The Artisans

Overview

In this dark southern gothic novel, a young woman meets a man who may be more than he seems. After the death of her mother, 17-year-old Rave Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands. To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day. Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox. But Raven's stepdad is drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail. Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights. Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes. But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

Reviews

"This novel makes the most of its hodgepodge of gothic elements to create a compulsive read for avid fans of gothic romance."  —School Library Journal

"The Artisans has all the elements I love — spooky intrigue, strong friendships, and a romantic tension to be savored."  —Wendy Higgins, author, Sweet Evil

"The Artisans was a unique modern day retelling of Beauty and the Beast filled with mystery, romance and wonderful characters."  —Bridget, blogger, Dark Faerie Tales

Author Biography

Julie Reece is a writer who loves strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventures… which must include hot guy romances. She struggled with dyslexia for her right to read but in the end she slayed the dragon. She lives in Georgia.