Art is a lie that makes us realize truth. —Pablo Picasso

rating: 4.25

sweetbitter x saltburn (minus the murder and grotesque grave humping lol)

this was an intriguing read. while the plot follows a secret budding romance between the protagonist ren and her best friend's older brother, archer, the themes are very much centered on wealth, power, class, and the effects of all of the above on intrapersonal relationships.

"Etta was my best friend, but in getting involved with her brother, I would be too close to her equal. She wouldn’t like that."

ren is quiet, timid, and self-depracating; she follows her best friend etta, admiring her boldness but knows she doesn't fit into etta's upper society world. while etta is away, she flounders on where they stand as friends; ren feels guilty for the secret tryst that develops between her and archer, but at the same time recognizes the power trips and callousness etta holds over her, comparing it to the dealings with her boss natalie.

"I felt very alone, very ordinary, and like I might never amount to anything. Did all people feel this way? Like you might never be enough?"

reading this reminded me so much of the instability and insecurity of being in your 20s, especially in a big city; the constant feelings of identity crisis coupled with the panic of what am i doing with my life / will i ever be able to do what i truly want to do? there's a sympathy i can extend to ren, etta, and archer in regards to that tumultuousness.

“But art is a risk. And risk is inherent to anything you truly care about.”

i enjoyed the writing itself as well. while there is some fun designer or luxury namedropping and descriptions to luxuriate over, kuhl focuses more on the subtle microtells between characters and complex dynamics. these characters felt very real to me. i think of the scene when ren's mother plum approaches ren to investigate the celine sunglasses. it's one of kuhl's many examples of the unspoken rules of behavior in upper class society; subtle confrontation, quiet luxury but extreme possessiveness over their belongings, the quiet smirks of response to faux pas while offering a patronizing grace. reminders that while you might be hanging around, you'll never belong.

"Etta was being thoughtful, but her actions felt rooted in something else. Something like control."

"How money was power, and power was the only currency that would ever really matter."

toxic relationships are certainly centered: ren's parental relationships, her examination of etta and archer's relationships to their aloof parents, ren's respective dynamic to etta and archer each contrasted to her work husband jeff. but there is also some reflection on the struggles as an artist; how to balance art and actually making a living, how capitalizing on art affects the process and satisfaction, the legitimacy of the identity of an artist. this is of course compounded by things like money, nepotism, and imposter syndrome.

if you prefer your reads focused on imperfect dynamics with plenty of reflection juxtaposed to a backdrop of the glamor of the new york city elite, you'll enjoy this.

"After all, pretending is an art and all art comes at a price."

A contemporary fiction with themes of wealth, envy, and forbidden love. Set in New York, this story focuses on Ren. She has been friends with Etta for over a decade. Etta has wealth, privilege and a large social circle. Ren has a shoebox apartment, a passionless job, and no dating life. She often feels overshadowed and jealous of her friend Etta's near perfect life. When Etta leaves for Barcelona, Ren finds herself feeling more alone than ever. That's until Archer, Etta's brother, begins showing interest in her.

I really wanted to like this. There was so much potential in this story, but I sadly had to DNF at 45%. There was no plot progression. I was nearly halfway thru the story and Ren hasn't even began finding her voice or even a little independence. It seems she just replaced Etta with Archer. Her life still evolved around being a lovesick puppy dog to people with more status and wealth than her. I also found the author's writing longwinded and too descriptive.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a chance to read this advanced reader copy. The opinions are of my own and given freely.

unique dramatic romance with some very intriguing aspects. thanks so much for the arc. would recommend

This was a really enjoyable read, I love the concept of love and friendship and all that other stuff in this book. The characters were realistically written and they didn't feel like one dimensional. I enjoyed the way Lauren Kuhl wrote this as it was really entertaining and had. Characters having consequences of their action, especially when you have a secret relationship with the wealthy families child.

After reading the synopsis I really wanted to love this book. I went into it with high expectations and kind of hoping for a gossip girl kind of vibe but I couldn’t form a connection with any of the characters. I think a lot of people will enjoy this! It just wasn’t my cup of tea but thank you for letting me read this and giving me the opportunity to share my thoughts.

A tantalizing debut about a woman drawn into the orbit of her friend's wealthy artist family in New York City and the complications and consequences that arise when she embarks on a secret relationship with the golden-boy older brother.

A terrific book about friendship and love. The difference in the status and money between the main characters made this an intriguing book. For me, this book was all mood, all vibes, and I was here for it. New York City, the feeling of being in your young/mid 20s and not knowing what you want; the feeling of not belonging.

Another character driven book rather than plot driven.

What a book. WOW. To me, this book was all mood, all vibes, and I was here for it. New York City, the feeling of being in your young/mid 20s and not knowing what you want; the feeling of not belonging.
This book felt very personal to me, maybe because I'm a third culture kid. That feeling of measuring your words, knowing yourself to be the outsider? I have never read a novel that captured it like this one does.
This book's strength, for me, was in its lack of plot (there is definitely a character arc, but it's a very meandering story). It was a slice of life. An experience to dip into. Incredible.

This book shows how friendships can be trusted. Ren loves and hates Etta. Etta lavishes Ren with a “luxury” New York lifestyle. Etta moves to Barcelona without warning. Ren stays in Etta’s apartment. Ren has also been around Etta’s older brother Archer without Etta knowing.

Thanks to the publishers at Harlequin Trade Publishing, Graydon House, and NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book and do a review.

A sophisticated story about friendship and secrets and falling for the one person you probably shouldn't. This was a fantastic book. The author crafted a well-thought-out story that was a breeze to read. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm not sure what this book was supposed to be about or what the actual plot was. The book description didn't feature anything that was mentioned. The dialogue was lackluster and kept repeating itself.

Synopsis (From Netgalley, the provider of the book to review)
*******************************************************
A tantalizing debut about a woman drawn into the orbit of her friend's wealthy artist family in New York City and the complications and consequences that arise when she embarks on a secret relationship with the golden-boy older brother

Ren loves and hates Etta, her best friend since they met at NYU nearly a decade ago. Etta defines Ren's New York. She lavishes her with designer hand-me-downs and takes her along to parties at trust fund lofts and Hamptons estates. But when Etta moves to Barcelona with no warning, Ren is left to face who she is without her, her unremarkable life of shoebox apartment, thankless job, and estranged family.

Enter Archer, Etta’s older brother, whom Ren’s always been infatuated with. In his sister’s absence, suddenly he’s inviting Ren to visit his art gallery, to prestigious galas, on weekend trips with his friends to Amagansett. Archer’s interest makes Ren feel alive in whole new ways, but she knows Etta can't find out. As their relationship intensifies, so does her unease. If it all blows up, who will she be on the other side?

Set over a heady New York summer, The Art of Pretend is an alluring debut about love and friendship, wealth and power, art and ambition—and the stories we tell others and ourselves to get what we want.
Very Gossip Girl (original, not the awful reboot) at heart this was a fun book to read that screams TAKE ME TO THE BEACH! Full of memorable characters and relatable interpersonal relationships (envy, pride…face it all of the Seven Deadly Sins) you will inhale this book and wait expectedly for this new author’s second book! #shortbutsweetreviews

Ren and Etta has been best friends for almost a decade. But Etta moves to Barcelona and Ren is left with Etta's older brother, Archer. As she falls more and more for Archer, she knows she can't let Etta know.....

A terrific book about friendship and love. The difference in the status and money between the main characters made this an intriguing book. Really enjoy it.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

THE ART OF PRETEND is a thoroughly enjoyable novel from beginning to end. Our main character, Ren, has a complicated relationship with her best friend, Etta, who belongs to the world of the wealthy, another world entirely from Ren's world. Everything changes when Etta leaves town suddenly and Ren takes up with Etta's brother, Archer. As their relationship heats up, an uneasiness permeates the pages. The author does a wonderful job of ratcheting up the tension. Ultimately, this is a dramatic and compelling story about ambition and what it might cost.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance e-galley; all opinions expressed herein are my own.

There is a lot of feelings in this book as well; and a lot of complicated ones at that! I didn‘t want to put the book down, but you know, life needs to happen, too. I enjoyed the characters and the plot a lot. Undoubtably, would be reading more from the author.