Does art imitate life or are we mere players in the past? As an art professor, Claire is in love with the masters' work but her tumultuous relationship with her husband leaves her wishing that real life could be fashioned.

When Kurt unexpected moves out and Claire's summer classes are cancelled, she's left untethered. Looking forward each year to teaching in Italy, she's struggling to deal with the loss of income and time to tour her favorite country.

Seeing months of solitude ahead, a surprising offer leaves Claire conflicted. Should she take on the challenge of being a tour guide for the summer? She doesn't have anything to lose and the student's wealthy husband is footing the bill while paying more than her summer classes would have afforded.

Claire fears that shepherding Scarlett Vivien 'Viv' around Italy will be more like babysitting that instructing. Is she willing to take the chance? Get ready for a travel through art and fashion story that is a novel idea. Learning from the masters, will Claire and Viv be able to take control of their lives?

I love art and taught it overseas but I had trouble connecting with Claire and Viv. Both women seemed flighty in their own ways. Claire's unhappy marriage had her seeking solace in another's arms and Viv's marriage is tethered to her husband's money.

Without giving anything away, I struggled with how the author treated gender identity. I understand Viv's reason for questioning the past but at the same time, it felt childish and ignorant speaking against a group of people for their lifestyle.

That being said, as Claire and VIv's stories evolved, I grew to care about the characters. Each had an essence of what the other lacked. Claire needed someone to shake her out of her stupor and learn to embrace life. While Viv needed someone to recognize her passion and provide structure.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for an early edition of #TheArtofTravelingStrangers in exchange for an honest review. Art and fashion aficionados will enjoy traveling through art and Italy's couture scene.

Fans of travel and art will delight in this book. It took a little while for me to like Claire, and Viv gave ME panic attacks until I began to understand her character more. The travel locations, museums and artwork were depicted in such detail, and the history was equally fascinating. The ending was predictable and wrapped up with a perfect bow, but I still felt fulfilled at its end. Thanks to NetGalley for this enjoyable ARC.

I mainly picked this up for the book cover but god DANG this was such a fun ride! It was great curling up in my bed while doing online school and just getting sucked into the characters’ world and their relationships

Divorce, a death in the family and money problems all contribute to Claire Markham feeling like she’s lost her grip on her life. When given the opportunity to travel to Europe as a paid art guide and escape her devastating life upheavals, Claire jumps at the chance to enlighten Viv Chancey, an unlikely patron, on the great art masterpieces of Italy and France.

Told in alternating chapters between the European adventure and Claire’s past, Author Disigny is able to show readers how Claire’s controlling tendencies are impeding her growth. As Claire slowly lets go, she’s able to enjoy life more and envision a future that has promise. What Claire discovers is that when she takes the focus off herself, she’s able to see others and their problems, thereby aiding her own growth by helping others. Disigny highlights the powers of perception and shows readers that reality, like art, is just an illusion.

The highlight for me was the connection made between the lessons learned from the art. I loved reading about the wisdom from the old masters. The author generously provided me with an additional companion guide that included images of all the art mentioned in the story. It was listed in order of appearance and accompanied by an excerpt from the book where the work is first mentioned. It absolutely contributed to my understanding of the narrative!

Come join the travels to Milan, Ravenna, Florence, Venice, Siena, Rome and Paris! You’ll have an armchair adventure and a front-row seat to Claire’s journey of self-discovery and personal empowerment. She receives an unexpected education in Europe and returns with a new perspective on her life.

I was gifted this advance copy by Zoe Disigny, Amplify Publishing Group, Subplot Publishing, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

Claire is going through hard times. A lot of loss, and heartbreak. In need of money (and an escape from reality) she reluctantly becomes an art guide to Viv, a stranger who has a husband with loads of money willing to pay for the entire trip plus salary. Claire, who is less inclined to tour Europe for ‘fun’ sticks to a strict itinerary, but Viv, with her chaotic, bizarre behaviour makes for a stubborn and at times, detached student. At first at odds, the journey seems to be frustrating for both, but as secrets are revealed and connections made, it becomes apparent that this journey will surely change both of their lives.

A novel that explores relationships in all their complexities. Family, lovers, and friends. And trust me I do love a good ‘woman bonding’ story, but this one wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be. The pacing of the novel was off sometimes, especially in the first few chapters where we are taken to the past (for far too long in my opinion). The characters Claire and Viv were both rather unlikable, and that made it hard to keep interested at times. And as much as there were heartbreaking and emotionally raw moments throughout, I, as the reader, didn’t feel the emotion. I don’t know what it was exactly but the story, and the characters themselves felt very one dimensional.

What I did truly enjoy, and what kept me interested, was the art history. I am no art history major, my knowledge is like zero percent when it comes to art. Claire clearly knew what she was talking about, and I loved when she put her art guide hat on and taught me (and Viv) about art. I also received a PDF file from the author, which had photos of the art that Viv and Claire were visiting, and in that way, I was able to marvel over the art with them. I was drawn into the story and was able to partake in the tour. It made the discussions around the history, and importance of each piece more digestible and fascinating.

I also felt like the descriptions of the places, and museums they visited were very strong, extremely detailed, and visceral. The strongest part of the novel were the descriptions, and the art history. I liked that Claire related some of the art pieces to the issues she was going through in her own life, and how those pieces, ultimately helped her make sense of her life. It helped her make better decisions and grow as a person. I found the conclusion, the way both women helped the other grow and change, quite satisfying. I just wish the story had more emotion, and that the characters felt real, and not one dimensional. Either way, if you like art, or love to travel, I think you would find something to enjoy within this book. Or even if you are looking for a way to travel through pages (since ya know, travelling is limited right now) this book might be a good way to escape into Europe and its rich history.

Thank you to #netgalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

"I know that sounds like I'm making excuses for my behavior, and I guess I am. But it is curious how transgressions within a marriage are viewed differently than those outside it. Somehow psychological and emotional abuses between husbands and wives don't carry the same weight. They're not seen as betrayals. They're considered minor offenses, little slip-ups, something a good spouse should learn to forgive for the sake of the marriage." -- Claire

This book is a rare gem that not only offers soft love, friendship, and a bit of thrill, but also lots of educational facts that don't feel like they're being crammed down your throat! I absolutely enjoyed reading about the life of the artists and their well-described artworks that the author managed to fit perfectly with the narrative of the story. I can't even begin to think of how much research that would take.

I also tried very hard to find a big fault in this book, but I couldn't. The pacing is good and not forced at all, especially when Claire finally opened up to Viv. Well, it's not only about her opening up, but it's Claire’s gradual change! It's not one of those stories where a character decides they want to change and immediately does. Claire's progress feels more real. Sure, she's made mistakes, but where would the dilemma be if she didn't? It’s what she learns from them that adds more to her character.

Though if there's anything I would have wanted to see in this book, it's (1) having pictures, or even doodle-y illustrations, of the artworks discussed and the places they've been to. While having them won't affect the story at all, it would've been nice to comment along with Viv and Claire. And (2) Kurt and Claire bearing with each other as they try to raise their daughter with as much likeliness as a normal household's, two parents. After all, they are her parents, and I'm sure that she'll miss having them around together. They both made mistakes, though only Kurt didn't acknowledge them.

Well this book was really not what I thought it was going to be, I found it rather whingeing
And rather lacking in liability obviously this is just only my own opinion. Iam sure others might love it.

As someone who is craving travel but is not traveling due to pandemic, I really appreciate how I not only felt transported by this book, but also felt moments of forgetting the state of the world through getting lost in really fun book with a lot of heart.

This one caught my eye thanks to the art historian character travelling in Italy. I work as an art educator in Rome so I’m quite invested in this topic!

I enjoyed the travelling nature of the story and loved the visits to different cities.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

This story comes together like a puzzle. Each piece of Claire’s life clicking into place as the story unfolds. This book isn’t told in a linear fashion, instead bits and pieces are revealed as Claire reflects on her life. We come into it kind of in the middle, Claire in unmoored, setting off on an adventure that she isn’t sure about, trying to reckon with a year that could have broken her and looking to figure out where she should go next. Throughout the rest of the book we learn how Claire ended up where she is and we get to see her coming into her own as she tours Europe.

On top of the plot, this book is chock full of art and, if that’s your jam, titled will make you want to pack up, fly to Italy, and spend your days exploring museums and contemplating which statue of David truly is superior.

when i first read the title and description i was immediately interest and became excited to read. but once i actually started the story i was a bit disappointed. the first chapter was ok but then we jump back in time without a warning which is confusing. and instead of going back to where we started we get this long story about how our main characters ends up where she is. there is her terrible affair which felt kind of wrong to me and her bland marriage. i couldn’t really find it in me to be interested. i didn’t really connect with the characters and the rest of the book felt like one big lecture. i had higher expectations i guess so i’m kinda sad i didn’t get to enjoy this much.

i did end up dnfing because i simply could not be interest right now. maybe i’ll pick it up later this year. i have not lost hope in claire.

I received an ARC of, The Art of Traveling Strangers, by Zoe Disigny. Did not really c are for this book, It was a slow start, more about the authors relationship with men, then actually traveling.

Seeing the state of the world right now this book was an enjoyable escape to Italy. I really enjoyed learning about the art and in some parts it felt like I was actually apart of the tour around Italy. I did find myself having to look up some of the pieces that they were describing as I was not familiar with them. If you are a fan of art you will enjoy the book as it includes a lot of intriguing information about the artworks whether you already knew it prior or not. There are a few other conflicts that arise throughout the novel that Claire has to endure.

'The Art of Traveling Strangers' tells the story of Claire, an art historian trapped in an unhappy marriage. After suffering a number of disappointing losses, she's presented with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to accompany Viv, a ditzy but lovable woman with an eye for luxury and designer goods, to Europe. The two women couldn't possibly be more different, and their friendship doesn't exactly blossom, per se, during their time together, but they manage to provide each other with valuable insight and offer the other clarity toward certain aspects of their lives with which they've been struggling. While I found the story a bit slow at times, and didn't always enjoy Claire's narration, I did very much enjoy the details of their journey through various Italian cities, as well as to Paris. If you have an affinity for art history or travel, you'll be happy you picked this book up!

I’m sorry but this book isn’t doing it for me and i’m not exactly sure why. It’s an okay book but i just wasn’t feeling it.

I read this in the dove of roughly 24hours! Granted we are all home with CoVid, but still I thought it was a page turner.

I went in not being sure it it was my kind of book. I thought it was just going to be the tale of a mopey woman running around Europe but it was so much more than that.

The characters are very real and are confronted with their obstacles and life difficulties and through art they begin go heal and find some comfort.

There’s a good bit of information about art history without it becoming boring. It also touches on the AIDS crisis in the 80s, changing roles of women and family dynamics as well as how legitimate different ways of learning as well as coping are.

It was a very easy and entertaining read with depth too it.

What a most appealing surprise this book turned out to be! being locked up with Covid-19 quarantine and feeling quite ill (despite all vaccines and booster), I desperately needed something to keep my mind occupied as I rested in bed. Thank you Zoe Disigny for not only writing a most entertaining and informative book, but also for letting me revisit all the beautiful cities and museums in Italy and the city of Paris again in my imagination.

Claire, an art historian, is in an unhappy marriage, followed by a daunting love affair with her former therapist, when her summer seminar in Rome for college students falls through and leaves her hanging. Enter Viv, a student from the cancelled trip (married to a bookie) offers to pay for both their trips for a private tour. Viv is quite a character, ditzy yet sharp, whose interests lie not in Michaelangelo and Brunelleschi, but in Coco Chanel and Dolce and Gabanna. She is a fashionista of the first water. Early frustrations with Viv give way to some life-changing insights and education for both Viv and Claire.

The characters are well-defined, and Viv turns out to be comic relief in buying designer outfits that don't fit her. Claire learns more about haute couture than Viv does about art, but you will undoubtedly learn more about both.

So this was one of those reads that blew my mind and surprised the f out of me. Because I absolutely loved it. The story was so phenomenal and engaging that I couldn’t put it down until and unless I was done with it.!