Tiffany Blues by M.J. Rose Review and GIVEAWAY (TLC Book Tour)

Tiffany Blues is a wonderful new historical fiction novel that is full of drama, mystery, suspense, and art.  I was quickly swept into this novel and it held me in its grips until the epic conclusion.

Jenny Bell is an artist living in New York City in 1924.  She is determined to learn what she can and to make it as an artist.  Her closest friend, Minx Deering, is a wealthy socialite who is also an artist.  Jenny keeps in her world of black, white, and greys, but she remembers the colors of a beautiful Tiffany stained glass window that played a significant role in her troubled teenage years.  For you see, Jenny Bell, was not always Jenny Bell.  She had another name and had a wonderful artist mother who painted Ouija boards.  Jenny’s idyllic childhood ends when her mother marries the wrong man. What happened to Jenny and her family?  Why does Jenny have a new identity?

Minx believes in Jenny and is able to secure her a coveted summer position at Louis Comfort Tiffany’s artist retreat at his estate, Laurelton Hall on Long Island.  Jenny finds inspiration at Laurelton Hall and also finds herself drawn to Tiffany’s grandson Oliver.  The past has a way of rearing its head and Jenny finds herself in the center of a burgeoning scandal that also seems to involve her past.  What is the truth of Jenny’s history and why is it coming to fruition now?  Will she be able to put her past behind her and embrace her art?  Will she find true love?

I really enjoyed Tiffany Blues.  It was a unique historical setting that involved a lot of interesting elements.  I love the 1920s setting itself and involving not only the art world, but the spiritualism of the day.  I also knew nothing about Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany fame, his artist colony, or his grand estate.  I found it all fascinating.  The story itself was riveting and I read the book relatively quickly as I really wanted to see how the story pulled together.  The characters and the vivid descriptions were wonderful.

I loved the author’s note at the beginning of the novel explaining the history of Laurelton Hall.  It was fascinating.  I would have loved to have seen it in its prime before it burned down.

Favorite Quotes:

“Once the present turns to past, all we have left are memories.”

“The press exploits our lives to sell more papers.  It ignores our humanity.”

“I’ve always wanted to believe in life after death.  In the idea that we’re presented with multiple opportunities to do the right thing from life to life.”

 

Overall, Tiffany Blues is a gripping and unique historical fiction novel with a wonderful and interesting story that kept me enthralled until the end.  I highly recommend it.

Book Source:  Review Copy as part of the TLC Book Tour.  Thank-you!  For more stops on this tour, check out this link.

GIVEAWAY

One lucky winner will receive a copy of Tiffany Blues by M.J Rose. If you would like to win this book, please leave a comment on what interests you about this book. Have you ever read any novels set in the 1920's jazz era?  If so, which ones did you enjoy or not enjoy?

As part of your comment, you must include an email address. If I can't find a way to contact you I will draw another winner.

For an additional entry, blog about this giveaway or post it on your sidebar. Provide a link to this post in your comment.

I will be using random.org (or a Monte Carlo simulation in excel) to pick the winners from the comments.

This contest is only open to addresses in the United States.

The deadline for entry is midnight on Friday September 7th!

Please make sure to check the week of September 10th to see if you are a winner. I send emails to the winner, but lately I've been put in their "junk mail" folder instead of their inbox.

Good luck!