The Paris Seamstress
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4.4 • 42 Ratings
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- $12.99
Publisher Description
For readers of Lilac Girls and The Nightingale comes an internationally bestselling World War II novel that spans generations, crosses oceans, and proves just how much two young women are willing to sacrifice for love and family.
1940: As the Germans advance upon Paris, young seamstress Estella Bissette is forced to flee everything she's ever known. She's bound for New York City with her signature gold dress, a few francs, and a dream: to make her mark on the world of fashion.
Present day: Fabienne Bissette journeys to the Met's annual gala for an exhibit featuring the work of her ailing grandmother - a legend of women's fashion design. But as Fabienne begins to learn more about her beloved grandmother's past, she uncovers a story of tragedy, heartbreak and family secrets that will dramatically change her own life.
"I loved The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah and I have a feeling that I'm going to love this dual timeline World War II novel based in war-torn France and present day." --Debbie Macomber
"This rich, memorable novel unfolds beautifully from start to finish." --Publishers Weekly
"Fascinating and impeccably researched." -- Gill Paul, author of The Secret Wife
"A fantastically engrossing story. I love it." -- Kelly Rimmer, USA Today bestselling author
"Gorgeously rich and romantic." -- Kate Forsyth, author of Bitter Greens
"Intrigue, heartbreak... I cannot tell you how much I loved this book." -- Rachel Burton, author of The Things We Need to Say
"If you're looking for a swoon-worthy romance, then The Paris Seamstress is for you. Natasha Lester's novel features not one but two love stories, spanning continents and centuries...Fans of historical romance will eat this one up." -- Refinery29
"Combine family secrets, World War II, tragedy and heartbreak and you have the compelling ingredients of this month's book buyer's pick." -- Costco Connection
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Australian author Natasha Lester sketches scenes of Manhattan in the '40s with a fashion designer's casually expert hand. Her sweet historical romance easily moves back and forth between the wartime story of aspiring dressmaker Estella and the present-day life of her granddaughter, Fabienne. The Paris Seamstress teases out its big reveal with a playful sense of melodrama that's a perfect match for Estella's burning ambition and Fabienne's yearning to understand her past.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Lester whisks readers away to the past in this marvelous pair of intertwined romances. Fearing repercussions from the Germans for aiding the French resistance, seamstress Estella Bissette leaves Paris for New York in 1940. Once shipboard, she meets Sam, a talented American pattern cutter; after starting work in New York, Estella befriends Janie, a beautiful Australian model. Sam and Janie join Estella at a high-society party, where Estella shares a kiss with Alex Montrose, a British spy she'd met in Paris. But Estella discovers that Alex kissed her believing that she was Lena Shaw, a woman who looks exactly like Estella. Fast-forward to 2015 New York City, where Fabienne Bissette attends the annual Met Gala for an exhibit honoring her grandmother Estella, now a famed designer. At her grandmother's urging, Fabienne spends a weekend in Paris and meets Tiffany designer Will Ogilvie. Will and Fabienne fall in love, but their relationship is hampered by the distance between her home in Australia and his in New York. Their complicated romance is expertly juxtaposed against the story of Estella's life as she struggles to become successful and copes with the secrets her mother hid from her, including why she and Lena look so much alike. This rich, memorable novel unfolds beautifully from start to finish.
