The Blue Bath

by Mary Waters-Sayer

Kat Lind, an American expatriate living in London with her entrepreneur husband and their young son, attends an opening at a prestigious Mayfair art gallery and is astonished to find her own face on the walls. The portraits are evidence of a long-ago love affair with the artist, Daniel Blake. Unbeknownst to her, he has continued to paint her ever since. Kat is seduced by her reflection on canvas and when Daniel appears in London, she finds herself drawn back into the sins and solace of a past that suddenly no longer seems so far away.

When the portraits catch the attention of the public, threatening to reveal not only her identity, but all that lies beyond the edges of the canvases, Kat comes face to face with the true price of their beauty and with all that she now could lose.

Moving between the glamour of the London art world and the sensuous days of a love affair in a dusty Paris studio, life and art bleed together as Daniel and Kat's lives spin out of control, leading to a conclusion that is anything but inevitable.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Emotional, Literature, Womens Fiction

310 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2016

About the author

Mary Waters-Sayer, author of The Blue Bath (May 2016, St. Martin’s Press), is originally from New York. She has a B.A. in Literature and Rhetoric from Binghamton University and later studied writing at Stanford University’s Continuing Education program.

As expected of all good English majors, she began her career in publishing before moving to San Francisco where she worked in investor and public relations. She spent twelve years as an expatriate in London, working in investor and corporate communications and traveling extensively.

She currently lives outside of Boston with her family. The Blue Bath is her first novel.

Reviews

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of The Blue Bath from NetGalley for an honest review. I wish to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press and Mary Waters-Sayer for the opportunity.

What a beautiful read!

Mary Waters-Sayer takes you from the clear, cerulean blue waters of her story to the deepest, darkest secrets of the indigo. Her descriptions of the inner beauty of Parisian streets are liken to your own personal meanderings step upon step in the City of Lights.

Kat Lind is an American living in London with her businessman husband, Jonathan Bowen, and her young son, Will. They are in the process of renovating an archaic English home and are meeting with an architect to refurbish this dwelling. But what appears to be an attempt to salvage the past seems, ironically, to be an impossibility when it comes to people's own lives. Can we restore what was once an intrical part of our being?

Turn back the page to when Kat was a young woman living in Paris studying French literature at the Sorbonne. Kat meets a struggling British artist, Daniel Blake, and they share a detailed eye for beauty in art and photography. "In the weeks that followed, they showed each other what they loved." Soon they are living together, and yet, all will change between the two of them.

Time passes and Kat discovers an art exhibit featuring the works of Daniel in London. To her shock, there are canvas upon canvas displaying Kat in her younger days.....The Blue Bath. There is no denying that this is the Titian-haired Kat. What transpires between Kat and Daniel and their efforts to recapture or to rectify the past is at the core of this storyline. The past never quite disappears and will revisit at its own whim.

The writing is like savoring delicate chocolates. The flavor of it seems to last and to satisfy. This is a solid telling of a humanistic story in all its hues with tinges of reality seeping onto the canvas. I would offer you to check out a passage towards the end of the book in which Kat has an encounter with a tiny bird in the palm of her hand. It is simply brilliant.

I have been taken by this book, The Blue Bath, and look forward to the next one by this exceptionally talented author, Mary Waters-Sayer.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

This was a story that teetered on the very edge of perfection. It was thought-provoking, stunning and so beautifully written. I wanted to savor it and wallow in the emotions that it managed to drag out of me.

Mary Waters-Sayer paints such a vivid and passionate story that hits home with the notion that there is always more than meets the eye. That no two people will ever view something in exactly the same way, including ourselves.

“If you really see it, then it becomes part of you.”

When the story opens there’s something missing from Kat’s life. Sure she appears to have it all – a son she adores, a hardworking husband and a gorgeous historical home in the heart of London, but she’s just going through the motions.

It’s an art exhibit that manages to pull her out of her slump and forces her to acknowledge her past. The time she spent in Paris, living and loving a painter named Daniel. Surrounded by provocative paintings of herself, she gets a chance to see herself through his eyes. I loved what a revelation that was for Kat. It changed something inside of her.

“Is that who you see when you look at me?”

There is some suspense to the story, mostly conjured by my desperation to find out what had torn them apart. Why did she leave Paris and never look back? How could she leave Daniel?

Now, all these years later, she lets the words of others skew her view of him, who he’s become. Until she can’t fight it any longer. What Kat and Daniel had wasn’t just a spark, they ignited and there was no need for words, at least at first. Even though in the back of my mind I knew it was wrong, somehow their actions felt justified because they never fully got a chance to be.

“I can see a future for us. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know I don’t want to look away.”

When I said that this was a near perfect read for me, I wasn’t exaggerating. Until the very end, this book was destined to be a top favorite of mine, a 5 star read without a doubt. The ending sort of broke me though. I just don’t understand how things went so wrong. I wanted to plead with Kat to stop compromising her own wants and desires in an attempt to pacify everyone else. For her to live the life she truly wanted, with the person she wanted the most. Things just went horribly wrong. I'm not sure I would consider this a happy ending.

I wouldn't hesitate for a single second to pick up another book from this author. Her writing is exceptional.

*Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kat, an American girl studying in Paris, engages in a passionate affair with Daniel, an artist she meets during her time in the City of Lights. Years later, Daniel has become a famous artist and they meet again when Kat realizes that all of Daniel's best-known works are pictures of her.

I found this book to be predictable, and I failed to see how or why Kat and Daniel were even attracted to each other. Lust perhaps, but certainly not the deep-seeded "soul mate" sort of relationship I believe they were supposed to have had. Those who have a passion for fine art may enjoy the depictions of the art world and the artist's process.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Judy Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 Stars "A Striking Elegant Cover!"

Exquisite!

Mary Waters-Sayer delivers a spellbinding debut-THE BLUE BATH, a woman caught between the present and the past-Paris, a love affair, an artist, a canvas, reflections of beauty and haunting darkness.

Told with breathtaking lyrical poetic prose, and vivid tones—as mesmerizing, and intimate as an artist with its canvas and delicate brushstrokes; glamorous seductive settings, passion, and calming as the delicate soft blues of the stunning book cover (front and back), drawing you into this riveting in depth emotional escape—you will want to savor. Hypnotic: "Fall in love with words."

Katherine (Kat) Lind has a past. She is coming face-to-face with it, twenty years later. What will she do when meeting the man, once a starving unknown artist, now a success? Little does she know, she is the subject of his success, now on display for the world to see--colliding with her present social world.

Currently living in London, Kat is now approaching forty years of age. Those passionate and wanderlust days of the past are long gone. An American expatriate living in London with her entrepreneur husband, Jonathan and their young son, Will.

She had fallen in love with their house and their life. Jonathan, a highly successful businessman, travels often. They met in the business world. She is immersed in their life, until she hears a shocking name from the past, over the news which leaves her stunned . . . .

“Before this beautiful, haunting collection of work came to light, the name Daniel Blake was little known outside a small corner of the art world. That looks set to change as an exhibition of his works opens to the public this Saturday at London’s Penfield Gallery. Blake is also in the running to do a series of paintings for Sir Richard Hawthorne’s New Tate Restaurant, a commission widely regarded as among the most prestigious in contemporary art today. The artist is here in London for this, his first solo show.”

These words will soon come to change her life once again. She feels as if she is reliving her past. The artist was here in London. The man she had loved in Paris years ago. The struggling artist, sharing more than an affair. Choices were made. She left. Regrets? She never looked back. However, she did not disappear so easily, from the talented obsessive artist’s memory. He continued to paint her. He has never forgotten her.

At nineteen, she had been a photographer, an indulgent, solitary activity that suited her—allowing her to think about how she looked at the world, to play with light and space and time. The city of sand, stone, and water. Photography allowed her to isolate the smallest details, the intricate forms, the changing palette of light, the textures of the sand in the Tuileries. Of course, the man she met, back then made light of her photography. He was an artist.

Daniel Blake. Two strangers in Paris. She knew little about him. In time, they fell in love. A small studio. He came without shared experiences and without references. No second opinions, no background knowledge, and no expectations. He was hers alone. An easel, his canvases, the paintings, and her books. In this sacred place of ordinary moments around which the world turned, they had become the art. He had told her if she ever doubted his feelings for her, she should look at the paintings.

Her friend, Elizabeth warned her, that the relationship was going nowhere. Enjoy the fling. Why would she travel three thousand miles to Paris and spend her time locked up in a studio tucked under the eaves on the rue Garanciere? It was meant to be the program, travel, adventure. Her friend said she was just a pretty thing for him to put on canvas. She cautioned her not to throw away her scholarship and all the places they were to explore.

She was exploring in her own way. She even wrote her mother every week. Carefully crafted, composed during classes as her professors discussed the intricate, nuanced worlds of Baudelaire and Sarte. Her plans for travel had fallen away. Rome, Barcelona, Prague—were all abandoned. She gave them up for something that burned more brightly. The letters were filled with detail about her studies and about Paris. Artful renderings of a truth very nearly lived. Carefully skirting around the edges of him, so close.

It had been just the two of them for so long, she and her mother. Her father died before she was born, older than her mother. A wedding, followed by a whirlwind courtship of three months. His family had disapproved, cutting him off financially. Married just over a year, when he had been killed in a car accident. Two weeks later her mother had discovered she was pregnant. Now her mom was gone.

Presently, she is sitting with her friend Jorie, at a small French café, confessing of the storied love life, and her dalliance with the famous artist. She was nineteen. After marrying Jonathan, and then Will-- she knew she was Jonathan’s wife, a mother. A refection of someone else.

She is curious, she has to see him —it is all she can think of. She attends an art showing in Mayfair at the Penfield Gallery with her friend. Nude paintings of herself. Private moments. Panicked, she recognizes another painting—a smaller study of the bath.

A previous occupant of the studio had painted the inside of the bathtub a deep shade of blue. Later turning to a slight blue tint to the water when filled. The painting was discreet, as the water obscured most of her body. She met her own eyes—wide and wet—in the next canvas. On the other hand, with the aging and gravity of a middle aged woman, she was drawn by her reflection on canvas and caught up with emotion and passion of what once was.

“The painting in front of her was so close that she could reach out and touch it. Trace the lines of the body. There was something about it that seemed so real. Much more real than the crowded gallery that surrounded her now. It seemed that if she stood and looked long enough, the girl’s hand would move through the length of her hair, finders disappearing among the soft strands. That the hint of smile in her eyes would spread slowly, inevitably to the rest of her face. Kat felt a tightening in her chest. An ache.”

Each painting triggered a barrage of memories. She remembered each painting, how she felt when he was painting her. Safe, understood. It was almost an abdication of herself. As if he held her and she was free to wander. Although she had not strayed far from the studio that summer.

He was now in her world in London. The thought gripped her. Just how close was the resemblance between her and the girl in the paintings? How easy would it be to link her face to the face in the portrait? She was flooded with an overwhelming sense of nostalgia and regret for a delicate and vanished time.

For years she had lived an unsettled life. She had learned to enjoy it. The uncertainty had a certain charm. But since buying the house, she had believed that had changed. The size, financial commitment, scope of the renovation---they were putting down roots. Was that what she wanted?

Is a memory far better than the real thing?

As she reads of Daniel’s first major exhibition, from New York’s finest collectors and elite, over the span of twenty years, Blake had created a series of works that served as an intensive study of one unidentified model. A rare view of the stylistic and emotional evolution of the artist. The artist was enamored with the redhead.

A mystery, the anomaly has captured the imagination of the art world as to if the model is real or simply a product of the artist’s imagination. With two distinct parts, an emotional intensity of subtle textures of flesh and plaster and cloth—the delicate, varied brushstrokes, moments stolen out of time.

Later works, the paintings themselves are the moments¬attempts to recall time past. A sharp departure from the earlier portraits. He moves closer, breaking down the highly detailed elements. The irony—the closer Blake moves to the girl, the more distant she becomes. The extraordinary tenderness of the earlier work, is missing replaced with an almost scientific approach.

What starts as an exploration of the whole person becomes an obsessive exhumation of pieces of the whole. Change in technique and tools. The dead spaces between them seem almost alive. The artist seems to be painting absence itself. Later works seem to be a desperate attempt to magnify their memory –to fix them in time. Earlier works which were effortless, now with painstaking discipline. Compulsive—turning away from truth to beauty. To be examined closely. A slower pace. A desperate attempt to animate his subject—to make her come alive in time. A yearning to hold on. Haunting. A need to fit the pieces together.

The true masterpiece is in the story. One subject of the course of so many years. The girl, who is she and what is she to the artist? The art world is intrigued. The author nor his agent comments in reference to the subject. Some hope she is not real, so he can invent another. If she is real, he will have to wait for "lightning to strike again." Something that may or may not happen. Some speculate it has to be a real subject due to the intricate detail. Is she dead?

Each had its own world. Of color, and line and style. Of age and time and reason. Each with its own rules, its own borders, its own palette. Her story drew them together. United them and changed the rules of each of their worlds, blurring the boundaries that separated them. Can she go back to Paris? Dangerous territory.

The memories. She had not been back except with one other visit with her husband. Her history with Daniel had been a lie of omission. She had never told anyone about Daniel. He remained hers alone. Sacred and apart. Until now. Secrets of the past.

Will history repeat itself? Can she choose from two different lives, two different men, a child? Daniel now has an agent, Martin. Exposure to the right (or wrong) people. Paintings everywhere. He had found his passion. The Blue Bath—the first one he sold.

Lightning is about to strike twice. Kat knows she has to see him. When she does, it could prove detrimental to both Daniel, the artist, and Kat, the model. What happens when a woman ages? The memory of the young no longer exists. Harmful for both parties—combined with the greed and betrayal which surround the commercialization of something beautiful. Devastating consequences.

Urgent and mournful. Youth and aging. Purity and infidelity. Truth and lies. Secrets. Light and Darkness. With many metaphors and parallels –from the old house, inside the walls, to the relation of youth, beauty, love, aging, and precious time lost. So many elegant phrases, quotes, I found myself booking many pages. This is a book you will want to buy to keep on your shelf in hard copy.

Captivating! From a talented storyteller (her experience and passion is reflected throughout the pages, as the settings and characters come to life). Full of emotion, desire, romance, mystery, suspense, and intrigue. A book you want to savor as you would a delicate flower, a fine wine, decadent sweet Parisian croissants--an emotional tumultuous young love affair.

As another author mentioned to me recently, every book is written for a certain reader. When I see a number of low reviews and high ones, a perfect example of the wrong reader for the book. I took extra time with this review, quoting many of the book's passages, to hopefully convey to other readers this hidden artistic gem.

Thought-provoking: A book, not to be rushed. One to linger, like a soothing warm bath. This book is clearly meant for a target audience in order to appreciate fully its intensity. Fans of art, culture, international travel, contemporary, domestic suspense, love, and literary fiction will enjoy the beautifully written debut. One you will want to re-read.

Note from the Author: "To me The Blue Bath is a reminder to pay attention to the small moments of beauty in my daily life. Not only for what they are, but for all that they might become."

Throughout the novel, I was strongly reminded of the movie (2002) Unfaithful (Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Olivier Martinez). Even though the setting in the movie is New York, the mid-life married couple and son were similar in some ways. Happily married, and an affair with a Persian younger guy- a book collector/seller, in a small studio, with deadly consequences. I recall loving the movie, and the characters reminded me a lot of the ones in the book. The ending of the book and movie- both enigmatic. So, I pretended Gere, Lane, and Martinez – the cast for Kat, Jonathan, and Daniel. A delightful unexpected pleasure!

Highly Recommend. Can’t wait to see what is next from this talented new author! Have also pre-ordered the audiobook-look forward to listening.

JDCMustReadBooks

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

THE BLUE BATH is a beautifully written story, though not the novel of suspense I was expecting. (My bad!) Instead, this book is about a painter named Daniel, and his muse, Kat, reunited after two decades apart.

The story alternates between Daniel and Kat's passionate yet volatile romance in Paris as 19-year olds, and their present-day reunion in London. Much has happened to complicate things in the 20 years they've been apart, including Kat's marriage to Jonathan and the birth of her son. And, it's clear from looking at Daniel's recent paintings that he's never gotten over Kat.

"And so then I suppose the question becomes, what do you do now that no one is looking?"

I didn't really connect with the characters in this book, especially Kat, whose present-day choices left me baffled. Can't say I liked her or Daniel very much, but I did feel bad for them. The ending was quite a surprise.

I think what I liked most were the gorgeous descriptions of Paris. Simply lovely.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Christine Zibas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book had all the elements that should have drawn me in -- an expat living in London (an experience that paralleled my own), remembrances of a romance in Paris (that too), painting (yes!), a beautiful cover (making me want to read the book), and more. Still, there was something about the story that just left me flat.

It began interestingly enough. An American woman, presently living in London with her successful husband and young child, suddenly comes across the notice of an old flame (a British painter whom she met as a young woman while studying in Paris) who is having his first solo exhibition in London. The subject matter of his paintings -- is her.

Can she go back and rekindle that flame? More importantly, is that a wise decision, given all the time and history between them? Is she willing to sacrifice all that she has now, including the love of her husband and child? All the questions are duly answered in time.

So many critical decisions for Kat to make, so many people who can be hurt if she chooses badly. At the heart of the matter is the issue of what caused the young lovers in Paris to become estranged in the first place. All these pressing matters and questions are duly answered in time. At the essence however, and perhaps more eloquently put by Thomas Wolfe, is that you can never go home again. The past is just where it is for a reason.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Good Reads for allowing me to read this book.

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remodeling an old mansion, finding an old flame, ​having a very successful husband and young son, ​and dealing with it all.

THE BLUE BATH goes back and forth in time from when Kat was in Paris at art school, living with her lover, Daniel,​ then to present day with her husband, her son, and the resurgence of her lover.

​Kat sees Daniel ​20 years later ​at the opening of a gallery with paintings of her ​that Daniel had done ​from when they were together. Would anyone recognize her in the paintings? Kat needed to escape the gallery and she did, but would it be as easy to escape the memories and Daniel himself?

What did all this mean for Kat?

Can what you do during your younger years haunt you later in life? This is a question Kat needed to consider since her life was definitely not what it was when she was young and in love in Paris.

THE BLUE BATH is a book that artists and art aficionados will enjoy and connect with.

THE BLUE BATH is for anyone who has experienced unending love​.​

THE BLUE BATH is for those readers who have been to London or Paris.

The characters were somewhat likable and some were definitely unlikable.

The story line was predictable, but overall THE BLUE BATH is a thoughtful, introspective book.

The book has marvelous description, and the author has a beautiful writing style. Ms. Waters-Sayer can vividly describe anything and pull you in.

The totally absorbing, gorgeous cover of THE BLUE BATH definitely pulled me in, but the story line needed a bit more pizzazz even though the book became quite intriguing as the ending neared.

ENJOY, and find out the significance of the cover. 4/5

This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Connie Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I could just read this one quick. Like others, I was drawn to the tub and the colors. I wasn't looking for or at the Eiffel tower. I don't think it needs to be there. I immediately fell in love with the beauty of the writing. I felt like I was right there like a voyeur of sorts. I could see, feel people pushing in the art show and also the rain, even smell the coffee. It truly was amazing!!!!!

I kind of had a bit of a time wondering where I was and with who at some of the points, like the parties. One minute Kat is talking to the politician kid, and the very next she is with Daniel, her Grandmother, or Jonathan. I admit, I am not so keen on jumping ahead and behind. A time traveler I am not, and it is no fault of Mary Waters-Sayer! She is a knockout writer!!!!

I don't know what kind of marriage Kat had with Jonathan, other than he was in Hong Kong and Will was with his grandparents. Was Daniel all of a sudden this hot, lucrative artist? Why would Kat want to do that to her marriage? Questions, questions, questions. I am always enquiring too soon, enquiring minds want to know. But, I did love the writing style; and the descriptions were absolutely breathtaking!

Thank you Mary Waters-Sayer, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for giving me a free ARC of this book to read and give my honest review.

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List

I have to say when I first saw the cover of this book I wanted to read it. I read the blurb and thought it sounded good. Unfortunately, this was a 2 star rating through most of the book until I got closer to the end.

The story is about Kat, Jonathan and to a certain extent, their little son Will. They are living in a house they are fixing up. But Jonathan has to go to Hong Kong for work and Will goes off with other family members visiting.

I got confused because all of the sudden the book is talking about their family and then it's talking about Kat and her roommate. I thought wait, they don't have a roommate and I realized it jumped to the past. There was no, back in the day... etc.

The past is talking about how she met her former lover and artist, Daniel. Apparently they were so in love back in the day until some things happened and they ended it. Now, Daniel has shown up in her present and he's still painting pictures and they are still of her from when they were together. He's a very popular artist or up and coming. They start hanging out and other stuff.

The thing is, I wasn't invested in any of these characters. I didn't feel one thing for them until the end when some more tragic stuff occurred. I mean I feel for people when something really bad happens.

I was hoping to love this book but I just didn't feel it. Even though it wasn't totally for me doesn't mean other people won't love it to death. I just happen to think it was okay and that's good enough for me. :-)

*I would like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*

[Dorie - Cats&Books :) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blue Bath was a great vacation time read! Lots of emotion, secrets, interesting characters and passion. Does anyone forget their first love?

The story goes back and forth between Daniel and Kat’s romance in Paris as 19 year olds and their present reunion and risky affair in present time.

In the years that they have been apart Kat has married Jonathan and has a little boy, Will. They are in the process of renovating a home when Kat discovers an art exhibit featuring the works of Daniel. Kat is shocked when she sees that the paintings are of her as a young woman and that he continued to paint her after their relationship was over. Although hesitant at first, Kat agrees to meet Daniel and discovers that they still have strong feelings for each other. Is Kat really willing to risk everything that she has with Jonathan to be with Daniel? Can we ever really go back to the past and our young selves and recapture what we once had?

I thought the writing in this book was very good although I did have trouble understanding Kat’s judgement on so many things. In the hands of a lesser writer I think this would have been a mediocre storyline but Ms. Waters-Sayer’s prose is so wonderful that I kept turning pages. Without revealing anything I thought that the ending was brilliant and believable.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic fiction with some wonderful writing.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Cindy Burnett (Thoughts from a Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Blue Bath was a middle of the road read for me. I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it. Kat is struggling with her life, and she stumbles when her past runs into her present. I could not relate to Kat nor the choices she made. I also disliked the ending. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this novel.

[Bree T · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was…..weird. And a further reminder why infidelity books so rarely ever work for me.

I thought this one might be an interesting exploration of what it might be like for someone to be confronted with a past great love that was never truly resolved, perhaps delve into a struggle. But to be honest, it wasn’t really like that at all. Kat’s husband is pretty much absent throughout the entire novel, you don’t get a chance to meet him or care for him, he might as well not even exist. And the flashbacks of Kat and Daniel’s relationship years ago in Paris didn’t really do much to persuade me it was a great love. It was poorly executed, bringing visions of an unhealthy attachment between two characters who had little idea about anything and wasn’t presented in a way where either character had much going for them.

In the present day, Kat hears that her long-ago lover is having a showing and decides to go. There she’s confronted by paintings that are entirely of her – parts of her, that make up a whole. In their state, just pieces of her on each canvas, it’s not immediately obvious who the girl on canvas is but the more time Kat begins to spend with Daniel, the more likely it will be and everything she has will be lost.

Characters do stupid things left, right and centre in this novel. Kat going to the showing itself wasn’t totally stupid because I think it’s somewhat normal to be curious about a former flame that you haven’t seen in a long time but it also wasn’t really the wisest thing to do either. And if you turn up and find out that some guy has only been painting you for the past 20 years, just hundreds of canvases featuring different part of you, isn’t that, I don’t know….. a little ok a lot creepy? Kat seems to find it fascinating, that for the last two decades her former love has been so obsessed by her and their relationship and the end of it that it’s all he’s been able to successfully paint. With her husband conveniently out of the country and their son even more conveniently away on holiday at his paternal grandparent’s, Kat feels free to indulge in pretty much any sort of behaviour that she likes and doesn’t seem to at all think about the consequences. Or even really care about them, to be honest.

But the weirdness of that is nothing compared to the ending of the novel. It actually really annoyed me in a way – I found it incredibly random and it seemed to make so little sense. Even worse, Kat never really had to face the choice she needed or, nor the consequences of her actions – all of that was taken away from her. I really dislike books that leave me feeling unsatisfied and unfortunately this one was definitely that type of book. Daniel and Kat are not only unlikable but they’re also uninteresting. I found nothing about Kat’s personality intriguing or even notable. She seemed removed from so many things – her marriage, the renovation of her home, even her affair with Daniel in a way. The only things that seemed to humanise her at all were her son (when he was there, but not enough to actually make a decision about what she was doing) and her feelings about her mother. Everything else just made Kat seem like a selfish robot, doing whatever it was she felt like with little regard for others.

[Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful book!
This is the story of a love affair, first between two young people and when they meet again 20 or so years later.

Kat and Daniel are both students in Paris when they first meet. The fall in love, live together and then Kat leaves. Why? We'll find out later.
Many years later, Kat lives in London with her husband and young son. She finds out about an exposition of Daniel's paintings, meets him again and has an affair with him.
But now she risks everything, Is it worth it?

Going back and forth in time, the author gives us a complete and complex view of why it was not to have a happy ending. It's brilliantly told, and the atmosphere is perfect.

And, don't judge a book by its cover, but this is one of the most beautiful covers I've seen in the past months.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

The synopsis of this had such promise. And the first half of the book is lovely and mysterious and you really feel a sense of shock and wonder in the description of the paintings during the gallery opening... but that's when the book really started to lose me.

There was just too much going in the end. Too many questions, too many scenarios, too much convenience. And a whole boatload of selfish and thoughtless. The ending genuinely made me roll my eyes.

[Kimberly Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is love? How does one define it? No matter how you view it, love can definitely be shown in various ways. And that, to me, was demonstrated with Kat’s and Daniel’s love affair that ran deeper than the pigment on canvas.

There isn’t a greater honor than to have an artist paint you so the world can see you the way he views you. After all Kat was in Paris. She was nineteen years old, in school and loving life, not having too many cares in the world. One day out in the rain, she holds her camera up to take a shot of the downpour, when a stranger stepped into focus.

The camera may not have detected what was about to happen between Kat and the stranger, but their souls most certainly did. A mere chance meeting and a few words spoken, turned into a couple decades of love, lust, loss and gain.

Kat is now an adult with a husband and small child. Of course, one would immediately think the beautiful love affair she had with the stranger in the park who turned out to be Daniel Blake, the artist, would be who she married. Daniel was not Kat’s husband and her child wasn’t of Daniel’s seed. Now living in London waiting on her husband, Jonathan, to return from a rather grueling business venture, she and her girlfriend went to an art show where she saw herself at various stages of her youth, captured within one year, displayed for the world to see. Perhaps to the untrained eye, no one would know who she was, but Kat knew, as did her girlfriend, Jorie.

What were the chances of her seeing Daniel twenty-something years later? Of course as soon as they recognized one another, the sparks that ignited twenty-years earlier were ready to explode. Kat tried her best to be the faithful wife and mother, but the heart wants what it wants. And what her heart craved for most of her life, was not only the fumes of turpentine and paint, she longed to be touched by the man who loved her so deeply, he painted her image during the years they were apart. To have a man love you like that is the ultimate for any woman. To know your existence touched a person’s soul, as well as their heart, as if the hands of the clock decided to go counterclockwise, was so climatic, the reader will be pulled in their love story. Sayer’s poetic description of Kat’s and Daniel's love making exhibited such beauty, much like the girl (Kat) in his oil paintings. The colorful images of two bodies entwined with no space in between except for the souls to become one was an amazing work of art that even Daniel couldn’t reproduce. It was so touching and personal and brilliantly written, it will make you weep, in which I did. That is love in its truest form! Wow!

What struck me as odd is the fact that my readers know I can’t stand romance novels. But I cannot classify this story as romance. This was truly a story about one man’s attempt to capture his love for his woman and how he risked everything to get his true love back. Sayers painted this story with such well-written brush strokes, when the canvas comes into focus for the reader, you’ll be left with a jaw-dropping experience. What an amazing love story. Outstanding Read!

The Sexy Nerd gives The Blue Bath five stars and all the stars within the galaxy. It’s extremely engaging, very touching and moving. You will become cheerleaders for Kat and Daniel as they struggle to find their peace in the world. Damn good read! Ladies, this is a story you will never forget! Have the tissue box close by!

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is what is know as chick lit. If you like chick lit you will probably enjoy reading this. If, on the other hand, that is not your thing, you might find this an odd little book.

I liked the author's very vivid description of Kensington, London, as it was an area I have stayed in each time I have visited London. However, in order to have the protagonist live there, she had to make her extremely wealthy, which distanced me from her quite a bit. Oh dear, how shall I renovate my house?

So, three stars for well written descriptions of London and Paris, but nothing more. I guess I am just not a chick lit kind of chick.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Amy Neftzger · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a lot to like in this book: some nicely written prose, interesting characters in complex relationships, and turns in the plot. What I appreciated most about the book is that it doesn't rely on "finding love" to move the plot or create a happy ending. The main character is at a later stage of life and well-established when she encounters a former lover and wonders what might have been. It's a realistic scenario that involves the kind of choices we all have to make at one time or another, and most of us later wonder if we made the best choice.

Note: I received a free ARC of the title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Kristen Amen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! This was an unexpected read. I received it as an ARC from Netgalley and didn't know much about it. It's difficult to describe the genre. It's part women's fiction, part suspense and part literary. I enjoyed it very much and read it in 2 days, which doesn't happen much anymore. It's very well written.

[Ericka Seidemann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley, Mary Waters-Sayer, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in advance and provide an honest review.

The Blue Bath is an absorbing, tumultuous read from debut author Mary Waters-Sayer. The story centers around Kat Lind, a middle-aged, married mom recently returned to London after the death of her mother. Her days are filled with the mundane: renovating her newly-acquired aging English mansion, taking care of her son, Will, and occasionally speaking on the phone to her businessman husband calling from Hong Kong. Kat's life is up-ended when her former lover, Daniel Blake, shows up in London to display his new paintings at a show at the prestigious Mayfair Gallery. Kat surreptitiously attends the show, hoping to catch a glimpse of Daniel from afar. She is astounded to discover that all the paintings are of her, young and beautiful, from their long-ago love affair in Paris. The affair ended abruptly, but apparently never really died.

Water-Sayers' writing is exceptional. There are some philosophical passages in this book with thought-provoking ideas. I also got a striking sense of place in her descriptions of both London and Paris, which became characters unto themselves. She focused on small wonders: the morphing shadows on the wall, the strength of a tendon in a wrist, the delicateness of light. I appreciated the attention to detail, and how these small details add up to a whole picture.

The story goes back and forth between Kat's present life in London and her short time in Paris when she was 19 and lived with Daniel. The book is never explicit; sex is implied, or begun and then skipped over. This approach actually enhanced the romance of the story, as Kat and Daniel's relationship was more about the beauty they saw in one another. Water-Sayers doesn't dwell on plot points, but often just hints at backstory and lets the reader fill in the details.

The only complaint I have about this book is that Daniel was not fully fleshed out. I needed more from him, more about him, more dialog from him. When he first meets Kat, there is instant attraction, though he only speaks in practiced phrases or profound statements. There is little motivation for their initial relationship, other than this undeniable, inexplicable force of attraction. They have no conflict, just dreamy Paris days spent languishing in bed together, surviving on minimal food and charcoal sketches. We never get any normal, everyday talk from Daniel. He's too far above, too mysterious and deep, which is unbelievable for a love affair that would last more than 24 hours. But it still made for an enjoyable story.

Kat wants to hide her identity as the girl in the paintings, especially when Daniel begins painting her as she is 20 years later. If she's discovered, she could lose everything, but being truly "seen" by Daniel is the purest form of love she's ever known. Can she give that up?

Water-Sayers deftly weaves in recurring themes into this book: outsiders can never understand the nature of a relationship, what others see in you may not be what you see, the core of your beauty is what is seen when someone loves you.

If you love Paris, London, art, or first loves, this is the book you should pick up next. This is not some sappy romance. The Blue Bath is best for experienced readers who have had a relationship or two, readers who will appreciate the conflict between the pull of the comfort of security and the lure of nostalgia. I look forward to reading Water-Sayers's next book.

This review is also posted on flyleafunfurled.com. Check it out!

[Eva • All Books Considered · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review originally posted at All Books Considered: 3 STARS

I really liked the first half of this one -- it flipped back and forth between the past and the present -- between Paris and London -- and it was intriguing. And then the past and the present slam together and I was still intrigued -- a bit put off by some of the ethical dilemma and choices made by Kat but still intrigued -- and then the book just completely jumped the shark. I'm not sure if the author was just going for shock and awe at this point but, although I was shocked, I was not awed. The "twist" just seemed contrived -- like it was just mean to mess with your mind than to actually tell the story. It was also sort of a cop out ending that almost felt like it was just added because the author didn't know how to end the book. It felt severely divergent from the rest of the book and I was not satisfied.

I would recommend this one if you liked The Blackstone Affair series by Raine Miller -- some similarities between the two, for sure.

"It's just that I remember everything." Kat let the words tumble out of her. "I remember every moment. Every day. Every night. I remember every inch of his body, the way he felt, the way he tasted, the smell of his skin. But even more than all of that, and even more clearly, I remember the girl in the paintings. Who she was and what she wanted and what she knew for sure. And I don't know that anymore. Not lately, anyhow."

[Meagan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is really different than what I normally choose to read, and while I don't think that this type of book will ever be my first choice, I was very pleasantly surprised by The Blue Bath. It's a slower, more introspective read than my usual - full of regret and guilt and secrets - but it's kind of beautiful for all that. It made me wish that I had used my youth to move to Paris to study and have an ill-advised and torrid love affair with a painter. Even though that's the kind of move that ends up with broken hearts and massive student debt.

The story is split between the past, where Kat is a young student in the midst of said love affair, and the present, where she is a happily married mother of a young son who is grieving the loss of her own mother. When the painter from her youth shows up in London with an exhibition of paintings with her as the subject, she becomes caught between what she lost and what she could lose. It started out feeling like self-indulgent bad decisions, but by the end it just felt...inevitable? I don't know. I don't read fiction like this very often. I'm terrible at talking about it. But I liked this book. If complicated relationships and feels are in your wheelhouse, I would recommend it.

[Jenni Ogden · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a beautiful story—quiet, deep, lyrical, realistic, passionate, evocative. American Kat Lind and her wealthy businessman husband are renovating a historic home in London when her life is tipped upside down by an Art exhibition by the man she once lived with as a student in Paris. The paintings, many nude, are all of her (including her favourite, one of her in the Blue Bath). She meets up with the artist—who has kept his love for her alive by painting her over and over again—and their affair resumes, with even more passion than when they were young and free. Kat’s husband is away trying to sell his business, and she is torn both by her loyalty to him and wanting to keep life stable for her young son, the most important person in her life. The ending to this story is unexpected, poignant and feels right. I will look out for future novels by Mary Waters-Sayer. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for providing a review copy in return for an honest review.

[Kendal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Shallow, overdone, disjointed. Hard to finish due to lack of compelling characters and irritating view through the narrators eyes. She's clearly smitten with herself and her ego dilutes the unfolding drama making the climax fall flat.

I'm all about confident women. Kat is not confident -- she is vain, and dotes on herself in every chapter, leaving little room for meaningful/authentic connections with other characters. (Except for her artist beau who only functions to amplify her image with his art/career/life-purpose.)

Weak.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

How I wanted to love this book!

The way she writes is so stunning, it made me feel like I could see the story brought to life and in front of me! I could visualize all of it, even though I’ve never even been to the places she writes about. The writing was so descriptive and captivating, I wish I could feel as compelled by the characters or the story line.

I normally don’t mind a little infidelity in stories, it’s a human part of life, but what I do mind is the cliche aspect of it.

Kat seems so detached from everything going on around her, until Daniel just *appears* in London, bringing back the memories of their time in Paris. As it turns out though, Daniel never forgot about it/moved on, and has become famous from paintings he’s done of her, so of course she has to go to the show, which is totally fine. She’s married with a child, it’s harmless until she continues to see him and begins an affair with him.

I don’t completely begrudge Daniel, there are some people you never forget, but come on, leave the past on the canvas. Honestly Kat just seems bored and wants excitement, even though as far as I can tell Jonathon seems like a good husband. I’m just more shocked that she never told him about Daniel or the abortion for that matter, given their issues to conceive.


I just think this book could have used a little more oomf, it seems so easy that her husband is out of the country, and her child is with his grandparents, the stakes needed to be a little higher. And oh god that ending was so abrupt, he just dies?! And then Kat is pregnant, like what?!

Either way, my saving grace was Jorie and Elizabeth who called Kat on her bs when it came to Daniel; side note Elizabeth slept with Daniel, like why?! And I did feel sad that Kat’s mom had died but for me personally I wish we had explored it more, Kat was missing a little depth for me.

But hey overall not the worst.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blue Bath: A Novel by [Waters-Sayer, Mary]
The first thing I thought when I started to read The Blue Bath is the beautiful writing. I was able to lose myself In Mary Waters-Sayers words.

The characters in this book are fully rounded. I could feel what they would be feeling and, through her use of descriptive words, I could see what they saw.

I cannot say enough good things about this book. I loved it and most highly recommend it.

[Becky Loader · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty much a run-of-the-mill romance.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I don’t seem to have a favourite genre, this is probably the kind of book that you won’t find me reading very often.

I must confess that what first drew me to The Blue Bath was its stunning cover. To be honest, at first I didn’t even notice the Eiffel Tower. I believe what caught my attention was the colour. The shades of blue, green, yellow and then the white; together they created an atmosphere that captivated me instantly. There’s a melancholy to it, but also a feeling of warmth, of sunsets. And then all that blue… it made me think of the word fragile, of memories. I think I already knew that I couldn’t simply ignore it, but the back cover convinced me with promises of art, Paris and London.

Let me start by saying that The Blue Bath is written so beautifully it will make your heart skip a beat. I am in awe of Mary Waters-Sayer’s writing. Beauty, the concept of beauty, has brought quite a lot of pain to this world, but the way this book is written just makes it impossible to live without its existence. It’s so beautiful it hurts.

I don’t know about you, but usually this kind of writing makes me slow down. I feel the need to taste every single word and feel how they come together in sentences, as if they were ultimately created to make said sentences possible. You are pulled into them, one at a time. You can feel every inch of this novel; every change in scenery, atmosphere, mood… even the weather. It’s incredible. It’s like the words are alive. You can feel the blood running through their veins and their state of mind; at times they are so sharp around the edges that you feel them cutting through you. It’s intense and… fascinating.

The story itself is not one that we haven’t heard before. I do believe the way it is written somehow elevates it though, making it almost impossible to recognize a skeleton that has long ago become more than familiar. Everything seems to be utterly new and painfully alive. It feels as if you are reading someone’s memoir; someone who pressed their hearts and soul to the page and together they bled words.

I made this novel last for as long as I could. There were days when I only allowed myself a chapter, wanting it to last forever.

I believe this is a debut novel. I, for one, am hoping that Mary Waters-Sayer will keep on writing. I found myself being reminded of why I fell in love with words in the first place. Thank you so much.

ARC provided by St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

[Juli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

As you may know, I am a sucker for a good romance. And this book really accomplishes that. There is joy, there is innocence, there is pain, and the life events in between. I devoured this book. This is a very human story, full of human emotions and trials and tribulations. Reading it we get confronted with our own fears and anxieties but also our joys and triumphs. To me, that is what makes or breaks a book, and Waters-Sayer nailed it.

The story is about an artist and his muse, young love, life happening, and adults looking back at the earlier days. Kat is married now and a mother of a young boy. Her and her husband built a successful company that takes him on a lot of business trips while she is trying to get their lives started in their newly acquired home in London. Part of her duties as a wife of a well-known businessman, she finds herself attending various societal events, one of them being a gallery night showing the works of an artist she once knew. Intimately. In a life long ago when she lived and studied in Paris. A man she was deeply in love with. Is deeply in love with? Denying this love to her friend is one thing, but can she deny it to herself? At the gallery she finds herself face to face with a younger version of Kat. Daniel has been painting nothing but her, in excruciating detail, knowing her more than she knows herself. The central point of this novel is the relationship between Daniel and Kat, what has been, what is, and what could be.

Waters-Sayer does a wonderful job weaving stories and memories from the past into the here and now as Daniel and Kat rediscover each other after that fateful night at the gallery. Her language is beautiful and fragile. Her imagery is vivid and I often found myself in the streets of Paris along with Kat, remembering my own days in that amazing city, evoking all kinds of nostalgia. Describing Daniels paintings made them so real, I felt I was looking at them myself. Kat asking him 'Is that who you see when you look at me?' was pleasingly painful to read and truly defines the book for me.

In my opinion, the author and this story did love and art justice in a way that I haven't come across often in this genre and I highly recommend adding this novel to your summer reading list.

[Gazala · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here I am trying to gather my thoughts after reading this book... I got this review copy , and in all fairness , the cover drew me to it more than the plot did. Having said that I do not mean the plot isn't interesting ! No... It sure is , but the pleasant cover did it for me. Set partly in Paris and in London , the book is about Kat , who is a mother and a wife living a pleasant life in London.
While she has not yet recovered from the loss of her mother , she sees that her ex-beau is having a display of his art work in London. The book shifts between the slow present and the glorious past , where she is studying French Lit in Paris. She meets Daniel in the most unlikely manner , and the romance ends mysteriously and she returns and goes on with her life..
She is drawn to attend the opening of the exhibition only to realise that she is still his muse.. Drawn into the web of the love that was , and a lonely life where is recuperating from a loss she finds comfort in his arms yet again , it isnt just love but the fact that she is his muse , Kat embarks on a secret affair with Daniel .
Things start turning awry when her image is at stake , and her identity as his muse might no longer be a secret because of which her other (significant)relationships might be jeopardized....torn between a life she has , and a life she can have ,Kat is once again faced with the most unexpected occurrence....
The pace of the book is perfect . I had no idea how I finished this book so quickly without it being a drag or boring at any point. The writing is simple and keeps you engaged with beautiful description of the places its set in , art and emotions. The characters are well defined , but mysterious just the same- you understand a lot about them , but there is also a sense of not knowing a side of them.
It shows us how the past has a way of resurfacing , and how our actions dictate their power over us.. another perspective would be that life has a way , and as much as you run away from it- you cannot quite run away from what's in store for you!
Lastly- the last few pages are extremely unexpected! Though it isnt a thriller per se , and you prepare for the end to turn this way or that , it takes the most unexpected turn and just messes with your head (at-least it did for me!) ..Though I cannot say if it was the most suited end or not , it sure left me wanting to read some more...

[Joanna Park · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you ever really forget your first love? When Kat was a student, studying in France she met Daniel a mysterious, brooding artist with a than perfect reputation. They quickly fall in love and move in together enjoying an amazing summer completely absorbed in each other. Until events transpire that force Kat to reconsider things and move home to the UK. Years later Kat is living London, married to a successful business man and mother to Will. She is shocked when she reads of Daniel's upcoming show in London and drags a friend along to see it. Once there she discovers that Daniel has never forgotten her and has continued to paint her long after their relationship ended. Against her better judgement Kat agrees to meet up with Daniel and soon discovers that the feelings they had for each other haven't gone away but is Kat willing to risk everything to be with Daniel?

I really enjoyed this book it is extremely well written with the author being very good at setting a situation and making a relationship feel real. The way Kat and Daniel feel about each other in Paris and spend all of their time together is exactly how I remember my first love being! Some of the descriptions of dialogue was really good too. Particularly when she described one incident of her returning home and the whirlwind of dialogue action which was described just so. I could really picture it in my mind's eye.

The author puts real issues into her writing that helps add a real poignancy to the book. The characters are well developed, particularly Daniel who I started the book not liking and thinking very arrogant but finished feeling very sorry for.

The ending was brilliant! Very appropriate and real. I particularly liked the last line which caused me to sigh contentedly- brilliantly done!

My only slight qualm with the book was I felt some of the dialogue relating to the meaning behind the art went on too long and, if I'm honest went over my head a little but otherwise a great book that I'm sure will stay with me for a long time and I intend recommend to anyone who will listen!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the chance to review this book!