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Louise and Vincent
French innkeeper Louise Ravoux is struggling to keep her inn afloat while raising her two daughters and avoiding her abusive husband. One afternoon, a scruffy redheaded painter walks in, wanting to rent a room. Vincent van Gogh reminds her of her first love, and he has the most arresting eyes of anyone she’s ever seen. Though attracted to Vincent, Louise still bears the scars her husband gave her the only time she flirted with a man during their marriage. Still, something about Vincent makes her feel alive, and when she sees him painting outside, she stops to admire his work.
Louise gathers her courage and asks Vincent to give her painting lessons, and he agrees. She soon realizes that art and this man are calling her to change her life. Because of her husband’s temper and propensity for violence, Louise walks a dangerous path, but she’s determined to do whatever it takes to find a meaningful life and experience love.
Both a love story and a chronicle of a woman’s awakening, Louise and Vincent richly portrays the last months of one of the most iconic artists in history.
Praise
“…a beautifully written and emotionally resonant novel that skillfully weaves together the lives of two captivating characters. Byington’s ability to breathe life into her protagonists, her sensitivity in addressing pertinent social issues of the nineteenth century, and her thoughtful portrayal of Vincent Van Gogh’s final days make this book a must-read for fans of historical fiction and art enthusiasts alike. This is a heartwarming tale of love, hope, resilience, and the profound impact that human connection can have in even the most trying circumstances. “Louise and Vincent” is certainly worthy of five vibrant and deeply textured stars.”
—Kelly Stone Gamble, USA Today bestselling author
“This is a delightful story that gives some joy to van Gogh’s last months after he was released from a year in an insane asylum. It’s the best of women’s fiction in that Louise pulls herself out of her misery and reawakens her joie de vivre; it’s also the best of historical fiction, a lovely blend of well-documented facts and fiction. It also brings an alternate theory to how Van Gogh died. I enjoyed reading it in one sitting.”
—Suanne Schafer, award-winning author of Hunting the Devil and A Different Kind of Fire
