Reviews

Slack creates an invigorating, absorbing story that is hard to put down and easy to love. Under her hand, not just Jane but her daughters and loves come to life in a realistic manner that is not always predictable and thus feels akin to much of life’s events and impacts.

— D. Donovan,

Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

As someone who loves genealogy and family history, Painting a Family by Mary Anne Kalonas Slack was right up my alley. It’s the kind of book I could easily picture unfolding in my mind, like going through a box of old photographs and rediscovering people you thought you already understood. I appreciated how the author didn’t rush any one person’s journey; instead, she gave every person space to speak for themselves, allowing their flaws and strengths to shine through.

— Jennifer Senick for Readers Favorite

Mary Anne Kalonas Slack’s Painting a Family is a deeply emotional, multigenerational novel about love, loss, secrets, and the healing power of forgiveness. Told through shifting perspectives and time, the novel explores how shame, silence, and maternal guilt ripple across generations. It unfolds with unhurried, reflective pacing that shows the rhythm of real life. The action is largely emotional rather than physical, driven by moments of truth, regret, and reconciliation rather than dramatic events. Character development is the book’s greatest strength.

— Carmen Tenorio for Readers Favorite