The Things We Don't Say

by Ella Carey

A beguiling painting holds the secrets of a woman’s past and calls into question everything she thought she knew about the man she loved… Nearly sixty years ago, renowned London artist Patrick Adams painted his most famous a portrait of his beloved Emma Temple, a fellow bohemian with whom he shared his life. Years after Patrick’s death, ninety-year-old Emma still has the painting hanging over her bed at their country home as a testament to their love. To Emma’s granddaughter, Laura, the portrait is also a symbol of so much to come. The masterpiece is serving as collateral to pay Laura’s tuition at a prestigious music school. Then the impossible happens when an appraiser claims the painting is a fraud. For Laura, the accusation jeopardizes her future. For Emma, it casts doubt on everything she believed about her relationship with Patrick. Laura is determined to prove that Patrick did indeed paint the portrait. Both her grandmother’s and Patrick’s legacies are worth fighting for. As the stories of two women entwine, it’s time for Emma to summon up the past—even at the risk of revealing its unspoken secrets.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, Historical, Art, Mystery, Audiobook

303 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2018

About the author

Ella Carey is the USA Today and Amazon charts bestselling author of Secrets of Paris series, as well as the standalone kindle bestsellers, Secret Shores, The Things We Don’t Say and Beyond the Horizon, set around the brave, unsung Women’s Airforce Pilots of World War Two.

A New York Secret is the first in Ella's new Daughters of New York series and published on March 12th, 2021. Laced with all the glamour of New York, the book is set in an exquisite Uptown restaurant where Lily Rose is training to become head chef in the 1940's. Ella traveled to New York to research the book, which involved going incognito on foodie tours, visiting some of New York's most famous restaurants, and exploring the atmospheric streets of Greenwich Village. The whole experience resulted in her developing a serious addiction to cannoli, a passion for The Strand Bookstore, a love for The Village, along with six new novels set in New York, all to be published in the coming years.

The second book in the series, The Lost Girl of Berlin, released on July 12th, 2021, and is set in the aftermath of the Second World War amongst the ruins of Berlin and then, in fabulous post war New York, and the third book in the series is The Girl from Paris, telling the story of Vianne Mercier, a Parisian fashion designer who travels to New York, and for whom beautiful couture is a fairytale.

Ella was born in Adelaide, Australia, and was educated at the University of Adelaide, completing a music degree in classical piano at the Elder Conservatorium, and an arts degree with a double major in History and English Literature.

Ella lives in Melbourne, Australia with her family. Ella's house is run by one very elderly and adored Italian Greyhound, and one cute puppy called Sassy who thinks she is the boss! And Ella's garden is managed by four chickens, Miss Pertelote, Annie, Harriet and Fox's Dinner.

Ella has recently signed a nine-book deal with Hachette UK imprint Bookouture. Bookouture have published all of Ella’s previous books, which have reached over one million readers in English alone, and are also publishing Ella's New York series for publication in 2021, 2022 and 2023. This sweeping historical series of six books, featuring unforgettable characters, will tell the stories of dazzling hopes and difficult dreams in America, before, during and after the Second World War.

Ella's New York series and her Paris Secrets Series have been sold for translation into many countries into over twenty languages.

When she’s not writing, Ella enjoys studying Italian, walking along the beach, travelling when she can, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves to chat with her readers, and would be delighted for you to join her lovely group of long time readers on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ellacareyaut..., and on her website at www.ellacarey.com, where you can find more information about the background behind her books, and join her mailing list for regular updates about her upcoming novels.

Reviews

[Bharath · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is very different to the ones I read recently. It has a loveable set of characters and a scenario which you hope in your heart will resolve itself.

Laura is the granddaughter of Emma Temple. The story alternates between two timelines – Emma’s youthful years and ~60 years later. Emma lived life on her own terms during a period, when very few (especially women) could do that. Emma moves on from her marriage after her first child and grows to be close to Patrick Adams – a famous artist. The passion for the arts binds them together, as also their free spirits. The relationships are complex with both Emma & Patrick. Patrick has never painted people he is close to – but makes an exception for Emma.

Laura hopes to study music and has taken a loan from a bank with the painting (“The Things we don’t say”) as the collateral. An arts expert at a leading gallery declares the painting as a duplicate. The bank now threatens to call in the loan, which will all but dash Laura’s music aspirations. Laura attempts to trace the circumstances around the painting to prove that it is authentic.

The book is a slow mover – I do not mind slow storylines actually. However, it did feel like a short story stretched to the long form. The writing is good, and I did find myself rooting for Laura. A cute story but would have benefited with greater depth.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and author for an electronic review copy.

[Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY is an engrossing historical fiction novel. There are two different storylines. Just the way I like it when it comes to historical fiction novels. In the 80s is young Emma shocked to learn that the famous painting of her grandmother may be fake. This could mean the end of her music career as she is using the painting as a collateral to pay for her prestigious music school.

This book brought to mind Virginia Woolf and Vanessa Bell as well as Dora Carrington & Lytton Strachey. Why? Well, Laura was a painter and her sister wrote (hence Woolf and Bell) and Dora Carrington was a painter that was in love with the homosexual Lytton Strachey. And, in this book was Emma in love with Patrick, who was homosexual. Yes, I also thought about the relationship between Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin.

The book was interesting, I liked both storylines. However, I felt that the storyline in the 80s was slightly more interesting. But, that's probably because I was so curious to learn more about why the appraiser thinks it's a fake painting. Of course, it's not like you get to know why right away. Instead, you learn more about Emma's life with Patrick. We also learn more about Laura, who I would say idolizes her grandmother so much that she tries to imitate her life by having a gay best friend/"love interest". Then, we have Emma's mother who turned away from the art life completely. Which makes Emma more eager to embrace it. Anyway, let's just say that these women really need to sit down and talk it over.

THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY (you get the reason for the title while reading the book) is a great historical fiction and I recommend it warmly!

I want to thank Lake Union Publishing for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!

[Jan Hills · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really like the story line but the writing is so terrible had to stop reading this .

[CYIReadBooks (Claire) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Laura Taylor’s career hinges upon a portrait of her grandmother, Emma Temple. The portrait named, The Things We Don’t Say, and painted by renowned artist, Patrick Adams, was used as collateral for a loan to finance Laura’s musical education.

As the portrait is readied for an art exhibition, an appraiser deems the portrait a fake. Thus descimating Laura’s chances for finishing school and starting a career playing the violin in an orchestra.

Determined. Both Laura and her grandmother begin to piece together the puzzle of the painting’s origin and rich history.

The novel, The Things We Don’t Say is a complex story of how secrets and lies can destroy families, loved ones, and relationships. And only when the truth is revealed can the healing begin.

The Things We Don’t Say is a slow read primarily because of the author’s atmospheric prose. Rich with fine details, the novel jockeys the reader from past to present, thereby unfolding the story. It is a lovely novel suited for historical fiction readers that enjoy a leisurely pace.

While I do enjoy historical fiction novels, The Things We Don’t Say read a little too slow for my tastes. Plot execution and character development were average in my opinion. I’ve rated it three stars. I liked it.

I received a digital copy of the book from Bookouture through NetGalley. The review herein is completely my own and contains my honest thoughts and opinions.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This my first experience of reading a book by this author and have to say I will certainly be reading more after this one.

We are taken back and forth between London and France as well as in the past and present day which is in the 1980's. I loved experiencing France from the authors descriptions. They are so vivid and brought to life not just the lifestyle but the area also.

The story mainly focuses on Emma whose past was quite colourful with the lifestyle she led and man she loved. In present day she is worried for her granddaughter Laura whose music training is under threat after there is question of a painting, entitled The Things We Don't Say, is thought to be a fraud which is the collateral for the loan for Laura's music fees.

Emma and Laura are the two stand out characters in this book. Whilst there maybe a big gap in age, I started seeing glimpses of just how alike they actually are. Emma has been through various heartache which we get to see in the past chapters. In the present day, Laura is fiercely fighting to keep her grandmother in the lifestyle she has come accustomed to as well as worry about her passion which is her music.

Admittedly I don't know much about the art world but found it all fascinating. The painting to some extent is the heart of the story but what really brings it altogether is Emma's past and the people within it. My heart went out to this woman who almost felt fragile in some way's but yet so strong in others.

The Things We Don't Say was a wonderfully captivating read that transported me between France and London. The author's writing style is very easy to get into which had me losing myself into the story and forgetting about the real world going on around me. A perfect book to escape into for lovers of historical women's fiction.

[ABCme · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing.

I'm a big fan of Ella Carey. Her books are easy accessable and always have an exciting story to tell.
In The Things We Don't Say she takes us to early 1900's London, accompanying a collective of young writers and artists, based loosely on the Bloomsbury Group.
This is the story of Patrick Adams and Emma Temple, both artists and great friends, on a journey to recognition.
Moving on to the 1980's where we meet Emma's granddaughter Laura. When Patricks portrait of Emma, which pays Laura's college fees, is deemed a fraud, Laura's world is in jeopardy. She must convince the bank that the painting is authentic.
The chapters go back and forth and bit by beautiful bit the mystery of the painting unravels. It ends with a good twist.
A very enjoyable read.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a little trouble connecting with this book and I'm not sure why. I've always loved the author's writing, but this book missed the mark for me.

The character of Emma was amazing and the reason I kept reading. I was hoping that Emma and Laura would prevail in her quest.

Thank you to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

[Jackie Cain · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. The synopsis looked interesting and was about the Bloomsbury group of artists and intellectuals so I was looking forward to reading more about them. Unfortunately, although I liked the idea of it and even the plot, I did not like the finished product at all.

It started really powerfully with a housekeeper destroying a newspaper, which is pretty interesting. The first couple of chapters found good ways of introducing back story although even there they tended to go on a bit and to duplicate information and turns of phrase. I started to flag during chapter 2. Thereafter, there was a lot of cliche - a woman in the mid to late 1900s restricted by the Victorian place of women. I wasn't sure if the Victorian reference was a clever indication of how old-fashioned the restrictive father was or a simple mistake, since this is the height of Edwardian Britain. We are told that the older protagonist met lots of intellectuals but we are never shown the group interacting. There is an odd interplay between finding things out in a brief statement, e.g. there were three key things that happened: someone died, someone got married, and someone moved house, without any description of it with huge amounts of detail of what the protagonist thought of it. The balance seemed all wrong. There is an art dealer in the 1980 time-frame and he feels like a character trying to have a proper hearing in a novel determined not to give him room. The best part of the book was the older protagonist taking action in the present day.

The self-analysis of the main characters and the limited actions take place in 1980 in London (England) and then at various points in the preceding 70 years in London, Paris, the South of France and the English countryside. One of my great disappointments was the limited sense of time or place for any of the settings. This created a great sense of sterility.

By about chapter ten (of thirty) I had had enough. I skim-read the last three or four chapters to find out the answer to the mystery. The Acknowledgements were the most interesting part, telling me about Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, the painters of the Bloomsbury group who could be said to have inspired the novel. I read the opening section of a biography of Vanessa and her sister Virginia (Woolf) and there was more sense of their context in time and place in that extract than in the whole novel.

[Kathleen Peterson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book

I really wanted to like this book and found it interesting at first. However, the charcters never developed beyond their introductions. I couldn't buy the unconditional love bit. What woman has a relationship with a gay man and doesn't flinch when he runs off to have affairs with his gay partners? That's not to say that it didn't cause her pain, but she continued to accept that behavior. I had trouble empathizing with that. The characters were inconsistent and the whole thing really slowed to a crawl toward the end. The story was a good idea. I finished it. I wanted to like it. But I didn't.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling story of love and secrets a story lasting over sixty years through two world wars it brings to life the bohemian lifestyles of two very talented artists Emma Temple and Patrick Adams and the circle of artists that surrounded them and the way they lived, and the special painting that ended up being part of a mystery that brings another two people together, make yourself comfortable for this one you will not want to put it down.

Emma Temple a talented artist lived a life as a pacifist easy going caring but strong in her own way, she married and had a son but her husband was never the love of her life that would be renowned artist Patrick Adams, but even though he too loved her he could never love Emma the way she loved him. They lived a bohemian lifestyle sharing house as a group in London and in Sussex travelling and painting theirs was an open love, when Patrick decided to paint a portrait of Emma this became so famous that years later after Patrick’s death it caused a mystery that needed to be solved.

Laura is Emma’s granddaughter a talented musician, who loves her ninety year old grandmother very much, Emma is the last of the famous artists circle still alive and has allowed Laura to use the portrait as collateral for a loan to study music, when it is discovered that the painting may not be the original, this of course starts a lot of rethinking by Emma about the man she loved and brings us closer to a lot more people and brings Laura in contact with art assessor Ewan.

This is a really moving story deep in history and a wealth of fabulous characters and what and how they lived through sixty years the loves the gorgeous artwork and their layback lifestyles, it had me turning the pages as I got to know Emma and Patrick and Laura and the families I loved them all, I loved their personalities and cheered them on with what they went though, there is lots of emotional affairs with different people, but above all there is love a true love that lasts many years. MS Carey has again taken me on a journey that is captivating and I highly recommend it, thank you MS Carey for another keeper.

[Tasha Brynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit I didn't have high hopes for this book. It was a Kindle First monthly offering, and I only chose it, because I had no interest in the others. It was the title that really put me off at first. I have become wary of navel-gazing, pseudo-philosophical literary fiction, with all of their overdone prose and beating the reader over the head with the author's 'perfect metaphor of life/tragedy/loss/whatever.' They all have names like (and I'm not sure how many of these I've actually read or just made up or might exist, but I've never read--I'm just spouting off here) "The Lies We Tell." "The Secrets We Keep." "The Promises We Break." "The Yesterdays of Tomorrow." "The Path Not Taken." "The Doors We Close." "The Windows We Open." Okay, now I'm just being silly.

However, in this case, the title actually had a purpose other than beating the reader over the head with symbolic meaning (it's more like a mild boxing of the ears). The story revolves around a painting, called "The Things We Don't Say," the woman, who was in love with the gay artist, and the woman's granddaughter, Laura. It delves into Laura's world falling apart, when the painting is pronounced a fake, because the painting is collateral for the loan, allowing Laura to attend music school. This is much more than a case of forgery, because the painting represents the grandmother's entire relationship with the artist, and, if it is a fake, then how much of their relationship was fake?

It actually took me about 30% of the book to care that much about the characters. Maybe it's because I'm a writer, but there was some resentment that the reader was supposed to be super-concerned about Laura not getting to pursue her music, because...life.... Welcome to the real world, baby.... And I was much more interested in the flashback's to the grandma, Emma's, story. She and her circle of friends--intellectuals, writers, artists, bohemians of the 1900's, who espoused pacifism and free love--were a lot more entertaining than reading about Laura cooking two lamb chops.

So, this was a slow burning read. In fact, I didn't realize the author had slipped under my defenses, until I was at 46% and couldn't stop reading. When I ended the book in tears, I knew she'd succeeded in making me care so much more than I even wanted to about these characters. There's some frustration, with the way the mystery is drawn out, but that just kept me reading, wanting to find out what the hell happened with that painting.

In the end, the title was perfect. There were so many things that weren't said, some of them, which should have, and some of them, which would have been cheapened, perhaps even misunderstood, if put into words. It's a beautiful story, perhaps too 'heavy' for repeated readings, if you know what I mean, but definitely worth a read.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Things We Don't Say is my favorite type of historical novel as it features a duel time line.
Laura is the granddaughter of Emma who had a portrait painted for her back in the thirties when she was in her prime it is called, The Things We Don't Say.
Laura is going to sell this painting and use it to finance her schooling at the Royal College of Music.
When it's authenticity is called into question it's heartbreaking to Laura as she's going to use it as collateral for her art school but also Emma who now questions the authenticity of the only man she's ever loved Patrick.
I very much reading the earlier time in Emma's life. She has led a rich and full life . She had an unusual love affair with Patrick . Patrick was her only one true love but he is a gay man and she is a married woman.
I really enjoyed getting to know Emma's younger self but also as an older woman.
I was totally engrossed in this story as the mystery enfolds . The characters come to life with true to life emotions love,compassion,jealousy and ambition.
It's amazing how one's actions so many years in the past can affect one's family years into the future.
I'll look into what else this author has out to read.

Pub Date: 25 Jan 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

After the authenticity of her grandmother Emma's portrait is questioned, Laura must prove it is legitimate. Was the Things We Don't Say" portrait of Emma painted by well known artist Patrick Adams, or not?

I love books about art and had high hopes for this book when I purchased it in 2018. Unfortunately, only Emma's storyline piqued my interest and only a teeny, tiny bit. Her Bohemian lifestyle was definitely unorthodox and unique and apparently inspired by real life artists Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant. Alas, the storyline and conversations were so melodramatic and repetitive so the best thing I can say about this book is that it's over.

Location: London, England

Kindle First Reads - June 2018 ($10 Hardcover)

[Dottie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I Read this book which is really out of my norm as I am a true romance reader, however I honestly enjoyed it. This book has a little of everything in it some mystery beautiful parts about art and of course some history but it does have about love. Her philosophy about different aspects and how she handled it. You will enjoy this book even if your a romance reader like me. Sometimes its nice to go outside your norm and enjoy the writings of a lovely author. Enjoyed it you will too.

[Joy H. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Added July 1, 2018 (Published July 1st 2018 by Lake Union Publishing)

I hope the interesting title lives up to its promise. (It didn't!)

The story has too many time shifts and place shifts, one after another! It has too many characters to keep track of. It's CONFUSING and CONVOLUTED!

July 7, 2018 - I managed to read to the end and I figured the plot out, but the story is too drawn out and there's too much repetition of the same thoughts and ideas over and over again. Very ANNOYING!

NOTE: I learned that the title of the story is the same as the name of the portrait which the story is about ("The Things We Don't Say"). However, there is more to the title than that. It's the idea that people withhold the truth about so many things.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE INFO BELOW IS FROM AN AMAZON WEB PAGE:
A portrait which Emma’s great love, Patrick, painted of her is proclaimed by an art appraiser as not having been painted by him.

The masterpiece is serving as collateral to pay for the tuition of Emma's grandaughter, Laura, at a prestigious music school.
For Emma, it casts doubt on everything she believed about her relationship with Patrick.
Laura is determined to prove that Patrick did indeed paint the portrait.
Both her grandmother’s and Patrick’s legacies are worth fighting for.
As the stories of two women entwine, it’s time for Emma to summon up the past—even at the risk of revealing its unspoken secrets.

The story intertwines over several decades. So there are time-shifts (and place-shifts) as one reads.
"Very interesting story and surprising ending." said one customer review.

The above info was taken from various descriptions and customer comments at:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/?AS...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Elaine · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story fluctuates between Emma’s college days and present. At 25%, it’s still held no interest. The “promise” to me is the secrets mentioned in the synopsis. I had hoped there’d be some build-up because this is a real snore fest but no, nothing, causing me to give up at 71%.

[Frank Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Emma's early life in the first decades of the twentieth century works very well as a homage to the Bloomsbury Group. I enjoyed reading about her, her siblings, their friends and the lives they lived through two world wars and the years between. What a pity the author spoiled the experience, not only by interspersing scenes from that period with scenes from 1980, but also withholding certain key scenes until the end in order to create the mystery with which Emma's granddaughter is confronted in that year.
Laura, Emma's granddaughter, is an accomplished young musician. Her ability to continue her studies at the Royal College of Music depends upon a loan secured against the value of a portrait of Emma executed by Laura's grandfather, Patrick. Someone comes forward with a claim that the painting is a forgery. How is this possible?
Laura's bumbling attempts to unravel the mystery form the substance of the scenes set in 1980. For me, her search for the truth did not hold the same conviction as the scenes in which Emma grapples with the disparity between her firmly held philosophies of free love and pacifism on the one hand, and jealousy of her partner's lovers and the horrors of war on the other.
'Summerfield', the house near Lewes which Emma and Patrick make their home, has very obvious parallels with 'Monks House', the home of Virginia and Leonard Woolf. Their friends include a number who are clear representations of the members of Virginia's circle, such as the economist John Maynard Keynes. Unlike Virginia, Emma does not commit suicide at the age of 59. She is still very much alive in 1980, aged ninety, but with her memory beginning to fail - or is it that she is unwilling to face the truth?
If you are fascinated by the lives of the artists, writers and other young intellectuals who formed collectives and sought a future free from the strait jacket of Victorian morals, you will not be disappointed by the parts of this book set in such an environment. If you love classical music, especially that written for the violin, you will enjoy the descriptions of performances contained in some of the scenes set in 1980. If you are looking for an opportunity to follow the twists and turns of a mystery, expect to be frustrated by Laura's calm acceptance of a seemingly inexplicable claim that ought to make her very angry.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

In 1980 Laura is pursuing a career in music and attending the Royal College when a news article proclaims that a portrait done of her grandmother by the famous artist, Patrick Adams is a fake. The portrait was used as collateral for Laura's school loans. In addition to threatening Laura's career it also calls into question the love her grandmother Emma had with Patrick. Did he lie to her all those years and a student really painted the portrait? Emma and Patrick had an unconventional love affair. They were the center of each other's lives but Patrick was gay and Emma was married. Ewan is a gallery owner who claims the portrait is a fake but resists telling Laura why.

The story is told in two timelines. One is Emma's POV from her early life starting before World War I. The second is 1980 when Laura finds out that the painting is a possible fake and her career is in jeopardy.

Even though this was somewhat of a mystery I lost interest. Emma seemed to embrace a bohemian life style of freedom from convention and letting people do what they wanted. To me it seemed like she would rather let people do what they wanted even if it hurt her just to avoid confrontation. I had no sense of who the younger Emma was. Emma's daughter, Clover, turned her back on all that and lead a very conventional life whereas her daughter is more like Emma and is passionate about the violin. There were so many secrets that if people didn't keep silent there would have been a lot less turmoil.

There were parts that made no sense to me or seemed glossed over like Emma's relationship with her dad and what happened to her brother. I kept reading and hoping for more depth.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bookouture for providing me with an ARC for review.

[Cheryl Steckling · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Things We Don't Say: A Novel by Ella Carey
Can you imagine having a painting of you that was done by an renowned London artist such as Patrick Adams and have it be telling the story of the things we do not say.
This is what Emma Temple has and Patrick Adams did such a portrait. But now after Patrick Adam's death someone is claiming that he himself did not paint it which virtually makes the painting next to worthless.
Emma Temple's granddaughter Laura has inherited the artist gene and in fact used the portrait as collateral to pay for the tuition for her music school. If the painting is a fraud who will be able to repay the bank for that tuition?
Ella Carey has a way of intertwining the story from one era to another and blend them perfectly. This was an enjoyable read and highly recommended by me.

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ella Carey’s emotional and compelling historical novel, “The Things We Don’t Say,” discusses the relationships that shape us and sheds light on the secrets we keep for a lifetime.

At the heart of this story is the potential for damage when the truths that one has built a life on start to crumble.

An article in the local paper raising questions about a painting’s provenance causes Emma Temple, a bright, nearly ninety-year-old, to reflect on her life as one of England’s most influential artists. Caught in the middle of the conflict is Temple’s granddaughter, Laura, who relies on the painting to fund her music education at a prestigious university. On a quest to authenticate the artwork, Laura uncovers truths about her grandmother and mother that were long buried.

Carey’s storyline highlights her masterfully created characters and pulls readers into the bohemian art world of the twentieth century. Readers will be in awe of the protagonist who lived through two world wars; kept her relationships with all the men in her life intact, including an ex-husband, a gay man whom she loved, and another man who loved her all his life; raised two children; and had a career doing what she was passionate about. It was empowering to read about Emma’s progressive approach to both art and life. Through Emma, Carey brings to light ideas about personal freedom, love and what makes a family. These issues, lived out in Emma’s life, are issues that society still grapples with today. You will experience the gamut of emotions as Carey takes you on a journey through the tumultuous decades of the twentieth century and come out of the experience with more compassion, acceptance and knowledge than before. This gripping story with major potential for screen adaptation is to be published January 25, 2021.

Thanks to Ella Carey, Bookouture and NetGalley for this fantastic historical fiction advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Nas Dean · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE THINGS WE DON’T SAY by author Ella Carey is a July 2018 release by Lake Union Publishing.

Laura had her grandmother’s painting as collateral for her loan. Then she finds that the painting could be a fake. What would happen now? Would Laura be able to prove that the painting is real and painted by the famous painter? She’s determined to uncover all the secrets surrounding this.

On a parallel storyline we read about Laura’s grandmother Emma Temple and her life events leading to the painting of her portrait.

THE THINGS WE DON’T SAY is an interesting story. It has drama, love, sex and scandal. Author Ella Carey once again brought this well-written story to the readers. This story is thrilling to read as you encounter mysteries and suspense.

Highly recommended for all readers.

[Neeraja Sankaran · Rating 2 out of 5]

I know this book was inspired by the real Bloomsbury Circle members but somehow I didn't take to this book as well as I did to her Paris Balcony book. There was just too much "tell" and not enough "show" as far as I was concerned and the actions/inactions and attitudes of the protagonists--both grandmom and grand-daughter annoyed me somewhat. It seemed that Emma (grand-mom) wanted to be bohemian for the sake of it in a way. Also the author kept talking about the Circle but never mentioned any of the real folk who formed a part of it, I think I prefer when real people make cameo appearances or even play bigger roles (Woman on the Orient Express comes to mind).

[maria · Rating 1 out of 5]

Disappointing

Well, I as a mother made myself finish this book. While the story line could have been great it was more focused on forcing the point of acceptance of free love. The moral of this book was anything goes from cross relationships from a gay man to a young virgin girl. And a point is even made not to listen to your mother. Whoever led Ella this direction may do more harm than good. I'm no longer following her.

[Penelope Wolfe · Rating 1 out of 5]

Air and dust

My mind kept trying to blow the dust from these characters, the landscapes and the scenes. To no avail, the characters seemed preternaturally flat. The helplessness of Emma, and the panic of Laura were baffling. Oddly, neither England nor France seemed recognizable. Perhaps because the book had no joy, no happiness and no life in it.

[Lucy Lusk]

At first I didn't think I was going to like this but in the end, I did find it interesting and had a hard time putting it down. I think it is worth the read!

[Janice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is getting two stars because the whole plot is centered around a relatively moralless and selfish group of people and the harm they caused in other people's lives.

[Lynn Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional journey of everlasting love! When faced with the possibility that something she believed to be true might have been far fetched, a woman travels through her memories to recall the love story that defined her life. Going back and forth between present time and the past, we learn about the life that Emma lived and watch her granddaughter try to secure the truth for her. The characters are well developed and the storyline is intriguing. We are left wondering until the very end what truly happened, and it doesn't disappoint in the emotion and depth of mystery. There was a little lag in parts that could have been improved upon, but overall, a really stunning read!

Emma Temple has lived a full life filled with love, loss and accomplishment. She's happy to fill her artistic heart with the painting that has brought her joy throughout so many of her ninety years along with loving memories of the past. When a scandal makes it's way into her life, she's left bewildered and doubting things she thought were true from the past. Could it be possible that the portrait the love of her life, Patrick Adams painted and gifted to her wasn't actually his work?

Laura Taylor trusted in her grandmother's painting enough to secure a student loan to attend a prestigious school of music using it's value to secure the funds. Now that it's validity is in question thanks to an art dealer, she's struggling to figure out how to prove it is authentic. She's on the verge of losing everything, and if she finds out that Patrick didn't actually paint the gift of love he bestowed upon her grandmother, it will break Em's heart!

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much more than an unusual love story, this novel centers on a life in the arts, whether a musician or painter. Emma Temple becomes part of a Bloomsbury group of bohemians in the early 1900’s. Rebelling against her Victorian upbringing, Emma is a painter, a free thinker who falls in love with Patrick. Unable to return romantic love in kind, Patrick becomes her life companion, painting a picture capturing Emma’s personality. Jump to the 1980’s, where Emma’s granddaughter, Laura, is a violinist, attending a conservatory in London. When the collateral for her school loan, the painting of Emma, is questioned, what else about these lives will be revealed. I loved the characters, the sense of place and time. Highly recommended.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very disappointing

It is very clear, from the beginning, that this is a rehash of Vanessa Bell's life. Interestingly, the author paints her 'Emma' as very self-centered, disliking anyone who interfered with her circle of admirers. They were all in love with her and she liked being the puppeteer of their lives, except partially Oscar who was able to retreat into a lover's arms. I do enjoy reading about Bloomsbury, and admire their determination to live their lives their own way, but this book made me dislike the whole group and I could not wait to "get it over with". And then a total schmalz ending.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY is an exquisite story that spans generations. And though there were many, my greatest takeaway is that just because we have the ability to put ourself inside a protective bubble—circle, if you will—doesn't mean we can't hurt others. The bubble—boundary—of a circle is EXclusive as opposed to INclusive. And where there's exclusion, there's always pain. Enjoyable read. I recommend this book.