This is an interesting and inspirational book! I learned so much about the beauty and culture of Southern France, it's history, topography, traditions, language, food, art...Patricia Sands takes the reader on the vacation of a lifetime! Foodies will salivate, art buffs will be delighted, and romantics will swoon. This is also a book of second chances, rebirth, and hope! Read and enjoy!

Oh my gosh, I did not want this book to end! The sights, the smells, the foods, the heady atmosphere -- I wanted to jump into this story, make friends with the delightful group of artist-travelers, and make them promise to include me the next time they got together! But even more than all this, Drawing Lessons is the story of one woman's triumph over grief and loss -- through friendship, through travel, and through art! A glorious romp, with some observations above love, family, life, and the incredible power of the human spirit that I will never forget. No wonder people continue to rave about this book, more than three years after it was published!

I have to thank NetGalley for letting me have a copy of this book for my honest review. Also a big thank you to the Lake Union publishers.

This story starts out very emotional. Ben and Arianna have been deeply in love forever. They get the most devastating news that a couple can get. Ben has dementia. It did not take long for him to get to a state where he did not know Arianna any longer. Her children talked her into taking a retreat to Arles.

Arianna meets several other artists while in France and learns to live her life again. She goes through many ups and downs with guilt and finally does learn that she needs to live her life. She meets a man there who is an artist and decides to take him up on an offer to spend a few days with him on his boat before she leaves to go back home.

Arianna and Jacques de Villeneuve develope deep feelings for each other and she ends up staying longer. She goes back home to see Ben but he has no idea she’s even there or who she is anymore. It’s so hard for her that everyone decides she does not need to stay and just be upset all the time.

Arianna finds a life. She deserves to have a happy life.

Although I had a hard time reading a lot of this story, due to lots of tears, I also laughed along with the characters. They were fun and got on very well together. They all seemed to need to be where they were and together. This book is beautifully written and describes France in a way that makes you feel like you are there. It’s a very emotional book and one that will keep you turning pages until the very end. I enjoyed it immensely and would recommend it to anyone that loves a tearjerker and love story.

I look forward to reading more by this author as this was my first book by her.
It was a definite 5 star book.

This book had some of the most descriptive writing that I've read in a long time. The story takes you from Canada to France in the life of Ariana as she rediscovers a dormant talent that she was very passionate about at one time in her life. But as in the lives of many women....life got in the way.. She marries, has a family, has a family business...and then has to become a caregiver for a husband with Alzheimer's. The South of France is a perfect location for rediscovery of both self and talents, along with the help of the additional cast of characters, bringing companionship, understanding, humor, and love. A very good read.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Reading this book was an emotional experience for me. I am dealing with a loved one, my mother, and dementia. When I first began reading I almost had to put it aside, it really affected me. But I kept on. I'm really glad I did. Well written, with amazing characters and scenery and food , all so well done I could see it, smell, it. taste it. This is a wonderful book filled with so much information about art, the Camargue horses, the idyllic way of life in this lovely town. The love story while predictable, was sweet and really well done. This book was inspiring, gave me hope, and yes, peace. It was also nice to see an older couple having a shot at happiness. It made me long for the lush French countryside (as I imagine it, anyway, I've never been) And as soon as I finished, I ordered some salt from Camargue. Yes, I did

Reading this beautiful book is life changing. The author has a masterful style that leads the reader on a magical emotional journey. Our heroine is 62 and learning to experience joy through revisiting her love of painting in France. The perfection in the authors descriptions, the culture and all that is lovely about France is here. It's sublime and I enjoyed every page.

Travel the South of France on an educational and emotional journey. This book hit me personally in so many ways. It is one of those books that totally engulfs you and when that last page is read, you have to just sit for a moment.

I know I will be reading this book again and also looking for more books by Patricia Sands. This one is definitely a keeper.

This is without a doubt my all-time top 10 most
favorite books ever read! Patricia Sands send me to the South of France.. I smelled things I have never smelled, heard sounds never heard and saw rich colors never seen! Magical writing! Just Awesomeness

This book is artwork in words. Patricia Sands gift of the descriptive settings in France was a visual I could see in my mind so clearly. I enjoyed the different characters and their personalities, too.

Sometimes getting away from a situation or circumstance that's overwhelming can open up new opportunities to find old passions and interests long forgotten or put on the back burner. It's a new opportunity to find ways to face an unknown future. This book brought that message to me. The characters were all searching for something in their lives and they were brought together at a time and place that was meant to be. They helped each other discover things about themselves to be able to move forward in their lives. There was laughter, crying, caring and love for each other as they journeyed together.

I enjoyed the book very much and believe it's a great book to add to your "to read" list.

TY Patricia Sands for the great book!

I just finished reading Drawing Lessons by Patricia Sands and I feel like I went on a trip to the south of France myself. The descriptions of the environs were so vivid and lovingly described that I really did feel as if I had seen it all with my own eyes.
I enjoy any book set in Canada especially places I’ve been too so the first section of the book was great. As someone who lives in Nunavut I did have to giggle when the territory was listed as one of the exotic parts of the world that Faith had visited. I would have loved to know which Nunavut community Faith was teaching in but that’s just me.
This story has two parts: Arianna and her family tragedy followed by Arianna’s art trip with her revelations about life, love & how to move forward.
I definitely shed tears while reading about Ben’s decline and the way the family grieved. I also loved reading about Arianna’s art trip. All the characters were wonderful and added so much to the story.
I think my favourite part of the story was Arianna’s adventures in France after the art course finished. I enjoyed how she learned to let go and went on a spontaneous trip with Jacques. There were lots of hints that there was a romance brewing but the beginning of a relationship was beautiful.
The ending of the book was so very satisfying and I felt like it was the perfect way to finish up Arianna’s story.

I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.

This was a very fun novel to read, not only does it take place in the south of France, near the city of Arles but it is about a diverse group of people that go there for a two-week artists’ workshop.
Sixty two year old Arianna, the main person in this story, cannot wait to go and try to find her way back into art which was once her passion.
Arianna, has a wonderful family,and she loved her life, but her husband Ben was diagnosed a couple of years prior with a case of dementia, where he does not even remember his family.
Arianna's children want her to find happiness again and suggest that she take this trip, and she does find it through this wonderful group of people that take the same workshop, the hosts and a fellow artist from the area, Jacques de Villeneuve,who is also a gardien (cowboy)
We are taken on a wonderfully described trip through Arles, where each of them delight in being in a place where Vincent Van Gogh, had once painted.
Also a wonderful trip through the Camargue, a wild landscape of red salt lagoons, where flamingo's,are seen in the marshes, there are herds of white Camargue Horses and farms where Europe's only cowboys - the Gardiens raise fighting black bulls.
This story has a lot of great insight into all of the characters, and what they do for each other.
I love her style of writing and the way she can make a story so interesting.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the ARC of this book.

I've read all of Sands' books and was so happy that I received an ArC from Netgalley of this latest, Arianna, a Canadian from Toronto, is dealing with all the horror, challenges, and sadness of slowly losing her husband Ben to Pick's disease when her kids send her to Arles. Her art lessons revive something in her she hasn't felt for a long time. I loved the descriptions of the area, the tidbits about Van Gogh, and the spirit of hope which infuses this novel. As always, it's clear that Sands knows France well and has a good sense of her characters. Try this if you'd like an optimistic novel of a mature woman finding herself and starting again.

When I finished this book I was a bit confused about what genre this book fits into. Is it a chick-lit, romance about finding a second chance at love in a foreign country? Is it a fictionalized travelogue about southern French culture in the style of Peter Mayle? Is it a book about family interactions, and dealing with the grief surrounding dementia? The answer is, ‘Yes’ to all of the above.

We are introduced to Arianna, and her spouse Ben in addition their adult children, grandchildren and her parents in the opening chapters of this book. Arianna and Ben live in Toronto, Canada, and are processing the aftermath of Ben’s diagnosis with an early-onset form of dementia that will soon leave him incapable of speech, and abhorrent of physical touch. The whole family tries to come to terms with the diagnosis and make the most of the time remaining to Ben. He and Arianna have had a wonderful marriage up to this point, and she’s not sure how she will go on as he slowly slips away.

Two years into Ben’s decline, Arianna’s daughter, Faith, persuades her sign up for an artist’s seminar in the south of France. Arianna reluctantly agrees to leave Ben for two-weeks. At the seminar she meets a group of varied fellow artists, and slowly begins to let herself think about how she will craft a life without Ben at the center of it.

The parts of this book that worked for me: The lovely details about the small villages that the artist group visited in the south of France; learning more about the local food, culture and art (especially Vincent Van Gogh’s time in the area and how it influenced his art) of the region; having the Camargue region of France described in rich detail. The Camargue region, near Arles in France, and its place in French history culture were previously unknown to me and I feel like I have a good sense of the area now.

The parts of this book that didn’t work for me so much: The continued repetition of words, phrases or descriptions of feelings. I found myself thinking on more than one occasion, “Okay already, I get it. You don’t have to tell me again!” A also thought that there was too much ‘tell’, and not enough ‘show’. As a reader, please let me make up my own mind about my reaction to events that are happening to the characters. Don’t reinforce the emotional point with a detailed explanation about what the character is feeling and how they are processing that feeling.

I liked the character of Arianna, but at times I grew weary of her almost too-good-to-be-true thought process. I really enjoyed the parts of the story that focused on art, and France. It wasn’t the book I thought it would be at the onset, but I always like learning more about different ways of life, and cultures. This book provided that.

‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and the author, for giving me an ARC of “Drawing Lessons” to read and review.

The Blurb :
Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back home in Toronto, she has been living with the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s dementia and the heartbreak of watching the man she has loved for decades slip away before her eyes. What does her future hold without Ben? Before her is a blank canvas.
Encouraged by her family to take some time for herself, she has traveled to Arles to set up her easel in the same fields of poppies and sunflowers that inspired Van Gogh. Gradually, she rediscovers the inner artist she abandoned long ago. Drawing strength from the warm companionship and gentle wisdom of her fellow artists at the retreat—as well as the vitality of guest lecturer Jacques de Villeneuve, an artist and a cowboy—Arianna searches her heart for permission to embrace the life in front of her and, like the sunflowers, once again face the light.

My Thoughts :
We meet husband and wife, Ben and Arianna, who have been married for nearly 40 years. Life takes a sudden turn when Ben is diagnosed with Dementia. Arianna cant bear to see her husbands decent and after doing her very best for him she can no longer look after him as his condition worsens. With her familys encouragment they book for her to go away to France to rediscover her love and passion of Art in a form of a Course for 2 weeks. She needs this break to have some much needed time to herself and to be at peace. There she meets fellow Art lovers and they help her see that life is too short and its for the living.
Set against the beautiful backdrop that is Provence in France, Patricia Sands has filled this story with such vivid descriptions and its wonderful surroundings. Capturing the culture, history, cusine, smells, colours and Vincent Van Goghs paintings with lusture.
There are some great charactors in this and they really come alive as we progress through the story.
Ariannas situation was relatable for many and heart wrenching at the same time. Dementia is a devastating disease, that effects everyone involved especially family and friends. The Dementia has been covered thoughtfully and with care. A beautiful written book with a mixture of sadness, joy and self discovery.
Looking forward to more from Patricia Sands.

Patricia Sands instantly brings the reader into Arianna’s story, an older woman with a wonderful marriage and family, and a terrible dilemma. Her beloved husband has been slowly slipping away from her with a diagnosis of dementia. As many of her generation did, perhaps with not as much success, her own life has been enmeshed in her love for him, their love for one another, and their family. She’s truly struggling with her own what now moments, and the guilt that comes with her actually wondering what will happen after Ben is no longer with her. How will she exist? Who will she be after years of beloved wife and mother? Can she redefine herself, accounting for the what was in this new what is?

An artist’s retreat to Arles, in the Provence region of France is a gift from her family: the place that inspired so much of Van Gogh’s work just might allow her to relax and find some peace, while rediscovering her artistic side. And here is where the magic of place, and the singular purpose of ‘seeing’ what is around you, even when everything else in your ‘real life’ is in tumult takes hold. Arianna finds herself relaxing and hopeful, two unknowns in her recent past, as the food, the landscape and even the other artists’ quiet friendships and encouragement allow those first tentative steps to rediscovering her own potential purpose in life.

Sands does so many things right in this book: Arianna is compelling and easy to relate to as she shares her confusion, her guilt and the loss. It’s easy to imagine (even if one hasn’t experienced it) the soul-deep despair while watching the person you know best start to forget you, your special moments, and even your name. As the magic of Provence work around, and then finally on her as she starts to lose herself in the process, and her thoughts are not consumed with what will happen, as she learns to see the now: drawing inspiration from the landscape as interest and hope start to grow for her. Sands brings the place, scents, tastes and magic of Provence to your fingertips, spurring you on for your own sojurn to the south of France.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=”http://wp.me/p3OmRo-9mL/”> <a> I am, Indeed </a>

Arianna and Ben had the perfect life...childhood sweethearts, family-owned business, and most importantly each other.

Their perfect life was shattered when Ben was diagnosed with dementia at a young age. As the disease progressed, it became more and more difficult to cope with the illness to the point of Arianna's children worrying that they were going to lose her too.

The children booked their mother a trip back to her beloved France where she had spent a month or so during college. The trip was for two weeks at an art retreat to try to take her mind off of the stress of Ben and her loss of him even though he was still living.

Arianna met wonderful people at the art retreat, but would the trip and the time away help her to realize she is alone and must learn to cope with the loneliness?

DRAWING LESSONS has absolutely marvelous descriptions that put you right into the story and into France soaking in the landscape and drooling over all the delicious-sounding food.

The characters were ones that would be great to be with. They all had their quirks as well as their endearing qualities that made the group well-rounded and enjoyable as companions.

If you enjoy traveling, reading about France's beautiful landscapes and life of the French people, French artists especially Vincent Van Gogh, making new friends, and helping another person to feel welcome and overcome a problem, then DRAWING LESSONS will be an enjoyable read for you.

DRAWING LESSONS was a beautiful, heartfelt story about truly examining your life for the pleasures you have enjoyed and the pleasures you need to look for and experience. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the author in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

What do you do when life throws you a curve ball that you didn't see coming and just shatters your world into pieces? That is what happens to Arianna when her husband is diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia. Devastated and heartbroken as she sees what the disease is doing to her husband that she can no longer care for and who no longer recognizes her, she decides, with her family's encouragement, to go to Arles, France for a two-week art course. I loved what her daughter Faith says to her at the airport, "Let the sadness go, Mama. Let it go. Reach for that light in Provence." It isn't easy for her to let that sadness go right away but once she is there in Arles, she meets an amazing group of people in the art course that in their own ways help her in rediscovering not only her love and talent for art but also to live and enjoy life to its fullest.

I loved the characters in this books, and the vivid descriptions of the setting and food in France made me feel I was right there experiencing it with them. One of my favorite parts in the book was when they were all stuck indoors because of a mistral and they decide to cook a meal together. They laughed and danced to music by the Gypsy Kings (a favorite group of mine) while prepping and cooking and just had a marvelous time together. I was happy for Arianna and her time there in France as she seemed to be getting some much needed emotional healing. The writing is beautifully done, and I let out a big sigh when I finished the book. I actually did not want it to end as I wanted to continue on in Arianna's journey.

This is the first book by Patricia Sands that I have read and it will certainly not be my last. Her writing is just superb. I highly recommend this beautiful book.

I received an advance review copy of this book from the Great Thought's Ninja Review Team through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This was a very moving novel, both heartbreaking and beautiful! I enjoyed the colorful way that Greece and France were described. Arianna’s husband, Ben, is diagnosed with dementia. They have shared a life together for almost forty years, spending the last twenty years running their family restaurant together. Arianna and Ben cling to their love and their memories throughout his diagnosis. Over time, Ben’s condition worsens and he no longer knows any of them. Their children, Faith and Tadeus, and Arianna’s mother, Sophia, come together to help take care of him and to help each other deal with his condition. Sophia, Faith, and Tadeus urge Arianna to take some time to travel to Arles, France, to an art workshop. They hope that Arianna can bring back the joy she used to find with art. And they also want Arianna to find some inner peace with Ben’s deteriorating condition. During her travel to France, Arianna reminisces of the Greek island where she grew up. She thinks back of the Greek heritage, traditions, and food that she grew up with. Once Arianna arrives at the art workshop in Arles, she meets the couple who will host them in their home and the other artists that will attend the workshop. Over the next two weeks, the group will work on their art and visit the surrounding area. Patricia describes the special places, scenery, animals, and flowers of France in vibrant detail. Arianna and the others eagerly take notes and photos of everything they see, anxious to use it in their artwork. Besides working on their art daily, the group also enjoys their meals every day. Their meals are described in mouth-watering detail. Arianna shares meaningful conversations with the other men and women attending the workshop. The special friendships that are formed help Arianna with her emotional journey. Arianna returns back to her home in Toronto a different woman, ready to let hope and joy back into her life. I highly recommend this novel to you!

This is the first book by Patricia Sands that I have read. This was a beautiful story as words painted an emotional journey of Arianna's life. As well as wonderful descriptions of Arles, France. The Camargue, riding the horses, pink water, the culture, colorful flamingos, famous bulls, to the unbelievable sunsets. I felt like I was enjoying the food and countryside along with Arianna and the other characters. I want to take a trip to Arles to see everything with my own eyes now.
Being a caregiver is not an easy subject to talk about. Looking at the healing process and emotional journey really gives another perspective.
I absolutely loved this book and did not want the story to end.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this amazing story.

What a delicious read. This fabulously lovely book was full of the most beautifully written characters, and places and moments. I loved every minute of my time spent in its pages and I came away so enriched.

I highly recommend this book to lovers of family drama who enjoy finely written characters who you come to love and care for, beautiful descriptions of place that put you right in the story and a book that leaves you so glad you read it.

I received an advance review copy of this book from Great Thought’s Ninja Review Team. All opinions are my own.