Gilt

by Jamie Brenner

"A luxurious and richly compelling new novel from the acclaimed author of Blush, about a famous family jewelry dynasty and the hidden past that could topple it all"--

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Audiobook, Romance, Family Drama, Chick Lit, New York

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 21, 2022

About the author

Jamie Brenner is the author of The Wedding Sisters, The USA TODAY bestseller The Forever Summer, and several other beach books. Jamie's short story "Gold Party" (Blackstone Publishing) is currently in development as a feature film.

After raising two daughters in New York City, Jamie now lives in Bucks County, PA -- the inspiration for her next book THE WEEKEND CRASHERS (November 4, 2025) about a mother-daughter knitting retreat gone awry.

Jamie grew up on the blockbuster novels by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, the gothic horror of Anne Rice, and political thrillers by Nelson DeMille. Her dream novel combines all three.

Follow Jamie on instagram @jamiebrennerwrites

Reviews

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Pavlin family has built a business based on diamond rings for wedding engagements. All is well until a publicity stunt gone wrong pits the 3 Pavilion sisters against each other. In the center of the conflict is the famous family jewel, known as the Electric Rose. The sisters are tragically broken apart and one of them ends up dead. Fast forward over 10 years later, Gemma Maybrook is still dealing with the loss of her mother and has been ostracized by the Pavlin family. But Gemma is now finally ready to get what she feels is owed to her: The Electric Rose (and more!).

This latest novel by Jamie Brenner is literally all about the “family jewels” and I loved it. What an interesting concept to focus on the jewelry business, I was sucked in immediately. This was really a fun read! I enjoyed the short chapters which kept the story going at a great pace. It would make a perfect summer or beach read. This was my first book by this author, but I am now looking forward to see what Jamie Brenner has in store for us next!

Many thanks to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam’s Sons for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.

[Dallas Strawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Brenner books scream "summer" and there's nothing more delicious than the trip to Cape Cod that readers will get through the pages of GILT 💎

Even though I just finished the novel in the dead of winter 🥶 I felt the sun beating down on me, the descriptions of all the historical buildings and the decadent food of Provincetown sweeps you away to a warmer time. Brenner has quickly become my go to author for a light and heartwarming beach read that still has depth to the story.

GILT has an incredible story to tell of a (fictional) family jewelry empire and the bonds of a sisterhood destroyed by one cursed diamond ring that ended up disappearing.....told in dual timeline from the 90s and present day when the niece Gemma who is beginning to set her own roots in the jewelry world reconnects with her aunts to try and repair their relationship while on a quest to find her mother's diamond.

I breezed through it in just a couple days, could not put it down, and even though I have no personal interest in jewelry what so ever, I loved the story of the divided sisterhood and Gemma's quest for happiness.

A truly feel good page turning novel that will be in the hands of many beachgoers come this summer 🏖

[Erin Branscom · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO good. 💚 Love the family history, jewelry and characters that are full of surprises. Jamie Brenner has nailed it again! A must read!

[Anna ʚɞ · Rating 2 out of 5]

╰┈➤ 2★

This book was definitely not it for me.
Even though I was really intrigued by the premise, there were just too many things that irritated me 😤.

- The hypocrisy with the FMC and her love interest.
- How slow it was!! I felt like NOTHING happened in the first 60+ chapters, but then everything took place at the last minute and everyone just suddenly got along really well?? like huh?
- The constant change in narrators omygosh! I would lose my focus for a SECOND and suddenly we were following Gemma and not Celeste or Elodie or Paulina and then I had to rewind back to stay on track 😩.
- Having to utter "Siri can you go back 40 seconds" every five seconds was not it.
- I didn't believe in any single relationship in this book 😕

These were my thoughts i wrote down while listening and I hate that I didn't like it more, but I will have a proper review to come hopefully soon !!! 💗



Pre read: Once again going into my next audio book completely blind as I'm focusing on listening to what I already own 😮‍💨

Even so, I'm really intrigued by the synopsis of this book and I'm kinda excited to read all about the diamonds, jewellery and greed 🤭

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭒
Gilt by Jaime Brenner is a dual timeline, a family drama that was hard to put down. I needed to find out what happens and if these sisters and niece will ever figure out how to be a family again.

Gemma Maybrook has always known the Electric Rose diamond should be hers. It was given to her mother, Paulina, when she married Gemma’s father, Liam. But, after her parent's tragic death, the Electric Rose was rumored to be cursed, and she never saw it again. Her mother’s family, the Pauvins own a jewelry empire, but after the death of her parents, she was sent off to live with her father’s family never to see the Pauvins again.

Now, fifteen years after the death of her parents, Gemma is determined to find the Electric Rose and reclaim her inheritance. Gemma is a talented jewelry designer in her own right and wants to start her own business. Her aunt Elodie runs the Pavlin jewelry empire now, and her aunt Celeste lives in Provincetown on Cape Cod after escaping her manipulative family. Can these two sisters, and niece find the Electric Rose and forgive each other again?

I enjoy a good family drama, and Gilt does not disappoint. With money and jewels involved the stakes are high, and these three women are harboring years-long resentment towards each other. My favorite character was Gemma, she was cast off to live with her father’s family after her parent's death and she never knew the real reason she was cast away, nor does she know the reason her aunts no longer speak to each other. All she knows is that her mother told her the ring was hers, and that the Pauvin family will have nothing more to do with her.

This was a fast-paced book with short chapters that kept the story moving along. I also enjoyed the author’s rich descriptions of the two locations, New York City and Provincetown, Massachusetts.

I highly recommend Gilt to anyone who enjoys women's fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alan and Constance Pavlin owned a diamond business called Pavlin and Co. in Manhattan NY. They had three daughters, Celeste, Elodie and Paulina. Celeste is the bohemian child living in Provincetown, Massachusetts who didn’t want anything to do with the business. Elodie, Pavlin and Co. is her life. Paulina is the jetsetter traveling all over Europe enjoying life and men. Alan requests his daughters to come back to New York because he has a big announcement and bring along your boyfriends.
Now one of the daughters gets married and has a daughter called Gemma Maybrook who graduated from NYSD in jewelry, precious metals design. She wants to know why she is being shunted by the Pavlin family. I’m their only granddaughter.
An enjoyable beach read.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilt
by Jamie Brenner
PENGUIN GROUP Putnam
Pub Date: Jun 21

This is my first book by the author but definitely not my last, as I was completely taken by the story of the Pavlin family, the first to sell diamond rings for wedding proposals. Behind their luxurious facade is a family squabble that has split the clan and left it broken for years.

Gemma Maybrook, herself a talented jewelry designer, still mourns her mother and the loss of her family through estrangement. She's now determined to get back her late mother's extraordinary engagement ring, and all she's due, despite the family rift.

And what grand settings: Manhattan’s famed Fifth Avenue and Provincetown, tony haunts for the rich and famous.

I found myself engrossed, with no awareness of time or day, in the well-written narrative, which I highly recommend for historical fiction fans and those who enjoy complicated family dramas. A perfect beach read!

Thanks to the author, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#Gilt #JamieBrenner #PenguinGroupPutnam
#NetGalley #womensfictionnovel#diamondbusiness #jewelrydesign #Provincetown #familydramafiction #bookstagramcommunity

[Lori Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

A reading escape perfect for the summer. A family jewelry dynasty that prides itself on making the diamond THE stone for engagements. Three sisters (I have a soft spot for books about sisters, 3 in particular) brought up in the lap of luxury. One will embrace the work, one embraces the glamour and one runs far away. Tragedy will strike as it always does. Relationships will shatter, hurt will emerge and wounds run deep.

Family dynamics at its best! Character development and storyline come together and keep the reader wanting to know more until you reach a satisfying ending.

Thanks to Ms. Brenner, Penguin Group/Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I love Jamie Brenner as an author and person!

Gilt is a fantastic family story built around a one hundred year old jewelry business that first introduced diamond engagement rings.

More to follow. 😊



Thank you Edelweiss and GP Putnam & Sons.

[Rachael Hodson (still skiing) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jamie Brenner dropped on my radar with Blush, which was far and away my favorite summer read last year and so Gilt was a no brainer.

While diamonds are not this girl’s best friend (even though my own husband’s family started a long time jewelry business, now being run by his sister’s family), I felt right at home with these characters and their stories.

The author does such a wonderful job of creating a beautiful and believable world that I just wanted to jump right into. Although, Gilt is surrounded by money, jewelry and Cape Cod scenery that is out of most of our reach, this book still feels authentic and without typical, summer beach read cheese.

If you want a feel good, sand in your feet and breeze in your hair, warm weather romance, don’t hesitate to pick up Gilt. This might not be a 5 star read up against the heavy hitters of literature but within its relevant genre, Gilt deserves all the stars.

I did listen to this on audio and while I didn’t have the luxury of the beach with this one, I did spend plenty of lazy hours, wiling away the day in a hammock. The audio is excellent. All the characters were absolutely, perfectly narrated by January Levoy.

I can’t wait for your next one Jamie!

[Amy Gironda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really loved this story and am going to miss these characters. Such a fun read with substance. Excellent on audio.

I connect to the affection this novels shows to the Outer Cape as it truly is a magical place. I can’t wait to go back to Ptown and stop in at some of the places the book references such as Napi’s. Love P town and this novel! Highly recommend.

[Monte Price · Rating 3 out of 5]

More thoughts can be found here.

Overall I had a fun time reading this. I don't think that all of the romantic entanglements worked for me. Namely Elodie, I really wanted to tell homegirl to hang it up Tito wasn't that important. I also didn't think that there was enough time for Gemma to have a whole love triangle situation in a book where her aunts were also perspectives and they had just as much of a romantic subplot.

When it came to the storyline involving Gemma's mother, Paulina, and the Electric Heart diamond and the fallout surrounding that... I wanted more. Again, because of the seemingly split focus I almost felt that it had the shorter end of the stick. I was really invested in the idea of Gemma trying to figure out where the Electric Heart ring went, her trying to infiltrate the family that had cast her aside and tear down the empire... And while I could have been okay with Pavlin & Co. not falling, the way the entire investigation about where the diamond was was shifted to an entirely off page reporter doing the digging and then a flashback reveal... it just didn't have the same payoff that the beginning chapters sort of set up.

I ultimately did have a good time and was able to come to peace with the fact that this wasn't the book I thought the first Gemma chapters were laying out. It was an enjoyable time regardless of the vibes I was picking up on in the beginning, and I think people will enjoy this. I just wanted the book to lean more into the mess of things and instead the book spent more time trying to wrap everything up neatly in a way that didn't always feel authentic.

[Cayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable summertime weekend read. I kept having flashbacks to J. Courtney Sullivan's The Engagements which I ultimately enjoyed more. I do think the whole astrology plot went further than necessary (e.g. the beach scene at the end of the book), but overall I liked following these family members and their stories.

3.5/5

[Piepie | The Napping Bibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great beach read!

Take this one on vacation with you and let yourself get immersed in the jewelry world! Sisters Elodie and Celeste and their niece Gemma are thrown together one summer as family secrets are revealed and dramas and conflicts unfold. This is a book where the side characters are just as important and entertaining as the main ones. And it's the kind of book where, the more I read it, the more I enjoyed it.

[Lian Dolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilt is a summer pleasure-- a sunny setting ( Provincetown), an unexpected world ( Fine jewelry) and family dynamics atet are both familiar and fresh. Jamie Brenner has written a breezy book with deep storylines, multi-dimensional characters of all ages and stages and captured the Cape Cod setting to a T. I tore through Gilt and was sad when it ended. These women with the secrets and issues and big hearts git to me.

[Lynds | ReadbyLynds · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pavlin & Company is best known for their engagement rings, especially after their “𝘈 𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦” marketing campaign. But when the Electric Rose engagement ring is promised to the first daughter engaged, their luck takes a turn. Years later, one of their daughters is dead and their family business is struggling.

Set mostly in Manhattan and Providencetown, this multi-generational, women's fiction novel is about the choices the three Pavlin daughters made, the search for the famous, yet cursed, engagement ring, and their ability to to forgive themselves and others. Add in a love interest for each woman and you have a messy, entertaining, and heartwarming family drama!

I loved how each woman grew and evolved as they were able to let go of the past in order to move forward. Wiith sisters of my own, it's 100% relatable. We can be stubborn, but in the end, we are family and move forward.
_____________________
Thank you to @PutnamBook for the gifted copy and @prhaudio for the ALC. I recommend both.

[Beyondthebookends · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing says summer like a new book from Jamie Brenner and every book keeps getting better and better. This story is told in dual timelines and will keep you turning the pages!
The Pavlin family is synonymous with the diamond engagement ring. When a publicity stunt pits the three daughters against each other, the winner will receive the Electric Rose- a massive pink diamond.
Now, 10 years later, Gemma Maybrook is devastated at the loss of her mother and is searching for the Electric Rose. The remaining two sisters are no longer speaking, the Pavlin name is in jeopardy, and Gemma is looking for answers.
This is Brenner's best book to date.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I do love Jamie Brenner’s books, and this is no exception. This is the story of a jewelry empire, the 3 sisters who were the heirs and their niece who was an outsider to this illustrious family. Gemma finds herself at sea when she and her nascent jewelry business are evicted. Because of huge changes in the Pavlin jewelry business, Gemma comes face to face with her estranged aunts, Elodie and Celeste.

The novel takes place in New York City and in Provincetown. Brenner allows the reader to inhabit both settings. Her writing is totally engaging and I found myself loving Gemma and her aunts. The catalyst for their interaction is a world famous diamond, the ELECTRIC ROSE, that might be cursed! The novel incorporates a huge amount of information about the jewelry business, both traditional and modern. Additionally, the author provides the reader with a truly diverse group of characters.

On every level, this is a perfect summer read. I highly recommend this to reading groups.

Thank you NETGALLEY for this ARC, in return for an honest review.

[Sherry · Rating 5 out of 5]

What better to do on a rainy, dreary day than to have Jamie Brenner transport me from New York to Provincetown? I devoured this book about the Pavlin family and their jewelry dynasty- and their family drama and secrets. Brenner's characters are so real, you feel like you they are your friends. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for the review copy.

[Amy Poeppel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Jamie Brenner fan, and I think GILT is her best book ever. She's written a wonderful family story of strong women, old secrets, and second chances at life and love. A pleasure!!

[Sue Seligman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read several books by Jamie Brenner, and have enjoyed all of them, especially those that are set in the beautiful Cape Cod, and exciting and vibrant Provincetown. Gilt does not disappoint…this book has it all! Family conflict, sympathetic and quirky characters, romance, jewelry, and vivid descriptions of the settings, both New York City and Provincetown. The Pavlin and Company jewelry store has been an icon in New York City for about a century, family owned and operated. The Pavlins had built their business upon the idea that jewelry means love, and were the originators of the tradition of buying diamond rings to solidify an engagement. The Pavlin Company promoted the belief that “buying a Pavlin diamond wasn’t just buying a piece of jewelry—it was buying the promise of love.” But this theory and the family bond upon which the success of the jewelry store was shaken as a result of a publicity stunt pushed by Alan Pavlin…he promised the Electric Rose, an enormous diamond ring, to the first of his three daughters to become engaged. This promise would have devastating repercussions for his family, breaking the bond among the three sisters, and leading each of them to make choices which would ultimately result in life altering consequences. Years later, the only granddaughter who has been raised by her paternal grandparents has decided to claim what is rightfully hers…..the Electric Rose, promised to her by her mother who had unfortunately passed away when Gemma was a small child. Gemma’s search for her legacy leads to a family reunion of sorts. Will the mystery of the Electric Rose be solved and will the Pavlin women be able to come together and restore their family relationship despite the passage of many years and the seemingly impossible chasm created by the publicity stunt of a previous generation?
I really enjoyed this book. The characters were vibrant and the setting of Provincetown brought me back to a summer years ago when we spent time there. I had read the author’s previous novels which were set in Provincetown and some of the characters are present in this novel…it was like revisiting old friends. This is a perfect summer book, and I highly recommend!

[Linda Zagon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved everything about “Gilt” by Jamie Brenner. Jamie Brenner has written an impressive gem of a story! The Genres for this novel are Domestic Fiction, Family Relationships, Family Saga Fiction, and Fiction. The timeline is written in the author’s present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The location takes place mostly in Provincetown and Manhattan. The colorful and dramatic characters are complex, complicated, and dysfunctional. I appreciate that the author vividly describes, the location, the characters, the events, and the plot.

The Pavlin Family is famous and is known for the exceptional quality of the priceless diamonds they offer, especially for engagements. The “Electric Rose” is a unique and priceless pink diamond that is both unique and coveted. This particular gemstone has caused a fracture in the relationships of the family. There are secrets and betrayals from the past, that have to be dealt with. Is it possible for the family to have a second chance at happiness?

The Pavlin sisters have gone their own way, and it is only when Gemma the daughter of one of the deceased sisters inquires about “The Electric Rose” does the past meet the present. Gemma believes the stone belonged to her mother. Gemma is creative and designs jewelry that is both a signature piece and memorable to the person who wears it. The original company is still dealing with traditional marketing.

I appreciate that Jamie Brenner discusses the importance of family, sisters, friendship, second chances, honesty, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this memorable novel.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like family dramas with a side of romance, you need to add this to your TBR right now.

The story, set in Provincetown and Manhattan, follows the three remaining members of the Pavlin family, whose jewelry empire was built on love (and engagement rings!) but eventually pitted them against each other. A decade after a major family fall out, the estranged women, two sisters and their niece, must come to terms with the family legacy while trying to mend their fractured relationships with each other. Throw in a possibly cursed pink diamond and a major betrayal and you've got everything a girl could want in a summer read!

I alternated between the ebook and audiobook, which is beautifully narrated, and enjoyed them both.

Thanks to Putnam Books and PRH Audio for the copies to review.

[Kimberly H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Summer heat pairs well with something light, and this glittery family drama wrapped around a 30-carat pink diamond (yes, I googled what that looks like on a hand) fit the bill. Set mostly in Provincetown, MA, the story moves between the present day and the mid-1990s, when a rift began between the glamorous Pavlin sisters, heirs to a jewelry empire. Years later, their estranged niece reappears bearing her own grudges, and, with tarot cards, a few dogs, and some forgettable love interests in the mix, they all attempt to heal old wounds. The writing was fine, the pace quick, the plot satisfying enough. A solid beach read: entertaining, even if you zone out a bit while reading.

“A diamond might say love, but what did it say when a diamond divided the entire family?”

[Christine M in Texas (stamperlady50) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gilt
By: Jamie Brenner
4💍💍💍💍

My first novel by Brenner and this one was absolutely charming. I will read Blush soon.

💍A cursed Diamond
🏡 Family Jewelry Empire

A beautiful dual timeline. The Pavlin family started the tradition of an engagement ring. Something happens where the three sisters are conflicted with each other. The Electric Rose, a family jewel has them estranged from one another.

Ten years later, Gemma has been an outsider to the Pavlin family and she is ready to get what she feels she is owed. Among them the famous Electric Rose.

A charming novel and easy read.
#gilt, #jamiebrenner, #gpputnamandsons, #booksconnectus, #bookreview, #audiobook, #stamperlady50, #bookstagram

[On_a_sandbar (Carol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you @PutnamBooks for the beautiful gifted copy of Gilt by Jamie Brenner

Jamie Brenner writes the best family dramas, hands down. I loved her previous novel, Blush, and I enjoyed this one even more. The book was an interwoven tale of family control and expectations, relationships, deception and romance.

I would really rate this as 4 1/2 stars - I’ve gone back and forth several times on this. I initially rated 4, but it’s more than that. It’s just not quite a 5 for me but I loved it!

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[Cindy Feigert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner by Jamie Brenner. This story set in NYC and P'town is a family saga. The Pavlin family is in the jewelry business. Their biggest success was the pink diamond but it came at a cost. The three Pavlin sisters story is told in the past and present. Also add a niece to the mix and drama ensues. This book reminded of the author Barbara Taylor Bradford and her family saga that started with A Woman of Substance. Good read!!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent vacation read - strong female characters with just enough drama and romance.

[Melodi | booksandchicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Gilt definition: gold leaf or gold paint applied in a thin layer to a surface. A book about jewelry, diamonds, emeralds, but even more importantly a book about family dynamics.

We follow the story of 3 women, 2 older sisters and their estranged niece. With a lot of money in the family and a huge pink diamond a chasm is created in the family. The story slowly weaves the past into the current time as we begin to understand why each of these women feel the way they do regarding one another and why they struggle with each other.

I quite enjoyed this family drama that takes place in NYC and coastal Provincetown. There is depth to the characters, strength in the power of women and the beauty of becoming who you want to be. I loved that 2 of the women were older--I'm guessing 40/50's. I appreciate that perspective in a family drama, so often it seems like they are all 20 year olds trying to figure out life.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advance e-copy in return for my review.