What a beautiful story. The Art of Us sucked me in by the third page. Hughes writes with such passion; I felt the intensity of Charlee and Alex's bond well before they set eyes on each other again. In hindsight, even the title incites passion. From an artistic view, Charlee and Alex's story includes strokes of love, dabs hurt, and stipples of hope. Also, the cover is an image of a particular scene in the book.

I don't care for flashback stories. Usually midway through I'm thinking "Enough already, let's move on." However, with this story, there is a steady balance between Charlee and Alex's past relationship and their current interactions. I was able to learn just enough about their past to understand their present. In addition, just like in the world of art there's the influence of dealers, patrons, and critics, so too are the influences of the minor characters (Cam, Vinny, and Gabby). I love that during Charlee and Alex's "messy" stage, they have a strong supporting trio in Cam, Vinny, and Gabby.

The intimate tension between Charlee and Alex exists throughout the store, so I appreciate that the sex scenes were not overly done. Although, I would have liked it if Charlee used edible paint for the body painting scene near the end...I'll say no more! Overall, this is an enjoyable emotional read, and I'm certain I will reread it again and again.


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