I devoured this book. It has everything you could want in historical fiction without all the gore of WWII that some novels have. There are family ties, romance, intrigue, and Paris fashion. I didn't realize that Catherine Dior was such a big part of the Resistance. By having her in the story then you can have her brother, fashion designer, Christian Dior also in the story and that is where the fashion comes in. The story centers around Gabby and Yvette Foucher, two young girls who help the Resistance by hiding fugitives and running messages. There is danger involved. The love and bond between the two sisters is evident toward the end when they each have the other's back at a time of need. This book is published today and is well worth the read.

Thanks to #WilliamMorrowpublishing, #Netgalley and @christinewells_ for an ARC of the great book.

Sisters of the Resistance

3.5 stars.
Gabby and Yvette are sisters who participate in the Paris Resistance during WWII. Not too surprising given the title. They are not aware of the other’s participation which leads to emotional and eventual physical divide. As the story unfolds, we are left to wonder about motives, responsibilities, redemption, and reconciliation between the characters and the major players in the war.

Intriguing enough to finish. Different enough from other stories set in this period to entertain. Did not stand out emotionally, but sometimes that is what people are looking for.

Although dual timelines are an interesting way to build anticipation in a story, the presentation of bouncing back and forth within the same chapter was sometimes difficult to follow. Appreciated that there was not a long gap between timelines. A person does not have to be in their twilight years to reflect on events in their life to grow and heal. A nice encouragement to address possible regrets early and you may resolve them.

“A Novel of Catherine Dior’s Paris Spy Network” felt a little misleading. Catherine Dior is important as a plot device, but we do not learn a lot about her.

I look forward to reading more from Christine Wells.

Thank you Book Club Girls/William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

This was an engaging story that kept me turning the pages. It was interesting to get a peak into the fashion world at the time, the actions of the sisters for the greater good kept me in suspense, and I liked the growth of the sisters and of their relationship with each other.

Yvette sometimes annoyed me with her impulsive actions, and even when I finished the story, it didn't make sense to me why she hadn't opened the letters. Also, the ending felt a bit rushed to me.

Overall I enjoyed this book and look forward to seeing what's next from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley for the early read.

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

From elegant Christian Dior fashion shows of 1947 to the gritty reality of World War II, the lives of sisters Yvette and Gabby Foucher will be forever changed. I was immediately pulled into the story of Yvette upon her return to Paris in 1947 to testify in a war crimes trial. Told in dual timeline, we learn of Yvette and Gabby’s beginnings to them eventually working with the French Resistance.

Sisters of the Resistance explores the harsh reality of war, intrigue, espionage and love. The story is plotted with elements of suspense that keep reader is engaged from start to finish. Ms. Wells’ carefully peels back the layers of each character revealing their inner most secrets drawing the reader further into the story. Based on the real-life story of Catherine Dior and her work during World War II, Sisters of Resistance is one historical novel that you do not want to miss.

Thanks to the author, William Morrow, Book Club Girls and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

I enjoy lots of historical fiction, particularly centered around Paris during World War 2. This was a unique novel. It shifts between dual timelines, but they are quite close to each other: 1944 after the Allies have taken Normandy and 1947 when there are trials for Nazis and their collaborators.

At the heart of the story are Gabby and Yvette, two sisters who in different ways aided the resistance efforts. Both worked with Catherine Dior, the sister of Christian Dior. But their personalities, contributions, and journeys are quite different.

The story kept me guessing and intrigued, unsure who was part of the resistance and who was a collaborator. I could not put the book down. It was beautifully written, and the switch between timelines was seamless.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

4.5/5

Very good book! I really enjoyed the setting - who wouldn't? Paris! I do feel it was a little light on historical details, which are really what I live for. 4 stars.

This is a dual timeline story of two sisters Yvette and Gabby Foucher who worked with Catherine Dior (the sister of Christian Dior) for the French Resistance during WWII. It is 1947 when we first meet Yvette who has traveled back to France to testify at the trial of the film star, Louise Dulac, accused of treason. Paris,1947 wears the scars of the war, yet for Yvette who also wears those scars, it is a city that embraces her as much as she embraces the City of Light. However, in post WWII 1947, the memories of the war years have left her guilty and bereft, memories that make it hard to return to her native France.

In 1944 both sisters were part of the Resistance unbeknownst to each other, fighting to free France from the clutches of the Nazis. At that time both girls lived with their mother. Yvette worked at the haute couture House of Lelong where she ran deliveries. While Gabby helped her mother who was the concierge at 10 rue Royale where she tended to the needs of the tenants along with her other duties.

Sensing something unsettling was happening at number10, both girls were attuned to look for trouble. It was Yvette, however, that was the sister first approached by Catherine. Asking her to run a package for her, she was told it was for the Resistance. Yvette agreed immediately, promising to keep this as a secret, not telling her sister or mother. She was now a member of the Resistance, her life fraught with more danger than she could ever have imagined. As a runner for the House of Lelong, delivering items to their customers, Yvette also became involved with Louise Dulac a famous film star living at the Ritz with her Nazi lover. Gabby, on the other hand, through her kindness, helps a hidden injured British agent within one of the apartments in her building, thus drawing her into the Resistance. Both sisters now working for the same cause, unaware of each other's involvement.

With a cast of characters that include Vidar Lind, the Swedish Ambassador, the criminals/thigs that were used by the Nazis for the black market and a host of others, the story held a puzzle until the last mystery was solved and all the pieces fit together. A story woven within the background of haute couture, was more than satisfying. The character development was excellent, the research on-point, as each chapter, each page has you wanting more. More to the point, it brings to life the story of Catherine Dior and her quest to free France. For those who enjoy reading historical fiction, this book should be put on the top of your list.

My thanks to NetGalley, William Morrow and Custom House for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

To be reviewed on Goodreads, Amazon, and my blog https://bookreviewsbylulu.blogspot.com/.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. Fans of WWII fiction will enjoy this interesting side story to the Dior family and in particular, Catherine Dior’s work for the French resistance. While the story was well written and flowed well, I felt myself wanting to hear more of Catherine’s personal story and those of her other family members, including her niece who went on to lead a life inconsistent with Dior family values. The book is good, but do your own side reading to learn more about the Dior family which is quite fascinating.

Sisters of the Resistance is a very appealing book and if you are a reader who seeks stories set during this period, it will not disappoint. While the story revolves around the lives of two fictional sisters, the true and heroic story of Catherine Dior is especially fascinating. There are so many brave, smart and tough women in this book that it serves as a reminder that women played invaluable roles in winning the war. The world of haute couture provides a luxurious backdrop to an entertaining story of espionage, courage, love and sisterhood.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Sisters of the Resistance by Christine Wells

9780063055445

401 Pages
Publisher: William Morrow and Custom House
Release Date: June 8, 2021

Fiction, Historical Fiction, World War II

The story takes place between 1944 and 1947. Gabby Foucher and her sister Yvette live in an apartment building in Paris, France. Gabby is the concierge at the apartment building where Christian lives with his sister Catherine. Yvette works at a fashion house where Christian Dior is an up-and-coming designer. Both sisters become involved with the French resistance in different roles.

The story jumps back and forth in time between 1944 and 1947. It is fast paced, the characters are well developed, and is written in third person point of view. The author does an excellent job weaving a story of the Foucher sisters into the factual history of Catherine Dior’s spy network. If you like historical fiction or spy stories with intrigue, you will enjoy this book.

This is an exciting WWII spy novel filled with intrigue and suspense. The story takes place in Paris and is told in dual timelines (1944 and 1947) from the points of views of Yvette and Gabby Foucher, sisters who join the Resistance unknowingly from each other. I found the history of Catherine Dior’s resistance network especially fascinating. I didn’t know about her role in the Resistance and what she suffered. I really enjoyed this book. The carefully woven plot, suspense, and the sisters’ characters kept me turning the pages. Thank you very much to NetGalley and the Book Club Girls for this ARC.

Great new historical fiction alert! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I had never heard of Catherine Dior and her involvement in the Resistance during WWII. This was a page-turner! If you like historical fiction, WWII novels, or novels featuring female empowerment, this is for you.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow/Custom House for the ARC.

Thank you to Book Club Girls and William Morrow for an ARC of this book via NetGalley. I enjoyed Wells' novelization of the real Dior spy ring. I did not know anything about this real resistance network and found it a very interesting angle for a WWII historical fiction novel, of which there are so many. Occasionally, I had a hard time keeping track of Yvette's story line and who was who in her circle of resistance fighters. Despite that, I really appreciated her ending. I never felt like I quite understood Gabby and her motivations behind many of her actions and think the story might have been stronger had we spent more time with Yvette, instead of splitting the narrative. Overall, a 3/5 for me because I did enjoy the story and loved learning about the real history but felt like some of the structure and plot of the story could have been improved on. #NetGalley #WilliamMorrowBooks #WilliamMorrow #BookClubGirls

I enjoyed this WWII historical fiction but think I would have enjoyed it a bit more if I hadn't come in expecting to learn more about Catherine Dior, sister of Christine Dior. Most of what I learned about her came from my internet searches and those searches helped me to understand her value to the story, that I wouldn't have gotten from just reading the book. I know I'm going to read more about her now that I know the part she played as a Resistance fighter. 

The book starts in 1947, where we are introduced to Yvette, just arriving in France from New York, where she made her home after escaping France, late in the war. We also meet Yvette's sister, Gabby, who still lives with their mother, where she works as as the concierge of ten rue Royale. Yvette is back in France so that she can testify at the trial of a woman who is accused of war crimes. She's never answered any of Gabby's letters since she left France three years ago. She's racked with guilt because of things she did or neglected to do during her time as a Resistance Fighter. 

Gabby has accepted her fate in life. She long ago lost her father and her fiancé and never hoped to love again. And now her sister seems to be lost to her. There is also another person she has lost although she doesn't know if he is dead or has just forgotten her. 

The other timeline in this story takes place in 1944. Everything is related to us by jumping back and forth between 1944 and 1947 and jumping between the viewpoint of Yvette and Gabby, in each of those timelines. We see all the deprivations of living in wartime France, the brutality inflicted on the people by the Nazis, gangs, those in power over those who are oppressed. In 1944, nineteen year old Yvette is so extremely naïve despite having endured so much of wartime France and being a member of the Resistance. Twenty five year old Gabby is already weary of a life that doesn't look to ever get better. She's always worried about her rash, headstrong, and reckless sister. Little does she know she'll be taking on similar risks once she realizes what is going on in the building that she runs. 

I think the story would have been less confusing it it had been told from 1944 to 1947, without the back and forth in the timeline. But, still, it's very interesting as we see how the war is waged, not just on the front lines but behind the scenes, by people who are not what they seem and by people who have nothing left to give but their lives. Both sisters have so much to give, if they can figure out who they can trust. 

Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for this ARC.

I really loved this historical fiction based on the true story of two sisters, Yvette and Gabby Foucher. They are recruited into the Resistance by Catherine Dior, into danger and uncertainty, in France during WWII. Everyone seems to be a spy and untrustworthy, definitely making this a frenzied page-turner for me. Each sister goes in a different direction but ultimately both get caught up in fighting against the Nazis. The author really takes you on a wonderfully complex journey with awesome characters and suspense, an intense reading experience!!!!.#SistersoftheResistance#NetGalley

Sisters of the Resistance, by Christine Wells, is a fascinating look at another facet of the WWII Resistance movement in Paris involving Catherine Dior, sister of fashion designer Christian Dior.
This historical fiction novel is propelled by the stories of sisters Yvette and Gabby Foucher. They have very different personalities and lives, but both become swept up in Catherine Dior’s Paris spy network in 1944. The story is told in alternating points of view of the sisters, and also alternating timelines moving between wartime1944 and post-war 1947. For fashion aficionados there is also a glimpse into the workings of a haute couture fashion house, but that does not distract from the main theme.
The writing is quite readable—it is good storytelling—and the author clearly demonstrates her research on the subject, as the places and events feel very real. The character development is solid, and some of the characters of course are more likeable than others.
I liked this novel and felt it added to my knowledge of the intrigue and involvement of ordinary citizens in resisting the tyranny of the WWII occupation of France.
This book fits nicely with others excellent works of historical fiction featuring brave women in that situation, like The Paris Library and The Alice Network. I will definitely look for more works by Christine Wells.

Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my unbiased review.

With such a treasure trove of material, this one is another WWII story set in Paris and featuring the Resistance efforts. The two sisters are Gabby and Yvette, and each woman gets involved in the war in different ways. Gabby serves as the concierge at a small apartment building, and she gets to know all the residents. Yvette makes deliveries all over Paris on her bicycle.

There are two timelines (from 1944 and then a few years after the war) and that was mostly successful. There were a few times I got confused and I think it might have been better if it was written as a straight-through chronology.

There are some interesting sections featuring the Dior family and that always is an interesting twist. In fact, the Dior family lives at the apartment building where Gabby is the concierge. Interestingly, Catherine (sister to Christian) Dior is highly involved in the Resistance and that was fascinating.

This one has the usual elements with hiding people, rations, and spying. I was definitely interested enough to keep reading, but I was not completely pulled into this one. I did see that this author has several other highly rated books. I’ll be checking those out someday!

A very interesting book especially the 2 sisters and How they looked at Mike very differently and it was interesting because they weren't the same goals but the younger sister was just helping to do whatever she wanted to do and the other sister pretty much was really quiet reserved but she also played a part 2 thermometer too as well I think the owner's sister was much more taken back by the glamour because she worked for Christian Dior As a runner for clothes They would put their lives online to help the French resistance in Paris against the nazi Germany Then you go back-and-forth in time and goes to 1947 and you'll see where they are then and then they'll go back time to 1944 I You can see where is story text place life Paris They all find true love in the All

Set during the last months of the German occupation of France , 1944 and during post war France, 1947 this story tells the remarkable bravery of two sisters who work with Catherine Dior and the resistance.
Gabby and Yvette Foucher live in an apartment block where they are the concierge for the tenants; one of whom is the Dior family, Designer Monsieur Dior and his sister Catherine.
The Sisters of the Resistance is a riveting story of intrigue and suspense as the two sisters assist Catherine Dior in her resistance activities.
Fashion, spies, danger, love and heroism provide a backdrop that celebrates the role women played in WWII.
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow and Custom House for the advanced reader copy.