This book had an interesting premise and I was excited to read it. Sadly, the story did not live up to the expectations, and that might not be on me. I found myself struggling to connect and get into the book.

This was a really historically accurate of the Chanel sisters. It was certainly bittersweet with their journey to figure out how to fit in with society and reach their dreams. It was certainly a slow story though and sometimes dragged in the middle. I did like the fashion elements of the story as well!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 : I liked it !⁣
⁣
✔️ a great story of sisterly love ⁣
✔️the story is told from the POV of Antoinette Chanel - Coco Chanel’s sister . At first I was a little disappointed that we didn’t get Coco’s perspective but I think it was the right decision to add more depth to the story ⁣
✔️ a single narrator and chronological story telling - yay ! I’ve missed these⁣
✔️ really enjoyed reading about the beginnings of the Chanel label

I was really interested in the premise of this book but unfortunately it just wasn't good. I had a very hard time getting hooked as well as getting through the book. It wasn't an enjoyable read, it felt more like a chore.

The Chanel Sisters is a fascinating and well written historical fiction story about the French designer Coco and her younger sister Antoinette as told from Antoinette’s perspective. I really like how the author chose to write from Antoinette’s perspective because we got to see Coco from a different view. It focuses on their challenges from their childhood and how it forced them to become resistant and work harder to succeed. This story will captivate you until the very end.

Thank you to NetGallery and to Harlequin Trade Publishing for giving me a copy for my honest review

I read will anything set in paris especially during a world war, but add in the high fashion story of the chanel sisters, and I was so excited to get my hands on this one.

I loved the fashion, obviously, and the turmoil between the sisters. All of the historical details really pulled the narrative along for me.

The ethical dilemmas were really unexpected and gave the end of the book a lot of tension.

Beautiful cover which should have reeled in a lot of historical fiction fans without much effort.

I had a lot of fun reading The Chanel Sisters and would recommend to anyone who enjoys historical fiction.

Everyone knows the name Coco Chanel, but few know that of her sister Antoinette, perhaps in part because Coco tried to hide her past from public view, fabricating a life that did not exist so that it might be more palatable in the elite circles that she traveled throughout her illustrious career as a prominent haute couture fashion designer. While little is known about Coco's (née Gabrielle) siblings, it is rumored that Antoinette in particular played a large role in encouraging Coco in the early days of her career and assisted her in building her fashion empire.

Judithe Little's novel The Chanel Sisters reimagines the life of Antoinette Chanel, painting in the grey areas that Coco left obscured from view, and bringing to life Coco Chanel's lionhearted youngest sister. While The Chanel Sisters is told from Antoinette's point of view, it chronicles both the girls' lives from their early days in a convent orphanage in Aubazine, to Coco's short-lived career on the stage, and later to the humble beginnings of the Chanel fashion house in Paris. We get a glimpse of the formidable Coco through the eyes of her little sister, while also discovering the likeable, genuine Antoinette for the first time. The result is a historical fiction masterpiece which is an utter delight to read.

I personally was aware of Coco Chanel in name only before reading The Chanel Sisters, so I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know not only the infamous Coco, but also her sister Antoinette in this richly detailed, engaging read. Judithe Little's writing style flows smoothly as she tells the story of the Chanel sisters, and her tale is evenly paced, not going too fast, nor going too slow, giving readers time to get to know the personalities of both Coco and Antoinette and discover how they played a significant role in each other's lives.

I quite enjoyed the sisterly relationship presented in The Chanel Sisters, and appreciated the importance of family that Little suggests played a part in Coco evolving into the powerhouse she later became. The Chanel Sisters is first and foremost the story of a family, with the noise of Chanel fashion, romantic relationships and flings, and WWI all dancing in the periphery. The Chanel Sisters is a vivid portrait of early 20th century France and is an enveloping, satisfying read for lovers of biographical fiction.

Really enjoyed this historical fiction based on the Chanel sisters. I think having the focus be on Antoinette rather than Coco was a nice twist. They certainly had a very tough beginning. It was evident that the author did much research and provided the reader many insights into the sisters early lives. Much of the book focused on the time before WWII again, a very nice surprise, since most of the time it's Coco during the war. #NetGalley #TheChanelSisters

Initial Thoughts
I don’t read historical fiction as often as other genres but I do really enjoy it. I was excited to read this book mostly because I love anything set in France but also because I’ve been on a major Project Runway kick so I was excited to read a book about a fashion icon.

Some Things I Liked
A biography with a strong narrative. This story gave a ton of background into the lives of Coco Chanel and her sisters but I loved that it was told as a story. Antionette was a great narrator and seeing Coco through the eyes of her sister was fascinating.
A narrator who told it like it is. Antoinette saw Coco in a way that nobody else did and she didn’t let that cloud her portrayal.
Vivid descriptions. The early 1900s was a time of great tragedy and great change across the world and I loved the way Judithe Little described it all.

One Thing I Wasn’t Crazy About
I struggled a bit with the names in the audiobook. The French names blurred together a bit in my head and were hard to keep track of.

Final Thoughts
I really liked this book. I learned a lot about Coco Chanel and the history of the time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I honestly don't know if it's just me or the books I've read lately, but this was once again just an OK read for me. I thought it was going to be a lot more about Coco Chanel and how she started her business, and though there was some about that, the focus was on her sister Antoinette and their childhoods. It wasn't that long of a book, but certain sections felt very long. It was just middle of the road for me.

Abandoned by their family years before, Gabrielle and Antoinette Chanel grow up under the guidance of pious nuns preparing them for simple lives as the wives of tradesmen or shopkeepers. At night, their secret stash of romantic novels and magazine cutouts beneath the floorboards are all they have to keep their dreams of the future alive. The walls of the convent can’t shield them forever, and when they’re finally of age, the Chanel sisters set out together with a fierce determination to prove themselves worthy to a society that has never accepted them.

It was refreshing to read about the humble beginning of famous fashion designer, Gabríel (Coco) Chanel, through the eyes of her obscure sister, Antoinette. Much of the story of Antoinette was imagined, as there are fewer historical details about her life. That’s disappointing, because Ninette, as Coco called her, was largely responsible for the success of the Chanel brand, and I found her character to be the most interesting. I wanted to know more about her and less about Coco, who wiggled herself to the upper echelons of European society, in large part because of her relationships with men with money and influence.

I enjoyed the overall pacing of the novel, which had significantly different content than another recently published novel, Mademoiselle Chanel, which I read back in 2015. In both books, Coco is a larger-than-life presence and a highly successful businesswoman. In The Chanel Sisters, Coco was presented practically as a magical being who worked and played hard, and turned everything she touched into gold. And even though she had many affairs, it was as if she did no wrong. Historians agree Coco collaborated with the Nazis. A fact that is conspicuously absent in The Chanel Sisters.

I adored the ending. Very poetic and touching. No spoiler here; you’ll need to read it for yourself. 4 stars.

This was certainly an engaging work or historical fiction, with a strong sense of place and time. It was interesting to imagine the attitude women of the time might have had about fashion, and I would happily recommend it to my senior ladies!

I felt this book to be too detailed in places causing it to drag on and on and feel much longer than 400 pages. While the premise was interesting, I found the details did not add to the story in a way that made it exciting.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. A great historical fiction read that I couldn't put down and finished in one day.

An absolutely beautiful story of Coco Chanel and her sister. I knew nothing about Coco's history before reading this book, and now I need to read more about these amazing sisters. The history woven into the creative license was so enjoyable. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of fashion, rags-to-riches stories, and anyone who's ever felt like they were unaccepted by society for simply being born into their family.


I received an advance copy; all thoughts are my own.

I liked it but I thought the story moved too fast in the beginning, I would have liked more story. I found myself getting lost

I knew so little about Coco Chanel (ok, I didn't even know it was a real person). However, this was a great introduction to her, and more specifically, Coco's background. Although I know that quite a bit of the story was imagined, especially since it was from her sister's point of view, I felt like I still could appreciate what she had to go through in order to become the iconic fashion name that still exists today. It even made me want to dress up a little fancier.

Initially, I enjoyed this story as told from the perspective of Coco Chanel's sister and business partner, Antoinette Chanel. It was enjoyable and captured some historical elements of the late 1800's/early 1900s' in its setting. And then, as I often do with historical fiction, I started to dig into the actual facts. I don't do this to verify them but more because the stories often cause me to want to know more. However, this is one of those times when I wish I had not.

I like for historical fiction to either be about fictional characters which may include real-life ones in the background of the plot, or maybe a fictionalized account of a real person that sticks very much to actual facts regarding their life. Neither of those was the case here. While the fictionalized account of the Chanel sisters' life was captured with many actual details and characters, there were just too many relationships with people who never even existed. I don't want to include spoilers but suffice it to say, there was at least one major character in this story who never even existed. This was an entertaining read but it left me sad that I still don't know more accurate information on these remarkable women after reading this.

Thank you to #NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy! #TheChanelSisters

What an amazing glimpse into the story of the determination of the Chanel Sisters. From poverty to an amazing future, they did not give up. The little known story of Coco Chanel's younger sister, Antoinette is masterfully told. This is truly the tale of grit, ingenuity and determination.

A look into the life of a legend. Coco Chanel and her sisters went from being orphans to becoming one of the most famous names in the industry. A fascinating and intriguing read. I This was more than I thought it would be as it had more from her beginning than I expected. Very enuff any lover of historical reads.