All the arts we practice are apprenticeship. The big art is our life.
M.C. Richards
Libraries
One Woman’s Defiance. The World’s Greatest Artist.
The Story History Almost Forgot.
Behind the world’s most famous artist is a woman the world forgot. After the deaths of Vincent and Theo van Gogh, Jo van Gogh-Bonger is left with a legacy of “worthless” canvases. This award-winning novel follows her defiant battle to save Vincent’s art, changing the course of history forever.
AWARDS:
2025 Grand Prize Second Place IAN Winner (Fiction Book of the Year)
2025 IAN Winner (First Novel Over 90,000 Words)
2025 Gold Medal Readers Favorite (Historical Personage)
2024 Winner American Writing Award (Art)
2025 Indie Missouri collection
BOOK DETAILS:
ISBN-13: 9781647428709
E-ISBN: 978-1-64742-871-6
LCCN: 2024925818
Publisher: She Writes Press
Distribution: Simon & Schuster
Pub Date: April 15, 2025
Specs: $17.99 (Paperback Retail)
5.5” x 8.5” | 388 pages
BISAC Categories:
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FIC014080 - Historical/20th Century/General
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FIC044000 - Women
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FIC014000 - Historical/General
Wholesalers: Ingram/Spark and all major library distributors via
Simon & Schuster
Ebook/Audio: Available via Overdrive/Libby, Hoopla and Bibliotheca
Audio ISBN: 979-89959655-0-3
REVIEWS:
“An intriguing art- and history-filled tribute to an oft-overlooked dynamic woman.”
—KIRKUS REVIEWS
“A climate of progressive change backdrops a determined widow’s efforts in the male-dominated art world in the lovely historical novel, Saving Vincent.”
—FOREWORD REVIEWS
“Fernandez does an excellent job in her portrayal of Jo as a strong, determined woman ahead of her time in the male-dominated art world...Saving Vincent... forces readers to become deeply invested in Jo as a woman, creating an unforgettable portrait of resilience and passion. Very highly recommended.”
—Readers Favorite, FIVE STARS
“You’ve probably never heard of Jo van Gogh, but were it not for her, none of us would have ever known there was a Vincent van Gogh. In this skillfully researched and propulsive story, Joan Fernandez shares the untold history of a true unsung heroine who saved her brother-in-law’s artwork and legacy. You will root for Jo Van Gogh from beginning to end.”
—Renée Rosen,
USA Today bestselling author of Let’s Call Her Barbie
Award-winning Historical Fiction:
A Must-Have for Your 2026 Summer
Perfect for fans of Susan Vreeland, Marie Benedict, and The Muralist.
Themes & Discussion Topics:
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The Forgotten Woman: Reclaiming Jo van Gogh-Bonger. Move beyond the myth of the “tortured artist” to discover the true architect of Vincent van Gogh’s fame. This narrative explores the “hidden heroine” trope, examining how history often overlooks the women responsible for preserving our cultural heritage.
Resilience & Female Entrepreneurship. Follow the journey of a young widow navigating a 19th-century patriarchal society. Left with a small child and a collection of “worthless” paintings, Jo’s story is a masterclass in grit, strategic thinking, and the determination required to build a billion-dollar legacy from nothing.
Legacy & Stewardship. Explore the emotional weight of inheritance in the retelling of this mother/son relationship. Jo’s journey raises poignant questions about our responsibilities to legacy: How do we honor the brilliance of those we’ve lost while carving out a future for ourselves and the next generation?
Author Support:​
Virtual author visits available for book clubs.
In-person visits for clubs within her home states of Missouri and Arizona.
Available via Interlibrary Loan for your library’s book club!
Program-ready Summer Reading Fun & Resources for Libraries
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Book Club Resources: A comprehensive discussion guide featuring questions tailored for community read-alongs and literary analysis.
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Van Gogh Coloring Pages: Engaging, interactive materials that allow patrons to connect with the art mentioned in the novel, perfect for multi-generational library programming.
Saving Vincent is featured in the IBPA Library Market Selection
JOAN FERNANDEZ is an award-winning author and speaker. Following a 30-year career where she served as a senior marketing executive and General Partner at Edward Jones, she now utilizes her strategic background to uplift the overlooked voices of women in history. Her debut novel, Saving Vincent, brings to life the story of Jo van Gogh. Joan calls both St. Louis and Sedona home.
Contact: