"Rom-Com meets Mystery Caper - A compulsive page-turner!"


Minty has recently been widowed, leaving her to raise two primary school aged twins (Harry and Harriet), whilst caring for two new additions to the family, Old English Sheepdog puppies, who are totally out of control and a menace both in and out of the home they all now share with Minty's aging parents, who are finding it increasingly difficult to deal with reality and the proprieties of day to day living.

Minty's sister Tamsin tries to keep a wary eye on all of her extended family, as she only lives a short distance from her old family home, despite being married to Thomas, having a family of her own, and now living a completely different lifestyle to the chaos which fills Minty's world. Minty and Tamsin also have a brother Rupert, who plays a much smaller part in the overall storyline, although he definitely isn't as innocent as one might think.

Minty has served time at Her Majesty's pleasure for forgery, one of the lesser crimes, when all is said and done, but with both she and her siblings still being 'persons of interest' to the authorities. In fact, the entire family has a dubious past and now, after whatever crimes the police suspect the family might have perpetrated which remain unproven and with which they were never charged, at least once a year Inspector Michael T. James from the Arts & Antiquities unit of the Met, makes an appearance just to remind Minty that he hasn't forgotten the family, or closed the investigation.

As you might have guessed, the family are not as innocuous as they might at first seem, although the true extent of their nefarious activities isn't revealed until near the end of the book. Meanwhile, two particularly vicious gang members from Minty's past reappear on the scene, wanting to close some unfinished business which dates back to those early days before she was incarcerated. It remains to be seen who will come off better in their exchanges and whether Minty has lost her touch.

...

I am not generally 'into' romantic comedy as a genre and something has to really 'tickle my fancy' before I find it funny and it makes me smile. Perhaps it was that this story was comedy British style, a bit sassy and spicy, very tongue-in-cheek and often necessary to suspend belief quite a bit, but I found myself smiling an awful lot and there were even some chuckle out loud moments. I would have said that the art forgery elements of the storyline also make this book something of a mystery caper, easily on a par with others I have read in the genre. However, there were also some aspects of the messaging within the story which were much more serious, almost sobering and were interesting to evaluate as Minty dealt with them in her own inimitable style.

A dual timeline story, with each chapter containing a 'Then and Now' section, although both the time lines or chapter breaks were not too clearly delineated when I read this on my Kindle, but perhaps they are clearer in other formats, so not a criticism, as I don't know that.

Fast-paced and easy to read, once I had worked out who everyone was in this ultra-busy and quite convoluted plotline, the pages virtually turned themselves and I was almost sad when the saga played out to its conclusion and I closed the final page.

As a confirmed 'armchair traveller' I generally look for place names I recognise, with descriptions and details enough to transport me there on my reading journey. However, I actually never noticed what was going on around Minty and her friends and family, as I was so caught up in their chaotic and manic lives, busy concentrating on the characters and twisty storyline, so well done! to author Holly Denham for some fantastic diversionary tactics!

The storyline and journey the author takes me on, may be a bit fanciful, but I'm a sucker for anything to do with art and art crime, so that was fine by me. These were three very entrepreneurial siblings, each with their own set of unique talents, who managed to pull the wool over the eyes of many experienced art dealers and collectors. Tamsin is organised and meticulous with detail and Rupert is the smooth-talker, who can divert attention from what is going on right under someone's nose. But it is Minty who is the class act with her natural knack for recreating works of art in the style of the original artist - and so well that even the most fastidious collectors are fooled. Okay, you can call it out for what it was - forgery - if you must, but for Minty this was her only way of truly expressing herself.

Minty also has another bite at the romance cherry, with someone she believes to be a gym coach called Devon. It takes a lot to con a conman, however Devon manages it so well, until he actually begins to have genuine romantic feelings towards Minty and her quirky family. It is a shock for them all when Devon reveals his true identity and it was left to my imagination to work out whether there was still a possibility of a romance between the two of them after the dust had settled, as clearly by now Devon is more than aware of what he is letting himself in for if he takes Minty, the disaster that is always waiting to happen around her, and her eclectic extended family.

The family characters were really well drawn and developed, at times I wasn't sure who was caring for whom, so muddled and distracted was Minty's thinking, reason and logic, yet somehow they seemed to all get by, although the young twins got relegated to the margins of the storyline and I would have liked to see them included a bit more. Minty's late husband Dustin had been the guiding and stable force in Minty's life, who as you might by now have worked out, is definitely on the spectrum and has an attention and concentration disorder, although, typical of the condition, she has a particular and unique talent at which she excels. Hiding behind this skill gives her the chance to lead a different life, because she thinks her real self isn't good enough and she still believes that she is a failure and disappointment to her father, who has always tried to encourage her to create something original and let her true self shine through. Even though it is already far too late for Minty to share that moment with her mother, she aims to make her father proud before he too, loses his grip on reality. Add to the mix, a giant of a man called Quinn and a very disgruntled Russian and you can see just how manic and complicated Minty's life has become. None of the characters are perfect, but they are all 'real' in the very loose sense of the word and against all the odds I quickly found myself able to relate to them.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers, and author for an ARC of Love Painted in Lies.

This book is a 3.5 star read.
It starts in chaos and doesn't sit down from there. There are several laugh out loud moments and overall it was a good story, but I found it all a bit too much at times. The central character (Minty) has a lot going on, with extra thrown on top. Likable characters thrown in with love to hate characters brings the book full circle, but as I've stated, just a little too much chaos for my brain at times.

I've tried a few times now to get into this book but I just can't and I think I need to just give up. The first chapter throws you right into Minty's life as a mum of two who has to not only look after her kids but her parents as well. However, I really couldn't get into this first chapter no matter how much I tried because it all felt really chaotic and like it was jumping around too much, and I just felt detached from everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Front Recruitment Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, I raced through it in about 2 days! Good fun plot.

I received this book from netgalley in return for a honest review.

this was very cute! i love reading a book about london as someone who lives here and this was no exception! i'm not going to lie, it took me a bit to get into it, but once i did it was very enjoyable.

thank you netgalley and front recruitment publishing for the arc.

Love Painted in Lies: A Maida Vale Tale by Holly Denham was a bit of a slow moving read but I did enjoy it. Minty is a single mom raising twins and now back in her parents house to help them as her parents are having so issues being on their own now. Working as an artist at home, she's able to create her weird sculptures, much to the neighbors dismay. She's reluctant however to do some of her art due to her past.

The story jumps from the past to the present quite often. It does have quite a few funny moments but it just didn't hold me like some other stories did. I do recommend it if you like this type of story.

Thank you Netgalley and Front Recruitment Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

The authors previous works are pride of place on my bookshelf, they have survived several previous culls for space and remain a go to for a re read. When I saw a new book by this fabulous author I was over joyed! This book is fantastic and does not disappoint. Quintessentially English and an absolutely joy to read. The plot is wickedly twisty supplemented by a cast of characters bringing comedy, romance and jeopardy into the story. Paddington and Muffin are just the cherry on top of a delicious book bun. Loved it! More please.

Thank you Netgalley

Quite a different read, it was funny in places and also rather confusing in others. The main character was very different from your run of the mill heroines, but that really only added to the appeal. I found her descriptions of Minty’s mum with dementia very touching.

Very good story, very well written, the plot was excellent, I really enjoyed reading it.
I didn't know the author, but it was a great first approach.

This was a light hearted, comical story, the characters were brilliant and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I was attracted to this book by the title page and intrigued by a brief synopsis. I was not disappointed. The quirky tale of Minty, returning home, complete with twins and two 'Dulux' dogs, to look after struggling parents includes mystery, jeopardy , romance and comedy. The characters are beautifully drawn, making you want to journey with them. This book does not neatly fit a particular genre, but will be appreciated by those with a sense of humour who like a light-hearted read.

Funny, engaging, and original. I loved this story and found myself thinking about it during the day. A great escapist read for Autumn 24.

This book was so funny. There were so many disasters and you could almost anticipate them happening. I could really relate to Minty as a mum, trying to juggle everything, parenting, parents, dogs, finding a job, relationships.
Definitely worth a read, if you want something light hearted and something to make you smile.
Can't wait to see what Holly writes next.

2.5 rounded down. I have so much respect for self published authors! I think that this book could be someone's cup of tea, but it just wasn't mine. This was supposed to be a funny mystery, but the humor just didn't land for me. As a school psychologist, the leisure-ness of a mother leaving her children potentially parentless and her relaxedness about all of it made me want to call Department of Homeland Security on her. Those kids ACE scores have got to be through the roof. I was also confused about the random gibberish used? Trumpers Pumpers and (spanish) Espinacas words used in place of others gave millennial quirky humor that I though distracted from the story.

The storyline was good! I found myself wondering how it would end. Quinn was a little aggressive and it just didnt match the storyline for me. The police evasion alone reminded me that I couldn't try to set this book in reality because there's not way someone can avoid the police so many times. Made me take a step back and not be so critical of how realistic this story is, because it didn't promise to be.

Things happened really fast, which I normally love, but it felt like some of it was rushed. nevertheless, I couldn't write anything better so my criticality is also acknowledging how hard it is to self publish. I've seen that other reviewers have enjoyed this, so I wouldn't write it off just because I didn't love it.

I also don't think this had enough romance in it to put it in the romance category.

Thank you NetGalley and Front Recruitment Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. This was a fun, lighthearted book and I did enjoy it.

"Love Painted in Lies: A Maida Vale Tale" by Holly Denham is a compelling and intricately woven story that explores the darker side of love, secrets, and deception in the elegant backdrop of Maida Vale. Denham’s writing is both evocative and suspenseful, pulling readers into a world where appearances can be deceiving and everyone has something to hide. The characters are richly developed, each one harboring their own secrets that slowly unravel as the plot thickens. The novel skillfully blends elements of romance, mystery, and psychological drama, keeping readers on edge as the truth behind the lies is gradually revealed. "Love Painted in Lies" is a captivating read for those who enjoy stories filled with twists, complex characters, and an undercurrent of intrigue that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Minty is a single mum to twins who has returned to her parent's home in order to care for them. She is a metal artist, specialising in reusing objects, and welding them together to make new objects, to neighbour's disbelief and annoyance.
This over the top story is a light relief and provides laughs although I felt a bit fsr fetched at times. It'll while away your pool or beach time or a rainy day quite well.

First of all thanks to Holly for asking me to review this fun read .

to say i liked this book would be lying i LOVED it !! there were plenty of laugh out loud moments I thought the plot was so much fun i mean come on romance mixed in with family drama the best heist it was so funny what more can you want from a Rom-Com .

i thought every character was so quirky that I loved most of the main character Minty was wonderful she was feisty ,witty and full of sass. she was ready to take on the world .

i thought holly writing was wonderful and very well paced , she had me thinking a lot with little plot twists which i very much enjoyed and she made she there was plenty of action so pretty fasted paced .

To think if you love a Rom-Com with a bit of spice/ romance , sass and plenty of humour.


im giving this book 4 bright stars

5 out of 5 to the cover of the book all the way to the plot of the book !!

Amazing and fantastic 💖💖

Thank you for the opportunity

“Develop your own style, and don’t be afraid to go for it.”

Minty has returned to Maida Vale for a fresh start even though her life is shadowed by whispers of a family art forgery ring that once duped the London elite. But the watchful eyes of the law linger on Minty, convinced she is back to unearth a treasure trove of truths about a legendary missing painting. While navigating the chaos of raising twins, caring for her parents, and juggling her turbulent world with the possibility of romance, Minty’s life is a comical collision of art and reality.

Love Painted in Lies is a blend of mystery and humour. I loved how relatable Minty is as a woman juggling different roles as she strives to find balance in her crazy life. When love comes knocking, she must choose how much of this madness is safe to reveal before he decides to run.

The part about her evolution into a con is revealed gradually through flashbacks. This adds an exciting mystery to the plot with twists that can give some of the best suspense-thrillers a run for their money.

The essence of the story comes from Minty’s life at home and her relationship with her parents, children, and siblings. The everyday mayhem not only creates some uniquely hilarious situations but also makes you empathise with the characters and their struggles.

Drama, desire, and disaster join hands in this story that’s great as a holiday read, a pick-me-up, or as your companion for a lazy weekend. Nothing can hold you back from devouring it once you sink your teeth in.

This ARC courtesy of @netgalley and Front Recruitment Publishing.