I thought The Girl in the Painting was a well written, interesting read. I actually liked it more than I liked the previous book I read by Cooper. And that cover is simply stunning!

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not bad.
3 stars for story and 4 for style and atmosphere.
Cover art not really representative of the tale.

The Girl in the Painting was the first book that I had the pleasure of reading by Tea Cooper. She has written many books and I hope to read more of her books in the future. The Girl in the Painting was a stand alone historical fiction novel that took place almost exclusively in Australia. The storyline alternated between the timelines of 1860, 1906 and 1913. It was quite rich in historical details and facts which were woven brilliantly throughout the book. The characters were wonderfully complex and likable for the most part. It was fast paced and kept me engaged from beginning to end.

The O’Quinn’s were from Ireland originally but when hard times fell on Ireland the O’Quinn parents decided to go to Australia to find their fortune. They left their two children, Michael and Lizzie, with their aunt because married couples without children traveled free. Somehow Michael and Elizabeth found their way to a workhouse in Liverpool, England. The day a fire broke out in one of the girl’s dormitories, Michael and Elizabeth boarded a ship to Australia to reunite with their parents. Michael was fifteen years old and Elizabeth had turned five during the voyage. Unfortunately, Michael discovered once he and Elizabeth landed in Australia that his mother had died and his father was dying. Michael and Elizabeth inherited a thriving and successful business from their parents. Their surname was shortened to Quinn. After running the business Michael’s father had started for several years, Michael informed Elizabeth that they were moving to Maitland and would open an auction house there. Their business thrived and they both became known for helping others less fortunate than themselves. Michael took on a very protective and tender role toward Elizabeth.

In 1906, Michael was introduced to a nine year old math prodigy orphan named Jane Piper. Michael was impressed by Jane’s innate math skills and aptitude for numbers. He met her at the orphanage one afternoon and invited Jane to have tea with his sister Elizabeth. Michael and Elizabeth were quite taken by Jane. They wanted to give her opportunities that she would otherwise never had have. Jane was invited to live with Michael and Elizabeth in their big, fancy house. They would send her to school and give her the education she deserved if she would help run their businesses and manage the books for their businesses. Jane agreed and they lived and worked together harmoniously for many years. Elizabeth and Michael taught Jane how to react to certain situations, how to respond to people and how to conduct her life. They cared for each other tremendously. Then one day, Elizabeth saw a painting in an exhibition at a gallery that caused her to have a puzzling reaction. That reaction would open up a long hidden mystery that had remained hidden for almost fifty years. Could Jane puzzle through it and solve the mystery?

I enjoyed reading The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper. It was a book that encompassed family, secrets, trust, hope, faith and forgiveness. I look forward to reading more books by Tea Cooper in the future. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson Publishing for allowing me to read this digital version of The Girl in the Painting through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a digital ARC of this title via Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars- I had never heard of this title or author before coming across it on Netgalley. I am glad I was given the chance to read it. It turned out to be a pleasant and enjoyable read.

The Girl in the Painting tells the story of two siblings who arrived in Australia. They own a successful business. One day, Elizabeth is traumatized by what she sees at an art exhibition. Their foster orphan is determined to find out what she saw they say. The story was pretty good although it did drag. There is a lot of secrets that was fun to unravel. I did not really like the dual timelines. Still, I recommend this for fans of Lucinda Riley, Kate Morton, and Melanie Dobson!

Michael and Elizabeth O’Cuinn sail from London to Sydney in 1862 to join their parents in Australia. They build up a successful business and become benefactors for a young math prodigy, Jane Piper in 1906. When Jane becomes capable of running their Auction House on her own, Michael shares a secret that will change all of their lives.

This is a wonderful historical fiction read! It is written in a classic style while alternating between time periods. This adds to the intrigue of the story and keeps the reader wanting to read more to find out the rest of the story. I also enjoyed all the facts and information about the time period that were seamlessly added to the dialogue to paint a picture for the reader. I loved the characters because they were so relatable. I had a hard time putting the book down! I would highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans!

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the ARC of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Girl in the Painting is a thoroughly enchanting historical novel that is rife with historical details. It's well written. Great plot and character dynamics. Loved the Australian setting. I received an advance ebook from the publisher and Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

Interesting historical novel, I enjoyed the Australian setting and the dual timeline worked well to give you the background, there were twists along the way but some parts seemed a bit muddled to me and I had expected it to be more Jane's story than Elizabeth's

I regret that I did not read this books sooner. Absolutely captivating historical fiction. I enjoyed the dual time line and was drawn into the story right from the start. Thank you publisher and netgalley for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

The Girl in the Painting by Australian author Tea Cooper contains a glimpse into nineteenth and twentieth century Australia, and contains an interesting mystery to solve.

The publisher’s description of the novel:

“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 present converge and Elizabeth’s grasp on reality loosens, Jane sets out to unravel her story before it’s too late.
From the gritty reality of the Australian goldfields to the grand institutions of Sydney, this compelling novel presents a mystery that spans continents and decades”

I learned a lot about Australia from this book. I’d never read much about their goldfields or early Sydney. And I guessed a little of the mystery before the end of the book, but the rest kept me guessing.

Michael and Elizabeth come to Australia only to find out they’ve been orphaned, and they later rescue another orphan, Jane. At the end of the novel, the author talks about the history that inspired her to write the book:

“Child migration has a long and checkered past and is well documented. The first one hundred children, “vagrants,” were dispatched from London to Virginia in the Americas in 1618, while the last nine children were flown to Australia in 1967 under the auspices of Barnardo’s. In all, more than one hundred thousand children were sent from Britain to Canada, Australia, and other Commonwealth countries through various child migration schemes. Many came from workhouses or were found destitute and homeless in overcrowded cities and declining rural areas. Each set of embarkation papers recorded the name, religion, and education, but not an exact date of birth. Passengers were listed as either an adult (over fourteen years) or a child (seven to fourteen, four to seven, and one to four).”

Thank you publisher Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it. ( publication date 9 March 2021)

The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper is a phenomenal read. I was hooked from the first page and stayed up late several nights to keep reading. My favorite thing about this novel is that it is so unique and intriguing. This is actually my favorite thing about Tea Cooper’s novels — they are all so interesting and so different from anything else in literature today. Cooper takes seemingly insignificant things and turns them into the most captivating of stories. In this book, the reader is treated to a little romance, a ton of mystery, and a great illustration of what it means to be a family.

One of the things I suffered when I gave birth to my daughter was a brain bleed. The subdural hematoma occurred on the side of my brain that deals with language and memory. The first thing I had to overcome was a 64-day long migraine. Yes, it took 64 days for the migraine to dissipate. It was awful. Then, I had to relearn words. This was one of the most frustrating aspects of my recovery because I felt I knew the words — I could feel them hovering on the edge of knowing — but I couldn’t see or say them. My brain was a hazy fog. I also had to come to terms with all the memories I had lost. Random smells or pictures or sounds would make me feel like I should remember something, but for the life of me I could not figure out what it was. I would get so sad and depressed because I felt like my life had been stolen from me and I didn’t know how to get back on track. The brain injury also caused mood swings — one minute I would be totally normal, then I would be angry, then I would cry like a baby. All of this emotional upheaval would come suddenly and out of nowhere. I felt like I was taken hostage by a brain that needed healing and I had NO control or say over the healing process.

So why am I telling you all this? Because one of the characters in The Girl in the Painting suffers from repressed memories. When she was four, she went through something traumatic but her brain has been hiding the event from her for fifty years. I felt drawn to Elizabeth’s character because I can fully relate to her moments of frustration and mood swings caused by her lack of memory. To know something is wrong with you, but to not know what is excruciating and embarrassing. Cooper did a great job crafting Elizabeth’s character. As someone who personally dealt with memory issues, I can tell you this one facet of the story is spot on. I also have to admit to appreciating the sense of catharsis that came from reading this book. Some of the reactions and emotions that Elizabeth experiences, and then the way she acts after her memory-loss moments when she’s embarrassed by her sudden and seemingly out-of-character outbursts, made me feel so not alone. I wasn’t crazy when I was going through my episodes. I just had a hurt brain that needed to heal just like the protagonist of this story has.

I know my review is super personal and totally random, but I think it still reflects what a unique story The Girl in the Painting is. This book has it all — a well-written and highly engaging plot, mystery that kept me turning pages well into the night, and amazing attention to historical detail, so much so I felt like I was transported back in time to early 20th century Australia. This book is stellar and is not one you will want to miss.

I received a copy of this novel in eBook form from Thomas Nelson Publishers via NetGalley in order to review. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Girl in the Painting
By Tea Cooper

The Girl in the Painting is set in Australia in the late 1860s through 1913. The story focuses on these two different time periods as we, the readers get a chance to know Michael and Elizabeth Quinn and Jane Piper a young orphan they take in.

The earlier timeline follows Michael and Elizabeth as they leave England behind and make a home in Australia. But life isn't easy for a 15-year-old boy with a young sister to care for. But building upon the dreams and work of his parents Michael and Elizabeth manage to make not only a home but a name for themselves. Not content to revel in their material means they make a place in their home and businesses for orphans and the underprivileged.

Jane's gift with numbers finds her in a unique position within the Quinn household, not a servant and not quite family. She calls the Quinns Aunt and Uncle and when old enough finds a place within their business. In her opinion, Jane is blessed and lucky with how her life has turned out. But when a shadow of the past enters their life Elizabeth finds herself lost. As Jane puts it "Aunt Elizabeth has had a turn." And if the cause is not determined the life that Jane, Michael, and Elizabeth share may never be the same.

The Girl in the Painting is not presented in a true linear chronology as the past and the present proceed to their climax. Each time period slowly reveals that everything is not as it first appears. And finding the truth is essential to both Elizabeth and Jane in their quest to finding where they belong.

This book doesn't glamorize the past, it shares the prejudices and hardships that afflict many who called this vast land home. But what makes someplace a home and how do we know it when we encounter it? This is a moving story that should not be missed. This is the second book by Tea Cooper that I have had the pleasure of reading and it is as good as the other book I read (The Woman in the Green Dress). If you want Historical Fiction with a touch of Romance give this book a chance and add it to your TBR list - trust me you won't be sorry.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this book with no expectations but that I provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

The beautiful cover art initially captured by attention. However, the well written storyline captivated me from the first chapter and did not let go until the final page. Engaging. Authentic. Five stars.

The Girl in the Painting by Tea Cooper is a look at how memories effect us and how they change our lives. In the book, Jane is taken in by Elizabeth and Michael Quinn from an orphanage. She is treated as part of the family and sent to school to hone her mind. The story flips between the early 1900's and late 1800's, between Jane's point of view and Michael and Elizabeth's history. When a painting on exhibit causes Elizabeth to have a panic attack, Jane tries to help and discover what it could mean. I found this book to be well written and enjoyable. I was wondering until the end how it would all tie together. It was my first book by her and I quite enjoyed it!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.

What an interesting story! I liked this unusual tale full of mystery. Jane and her amazing mathematical ability added a fun element to the mystery and the solving of it. The dual storyline helps weave the tale and it kept me interested and I needed to know more once the story began to unfold. The ending was very good and pretty much perfect for the story. Enjoyable read!

I was instantly drawn to the cover and just knew I had to read it.
I have read other books by this author and assumed I would enjoy it and I was correct.
Very well written time split historical taking place in Australia in the late 1860s through 1913.
The book involves a mystery that spans continents and decades this kept me reading and wanting to see what happens.
Well thought out characters.

Published March 9th 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

Loved this story set in early 20th century Australia. I have only read a few books that are set in Australia and loved the details included by the author. In her author notes, she refers to her research and the historical details that are included in this story. While I absolutely love a good story, it is nice to know what is based on fact and what is fiction. Bonus- if I learn something new in the process.

I absolutely love dual timeline stories with hidden family secrets that can haunt a family a generation or two later. While slow at times, I found the author was slowly spinning a story with multi-faceted layers that held me spellbound from the first to the last page. Highly recommend this book for fans of historical fiction. Looking forward to reading more books penned by this author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book started out slowly (to me), but i stuck with it, wanting to see where the author was going with the story... By the end, i couldn’t put it down... A rich man and his sister, in 1906, take in an orphan that has demonstrated a penchant for numbers... then the author goes back in time to tell how the rich man became rich...

The Girl in the Painting is a dual timeline historical fiction story taking place in Australia during the 1860s and 1906. I enjoy a good dual timeline story when it's done well, but when it's not... well they can just turn out more confusing and hard to follow. I found the author did a good job of creating both stories... drawing the reader into both timelines equally. I enjoyed getting to know all these interesting characters, and found them to be very well written. I was transported to a different place in time, and absolutely loved it. With a good blend of history and mystery, I could not get enough of this unique story. If you enjoy historical fiction, this is certainly one worth checking out.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley for consideration. All thoughts are my own.

I am torn about my opinion about this novel. I liked the concept and setting. The exposition was engaging and drew me into the split-time novel. My issue was that the mystery didn't even show up until halfway through the novel. It then seemed like I was reading a completely different book. The answer to the mystery was soon apparent. The ending felt rushed. I don't like to give negative reviews, and it wasn't a horrible book, but there were so many things I found disappointin. I would still read other books by the author.