I have read several books this year that have taken place in the 1950s and mentioned Picasso, even, specifically his painting, Guernica, so when this ARC became available I was curious to read it. Picasso had many lovers and he was not nice to them. I'm not totally sure why he married anyone. I mean he only had 2 wives, but why when you won't be faithful anyway? I'm assuming he was not a good father after reading this. Art was his life and if the women were always second to his art and discarded I can only assume he was that way with his kids. This book is about Alana in 1953. Her mother has died and she wants to find out who her mother was. She interviews some women who knew Picasso and finds out something happened in the summer of 1923. Had her mother actually known Picasso? She starts to realize her mother had many secrets before she was born. Alana is engaged to a guy who doesn't want her to work and her boss does not want a female working for him so some of this book is about Alana deciding her future and finding out her past. I did enjoy it and then of course I had to do a deep dive into Picasso on the internet.

-Pablo's women usually loved him more than he loved them.

-Sufficient to say, some artists think a touch of madness makes them more interesting, or at least gives them more license. It certainly gives them more publicity. Pablo knew he didn't need license. All he needed was his art.

-We cling to things tighter when we fear we are losing them.

-I think it is easy to believe we are happy in poverty when in fact we are happy merely because we are young and our cares do not overwhelm us.

-"I hate this time of day. When the light dies and you have to learn all over again, every day, that the universe is not kind or malicious, it is indifferent."

-Perhaps when a man like Picasso paints you, that is as close as he gets to love.

-"Sometimes we reveal more of ourselves when we are in costume. We are freer."

-Pablo Picasso belongs to his art, not his women.

-"Ah. That is a hard thing about secrets, that you don't know people have them till you begin to discover them, and suddenly you must question so much."

-Picasso seemed to use up and then discard women the way other men replace automobiles, always on the lookout for the newest model.

-If he can't paint it or sculpt it, it does not exist for him.

"A tangled and vivid 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.

The women of Picasso's life are glamorous and elusive, existing in the shadow of his fame - until 1950s aspiring journalist Alana Olson determines to bring one into the light. Unsure of what to expect but bent on uncovering what really lies beneath the canvas, Alana steps into Sara Murphy's well-guarded home to discover a past complicated by secrets and intrigue.

Sara paints a luxurious picture of the French Riviera in 1923, but also a tragic one. The more Sara reveals, the more cracks emerge in Picasso's once-vibrant social circle - and the more Alana feels a disturbing convergence with her own life. Who are these other muses? What became of them? What will become of her?

Desperate to trace the threads, Alana dives into the glittering lives of the past. But to do so she must contend with her own reality, including a strained engagement, the male-dominated world of art journalism, and the rising threat to civil rights in America. With hard truths peeling apart around her, it turns out that the most extraordinary portrait Alana encounters is her own."

Here because of and for the women.

This historical fiction novel paints the story of the womanizing of the world famous artist, Pablo Picasso. Told through two timelines, we learn the history of multiple women, their time in France, and how their lives were impacted by this man. These women were ultimately used as muses for some of his most notorious works.

This scandalous story bridges the 1920's to the 1950's, and colors the lines of suspense, mystery and love. This was an interesting narrative for a man I knew little of his lifestyle. The author also addresses the social changes and standards from each respective decade.

Picasso's Lovers is an salacious delight.

Thank you Berkley Publishing for the complimentary copy.

Love when a historical fiction gives a a story based on a real person's lives and it just feels like a story being told from someone who really was there and knew them. A different time, a different life but captures you and you want to know more.

Picasso is known as a great artist whose art comes alive. Picasso and his many lovers. Women were his muses, his inspiration in his eyes. If he painted them he slept with them. Not caring if he hurt his wife or his current mistress.
Sara Murphy a one time liver of Picasso is found by Alan's Olsen. Alan's is looking for a new angle to write a story on Picasso, and does she ever get v more than expected.
A dual timeline historical fiction that I found entertaining, with mystery, emotion, history and more.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book.

This historical fiction is about Picasso and his many lovers, specifically in 1923 French Riviera . A modern
day journalist. of the 1950's interviews American Sara Murphy and, in the process, discovers secrets of her own life. (Everyone Was Young, a non-fiction By Amanda Vaill, recounts the story of the Murphys and their friends in a 1998 book.)
My memories of that probably made the modern-day retelling seem contrived. However, an interesting read.

Pablo Picasso changed women like some men change their clothes. Nobody was off limits, and he didn't care if he hurt his wife Olga or whoever his current mistress was. He looked upon women as his muses, his inspiration, and if he was going to paint a woman, he was also going to have sex with her. When aspiring journalist Alana Olsen gets an assignment from an art magazine to write something new about Picasso, she gets more than she bargained for.
I really like Mackin's previous book The Last Collection about Elsa Schiaparelli and Coco Chanel. I didn't find this one quite so compelling, probably because I'm not a huge Picasso fan. I found the last third of the book to be predictable, no surprises there, and I did a lot of skimming. If you're a big Picasso fan or read only historical fiction, you'll probably enjoy it.

Thank you @berkleypub and @netgalley for the gifted e-ARC!

Pablo Picasso remains one of the greatest artists of all time, known for pioneering cubism and his endless artistic experimentation. His love life was infamous; he had one marriage and numerous lovers throughout his years. His relationships however, were plagued by his infidelity and his emotional abuse.

Picasso's Lovers explores both real and fictionalized women as their lives become entangled with his genius and are forever altered.

Alana is an aspiring journalist, mourning the death of her mother and uncertain about her engagement to steady and reliable William.

While going through her mother's things, she uncovers an article about Sara Murphy, one-time lover of Picasso.

Curious, Alana seeks out Sara and manages to persuade a reluctant Sara to speak to her about her time with Picasso. What unfolds is Sara's recollections of a summer in Antibes with Picasso-and Alana's mother.

As explosive secrets are revealed, Alana struggles to reconcile the relationship she had with the mother she never truly knew.

Mackin creates a sumptuous and vibrant world that enfolds the reader into the lives of the characters during a turbulent time in history. With dual timelines and alternating points of view between Alana. Sara, and Irene, a mistress of Picasso, we are swept up and thoroughly engaged by their stories.

Lovers of historical fiction take note!
This releases in January and is not to be missed!

Picasso's Lovers by Jeanne Mackin is an entertaining dual timeline historical fiction that kept my interest from beginning to end.

This historical fiction has it all: history, passion, mystery, suspense, emotion, passion…all tied in together between the 1950s and 1920s and bridges together people and events across two different times and continents.

I always like a novel where I learn something while being entertained…and this fit that bill. I also enjoy a good HF that can incorporate true historical figures with fiction.

This was a creative and interesting narrative that brought together several figures, including Pablo Picasso, and shines a light on some of the women that surrounded him and helps explain and untangle some of the mysteries shrouding this complex artist (for better and for worse).

The author’s ability to compare and contrast not only the two time periods, but also the social changes and standards during these respective times definitely gives the reader something additional to think about.

4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Berkley Publishing Group for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/23/24.

This is a compelling story but I couldn’t help but really dislike all the characters. I didn’t like Picasso at all and his effect on women seemed super contrived and not at all convincing. Didn’t love what a huge misogynist he was either… overall this was just ok for me.