The Art of Scandal

A "wildly steamy, utterly heartwarming" debut filled with romance, artistic ambitions, political scandal, and finding love where you least expect it (Tia Williams).

Publishers Weekly Best Romance Book of 2023 - Chicago Public Library Best Romance of 2023 - A "Sarah's BookShelves" Best Debut of 2023 - Go On Girl Book Club pick

"Love would be so much easier if it were perfect..."

On the night of her husband Matt's fortieth birthday, Rachel Abbott receives a sexy, explicit text from her husband that she quickly realizes was meant for another woman. Divorce is inevitable, and Rachel is determined not to leave her thirteen-year marriage empty handed. Meanwhile, Matt, a rising star mayor with his eye on the White House, can't afford a messy split in the middle of his reelection campaign. They strike a deal: Rachel gets one million dollars and their lavish house in the wealthy DC suburb of Oasis Springs, as long as she keeps playing the ideal Black trophy wife until the election.

Then Rachel meets Nathan Vasquez, a very handsome, very lost twenty-six-year-old artist, and their connection makes Rachel forget about being the perfect politician's wife. As Rachel reawakens Nathan's long-dormant artistic aspirations, their attraction becomes impossible to resist. But secrets are hard to keep in a town like Oasis Springs, and Nathan has a few of his own. With the risk of scandal looming and their hearts on the line, they'll have to decide whether the possibility of losing everything is worth taking a chance on love.

The Art of Scandal is a sizzling, conversation-starting debut about rekindling passion, the transformative power of art, and finding love in unexpected places.

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Published Aug 1, 2023

320 pages

Average rating: 6.54

46 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

Cindy Guinn
May 01, 2025
7/10 stars
3.5 ⭐️
Just ok to me. I know this book got great reviews by several friends, I just could not connect. I was drawn in at the very beginning but then I felt the story lagged and just went stale. I'm not into the cheating trope.
ELAProfessorgirl
Aug 26, 2024
5/10 stars
This book did not capture my interest quickly. It took me a while to become interested. But, once I became interested it got somewhat better.
Smtesq
Feb 13, 2024
7/10 stars
Slow and boring. Didn’t get interesting until about 75% into the book. I did like the ending though. Points for not ending in an engagement or marriage.
TBGRbookclub
Dec 31, 2023
8/10 stars
🍁The Art of Scandal by Regina Black. Review by Fallon Vaughn 🍂Rachel and Nathaniel meet by chance, but what happens next is enough to send the entire country into a scandalous frenzy. An unhappy wife finds love in an unlikely love story with a twist. What happens when the Mayor accidentally sends a 🍆 picture to the wrong recipient? The Art of Scandal was an easy read that kept me interested in the story from the first page. I enjoyed the story line and wanted the Mayor to go down from the moment he was introduced. I loved Rachel but I also kind of hated her at the same time, which for me is the mark of a memorable character. This book is great for anyone trying to get out of a reading slump, or who wants a story that will flow quickly without too much overthinking it. You may or may not be rooting for the main character to get her happy ending… #thisbrownegirlreads #tbgrbookclub

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