Tiffany Blues by MJ Rose

"...grief is the price we pay for love."

Jenny Bell is a gifted artist living in New York City in 1924 when she and her best friend, socialite Minx Deering, are invited to an 8-week course on Long Island at Louis Comfort Tiffany's art colony. Off they go to the beautiful Laurelton Hall estate where art will meet paradise. It is there that Jenny comes face to face with her demons, finds love, and refines her passion and talent as a painter of light. But happiness eludes her as the past she's hidden for so long comes back with a vengeance.

This lovely, romantic historical novel evokes all the frenzy that was the 1920s -- the music, the fashion, the art, the literature and the easy use of drugs and alcohol. Everyone was frantically trying to rid themselves of the horrors of the war and so much death. Jenny and Minx are quintessential young adults in a world where life and color rule and people are entranced by new inventions and radicalism. As they begin their course at Laurelton Hall, both are committed to winning the competition among the fellows that summer -- but their ambitions will be derailed by matters that neither predicted nor could control.

The detail and the descriptions of the scenery at Laurelton Hall and everything about their experiences are well rendered making the reader feel a part of that period in time. The clothes, jewelry, food -- the famous names dropped so casually -- it is obvious that M.J. Rose has a deep appreciation and understanding of beauty and art. I felt transported back in time and loved it all. Less compelling was Jenny's story and the drama (somewhat unbelievable) surrounding her backstory, but fortunately that wasn't why I read the book so that aspect was easy for me to overlook while savoring the rich historic period, the information about Tiffany, and the joy of imagining what it would be like to actually see that famous estate.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the e-book ARC to read and review. I've read many books by this author and the most compelling part of each is always her ability to bring the creation of art (or perfume or jewelry, etc.) to life.

This is a standalone and is not part of a series. #JazzAge #romance #art