Title: Madame Picasso
Author: Anne Girard
Series: Stand Alone
Series: Stand Alone
Pages: 432
Published: August 26th 2014 by Harlequin MIRA
ISBN: 9780778316350
Source: Arranged tour for honest review
Description: When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world. A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life. With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.
Published: August 26th 2014 by Harlequin MIRA
ISBN: 9780778316350
Source: Arranged tour for honest review
Description: When Eva Gouel moves to Paris from the countryside, she is full of ambition and dreams of stardom. Though young and inexperienced, she manages to find work as a costumer at the famous Moulin Rouge, and it is here that she first catches the attention of Pablo Picasso, a rising star in the art world. A brilliant but eccentric artist, Picasso sets his sights on Eva, and Eva can't help but be drawn into his web. But what starts as a torrid affair soon evolves into what will become the first great love of Picasso's life. With sparkling insight and passion, Madame Picasso introduces us to a dazzling heroine, taking us from the salon of Gertrude Stein to the glamorous Moulin Rouge and inside the studio and heart of one of the most enigmatic and iconic artists of the twentieth century.
I Give This ...
I must admit that I know next to nothing about Picasso. I know he's a famous painter, and that's it. Art is not really my strong point, so it's almost embarrassing to say that I didn't know were or when he lived, or could even name a painting. But, I really enjoyed this book.
I enjoyed Eva's character right from the start. This was a period of great change for the world. War was on their front door step, women were finding their place in the world, and their was an explosion of knowledge going on. It's not wonder that Eva wanted a piece of all that. She wasn't content to an arranged marriage and living her life exactly like all the women before her had. While I wish she wouldn't have just run off to Paris, I understood why she did. I think what made her even more refreshing is that she wasn't looking for love. It almost seemed like she was desperately trying to avoid it. She may have worked at the Moulin Rouge, but she was in charge of her own love life.
Picasso was very interesting to read about. He seemed to tackle love just like he did everything else in life...with reckless passion. He had no problem with entering into numerous affairs despite his long term commitment to Fernande. Perhaps it's the very issue that makes Eva that much more attractive to him. She's not easily persuaded into becoming the mistress on the side. In his game to pursue her, he realizes that she might just be the muse he needs both for his soul and for his art. But, how do you untangle the web you've already woven?
I found their whole love story to be extremely interesting. I never felt Eva caved into Picasso, instead she pushed him to be a better person. It must have been so hard for him to choose her over Fernande and disrupt his entire life. He was completely committed to her once he choose to marry her, eventually choosing her over long term friends. Sadly, their story would not last long. Strange to think Picasso had such a fear of death, that it almost contributed to Eva's own death. I seriously wonder if she would have been willing to go to the doctor sooner if she might have lived.
A wonderful story that introduced me to a figure in history that I knew nothing about. I always enjoy that experience. I love this author's works!
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Praise for Madame Picasso
"Early twentieth century Paris and Picasso's lost love come to enchanted, vivid life in Madame Picasso. With a deft eye for detail and deep understanding for her protagonists, Anne Girard captures the earnest young woman who enthralled the famous artist and became his unsung muse." - C.W. Gortner, bestselling author of THE QUEEN'S VOW
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About the Author
Anne Girard was born with writing in her blood. The daughter of a hard-driving Chicago newsman, she has always had the same passion for storytelling that fueled his lifelong career. She hand-wrote her first novel (admittedly, not a very good one) at the age of fourteen, and never stopped imagining characters and their stories. Writing only ever took a backseat to her love of reading.
After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature from UCLA and a Master's degree in psychology from Pepperdine University, a chance meeting with the acclaimed author, Irving Stone, sharply focused her ambition onto telling great stories from history with detailed research. "Live where your characters lived, see the things they saw," he said, "only then can you truly bring them to life for your readers." Anne took that advice to heart. After Stone's encouragement twenty years ago, she sold her first novel. When she is not traveling the world researching her stories, Anne and her family make their home in Southern California. When she is not traveling or writing, she is reading fiction.
Anne also writes historical fiction under the name Diane Haeger. For more information, visit www.dianehaeger.com. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.
Madame Picasso Blog Tour Schedule
Monday, August 25
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Tuesday, August 26
Review at Historical Fiction Notebook
Interview & Giveaway at Flashlight Commentary
Wednesday, August 27
Review & Giveaway at Peeking Between the Pages
Interview & Giveaway at Historical Fiction Notebook
Thursday, August 28
Review & Giveaway at Words and Peace
Review & Giveaway at Kinx's Book Nook
Friday, August 29
Review at Scandalous Women
Review at Curling Up by the Fire
Monday, September 1
Review at A Bookish Affair
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Tuesday, September 2
Review & Giveaway at Luxury Reading
Interview & Giveaway at A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, September 3
Review at Gobs and Gobs of Books
Spotlight & Giveaway at Susan Heim on Writing
Thursday, September 4
Review & Giveaway at The Maiden's Court
Friday, September 5
Review at To Read or Not to Read
Monday, September 8
Review at Book of Secrets
Review & Giveaway at Mina's Bookshelf
Tuesday, September 9
Review at A Chick Who Reads
Wednesday, September 10
Review at Books in the Burbs
Thursday, September 11
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Friday, September 12
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Review at The Book Binder's Daughter
Monday, September 15
Review at Layered Pages
Review at Carole's Ramblings
Tuesday, September 16
Review at She is Too Fond of Books
Wednesday, September 17
Interview & Giveaway at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, September 18
Review at One Book of a Time
Friday, September 19
Spotlight & Giveaway at So Many Precious Books, So Little Time
Monday, September 22
Review & Giveaway at Broken Teepee
Tuesday, September 23
Review at The Librarian Fatale
Wednesday, September 24
Review at CelticLady's Reviews
Review at WTF Are You Reading?
Thursday, September 25
Review at Kincavel Korner
Friday, September 26
Interview at Kincavel Korner
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