I found this to be an intriguing story based on true events in Paris during World War II. Paris has long been known for their haute couture and in this story readers are privy to how the war affected the fashion world and those who were a part of it. Following two very different women, the story is told in alternating timelines that lead up to the liberation of France and beyond.

Lila, a seamstress was working at La Maison Chanel when the business closed because of the war. Luckily she finds work at Nina Ricci, but soon finds herself working on her own, designing dresses for the French paramours of Nazi soldiers. During this time, she ends up working for the Resistance and is reunited with a former love interest that she thought had died.

Sandrine, a young mother whose husband is thought missing in action, was recruited to work relocating and identifying precious works of art for the Nazis. She also begins to work for the resistance, but due to the unwanted attention of a Nazi Captain, her neighbors accuse her of being a collaborator.

I’ll admit, it took me a while to get into this story, but once I did, I found it to be quite absorbing. The various timelines and the two women’s lives do interconnect towards the end, along with the liberation, which was also an intriguing time in Paris. In reading this, I discovered that I need to read more about Josephine Baker because I had no idea she was involved in the Resistance.

Many thanks to NetGalley, First Editions and Thomas Nelson-Fiction for allowing me to read an advance copy. I am happy to give my honest review.

The Paris Dressmaker by Kristy Cambron is a captivating historical fiction full of drama, love, and inspiration. A story of two determined women who overcome everything to survive even in the darkest of times. The Paris Dressmaker is a well-written story that is sure to inspire you and stay with you long after reading.

I am so excited and thankful to be on Kristy's launch team for The Paris Dressmaker and share this novel with you. I have followed her since her debut novel, The Butterfly and the Violin, and her books keep getting better and better! I'd definitely add this to my list of favorite books.

This book is set in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II, and it showcases strong Parisienne women who fight for La Resistance.

I loved the balance between femininity and backbone both Lila and Sandrine possess. They live during a dangerous and frightening time, yet they handled their circumstances with grace and chose to actively resist the evil and depravity around them. These women have style, but they also have weapons and they're not afraid to defend themselves.

I also loved the roles that fashion, art, and pastry shops played in this story. In a way, these touchpoints were characters themselves. Especially the beautiful dress featured on the cover, which both characters play a pivotal role in.

As the action builds in this story, I found myself riveted. I stayed up late a few nights to keep reading in the dark on my Kindle because I just couldn't stop myself and get some sleep! I was so caught up in the character's lives and the danger they put themselves in. They took risks and dared to fight. At times, I was so worried for them. Would they survive? Would they get happy endings?

I won't spoil it for you. I just highly recommend you get a copy and read it soon. I'm already pretty sure this novel will be on my favorites of 2021 list.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the #gifted copy of The Paris Dressmaker. These are my honest thoughts on the novel.

Kristy Cambron has crafted a fictional story in a historical setting that pulls the reader into Paris during World War 2. The story follows the lives of two incredible women who have to face loss and danger to follow the path God has given them through the perils of Nazi occupied Paris. Loved ones are disappearing and one wrong move could see them join the missing or dead. They must walk a tightrope of seeming agreement with German soldiers while accumulating information that could help the Resistance turn the tide at the end of the war.
Lila has dreamed of being a known dressmaker, with all the big names in Paris wearing her creations. But then the war starts and everything changes. Her one love has Jewish ancestry and when his name, and those of his family, appears on a list of captured and transported citizens, Lila feels it is her fault and she must work to right this wrong. Lila works to track down his family's fortunes in case any of them survive, and as a way to keep his memory alive in her heart. In order to do this, Lila must daily trek to the Hotel Ritz and dress the ladies of the Nazi officers, giving her an in to the secret information stored in their closets. Sandrine's life feels content and full of love. But her husband is sent to the front lines to defend France. As the weeks pass, she worries he may not be able to keep his promise to return. But she keeps her head down and strives to provide enough food for her son and mother-in-law, keeping a promise of her own to avoid attention from the Nazi soldiers filling the streets. Until disaster arrives and Sandrine can no longer avoid the captain who insists she join the team at the Jeu de Paume cataloguing stolen art.. Once there she learns of a way for her to help France and the families who live there to recover the stolen art when the war ends. Each woman must make the decision to either hide away or fight for the Paris and people they love. And risk the danger that this decision will bring. These life-altering decisions will lead them each to a different path for the lives they will continue to live.
Kristy Cambron gives the reader a glimpse into the daily struggles faced by those who lived through World War 2, bringing history to life on each page. The heart wrenching decisions to fight for family and country that so many brave women faced each day, this book pulls the reader into the brave dedication these women had to help the Resistance efforts. To feel the danger of facing the enemy every day and never knowing when the end could arrive. Kristy Cambron has written a suspense filled, heart pounding, love filled, life changing novel that has taught me more about World War 2 and the incredible women who helped shape the Paris they wanted to see come out of that war. I can't wait for the next book from this author! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in the review are completely my own.

** “War didn’t offer choices. And it sure didn’t leave room for negotiation where the game was concerned. You walked a thin line between life and death, praying you knew which side was which when the game was over.” **

** “But always do what you know to be right — no matter the cost. Above all things, our choice to remain faithful in the face of uncertainty is sacred to God and He will honor it in His time. Do not give up on God; He will hold you fast.” **

Kristy Cambron delivers an incredible World War II era novel with “The Paris Dressmaker,” offering the stories of two women living in occupied Paris and how their worlds collide.

Told during the four years of German occupation in Paris, “The Paris Dressmaker” introduces us to Lila de Laurent and Sandrine Paquet — both women who find themselves secretly working for France’s La Resistance.

Lila is a couture dressmaker who begins working for the Nazi’s French mistresses, able to gather secrets under their stuffy noses. She also struggles with guilt as she believes the man she once loved, part Jewish, is dead because of her. Sandrine works to assess art the Nazis have gathered for “protection,” all while keeping careful records as to whom the art belonged and where the art is going. Her husband has been missing for years after leaving to fight for the French, and holds out hope she’ll see Christian again one day.

Cambron does an amazing job of weaving together the stories of Lila and Sandrine, eventually bringing them together in this inspirational tale based on true stories of the French Resistance. She builds great characters all while diving deeply into historical facts, places and events.

Besides being an inspirational read, “The Dressmaker” has a number of great themes, like deal with “each worry in its time”; bad choices don’t stop compassion; forgiveness of one’s self as well as others; believe in the impossible; oppression versus liberation; and don’t do what’s easy, but what is right.

A huge theme is that God is involved in our daily plight and we must always cling to faith (“The page torn from the Paquet Bible had reminded her to wait — for years — that God would hear the desperate cries of His people. That He would prove faithful. And that though the day tarried, they must always cling to faith, for it would surely come.”).

Cambron has done a brilliant job of offering an historical fiction novel filled with intensity, romance, and most of all, inspiration. She reminds us to always remember the lessons history teaches us. As she writes in her author’s note: “We have a call to remember history as it was, to uncover the truth, to spotlight the savage consequences of sin, and to educate future generations so that those brutal mistakes might never be repeated. For the lives lost, the lives lived, and the lives yet to come … may we never forget.”

Lovers of historical fiction, fashion stories, all things World War II and love stories will enjoy “The Paris Dressmaker.”

Five stars out of five.

Thomas Nelson provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

First off, the cover is stunning. For that reason alone I’d want to own it. Thankfully, the insides are worthy of owning it as well!

I love a good historical fiction and "The Paris Dressmaker" fit the bill. Two duel storylines are crafted in such a way that while they would both be equally intriguing and mysterious on their own, Cambron weaves them in such a fabulous way that I did not want to stop reading. I completely fell for the characters and felt the tension in the situations they found themselves in. Their desire to do what was right amidst the knowledge it could mean their life. Is it too soon to ask when Cambron's next book will be releasing?

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

A story rich in history, culture, and lessons to be learned. The Paris Dressmaker throws the reader into the proverbial trenches of Paris during WWII. The hardships, difficulties, and the fight that was so incredibly horrifying during that time in history. This story tells of two women who chose to defy the Nazis and fight for Paris as they knew it. I will admit it took me about 4 chapters to get the rhythm of the time slip. But once I did, I was enraptured. I cannot fathom what it was like to have to either choose to stand up for what you know is right, and risk your very life, or allow the Nazis to take over and destroy your beautiful city and arrest and/or murder your neighbors, friends, or family members. Kristy Cambron does a magnificent job of handling this story with care and lovingly describing parts of what these brave, courageous people lived through! Very well done!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

“I have been asking myself who I intend to be when this war is over—the woman with much who gave little, or the woman with little who gave much. That is always the question, isn’t it, when we walk through the fire in our lives? And I now know my answer.”

Oh, this book. 😍 If I were to describe The Paris Dressmaker in just a few words it would be these... emotional, inspiring, heart-rending, romantic. The beautiful writing left me without words and tears in my eyes, and transported me right to the streets of Paris amidst the art galleries and dress shops... yet also placed me right within the sobering realities of war and Resistance, and the difficult hope of liberation. It’s clear that so much heart and meticulous research went into bringing this story to life within these pages. Through the dual timelines of 1939 and 1944 and dual POV’s of Lila and Sandrine, you truly do experience it all and wow, just wow. It will leave you wondering and guessing and contemplating right alongside these bold and brave characters facing the impossible and doing it anyways, just how far you’d go to protect and seek justice for those you care for and love.

This is Historical Fiction at its finest and I hope it lands a spot on your TBR, or better yet right in your hands!

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the gifted e-copy.

The story of Lila de Laurent, the Paris dressmaker, along with the story of Sandrine Paquet, is both heart-wrenching and beautiful. The story is set in Paris, France between the years of 1939 and 1944, and focuses on the roles of women in the French Résistance, especially those who worked to catalog the art that was stolen and transported out of France, determined to help restore it to its original owners once the war had ended. These women risked love, life, and reputation in their efforts alongside the men who welcomed them as confederates, even though before the war they could not vote, work or open a checking account without their husband's permission.

The Paris Dressmaker is extremely well researched, and evokes a broad range of emotions in its readers. As with Cambron's other books, it won't be soon forgotten, and will leave an imprint on readers' views of the past as well as the future. I used the text-to-speech feature on my Kindle for much of this book, and that did make the story's structure a bit of a challenge as it goes back and forth,not only between Lila and Sandrine's stories, but hops around within the time frame in which it takes place. It is totally worth navigating, and once both the primary and secondary characters are firmly established, it will require less attention.

I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of The Paris Dressmaker from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.

The Paris Dressmaker is a historical fiction novel. Kristy Cambron story focuses on the actions of 2 women, Lila de Laurent and Sandrine Pacquet. As a result of the war, both women are forced to adapt to life on their own; Lila’s “amour” just disappeared into thin air when she actually believed he was about to propose, and Sandrine’s husband was recruited to the frontlines. With the Germans occupying Paris, Lila and Sandrine themselves ultimately become involved in fighting their occupiers, Lila as a designer to women “kept” by Germans at The Ritz,(where she could “spy” in the enemy’s bedrooms), and Sandrine, at a Gallery, recording every piece of art work stolen by the Nazis from (many) wealthy Jewish families that passes through this depot. The 2 women’s stories overlap when Sandrine uncrates a Chanel haute couture dress, instead of a painting, in a late war delivery to the gallery. Stitched into the dress is a note from Lila ...,

I enjoyed reading the Paris Dressmaker, mostly because I have a soft spot for novels set in #Paris, but also, the story highlights the courage and determination of the Parisian women (and a less so the men). They were patriotic to the end. “Vive la France 🇫🇷 libre!”

Thank you @netgalley and @thomasnelson for my e-arc of #theparisdressmaker in return for my honest review. #5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#historicalfiction #paris #lestuilleries #chanel #ninaricci #hautecouture #ww2 #neveragain #laresistance #courage #spy #booksofinstagram #bookoftheday #netgalley

Kristy Cambron's, "The Paris Dressmaker," is a work of art. The cover is beautiful and the dress is a good representation of parts of the story. I find Kristy Cambron to be a great writer and I have enjoyed several of her other works.
Cambron writes a compelling story of the Parisiennes during World War II. Courageous men and women, with intriguing dialogue, keep the story moving. However, I don't feel the title does the story justice. This story is so much more than about the "Dressmaker." This is a story of a great cast of characters, but with a heavy storyline. There are so many layers to this story, it is difficult to even put into words for a review. The story does tie up all the loose ends and comes to a nice conclusion.
While the writing is good, great even, in this story, I had a difficult time following the plotline. I felt that the story would have been easier to follow had it been written in chronological order, shifting between Lila and Sandrine, instead of jumping years and characters. Even with intense concentration and no interruptions, I kept getting lost. I really wanted to love the story, but I found it to be okay.
If you love Kristy Cambron and historical fiction, give this book a try, you might love it more than I did.
Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book, in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cambron shines with her new well researched release of the Women of Paris!

Germans have occupied France and Paris life is changing. Madison Chanel has been closed and many of the dressmakers employed there are now without a job, including Lila de Laurent. She finds a job with Nina Ricci and is summoned one day to the Ritz hotel where she meets her past friend and fellow seamstress from Chanel’s, Amelie. Amelie is destined to climb the social ladder and has taken up with the Nazi soldiers to elevate her status and offers Lila the opportunity to develop her own dresses for the girls staying at the hotel. Lila is drawn to the possibility of working there for the resistance as she can access documents left in the hotel rooms, especially if she can find information on her lost love Rene Touliard. When one of her operations goes wrong, she must flee if she wants to live.

Sandrine Paquet has been ordered to work for the Nazi regime categorizing art pieces stolen from their Jewish owners. She does what she can for her young son and mother-in-law, but hates being viewed as a collaborator when she has no choice. With her husband unaccounted for at war, she finds an opportunity to work quietly in the resistance to keep records of where the art is being shipped so that it can one day be returned. When she is called in to look at a dress, a Chanel gown no less, she discovers a message hidden within the seam hastily placed there by a dressmaker who had vanished from the social elite of the Ritz hotel.

As always, Cambron delivers a stunning work of historical fiction set within occupied France during the second world war. This is a bit of a deviation from her typical time slip novels, but still had two terrific stories that were interwoven together and destined to collide. She does such a great job of bringing little known history (at least in America) to life with her characters that makes readers go research the actual events for themselves. With intrigue, mystery, loss, sympathy, and action throughout, readers can’t help but be engaged throughout the entire story.

If you’ve never read a book by Cambron, this is a fantastic one to start with. Grab a copy and pull up by the fire because you won’t want to get up until you’ve finished!

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

As war loomed over Paris, two women in the city found themselves facing the future without the man they loved. Each determined to stay and survive as best they could, they found themselves in their own ways working to overcome the evils perpetrated by the Germans. But in a war when no one, even the most innocent, is guaranteed survival, will they make it out the other side?

I wanted to like it - the blurb sounded intriguing and the story did grab my attention at the start. However, I found myself getting bogged down by the different people and times that were being talked about: Lila and Sandrine, in both the 'present' (1944) and various dates in the past ranging between 1939 and 1943, often not in order. Each section was headed with the date and place, and I found that I was having to work at remembering and trying to figure out when and where everything fitted in - and some things I never really worked out. I guess one other thing that put me off somewhat was the idea that people would put their lives on the line to keep track of what happens to art. I really don't think that art is worth people's lives - though I do appreciate people standing up for what they feel is right.

On the positive side, it really is an interesting story, and the writing was good. However, it's probably best suited for those who are rather more historically minded, for whom dates don't go in one ear and out the other, and who like piecing together puzzles in what they read (because that's what coping with the different storylines and times felt like to me). Personally, I wouldn't read this book again and would probably think twice about reading more by the author; however, I'm sure that there are many who would enjoy it. So if the things I've mentioned as things that bothered me don't put you off, give it a go by all means!

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

Kristy Cambron has such a gift for storytelling. In each of her novels, I am immediately submerged in the story, easily transported there by her ability to describe scenes, people, and events in such a talented and illustrative way. Her words are rich in their communication and bring forth the history to life as the novel unfolds. I greatly enjoyed this book and loved how the split-time story wove such an interesting and complex plot into a beautiful masterpiece. I really felt connected to the characters and their struggles and triumphs in the novel. I loved the way the two stories came together in the book and was struck by how easily the book flowed despite its jump between characters and timelines. I had a hard time putting the book down as I wished to know how it all ended. This is truly a remarkable novel and one that sticks with you long after you close the last page. (And the cover is gorgeous!) I highly recommend this book!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

#TheParisDressmaker #NetGalley

I've read Kristy Cambron books before, and know that she likes to write from different viewpoints. This one however was really hard to follow, until I was able to look for which storyline she was focusing on. Two women, who live in Paris, during WWII who are part of the Resistance. A Paris Dressmakers and a young wife and mother, whose husband is fighting in the war It was frustrating that even though the two women were both a part of the Resistance, there stories don't collide until the end. I would have liked lila and Sandrine's story to connect and for them to join in the fight together.

Kristy Cambron's The Paris Dressmaker follows two Parisienne women back and forth throughout the Nazi occupation of Paris from 1939 to 1944. Lila de Laurent is the dressmaker, a former employee of Coco Chanel who on New Year's Eve of 1943 is sprinting through the forest, clutching an opera coat and her own bullet wound, when she is discovered and picked up by a strange man in a patissier's truck, who turns out to be her one-time lover and current Résistant posing as a pastry chef in a favorite Nazi bakery. Sandrine Paquet is mother to Henri, whose father, Christian, has been off at war for most of his life, and who is employed by Captain von Hiller at a storehouse at the Louvre, cataloguing (mostly stolen) fine art for its redistribution and collaborating with her colleagues to track its origins.

I had high expectations for this book. I love reading about the French resistance, and Cambron's novel focused on a realm I have not read much about before. I was excited to understand the powerful role of a dressmaker within the Résistance, and I was intrigued by the concept of tracking art stolen from Jewish families. Unfortunately, it just didn't do it for me.

The book constantly jumped around--between characters and timelines--and it was hard to track exactly what events were happening when and why they were significant. Indeed, it seemed that even the author struggled with the chaos of perspectives, frequently mentioning supposedly significant names, objects, and references without ever fully explaining them. [I still don't know the significance of the note Lila hid in the dress, nor even of the dress itself. Also what was with all of the "that's a story for another time" moments that were never explained?

On another note, while I did appreciate the theory of the two love stories, particularly Sandrine's, I failed to fully connect to the characters and fall in love with them. In all honesty, they just didn't seem believable, in some part because of everyone's supposed awareness and impassioned defense of the Jews of France. Indeed, it seemed like backstory was missing across the board, without sufficient exposition to detail how these women came to be invested in the cause of the resistance (and, specifically, the plight of the Jews), how their relationships developed, and how they used their skills, rather, the story mostly danced around everything they did except their particular resistance efforts. Furthermore, the multiple timelines and characters converged only for the briefest of moments, and I was so unsatisfied by the conclusion (and all the more so by the bizarre epilogue).

One of my favorite things about reading historical fiction is the many, many things I end up learning about history in the process. I've read quite a few books that are set during World War Two, and it's usually one of my favorite historical time periods to read about. However, this book brought with it many new facts and details that I'd never heard before, and while I still think I prefer Kristy Cambron's Lost Castle series to this one, I still ended up really enjoying it.

The Paris Dressmaker focuses around two strong, resilient Parisian women, Lila and Sandrine, who are determined to take a stand for their country against the Nazi invasion. At first glance, it may appear that neither are in the position to accomplish anything of significance, but that doesn't stop either of them from joining forces with the Resistance to try and have a handle on the German's theft of the art and other collectible items from the Jewish people.

Told in both Lila and Sandrine's POV's, across a non-linear timeline, The Paris Dressmaker is a beautifully written, well researched historical fiction novel that functions as a tribute to the many brave women who chose to take a stand for the city they loved, even though doing so meant the potential loss of their lives. A fictional story woven within true events and real places in Paris, I found myself really enjoying this one, and I loved how the faith element was blended in so seamlessly and authentically.

My only real complaint, and the only thing that kept this from being a five star read, was the timeline and POV's. I personally felt that Lila and Sandrine's voices kind of blended together, and considering that the story is told from both of their point of views back and forth across different time periods during the Nazi invasion, it was a little hard to keep track of who was who and what year we were currently in. It ended up taking me a little bit longer than normal to get into this one because of this, but I still ended up enjoying it, and continue to be impressed with how immersive Kristy Cambron always makes her stories to the reader.

I definitely enjoyed this one and can wholeheartedly say that the beautiful story definitely lines up with the gorgeous cover. Another story to watch out for from the talented Kristy Cambron.

Final Rating: 4/5.

Thanks so much to Thomas Nelson for allowing me to advance read this!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I was not required to give a positive review.

This story just never quite worked out for me. There were so many different points of view and it ended up pulling me out of the story every time I had to switch from one to another. there were also different timelines, and the mix between characters and timelines was just too much. I feel like the mix of characters, POVs, and timelines created a disservice to the story. I struggled to connect with anyone. I alternated between the book and the audio, but wasn't able to find a connection from either format.

This one didn't work for me, but I know that there are readers out there that will really enjoy this. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, you might want to give this a try.

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

This is a beautiful story about how two women and the people they love survive in World War 2 Paris. It is fascinating to see how the lives of the women intertwine throughout the story.

I struggled a bit with the fact that the book didn't stick to a strict chronology. But, I adjusted to the format. I also loved the focus on art and fashion. I read and highly enjoyed Monument Men many years ago.

Overall, I would recommend this book to those who enjoy reading about this time period.

Thank you Netgalley and publishers for the free E-arc in exchange for my honest review.

I fell in love with Kristy Cambron's writing with The Butterfly and the Violin and have been a fan ever since. This is another such story, one that haunts the reader when they are pulled back into real life.
The Paris Dressmaker is a delicately crafted tale of two women, separately finding a way to prevail against the darkness of war, the compelling decisions made to protect their families and country. Cambron's brilliant pen pulled me into the war torn streets of Paris, as the characters won a forever place in my heart. This is Cambron at her finest!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.