I'm sorry, but I could not give this book a positive review. I chose not to write one for the website so as not to give it any negative press.

Another delightful story from an author whose work I enjoy. Natasha Lester tells a good story and in this case, gives a potted history of the cosmetics industry. Found the people believable and I found I related to most of them.

Leonora (Leo) leaves England for New York at the end of WWI with a dream of making cosmetics. While on the trip over she meets some young, rich NY socialites who change her life, in some ways for good and in other ways not at all.

Natasha Lester is a great Australian author. I have read all of her novels and perhaps that is why this one so so particularly disappointing. Her earlier work has actually been her best, and for reasons that I can only assume are commercially driven she has stopped writing novels that tear at your emotions and make you think and instead has written.... this.
Soap opera gone wild.
There were just so many cliches and it was very predictable, and at times bordered on ridiculous.

Having said that, I can see the appeal, and I do understand the high reviews, because this is a novel that is very "sell-able" and can appeal to the masses. If this is indicative of where Lester is taking her writing then I guess I am no longer the target market.

Thank you to NetGalley an the publisher for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Book blurb...

A sweeping story of love and ambition from England to the Manhattan of the 1920s and 1940s by the author of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald.

1918, England. Armistice Day should bring peace into Leonora's life. Rather than secretly making cosmetics in her father's chemist shop to sell to army nurses such as Joan, her adventurous Australian friend, Leo hopes to now display her wares openly. Instead, Spanish flu arrives in the village, claiming her father's life. Determined to start over, she boards a ship to New York City. On the way she meets debonair department store heir Everett Forsyth . . . In Manhattan, Leo works hard to make her cosmetics dream come true, but she's a woman alone with a small salary and a society that deems make-up scandalous.

1939, New York City. Everett's daughter, Alice, a promising ballerina, receives a mysterious letter inviting her to star in a series of advertisements for a cosmetics line. If she accepts she will be immortalized like dancers such as Zelda Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker and Ginger Rogers. Why, then, are her parents so quick to forbid it?

Her Mother’s Secret is the story of a brave young woman chasing a dream in the face of society's disapproval.

Natasha Lester worked as a marketing executive for cosmetic company L'Oréal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing. She completed a Master of Creative Arts as well as her first novel, What Is Left Over, After, which won the T.A.G. Hungerford Award for Fiction. Her second novel, If I Should Lose YOu, was published in 2012, followed by A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald in 2016.

The Age described Natasha as "a remarkable Australian talent" and her work been published in numerous anthologies and journals. In her spare time Natasha loves to teach writing, is a sought after public speaker and can often be found playing dress-ups with her three children. She lives in Perth.

My thoughts…

I need only be brief…

Brilliant! Everything about this book is fabulous. From the concept, to the cover, to the crafting of this pre-war period tale. It is all so beautifully imagined, with the author’s passion shining through on every page. Bravo, Natasha Lester!

This was another terrific historical romance novel by the talented Natasha Lester.

I quite liked 'A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald', but it's fair to say, I loved 'Her Mother's Secret', which has all the expected ingredients for this genre - interesting protagonists, strong adversaries, passionate love, secrets and coincidences - but it's the way that Natasha Lester packaged and mixed all these ingredients that make this novel an enthralling read.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

My Thoughts

Last year I read ‘A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald’ by Natasha and just loved it. Therefore I had been greatly anticipating the release of ‘Her Mother’s Secret’ for many months - could it possibly live up to the same standards? Well, I am here to tell you that indeed it does! Natasha’s novel, without doubt, firmly places her at the forefront of Australian historical literature. I adored this book, whipping through it in record time.

Right from the beginning this tale will capture you, placing you under a spell until completion. It’s difficult to review as you simply don’t want to give anything away. Yet truly this tale has a little something for everyone: a sweeping saga from post World War I to World War II, where you will find friendship, love, intrigue, mystery and plenty of drama.

‘Denial was the only option. Because to move past denial meant asking a question that was at once so irresistible and so catastrophic that Leo couldn’t begin to contemplate it.’

What becomes apparent right from the outset is the depth of research undertaken by Natasha, especially concerning the cosmetics industry. Also included is the specified gender roles of the time, the impact of war on industry, glorious fashion and most importantly, the role of women in this new world order - strong, ambitious and determined women trying to make a place for themselves outside of the traditional home.

‘To battle the barbarism of dancing, flirting and lipstick. I see men hit their wives or their children almost every day down by the tenements and nobody blinks an eye. But a woman dares to rouge her cheeks and they cry out for guns to defeat her.’

Just as in ‘A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald’, Natasha demonstrates a real talent in presenting characters that you feel you know. You become a part of the story and take each step along their journey. There will be ones you admire like Leo and ones you love to hate like Faye. Character development is so rich, that the array of supporting characters, (crucial to the development of this story) like Ben and Faye, will develop to the point where you will come to not only understand, but accept and in the end, sympathise with.

I believe this book cements Natasha at the forefront of historical fiction with meticulous research, endearing characters involved in a mystery set against the backdrop of between world wars. I cannot recommend it highly enough and can’t wait to see what Natasha comes up with next.

‘...unable to stop the tears from falling, feeling at last defended, like a single musical note that had finally found the symphony to which it belonged.’



This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Her Mother’s Secret by Aussie author Natasha Lester is brilliant! The strength of character of Leo is phenomenal – the way women were treated in the early part of the century; the heartache and loneliness as she was ostracised by the elite of society – and she still held her head high! The author has historical fiction down to a fine art; her meticulous research is obvious. I thoroughly enjoyed Her Mother’s Secret, reading it in a matter of hours. Highly recommended.
I am quite surprised that I have not read Natasha Lester’s previous novels and will definitely be seeking them out. Her fourth novel, Her Mother’s Secret, was marvellous, with the strong character of Leonora (Leo) East working for her father is his chemist store. Her pursuit of making cosmetics, finds her selling her products to army nurses. However, set in 1918, the Spanish Flu is clearly set to destroy her ambitions, decimating the village of Sutton Veny. Leo travels to New York city where along the way she meets Everett Forsyth, the heir to a department store empire. Their one night together, changes Leos life and they find themselves parting ways on her arrival in New York.
Ms Lester has done a marvellous job, using the background of post WWI and the lead up to WWII, bringing to life the historical events that would shape Leo. The addition of known historical figures, further brings this story to life. This is a rich novel which provides not only a historical perspective of the cosmetics industry but shows the difficulties faced by women in business. A great read overall.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The elation of everyone around in Leonora East’s small village of Sutton Veny was high – the war was over; it was Armistice Day 1918 in England and the celebrations continued long into the afternoon. But joy soon turned to despair as Spanish Flu struck viciously – Leo spent her time dispensing medicine from her father’s chemist shop, praying that it would help. Late in the night, as she wearily entered the home where her father was waiting, she was devastated to find him struggling to breathe.

After his death, a grieving Leo decided she could no longer remain in the country. Her desire to create cosmetics that women the world over would want to wear had her sailing to New York City with her best friend Joan. Leo had made herself a deep rich red lipstick in her father’s chemist shop – but the shock from the self-righteous at the scandal she was causing by wearing it only caused Leo’s determination to strengthen. Meeting up with Everett Forsyth on the journey was fortuitous; he was one of the department store Forsyths from London and he was going to build another in Manhattan. His interest in Leo’s cosmetics gave her some confidence…

1939, twenty years later, Leo had been through much – a widow and continuing to work hard, she always looked to the future. Meantime, Everett’s nineteen year old daughter Alice was a devoted and extremely promising ballerina. But the letter Alice received one day at the dance studio was to change her life in a most unexpected way. Why though were her parents so angry? Confusion filled her mind – what could she do?

Her Mother’s Secret by Aussie author Natasha Lester is brilliant! The strength of character of Leo is phenomenal – the way women were treated in the early part of the century; the heartache and loneliness as she was ostracised by the elite of society – and she still held her head high! The author has historical fiction down to a fine art; her meticulous research is obvious. I thoroughly enjoyed Her Mother’s Secret, reading it in a matter of hours. Highly recommended.

With thanks to Hachette Australia via NetGalley for my copy to read and review.

Having read Natasha's novel 'A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald' that was released last year, which I thoroughly enjoyed (you can read my review on it here), I couldn't wait to read Her Mother's Secret. I finished it over the weekend, and I loved it.

The story begins in England, 1918.
Leonora East is a young woman who works in her father Harold's pharmacy and spends her spare time secretly making cosmetics and perfumes. She dreams of selling them to a much wider audience than she currently sells to - the army nurses based close by, including her Australian-born friend Joan.
She wants women to not only look beautiful, but feel it too.

When war is declared over, it should be a time of celebration.
But there is an influenza outbreak, and sadly Leo's father doesn't make it.
Leo knows that her father wanted her to expand her horizons and become a success, so with that in mind, she makes the decision to travel to New York where she plans to create and sell her cosmetics.
On the way there, a storm hampers her travels and she is put up at an establishment until the storm passes.
She meets Everett Forsyth, a businessman who owns the department store Forsyth's of London. He plans to open another store in New York and when he finds out about Leo's plan, he offers to sell her cosmetics in the store.
When she arrives in Manhattan, with dwindling finances, and the challenges of make-up being seen as scandalous, Leo realises that she may have bitten off more than she can chew, but is determined to become a success.

New York, 1939.

Everett Forsyth's daughter Alice is an up-and-coming ballerina who trains hard, and wants to be the best in her field.
One day, she receives an offer to star in a series of advertisements for a cosmetics company.
Alice sees it as the perfect opportunity to gain recognition and give her confidence the boost it needs.
But when she informs her parents, they are quick to forbid Alice from being involved. But why?

I find stories like this one difficult to review, the reason being that there is so much more to this story that I want to say but can't disclose as I don't want to spoil it for others.
What I can say is that Natasha has hit the mark again with this book.
Her extensive research is evident throughout the story and I learnt many things about the cosmetics industry that were unfamiliar to me.
Natasha has a real talent at making the reader feel as though they are living right alongside the characters in the story. I felt it when reading A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald, and I felt it again in this book.
Her descriptions of the fashions from that era, and the surrounds and sights are all told so well.
I also enjoy reading about strong, determined, ambitious women, which Leo certainly is.
With elements of mystery and romance weaved through the story, this book kept me captivated right to the end!

This is a sweeping love story set in the early 1900's in New York. Leo and Everett are in love but external forces keep them apart. Leo forges on with a career in manufacturing and selling cosmetics, still frowned upon at the time. Leo has her adversaries and other challenges to bear but when Leo and Everett snatch time together, their passion leaps off the page. The reader falls in love with the strong and feisty Leo and simply adores Everett. I devoured this book, adored it and am sad that my journey with Leo and Everett is over. I highly recommend it.