The Painter's Daughter

Julie Klassen’s books are not unfamiliar to me, I have read and enjoyed many of her books. After reading The Painter’s Daughter I think that they just keep getting better and better if that is at all possible. I will boldly say that this book has replaced my all-time favorite book of Julie’s which was, up until now, The Silent Governess.

Halfway through the book I turned to my husband and said, “Have you ever read a book that is so good that you wished you could read faster?” For me, this was one of those, and not only could I not read it fast enough, but could not put it down!

In The Painter’s Daughter begins in 1815 Devonshire England where we meet Captain Stephen Marchall Overtree who is searching for his wayward brother, Wesley. He happens upon Sophia Dupont whose heart had been broken by Wesley you had left for Italy, to find his muse, leaving only a note behind — or so he thinks. What he leaves behind is a distraught woman in great need and Captain Overtree steps up to come to her rescue, but at what price? I don’t want to give too much away, but this story is endearing as much as it is heart-wrenching at times. I found it to be riveting and full of mystery, secrets, and misunderstandings.