The Art of Pretend
A Novel
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3.8 • 6 Ratings
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
Gossip Girl meets Tell Me Lies: A tantalizing novel about a woman drawn into the orbit of her friend's wealthy family in New York City and the complications and consequences that arise when she embarks on a secret relationship with the golden-boy older brother
“A delicious take on class, friendship, and desire.” —Christina McDowell, author of The Cave Dwellers
Pretending is an art, and all art comes at a price…
Ren loves and hates Etta, her best friend since they met at NYU nearly a decade ago. Etta defines Ren's New York. She lavishes her with designer hand-me-downs and takes her along to parties at trust fund lofts and Hamptons estates. But when Etta moves to Barcelona with no warning, Ren is left to face who she is without her, her unremarkable life of shoebox apartment, thankless job, and estranged family.
Enter Archer, Etta’s older brother, whom Ren’s always been infatuated with. In his sister’s absence, suddenly he’s inviting Ren to visit his art gallery, to prestigious galas, on weekend trips with his friends to Amagansett. Archer’s interest makes Ren feel alive in whole new ways, but she knows Etta can't find out. As their relationship intensifies, so does her unease. If it all blows up, who will she be on the other side?
Set over a heady New York summer, The Art of Pretend is an alluring novel about love and friendship, wealth and power, art and ambition—and the stories we tell ourselves and others to get what we want.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kuhl's insightful debut follows the travails of a 20-something once aspiring writer as she attempts to build a life in New York City. Ren, who was raised in a middle-class household by an uninvolved father after her mother left them, lacks confidence as a writer and toils instead as a publicist. She's meek in social settings, often kowtowing to her best friend from college, Etta Crofton, the aimless daughter of art world aficionados who's oblivious to her privilege. Etta has a complicated rivalry with her older brother, Archer, an up-and-coming painter who is their parents' favorite. When Etta leaves to study in Barcelona at her parents' behest, the family allows Ren to stay in Etta's apartment. Without Etta around, Ren and Archer gravitate to one another. Archer, who's sincere and ambitious, isn't taken seriously by critics, and Ren bonds with him on their inchoate artistic aspirations as their friendship turns romantic. Ren fears their relationship will upset Etta and decides to keep it a secret, but bigger problems emerge when Ren makes a bad decision that affects Archer. Kuhl skillfully explores the tension of Ren's ambition and insecurity, crafting a taut and believable plot. Readers will find much to love in this sharp, engrossing story.
