Egret by Helen Collins

Jodi Marquette is poor, idealistic, and brilliantly talented. Cloaking her insecurity with pride, she comes to New York City, hoping to establish herself with her lovely bird paintings. The influential gallery owner Morgan Smith rejects even her portrait of an egret, but the attraction between them is too powerful to resist. From the chic galleries of Manhattan to the elegant beach houses of the hamptons, in gritty lesbian bars and exclusive private parties, Morgan and Jodi come together, pull apart, find fleeting harmony and tragic misperceptions. So much is false in this snobbish world, can Morgan's love for Jodi really be genuine?