The Painter's Daughter

The Painter’s Daughter

By Julie Klassen

Sophie Dupont, assistant in her father’s painting studio in Lynmouth England, meets handsome Wesley Overtree, falls madly in love, then suddenly finds herself alone and in trouble when Wesley sails away to Italy. His brother, Captain Stephen Overtree comes looking for Wesley, and instead finds Sophie and instantly feels protective and duty-bound to her. Propsing a marriage in name-only as a way out of her predicament, Sophie feels torn. Can she accept the hand of his brother, who is all but a stranger to her, no matter what safety he is offering her or will she wait hopefully for Wesley’s return, or her possible ruin?

This book was amazing. And I was almost a bit surprised at how amazing it was, given how easily I had guessed the plot from the blurb on the back of the book.

But it is further proof at how great of a storyteller Julie Klassen really is. Her plot was winding and intricate, characters full and complex and the story had enough suspense and questions to keep me guessing ‘til the end.

I loved Sophie, who as a “flawed” character in a regency novel, (hardly ever written about in a positive way) was very relatable. The struggle she felt being pulled between two men was beautiful, and yet raw and compelling. Not a soap-operatic love-triangle like you read in teen books, but a realistic choice between your heart & mind. I loved seeing her character progress and change, and was ecstatic with her eventual choice of Overtree men.

Stephen and Wesley were great characters, each with strengths and weaknesses, and they felt so real. Plus, as I read on and the conflict between them and Sophie came to a head, I could barely put the book down. The tension, the secrets, the families’ discovering, it was such great storytelling. Plus, there was an amazing cast of secondary characters in this book that really stood on their own, and added so much to this story. It made for a really exciting read.

I loved how Julie ended the book, but sadly cannot expound because of spoilers! You’ll have to take my word for it that is worth picking up and reading for yourself. Definitely one of my very favorite Klassen novels to date.