Set against the backdrop of the fine art world and guided by three generations of strong women, The Art Lover unfolds the stories of three couples as they each ultimately discover love. Central to the narrative is the complex relationship between artistically talented Kate Germaine and her mother, Joanne, marked by childhood attachment, adolescent separation, and eventual adult reconciliation. The story also explores the deepening passion between museum director Phillip Gambrell and art teacher Janovar Savocek, as well as the challenging yet triumphant courtship of the art collector Countess Elena D'Allessandro Ricci by her trusted agent, Eduard LaValle. From the home of a portrait painter and his wife to the halls of a prestigious museum, from the classroom of a fiercely brilliant art teacher to the secluded retreat of the legendary modern artist Riablo, the love for art and the art of love intertwines beautifully in this epic journey of discovery.