Water Lily Dance - Paperback

by Michelle Muriel (Author)

An imaginative, stunning historical novel wrapped in a second-chance romance by the bestselling author of Essie's Roses, Michelle Muriel. Three brave women, centuries apart, risk everything for love in this healing, magical story of self-discovery, artistic freedom, and the friendships that pull us through the darkest times back into the light.

". . . [a] warm, passionate, and life-changing story. Imagination is at the heart of this superb novel, imagination that builds, rends, and immortalizes. Muriel offers a story beyond words - exquisitely sad, loving, and healing historical fiction." - Historical Novel Society

"A brilliantly penned and original novel showcasing the extraordinary talent and genuine flair of a distinctive narrative storytelling style . . . [a] riveting read from beginning to end . . ." - Midwest Book Review

Chance is not a word to toss in the air. It's a word to take in, a word to give yourself.

Missouri, 2014. Sophie Noel, an emerging artist and daughter of renowned artist Josephine de Lue, holds an extraordinary imagination, but a year after the unexpected deaths of her father and husband, she cannot imagine a way to "move on" from loss-or the buried childhood memory trying to resurface that may hold the key to her second chance at life? To cope with grief and the temptation to leave it all behind, Sophie escapes into a painted world of color and light, venting her anxiety to an old childhood friend-an imaginary one: French Impressionist artist, Claude Monet.

Paris, 1989. Celebrated French artist Josephine de Lue has always believed in the magic of Claude Monet's garden in Giverny, France. So when her daughter's estranged American father takes ten-year-old Sophie for a visit, Josephine never imagined this garden of light would cast a shadow that would follow Sophie into adulthood. A mother leaves a legacy and one last portrait for her daughter. A confession that may bring Sophie the peace and purpose she searches for, or one that may push her closer to the edge.

Paris, 1865. A daring shopgirl, Camille Doncieux, is captivated by the rebirth of Paris and the rebellious artists who wage war against tradition and the government's censorship at the annual art exhibition at the Paris Salon. Behind the windows of her father's luxurious dress shop, Camille plots a rebellion of her own after meeting three bold artists determined to change her life forever: Claude Monet, Auguste Renoir, and Frédéric Bazille.

From an eclectic town in Missouri to the stunning backdrop of 19th-century Paris at the height of the Impressionist art movement, Water Lily Dance is an inspiring tribute to the unrelenting creative spirit and the lengths we travel to lose and find ourselves across the generations. A moving portrait of loss, love, and second chances.