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"Fans of the Renaissance era will be carried away to a time of passion and art." — InD’tale Magazine
Renaissance Italy loves genius—just not when it belongs to a woman.
Venice, 1473. In a city of workshops and whispers, a servant girl dares to practice a craft reserved for men. When revered Florentine master Luciano Vicente discovers Celeste Gabriele’s secret sketches, he offers illicit training—and a perilous path to greatness.
Their solution is audacious: Celeste’s paintings will be shown and sold under male apprentices’ names, a deception that could ruin them both if exposed. In candlelit studios and crowded ateliers, amid pigments, frescoes, and patrons bound by oath, Celeste must outpace jealous rivals and patrician rules to claim the life she was never meant to have.
If the truth surfaces, she risks her freedom and the future of the man who believes in her. Yet art—and a clean, hopeful love—may be the one redemption this Renaissance world cannot silence.
Shades of Brilliance begins The Master’s Protégé Trilogy, blending Italian settings, art-world intrigue, and a gentle love story for fans of Irving Stone, Tracy Chevalier, and Susan Vreeland.
“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
“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.” — InD’tale Magazine
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Praise for the The Master's Protégé Trilogy
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ “Rich in detail and brilliantly executed!” — Readers’ Favorite 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.” — Readers’ Favorite Review
★★★★★ “Well-researched and strong heroine!”
★★★★★ “I truly felt like I was visiting the bygone eras of Venice, Lucca, and Florence.”
★★★★★ “The plot and characters are wonderfully created, as is the inner passion of an artist.”
★★★★★ “The characters are exceptional, and the descriptions given by the author are breathtaking.”
★★★★★ “A luscious story of women’s acceptance into the historical world of men only.”
★★★★★ “Reads like a really good Masterpiece Theater series on PBS.”
★★★★★ “A modernized Renaissance love story.”
★★★★★ “Amazing attention to detail for the times and historical aspects.”
★★★★★ “A welcome relief in finding worthy, appropriate, clean historical romances.”
★★★★★ “Equal to The Agony and the Ecstasy with a good grasp of how women were viewed at that time.”
Eleanor has traveled the world and lived in five different countries. She currently lives in the Williamsburg, Virginia area with her husband, is the proud mother of four grown sons, and Nana to one amazing grand-darling.
(Eleanor also writes as E.A. Chance)