The Delicate Things We Make Paperback – January 12, 2021

“The Delicate Things We Make,” is Milena McKay’s debut novel. I read the story first as fanfic, but McKay has transformed it into a wlw romance novel that should be read by everyone’s path it crosses. It is a superb transformation, full of intrigue, romance, angst, sex and love.Major work has been done to the plot to bring it into book format. I would imagine this is no easy feat and I would compare it to a landscape photographer trying to shoot fashion. There is the intrigue in the publishing, fashion and art world, and one of the main characters, Jamie, a journalist takes you into her investigation in New York City.The story centers around Jamie Walker and Vivian DeVor in both a tangled plot and love. Jamie is a forthright, and excellent journalist who hits hard times and Vivian a reclusive artist. The characters are vivid and well developed including all of the secondary characters. They all have roles in this story as it changes from intrigue and mystery to the underworld of fashion and publishing, where careers are made and destroyed in an instant and how a reclusive artist whose identity is unknown managed to control the fashion world with her extraordinary art.The story plunges deeper in not only revealing corruption, but the personal stories of those affected. How they were sabotaged, blackmailed, harassed, harmed and the Human Rights Violations that were exposed. No spoilers – read the book.McKay’s character development is wonderful, providing depth and important aspects about her characters that are very important to the story. Jamie is sweet, kind, intuitive, genuine and a bit uncoordinated in an endearing way. Vivian is confident, intelligent, guarded, stoic, graceful and appears to have a tough exterior to Jamie’s openness. The romance develops between Jamie and Vivian as they collide into each other’s world.The romance of Jamie and Vivian runs from playful, lighthearted and amusing with amazing banter between them, angst and tenderness, to intense love and sex. The scenes are very hot indeed. McKay allows the connection and communication between Jamie and Vivian develop as the story progresses. The scenes between them are raw, intense, full of desire and beautifully written. There is a cadence to them, a wonderful rhythm that you will read and have to re-read, similar to listening to the same piece of music over and over.The authors language and vocabulary are rich, tempting and seductive: “Vivian’s mouth was a revelation. They’d kissed before, they’d spent glorious moments in the study reveling in each other, but this was different, this went beyond desire, beyond hunger. This was sensuality itself, desperate and rough, and a touch savage, turning Jamie’s mind inside out, burning her from within.”Each element is important to the author in this book. The cover, with credit given to @onewritegirl, is beautiful, elusive, black and white like a charcoal drawing, and as you read the book, you will understand why it’s just perfect. McKay’s attention to detail, the breath of the story, the twists and turns and her depth of character prevents you from putting the book down.There has been a lot of research the author has done from legal, fashion, publishing and art world standpoints. I have been admonished by a friend that “Millennial Pink” and “Gen Z yellow,” are in fact very important things.Milena McKay reveals not only a very exquisite romance but how the world of fashion, publishing and art are about a product or idea that can convince us to believe or buy something. It can become exaggerated and ruthless without regard for who gets tossed aside or abused, because it’s about a moment and money. Those moments eventually belong to the past, to history that can lose its relevance and become admired. McKay’s characters have not allowed the victims tossed to be forgotten and also that love has endured.Needless to say, I don’t think I have to write, "go buy and read this book", but I am anyway. A debut author who can write this way? Gosh, I am so looking forward to more of her writing.

A very talented down-on-her-luck investigative journalist, Jamie, is given an opportunity to expose the brilliant artist DeVor who has taken the art world by storm and revolutionized the fashion world - only, no one knows who he or she is. As Jamie gets closer to the revelation, a much bigger story enfolds.I thought this book was written by a seasoned author. Her writing is filled with layers upon layers of development. It's descriptive, delicate and delicious. It's full of mystery, intrigue and seduction. The author paints a unique picture of each character and gives a very sensitive treatment to sexual assault and how each person handles it so differently. From fragility to strength, fear to hope, and confrontation to triumph, Milena McKay has penned an outstanding and beautiful debut novel. I cannot wait to read another from this very talented author. Brava!

Wow! From the beginning, this book pulls you in and doesn't let go. It's brilliant, it's tragic, it's deeply romantic... it is more than what you expect it to be. The synopsis is cleverly written to intrigue the reader, but the story is much more powerful than it implies. It's a very beautiful and eloquent story. A definite must read!

Milena Mckay is an excellent writer though all of her books I've read so far start slow, so slow in fact that if it wasn't for all the rave reviews I'd read and my own penchant for pushing through another rather dull start I'd of missed out on one more gem of hers.Still, she sometimes falls into unnecessary cheap political shots that are out of place in a storyline and scene, which pull the reader completely out of the story, and she can fall into stream of consciousness along the way, however she recovers nicely and moves the story forward not lingering there as her masterpieces unfold and her readers forgive or overlook her infractions because her story telling is brilliantly sublime.In The Delicate Things We Make, our heroine investigative journalist Jamison Walker is hired to uncover the identity of an influential artist who single-handedly rules the fashion industry through their art and private auctions. However Jamie during her research uncovers dark criminality against women, first against the woman she's falling in love with and then horrifically discovers so many more victims causing her to write and publish articles exposing what's been going on for decades, by the very man who hired her, and ultimately leads an uphill fight for justice.This is a beautiful and intricately woven slow burn romance where the characters are richly drawn and the storyline is well developed and authentic. Growing up in NYC I'm well acquainted with the Garment District and Art Museums and Milena Mckay expertly brings you into this atmosphere. As well there are so many wonderfully colorful minor characters who are intrinsic to the story and interesting sites to experience. You won't want to miss this one!

The manner in which the passion was conveyed between the two characters was delightful. This book veered off the beaten path by telling a story of redemption and hope. I’ll be sure to read more works by this author, and I am so glad they had the courage to write in this genre, but do something different.

The first book I've read by Milena was The Headmistress, so is no shock that I'm already in love with her writing. But it still surprised me that this was her debut. Daaang, guurll! That good.My thoughts were running wild at some point with the whole investigative work and things that happened. She kept me guessing increasing significantly the enjoyment of the reading. With the exception of the villain(s) I absolutely loved every single character and they were so many things...I'd like to add that the first 30% had me quite enjoying the story, though I was a bit ambivalent, don't get me wrong, build up alone was absolutely gorgeous. What I didn't (what I don't) love was the amount of tell instead of showing. But this is a personal preference you know, I just like more dialogues. But you see, Milena has her way with words and after the 30% I was so enthralled, she had me so wrapped up around her little finger that it didn't matter no more.

Loved this beautifully constructed story from the beginning to the best and most satisfying end. Read it, as well as all other books from this author.Thank you

Milena McKay’s novel raises the bar for the genre of lesbian fiction – 5 StarsTalented but down-at-heel journalist, Jamie Walker, is given a chance to escape homelessness and crippling debt. She just needs to deliver on a contract to expose the artist, DeVor, whose work sells at private auction for millions and whose art has led the fashion industry by its arrogant, upturned-nose for over a decade. DeVor is an enigma whose identity no one has ever solved, but Jamie needs to…and, quickly.This was a great read. The pace is perfectly judged, the plotting is super-slick, and it has layers upon layers of depth. Whilst every character is painstakingly drawn, for me, it’s enigmatic DeVor who is the undisputed centrefold. DeVor holds all the cards, but Jamie is acutely aware that under the aloof and assertive façade, DeVor is both vulnerable and, for some reason, very afraid.This is such a well-written novel that one might be content with the combination of mystery and romance alone, but the drive and sensuality of this novel is in a class of its own. It screams about the injustice women face in the workplace, yet never does so in a way that detracts from the power of the romance. As for its ‘hotness’? Well, who the heck needs erotica? In each other’s presence, Jamie and DeVor are everything (and anything) from flirtatious to downright licentious!Overall: Fabulous!

I strongly recommend this book. I have read it in a day!!. I read the story first as fanfic, and the novel's transformation is really good, more complete.Anyone who reads this book is going to fall in love with Jamie and Vivian. The characters are deeply layered, and the secondary characters appear at the necessary moments and complement the main story very well.In addition to romance, the story has intrigue, touches on varied topics, such as art and fashion, and has a few touches of humor that make this book a very entertaining read.I can't wait for more from this extremely talented author MC; you have a new fan.