German occupation of Paris during World War II was shocking. No one understood how life would be impacted. The Nazis began systematically seizing and shipping art back to Germany. The Parisiennes were furious and fought against the Nazi occupation with La Resistance. Two women decide they must do what they can to free their country. Lila and Sandrine work for the Resistance while maintaining the appearance of everyday citizens. This is a very hazardous existence for these women and their families. With each message passed, the odds of being discovered elevate. The story is nerve wracking, tragic, and romantic.

The characters are memorable and the author does a masterful job of weaving her characters with the historic figures of that time. She blends fact and fiction beautifully compelling you to read on. The movement forward and backward in time as the story unfolds is something that seems distracting at certain points. It is not relayed in a linear format which may confuse some readers.

This is a wonderful book and people who are fans of historic fiction will thoroughly enjoy this read.

Kristy Cambron weaves a heartrending story of two separate women during World War II in Nazi-occupied France trying to survive but also to fight in the avenues they have been placed in. The book goes back and forth between the present (1944) and the years prior with events that brought both Lila and Sandrine to that moment. The reader feels the strain that the characters are under in trying to live in their war-torn world but also not giving in to the fear and oppression that they face. It is an excellent story showing resilience in the midst of terrifying circumstances.

Paris, 1939.
Lila de Laurent and her friend Amelie work for Coco Chanel as dressmakers and one day they arrive at work to find the salon closed. Lila begins working for another fashion designer Nina Ricci and she dresses the Nazi officer’s mistresses living at the Ritz hotel. Life in France during WW II is hard, the city has been completely over run by German soldiers and they take everything. Lila joins the La Resistance, her job at the Ritz provides perfect cover, the Nazi’s girlfriends like to chat while being measured for their new gowns and it gives Lila access to high ranking German officer’s rooms. When pastry chef René Touliard saves her from being captured, she’s drawn deeper into the resistance and she’s really worried the Germans will see through her disguise.

Paris, 1943.
Sandrine Paquet’s husband Christian is missing in action, she’s hopeful he’s still alive and she has a six year old son Henri. Captain Von Hiller notices her; she’s requisitioned by him to catalog priceless art stolen by the Nazi’s and it’s being shipped to Germany. Sandrine's considered a collaborator, of course she can’t tell anyone the truth and she actually passes on information to the resistance. When she’s asked by Captain Von Hiller to unbox a beautiful blush colored Chanel gown, she’s shocked to find a piece of stock card sewn into a seam and it has a message written on it.

The Nazi’s in Paris know the end of the war is near, for Lila and Sandrine it makes life harder. Lila and René are fighting with the La Resistance in the street of Paris and Sandrine is desperately trying to dodge Captain Von Hiller’s advances. The Paris Dressmaker is a story about two strong French women risking their lives to free France, to end the Nazi’s reign of terror in the city of lights and both have a link to that beautiful blush gown. I received a copy of the book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and four stars from me.

This book seemed to have a lot going on which at times I had a hard time following. The story is told in two timelines.
Normally I really enjoy every book this author writes. I can’t help but feel like it’s just another book about the resistance and Nazi invasion of Paris. I do think historical fiction fans will embrace it
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy

The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron is a World War II novel with a delightful cover that I loved looking at. As for the story, it was not actually what I was expecting. The plot line was interesting, and I really loved the idea of the Paris Resistance fighters and all the undercover work that they did during the 1939 – 1944. It was interesting and a little different than most novels I have read. It was a delight, BUT . . . the issue I had with the story was the delivery of the plot lines. I have read a number of timeslips novels and have no problem following the story. It usually goes back and forth between two heroines or heroes in two different time frames, but Cambron took two heroines and placed them in a number of different time frames. First, the reader starts out in 1944, then jumps back to 1939, then to 1943, then back to 1940. Sometimes when I started a new chapter, I would be confused as to what is going on. I would have to find whose perspective I was in, and the time period to see where we were out in the narrative. I really wished the story would have been told in a linear fashion. It would have been easier to follow. The romance sparkled and blossomed as the story progressed. The story, once I understood what was actually happening, evoked a sense of Parisian pride. Overall, Cambron crafted a wonderful story with unheard elements, which I liked, but the flip-flopping of the timeline confused me.

I received a complimentary copy of The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

Excellent heavy read of WW2 fiction which centers on Lila and Sandrine, a dress maker, and art cataloger, both working for The Resistance while making dresses for the Germans, and handling stolen art to survive and save their lives and Paris fashion. My only issue was I kept seeing the authors name and the letters rst in the middle of the chapter breaks. Other than that, great book! My thanks to Net Galley and the publisher.

3.5 stars

I enjoy timeslip novels, and I've read everything this author has written ... and I've never been disappointed.

This story is told in alternating flashbacks between Lila and Sandrine. At times I had to flip back to see which POV I was in, but that generally only happened if I'd put the book aside and come back to it.

Both storylines are well written and featured strong female leads, but I preferred Sandrine's story. Lila's had a lot of detailing about how she'd become a dressmaker for the Nazis. It was interesting, but the pace was sometimes slower than I would've preferred. That wasn't the case with Sandrine's story. It was easy to stay fully engaged in those chapters.

It's obvious that Cambron did her research! I enjoyed how certain points were based on factual events.

I have read and enjoyed every one of Kristy Cameron’s books. I especially like historical fiction and WWII stories in particular so I couldn’t wait for The Paris Dressmaker. The story is beautifully complex, definitely not a breeze through it in a weekend book. The story is an engaging look at two French women’s bold, courageous choices in support of the country and people they loved.
I highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advance copy to read and review.

Every time I read a book set in WWII, I marvel at what people went through and how strong they were.

Even though it's fiction, it's based on true facts, set in Paris, from the beginning of the siege in June 1940 to the liberation in August 1944.

The story follows two French women, Lila and Sandrine. The both live in Paris and they become connected by the dress that Lila designed for Maison Chanel, and the dress becomes a symbol.

The two timelines are very close, just a few years apart, and that was confusing some times.

It was very interesting to read about the women who protected the art from the Nazis.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book. I'll be posting my review on Goodreads and Amazon

This might be my favorite Kristy Cambron book to date, and I'm so happy to say the story inside is just as beautiful as its gorgeous cover! The characters are compelling and intriguing, the romance is pitch-perfect . . . and that plot! I tend to gravitate toward character-driven stories, but when an author can give me such a fantastic mix of deep characters AND a plot packed with both heart-thudding and heart-wrenching moments, I'm the happiest reader ever. And while I've always been impressed by Kristy Cambron's writing, I feel like she took it to a whole new level in this story. I absolutely loved it The Paris Dressmaker!

I loved Cambron's The Butterfly and the Violin. I've also read her Lost Castle series. What I like most about her books is the main characters are strong, resourceful women who are determined to fight for what they believe in. This book is no exception. The story focuses on Lila, a dressmaker who finds herself fighting with the French resistance to relocate items belonging to her loves family stolen from the Nazis because they were Jewish. It also focuses on Sandrine, a woman who works to documents those many items stolen from Jewish family and either sent to the Furhermuseum or destroyed because they are deemed degenerate. Both women must overcome the evil imposed by the Nazis during their occupation of France during World War II.

This is a story of courage, strength and grit.

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

Lila has been working as a seamstress for Chanel before the Nazi occupation of Paris, she has met a man she hopes to marry but all of that changes when he must leave town and Chanel closes its doors. When an old friend, who has become a Nazi collaborator, draws her into the high fashion world at the Ritz to design gowns for the high ranking officer's women she makes the daring decision to funnel information to La Resistance. Even if the choice may cost her everything.

Across town Sandrine has been ordered by a high ranking German officer to work cataloguing priceless art that has been taken from Jewish families and is bound for Berlin. Secretly her and her colleagues begin keeping a record of all of the stolen art and who it belonged to in hopes that after the war it will be returned to its rightful owners. One night they uncrate an exquisite Chanel gown with a secret message hidden inside.

I am a fan of historical fiction and the Parisienne resistance during WWII which is a highly saturated genre but this was a unique story about the strength of some real women who did what they could to survive and fight the occupation. It is well written with strong female characters who were beautifully illustrated. I can not to read more about these real life heros and look forward to more works from Kristy Cambron.

I have read every single one of Kristy Cambron's book since her debut, The Butterfly and the Violin in 2014, and I can confidently say that each novel of hers is even better than the last. She blows me away with her ability to do that! Very few authors, or even artists in general, are able to perform such a feat, but Kristy is one of them.

The Paris Dressmaker transports us to the City of Light + Love, our beloved Paris in one of it's darkest moments. The Paris Dressmaker takes us not only to the fashion houses of Chanel and Ricci, but also to the war-torn tapestry of what WW2 Paris was like under Nazi occupation. Following the lives of Resistance warriors Lila de Laurent and Sandrine Paquet, the reader feels as if they are really there alongside the women in Paris 1943, fighting against the Nazis in covert and subtle ways, risking their lives for truth + justice. Beyond that, Lila and Sandrine have magnificent relationships with the people around them, including heart wrenching and heart warming love stories. While it took a little bit to get into The Paris Dressmaker, soon Cambron's unusual timeline and gripping characters convinced me to keep reading until I could barely put the book down. This was the kind of book that kept on building and building and building until it burst with the most beautiful and satisfying conflict and resolution.

I really, really enjoyed The Paris Dressmaker and would recommend it immediately to anyone asking. It is a luminescent, thought-provoking and empathetic read. Bravo, Kristy!! You have soared past us all with flying colours once again.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of The Paris Dressmaker in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I was excited to be granted access by Edelweiss to read The Paris Dressmaker. Two women's stories are intertwined by their collective work in the Resistance. The narrative moves back and forth between events leading up to the war and the final months before Liberation. One of the best parts of the book is the description, energy, and depiction of Liberation. I had chills while reason hat section. It's another good contribution to the canon of WWII historical fiction.

Not only does it have a beautiful cover, but it is also a beautifully written story about Paris in WWII and the courage of a select few members of La Resistance. I had a concern that it would be just another tale written like many others on the market today – nothing wrong with it, but nothing to make it different… but I was pleasantly surprised that it read different, with exquisite description and detail, gripping narrative, and a basis on true events (I quite enjoyed the author’s notes at the end regarding her research.) It’s a beautifully crafted story told with layers of care at a pace that will keep you engaged, beginning to end.

My only criticisms or points of note are to mention that the novel is more than one timeline and it helps to pay attention to the where and when at the beginning of each chapter to keep one’s threads from tangling. I didn’t find it confusing but did have to go back once or twice to clarify my point in the timeline. Secondly, with a steady pace throughout the whole novel, the ending felt not rushed, or unexpected, but perhaps slightly lacklustre even though all the loose threads were tidied up. I just wanted something a little “more.” I don’t know why I feel that way, but I do. Overall, I’m adding this to my recommendations of must-reads for 2021. It does contain elements of faith which shouldn’t be surprising coming from a Thomas Nelson publication.

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

The Paris Dressmaker is a beautiful tribute to the many faithful Parisenne's who didn't give up on their city during the occupation. Though Lila de Laurent and Sandrine Paquet only have one actual meeting and short in duration, we the reader are shown how their activity for La Resistance intersected but not necessarily to the characters. Both Lila and Sandrine stood strong in their fight to take back their city, their country, and ultimately, their home, and the measures they took in the name of freedom. The Paris Dressmaker sucked me in and the intensity of the writing which was wonderful lays the groundwork for making what is history become real again in this reader's mind. Kristy Cambron always writes with passion but The Paris Dressmaker in my opinion is her best yet.

My gratitude to Thomas Nelson and Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars

France, 1943. Lila works with the Resistance and it leads her to Rene, a man she’s met over four years ago. And she has just found out that he is “a willing Nazi collaborateur.” Or rather a posing pastry chef who delivers his delicacies to the Nazis and truly working for the Resistance.

1939. As her story goes back in time, it reveals how they’ve met and what happened between them. Lila is a seamstress working for La Maison Chanel. As Chanel closes her Paris salon, Nina Ricci reopens her house and hires Lila as a dressmaker. Using her skills, this further leads her to infiltrate the Nazi elite as she takes their measurements.

Paris, 1944. Sandrine, a mother with a six year old son, also works for the Resistance, but what people see is a Collaborator with the Nazis. She works for them in their “art department” of “relocating art pieces” as they steal them from prominent Jewish families. The women secretly catalog those stolen pieces of art. One day, they receive a crate containing Chanel gown which holds a cryptic message.

1939. As her story goes back in time, it reveals her last precious moments with her husband before he is off to war. Later, her trying to get a word about safety of her husband and how it leads her to the Resistance network. It also reveals how she got involved working for the Nazis.

I didn’t find it difficult to follow all those stories. It’s not just two stories alternating between two women, but also two timelines for each woman. Because of those four storylines it takes a moment to get into the story. Then, I was absorbed in it for a time, except the first storyline of Lila in 1943 which is descriptive from the very beginning. At some point, each story becomes descriptive, slowing the pace.

The history behind all those stolen art pieces and the Resistance work are always interesting facts of history, but the way it’s related in this story I didn’t find it very engaging.

There are plenty of readers who will enjoy this story of two courageous women and the Resistance work.

If this doesn't become a movie, I will riot. It has every element you could imagine: love, suspense, action, drama, and a massive world event. It starts off so strong so it's amazing that the book was able to keep up. Kristy Cambron is a wonderful writer and I would definitely read more from her.

It's really easy for "women spy in WWII" books to get lost in the shuffle, but fortunately, that's not what happens with 'The Paris Dressmaker.' A huge part of that is down to how well Cambron writes her two main characters: dressmaker Lila and art historian Sandrine both become entangled in the French Resistance, and although they're only a few years apart, their experiences are incredibly different, even as they're, in some ways, the same. There's a real tension from the very first pages, and the pacing kept me intrigued: quick enough for you to feel the sense of urgency, but not so fast that details of character get glossed over.

Stories of the Paris resistance often follow similar themes: the idea of an enduring, beautiful, terrified city full of ordinary people who simply couldn't *not* do the right thing when evil surrounded them. That's at the heart of 'The Paris Dressmaker' too, and it's what makes stories like this so compelling. Yes, the world of Parisian couture is beyond most of us; no, most of us aren't going to be searching for priceless artwork stolen by Nazis - but we all have talents that we can use to do some good, and we all can stand up when we're called upon. It's a book that's as elegant and deceptively complex as the beautiful gowns of a fashion house.