The Art of Us

Ted Hughes, KL. Hughes — 2017

Eighteen-year-old Charlee Parker met the love of her life in a parking lot--a leggy brunette with a valedictorian medal hanging from her rear-view mirror and an attitude as biting as a Boston winter.Alexandra Woodson was guarded, a nineteen-year-old orphan set on a bright future in hospitality administration. She never imagined an art student with a penchant for cheesy pick-up lines and stealing parking spaces would crack her rigid exterior and claim her heart.For four years, theirs was an enviable love--evergreen and growing. Unbreakable...Until it broke.Alex's job now brings her back to Boston, after five years working on the opposite side of the country. When, by chance, they meet again, Charlee and Alex are swept up in a whirlwind of heart-rending history, tossed between past and present, and lovers old and new. Will their lingering connection be enough to convince them that some loves are meant to last? Or should the past remain in the past?

Reviews

Renee@reneetc

Nov 24, 2022

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.

Lucia Correa@lucec

Nov 22, 2022

5 Stars. I don't do angst. I don't mind it in small doses but I generally don't gravitate to it. Unless it is as well written as Hughes has done in this fabulous book. At first I thought I would breeze right through the book it was so good. But I couldn't. I had to read a chapter or two and take a break. Because, you know, I don't do angst. And there are flashbacks. I don't mind it, but I know some readers do not. But wow. This story goes back and forth to college years to present to post college to break up and back again. The timelines are running parallel. But somehow you know within a sentence or two what time period we are in. Only once or twice I had to reread a bit to figure out where we were in the timeline. I was amazed just how well Hughes was able to navigate this mode of storytelling without it being confusing. It was effective in her hands. The main characters, Alex & Charlee were great and all, but I LOVED Charlee's parents, especially her mother, Gabby. They embraced Alex and her sister Vinny and Charlee's BFF, Cam into their family. Gabby was as much a parent to Alex and Cam as she was to Charlee. Makes my Top 10 list for 2017.