Laura Morelli

Would you rather sacrifice your livelihood, your lover, or your life? When the Black Death comes knocking on your door, you'd better decide quickly. Venice, 1510. Maria Bartolini wants nothing more than to carry on her father’s legacy as a master gilder. Instead, her father has sent her away from the only home she’s ever known to train as an apprentice to Master Trevisan, a renowned painter. Maria arranges to leave the painter’s workshop to return to her family workshop and to a secret lover waiting for her. But the encroaching Black Death foils her plans… When the painter’s servants uncover the real reason why Maria has been sent away to train with Master Trevisan, they threaten to reveal a secret that could tear down her family and the future of their trade. She is forced to buy the servants’ silence, but as their greed steadily grows, Maria resorts to more desperate measures. She questions whether her heart’s desire is worth risking her family, her trade, and her future, but Maria’s sacrifices may amount to nothing if the plague steals away everything she’s ever loved… From the author of the award-winning "The Gondola Maker" comes a rich tale of Renaissance Venice, a heroine with a lust for life, and love against all odds. Buy "The Painter’s Apprentice" today to transport yourself to the vibrant and dangerous world of 16th-century Venice…

An exciting, dual-timeline historical novel about the creation of one of Leonardo da Vinci's most famous paintings, Portrait of a Lady with an Ermine, and the woman who fought to save it from Nazi destruction during World War II. Milan, 1492: When a 16-year old beauty becomes the mistress of the Duke of Milan, she must fight for her place in the palace—and against those who want her out. Soon, she finds herself sitting before Leonardo da Vinci, who wants to ensure his own place in the ducal palace by painting his most ambitious portrait to date. Munich, World War II: After a modest conservator unwittingly places a priceless Italian Renaissance portrait into the hands of a high-ranking Nazi leader, she risks her life to recover it, working with an American soldier, part of the famed Monuments Men team, to get it back.  Two women, separated by 500 years, are swept up in the tide of history as one painting stands at the center of their quests for their own destinies.