The Earl's heir
And the rebel artist
Artist Artemisia Stansfield has four months to prove herself to the Royal Academy of Arts. When she finds out that aristocratic art critic Darius Rutherford has been snooping in her studio, she's furious! Sparks of anger turn into flames of desire, but one lapse in judgment could give Darius all the fuel he needs to ruin her, as a lady and as an artist! Unless she trusts him enough to take the risk…
Good book. The story opens as Artemisia arrived at the Royal Academy of Arts to hear their decision on her acceptance into that group. She is confident of that approval as she is well aware of her talent. She was furious when they turned her down for the flimsiest of reasons. Though they unbent enough to offer her a second chance, Artemisia's fury is evident in her rebuttal. I loved her parting shot as she makes it clear she suspects their intentions.
Darius Rutherford is a well-known art critic as well as being the heir to an earldom. His initial reaction to Artemisia is typical of a man of that time. He thinks she is too forward, too flamboyant, and doesn't know her place. He is not happy when the Academy asks him to judge her work, with the implication that he is to follow their lead. He prides himself on his honesty.
Artemisia and her sister go to Kent, where Artemisia plans to paint a collection that will guarantee her acceptance. Three weeks later, Darius shows up and manages to look at her work while she isn't there. Though blown away by what he sees, he also knows what is expected of him and has a decision to make. I was disappointed by his sneakiness and laughed out loud when Artemisia arrived to confront him. I loved how she got his attention and challenged him to remain there and get to know her as an artist.
Over the next few weeks, Artemisia and Darius spend a great deal of time together. It was fascinating to see Artemisia's process as she put her heart and soul into her work. I also enjoyed seeing her educate Darius on what it is like to be a woman in a man's world. It was an eye-opening experience for him, and I liked the evolution of his attitude. As they got to know each other better, the initial sparks of attraction between them began to grow. However, there are some trust issues that they need to overcome. Artemisia worries that Darius will use their passion against her, while Darius wonders if Artemisia uses it to influence his decision. It made me happy to see them talk about it rather than let their questions drive a wedge between them.
As their attraction grows stronger, so do the feelings that accompany it. Though Darius has ideas for their future, Artemisia sees too big a gap between them. I ached for her as she saw no hope for her love to go anywhere. She is well-aware of the obstacles, while Darius expects things to go his way. It was fantastic to see Darius's determination to see that Artemisia gets the respect she deserves, and I enjoyed how he carried it out. However, some of Artemisia's fears resurface, and she flees to protect herself and Darius. I hurt for him and liked how his love for her gave him the strength he needed to overcome the obstacles. I loved how well he knew her and how he used that knowledge to show his love. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic. The epilogue was great.
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