Playing the Game

December 13, 2010
In her 26th book Bradford (Breaking the Rules) embraces all the tropes of the rags-to-riches story. Although London art consultant and dealer Annette Remmington has been thoroughly educated about art by her controlling, much older husband, Marius, it's the sale of a long-lost Rembrandt for the staggeringly high sum of $20 million pounds that ultimately brings her fame. When other paintings in the seller's collection are found to be fakes, however, and Annette's newly minted rep is seriously threatened, she enlists gallery owner Malcolm Stevens, a protégé of her husband, for advice. When Marius persuades a reluctant Annette to be interviewed by a rising young journalist in order to create interest in her next auction, the decision reveals a tortured childhood for Annette and a serious criminal past for Marius. A contrived denouement, trite prose, heavy-handed foreshadowing, and too many subplot tentacles will deter all but the most loyal Bradford fan.

Starred review from February 15, 2011
Bradford (www.barbarataylorbradford.com) creates another strong female character in 39-year-old art consultant Annette Remmington, a darling of the London art world, in this follow-up to "Breaking the Rules"(2009), also available from Macmillan Audio/AudioGO. Annette's husband and mentor, Marius, arranges for her to be profiled by top journalist Jake Chalmers. But when the very popular and attractive Chalmers connects with Annette during their interview, a secret from her past threatens to resurface that could end her marriage and destroy her career. British actress Catherine Harvey superbly narrates this grand tale of romance, scandal, and international intrigue that will appeal to fans of Bradford and romance novels alike.—Denise A. Garofalo, Mount Saint Mary Coll. Lib., Newburgh, NY

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.