be attended to before they came together. Alternately, I would have enjoyed a time skip where they met again years later, now both mature and stable. As written, I didn’t want them to end up together.
I would be interested in reading the author’s next novel because I think she has a strong voice, but this story didn’t feel quite ready.
Additionally, there were too many characters and too many conflicts for a novel of this short length. As a result, none of the storylines felt fully developed. The romance happens mostly off page and the other characters’ stories wrapped too quickly.
I do appreciate seeing truly flawed characters instead of the too perfect leads we have seen of late. Here, however, the leads had real issues which needed to be attended to before they came together. Alternately, I would have enjoyed a time skip where they met again years later, now both mature and stable. As written, I didn’t want them to end up together.
I would be interested in reading the author’s next novel because I think she has a strong voice, but this story didn’t feel quite ready.
June 9, 2023
I refuse to believe that this is a debut novel! The author truly outdid herself! She has the talent of a seasoned writer!
“They faced off for a moment, and it slowly tipped into something dangerous. Like she was a sharp curve, and he was debating whether to accelerate or pump the brakes.”
This story started off with a bang instantly sucking me in and then it kinda waned and I struggled to stay focused. I don’t know if it was timing or circumstances in my life at the moment (hip pain), but I struggled. This book was deliciously angsty, which I love. Throw in politics and scandal and you’ve got yourself a real train wreck that you simply cannot turn away from. Nathan was my favorite. He gave off protective alpha vibes over Rachel and that’s always a win for me! I would have loved more spice & steam, but overall this was an intriguing read. I recommend!
“They faced off for a moment, and it slowly tipped into something dangerous. Like she was a sharp curve, and he was debating whether to accelerate or pump the brakes.”
This story started off with a bang instantly sucking me in and then it kinda waned and I struggled to stay focused. I don’t know if it was timing or circumstances in my life at the moment (hip pain), but I struggled. This book was deliciously angsty, which I love. Throw in politics and scandal and you’ve got yourself a real train wreck that you simply cannot turn away from. Nathan was my favorite. He gave off protective alpha vibes over Rachel and that’s always a win for me! I would have loved more spice & steam, but overall this was an intriguing read. I recommend!
Read
November 11, 2024DNF’d at 21%
Boring and I can’t to seem to stay with it. So DNF.
Boring and I can’t to seem to stay with it. So DNF.
May 12, 2023
This one started so strong and then quickly fizzled out. I ended up skimming that last 30% because I didn't care.
I did like Rachel as a character, her back story was well developed and I understood why she made the choices she did. I did like the ending
I also loved
What I struggled with was the pacing and structure of the novel. It was info dumpy at times about things I didn't care about, the pacing was slow and then skipped things (Rachel and Nathan go from strangers to friends like off page?), and I felt most of this novel was telling us things rather than showing things.
The worst thing a romance can do is make you not care about the couple and well...I didn't care about Rachel and Nathan together. They were cute in the beginning, but I just didn't care. (maybe be so much was happening off page??).
Cheating in books rarely works for me and it didn't work here. In the end I got why Rachel and Matt had been together, but wish we had seen more of why they fell apart. It just didn't feel super natural to me. But what do I know? I've never been married.
TW: death of a parent/grief, racism
CW: cheating, teen pregnancy, drug use
*thanks to the publisher for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
I did like Rachel as a character, her back story was well developed and I understood why she made the choices she did. I did like the ending
I also loved
What I struggled with was the pacing and structure of the novel. It was info dumpy at times about things I didn't care about, the pacing was slow and then skipped things (Rachel and Nathan go from strangers to friends like off page?), and I felt most of this novel was telling us things rather than showing things.
The worst thing a romance can do is make you not care about the couple and well...I didn't care about Rachel and Nathan together. They were cute in the beginning, but I just didn't care. (maybe be so much was happening off page??).
Cheating in books rarely works for me and it didn't work here. In the end I got why Rachel and Matt had been together, but wish we had seen more of why they fell apart. It just didn't feel super natural to me. But what do I know? I've never been married.
TW: death of a parent/grief, racism
CW: cheating, teen pregnancy, drug use
*thanks to the publisher for an eARC; all thoughts are my own*
September 22, 2024
DNF..I can't do it
July 12, 2023
"Rachel was a feeling. She was the reason he woke up every morning and checked his phone with his heart in his throat....she was a spark that made him want to draw again. He wanted to fill the empty sketchbooks he'd been ignoring for months with renderings of her face."
The Art of Scandal is one of my top reads of 2023, and this author's debut novel. You could not tell because this book was beautifully written and I couldn't put it down.
Rachel is an older black woman who has been married to her husband for years. Her husband, the current mayor, is starting his political campaign for office, and wants Rachel by his side. The problem? Rachel just discovered that her husband has been cheating and plans to leave her. For a woman as loyal as Rachel, this turns her world upside down, especially when her husband only wants to give her money in the divorce if she agrees to present themselves as a happily married couple while he's campaigning.
Rachel meets Nathan, a younger artist and laundromat owner, on the night she discovers her husband cheated. From the outside, these two appear to be from opposite sides of the track, but they have so much in common. Their friendship turns into more, and while they form a romance, there are other forces at play that will jeopardize the peace they've found with each other.
I loved watching Rachel rediscover who she was as a woman. She'd been suppressed for so long by being a prop for her husband. Nathan feels like a family disappointment, and has artistic talents that he is too afraid to believe in until he's met with Rachel's quiet encouragement. These two complemented each other in the best way. I loved how flawed they were because sometimes you don't meet your soulmate under the perfect circumstances. It takes heartache and some self-growth to get these two where they need to be, and the author took us on that journey in a way that had me rooting for Rachel and Nathan the entire time!
There were a few surprises here and there, so I do recommend being prepared to binge this book because once you start, you're going to want to see it through to the end. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
TROPES: age gap (older woman); grey area cheating (not between H/h - heroine's husband has a mistress); Scandal vibes; BIPOC H/h; soulmates; artist hero/heroine; opposite sides of the track; author's debut novel
TRIGGER WARNINGS: heroine's husband has a mistress; terminal illness (not H/h)
The Art of Scandal is one of my top reads of 2023, and this author's debut novel. You could not tell because this book was beautifully written and I couldn't put it down.
Rachel is an older black woman who has been married to her husband for years. Her husband, the current mayor, is starting his political campaign for office, and wants Rachel by his side. The problem? Rachel just discovered that her husband has been cheating and plans to leave her. For a woman as loyal as Rachel, this turns her world upside down, especially when her husband only wants to give her money in the divorce if she agrees to present themselves as a happily married couple while he's campaigning.
Rachel meets Nathan, a younger artist and laundromat owner, on the night she discovers her husband cheated. From the outside, these two appear to be from opposite sides of the track, but they have so much in common. Their friendship turns into more, and while they form a romance, there are other forces at play that will jeopardize the peace they've found with each other.
I loved watching Rachel rediscover who she was as a woman. She'd been suppressed for so long by being a prop for her husband. Nathan feels like a family disappointment, and has artistic talents that he is too afraid to believe in until he's met with Rachel's quiet encouragement. These two complemented each other in the best way. I loved how flawed they were because sometimes you don't meet your soulmate under the perfect circumstances. It takes heartache and some self-growth to get these two where they need to be, and the author took us on that journey in a way that had me rooting for Rachel and Nathan the entire time!
There were a few surprises here and there, so I do recommend being prepared to binge this book because once you start, you're going to want to see it through to the end. I can't wait to see what this author writes next!
TROPES: age gap (older woman); grey area cheating (not between H/h - heroine's husband has a mistress); Scandal vibes; BIPOC H/h; soulmates; artist hero/heroine; opposite sides of the track; author's debut novel
TRIGGER WARNINGS: heroine's husband has a mistress; terminal illness (not H/h)
May 18, 2024
4.5 stars rounded up
This is a really impressive debut and I can see why it has gotten so much attention. I am excited to see what else we get from this author! The Art of Scandal is a romance novel caught up in the world of politics and the titular scandal. Rachel Abbott is the perfect wife of a rising political star, but the night of his 40th birthday party, she finds out he has been cheating on her. After all the years spent forcing herself into this mold to help further his career, abandoning her true self and her dreams of an artistic career, letting herself be used to show his racial progressiveness as a white man with a Black wife...it's all falling apart. And in the middle of that, she meets a younger man who is himself a talented artist.
This is a bit angsty, but more in the sense of being a woman rediscovering yourself when nearing 40, with all the social pressures that come with that. The husband is truly awful, and I did not feel bad for him at all, which isn't always the case. I quite liked this and I've enjoyed seeing more romance novels featuring women in this period of life. Maybe because I find it relatable, as someone in my late 30's with kids who are no longer tiny. The audio narration is also excellent! I received an audio copy from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
This is a really impressive debut and I can see why it has gotten so much attention. I am excited to see what else we get from this author! The Art of Scandal is a romance novel caught up in the world of politics and the titular scandal. Rachel Abbott is the perfect wife of a rising political star, but the night of his 40th birthday party, she finds out he has been cheating on her. After all the years spent forcing herself into this mold to help further his career, abandoning her true self and her dreams of an artistic career, letting herself be used to show his racial progressiveness as a white man with a Black wife...it's all falling apart. And in the middle of that, she meets a younger man who is himself a talented artist.
This is a bit angsty, but more in the sense of being a woman rediscovering yourself when nearing 40, with all the social pressures that come with that. The husband is truly awful, and I did not feel bad for him at all, which isn't always the case. I quite liked this and I've enjoyed seeing more romance novels featuring women in this period of life. Maybe because I find it relatable, as someone in my late 30's with kids who are no longer tiny. The audio narration is also excellent! I received an audio copy from Libro.FM, all opinions are my own.
March 4, 2025
This is definitely one of my faves.
Easy read, interesting, entertaining, and quick. Loved the chemistry and art aspect.
10/10 would recommend.
Easy read, interesting, entertaining, and quick. Loved the chemistry and art aspect.
10/10 would recommend.
August 28, 2023
"Complicated things usually stay complicated" Joe touched on my exact sentiments of this book as he was talking to Nathan! This book is hard for me to rate simply based on how conflicted my emotions are. The Art of Scandal is toxic, messy and brings out a range of emotions in reader much like art itself can be. (3.5/5)
The glee:
- I love a good juicy dramatic familial plot line and this definitely delivered on that. Finding out the drama the reason behind Rachel and her Aunt's friction was jaw dropping. Seeing the Vasquez family and all their years of unexpressed emotion laid out was like the telenovelas that Sofia starred in.
- The description of art was so vivid and beautiful that I wish I could see glimpses of Nathan's art work and Rachel's photography in the pages.
- The underlying messages of pursuing happiness, the value of dignity, reality of what loneliness looks like, and the importance of therapy was beautifully written.
My gripe:
- To me this didn't feel like a romance but rather a literary fiction book that has a intimate relationship that drove the growth of the characters. I wanted to fall in love their love story but in the end I just felt they both needed therapy (which i'm happy they received) and time to figure out themselves. Nathan's codependency with Rachel and his battle with loneliness matched with her need to reclaim her identity and leaving a toxic marriage doesn't bode well for forever. As a "love" story this didn't work for me but everything else did.
The glee:
- I love a good juicy dramatic familial plot line and this definitely delivered on that. Finding out the drama the reason behind Rachel and her Aunt's friction was jaw dropping. Seeing the Vasquez family and all their years of unexpressed emotion laid out was like the telenovelas that Sofia starred in.
- The description of art was so vivid and beautiful that I wish I could see glimpses of Nathan's art work and Rachel's photography in the pages.
- The underlying messages of pursuing happiness, the value of dignity, reality of what loneliness looks like, and the importance of therapy was beautifully written.
My gripe:
- To me this didn't feel like a romance but rather a literary fiction book that has a intimate relationship that drove the growth of the characters. I wanted to fall in love their love story but in the end I just felt they both needed therapy (which i'm happy they received) and time to figure out themselves. Nathan's codependency with Rachel and his battle with loneliness matched with her need to reclaim her identity and leaving a toxic marriage doesn't bode well for forever. As a "love" story this didn't work for me but everything else did.
December 11, 2023
This was a lot of drama and I really liked it. This may be the first book where I was here for the cheating wife 🫣. The main character Rachel is a black woman married to a rich trust fund privileged white man who’s a politician. On his 40th birthday she finds out that he’s cheating on her and wants to leave him but has to strike a deal with him and stay for a while. She realizes that she’s been a shell of herself in the marriage and meets this younger guy named Nathan. Nathan and Rachel connect, become friends and are attracted to each other. They you know cheat and it leads Rachel to realize that being the mayors perfect black wife is not for her.
I loved reading all the marriage drama in this book. It was giving the show scandal a bit with the marriage stuff and cheating lol. I liked that this was a romance and a story about the main character taking her life back and not being boxed. I loved the love interest Nathan he was it. His family drama and just his character was great. The romance was cute and a little steamy. Halfway through the book I think the pacing was really slow and dragged but the writing was good and it was easy to read. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next because this was a really good debut!
Read for:
- Black and Hispanic main characters
- Younger mmc
- Messy marriage and drama
- Interracial relationship
- Artists
I loved reading all the marriage drama in this book. It was giving the show scandal a bit with the marriage stuff and cheating lol. I liked that this was a romance and a story about the main character taking her life back and not being boxed. I loved the love interest Nathan he was it. His family drama and just his character was great. The romance was cute and a little steamy. Halfway through the book I think the pacing was really slow and dragged but the writing was good and it was easy to read. I can’t wait to see what the author writes next because this was a really good debut!
Read for:
- Black and Hispanic main characters
- Younger mmc
- Messy marriage and drama
- Interracial relationship
- Artists
September 13, 2021
The spiciest story with the most indulgent prose--this is a gem of a debut that you won't be able to put down.
![Profile Image for laurel [the suspected bibliophile].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1645808644i%2F7494844._UX200_CR0%2C6%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 15, 2025
I did NOT expect to love this as much as I did—but it was SO GOOD.
Age gap romances don't often work with me (despite me rooting for Josh and Liza on Younger), but I think it's because there's often a power imbalance and the age gap is older men and younger women.
Anywho, I really loved how this book talked about families, finding yourself, politics and fitting in as a Black woman in a white world, and the value of a wife who seemingly does "nothing." Oh, and there is a lot of art (and really lovely discussions of art and representation). And some scandal.
Age gap romances don't often work with me (despite me rooting for Josh and Liza on Younger), but I think it's because there's often a power imbalance and the age gap is older men and younger women.
Anywho, I really loved how this book talked about families, finding yourself, politics and fitting in as a Black woman in a white world, and the value of a wife who seemingly does "nothing." Oh, and there is a lot of art (and really lovely discussions of art and representation). And some scandal.
September 29, 2023
i loooveeddd it. it gave shonda rhimes so i had no choice but to eat it up.
December 23, 2023
3.5 stars. I had heard great things about this debut, The Art of Scandal, and grabbed the audio from my library. This one started off super strong and grabbed my attention right away. It’s a very messy read, and I will say this felt more fiction with a romantic story instead of a romance.
In this we start off with Rachel, a politician’s wife. During her husband’s 40th birthday party she’s throwing for him, she finds out that he’s cheating on her after she receives a sext he obviously meant to send someone else. He wants to pretend they’re still happily married so he can keep her as his perfect, trophy wife by his side as he runs for another mayoral election. So they strike up a deal, she can keep their lavish house and gets a cool $1 million, but only if she plays the part by his side of the “Black trophy wife” while he campaigns.
That same night, Rachel heads to a drive-in theater and meets Nathan. He’s younger, an artist, and owns a local laundromat. They hit it off right away, find out they have a lot in common, and strike up a friendship that definitely leads to more. This does focus a lot on Nathan’s relationship with his family and his art career as well. Rachel’s new found dynamic and relationship with Nathan definitely spills over into her life with her husband and his plans.
This one I really enjoyed in the beginning, but I will say it started to slow down for me in the middle and I wasn’t as invested in the story with his family and the art scene. I think this isn’t as strong of a romance as it was touted to be, it definitely feels more women’s fiction with a romantic storyline. Nathan and Rachel didn’t spend a ton of time together, or most must happen off-page because their friendship seemed to develop overnight. So the pacing just felt a bit off for me and I just wasn’t invested in the characters or story as much as I hoped I would have been. I’m still glad I got to it this year and would read something else from this author again.
In this we start off with Rachel, a politician’s wife. During her husband’s 40th birthday party she’s throwing for him, she finds out that he’s cheating on her after she receives a sext he obviously meant to send someone else. He wants to pretend they’re still happily married so he can keep her as his perfect, trophy wife by his side as he runs for another mayoral election. So they strike up a deal, she can keep their lavish house and gets a cool $1 million, but only if she plays the part by his side of the “Black trophy wife” while he campaigns.
That same night, Rachel heads to a drive-in theater and meets Nathan. He’s younger, an artist, and owns a local laundromat. They hit it off right away, find out they have a lot in common, and strike up a friendship that definitely leads to more. This does focus a lot on Nathan’s relationship with his family and his art career as well. Rachel’s new found dynamic and relationship with Nathan definitely spills over into her life with her husband and his plans.
This one I really enjoyed in the beginning, but I will say it started to slow down for me in the middle and I wasn’t as invested in the story with his family and the art scene. I think this isn’t as strong of a romance as it was touted to be, it definitely feels more women’s fiction with a romantic storyline. Nathan and Rachel didn’t spend a ton of time together, or most must happen off-page because their friendship seemed to develop overnight. So the pacing just felt a bit off for me and I just wasn’t invested in the characters or story as much as I hoped I would have been. I’m still glad I got to it this year and would read something else from this author again.
January 3, 2024
scandal is right. Regina Black kept me on the edge of my seat while narrator Mela Lee slayed all of the characters' voices. i had started in in print eons ago, but finished off after using an audible credit with the narration and what a great choice. one of my favorite audiobooks of 2023!
this skimmed the line between domestic fiction and romance, but landed firmly in romance with the HEA//HFN between Rachel and Nathan. Whew was I worried though, especially after that shocking moment during the art fundraiser. The way back from there, masterful!
for those leery of the age-gap of it all, I really appreciated Nathan was mid-20s and had his own business and support system. The juxtaposition of Nathan appearing to be blue collar (based on his choices, not his lack of family or financial support if you chose differently) versus Rachel's apparent "high society" veneer when she in fact was unhoused, financially insecure, and with a child she had at 16 was so deftly woven! I also very much appreciated that Nathan's mother, and Rachel's peer, isn't demonized. She's a society bitch but she's not one-dimensional.
All in all, this was such a great debut and I hope for far more from the author, AND it would translate so well to screen.
One thing I will directly point out, because it is sort of my own personal issue, is that i was not suspecting Nathan's father to CW . I didn't look up content notes, but i also didn't really see this mentioned elsewhere, so just FYI
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC; i also purchased the audio with my own money
this skimmed the line between domestic fiction and romance, but landed firmly in romance with the HEA//HFN between Rachel and Nathan. Whew was I worried though, especially after that shocking moment during the art fundraiser. The way back from there, masterful!
for those leery of the age-gap of it all, I really appreciated Nathan was mid-20s and had his own business and support system. The juxtaposition of Nathan appearing to be blue collar (based on his choices, not his lack of family or financial support if you chose differently) versus Rachel's apparent "high society" veneer when she in fact was unhoused, financially insecure, and with a child she had at 16 was so deftly woven! I also very much appreciated that Nathan's mother, and Rachel's peer, isn't demonized. She's a society bitch but she's not one-dimensional.
All in all, this was such a great debut and I hope for far more from the author, AND it would translate so well to screen.
One thing I will directly point out, because it is sort of my own personal issue, is that i was not suspecting Nathan's father to CW . I didn't look up content notes, but i also didn't really see this mentioned elsewhere, so just FYI
Thank you to the publisher for the eARC; i also purchased the audio with my own money
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