The Cassatt Sisters: A Novel of Love and Art

by Lisa Groen

In 1877, the Paris art scene is very competitive for men but nearly impossible for thirty-three-year-old Mary Cassatt, an American woman. Bored by traditional methods of painting, she admires the work of avant-garde painters, especially Edgar Degas. So, when Edgar visits Mary's studio to view her paintings, she is exhilarated by his invitation to join him, Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and other Impressionists in the collective.

Meeting the standards of the Impressionists is nerve-racking. Mary is judged not only as a painter but as a woman. She takes comfort in her close bond with her sister, Lydia, who often poses for her. But Mary's growing attraction to Edgar threatens to derail the plans Mary and Lydia have made for their future. When an opportunity arises to work side by side with Edgar, Mary begins a clandestine love affair that utterly upends her life and career.

In The Cassatt Sisters, author Lisa Groen paints a dazzling picture of Belle Époque Paris and the extraordinary life of artist Mary Cassatt during her time with the Impressionists. At the heart of this compelling historical novel is an age-old question: What must a woman sacrifice to live a life of freedom and accomplishment?

Genres: Historical Fiction, Art, Paris, Romance

271 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2025

About the author

Lisa Groen loved getting to know Impressionist painter Mary Cassatt in her first historical novel THE CASSATT SISTERS, coming in October 2025. She is author of THE MOTHER'S BOOK OF WELL-BEING, a book of essays for new moms. Lisa's writing also appears in the textbook THE FOURTH GENRE: Contemporary Writers of Creative Nonfiction.

Lisa holds an MFA in writing from The Naslund-Mann Graduate School of Writing. She lives in Utah and shares city and mountain homes with her husband and their dog, George Harrison. They have a blended family of five adult children and two grandchildren.

⭐️ Early Reviews for THE CASSATT SISTERS:

"The Cassatt Sisters is hard to put down, intensely revealing, and a work of art itself.”
- Midwest Book Review

"A well-crafted portrait of two famous artists, their suffering, and their joys."
- Kirkus Reviews

🖋️ Follow Lisa to learn more.
https://substack.com/@lisagroen
https://facebook.com/lisagroenwriter/
https://instagram.com/lisagroenwriter

Reviews

[Jann Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisa Groen’s The Cassatt Sisters is a fully immersive visit to the sights, sounds, and smells of an Impressionist painting in 19th-century Paris. So visual is Groen’s storytelling of the untold relationship between the long-underrated painter, Mary Cassatt, and her favorite subject, her sister Lydia, I longed to walk among them with the more famous painters who admired her. Cassatt’s troubled relationship with Edgar Degas, and her support from Impressionists Camille Pissarro, Gustave Caillebotte, Claude Monet, are illustrated in color with their paintings and offer a rich record in this poignantly-told story of sisterhood and love. A must-read for anyone who knows little of, or who adores, the Impressionist artists.

[May · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been a fan of Mary Cassatt’s work all my life. Reading a novel based on her life, family and struggles to be a recognized artist was a delight!!

[Jana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been captivated by Mary Cassatt’s paintings for many years. When I saw that Lisa Groen had crafted a historical fiction novel about her life, I was keen to read it. Many familiar artists are presented in the story with Mary Cassatt, including impressionist painters in Paris during this decade of La Belle Epoque.

It is an emotional story of Mary, her sister Lydia and their parents in Paris as Mary paints her way through this world from 1877 to 1886. The primary theme throughout the whole book is, as the title suggests, love and Art. I understand so much more about the Artist’s journey in this framework of life.

The sad and heart rendering death of Lydia endeared this reader to the book through its emotional impact, and to appreciate even more the fact that Lydia was often the one who sat as Mary’s subject. Lydia and Mary‘s last lucid conversation before her death brought me to tears. “I realize every breath is an opportunity to be immortal.”

This is a wonderfully composed love story —sisterly love, family love, parental love, romantic love - told through the sheer realism of Mary’s work and paintings: beautiful children with mothers (which has been so sorely ignored by the art community throughout the millennia).

Groen paints a Mary Cassett who brings us a touching rendition of our mothering lives. Wonderful!

[Deb Kiley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great debut historical fiction story about Mary Cassatt and her time with the other Impressionists. Set in France in the late 1800s, it tells about Mary's experiences with Lydia, her sister whom modeled for her extensively, Edgar Degas, her colleague and lover, and a plethora of other famous painters from Camille Pissarro and Claude Monet. As a long time admirer of Impressionist art, I so enjoyed reading about the lives of these famous painters and the imagined discussions. Mary had the typical challenges for women when she was constantly bombarded with questions about her ambition versus having a husband and family. She was a strong character and had such a deep desire to paint regardless of comments by Degas and others. The story was well researched and the Author Notes explain what liberties the author took.
If you are a fan of art, strong women, and charming storytelling, I highly recommend this book. I rated this 4.5 stars.
#TheCassattSisters #BlackRoseWriting #NetGalley
Thank you Black Rose Writing and Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Catherine Stirling · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel has the magical, delicious ability to completely transport the reader. Without excessive or flowery language, the author paints the reader into the Cassatt family homes, artists' studios, opera loges, countryside scenes and - most memorably - the fantastical parties thrown by another notable female impressionist, Berthe Morisot.

I especially love the way the author captures the intimacy of family life - the dynamic between parents and their adult children, the unspoken understandings between sisters, the tenderness among family members when one is suffering, the daily rhythms of home.

The author also explores the relationships among artists that most of us more pedantic humans don't experience, characterized by admiration, encouragement, competition and artistic connection - the relationships between Mary Cassatt and her contemporaries explore all of these.

What I think I enjoyed the most was the novel's exploration of love in all of its forms: romantic, familial, maternal, artistic and compassionate.

I hope you lose yourself in this beautifully crafted novel just as I did.

[Joan Donaldson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as Mary Cassatt painted domestic scenes between a mother and children, or a young woman at the Opera, Lisa Groen has given readers an intimate look at the relationship between two sisters. One a rising star within the Impressionist community, and the other, a sister who grieves her fiancé’s death. Set in France during the period when the Impressionist artists were renegades, Mary is determined to make her living as an artist. She must prove her talents while assuaging her father’s repeated requests to marry and adapt to a more acceptable female role.
While readers may first view Lydia as the quiet supportive sister who knits in the garden and plans the family’s meals, she proves as tenacious as Mary. Lydia understands how to appease their parents while helping Mary with simple acts such as arriving at Mary’s studio with fresh bread, cheese, and fruit. As the novel progresses, Mary comprehends how Lydia serves as her muse. When her sister is ill, dust gathers on Mary’s easel as she dedicates herself to healing Lydia.
Readers will recognize the names of numerous Impressionist from Monet, to Camille Pissarro, to Manet. But Edgar Degas pulls Mary into an affair that reveals inner desires that she did not recognize in herself. Those emotions stimulate in Mary a greater appreciation of what Lydia lost, and how her sister has dedicated herself to advancing Mary’s artistic successes.
My favorite scenes in the novel involved the Impressionists discussion about their work and the moments showing the sisters deep love for each other and how that love motivated Mary. Readers who love historical fiction will revel in the storytelling of Lisa Groen as she captures the passion of the Impressionists and the two amazing Cassatt sisters.

[Gayle Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful love story lights up Groen's first fictional novel, THE CASSATT SISTERS. Art enthusiasts and non-art enthusiasts alike will get lost in the beauty of the words, the paintings, and the bond between Lydia and Mary Cassatt. From the first page to the last, the reader is plunged into a world crafted so beautifully, I couldn’t tell what fact from fiction. The story unfolded before my eyes, written with such sophistication that I was instantly transported to Paris. If you're seeking a narrative about love that extends beyond romance and into the realm of familial ties, your search ends here. This is a debut novelist you don’t want to miss. I can’t wait to see what Groen creates next.

[Peter Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

The front door closed quietly enough. I took off my shoes and tiptoed over the floors in my stocking feet, making my way to my bedroom without waking even the cat. I lit the candle on a nightstand by the window and watched the flame flicker to life. My books appeared, and a cold cup of tea Lydia must have left for me. How strange the walls of my room seemed then, as though they had changed instead of me. Was this love? The thin floral stripes of the wallpaper, and the deep red drapery suspended over the window, the faint streetlight outside. The night sky seemed different as well — more familiar. I pulled the curtains closed.

[P.L. Jonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Feast for the Senses
Lisa Groen’s writing transported me to the painting studio of Mary Cassat as if I were watching over her shoulder as she sketched her subjects, selected the colors, and made each stroke on the canvas. Groen’s eloquent prose put me right there amid the 1870s Paris art world: the sights, the sounds, and the smells. Cassatt, Degas, Pissarro, and Morisot were all fully developed characterizations of the actual artists. I felt like I met them and attended the delightful Parisian parties.

I knew about the rumors that Cassatt and Degas had an intimate relationship beyond their art endeavors. And had read Cassatt, had destroyed all of her correspondence between them and her personal journals and diaries before her death. This act alone opens the door to interpreting their relationship, and I think Lisa Groen did an excellent job in her fictionalized account. At least, it rang true for me.

I usually read multiple books simultaneously, but once I started reading The Cassatt Sisters, it was the only book I wanted to read until I was done. A truly immersive experience. A must read.

[Heather Zoe]

This story is both colorful and full of allure. Lisa Groen paints a world of impressions and anticipations that invite us into the very energy of her characters who seem to come alive on the page. The luminous artistry of Lisa's voice carries us to the heart of the relationships that unfold, making it very hard to put down.

[Hannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t finish, I gave up at 50%.

I was so bored, so uninterested that I just couldn’t keep going. I’m questioning my book club for having voted for this one …

Maybe if you’re into period romance books when a chaste look has to suffice as an indicator of burning passion, maybe if you’re more into art, maybe if you need a slow burn of a book this might be for you. But, my book club agreed that this failed on almost every level - the art world wasn’t convincing, the romance was dull, there weren’t any real moments of conflict. It tried to do too much and ended up failing on all fronts.

The 2 stars are for the research into the art world at this time, and the portrayal of Paris at its best

[Cam Torrens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as Amor Towles makes you feel as though you’re reading a Russian classic in "A Gentleman in Moscow", Lisa Groen evokes Belle Époque Paris so vividly that you’d swear you were reading a French novel of the era itself! She writes intelligent historical fiction about the delicate balance of artistic aspiration with personal cost. Highly recommend!

[Elise Schiller · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lovely book! While I'm quite familiar with Cassatt's work, I knew less about her life among the Impressionists in Paris and her close relationship with her sister. Now I know how many of her paintings I've seen featuring Lydia and other members of her family. It was interesting to discover how many concerns of a working painter are similar to the concerns of a working writer.

[John Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read

For the duration of the time I spent reading this book, I lived and breathed with the Cassatt family through Mary's eyes. Mary wouldn't mind revealing in words what her paintings vividly already do. Very well written.

[Patricia Walsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome Read

This was a great read! Being an art student and doing my art history project on Mary Cassatt, made this such a heartwarming lovely book. Well written with facts and fiction. Definitely recommend to anyone looking for a great book to read.

[mark baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love story,

Mary Cassett's paintings always appeared pleasant yet somewhat ephemeral. After reading this speculation about possible details of her life and relationships, especially with her sister, Lydia, they now appear heartwarming and glowing. A wonderful read.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am fascinated by fictionalized history.
Insights into the lives of famous people who lived so long ago.
Well written and researched. Characters are well developed. I found myself totally invested in the story.

[Roxanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

My new favorite book. If you'd love to experience life with the Impressionists through the eyes of one of the great Impressionists, this is your read. I don't want to give too much away, but you'll love reading this one.

[Amanda Forsting · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating journey into the studios where artists work and the social and familial circles where they draw inspiration. Groen uses masterful scenes to create tension between Cassatt and Degas while exploring the complicated bonds of sisterhood, and where these bonds might lead us.

[Wendi E. Sloane · Rating 4 out of 5]

As an artist who loves art history, I enjoyed immersing myself in the mid to late 19th century Parisian art scene. I also had a lovely email exchange with the author, who was so gracious. I was interested in reading about the impediments women faced (and still do).

[Terry Gould · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful peek into the Belle Epoque, featuring the Impressionists.

[Charleen Stroup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful.

Bringing life to these historical artists is a great way to appreciate their work. Romance is part of real life and the artist inner world.

[Sally LeSage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely novel. Believable storyline. Inside the art world of Paris in late 1800s. Thoroughly enjoyed.

[Charlotte Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

What a joy to wrap myself around the art and life of Mary and Lydia. I have always admired Mary Cassatt’s paintings and now I love them even more.

[Cherene Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved it

Great acknowledgment of women artists. I now want to experience their artwork in person. Enjoyed your writing style and narrative.

[Victoria Deaker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Art History come to life with words.

So well written this novel paints a picture of an important era in Art History. The Cassatt Sisters was joy to read, the inclusions of artworks were a delightful addition. I highly recommend this book.

[N.J. Mastro · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Cassatt Sisters by Lisa Groen reveals to readers the inner life of painter Mary Cassatt during her rise to prominence as an American artist living in Paris in the latter part of the 19th century.

The novel is justly titled. At Mary’s side throughout is her only sister, Lydia, a constant whom Mary depends on more than she realizes. Lydia often sits as a model for Mary, who has thrown her lot in with the so-called Impressionists, artists defying the Paris Salon’s preference for traditional painting. And she is Mary’s closest confidante. Mary’s parents have also joined her in the City of Light and, like Lydia, feature heavily in Mary’s narration.

The story references a mix of impressionist artists beyond family, most notably Edgar Degas, who plays a leading role. Groen bases the plot in part on a rumored love affair between Mary and Degas. As the novel opens, Mary is smitten by the handsome Degas before she even meets him. His art and reputation as a fellow avant-garde precede him, and she is quickly swept up in his charm. Soon, however, Mary must decide not only what kind of artist she wants to be but whether she wants to entangle herself with a man, especially one like Degas. Degas has secrets.

There are many things to love about The Cassatt Sisters, among them the famous artists that emerge in Mary’s first-person narration as she paints her way to success. Besides Degas, Camille Pissarro is a frequent figure, someone Mary grows close to as a friend, along with Berthe Morisot. Other name dropping occurs—Manet, Monet, Caillebotte, to name but a few—all in a delightfully gossipy way.

The novel isn’t just about art. Groen paints a vivid picture of the settings as well—art, architecture, streets, opera halls, galleries, and restaurants all come to life. The lush sensory detail doesn’t end there. We can almost taste the food the characters nosh on, almost smell the sumptuous feasts they partake of, and almost inhale the intense scent of brilliant flower gardens.

Supporting Mary’s story in an even deeper manner, however, is the visual presentation of her paintings directly on the pages of the story, in color in the eBook, black and white in the paperback. I absolutely treasured this aspect of the novel. Not only did seeing the art in the text save me time having to look the paintings up online (I’m one of those who do that), it enabled me to stay fully present in Mary’s world without interruption.

I encourage you to pick up a copy of The Cassatt Sisters. The entire novel is a feast. Don’t miss it!

(Thank you to the author for an advance reader copy.)

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few weeks ago at the Flint Institute of Arts I saw Mary Cassatt’s painting of her sister Lydia working on a tapestry. This week, I saw The Cassatt Sisters and I knew I had to read it.

It was a delight to spend a few hours in Belle Epoque Paris amongst the outsider artist group labeled the Impressionists. Their art broke the rules, not only in their style of painting by also by their subjects, ordinary men and women and every day life. Rejected by the Salon, the artists bonded together to present their work in their own shows.

The Impressionists? Well, if you insist on calling us that. I consider myself a realist. But the newspapers have given us the vile name, and I believe we’re stuck with it. from The Cassatt Sisters

American artist Mary Cassatt went to Paris to continue her art studies, accompanied by her sister Lydia. Mary was impressed by the work of Edgar Degas. He became her mentor, inviting her to show with the Impressionists. She becomes friends with the painter Berthe Morisot, married to Eugene Manet’s brother, and Manet’s model. Camille Pissarro becomes another close friend.

Lisa Groen imagines the growing friendship between Edgar and Mary. He has much to teach her and she is elated by his attention. Edgar sidetracks her into creating etchings for a magazine, and their relationship blossoms into a love affair.

Mary never wanted marriage and a traditional life, and neither did Edgar, a known womanizer. But their love scares him off. He sabotages their relationship. At least Mary has her sister, her model and best friend, but whose failing health concerns her.

Degas disappears from Mary’s life, but finally returns to renew their friendship. His new work, Little Dancer, Age Fourteen, scandalizes society.

Mary is successful, her paintings in demand. Some of the Impressionists decamp, including Sisley, Cezanne, and Renoir, and return to the Salon. The movement was no longer avant-garde compared to rising artists like Seuret and Gauguin.

The relationship between the sisters is beautifully written. Lydia lost her true love during the Civil War and accepts the role of supporting her sister’s career. The paintings are included in the novel, and it is wonderful to see a young, blooming Lydia at the opera.

I have long favored the Impressionists and enjoyed their work at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Detroit Institute of Art, and the Flint Institute of Arts.

I enjoyed this book for it’s setting in history, as the story of an artist’s life, for the romance, and the portrait of a loving family. A win-win for all readers.

Thanks to the publisher for a free book through NetGalley.

[HalKid2 · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE CASSATT SISTERS: A NOVEL OF LOVE AND ART (full title) is a debut novel from author Lisa Groen about the life of painter Mary Cassatt (1844 - 1926) and her close relationship with her older sister, Lydia. Lydia is Mary's main source of emotional support. This is also the story of the revolutionary art scene in Paris in the second half of the 19th century. Artists like Edgar Degas, Camille Pissarro, Berthe Morisot, Gustave Caillebotte, Edouard Manet, and Marie Bracquemond were breaking away from the traditional arbiter of good art, the Paris Salon, and developing the School of Impressionism.

Though originally from Philadelphia, Mary, Lydia and their parents relocate to Paris to support Mary in developing her art, despite pressure to follow the more conventional path of marriage and motherhood and despite the difficulties of being a woman trying to find acceptance in the predominantly male art scene. Fortunately, Mary is accepted by the renegade Impressionists, begins to attract admirers, and finds success selling her paintings. She soon carves out her own niche (what she is known for today) - painting common domestic scenes (especially those with mothers and children) that bring attention to a subject most male artists deemed unworthy.

As she explains in the Author's Note, Groen builds her novel around what is factually known about Mary's life, and like most writers of historical fiction, adds her own conjecture. One big addition is an important romance, which is suspected by many, but historically UN-verified.

The book's title is a tiny bit misleading. This is Mary's story. She is the narrator. Her sister Lydia is definitely a supporting figure.

Personally, I did not find Mary's story particularly compelling. While her emotional turmoil was certainly described, the author never made me feel emotionally involved. I always felt somehow distant. I did enjoy learning more about what was involved in the origins of the Impressionist Movement and how these noted artists lived and worked before they became famous. Also, about the influential role art critics played and the limited avenues available in the 1800s to artists who wanted to display their art.

One of the things I found most interesting was the universality of the issues facing Mary. She turns out to be yet another woman struggling to balance her work with her domestic responsibilities. Especially because she winds up being chief caretaker for her sister who is often ill.

If these sound like topics of interest to you, I definitely recommend THE CASSATT SISTERS: A NOVEL OF LOVE AND ART.

[Carolyn Morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

What would it have been like to be a female artist among the Impressionists in Paris during the 1880s Belle Epoque? This novel imagines the artistic, family and social life of American-born painter Mary Cassatt and her sister and long-suffering model, Lydia.
Mary is unusual for a woman of her time in two ways. She earns a living from her art, and she is unmarried. Mary stumbles into the world of Degas, Pissarro, Monet, Renoir and Berthe Morisot. At first dazzled, she soon impresses the group – and buyers - with her subtle portraits of her family and beloved sister.
The bohemian, and often bitchy world of these innovative artists is conjured through soirées laced with absinthe, lunches and studio sessions. Mary is flattered when Degas mentors her artistic development. She falls in love with him but finds his behaviour confusing. Mary finds solace in her art, her sister, and her friendships with Morisot and Pissarro.
Paris cafés, museums, exhibitions, and theatres are evoked in sumptuous detail. The inclusion of many classic Impressionist paintings is a nice touch, especially when the story behind the creation of the artwork is explored in the text, showcasing the author’s deep understanding of the painting process.
At times, this reads more like a fictionalised biography than a novel. While dense with well-researched detail, it lacks revelations, suspense, drama, or conflict. But if like me, you are an art history enthusiast, this is a charming way to vicariously experience the life and loves of one of the few female artists of the era.