I enjoyed reading this story about the world of Ragtime. I loved the history but I wasn’t too fond of most of the characters. I really didn’t like any of them except Jessie and Strap. Most of the characters were only thinking of themselves through most of the book. The story was very well done though. I received a copy of this book from Smith Publicity for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

Temptation Rag is a fictional/factional story of the Ragtime King, Mike Bernard, brought to life by an actual family member. Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard wife of one of the King’s descendants wrote about real individuals who were part of Mike’s life wove together with fiction which added drama that kept me turning the pages.

The story is centered around Mike and his first wife, May Convery, and how the decisions they made, or didn’t make, effected not only their lives but others as well. Mike and May were tortured soles as they lived their lives separately, coming in and out of each other’s lives occasionally. It is May’s life, which little is actually known about, that Elizabeth Hutchison Bernard truly showed her talent as a writer. Instead of distracting from the story, May’s fictional life actually brought added interest of how her interaction with Mike, an individual who mistreated others throughout his lifetime, affected her throughout hers’.

I truly enjoyed reading Temptation Rag as the fictional/factional story was so well intermingled by the author who did not shy away from tough touchy subjects and portraying what life was really like for woman and minorities in an era of great change in America. Her character development was superb including even the minor ones who brought additional interest to the story.

Is this a HEA story? Maybe, maybe not. I for one, think it is how you perceive what is HEA. Either way this is a well written book definitely worth reading.

I received a complimentary copy (or ARC) of this book from Smith Publicity, Inc. I was under no obligation to write a review, and all options expressed in this review are completely my own. ( )

May Convery is a young woman living in New York City's upper class neighborhood in 1895. More than anything, May wants to make decisions of her own, including her love life and pursuit of poetry. May plans on going after her dreams beginning by sharing her romantic poetry with her piano teacher and love interest, Mike Bernard. Mike is faking it in the world in order to become a renowned musician. Mike and May's romance comes crashing down quickly as May's parents have other plans for May as Mrs. Theodore Livingstone. Meanwhile, the world is being overtaken by ragtime music. Mike quickly picks up the style and makes a name for himself as the Ragtime King of the World. Mike and May go their different ways, but will never forget what they once had.

Temptation Rag is a look into the lives of some of the real-life stars of the ragtime era and is written by the wife of Mike Bernard's grandson. While the story takes us from 1895 through 1920, the writing gives a good sense of the feeling of the ragtime era. One of the most interesting themes of the book was the cultural appropriation of ragtime music and how it persisted through time. Mike Bernard, crowned the Ragtime King of the World and his competitor Ben Harney, dubbed the creator or Ragtime were both white men. The African-American pianists, such as Scott Joplin, Strap Hill and Otis Saunders had to fight for their recognition. May's story, though fictionalized showed another side of the time period, though part of the upper class, May had no rights. Through time, May participates in the Women's Suffrage Movement, embraced her poetry and befriended African American artists. With this, she was finally able to take control of her life and forgive events of the past. Overall, a sweeping historical novel of the Ragtime era.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ( )