I like historical fiction and this book did not disappoint. It was a well written story about the life of Gainsborough as told through the eyes of his daughters. Unfortunately, one daughter is mentally ill and the other daughter takes on full responsibility for her sister. Not surprisingly there are some tragic consequences and, of course, the suspicion of 18th century English people. I dare not say more as it will give away much of the book.

If you like historical fiction, I think you will like this book.

The inspiration behind this book was exciting to me, working from the paintings of a popular portrait artists in Bath in the 1700’s to tell a story about the lives of his daughters (and also their maternal grandmother? that was out of nowhere) but the end result was bland. The sisters have a life of adventure, aside from Molly’s mysterious illness, while living in the countryside, but when they are moved to town to encourage them to grow up into proper young ladies, shocker they get into trouble and the mysterious illness is not cured by the Bath baths! Overall I found this book lacking strong plot, too dependent on the framework of the portraits. The girls were interesting as characters but the way they were manipulated throughout the story just left me asking “why?” I found nothing compelling here, and at the end I was left with no payoff, just a slightly bad taste in the mouth.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Simon & Schuster, for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for this honest review!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the free advance copy of The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes in exchange for an honest review.

This masterwork of historical fiction tells the story of 18th century portrait artist Thomas Gainsborough’s two daughters, Molly and Peg. Interspersed with the main story line is one featuring Meg Grey, the daughter of an abusive inkeeper . The picture painted by the author of mid- to late-century Ipswich and Bath where the Gainsboroughs resided is vivid and enticing, and the manner in which the two story lines ultimately intersect is a revelation.

Themes include the toll of mental illness, the limits of 18th century women’s options, and the effect of class differences on everyone involved. The writing is beautiful and evocative and it’s a wonder that this is a first novel. I can’t wait to read what this author writes next. Five enthusiastic stars.

While somewhat slow-moving, this was an interesting story, based mostly in fact, of the two daughters of 18th century British artist Thomas Gainsborough. Though the younger of the two, Peggy devoted most of her life to protecting her sister Molly, who exhibited increasingly odd and sometimes dangerous behavior. Gainsborough's wife was determined to bring their daughters up "in society" and to enable them to find husbands who could support them in the manner she believed they deserved; for that reason, it seemed critical that Molly's illness be kept secret. The novel follows the family from their country home to the city of Bath, where they could take part in society, with the potential risks and benefits abounded.

There was alot of sadness in this book and there is not really a happy ending. The story is told from two different characters, each on their own timeline. I felt bad for the two daughters (Molly and Peggy) and the emotional turmoil that they experienced growing up. Their parents put so much pressure on them to behave and act a certain way. So when Molly's mental state starts changing, Peggy feels like she has to hide Molly's episodes. Howes has a talent for describing settings and includes details that transports you to the scene. Another one of my favorite elements of the book is the dialogue between the characters. The converstations and arguments just drew me in! The history notes at the end of the book were also an interesting factor that added to the overall story.

3.25. I love historical fiction so was looking forward to reading this novel about the two daughters of the famous painter, Thomas Gainsborough. It’s an interesting story on the close relationship of the two sisters, Molly and Peggy, and their relationship and the challenges it brings to them and the family. I really had trouble getting into this novel, however. I liked the time period, 1700s England and parts on Bath, but otherwise I was underwhelmed. I expected more on the father and his painting but the novel really was a piece on the two sisters. A debut novel and obviously well researched. Thank you to Netgalley for providing me a copy in exchange for a candid and unbiased review.

Unfortuately, this book just was not for me. I struggled to get into it, and it fell flat.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC.

Haunting and beautiful historical fiction about Thomas Gainsborough's daughters 🔥🔥. The author writes young girls well and ages them naturally, giving their development a role in revealing this story's secrets. Gainsborough's paintings are referenced through the girls' memories of sitting for them and seeing them in their homes. I loved the writing, and gasped at the twists - also worth reading the little bit at the end explaining the historical record, and how the art inspired the plot.

<I>Thanks to NetGalley for the arc

After many attempts to read this book, I decided to DNF this story. I was intrigued by the description and appreciated the author’s interest in bringing the story of this English painter to life, but I struggled with the writing style and felt like I couldn’t completely lose myself in the story. I think readers who enjoy historical fiction and are lovers of art will really resonate with the story.

Thank you to Emily Howes, Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book for an honest review.

This is a beautiful debut book of sisters, love, & The lengths families go for each other. This is a true treasure of a book.

I loved the art aspect of this historical fiction novel as well as the story of sisterhood. Howes' writing is lyrical, and she paints (no pun intended) a vivid portrait of the time, of love and devotiion, and the things we do to survive.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the copy to review.

Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of The Painter’s Daughters by Emily Howes. This is a fictionalized story of the daughters of 18th century artist Thomas Gainesborough. Penny is the younger daughter, and she is very worried about the behavior of her older sister Molly. Molly has moments of “madness”, and Penny worries that she will be taken away to an institution. As the book goes on, we learn of a connection to the English royal family, which may have a genetic mental health issue. I have not been a huge lover of historical fiction recently, but I did like this. There were times while reading it that I had trouble keeping track of the characters and story lines, but that seemed to get better as I went along. #thepaintersdaughters #emilyhowes #bookstagram #netgalley #takeapagefrommybook #lovetoread #readallthebooks #readersofinstagram #historicalfiction #bookloversofinstagram

Peggy and Molly, daughters of renowned painter, Thomas Gainsborough, must stick together to live up to the illusion their father has created about their family. A twisting tale of love, mental illness, and sisterhood, this historical fiction will take you for an emotional ride.

Told as a historical fiction mystery, the novel explores the meaning of family and devotion on multiple levels. I enjoyed the characters, the attention to the historical setting, and the mystery element. However, the story suffered from some pacing issues and for me, needed some faster pay-off. I can't say if I would have pushed through if this hadn't been an ARC, but ultimately, it was worth it in my opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all views expressed are my own.

In her captivating novel "The Painter's Daughters," Emily Howes skillfully unveils the immersive narratives surrounding Molly and Peggy, the daughters of 18th-century British master painter Thomas Gainsborough.

Set against the backdrop of 18th-century England, the story unfolds in two parallel narratives, particularly focusing on Molly and Peggy. From their wild upbringing in Suffolk to their exposure to Bath's refined society, Howes intricately portrays their journey amidst societal expectations and familial dynamics. Molly, the eldest daughter, enjoys an unrestrained childhood in Suffolk, despite her mother’s efforts to rein her in. However, troubling signs of odd behavior and confusion persist, worsening after the family relocates to fashionable Bath. Molly's unsettling behavior becomes a central concern for her younger sister Peggy, who fears separation and the societal stigma associated with Molly's condition. She devises coping mechanisms to keep them together, even as Molly’s condition threatens institutionalization.

Alongside this, we follow the intriguing backstory of Meg, a woman with her own tale of love, secrecy, and ambition. An Englishwoman with a history of familial violence and loss, Meg's secret relationship with Frederick of Hanover (then Prince of Wales) leads her to make bold choices to secure their future.

Throughout the book, Howes skillfully explores themes of love, duty, and secrecy, weaving fact and imagination, while navigating themes of love, duty, and resentment, highlighting the intricate balance between genetic predispositions and hidden truths. Her meticulous research, detailed in the author's note, distinguishes fact from imaginative interpretation, providing a rich tapestry of historical context. Overall, "The Painter's Daughters" is a thoughtful view of the real lives behind Gainsborough’s exquisite portraits.

This was very good historical fiction. There were two viewpoints - Peggy, who was the younger of two sisters who were the daughters of the famous painter Thomas Gainsborough; and Meg, a girl working in a village inn. The reader doesn't really know how the two connect until toward the end of the story, but for me it was surprising and powerful once it was revealed.

Much of the story is about Peggy and her sister Molly who suffers from mental illness, and it explored themes of familial responsibility and love - how much of yourself do you sacrifice for those you love? I don't want to summarize the plot, but would say that I enjoyed reading about this family, the choices they made and the repercussions of those choices. As I said before, very good historical fiction.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

This is a historical fiction novel set in the 1700s about the daughters of a famous portrait artist. Peggy and Molly spend their days posing for their dad, as he would paint them. They love and protect each other until a betrayal occurs.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of this book for an honest review.

This story was so beautifully done--a tribute to the art that inspired it. 

A story of two sisters, at its core, The Painter's Daughters is the story of artist Thomas Gainsborough's daughters, Peggy and Molly.

This wasn't always a comfortable read as it's realistic and things weren't always easy for the sisters. But uncomfortable reads can be so rewarding. And this one definitely paid off.

Unfortunately, for me, this didn’t strike a chord, nor did I fall into the world of Gainsborough and his family, especially his daughters. In part, that may have been because the version provided to me had no real spacing which made it arduous to read. Not the author’s fault, of course, and indeed it harms the author for readers to have to wade through pages of unindented and unspaced text, which keeps a reader from losing themselves in the story and the writing, and at this point in our techno times, providing novels in advance form should not be hindered by this. But in addition, I found the writing too flowery, it lacked that verisimilitude that brings historical fiction alive.

The Painters Daughters was based on a real English painter from the 17th century and his wife and daughters. It was very interesting and atmospheric. One of the sisters Peggy longs to be an artist like her father, but also finds herself covering for her sister Molly’s frequent mental lapses. The family moves to Bath and things become easier and harder. I did some googling and learned that many of the characters and events in the story are real but not all the facts are the same. Overall, an interesting read. Thank you to @netgalley for the arc.

This book and I were a bad match.

I didn't connect with the story at all. For me, the writing was overly... flowery? Poetic? Something... It felt forced. The characters weren't developed, and I wasn't connecting with any of it.

DNF