{"product_id":"the-lady-with-the-dark-hair-paperback","title":"The Lady with the Dark Hair - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eErin Bartels\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2025 Michigan Notable Book\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Bartels perfectly meshes the stories of two women, both artists, living half a world and nearly a century-and-a-half apart. Bartels' settings and historical details are unusual and compelling; the dual time lines work perfectly, and this well-researched historical tale has the pacing of a thriller.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003estarred review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEsther 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 \u003ci\u003eThe Lady with the Dark Hair\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn 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 compellefd 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis dual-timeline story from award-winning author Erin Bartels takes readers from the sleepy Midwest to the sultry Mediterranean on a relentless search for truth, identity, and the freedom to follow one's dreams.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In the alluring novel \u003ci\u003eThe Lady with the Dark Hair\u003c\/i\u003e, questions about a portrait's origins inspire a search for personal meaning.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eForeword Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"A fascinating time-split written by an author who consistently writes unique stories with layers upon layers of starts and stops, her characters merging and diverging upon the page, much like the brushstrokes on the incredible portrait.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eInterviews \u0026amp; Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"I was thoroughly captivated by this story. . . .Bartels' writing is impeccable, her characters are full of life, and her mastery of both timelines is seamless.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eReading Is My Superpower\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Carefully crafted with lots of historical detail, elegant language, and interesting twists. . . . The book educates readers about the art world while absorbing them in a great story.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Historical Novels Review\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Bartels' latest addition to her excellent novels for adults . . . adeptly gives voice to the longing women in different historical periods have felt to know themselves, to express themselves through creative pursuits, and to find fulfillment by choosing their own paths.\"--\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Banner\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eBack Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eA charismatic man with a legacy that long outlives him\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA forgotten woman whose fate is forever tied to his\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd the family whose history is still being written\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e***\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eToulouse, France--1879 \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eCatalan 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEast Lansing, Michigan--Present Day\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003eEsther 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 \u003ci\u003eThe Lady with the Dark Hair\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis dual-timeline story from award-winning author Erin Bartels 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eErin Bartels\u003c\/b\u003e is the award-winning author of contemporary, historical, and dual time fiction, including \u003ci\u003eWe Hope for Better Things\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003e The Words between Us\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAll That We Carried\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eEverything Is Just Beginning\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eThe Lady with the Dark Hair\u003c\/i\u003e. A two-time Christy finalist and winner of two WFWA Star Awards and three Michigan Notable Book Awards, Erin is Editor in Chief at the Historical Society of Michigan. Find her online at ErinBartels.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 352\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.94 x 8.43 x 5.43 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e March 26, 2024\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46115820437690,"sku":"9780800741662","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0768\/5727\/8650\/files\/nH-2YMJjJg9780800741662.webp?v=1783407287","url":"https:\/\/thebookloversatlas.com\/products\/the-lady-with-the-dark-hair-paperback","provider":"The Book Lover's Atlas","version":"1.0","type":"link"}