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The Art of Scandal

Contributors

By Regina Black

Formats and Prices

Price

$11.99

Price

$15.99 CAD

A “wildly steamy, utterly heartwarming” debut filled with romance, artistic ambitions, political scandal, and finding love where you least expect it (Tia Williams). 

Publishers Weekly Best Romance Book of 2023 
· Chicago Public Library Best Romance of 2023 · A "Sarah’s BookShelves" Best Debut of 2023

"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. 

Includes a Reading Group Guide.

  • "A gorgeously soapy debut . . . [Nathan and Rachel's] chemistry is off the charts."
    New York Times
  • “As a hopeless romantic, Regina Black’s The Art of Scandal hit every beat for me. This wildly steamy, utterly heartwarming novel is all about finding transcendent love and passion where you least expect it—and the ways in which art can transform our lives. Rachel and Nathan are incredibly drawn, flawed-but-lovable characters, and their love story will stay with me for ages. Such dreamy escapism!”
    Tia Williams, New York Times bestselling author of Seven Days in June
  • “A seductive, sweltering debut. Regina Black crafts such decadent tension between her characters and their opposing worlds, each word chosen for maximum impact. Achingly raw and beautifully messy—this book is a work of art."
    Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk
  • "As poignant as it is passionate, this marks Black as a writer to watch."
    Publishers Weekly
  • "In this deeply emotional and fast-moving romance, debut author Black writes a sultry story about family, forgiveness, art, and embracing love, even when it’s inconvenient."
    Library Journal, starred review
  • "The combination of complex characters, gorgeous prose, and a compulsively readable plot made The Art of Scandal one of my top romances of all time. It was an ache in my throat, a crackling tension in the air, a haunting melody in my head long after I'd finished reading. I absolutely inhaled every word and am ready for everything and anything Regina Black writes in the future."
    Alicia Thompson, national bestselling author of Love in the Time of Serial Killers
  • "The Art of Scandal is devastatingly beautiful and captivatingly romantic. Every so often, a book strikes the perfect chord of touching, poignant, sexy, and thrilling and this is that book. Black's storytelling draws you in and holds you close and her diverse cast of characters shine with three-dimensional emotion and sizzling chemistry. This one is not to be missed."
    Denise Williams, author of How to Fail at Flirting
  • "In The Art of Scandal, Black puts her mastery of character on full display . . .  A riveting debut perfect for readers of Seven Days in June."
    Shelf Awareness
  • “Smart, sexy, and absolutely sizzling with steamy scenes, this book makes the list as one of my all-time favorite romances. Art, scandal, and finding love where one leasts expects it—what’s not to adore?"
    Ashley Herring Blake, author of Delilah Green Doesn't Care
  • "[A] provocative and sexy debut."
    POPSUGAR
  • “Richly characterized and beautifully depicted, Black brings the political drama and electric chemistry of Shonda Rhimes’ Scandal to this novel of two starkly different individuals learning to find themselves in each other.”
    Shirlene Obuobi, author of On Rotation
  • "The Art of Scandal is a one-of-a-kind story! Sexy and smart with messy yet relatable characters, this is the book you need in your life! Regina Black is a force!"
    Catherine Adel West, Author of The Two Lives of Sara
  • "Real Housewives of the Potomac meets Scandal . . . more than one romance author's favorite romance of the year . . . The story and characters are multi-layered and the writing is juicy."
    Boston Globe
  • “Right out the gate, Regina Black charges in to bring drama and sensuality. Black's dazzling use of language creates a compelling novel of heartbreak, passion, and rediscovery. Justice for Rachel Abbott is as delicious as it is scandalous. Readers are going to cheer for her the whole way!”
    Charish Reid, author of The Write Escape and Hearts on Hold
  • "Juicy."
    Sisters from AARP
  • "The ultimate beach read."
    The Root
  • "This love story has some serious chops."
    Glam

On Sale
Aug 1, 2023
Page Count
320 pages
ISBN-13
9781538722794

Download the book club kit for discussion questions and an author q&a!

Regina Black

About the Author

Regina Black is a former civil litigator, current law school administrator, and life long romance reader who has always been passionate about the depiction of Black women in popular culture. She currently resides in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband and daughter.

Learn more about this author