☆••*´¨`*•.☆•• 4-stars ☆••*´¨`*•.☆••
Synopsis:
A stroke of beauty
a palette of pain
a rendering of passion
…creating a work of art
In a life driven by passion, famed artist Maxfield Caswell lives in a world of brilliant color and drama, pushing his art and affairs to his emotional edge. He’s stunning, charismatic and celebrated in the art world, but are the trappings of fame also destroying him?
Ava Jacobs is diligently working toward an art career of her own when she’s swept off her feet by the self-destructive artist — creating a world of sensuality and all-consuming love. But will the pain of the past and turmoil of the present make their future uncertain? From desire and mystery to a muse that almost slips away, The Work of Art Collection will be the inspiration that has you breathless for the unveiling of their final masterpiece.
This beautifully written love story is finally being released as a collection (complete box set) for the first time and includes new material and extras.
Excerpt:
“Max, I realize now I have to live my life with passion and go after exactly what I want.”
“What do you want, Ava?” His eyes search my expression for what’s still unspoken.
I look at him and smile before I hurl myself off the cliff. The anticipation
of the freefall is delicious, because I’m sure of where I’m going to land. I pause to study him for our final moment as two separate people.
Standing before me is my sparking live wire…his mind a verdant forest to endlessly wander. His uncontainable spirit swirls around me, lifting me off the ground. My cheeks are windburned and my heart wildly racing from the sheer force of it.
My gaze travels along his jaw, across his shoulders and down his thighs. I’m desperately hungry, because his body and his beautiful face
are the physical manifestation of everything I’ve ever desired.
My friend, my greatest love…my Max.
He looks at me expectantly.
“You,” I whisper. “I want you.”
“Oh, Ava.” His voice is heavy with emotion as he steps forward
and pulls me into his powerful arms. All of the longing we’ve suffered
through now defines the surge of passion between us. His hands press
into me as if in prayer.
My next breath catches with a sob, and tears of joy and relief paint
my face. But he gently brushes them away and kisses the salty remains.
A shade of disbelief and confusion lingers. “You want me?” he whispers,
as if he’s hoping so much to believe me. His lips graze my cheek,
pausing so close to mine. I imagine he wants to breathe in my response,
draw it inside and let it course through him like the blood that keeps
his heart beating.
I grab his arms and shake him, my voice heated and urgent. I’m
desperate to have him understand. “You have to know…I may have
fought it, but you’re all I’ve ever wanted. I don’t want to deny it for
another day, another moment.”
This time he sways, rocks forward, and lifts me into his embrace.
Our kiss is desperate as our hearts join together. I’m drunk with
his taste, my tongue sliding across his, my teeth grazing his bottom lip
before I sink further into him. His passion intoxicates me until I float
out of my body to watch the scene before me.
We’re in a Maxfield Parrish amber-dipped landscape redefining the
cinematic kiss. I imagine we’re near the edge of a cliff with the world
laid out before us. The sun’s about to sink behind the horizon while we
hold onto each other, bracing against the wind of all our past experiences
as they whip past us. It’s a masterpiece. This moment should be
in an elaborately gilded frame hanging in the Louvre.
Review:
Work of Art: The Collection by Ruth Clampett was originally published in 2014-2015 as a trilogy (The Inspiration, The Unveiling and The Masterpiece). The trilogy has been bundled into one long book PLUS bonus scenes from different POVs and add ons! The best part is that you don’t have to chew your nails over the cliff hangers of books one and two, because the final book of the series is published and included in this new offering.
Ruth Clampett’s writing in Work of Art is incredibly detailed and descriptive. Right away my senses were on overload. The characters are well developed, and I felt like I personally knew all the characters. Ms. Clampett provides readers with great details about the art world—both from the artist’s perspective as well as from gallery owners and other “business-end” groups. I loved all the references to classic art pieces, and the quotes at the start of each chapter were fabulous. The behind-the-scenes view of the crazy, political art business was fascinating.
Ava is the narrator of Work of Art. She is my kind of girl; she loves art and literature. When life turned sour on her, she moved cross country and with the help of classmate, Brian, she made lemonade out of her lemons. She got a new family, an education, and she has a budding career at a LA art gallery. Ava’s youth and inexperience makes her a naive when it comes to men and their intentions. Will she be able to handle the edgy, dark side of her eventual fame?
Max Caswell is a tormented and troubled artist who has found his muse in Ava Jacobs. He is an extremist; he is, at times, dark and brooding and at other times, he is charming and seemingly light-hearted. He struggles with some mental-health challenges that are exacerbated by a rough past. These issues hinder his personal life as well as his career. Juxtapose to his inner demons is Max’s light-hearted, handsome, party-boy, celebrity persona to which women flock.
The secondary characters are incredible. They are all richly developed. I loved Jess the lesbian artist best friend to both Ava and Max. Dylan, Max’s agent, is a dichotomy. Sometimes he seems to have Max’s best interest at heart, and at other times he seems to sabotage Ava and Max at every turn. Speaking of sabotage, the string of men who are “helping” Ava with her career (and secretly hoping to help her into bed) is amazing. They’re characters you love to hate even though they’re sort of caricatures.
Ava’s and Max’s story is painted in broad brush strokes from Los Angeles to New Mexico to New York to Paris. They have a unique, flirty friendship which blossoms into a passionate love affair that is tested by betrayal from seemingly trustworthy acquaintances. If that isn’t enough, the stigma of dating a colleague threatens to ruin their careers and subsequently their relationship. Thankfully, Ava and Max are surrounded by some seriously supportive friends and family who help them find their way. Fans of the new adult genre will love the dark and seriously angsty rollercoaster relationship. Art enthusiasts will fawn over the generous details of this four-star read.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28370922-work-of-art-the-collection?from_search=true&search_version=service
Purchase links: Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA
About the Author:
Ruth Clampett, daughter of legendary animation director, Bob Clampett, has spent a lifetime surrounded by art and animation. A graduate of Art Center College of Design, her careers have included graphic design, photography, VP of Design for WB Stores and teaching photography at UCLA. She now runs her own studio as the fine art publisher for Warner Bros. where she’s had the opportunity to know and work with many of the greatest artists in the world of animation and comics.
The Work of Art Trilogy is Ruth’s third publishing endeavor, following Animate Me and Mr. 365. She lives in Los Angeles and is heavily supervised by her teenage daughter, lovingly referred to as Snarky, who loves art and visiting museums as much as her mom.
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