{ The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper - TLC Book Tours }

Paperback: 384 Pages

Publisher: Thomas Nelson (March 9, 2021)

A young prodigy in need of family. A painting that shatters a woman’s peace. And a decades-old mystery demanding to be solved.

Australia, 1906

Orphan Jane Piper is nine years old when philanthropist siblings Michael and Elizabeth Quinn take her into their home to further her schooling. The Quinns are no strangers to hardship— having arrived in Australia as penniless immigrants, they now care for others as lost as they once were.

Despite Jane’s mysterious past, her remarkable aptitude for mathematics takes her far over the next seven years, and her relationship with Elizabeth and Michael flourishes as she plays an increasingly prominent part in their business.

But when Elizabeth reacts in terror to an exhibition at the local gallery, Jane realizes no one knows Elizabeth after all—not even Elizabeth herself. As the past and the present converge and Elizabeth’s grasp on reality loosens, Jane sets out to unravel Elizabeth’s story before it is too late.

From the gritty reality of the Australian goldfields to the grand institutions of Sydney, this compelling novel takes us on a mystery across continents and decades as both women finally discover a place to call home.

Purchase Links

Thomas Nelson | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

 

About Tea Cooper

Tea Cooper is an Australian author of historical and contemporary fiction. In a past life she was a teacher, a journalist and a farmer. These days she haunts museums and indulges her passion for storytelling.

Connect with Tea

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

REVIEW:

 

I absolutely loved this book.  This is just my kind of story, historical fiction, a wonderful set of lovable characters and a story that leaves you intrigued and wanting more with each page that you turn.

We are taken to 1906 in Australia, where we meet orphan Jane Piper.

The book then jumps between 1913 and the 1860s and 1870s, as we get to know Elizabeth and Michael as they move to Australia and begin a new life.

The siblings are middle aged when they adopt (so to speak), Jane and bring her into their home.  It almost had an Anne of Green Gables feel to it, which I really enjoyed.

I have never been a huge fan of books that skip back and forth through time, I understand the necessity for it and it does help develop the story and an understanding of where each character comes from, but I'm just not that into it.

However, with that said Tea Cooper did a brilliant job in her storytelling, so much so that it didn't bother me at all, and if anything it was much needed to tell this story and help me connect the dots.

Jane is an outstanding in math, a skill that ensures her a place at the Quinn's business and a place of trust in their heart.  She becomes part of the family, but hidden behind the sweet faces and the kind hearts, lie mysteries that have never been divulged.  In her eagerness to find out more about the siblings and their beginnings, Jane may just unearth secrets that Michael has held close to his heart for decades.

This story touches on bonds, those created in blood and those forged in their heart.  It also touches on immigration and the importance of the immigrants that help mold a nation into what it is.

As an immigrant in the United States, myself, I particularly enjoyed this  part of the story, as I feel that many times immigrants are looked at as just nuisances who come in to take something from the country's own citizens.  That is simply not true, and Cooper did an amazing job of highlighting those aspects while telling such a sweet story that will leave you wanting more by the time you turn the last page.

Definitely a must read.  The Girl in the Painting has earned a spot on my beloved book shelf.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours and Thomas Nelson, for providing me with a review copy of this book.  All opinions and thoughts are my own.