I had the pleasure of reading the ARC of the art of unmaking and am so grateful for that!

This book took me back to my love of art growing up, the way Parker writes is beautiful and I felt like I was there and could smell the paint and feel the longing between Clara and Evelyn. The plot was full of intrigue and kept me guessing as to what was really going on in the Blackwood society and also what Evelyn’s life story was.

I really enjoyed the development of Clara and seeing her struggles and how she evolved, I’d loved if the last quarter of the book had been longer as I would have enjoyed reading more of the relationship development as well as more of the secrecy behind the society unfolding. The twist at the end I was not expecting! Which is great because usually I have some kind of inkling where a story is going. Looking forward to more Parker Lennox in the future!

Lennox’s stunning sapphic romance is a real delight for anyone who enjoys art, creativity, heart melting romance and an author who can beautifully turn a phrase. The verbal sparring between Clara and Evelyn is stimulating in the way only artistic debate can be, and there’s such a stunning authenticity to the way Lennox writes these women, and their world. Her prose is evocative, sumptuously rolling off her pen and into my mind and heart and she presents Clara, and her journey, with such sensitivity and humanity. Imagine the romanticism and poetry of classic fiction, but with spice. I’ve never read anything like this, but anything from Lennox lands squarely on my TBR at this point.

Clara Bennett has kept herself confined within the lines, both as an artist and as a proper woman in society. After being pursued to join the prestigious Blackwood society that empowers individuals to be themselves, Clara, with expectations set of who she should be and who she should become, questions who she is at the core. Society member Evelyn Price quickly pushes Clara's boundaries and makes her question everything she thought she knew about herself. Will she follow her heart or strengthen her facade as society's perfect woman?

The plot of this story excited me, but what really drew me in was Parker's writing. Every character description, the method of Clara creating her art pieces, the mood and setting was written so stunningly and eloquently I felt as though I was sucked into York in 1922 living this out as Clara. The pacing of the story was written perfectly, building up the slow burn and tension between Clara and Evelyn. I loved that this story also had an element of mystery and intrigue swirling around the Blackwood Society. The reader is given snippets of information about the Society that leads to a massive plot twist at the end of the book, which I was not anticipating at all.

The main character Clara goes through a few transformations during this story. Society and her own mother place this immense pressure for her to uphold certain standards of who to court, what to wear, and how to behave. Time and time again we see how her mother does not approve of her "spinster" ways, which we learn is really Clara coming to terms with her sexuality. In parallel, Clara is a classically trained artist who strives on control and sticking to the fundamentals in an almost OCD fashion. When Clara enters the Blackwood Society, she sees how free the members are and struggles with the idea of letting herself step out of the cage she has placed herself in. Taking bigger risks with her art transcends into taking bigger risks with her entire being, like entering a "forbidden" relationship with Evelyn. The parallels are quite stunning paired together - Clara loosening her art fundamentals so she can "feel" is a beautiful metaphor for her letting herself truly be who she wants to be.

Clara and Evelyn's story is a tension-filled "will they won't they" masterpiece. The longing looks, accidental and soft touches, and yearning created a palpable want and need between them. When they are commissioned to create a collaborative piece, their forced proximity had me kicking my feet, screaming for every stolen moment. They shared intimate details in conversations that made me understand they were truly seeing each other for their souls and that this was not lust, but love. This love story should bring hope to those that are struggling with their own sexuality because it embodies the idea that we deserve nothing less than being true to ourselves.

This book is ideal for those that love:
✨ sapphic romance
✨ period pieces / historical fiction
✨ rivals to lovers
✨ slow burn
✨ secret societies
✨ defying societal norms

Thank you to NetGalley and ONYX Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

5 🌟

“𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦.”

Parker’s writing never fails to enthrall me so deeply, and so The Art of Unmaking was everything it promised. The portrayal of art in this was something I thought was exceptional. Parker really did her research because I felt so entranced by it all, even as much as the characters. It was as if I could truly FEEL it, and it sounds cheesy, it was beautiful.

Clara, our MC, had many layers to her that I’m glad we explored. As this is a story of self-discovery, her character’s complexities were so lavish. Clara loves for the approval of others; she dresses for others, she paints for others, she ignores her true wants for others, and while it’s painful to see, it makes the journey to her freedom all the better. We see her gain confidence, and it’s the most satisfying transformation. As for Evelyn, she’s a mystery this whole book, and while it’s unexpected, I felt it nicely added to the convoluted, moody atmosphere of The Art of Unmaking!!

WOW, the romance, the slow burn was PERFECT. And before you ask, no, it wasn't a cheap slow burn because everything good about slow burns was executed amazingly. The longing looks, lingering touches, almost kisses!! Clara and Evelyn had the most deliciously evocative tension and chemistry ever 😩 I was giggling and kicking my feet the entire time because it was SO palpable. Also, it was fun seeing how Evelyn challenged Clara to break down her artistic walls and let her passion come out. They made for an amazing ying-yang couple!

My only thing was the ending. My heart absolutely plummeted at that reveal, so the shock factor worked. But, it was such a crazy plot twist that I wished we had more time for it to develop so things could be smoothed over again. I would definitely read an extended version of this or even a sequel 👀 

The Art of Unmaking is an unforgettable gem! GO READ IT!!

Thank you ONYX Publishing, Netgalley and Parker Lennox for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“The Art of Unmaking” by Parker Lennox is a wonderful historical fiction novel about two women from opposite sides of the art world. Clara is trapped in a traditional school, traditional values, and traditional expectations. And Evelyn belongs to a world promising innovation, illumination, and freedom. The book reminisces of Gentleman Jack in Evelyn’s critique of normality and her pushing the usual boundaries of what’s expected of women and Portrait of Lady on Fire with its dive into artistry and creation paralleling a burgeoning relationship.

Lennox does a wonderful job of illustrating the artworks and life of Clara and her society with just her words. I was enthralled and fascinated every step of the way. I could picture the foggy streets just as much as the impasto paintings they created together.

The book was filled with yearning and longing both for a destiny and a person beyond expectation. These themes feel so valid and relatable even 100 years later. I got goosebumps from the pining and the chemistry.

The only thing about this novel I wish I could change is its scope and length. Only 268 pages and easily consumed (but not easily forgotten). I want to dive deeper into this world and the relationships held within. I could easily see this being a series, but I would have loved to read 600 pages.

As an art history nerd, this book scratched an itch I didn’t know I had. I highly recommend “The Art of Unmaking” to book and art lovers in addition to those who love romance and fantasy.

Bonus! In addition to the beautiful cover, the book includes a lovely piece of art depicting Clara and Evelyn that I can imagine they would be proud of.