I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I Always Loved You by Robin Oliveira
Published by Viking
Publication Date February 4th 2014
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Historical Fiction
Goodreads
A novel of Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas’s great romance from the New York Times bestselling author of My Name Is Mary Sutter
The young Mary Cassatt never thought moving to Paris after the Civil War to be an artist was going to be easy, but when, after a decade of work, her submission to the Paris Salon is rejected, Mary’s fierce determination wavers. Her father is begging her to return to Philadelphia to find a husband before it is too late, her sister Lydia is falling mysteriously ill, and worse, Mary is beginning to doubt herself. Then one evening a friend introduces her to Edgar Degas and her life changes forever. Years later she will learn that he had begged for the introduction, but in that moment their meeting seems a miracle. So begins the defining period of her life and the most tempestuous of relationships.
In I Always Loved You, Robin Oliveira brilliantly re-creates the irresistible world of Belle Époque Paris, writing with grace and uncommon insight into the passion and foibles of the human heart.
Fond Of
- I tend to be drawn towards novels that involve a love affair with a famous person, Frank Lloyd Wright and Mamaha Cheney, Charles Lindberg and Anne Morrow Lindberg, therefore it only seemed natural that I read about Mary Cassatt and Edgar Degas.
- Details, lots and lots of detail were shown and gave a vivid image for the reader.
- Liked that it had a focus on Mary’s work and not just Degas and his ballerinas.
Not Fond Of
- Slow, the story dragged and found myself saying “hook up already!”
Final Thoughts
While it met my expectations for the novel of love in the spotlight it did take a little steamrolling to get through.
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