The Chanel Sisters was such a lovely read. I truly knew nothing of Coco Chanel or her sister before reading this book aside from the brand Chanel as seen today. I felt connected to the story of these two incredible women and was hooked on their story. I was very surprised to learn of how Chanel was started and have a much deeper appreciation for what it means and who Coco was in relation to women's fashion. I truly appreciate the author telling the untold story of the other Chanel sister who may not be well known, but still played a pivotal role in the creation of Chanel as we know it.

I love historical fiction even though I spend so much time Googling people or events mentioned in the books because I'm intrigued by the history I'm reading about.
I didn't expect to care about Coco Chanel or her sister's lives, but I did!
This is a well-written book with an interesting story that gives us a glimpse into what fueled Coco Chanel's the fierce determination to succeed and feel loved.
Yes, this is her sister Antoinette's story, but it's also the Chanel family's story. Their mother dies young, their father walks away from his children, and the story takes us from the girl's time in a convent where they are raised by strict nuns.
I loved traveling through Europe and history in the early 1900s right through WWI, and this story is much more than one of fashion, excess, and desire. It's a story of girls who felt unloved, given little in life, young girls who have seen how the poor are treated differently than the rich, and work hard to move from one class to the other in a search for love more-so than success.
I highly recommend this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book.

I really enjoyed this book and learned so much about the fashion mogul and how Chanel got started.
The Chanel sisters were sent to live with the nuns when their mother died of consumption. Their father was never around and his shady salesman ways and bad habits were less than desirable. Living with the nuns was lonely and so restricted that the girls could hardly wait to be old enough to escape the convent. They were not permitted to leave the grounds at anytime and the only exception was when they would go stay with family. The girls always looked forward to these visits where they could have a little fun and feel like a family. They could go into town and see the more sophisticated and regal people free to dress as they please to express themselves. The girls knew how to sew as the nuns were very strict when teaching them, so they decided to take their plain loose uniforms and make them more form fitting. The girls were all different in ages so the older sisters moved on while the youngest Chanel sister was left on her own. Eventually two of the sisters come together to open a hat shop catered to the wealthy women in Paris. Finally the girls are making money and turning their lives around. When World War 1 breaks out and the girls find out they are in debt everything seems to be falling apart. How can the girls lose everything they have worked so hard for? Being resourceful and having a talent for design the girls move away from hats and begin a clothing line that quickly becomes famous amongst women despite the war.
Beautiful story about the sisters, the meaning of family, and love

I absolutely LOVED this book! I really appreciated it was from the perspective of Chanel's sister, a lesser known image of history. The audio is beyond fantastic, and I was hooked to the entire book. I can't wait to recommend this to others. Thank you for allowing me to read and review this!

Told in the last first person by the youngest Chanel sister, this historical fiction novel starts approximately when the three Chanel sisters - Julia-Berthe, Gabrielle, Antoinette - enter the orphanage in Aubazine, France after their mother dies. Due to a scandal, the eldest, Julia-Berthe is sent to live with their grandparents in Moulins. At the Pensionnat there, Antoinette and Gabrielle pair up with their aunt Adrienne, who is only a year older than Gabrielle. Approximately 22-percent into the book, when Antoinette is in her early teen years, we learn who among the trio will become Coco Chanel, and where that nickname originated. From that point onward, we continue to follow Coco’s rise from want to be lounge singer to French fashion icon through the eyes of her adoring younger sister.

The pacing of this book felt off. Approximately the first third of the book dealt with the years of living with the nuns as orphans. That made the book feel very slow to start. But then the next third dealt with all the poor years where Antoinette worked in Vichy learning sales and haberdashery, and then in Paris being the workhorse behind her sister’s design genius. Finally, the last third goes at a breakneck pace from Antoinette finding love in Paris, through the sisters’ survival in World War I, to Antoinette breaking from her sister for love. Since the true historical Antoinette Chanel died in the New World in the 1920s, the novel ended before specter of World War II arose.

Honestly, I would recommend Mademoiselle Chanel by CW Gortner over this particular book for anyone who is interested in the rise, fall, and resurrection of Coco Chanel. That book covers a more representative swath of Coco’s life and delves more into her affairs, insecurities, and other human flaws. The Chanel Sisters, saw Coco from Antoinette’s point of view, which was jaded to the point of Coco doing no wrong.

I received a digital advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I first encountered Judithe Little when her then publicist, Caitlin Hamilton Summie, pitched Judith’s first novel to me for a New Books in Historical Fiction interview. That podcast appeared in 2017 as part of a one-time experiment in talking with two authors, back to back, about books that happened to cover related topics. (I didn’t repeat the experiment because it turned out that the computers weren’t good at featuring two authors and two novels in one post.) You can still hear our conversation for free on the New Books Network.

Her second novel, The Chanel Sisters, reached me in a similar way, but it covers a very different subject: the life of the famous fashion designer Coco Chanel. Interview with the author at the link below.

The Chanel Sisters is the remarkable and sometimes heartbreaking story of Coco Chanel and her sister, Antoinette., how they grew up in an orphanage and overcame their childhood. Of course Coco Chanel is famous but you have to give her respect for being such a self made woman. I had never heard of her sister so I was glad to see what they were like and how they struggled to leave behind the poverty and heartbreak they had as children. This was a very good book

Just mention the name, CHANEL and high fashion, pearls, little Cs and couture come to mind. I love reading anything about Coco and my bookshelves hold at least a dozen books on her genius. I love her fragrance No. 5, but Allure is my all time favorite. It's a bit lighter. I never knew Coco had a sister, but it seems so, and in the new novel THE CHANEL SISTERS (GraydonHouse/Harlequin) we meet both and learn quite a bit about what made them so fabulously different.

Q&A with Judithe Little

Q: I didn't know Coco had a sister. How did you come up with the idea for your novel?

A: When I read in a biography of Coco that she had a sister, I knew right away I wanted to write about her. A lot of books have been written about Coco, but none have been written from the point of view of Antoinette. I thought that the sister of Coco Chanel might have an interesting story to tell, and it turns out that she did.

Q: Explain the staying power and interest in (anything) Chanel?

A: I think that Chanel is the symbol for reinvention and the idea that you can be whoever you want to be and that has a universal appeal.

Q: Do you plan your books in advance or let them develop as you write?

A: They are planned in the sense that they’re based on historical events so there’s already a timeline in place and I know generally what happens. The characters themselves develop as I write.

Q: Have you ever had a character take over a story, and if so, who was it and why?

A: I’ve had minor characters take over small parts of a story such as the baron at Royallieu (I attribute the kite dance idea to him). Arturo also seemed to take over the scenes he was in and tell me what he was going to do instead of vice-versa.

Q: Which one of The Chanel Sisters’s characters was the hardest to write and why?

A: Julia-Berthe was the hardest to write because of the three sisters, she’s the one about whom the least is known.

Q: What does a day in the life of Judithe Little look like?

A: Busy! I’m a lawyer so during the day I take care of my law firm work and in the evenings I typically write or do other book-related activities. Mixed in is typical stuff like grocery shopping, errands, and driving my youngest who is a high school sophomore here and there.

Q: What do you use to inspire you when you get Writer’s Block?

A: This may sound strange but I rearrange furniture or shelves or redecorate in some way. Maybe it’s the new perspective but changing my surroundings seems to get the juices flowing again.

Q: Do you have stories on the back burner that are just waiting to be written?

A: I usually have one or two waiting in the wings.

Q: What advice would you give budding authors about publishing?

A: I think it’s important to have critique partners or a critique group. Mine has been invaluable to me. Persistence and thick skin help too.

Q: What was the last thing you read?

A: Bryn Turnball’s The Woman Before Wallis which I loved.

Q: Book you've bought just for the cover?

A: Susan Meissner’s Secrets of a Charmed Life because I loved the color of the green dress and the way the figure of the woman was interposed with the river and London. More recently, Jane Smiley’s Perestroika because it has a horse and the Eiffel Tower on the cover--two of my favorite things.

Q: Tell us about what you’re working on now.

A: I’m working on a new novel that takes place in Paris in the 1920s and 1930s and is told from the perspective once again of someone close to Coco Chanel but who was famous in her own right.

The Chanel Sisters by Judithe Little was a look into the lives of Antoinette and Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, from the not so glamorous upbringing in a convent to their glitzy roles as revolutionaries in the fashion industry. I highly enjoyed this read for its lush descriptions of France, from the beautiful countryside to the city and for the strength of the two women amongst poverty and war. This book is perfect for fans of The Paris Seamstress and the Nightingale.

The Chanel Sisters was a heartfelt story of how CoCo Chanel became CoCo and how Chanel was born. It was also a WWI story, a coming of age story, a family story, and a love story. So basically, the best kind of book with all the layers! It was interesting to learn how Chanel got to be what it is today (albeit in a novel form) I love books that take place in France as well, no matter the era. And now, I really want a fancy hat!

This book is great! Would definitely recommend. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: A perfect melding of love, heartbreak, a turbulent time period in history, and fashion.

THE CHANEL SISTERS brings together everything you could want in a historical fiction novel. Little has created a narrative that allows the reader to immerse themselves in the era by experiencing life through the eyes of the two Chanel sisters.

There have been several novels lately about the life of Coco Chanel, and I have read just about all of them. I love me my Coco! However, what makes this one different is the addition of her sister Antoinette having a leading role. The duo captivated me from their life in the convent school to their time apart living their own lives to how these women came together to put the Chanel name on the map.

With an eloquence to the writing, this story pulls at your heartstrings while still having a fiercely feminist tone to it. It was filled with passion, loss, tenacity, the pressures of societal constructs, and fashion. Oh, how I wish I could have been a fly on the wall as the Chanel sisters were creating trends that are still being referenced today.

Though the book had a slightly more somber tone to it, there are still moments of humor and joy. This balance as well as the characters within are what make it thoroughly worth reading.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
Historical fiction featuring the lesser known Chanel sister. Was often boring but did nicely describe the sisters lives. I was engaged by the end but didn't like the resolution.

The Review

A truly fascinating look into the life and challenges of Coco Chanel, the author brilliantly places the less well-known sister of Coco, Antoinette, into the shoes of the protagonist, giving readers a perspective of the iconic French fashion designer that few probably had. The blending of known facts from the icon’s life with fiction helps to fill in some of the mysterious gaps in Coco’s life. From an early life spent at a convent as a child, where she learned to sew and began her steps into the world of fashion, to the rise of her stardom and even the early beginnings of her infamous scent, the author shows the icon and her sisters as dreamers who sought “chic” to contrast the mundane, everyday life they were forced to lead as orphans at this convent.

As a fan of history, it was fascinating to see Coco’s life through Antoinette’s eyes. It has been said that the designer herself was known to embellish or change the story of her past as her fame grew, so to see the history through her own sister’s eyes was an inspired choice creatively. Antoinette herself managed to become the emotional core of this story, despite her sister’s rising fame, and how events like WWI impacted both the business side of things and their lives personally was definitely an emotional driving force in the book’s closing chapters.

The Verdict

A mesmerizing historical fiction like no other, author Judithe Little’s “The Chanel Sisters” is a must-read. Impactful imagery used early on in the book to showcase the harsh reality of the girl’s lives after losing their mother and being abandoned by their father made for an early emotional start, and the shocking and heartfelt finale to this tale will leave readers breathless. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy of this amazing read today!

This book, first off, is beautifully written. The story will definitely transport you back to early 1990s Paris and beyond. I thought it was an interesting choice by the author to tell the story from the viewpoint of Antoinette, instead of the more popular Gabrielle ("Coco") Chanel. This is a slower moving novel - not action packed - and I felt like it was easy to drift away in my mind to other thoughts. I did enjoy the commentary on class structure and how difficult it was to change your circumstances and move up in the world, especially for a woman. Antoinette at one point talks about how she felt like she lived in no-man's land - too posh seemingly for the lower classes and never truly accepted by the upper classes - this was poignant. I was also fascinated by the "mistress" culture and how Antoinette and Gabrielle, among others, struggled with attempting to get married vs following what seemed to be their true loves. It is definitely a story of making your own way in the world and staying true to yourself as much as you can, no matter what everyone else thinks. 3.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for my ARC of this book - all opinions are my own.

I am, of course, familiar with the panache of the Chanel name. However, I have not read much about Coco Chanel or the family. Although this is fiction, it is interesting to read about the transformation that takes place for - or rather, that is created by - these young women who dream of fineries in magazines to become the household name symbolic of that style.

Read my complete review at http://www.memoriesfrombooks.com/2021/01/the-chanel-sisters.html

Reviewed for NetGalley and the Fall 2020 historical fiction blog tour from Harlequin Trade Publishing.

I had to do some research on Coco Chanel back when I was still a high school student and I have to say, that I was pretty intrigued by this book when I got the blog tour invitation. So I immediately had to take part in this. And oh boy am I lucky that I got accepted for this tour because I enjoyed my reading time.

I found it interesting to read the side of Antoinette, the little sister of Coco Chanel. It was great to read about how they grew up and how they had to fight society literally every single time. I can’t even imagine what the Chanel sisters had to put up with and how difficult some things were for them. I loved to see the development.

I liked the writing style and enjoyed the fact that the chapters were short so that I could fly through the book in a matter of days. Furthermore, I would have read it quicker but as I was in the middle of my studying period I had only the evenings to read. However, I am sure that I would have read it in less than 3 days because I just couldn’t put the book down once I had it in my hands.

The beginning is a bit slow, but I recommend “The Chanel Sisters” to everyone who likes Coco Chanel and wants to read a story about her and her sisters, told in the point of view of Antoinette Chanel. The time stamps are actually really useful and a nice addition to the book.

Thank you to the publisher, Graydon House, for providing me with an ARC of The Chanel Sisters in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Gist

At times it’s very tough to get excited about anything, since the world turned upside down almost a year ago. I thought the story, The Chanel Sisters, could help me forget reality a little bit while I took a trip into the world of historical fiction.

For a while, it certainly looked that way, until… Well, until this 400-page book began to feel like an 800-page book.

Let me explain.

The Details

I have to say, the premise was intriguing, but I wasn’t sure what the point of the story was the longer I read it.

I found the protagonist flat and uninteresting. The story was told from her point of view, yet there was nothing personal in her recount of the events that shaped her life.

The other two sisters that made up these “Chanel Sisters” were glossed over. One did get a little more stage time, but the third sister was almost brushed under the rug.

The Chanel Sisters read like a play-by-play account of chronological facts. It was impossible to connect on an emotional level with any of the characters. Mostly because it only focused on the sisters and even then, it was nothing but a lukewarm bond.

There were a lot of details. A lot of details about stitching, hat making, ruffles, feathers, and dialogue. Dialogue that didn’t move the story forward. Actually, most of the details given felt irrelevant to the plot and character development.

I would have love to see a little less detail on the stitching and minute account of she-said-she-said and more attention to setting up the scene. Where are the characters? What do they see and feel? What does Paris in the early 1900’s look like?

I could kind of see where the story was heading, but it took so long to get there. I also didn’t understand why it wasn’t told from multiple points of view. The book is called The Chanel Sisters. So why not give us, the reader, insight into the minds of the other two sisters?

As I said before, The Chanel Sisters was too detailed in some places and not detailed enough in others. I kept reading and reading and felt I wasn’t really getting anywhere.

The Verdict

Overall, The Chanel Sisters started out rather promising. The first third of the book grabbed my attention and I read well past my bedtime. It just lost its way around the halfway mark.

I would suggest it.

Rags to riches. From their humble beginnings raised in a convent by nuns to the glitz and glamour of Paris. This was a riveting tale about Antoinette and her better known sister Gabrielle (Coco) Chanel. Judithe Little has crafted a well researched fictional biography about these fascinating sisters. The story is told completely through the eyes of Antoinette Chanel. I thought this was extremely impactful because you really got the chance to know and understand Coco from the perspective of her closest confidant. I have to say I much preferred Antoinette I thought she was the much kinder more relatable sister. Coco was definitely more frosty and removed, she was determined to prove anyone and everyone who ever thought she wouldn’t succeed wrong. A woman well before her time living her life on her own terms and creating an empire. and right by her side encouraging her, supporting her, and occasionally holding her up was her little sister Antoinette. The story focuses on both the sisters romantic and business lives and I found it so fascinating. Saskia Maarleveld did a remarkable job of narrating the audiobook. There were so many accents she just brought the perfect voice to each and every character.

This book in emojis 👭 👒 🪡 🏇🏻 🥂 🚬

*** Big thank you to Harlequin& Harper Audio for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

Never once did I ever consider the women behind the name Chanel. I am glad the author did though. This book was a lovely take on their difficult lives and the choices they made when so little is known about their early years. There were times when they were making decisions about things that made me cringe for them, but the book is well written and a good read.