Short synopsis: A fictional portrayal of Picasso and history along with, unseen works of art and his romantic interests.

My thoughts: While this book is a work of fiction, it did contain so much research into Picasso's story. You can tell the author went to great lengths to make sure the details were accurately written, while also highlighting some of the women he found himself involved with. I had no idea he was such a womanizer, and found the story overall somewhat fascinating.

Read if you love:
- Historical fiction based off real people
- Art and Art history
- Multiple Timelines

In *Picasso's Lovers*, Jeanne Mackin masterfully intertwines the lives of Pablo Picasso's muses with a modern-day quest for personal and historical understanding. The narrative alternates between the 1920s and 1950s, focusing on Alana Olson, a young art historian and aspiring journalist, as she delves into the stories of the women who orbited the legendary artist.

Alana's journey begins with her ambition to publish an article on Picasso for ARTNews, inspired by her late mother's fascination with the painter. Through interviews with Sara Murphy, a former model and friend of Picasso, Alana uncovers the lives of Irène Lagut, Olga Khokhlova, Françoise Gilot, Jacqueline Roque, and others. The novel's strength lies in its focus on these women, rather than Picasso himself, offering a refreshing perspective on the well-known artist.

The narrative's dual timeline enhances the depth of the story. In 1953, Alana navigates a male-dominated world, balancing her aspirations against the expectations of her traditional fiancé. Her interactions with a wealthy socialite and her attraction to a new acquaintance at an inn lead her to question her engagement and redefine her personal and professional goals.

Mackin skillfully blends historical fiction with elements of mystery, adding intrigue as Alana's investigation into her own family's past unfolds. Themes of McCarthyism, civil rights, and freedom of expression add further layers to the narrative, enriching the historical context.

Readers will appreciate Mackin's meticulous research and ability to humanize Picasso, portraying him as a complex figure whose relationships were fraught with emotional turmoil. While some may find the pacing slow, particularly in the second half, the richly detailed characters and historical insights make the journey worthwhile.

*Picasso's Lovers* is a compelling read for fans of historical fiction, art history, and stories with multiple perspectives and dual timelines. It offers a unique exploration of Picasso's legacy through the eyes of the women who knew him best, making it a memorable addition to the genre.

Picasso’s Lovers was a unique story centered around the vivid life of artist Pablo Picasso and the women muses that captured his attention. It was fascinating and I enjoyed reading with the audiobook format.

WHAT TO EXPECT
-history in art
-multiple POVs
-dual timeline

*many thanks to Berkley Publishing and prh audio, and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review.

Picasso's Lovers by Jeanne Mackin was high on my list to read but life got in the way and I had to take a brief hiatus. This book had history with a capital H! I love when I learn from books. It also offered a good story with complicated characters and an interesting story. Well done! RECOMMEND!

Picasso’s Lovers follows two different story lines and provides a detailed historical perspective to the reader in the beginning of the book.

Picture it, 1923 along the French Riviera. Lust runs rampant amongst the artist community and could very well be the source of new and creative techniques, as well as, beautifully detailed finished masterpieces.

Meanwhile almost thirty years later in 1950, writer Alana is grieving the loss of her mother. Alana absolutely loves art, specifically Picasso’s work due to her mother’s own influence and love of Picasso. Alana is given an opportunity to write an article about Picasso for a publisher in hopes of securing a job. But, how will she ever be able to find an angle that hasn’t already been researched and written about? Alana quite literally discovers a clue in her own home and sets out to learn more. She doesn’t expect to find any leads, much less fall in love while on her journey.

There were so many things to love about this book, here are a few things that I really enjoyed:
💕 The writing style.
💕 How believable and beautifully written the characters were!
💕 How all of the women Picasso loved were strong and unique in their own way but shared one common weakness…Picasso.
💕 How quickly and deeply Picasso could love without considering the consequences of his actions.
💕 Learning that Picasso was a great father to his son.
💕 The secret that Alana learned through her many days of interviewing people to write her article about Picasso.
💕 For the first time in my life, this book made me consider that loathing and loving can be one and the same!

I know it was not the plan, but I both love and hate Picasso a little more after reading this? Like, I am about to go glare at his work in art museum over emotions that these characters put me through.

Picasso's Lovers was an interesting book and concept with complicated characters and lots of history.

I was drawn into the story early on, but struggled with the author's writing style the further I read. I appreciate descriptive writing, but this was a bit too much. Every single thing was described in great detail, sometimes repetitively. I also understood the upheaval and dissatisfaction Alana had with her life and romantic relationships. However, I didn't believe the depth of love she fell into so quickly with Jack.

Love triangles, passion, and ambition are all included in this fascinating read. I love the characterizations of the women in Picasso's life - those who inspired him in different ways - lover and muse. Mackin weaves together a story that is a must for all art lovers.

Thank you #NetGalley for this advanced copy.

In sultry, sun-drenched southern Europe during the 1920s, various women fall in and out of favor with the famously passionate painter Picasso. Meanwhile, in the 1950s, a career woman named Alana attempts to track down Sara, one of the women closest to the temperamental Spaniard and increasingly reclusive artist, in an attempt to learn more about him. Alana’s interest in Picasso and Sara stems partly from her late mother’s love of the former’s work, as well as a mysterious newspaper clipping about Sara that Alana found amongst her mother’s books. As family secrets come to light, these two timelines come together nicely. The book weaves real history with enticing, well-plotted fiction.

Although the start and finish are a little drawn out, I enjoyed Picasso’s Lovers. The sensual, succulent prose draws the reader in like a particularly delicious work of art. Speaking of art, I found myself googling the individual works referenced out of curiosity. Previously I hadn’t even been aware of Picasso’s undeniably charming ceramics, for example.

On a thematic note, the book displays the author’s solid understanding of the difficulties faced by career-oriented women in the 1950s, as well as women in general in the 1920s. Her depiction of Alana’s internal conflict over her relationship with her fiancé, who wants her to settle down and abandon her dream of writing about art, is thoughtful and historically plausible. I found the ending satisfying, if slightly bittersweet.

This dual-timeline book has so much in it! Art, history, secrets, romance, and so, so much more! Whenever I picked up "Picasso's Lovers", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this story.

Jeanne Mackin's writing is visceral and descriptive, and the past came to life right before my eyes. I could envision the different locations, and Ms. Mackin seamlessly weaves history and fiction together; the characters have depth, the two timelines perfectly compliment one another in the storytelling, and the result is a book I truly could not put down.

Alana is a young woman who fights for what she wants, and is determined to write a strong, unique, and amazing story. Following the death of her mother, Alana sets out to speak to Sara Murphy, hoping to learn more both about Sara herself as well as about her time with Picasso, whose works meant a lot to Alana's mother. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, this book is full of twists, turns, mystery, and connection. I found myself flipping the pages chapter after chapter to see what was going to happen next, and to find out how things past and present are connected as well.

If you enjoy Historical Fiction novels, I highly recommend this book! I purchased this physical copy to add to my home library, and I look forward to doing more research on my own time as well. I look forward to hearing what Ms. Mackin writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the e-ARC of this novel, and to Berkley Publishing Group for having me on the Blog Tour for the book! All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

There's no secret that Picasso loved women, did he treat his lovers and muses the right way, the answer to this question is no, most of the time he was not a good person to them. So why was he always surrounded by women?
This book paints a portrait of the artist not so much by his art but but the women that surrounded him. This novel is a fascinating portrait of family drama and the relationships he had with the women he enjoyed. While at the same time transporting the reader to the magical French Riviera of the 50's were glamorous celebrities, artists and writers mingled we read about Picasso's dark side.
An engrossing read from beginning to end, we get to know Picasso the men without focusing so much on Picasso the artist.

I am bordering on 5 stars for this one. I think once my book club reads it and we get to talk about it, that might sway my rating. We'll see.

That being said, this was resplendent. The writing was lush and the history captivating. I was very into this and haven't felt this was about historical fiction in a while. This honestly made me nostalgic for school and my classes with any focus on art. This was a unique take on the artist of Picasso through the eyes of women who loved him and I found it fascinating.

If you are unfamiliar with many famous paintings, you may find it distracting looking them up, but I think getting the full picture is worth it.

I really interesting historical fiction book. Alana is a journalist who is scared in the McCarthy times, but finds herself intrigued by the love affairs of Picasso. It’s interesting as she gets to know the women that were in his life. She also begins to reevaluate her own life and life choices. it’s a sweeping book that takes you back to that time period.

Thank you to Berkley for the arc! All thoughts are my own.

I appreciate a good historical fiction now and then and this book scratched the itch for me. This book centers around Alana, a headstrong female working in the male dominated journalism industry in the 1950s. She sets off to write an article on the illustrious Pablo Picasso but she wants to write something different. Along the way of learning about Pablo’s relationships with the women in his life, she starts to re-examine her own romantic partnerships.

I liked this enough, it started a little bit slow but picked up as we got further into the book. I’m definitely a francophile so any book that touches on 1920s Paris is an auto read for me. I enjoyed my time and I’m curious to see what else this author might come out with.

Quick Synopsis:
Alana Olson, a struggling journalist, embarks on a journey to uncover more about Pablo Picasso and the women who surrounded him. What started as a work project quickly morphs into a personal quest to expose secrets that affect her directly.

Characters:
I had originally thought that this fictionalized novel would help me gain a better understanding of Picasso’s life. Instead, it gave me a better understanding of women’s lives during the period in which Picasso lived and helped me to see Picasso as an elusive artist.

Storyline/Pacing:
January was my month for reading slow burns and this one fits perfectly into that category. This book was a character study of sorts. The characters were engaging, but there were times I needed to take a break due to the slow pacing.

Overall:
I recommend this one to readers who love travel fiction, women’s historical fiction, or find art history intriguing. 3.5 ⭐️

Disclosure:
Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing for the Digital Review Copy of Picasso’s Lovers. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Berkley and Uplit Reads for a gifted copy and PRH Audio for a complimentary audiobook.

I really struggled to get into this book to begin with. The beginning was quite heavy into Picasso as a womanizer. But the second half, where Alana is a much bigger character in the book really had me intrigued and interested.

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the first half and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for the second half)

Read if you like:
Historical fiction
Picasso’s artwork
Uncovering secrets

A tangled and vividly intimate portrait of the women caught in Picasso’s charismatic orbit through the affairs, the scandals, and the art—only this time, they hold the brush.

 

Picasso's Lovers is a historical fiction based on artist, Pablo Picasso and the women who loved him. Journalist, Alana is obsessed with Picasso and her mother has several paintings of his in her home. Alana flies to France to interviews a few women who knew Picasso to get a bigger glimpse into his world. I thought this was a super interesting read, even though it was fiction. The author did a great deal of research on Picasso.

I absolutely adored this book. First of all, we meet Alana who has the goal of just writing about Picasso, what happens instead is she changes her life.

She meets a few of Picasso’s former lovers and they convince her to go see him (I am leaving out a few other things for spoiler sake).

Alana is a very likable character that you want to see be happy and I just loved the way this book ended.

loved everything about “Picasso’s Lovers” by Jeanne Mackin, Author. In this well written Historical Fiction novel, the artists paints a vivid and story using colorful images and words of Picasso’s Art and the women that he loved. Set in the political background of the times, the author explores the women’s lives and how they were immortalized by Picasso’s paintbrush.

The emotions of the women and the strokes of the drawings and paintings explore Picasso’s personality. Alana is a journalist, who can relate to Picasso’s Art, and is assigned to profile him for a leading magazine. Alana’s deceased mother had paintings of Picassos in her home, and Alana is obsessed with him. Alana does interview some of the women that knew Picasso, and gets a stronger glimpse into his world. Alana has to fight the male dominated field of journalism to make her mark. Will Alana uncover certain secrets and truths about Picasso that will be significant?

I highly recommend this thought-provoking, memorable and unique Historical Fiction novel to others.

Thank you Uplit Reads for choosing me to be part of the campaign for Picasso's Lovers! And thank you Penguin Random House and Netgalley for the gifted finished copy and NetGalley widget proof.

This book is such an immersive literary masterpiece! I loved it so much!
Last year, we went to a Picasso exhibit at our local Museum of Art, where I was introduced to prints of the many women and art styles Picasso used. How brilliant to write a novel from the perspective of the women in his life! Picasso was known as a womanizer. He would use them as his muses, romanticise them, he even married a few, then he would move onto someone new. He created some incredible works of art through several "eras" including cubism, surrealism, expressionist, neoclassicism and his blue period. I enjoyed looking up the references to his specific pieces in the novel. I can't imagine the amount of research that went into the creation of this book!
Many of the characters in Picasso's Lovers were real, and the author tried to portray them as accurately as possible. Some were fictitious, but still added so much depth to the story.
I couldn't put this one down. While the story moved rather slowly, it was told in such a way, and with so much detail, that I flew through it.
I am so glad I had the opportunity to read this one!