Shades of Emily: A Novel

by Leslie Howard

With more than a hundred years of history separating its two narrators—one of them a young lawyer in twenty-first-century New York, the other the famed early-twentieth-century artist Emily Carr—this magnetic new novel by bestselling author Leslie Howard offers a multigenerational story of love, ambition and breaking with convention.

The dark-hued painting that thirty-year-old lawyer Cassie Hastings has been commissioned to buy for millions at auction in New York City comes with a note taped to the back, containing a single line: “To my one true and everlasting love.” The identity of the intended recipient is a mystery, but both painting and message are unquestionably from the same source: the pioneering Canadian artist Emily Carr.

From here on in this engrossing new novel by bestselling author Leslie Howard, Cassie’s life—troubled by an insincere fiancé and a duplicitous colleague—becomes entwined in the experiences of the renowned artist, sending echoes back and forth over a gap of more than a century. As Cassie pursues the possibility that one of her own ancestors is the time-obscured recipient of Emily’s dedication, the tale forms a kind of double helix, with the two women alternating as narrator.

Displaying the attention to historical detail and psychological depth that drew widespread acclaim for her novels The Brideship Wife and The Celestial Wife, Howard conjures a vision of the pressures and heartbreak faced by generations of ambitious women, and the strength these challenges have summoned in them.

“It was as if the painter had two stories to tell,” Cassie notes while looking for the first time at the framed image of forest that will join her life to the illustrious artist’s, “one joyful, one sad, like something darker lurked behind the vivid, transcendent colour.”

288 pages, Paperback

Expected publication May 11, 2027

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name. ^^^^^

Leslie Howard grew up in Penticton, British Columbia, where she developed a passion for the province’s history. A graduate of Ottawa’s Carleton University in economics and political science, she now divides her time between Vancouver and Penticton, where she and her husband grow cider apples. The Brideship Wife is her debut novel. Connect with her on Twitter @AuthorLeslieH or on her website LeslieHoward.ca.

Reviews

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Born in 1871, Emily Carr is one of those largely unsung Canadian women artists about whose personal life little is known. She painted strong, bold landscapes in brilliant colours and her reputation would no doubt have reached a wider audience if she had not been female. She was also one of the first artists to visit Indigenous communities and paint totem poles and other iconic images. This novel is a fictional reimagining of Emily Carr’s early life—including a search for her unknown lover—a fascinating account of a rather mysterious woman. Since I live in British Columbia and I'm very interested in both art and history, this novel was a perfect fit for me.

[Judy Bradbeer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story captivated me from the beginning and I did not want to put this book down .
This is a fresh and insightful journey into the early life of Emily Carr. She is an intriguing
person , both mysterious and bold . We come to know Emily better as the author skillfully
leads us through her life and her experiences both challenging and exciting.
I highly recommend this novel !