Shades of Brilliance: An Italian Renaissance Love Story (The Master’s Protégé Trilogy Book 1)

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When an impoverished young woman from a disgraced Venetian family and a Florentine duke cross paths, their lives and the Renaissance art world will never be the same.

Fans of The Other Boleyn Girl, Wolf Hall, and Girl with A Pearl Earring will find much to love in this poignant and thrilling new saga by award-winning author Eleanor Chance.

“A ‘rags-to-riches’ story meets the Renaissance! The story is broken up into three different parts, slowly showing the progression of Celeste’s journey as an artist…the detail is absolutely splendid. One of the best parts is seeing actual historical characters come to life, like Lorenzo de’ Medici…Her(Celeste’s) passion for painting is inspiring! Fans of the Renaissance era will be carried away to a time of passion and art.” -Ind’Tale Magazine

“Reading Shades of Brilliance was a joy, and I cannot wait for the next novel in the series. Rich in detail and brilliantly executed!” – Readers’ Favorites 5 Star Review

“The fascinating story of a woman who is an enormously talented artist in the 15th Century, and her struggle to become a recognized artist.” – Reedsy Discovery Review

“Like the art of this era, the novel is a work of art that matches the style and drama of the work of Irving Stone, Tracy Chevalier, Susan Vreeland, and many others…As an artist, art enthusiast, and historian, I was fascinated by this story and loved the author’s attention to detail that rivals my other favorite art historical fiction novelists…I can’t wait for book 2 of the trilogy!” – Readers’ Favorites 5 Star Review

Celeste Gabriele’s life has gone from wealth and privilege in the highest echelons of Venetian aristocracy to dismal poverty in the slums. With her drunk of a father missing and her mother dead, it falls upon Celeste to protect her younger brothers and sister from starvation. When the burden becomes overwhelming, and Celeste makes plans to escape her wretched life, her wealthy aunt appears and whisks her off to work as a nanny to young Federigo Benetto.

One day, as Celeste escorts Federigo to his art lesson with Maestro Luciano Vicente, the maestro discovers a sketch drawn by Celeste. He immediately recognizes her raw artistic talent and begs her to become his secret protégé. Celeste consents and soon becomes obsessed as she hones her abilities under the watchful eye of Luciano, whom she secretly loves. She carries on blissfully until their arrangement is discovered and she is thrown out onto the street with nothing. Will she survive in a world working against her to achieve her dreams and win the heart of the nobleman she loves?