Mary Waters-Sayer

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!




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A special thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this book is spectacular, just gorgeous. Unfortunately, the story not so much. Waters-Sayer ticks several boxes—Paris, London, art—but the actual story fell flat through characters that were not likeable and underdeveloped. The best writing of the book is the descriptions of the city, she creates some lovely visuals with her prose.

The premise, Kat Lind, an expat living in London with her successful husband and son, attends a gallery opening only to find that she is the subject in the paintings that stemmed from her past relationship with the artist, Daniel Blake. She is drawn back to Daniel and and must decide if she should leave the past as part of her history or make it her future.

I liked the juxtaposition of the historic home renovation against her relationship; the past colliding with the modern of the architecture and the premise that the past simply cannot be erased, the bones of the home will always be there, just like her past choices have made her who she is.
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I was fortunate to receive this book from St. Martin's Press in a Goodreads Giveaway. The Blue Bath was a superbly written story that took you from Paris to London. It not only made you think about what might have happened in Paris but it makes you wonder about choices made and the "what if" you took a different path. What if given a second chance? Can things ever be the same as before? Then there is the view of the world from an artist standpoint. How much do we miss or overlook by not looking at the detail. There is so much more to this story than a love affair in Paris. Thank you St. Martin's Press.… (más)