The Lady with the Dark Hair by Erin Bartels

My Review

The Lady with the Dark Hair by Erin Bartels is a dual timeline Christian fiction story. It is well written, easy to read and imagine. I just love the character of Viviana and enjoyed reading of her struggles, travels and different painting situations. I also enjoyed the interaction between Esther and her mother. I especially enjoyed the parts of her mother as she shows her independence.

This is a great story that follows a family of women artists. I appreciate as it unfolded how the reader gets a look into Viviana’s past and the reason for her name changes. I enjoyed the mystery behind the signature on the paintings. I also enjoyed how hard Esther worked to keep the museum going and taking care of her mother. If there was one thing I would change, it would be to have more information at the end as to how the women were all connected.

This is a great story to read that I received a complimentary copy of. This is my honest review.

About the Book

Toulouse, France—1879
Catalan orphan-turned-fugitive Viviana Torrens has found sanctuary serving in the home of an aging artist in Southern France. It is in his studio that she meets Francisco Vella, a Gibraltarian merchant who sells artists’ pigments. When her past catches up to her, she is compelled to pose as Vella’s sister and join him on his travels or be deported back to Spain to stand trial. Along the way she will discover that the many parts she has been playing in order to hide her identity have far-reaching implications she never could have foreseen.

East Lansing, Michigan—Present Day
Esther Markstrom and her artist mother have always been proud of their ancestor, painter Francisco Vella. They even run a small museum and gallery dedicated to raising awareness of his scandalously underappreciated work. But when Esther reconnects with her former art history professor, she finds her once-solid family history on shaky ground as questions arise about Vella’s greatest work—a portrait entitled The Lady with the Dark Hair.

This dual-timeline story takes you on a captivating journey across time and continents, where past and present converge in a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one’s dreams.

To read the first chapter, click here.

About the Author

Erin Bartels is the award-winning author of We Hope for Better Things, The Words between Us, All That We Carried, and The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water. A two-time Christy finalist and winner of two 2020 WFWA Star Awards and the 2020 Michigan Notable Book Award, Erin has been a publishing professional for twenty years. She lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.