Tiffany Blues: A Novel

M. J. Rose

Aug 2018 · Sold by Simon and Schuster

About this ebook

The New York Times bestselling author of The Library of Light and Shadow crafts “an enchanting glimpse of Jazz Age New York” (Christina Baker Kline, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Orphan Train) about a young painter whose traumatic past threatens to derail her career at a prestigious summer artists’ colony run by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co. fame.

New York, 1924: Twenty‑four‑year‑old Jenny Bell is one of a dozen burgeoning artists invited to Louis Comfort Tiffany’s prestigious artists’ colony. Gifted and determined, Jenny vows to avoid all distractions and take full advantage of the many wonders to be found at Laurelton Hall.

But Jenny’s past has followed her there. Images of her beloved mother, her hard-hearted stepfather, murder, and the dank hallways of Canada’s notorious Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women overwhelm Jenny’s thoughts, even as she is inextricably drawn to Oliver, Tiffany’s charismatic grandson.

As the summer shimmers on, and the competition between the artists grows fierce as they vie for a spot at Tiffany’s New York gallery, a series of suspicious and disturbing occurrences suggest someone else knows about Jenny’s childhood trauma.

Supported by her closest friend Minx Deering, a seemingly carefree socialite yet dedicated sculptor, and Oliver, Jenny pushes her demons aside. Between stolen kisses and jewels, the champagne flows and the jazz plays on until one moonless night when Jenny’s past and present are thrown together in a desperate moment, that will threaten her promising future, her love, her friendships, and her very life.

“This fast-paced mystery, star-crossed romance, and love letter to Louis Comfort Tiffany will captivate Rose’s many fans and readers of 20th-century historical fiction” (Library Journal, starred review).

Ratings and reviews

Laurelton Hall was an artist’s colony created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in the 1920’s, and this story revolves around a fictional account of one of the dozen or so artists invited to the colony to create, share and improve their skills. Jenny Bell, a young artist with a troubled and mysterious past has talent, skill, determination and plenty of focus, hoping to save money to go to Paris to learn more. She’s also wanting to avoid the “publicity’ end of the artist’s life, preferring anonymity to fame as she works her way through each new project. A person who hears in color yet paints in black and grey, she is the cornerstone of the story. Her roommate Minx, is a wealthy socialite and a talented painter and sculptor. Her own connections have brought her notice, and it is her submission of Jenny’s work that gets them both to Laurelton. Oliver is LCT’s grandson, and enamored with Jenny. She’s trying to focus on her work and learning, but the intrigue of Oliver, and her developing attraction also lead her to share more of her past with him than anyone before. None of her early life was as easy as Oliver’s or Minx’s, and her tormentor, and the reason she seeks to stay in the shadows is omnipresent. While Oliver represents a new opportunity, and the chance for all of us to understand her attitude toward fame, it also means that in his position (and power) with that family name, even while keeping her safe, also creates a divide in their relationship that will not allow a future of equals. Intriguing after a considerably slow start, it takes some time for the characters, or the beauty of Rose’s descriptions and settings start to engage. It’s also important to note that the book truly seems to shift focus as it progresses – early on (and in the slow-go background information) the book feels very much like a more traditional historic fiction, soon to focus more on the romance between Jenny and Oliver, and then as that is establishing itself, the mystery and challenges come into play. I don’t know if a clearer composition of the three elements, where they didn’t feel quite so distinct would have improved or mired the flow, but it does bear mentioning that I felt it also ‘read’ differently – slower at the beginning to rushing through to the end and solution of the mystery. An intriguing and beautifully described title, it was an interesting read and one that encourages me to discover more about Laurelton Hall and the artists who spent time there. I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Content Warning: Death, Manslaughter, Rape, Drug use & Addiction, Illegal Drinking, Adult Content “We're all broken in one way or another, but it's through the cracks in our souls that the light comes through. And the light, Jenny, that's our art. Now, paint. Paint as if your life depends on it.” This is the fourth book that I’ve read by this author. While I’ve always appreciated her ability to express artistic material so well, this is the first story that I’ve fallen in love with. Grandly harmonious with it’s content, Tiffany Blues would speak to any artist’s heart. The story is based on the Laurelton Hall, designed and owned by the famous Louis Comfort Tiffany (designer for the Tiffany’s empire which still reigns today. Click here to some more information about him and his amazing creations!) This historical fiction heavily submerges itself into the romantic life of artists in the 1920s, and is dappled with mystery, suspense, and a smidgen of the paranormal. It is well-developed and very well-researched--the author herself notes on the accuracy of much of her tale being attributed to true events and people in the Author’s Note. Following a young woman named Jenny Bell, the story submerges the reader in a world of dark and light, while searching for the color in its midst. Jenny, having experienced a traumatic past, takes a while to get to know. As her journey as an artist grows, the secrets of her past begin to unravel--no only exposing her just to the scrutiny of her friends. “We're all broken in one way or another, but it's through the cracks in our souls that the light comes through. And the light, Jenny, that's our art. Now, paint. Paint as if your life depends on it.” Jenny definitely has a difficult life. I felt that she could be either quite relatable, or not at all for the reader, depending on their stance coming into the story. Being so closed off as the main character can be risky for the reader, however, I think as time goes on and more is discovered about her, that it’s understandable. I found, at times, that her character felt almost flat when it came to emotion. I think it was because she was so used to holding up a facade of “everything is fine” that it caused her to react by not reacting, or totally overreacting. Overall, I liked how the author depicted these characters. They felt real, raw, and all had a purpose. I’m not usually a big one on romance, but I really appreciated the ending of this book. Yes, it was somewhat predictable, but it wasn’t completely a bad thing. The other, more obvious part of this book that I mostly enjoyed was the art. Boy, can one tell that Ms. Rose knows what she’s talking about when it comes to this subject! In all of her books (at least, that I’ve read) art plays a major role. Her understanding not only of its history, but how it impacts people, is simply so inciteful. I remember my reaction of horror when reading Caraval and the misunderstood use of color to haphazardly explain emotion totally turned me off from that entire series. This book, however, uses color as description for emotions so well. Overall, this book was fantastic. There is some adult content to note, as this serves as a chunk of the plot’s premise. However, the focus on art and Laurelton Hall made this read totally worth it. Vulgarity: Some. Sexual content: There are some scenes of nudity, mildly explicit sex scenes, and a rape scene recollection. Violence: Moderate, including death due to manslaughter. My Rating: ★★★★

About the author

New York Times bestselling author M.J. Rose grew up in New York City exploring the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum and the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park. She is the author of more than a dozen novels, the founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com and cofounder of 1001DarkNights.com She lives in Connecticut. Visit her online at MJRose.com.