May 1917: The elegant streets of Boston are thousands of miles away from the carnage of the Western Front. Yet even here, amid the clatter of horse-drawn carriages and automobiles, it is impossible to ignore the war raging across Europe. Emma Lewis Swan's husband, Tom, has gone to France, eager to do his duty as a surgeon. Emma, a sculptress, has stayed behind, pursuing her art despite being dismissed by male critics. On the bustling sidewalk she spies a returned soldier. His brutally scarred face inspires first pity, and then something more—a determination to use her skill to make masks for disfigured soldiers.
Leaving Boston for France also means leaving behind Linton Bower, a fiery, gifted artist determined to win her. Emma's union with Tom has been steady yet passionless, marred by guilt over a choice she made long ago. In Paris, she crafts intricate, lifelike masks to restore these wounded men to the world. But in the course of her new career she will encounter one man who compels her to confront the secret she's never revealed, not even to Tom. Only by casting off the façade she has worn for so long can she pursue a path through heartbreak and turmoil toward her own unexpected future . . .
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“Alexander is not afraid to tackle uncomfortable topics. He weaves realistic, gritty passages in with emotional human frailties and the complexities of love and passion…The novel is thoroughly researched, drawing readers fully into the saga with descriptive, often graphic details and strong characterizations.”
— Library Journal
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V. S. Alexander is the acclaimed author of The Sculptress, The Traitor, The Irishman’s Daughter, The Magdalen Girls, and The Taster. His novels feature strong women protagonists whose lives take them on incredible journeys in settings fraught with danger and intrigue where, along the way, they learn about life, love, and themselves. He is an ardent student of history with a strong interest in music and the visual arts, and some of his writing influences include Shirley Jackson, Oscar Wilde, Daphne du Maurier, or any work by the exquisite Brontë sisters. Find him online at VSAlexander.com.
Sarah Mollo-Christensen is a voice talent and an audiobook narrator. A stage and voice actor, she received her BA from Dartmouth College and graduated from the Atlantic Theater Company’s Acting Conservatory in New York City. As an actress, she has appeared on prestigious regional stages, including the Folger Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC.