The Improbability of Love cover art

The Improbability of Love

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016

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The Improbability of Love

By: Hannah Rothschild
Narrated by: Kristin Atherton, Adam James
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Bloomsbury presents The Improbability of Love by Hannah Rothschild, read by Kristin Atherton and Adam James.

WINNER OF THE BOLLINGER EVERYMAN WODEHOUSE PRIZE FOR COMIC FICTION 2016
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016
A BBC RADIO 2 BOOK CLUB PICK

'an ingenious meditation on the true value of art' Daily Mail
'A deliciously wicked satire ... It’s exquisitely written, shimmering with eye-catching detail ... a masterpiece' Mail on Sunday

When lovelorn Annie McDee stumbles across a dirty painting in a junk shop while looking for a present for an unsuitable man, she has no idea what she has discovered. Soon she finds herself drawn unwillingly into the tumultuous London art world, populated by exiled Russian oligarchs, avaricious Sheikas, desperate auctioneers and unscrupulous dealers, all scheming to get their hands on her painting – a lost eighteenth-century masterpiece called ‘The Improbability of Love’.

Delving into the painting’s past, Annie will uncover not just an illustrious list of former owners, but some of the darkest secrets of European history – and in doing so she might just learn to open up to the possibility of falling in love again.©2023 Hannah Rothschild (P)2023 Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Literature & Fiction Romance Comedy Russia
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Critic reviews

A deliciously wicked satire ... It’s exquisitely written, shimmering with eye-catching detail, whether describing works of art or the dishes on display at an extravagant banquet. Beneath all that, there’s a serious debate about the value we put on things — whether it’s art or relationships — and the prices we’re prepared to pay. A masterpiece
Novel of the week … It all adds up to an ingenious meditation on the true value of art – timely indeed at a moment when paintings and sculpture seem to have become just another currency
Though this novel goes into the darkest of dark places, the overall tone is totally delicious; conspicuous consumption on this scale hasn’t been seen since the Eighties (Kate Saunders)
Part of the novel’s charm is that its characters, rich or poor, are all a mixture of frailties. Like a Rococo painting, this clever, funny, beguiling and wholly humane romance is a treat worthy of its subject (Amanda Craig)
This frothy confection works on many levels, combining a touching love story with an exciting whodunit sat in a hazardous, thrilling world. The story unfolds slowly at first, building up the tension until towards the end the chapters shorten and the pace quickens with staccato satire worthy of the pen of Evelyn Waugh. A real crowd pleaser ****
Hannah Rothschild is finally coming into her own. Soon to be head of the National Gallery, her novel about the art world is bound to be a bestseller (Lynn Barber)
Her writing shows brain as well as a heart
The Improbability of Love is a romp, a joy, and an inspired feast of clever delights. Reading this book is like a raid on a high-end pastry shop – you marvel at the expertise and cunning of the creations, while never wanting the deliciousness to end
Every page is a joy. It's funny, sad, profound. The writing dances. It has panache. It's beautifully structured. It wears its scholarship with a balletic lightness and grace that shadows the Rococo painting at its heart. Its many and varied characters are an exquisite joy. Her range and emotional grasp is wonderful. What more can I say? It's my Book of the Year already
Impishly wicked, ruthlessly frank, touchingly percipient and sometimes laugh aloud funny to boot. Hannah Rothschild captures the contradiction between art as money and art as the soul of humanity really well
Both a satire of the art world and a romance … It’s mischievous, fun and on the money
A timely reflection on art’s true value
What a delightful read – a satirical look at the world of art with some love, mystery and comedy thrown in for good measure. There is a darker element to the plot which I won’t spoil here, but it is tempered by a wonderful cast of characters and has the unusual addition of the painting as an occasional narrator. It’s certainly a clever way of weaving the provenance of the painting into the story
All stars
Most relevant
What a gloriously glamorous book about cooking, art and... courts! Uplifting in each line and chapter.

Uplifting

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This book was such a wonderful story. I loved the character of the painting - cute and amusing.

A very good read

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Loved the fact that there were so many characters but that also made it a little hard to follow. The painting was my favourite character. I loved the immersion into the world of art and the fact that the book loosely follows real historical events. Lots of unexpected turns in the book, it was great that it was not predictable.

Hilarious and captivating

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Good clever read well narrated excellent plot. As ever Hannah Rothschild doesn’t let you down

Excellent

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