The Painter's Daughter

Julie Klassen never disappoints. Her intriguing story, mystery and romance are always well written and exciting. She will keep you up late into the night reading. Sophie never imagined her life would go so wrong. When she finds herself pregnant and without any knowledge where the baby's father is, she wonders what she is to do. When the brother of the father comes to the rescue, in more ways than one, can she trust him? Does she really have a choice? What kind of man is he anyway? Captain Stephen Overtree is tired of constantly looking for and fixing the problem his brother creates. When he runs into a dead end in his search yet finds Sophie in need of rescue, he can only do what he feels is right. Will she ever see him with out fear in her eyes? This story has many twist and turns. Sometimes you wonder what is going to take place next. The story only gets better as the Overtree family face many trials. It is a story of love and forgiveness. Even when we make bad decisions God is in control and can turn our mistakes into a beautiful portrait. I was given a copy of this novel from net galley for my honest opinion.

The Painter’s Daughter by Julie Klassen is set in England in 1815. Sophie Dupont is the daughter of painter, Claude Dupont. Sophie works in her father’s shop, assists him with his paintings, and looks after cottages that they rent out. They have been renting a cottage to Wesley Overtree, an artist. Wesley is also the oldest son and heir to his father’s estate. However, Wesley is more concerned with Wesley and his art. Captain Stephen Overtree was sent to get his brother and send him home. He arrives to find that Wesley has left for Italy. This leaves Sophie quite in a pickle. Sophie believed (as many girls do) that Wesley loves her and would marry her. Now, Sophie is pregnant and alone. Stephen offers to marry her to provide for her and the child. Stephen is different from his brother (not easy going). Sophie knows she has no alternative and agrees to marry Stephen. Wesley regrets leaving Sophie the way he did and writes her a letter at their first stop. He asks her to wait for him. Unfortunately, the letter does not reach her for quite some time. Sophie and Stephen elope (with a chaperone) to the Island of Guernsey. They then head towards Stephen’s home at Overtree Hall to get Sophie settled before Stephen has to return to his regiment. Sophie has averted scandal, but her troubles are just beginning. What happens when Wesley unexpectedly returns to home and finds Sophie wed to his brother? Can Sophie and Steven make their marriage work? You will need to read The Painter’s Daughter to find out. The Painter’s Daughter is a Christian novel. It has just the right tone (not too much). I found the novel to be just a little bit long and there are some slow areas (especially about battles). I liked Julie Klassen’s writing which makes for a pleasant story. I did want to wring Sophie’s neck sometimes. Stephen promises to not sleep with her but she continues to cower every time he comes near her (but then wonders why he does not sleep with her or kiss her). There is also the miscommunication issue. If people would just talk or ask questions, so many misunderstandings could be avoided. I know it is just a book, but miscommunication seems to be so prevalent in books lately. I give The Painter’s Daughter 4 out of 5 stars. I will look forward to reading more books by Julie Klassen in the future. I received a complimentary copy of The Painter’s Daughter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was my first experience with Julie Klassen. This book is excellent. I could not put it down! I loved the story line. I was impressed that the author tackles such real-life topics. I thought the main character was well written and dealt with her mistakes properly and with grace. I loved the historical moments with Bonaparte's escape from exile and the second war he drew the British into. Those pages flew for me. Overall, such a great book!