Vanessa is finding her way in post WWII London and she feels lucky to have gotten a position as the wardrobe mistress for a theater, even though she has no experience as one. Turns out, though, that her family's secrets are about to come back to threaten her. She's an interesting character who you will root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read for fans of historical fiction.

Loved all the talk about making costumes. Loved the development of the characters i was there will them i Knew she was going to inherit everything but was surprised by how she proved it! Just a wonderful story i loved it a great tead

Such an emotional and mysterious piece of historical fiction. One of my favorite genres- this did not disappoint. Fantastic characters and a gripping storyline- a great read!

Although the title, story line, and subject drew my heart in, I found this book difficult to hold my attention. I read about 20% of the book, then just couldn't seem to pick it up again. I was reading the kindle version Perhaps If I go to the library and find a hard cover or paperback version it will gain my attention. The story seems to have lots of disconnected thoughts that just are hard to piece together. Perhaps I was thinking of something else I have read that had some similar lines, and that was why I was disappointed. I will probably try it again in the future.

The Wardrobe Mistress is a story about a girl who is trying to find her identity and her future in London after the II WW. But it’s not as easy as it seems, since her dream to become a wardrobe mistress takes her to a theatre where her father was once working.

Her father has left her and her mother when she was a young girl and at the war time he contacted her again, asking for a meeting, which never happened, since Vanessa had little time away from her service in army and she had hard time to find the tavern her father was waiting her in. Shortly after that, she receives a word that her father has died. When she goes to the funeral, she meets young sergeant and happens on his godfather’s funeral at first but then finds his father’s grave as well.

After the war is over she discovers that Alistair, the young sergeant is the new owner of the Ferren theatre where she wants to get a position as wardrobe mistress. There aren’t many actors and actresses left and also other help is scanty, so when she finally gets the position she has to do everything – build, read the lines, marshal the costume designer and find the seamstresses and besides dealing with Alistair’s estranged wife, her once best friend.

But war has its way to put things in prospective so Vanessa finds her strength to do things she had no idea she can do and Alistair understands that there is no point to hold on to the past.

The story is filled with family secrets and when they start to reveal themselves many things change, and people change. And if from time to time I had a feeling that the author has maybe forgotten the initial idea of the book, then at the end it all falls into place and you realize that everything is exactly as it should be.

It was interesting historical family drama, with a dash of romance.

A wonderful book based in Wartime Europe with great imagery and a well crafted mystery.
Vanessa is a wartime widow working in the theater as a wardrobe mistress with no experience or materials. She has enemies she does not understand and is determined to find out more about her family from other theater crew. as her enemies work against her. Her quest takes her on mysterious happenings as she proves herself on her job and fights off romantic advances. She is independent, determined and crafty as she moves into the world of theater she knows nothing about.
The writing is superior and draws the reader into the story. The images, the location and the drama of the theater in Europe is outstanding. A very enjoyable read that transports the reader.
Thank you for the ARC which did not influence my review.

This author is a first time read for me. It was suggested by my best friend that I read this book. Now I need to read all her books!!

Having read the author's previous books and enjoyed them this one was a real disappointment. I found myself skipping through pages just to get it moving. I didn't engage with the characters or even find them likeable

Natalie Meg Evans is one of my favorite writers. The Wardrobe Mistress was another outstanding novel by an outstanding author! Loved it and already impatient for her next book

Thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture and the publisher for allowing me to read The Wardrobe Mistress. I'm a huge fan of Meg Evans and this book did not disappoint, Lots of romance and intrigue. The inclusion of life during WWII is an added bonus and very enjoyable. I love historical fiction and would definitely recommend this book.

I could not get into this book because of the writing. This might be stylistic choices, but I did not like it.

I love historical fiction and this book really caught my attention as soon as I heard about it. Vanessa was a really compelling character, and I enjoyed following her fraught, but moving story. I would definitely recommend this book as well as read others by the author!

Thanks to Netgalley, I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction, taking place in London after World War II. Vanessa is a war widow with a troubled past, looking to change her life and become involved in the theater. After chance meetings with Commander Redenhall, their relationship evolves as does the mystery of Vanessa's past. A good summer read, not too heavy but with enough substance.

Thanks Bookouture and netgalley for this ARC.

London after the bombing, destruction, and chaos from the eyeview of a young woman who will see grow into herself. A journey that will pull your heartstrings and leave a lasting impression.

This is an interesting story set in World War II England. Betrayal, secrets long hidden, love, hate, war and peace are all central themes centered around, Vanessa, the Wardrobe Mistress at a resurrected theater on post war London.

If you like historical fiction, you should like this too.

I have to start by wishing the author a very happy publication day! The Wardrobe Mistress was an absolutely gorgeous read with vivid imagery, beautiful, polished writing and a lovely story that stole a little piece of my heart.

It’s set in England just after the end of World War Two and Vanessa is a young woman who has had a painful and troubling life. The only clear memory she has of her father is going to the theater with him where she met the wardrobe mistress after an enchanting evening. Years later, she is determined to try and unlock the secrets of both her fathers past and her own so she decides to try and get a job as a wardrobe mistress herself.

There was an air of mystery surrounding Vanessa and her past and Evans slowly and painstakingly reveals the secrets throughout the book, keeping me engaged and waiting on pins and needles the whole time. I really liked her as a character and wanted her to find answers and her own happiness. Her romance with Alistair was fraught with drama and complications, which always draws me in deeper.

I loved the setting of the theater and enjoyed the eccentric cast of characters that worked there. Evans writes beautifully and I could easily picture the theater, she truly brought everything to life. This was an emotional read filled with intrigue and tension and I really liked how it all came together in the end.

I really enjoyed Natalie Meg Evans’s other books and was very excited when I saw The Wardrobe Mistress! There is nothing like losing yourself in a well-written, gripping historical novel.

Check it out:

London 1945, and as victory unfurls throughout Europe, a young war widow steps aboard a train in search of a new life. Clutching the key to an unknown inheritance, Vanessa Kingcourt can no longer ignore the pull of the threads that draw her to the old Farren Theatre; an enchanted place, seeped in memories of her actor father and of Eva, the seamstress who took a lock of her hair with a promise she would return.

Now owned by troubled ex-sea captain, Alistair, The Farren is in need of a Wardrobe Mistress and a new lease of life. With no experience and no budget for supplies, Vanessa must use her intuition to create beautiful, elaborate costumes from whatever scraps of silk and thread survived the blitz. It’s a seemingly impossible task, but a welcome distraction as she struggles to resist Alistair’s advances.

The war may be over, but for Vanessa the heart-ache has only just begun – what she discovers will unravel family secrets sewn deep into the very fabric of the London theatre scene. Will she repeat the same terrible mistakes her father made? Will she ever dare to love again?

I read The Dress Thief by Ms. Evans and loved it so I was really looking forward to reading The Wardrobe Mistress. I had high expectations for this book and I must say I was left disappointed. The writing is totally different from The Dress Thief, it's much less polished, and the story doesn't have a good flow. The dialogue between characters often felt awkward and stilted. I liked the setting of the book, London Theater just after WW2, when the city started to wake and renew following the devastation, but this was the only thing I liked about The Wardrobe Mistress. The characters are not very endearing. I found myself questioning their motivations, especially Alistair's. He is the owner of the Farren Theater that our MC, Vanessa, works at. He is estranged from his wife, Fern, who wants to divorce him. One the one hand he is falling for Vanessa but on the other hand he doesn't want to give Fern a divorce. Does he want to have his cake and eat it too? His actions annoyed me quite a bit, it appeared to me that Vanessa was more in love with Alistair, and wanted him more than he wanted her. This is not the type of romance I enjoy. Also there are way too many unnecessary secondary characters that don't add anything valuable to the story, but make it more confusing to remember who is who.
I wanted to like this book because I loved Ms. Evans' other work but all the flaws made it impossible. I may have enjoyed The Wardrobe Mistress more if my expectations weren't so high

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. I have enjoyed all of Natalie Meg Evans' previous books, and The Wardrobe Mistress was no exception. Set in the London theater world during and after WWII, it tells the story of Vanessa Kingcourt, who went to the Farren theater with her father, an actor, when she was little and was immediately fascinated by the costumes and wardrobe mistress. The next day, he leaves her and her mother behind in the country for good.

When WWII starts, Vanessa joins the WAAF. By chance she meets Alistair Redenhall, an officer, but she thinks she'll never see him again. After the war, she finds out that he has inherited the Farren theater. She wants to learn more about her father, so she applies, and is hired, to be the new wardrobe mistress.

I loved the the way the story weaves Vanessa, her friends and family, and her new theater "family". There's a lot of romance and drama, with the mysterious Farren theater always in the background. The details of life during WWII and its aftermath were very interesting and well researched. I thought the characters were compelling and well developed, and the writing was strong. It's the kind of book you know you need to put down but can't.

I highly recommend The Wardrobe Mistress, especially to fans of historical novels.

This one took a bit to get through, mostly because I had a couple of other books going at the same time and had to keep backing up to refresh the memory. I regularly have three or four books going at once, with no issues, so that's a testament to how deep and complicated the plot is throughout the story. It's full of mystery and intrigue, and the characters will surprise you time after time. Even if you're a serial reader, I recommend reading this one without any others in the background. You will follow it better, and be able to keep up with the twists easier.