'Rembrandt's Promise is something genuinely special. Beautifully written, stunning in its imaginative scope and note-perfect in its conjuring of a fascinating era, this is a gripping story rich with passion and vitality, populated with characters you won't want to be easily parted from. A remarkably assured debut novel, of the kind that, once started, is hard to put down, which really ought to break out the deeply talented Barbara Leahy to a wide and enthusiastic audience and bring the kind of kudos she has long and so richly deserved' -- Billy O'Callaghan ― author of Life Sentences

'Here is a gift of a first novel, with prose as resolute and sensual as its wronged and determined narrator. Intimate, measured and meticulous in its detail, this is read-on storytelling at its very best. A wonderful debut' -- Alan McMonagle ― author of Ithaca

'Barbara Leahy's prose is as luminous as the Dutch Golden Age it evokes and is unforgettable. Barbara Leahy shines a clear, unfaltering light on a life too long left in shadow. Right from the beginning, Geertje took up residence in my head and my heart. This is a novel that lingers long after reading. Barbara Leahy's sentences are sublime. The novel is an indelible testament to Geertje, a woman Rembrandt would have preferred the world forgot. Outstanding' -- Danielle McLaughlin ― author of The Art of Falling