As someone who enjoys WW2 fiction, I absolutely loved this one. I really liked the addition of fashion and the fashion industry into the book.
-
The novel follows two women, Lila and Sandrine, going back and forth to their experiences at the start of the war, and then skips to right before the D-day invasions. I like books that go back and forth between timelines so that you have to try to put together the pieces of the story. Personally I enjoyed Lila's sections a little more than Sandrine's, but both women were fantastic characters and both experienced true hardships during the war. Both women were resisting the German occupation of Paris, but in different ways. The story is intense and gripping, and I read this book basically in one sitting.
-
CW: violence, death, persecution, war.

This is a WWII story we don’t hear much about so I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the fashion mavens who were part of La Resistance. The book was harder to follow on audio than in print due to the switching between stories and timelines.

Just finished this book today and loved it. It kept me reading so I could find out how the two stories would intertwine. I found myself tense when events got challenging and so heartbroken as characters went through troubles and grief. I got attached to these woman and men and loved seeing their resilience and strength as they went through a very ugly time and many difficult situations. This is a great story and well worth a read for anyone that likes historical fiction. There is a touch of clean romance but it isn't the main focus.

I was able to listen to the audio book and loved the narrator. She brought the story to life and added a touch of a french accent as she "spoke" for the characters. She did a wonderful job!

This book is told in the voice of two women who fought with the resistance during the Nazi occupation of France. Sandrine was a wife and mother of young Henri. Her job was to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin. Her neighbors think she is a Collaborator and a mistress to one of the Nazi officers. But behind closd doors she is foraging for secrets that she can pass on to the Resistance. Lila was a dressmaker for Maison Chanel, but was out of work once it closed. She used her skills as a dressmaker to insert herself into the inner circle, where she designed dresses for the mistresses of the officers, all the while listening and gathering secrets.

I will say I had a hard time keeping up with the story since it was not just two different women telling the story, but also two different timelines. Lila's storyline begins four years before the start of Sandrine'stimeline, so you are reading about two different points at the war as well. The book did a very good job of painting the picture of what it was truly like back then, and the horrors that unfolded. If you wnjoy World War II novels, then this is worth a read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction and Kristy Cambron. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I'm a massive fan of historical fiction so I absolutely adored this book. Paris itself became one of the main characters in this beautifully written book, It was sumptuous! Lila and Sandrine's stories drew me right in and I felt myself really caring for them. I've read a lot of WW2 fiction but this book can certainly compete with the best of them. Simply stunning! This is the first book that I've read by Kristy but I've already ordered The Ringmaster's Wife and I know I'm going to love it too.

The story of two courageous women fighting to help their own country to finally be able to get the freedom they lost in the hands of the nazis...

The story of Lila started with her dreams of fashion and dressmaking she was becoming already very well known around the fashion industry as well as women of society but her life changed so drastically when she decided to start helping the resistance, her life was in danger, her best friend and people close to her will start showing their true colors putting her in even more danger but nothing will stop Lila to fight hard for those who really needed, not even when her best friend turned to be the worst.

Sandrine story was the one that really captivated me, she was a very empathetic woman, she was trying to survive the war taking care of her son and waiting for the return of her beloved husband but things will start to get very dangerous for her when someone from the bad side set his eyes on her, he is determined to make her his, even if that meant to lie and pretended that she wasn't married.

These two women made me cry so much, I was on edge at all times because they were living on a thin line constantly. they were trying to fight and help at all costs even if that meant sacrificing many things they work so hard to have, like Sandrine she was in constant danger sacrificing her time with her son.

This was a good story a good book, I really love how these two women show us the courageous part of some of the women who were constantly trying to help their country to be liberated from the Nazis.

so many great secondary characters and other stories that made this book great and more enjoyable.

I'm not going to write a lot of the story because I don't want to give more away but it is an entertaining book

Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The title of the novel drew me in, being the lover of Paris and fashion that I am. Overall, I did enjoy the book and the story of the two main women (Lila and Sandrine) fighting to preserve the culture and art of Paris during the Nazi occupation. It’s a story that accounts the real depiction of how Parisians survived and persevered during the Nazi occupation of Paris. The writing was beautiful, the story was beautiful, and I really enjoyed this book!! My first by Kristy Cameron, but will definitely not be my last!

Let’s start this review with the obvious, that stunning cover! GAAHHH!!!

The colors, the Eiffel Tower, and that dress just jumped out and grabbed me. I didn’t have any choice about reading this book, because the cover just wouldn’t let go of me.

So, I snapped up The Paris Dressmaker and soon found that the story of these women wouldn’t let me go either. In fact, I’m sure it will stay with me forever.

Every time I read a WWII book, I’m amazed at the change that took place within the cities and people of France. From the occupied streets of Paris, The Paris Dressmaker is the story of two women who do what they can with their own skills to resist the Nazi invasion and survive the third reich.

Beyond the captivating and often mysterious plot, Kristy Cambron uses her thoughtful storytelling gifts to paint an almost magical scene of Paris during the war. With every page, I could sense the beauty and bleakness come over me, setting up my understanding of this time and these women in a particularly unique way.

Conclusion
Using two different women and two different timelines threaded together, The Paris Dressmaker weaves the fabric of a beautiful and tragically accurate story of art, fashion, and resistance in the occupied City of Lights.

Historical fiction fans will adore this.

Set in the premises of WWII, the story of two brave French women who worked for resistance is woven in The Paris Dressmaker.
The concept of presenting such a story through designer gown seemed interesting. Still the story was not engaging. The time line changes were confusing at times. I could not relate to the emotions of the characters. Overall, the book was so so.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I absolutely adored this book. It was so easy to get lost in the settings and characters. And I became very invested in the main characters. My one complaint was that it was a little challenging at times, keeping the characters/ timelines straight. With the dates being so close together, it wasn’t easy at times to mentally change over. Other than that, it was a wonderful story.

This book transported me to Paris in the middle of WW2. Taken from the perspective of 2 strong women fighting for the city they love against German occupation. I loved that this book jumped around on the timeline, filling in holes and questions as you read. You feel as if you are fighting alongside Lila & Sandrine as they desperately try to preserve all they can of Paris and the ones they love. I will definitely be reading this again. Add to your TBR list, this book is being released Feb 16th

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is another book set in France during WWII. Before you think that you’ve read enough of these, give this one a chance. It is an engaging and involving read.

The Paris Dressmaker follows several women and the men and families that surround them. Lila is a talented dressmaker and designer. Lila’s closest friend is Amelie, another seamstress. Then there is Sandrine and her close friend Michelle. Sandrine works at the Jeu de Paume. Each of these characters faces moral decisions, choices and moments of fear and courage.

The settings in this book are wonderfully rendered. There are the dress salons, a bookstore, the Jeu de Paume, a bakery, The Ritz..and the list goes on. Each is vividly portrayed as are the streets of wartime Paris.

This is a novel that tells moving stories of love, friendship, resistance, traitorous behavior, courage and consequences. The narrative moves back and forth in time from 1939 and into the 1940s.

I became quite involved in the lives and stories of these characters. I think that readers will as well.

I alternated between reading this book and listening to it. The narration was excellent with characters well delineated and the French accents of the characters.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title. All opinions are my own.

Share this:

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved this book. The two timelines and characters fit together seamlessly and the role of strong women as members of La Resistance is incredible. The author weaves fashion, art, history and romance together delightfully. The city of Paris comes alive as its own character.

💫 Book Review 💫
The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron

As a lover of history, fiction and Paris, I went into this one with high hopes and found myself confused at times and bored with the art side of it.

There are multiple POVs and multiple timelines that I should have been writing them down to keep it straight. I found it very discombobulated.

That said, the each woman’s story could have been told on its own with ease. Sandrine and Lila were both women I would have liked to have spent more time with but not in this way.

It’s the story about Parisians and in particular the resistance that was hidden. Lila is a seamstress who takes her talents underground as she makes dresses for Nazi wives while listening to their secrets.
Sandrine is given the task of documenting the art stolen from Jewish families for Hilter’s museum. With each role these ladies have, there is a chance to overhear or see things that will help with the resistance.

So I go back to, the way in which we read it. It didn’t help having timelines and POV all disjointed this way. Disappointed but can’t love them all. Perhaps someone else will enjoy this way ... as we all know... reading is subjective 😉

Thank you for the gifted copy in return for an honest review x

I’m not going to lie; I totally picked this book based on the cover! Kristy Cambron gives us a tale of two women and their fight against the Nazi’s in occupied Paris during World War II. The timeline relentlessly jumps around from the beginning of the Nazi occupation of France to Paris’ liberation.

Lila de Laurent aka the Dressmaker, has lost her job at Chanel helping create Paris’ famous haute couture and finds herself trying to figure out how she will survive the war. Lila discovers her skills become rather useful on two fronts, both making gowns for the German officers’ kept women, who reside in the famous Hotel Ritz, and also parlaying information she discovers in these rooms to La Resistance. Armed with excellent listening skills and a mini microfilm camera, Lila does her part to seek revenge for her lost love René, who has Jewish roots, until one night she is caught.

Sandrine Paquet catalogs priceless works of art, that have been looted by the Nazi’s from wealthy Jewish households. Her husband, who fights with the French has been missing for over a year, while her supervisor Captain von Hiller, continues to deliver unwanted attentions to Sandrine. She walks a delicate tight rope of keeping von Hiller appeased, so that she can continue to catalog the art, not only for the Germans but for the French underground as well. While uncrating art, Sandrine discovers a beautiful Chanel dress, which has a secret message sewn in the lining that just might reveal the missing dressmaker’s fate.

These two women were modeled after true accounts of Parisiennes, who fought the only way they could during Nazi occupation, helping the resistance thwart their Nazi occupiers. Their acts were brave and defiant, especially considering they did everything just beneath the Nazi’s noses. I recommend picking up this novel! It’s available to the public, on February 16th! Thank you to Kristy Cambron, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Lila is a dressmaker for Chanel until the Germans occupy Paris. Her friend Amelia presses her into making dresses for the French ladies who pair up with the German officers. They repulse Lila, but she can learn secrets.
Sandrine’s husband disappeared with the French army. She catches the eye of a German officer, who places her in the art museum to help catalogue the art the Germans are stealing. He wants more from her.
Both women live in a world of danger, even after Paris is liberated. It took courage to live in Paris during the war.
The story bounces between Lila and Sandrine, whose paths cross briefly only once. Each chapter is headed with a date, and it’s important to notice that date, because the story bounces back and forth between 1941-42 and 1944. It can be very confusing to keep the story lines straight.

I appreciate NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron. I really enjoyed this story of two very different women trying to ensure the safety of their families and staying loyal to their beloved city, while living during a time of uncertainty while Paris was occupied by the German Army. Lila de Laurent is a dressmaker and designer who seems to be a rising star and even gets to design a dress for Chanel. She plays a dangerous game as she uses her talent as a seamstress to gather information for the French Resistance. Sandrine is an educated woman who is called upon by the German regime to help catalog the artistic treasures Germany is stealing from French citizens. Their stories merge through a beautiful dress designed by Lila. You won't be able to put this book down. There were several nights when I kept telling myself that I was going to read one more chapter and ended up reading much more.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The Paris Dressmaker has some good ideas. However, it’s a multi-timeline book that feels overwhelmed by the ideas to the point where maybe it might have been better off being two separate, but connected books to flesh out the characters more earlier on and give the reader a reason to care for each individually.

You follow both the protagonists, Lila and Sandrine, in 1940 and 1943, darting back and forth completely randomly. It’s very jarring and I didn’t find the transitions between time periods and POVs was done well. It was infuriating trying to connect the dots as to why both the time periods for the two women were relevant, and I eventually just gave up trying, and from what I hear from other frustrated reviewers, the payoff wasn’t worth it.

That’s not to say there aren’t the bones of good stories in there. The premise has a lot of potential, but the execution tried to do too much and fell down in the process. There is a sense of the period, so Cambron does really know her stuff, but given that she’s written in the period before, it’s not surprising.

Given some of the daring stylistic choices the book makes, this is going to be a book readers either love or hate. If you like your stories fairly straightforward, you’ll probably also dislike this book. But if you like multi-timeline stories and have the patience to sit with it and work it all out, I think it could work much better for you. Unfortunately, despite my usual love for the style, it failed to grab me as I hoped it would.

2.5 STARS (rounded up to 3): The Paris Dressmaker is the latest book by Kristy Cambron, a new-to-me author. With its stunning book cover and premise about WWII French Resistance from the point of view of women working in popular fashion houses and the art world, this avid Historical Fiction reader was intrigued.

The story focuses on two women during WWII - one a fashion designer and the other an art cataloguer, but I was a little disappointed that the Chanel and Nina Ricci fashion houses played such a minor role. We follow main characters Lila and Sandrine and between their two POVs and the two timelines, there's a lot of jumping back and forth. I assumed that these alternating perspectives and eras were meant to create tension, but the story isn't linear and with Lila and Sandrine's voices sounding so similar, it made for a very disorienting and unnecessarily complicated read. Just when I was getting into one part, the focus would pivot to another time and character, taking me out of the story. Readers eventually understand the link between the two women, but it is weak and comes very late in the book.

The strength of this story comes in Cambron's descriptions of wartime in Paris - the everyday Parisian, the French Resistors and upper class who felt above all the turmoil. She illustrates the desperation, the lack of resources and the limited choices available to Parisian women at the time. Cambron touches on several aspects of the war - Vél d'Hiv, collaborateurs, stolen Jewish art, and the role of the Resistance - but these aspects are handled with a lighter hand. Cambron's lighter style will appeal to readers looking for Historical Fiction that touches on important issues but has a less gritty and violent portrayal of the consequences of war.

I am an avid Historical Fiction reader who prefers a dark and emotional read so this lighter read in the genre wasn't my typical 'jam'. That said, I appreciated the historical themes and premise, but I had hoped to like this book as much as many other readers who rated it much higher than I did. This would be a good pick for readers who enjoy lighter Historical Fiction from authors such as Kristin Harmel, Natasha Lester and Ariel Lawhon.

Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Paris Dressmaker is a lovely well-written novel about two ladies in the middle of WW2 Paris who love deeply. They love their country, their men, and will do anything for them, including risking their lives. The intersection of La Resistance, Nazis, high society, the average person, and all the mystery and deception is woven through the novel so well. You have to pay attention to each heading as the timeline jumps around and it's not chronological and it switches characters a lot. I figured it out though. It's clever, exciting, and totally worth reading.