To say this was chaotic is an understatement - the characters, the story and the writing. Main character Minty described as "different" or "special" wears glitter on her cheeks and coloured ribbons and scrunchies in her hair. Her life caring for her elderly parents with dementia, young twins and a menagerie of pets whilst returning to dating and trying to outrun her past as an art forger certainly provides a lot of entertaining and funny moments. Yet it's also fairly poignant and honest at times too, and the mystery of trying to discover exactly what happened in 'then' is intriguing. Initially I wasn't sure if I liked the book or not because it is so crazy but it definitely grow on me as I settled in. So my advice is to surrender to the madness, suspend disbelief and just go along for the ride!

This was quite a bizarre read, and more of a mystery with a little romance thrown in. It was very witty, with a chaotic and messy FMC and her very quirky but loveable family.

It was written from Mintys POV and flashes between two timelines. Although I have read this format multiple times, it felt confusing to follow, but I do think this was intentional. Minty leads a very frantic life, and the story is written in a way that reflects that.

Minty was a fun character, but I found myself a little frustrated as she never seemed to take anything seriously. Everything was a joke, and at times, this attitude didn’t seem to fit the serious situation she was in. There were times when I would have preferred less humour.

I found the way in which the story was written a little strange. Minty seemed to address the reader on a few occasions, which threw me of a little. She also seemed to zone out of situations entirely, to the point where she was unaware of what she was doing or where she was, which was never really explained.

However, I did enjoy the wild nature of Minty and her family. The way they handle Alzheimer’s in the story is very heartwarming and amongst the chaos, they are incredibly sweet.

I enjoyed Devon’s character and what he brought to the story, I also like the banter between him and Minty. I didn’t necessarily agree with some of his actions and was surprised when everything he does seems to be forgotten so quickly.

The story doesn’t necessarily feel realistic and I feel like you have to accept this, in order to enjoy the story more. There are many scenes which will have you questioning what you are reading, atleast it did for me.

Overall, this was funny and charming in places, but crazy and confusing in others. It kept me intrigued and entertained as I wanted to see how the story unfolded. It was a quick, easy and fun read.

🖼️ Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ 🖼️

𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙋𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙞𝙣 𝙇𝙞𝙚𝙨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✍🏻 @hollydenhambooks

𝔸 𝕄𝕒𝕚𝕕𝕒 𝕍𝕒𝕝𝕖 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕖: 𝔸 𝔹𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕤𝕙 ℝ𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕚𝕔 ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕕𝕪 & ℂ𝕠𝕫𝕪 𝕄𝕪𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕪

🎨 Thank you @netgalley for introducing me to the humor of Holly Denham! I chose the book based on cover and Pink Panther vibes and it had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed the British humor, quirkiness, and plot twists along the way.

🇬🇧Minty’s return to Maida Vale isn’t just about the chaos of raising twins, Old English Sheepdog shenanigans, and caring for her parents—it’s a second chance at life.

Her days are shadowed by whispers on the school run of her unusual talent—and her past at the heart of a family art ring that once duped London’s elite. Now, the law is convinced she’s back to unearth the truth about a legendary missing painting. Minty must prove her new life is a genuine fresh start. But does she know more than she’s revealing, or is her return an honest attempt to repaint her life’s canvas?

Amidst it all, a mysterious stranger strolls into her already turbulent world, bringing intrigue and the possibility of romance. Is he a brushstroke of fate or a shadow from her past?

With gangsters on her heels and love at her door, Minty embarks on a laugh-out-loud, heartwarming adventure where resilience, family complexities, the differences that make us unique, and the absurdity of overpriced art comically collide in Maida Vale.

#netgalley #hollydenham #lovepaintedinlies #romcombooks #britishcomedy #cozymystery #arcreader #laughoutloud😂

This was such a fun read! Minty and her Harry’s had me giggling!

Minty, a gifted and talented artist who refuses to create anything original, has her past come back to haunt her! Between trying to run from the people hunting her down and fall in love, Minty finds herself struggling to juggle her twins, school, parents, locating her artwork and getting a fresh start in Maida Vale.

Love Painted in Lies is a mystery x romantic comedy and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a quick and fun read!🤩

3 ⭐️ ‘s: Love Painted in Lies follows Minty, a single mother of twins and a former art forger, as she returns to Maida Vale in hopes of a fresh start. But her past isn’t far behind, especially when local law enforcement starts watching her every move. With a touch of romance, a lighthearted mystery, and plenty of eccentric chaos, Minty’s journey unfolds through present-day misadventures and fragmented flashbacks that slowly reveal the truth behind her tangled past.

I enjoyed this book, but the writing style took some getting used to. It felt a bit jumpy and disjointed at first, which made it hard to connect with the story or characters early on. I found myself enjoying the quirky tone and British humor throughout the book and made me miss my days living in London!

Minty is a messy, flawed, and unpredictable character—but that’s also what made her compelling at times. Her interactions with her aging parents and wild kids were a highlight, and there were a few genuine laugh-out-loud moments. This is definitely a suspend your disbelief novel, but as long as you take it as face value, it’s an enjoyable read.

Overall, Love Painted in Lies is a light, witty, and entertaining read that is perfect for a vacation!

Thank you to NetGalley and Front Recruitment Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review💕🫶🏼

Very much enjoyed this.
Had never read anything by this author before.
Was very much involved in the tale of forgery, the art world, Russian gangsters and all the mayhem involved.
Would recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC in return for my honest review

oh im so impressed with this book. it was a bit of a joy to completely be absorbed into this world for a while. the book had me smiling and giggling throughout.
it was smart and quick witted whilst also proving to be full of heart and tender moments. both things fit side by side and woven throughout seamlessly. i cant say enough about how much feel good factor this book brought to my world.
every character in this book has their rightful place and time to shine. and Minty was so sparkly and brilliant but at the same time so much of her and life surrounding her was relatable. her juggles of home life had you both smiling and nodding along knowingly.
the book gives us Minty. she has returned to Maida Vale for a fresh start. her life is currently shadowed by whispers and rumors of a family history of art forgery. but this isnt the only thing Minty has to contend with. because home life is enough of a adventure in itself. Juggling her two twins and the relationship between her parents is a big enough chaos in itself. add to that the chance of romance and Minty has choices and decisions to make a plenty.
the situations are brilliant. the way Holly writes is both real, truthful but also done with so much humanity and heart to it that you can help but feel lifted by this book and the characters interacting within it.
the added side of art forgery was a bonus and Holly must have alot of genre talents under her belt to write this "mystery" side of things so well. and only succeeded in adding more joy and excitement to the plot. and never once did it take away from the rest of what we were reading about and invested in.
i thoroughly enjoyed this book and would urge anyone to read it. i sped through this far to quickly because it was just too unputdownable.

Hilarious laugh out loud, quirky, eccentric and really quite barmy!!
Minty is a very talented artist with twins Harry & Harriet along with a menagerie of cats and dogs, weird and wonderful friends and parents descending into dementia. Set predominantly in Maida Vale in London, the life, adventures and chaos that surround Minty are all quite mind boggling. The book is set in Now and Then timelines to uncover the history of what happened to explain where everyone is now, easy to read and follow, hilarious yet poignant and touching. Refreshingly funny and honest.
Light hearted and definitely a fun read!
Enjoyable and intriguing!
Thank you NetGalley and Front publishing for the early read! Much appreciated!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Excellent. Just like the title reveals storyline is of an Art Forgery in London.
Female who has been professional painter decided to forge some artwork for fun and to raise income whilst taking care of her elderly parents. Her name in this novel is conveniently 'Minty'! This storyline is enriched by Minty's prison time in one of very famous ladies prisons in central London. Of course James Bond type or government officer becomes her hero whiles she struggles with dangerous criminals on her path to freedom and doing good deed for all human kind.
I really enjoyed reading and I would recommend this novel.

Book Review-
Love Painted in Lies- Holly Denham
Rating- 4.5🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Thank you to @netgalley and Front Recruitment Publishing for the opprtunity to read this.

If I had to describe this book in one word it would be Bonkers! I absolutely loved this book, it's short, hilarious and just so refreshingly different to the books I've read recently. I loved that I could visualise all the characters in the book and laugh along with them- which did get me some funny looks at the pool 😂.

A story about Minty returning to look after her parents, along with her twins, and hoping for a fresh start. However, her past soon catches up with her and leads to quite a bit of chaos 😅🙈!


If you want to laugh out loud then I would definitely recommend this book!

#netgalley #ARCread #indieauthor #comedybook #bookstagram #bookreview

This was such a fun and quick read! It was chaotic, funny but endearing. I enjoyed the quirky characters and the plot.

What an uplifting tale of the loveable, likeable Minty and her escapades in Maida Vale. Thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next by this author

Lighthearted and full of shenanigans, while capturing the monotony and chaos of everyday life. I really enjoyed this ridiculous (in a good way) story!

It takes a little bit to get into, but the more I read, the more I was pulled into Minty’s world - as a widow and single-mother raising twins, as a daughter taking care of her ailing parents, and as a conartist with a past that’s still haunting her.

The writing is delightful. There are many moments that had me chuckling to myself. There is depth added to the story through the flashbacks, capturing her moray ambiguous past and posing the question of if she’s actually on the straight and arrow or if she’s just gotten better at hiding her double life. And there is a readiness to it, given how it captures moments in time, the flaws and reality that we all live in some form.

My biggest question throughout was if Minty is neurodivergent (I think so?). There were enough instances when her actions/reactions/habits either shows she processes things differently than other people or that the author made Minty a more vivid (but also less realistic) character than I realized.

Thank you to Holly Denham and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a great book, I really enjoyed it! Thank you Netgalley for the arc of this book, I really appreciate it.

This book was honestly hilarious and i loved it so much! Minty was such a sweetheart but also so strong and inspirational! I love her interactions with everyone and how unique her personality is. I also enjoyed how the author portrayed the serious topics in this book and how it all played out. i will definitely be reading more from this author.

Love Painted in Lies: A Maida Vale Tale by Holly Denham is a hilarious, feel-good comedy that expertly blends mystery, romance, and everyday chaos. The story follows Minty, who returns to Maida Vale with the challenges of raising twins, managing her quirky Old English Sheepdog, and dealing with the demands of caring for her parents. However, her seemingly ordinary life is far from it. Minty is shadowed by the dark whispers of her past involvement in a notorious family art forgery ring, which once deceived London's elite.

As Minty navigates the tangled web of her new life, the law remains suspicious of her return, convinced she's out to uncover a missing treasure of priceless art. Minty must work to prove that her intentions are honest and that she's truly seeking a fresh start. But is she hiding something? Could her return be more than a simple attempt to repaint her life, or is she hiding the secrets of her past?

The comedic brilliance of the novel shines through as Minty balances school runs, the absurdity of London’s cutthroat school admissions process, and the appearance of a mysterious stranger who brings both intrigue and a dash of romance into her life. With gangsters on her tail and love on the horizon, Love Painted in Lies is a witty and engaging read that will keep readers laughing and guessing until the very end. Denham crafts a charming tale where art, lies, and love collide, offering a delightful escape into a world full of humor and heart.

Holly Denham’s Love Painted in Lies is a delightful blend of mystery, humour, and heart that draws you into the chaotic, colourful life of Minty - a woman returning to Maida Vale to piece together her life under the lingering shadow of her family’s scandalous past.

Whispers of a family-run art forgery ring and a legendary missing painting swirl around Minty, and the watchful eyes of the law are convinced she’s back to unearth long-buried secrets.

But Minty has more immediate chaos to juggle: raising twins, caring for her aging parents, managing sibling dynamics, and navigating the possibility of romance amidst all the madness.

Minty is such a relatable, engaging protagonist.

Her struggle to juggle and balance her many roles while facing the weight of her family’s notorious history makes her both sympathetic and utterly human.

When love begins to enter her life, it adds another layer of complexity, as Minty must decide how much of her chaotic world to reveal without scaring him off.

The gradual revelation of Minty’s family’s con artist history through flashbacks adds a compelling layer of suspense to the plot.

Denham masterfully weaves these elements into the story, creating twists and turns that rival some of the best suspense thrillers.

Yet the book never loses its humour or its heart, making it as entertaining as it is intriguing.

The true charm of Love Painted in Lies lies in its exploration of family and the everyday mayhem of life at home.

Minty’s relationships with her parents, children, and siblings are filled with warmth, humour, and the kind of chaos that’s instantly relatable.

These moments not only create laugh-out-loud situations but also ground the story in genuine emotion, making you care deeply for the characters and their struggles.

Packed with drama, desire, and disaster, Love Painted in Lies is perfect as a holiday read, a pick-me-up, or a companion for a lazy weekend.

Once you dive in, you won’t want to put it down.

Holly Denham has created a story that’s as compelling as it is entertaining, leaving readers eager for more.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a rollicking caper of a read!

We meet Minty, a single mother of twins who is a talented artist, She lives with her aging parents to support them as her mum has developed Alzheimer's, and she has a couple of big old English sheepdogs too. So it's a bit of a chaotic household to say the least!

In her younger days, Minty used her artistic talents for forgery to some degree of success - landing her a stint in jail. Now she's out and going straight, but faces from the past have re-appeared asking questions and making demands she's unable to keep.

Minty is a scattered character to put it politely, putting a new spin on an unreliable narrator. We are never entirely sure what she is thinking or how the makes the decisions she does, along with her kids, family and basically everyone else who has any contact with her.

I did enjoy the book, it's a nice easy ready and plenty going on to keep it interesting. I did start to lose track of who 's who and what's what at some points as there was so much going on. Would be a good read for holidays when you have noting else you need to focus on for a few hours.

Love Painted in Lies by Holly Denham is a delightful and humorous romp filled with chaos, charm, and heart. Minty returns to Maida Vale to manage the everyday challenges of family life, but her past—tied to a notorious art forgery ring—casts a long shadow. As she tries to start fresh, she’s pulled into a whirlwind of mystery, with a missing painting, suspicious strangers, and the high-stakes world of school admissions. Witty, fast-paced, and full of laugh-out-loud moments, this feel-good comedy mixes romance, family drama, and a dash of intrigue for a thoroughly enjoyable read.