Publication Date: July 22, 2024
Aspiring artist Delaney Harper sails to New Orleans after her mother’s death. On the night of her arrival, she’s welcomed by a masked stranger who steals one breathless kiss. Alderic Beaumont is a fallen aristocrat. Once a corsair and now a smuggler, he’s a force to be reckoned with. On the night of his friend’s celebration, he’s captured by an irresistible beauty. He kisses her, promising to find her come morning. By then, Delaney’s world has crumbled—the truth about her mother reveals Delaney now owns a brothel. With Alderic, Delaney embarks on a path of intrigue and passion. Her wit and artistic skills help conceal her identity and restore the once-prestigious bordello…but her deceptions could cost her Alderic’s heart.
Having traveled abroad, Delaney Harper enters New Orleans, intent on getting to know her late mother. Little does she know that her lavish artistic education and English upbringing have been financed in an unexpected way.
Author Avery Sterling takes readers to the 18th century in The Painted Lady. Innocent Delaney must determine what to do with her inheritance, which happens to be a place called The Bird House. In a moment of revelry in the streets, she encounters handsome Alderic Beaumont.
Discovering that she has inherited a run-down bordello, complete with staff, proves to be a sobering proposition for a refined young lady. However, she uses mystery and her painting skills to re-energize the business.
As Alderic and the bordello owner pursue joint business ventures, Delaney continues to conceal her identity. It’s only a matter of time before the deception is revealed, which could ruin her chance at happiness.
Using paint to decorate the ladies provides an interesting component to the story. There’s also a good amount of drama caused by a competitor.
The Painted Lady features an innocent painter who uses her talents to revive her mother’s legacy but engages in deception to protect her true identity.
Avery Sterling’s love for the romance genre began in her teen years when she picked up her first novel. She was captivated by the sweeping scale of emotions brought about by the words. The experience catapulted her towards learning the art of wielding a breathtaking adventure, with a love that felt authentic. Wanting to inspire people with her own thoughts and words, she finished her first novel at sixteen. It was a step towards understanding the essence of what she wished to create. Most of her youth was spent traveling, searching out the romance and beauty in her everchanging world. From the waves that crashed against the rocky shores of Downeast, Maine, to the warm breezes of the Caribbean, she discovered that love was universal, apparent in its grandest and simplest of forms. Her goal is to write novels an audience can relate to, one that conveys the truth and nature of love… with all that steamy romance.
July 15: Hollies, Happiness, and Healing
July 15: The Avid Reader
July 22: Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
July 22: Novels Alive
July 29: D.S. Dehel
July 29: SSLY
August 5: Sandra’s Book Club
