What Is a PR Relationship: 'The Artist' by Lisa K. Stephenson Book Review
Love in 2025 is so elusive that I found myself living vicariously through Janelle throughout the entirety of this novel. Yep, this book wrecked me—but in the best way. In this romance novel, Janelle Banks dreams of one day opening her own art gallery in Midtown, New York. Strapped for cash and refusing to accept loans from her friends, she’s left wondering: how can she make her dream a reality?
Well, several options are off the table for Janelle—also known as Nelle or Nelly in the story. She’s not a fan of social media and is a bit introverted, so building a following large enough to support her work online is pretty much out of the question. Then there’s the money issue. So, what’s the solution? Become a celebrity’s girlfriend, of course—but with a twist…
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In The Artist, we follow three main characters: Janelle and her two best friends—Emily Harrington (from Lisa’s previous novel Green Trees) and Lisa McAdams. Together, they share an unbreakable bond, lucrative careers, and fleeting love lives. The book is filled with emotional depth and relatable moments when it comes to love, but none of it is cliché. It’s actually... well... realistic.
At first, I was going to pass on this novel, thinking, Oh, I know how this ends. She’ll fall in love with the celebrity, and that will be that. But... it wasn’t that simple. This review won’t contain spoilers, so I won’t tell you what happens. Just know that there are so many metaphors and hidden messages about love and relationships in this book. While some scenes leave much to the imagination, others are clear and deeply impactful.
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THE CHARACTERS
There were moments when I thought, I see what the author did there. And as a woman living in New York City and navigating the dating pool, those moments felt especially powerful. There’s something for every kind of woman: If you’ve ever felt disinterested in love and ready to just focus on yourself, your career, and your happiness—but then, out of the blue, meet someone who is unmistakably the person you’re meant to spend your life with—then Emily is the character you’re most likely to resonate with.
If you're the type of woman who is always on the go and finds herself rebounding into relationships that aren't quite fulfilling—but you settle because the new guy has a small character trait the last one lacked—then Lisa is the character you'll find most relatable. Is this a good thing? No. But so many of us do this. If the last guy never planned dates but had some redeeming qualities, we made excuses for him. Then, once you've moved on to a guy who does plan dates, you start to think he's the one, only to later realize he's just as flawed—if not more so.
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In the case of Janelle, I felt the most connected to her character. Not because she's the token “broke” friend—because the truth is, she's not. She may not have thousand-dollar checks sliding across her desk, but she manages just fine. What makes her relatable is that she's a hopeless romantic who makes bad decisions in hopes of masking her insecurities. Too often, the men we want are the ones who treat us poorly, and the men who want us—the ones who go above and beyond—are the ones we typically overlook.
Nelle is caught in a love triangle between returning characters Kenneth, Noel, and Mars… making her a fourth, so to speak. While this part of the story isn't the central focus, it plays a pivotal role in launching Janelle into the next phase of her life.
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As a new fan of Lisa K. Stephenson, I absolutely love that she recycles characters from her previous books—tying up loose ends for some and creating entirely new storylines for others—without diminishing the importance of the new main characters. It’s truly a wonderful experience for me as a reader. Anyway, back to the review... As Janelle tries to pick up the pieces of her broken heart, she’s thrust into a new world—the world of celebrity—via her best friend Lisa.
This is where the story really takes off and explores some powerful conversations. But instead of addressing them head-on, Stephenson weaves them subtly throughout the narrative. Topics like:
Black men who date and marry white women
Black men and mental health
Women dating men who openly treat them badly vs. the so-called “good guys”
What life might look like if we shifted that mindset and gave the quality (boring) guys a real chance
Maybe then, we could all get our happy ending.
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And despite these heavier themes, the book is hilarious throughout. The humor and lightheartedness aren’t sacrificed to make room for serious topics—they're beautifully balanced. Without giving too much away, this is a great book to read if you’re looking for something lighthearted, fun, and entertaining. It’s about successful Black women being loved, spoiled, and navigating the dating pool—just like the rest of us, and without the trauma. Additionally, this book might just help shift your mindset… and make you rethink your "type."
A free excerpt can be found here.
Guest Post by Aniyah McKenzie
