I would like to thank Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Gabrielle and Lulu are half sisters. They were close as children, but are semi estranged today at 55 at 48 respectively. Their mother, Bette, has just died and they meet at the lawyers for the reading of the will. They also had a complicated relationship with their mother, and their upbringing was less than idyllic. The will confuses them, instead of money it refers to a collection , that they , with the lawyers approval, must decide on how to distribute. The collection is a closet of designer clothing, not just any designer, but Chanel. Their mother had long admired Coco Chanel, and the clothing, but this closet it full of clothes, shoes, purses and jewelry. Both Gabrielle and Lulu need money- Gabrielle has been thru a bitter divorce and Lulu is a widow. As they struggle to make sense of the "collection", they begin to find Chanel quotations in purses that seem to speak to them in a time of need. The book then follows the sisters as they come to grips with their mothers legacy, both literally and figuratively.
There are a lot of characters who come in and out, friends of their mothers, family members. At times, it was confusing , and some characters appear, then disappear, never to be seen again.
I thought I would like this a lot more than I did. There were times I wanted to shake the 2 sisters and say- O grow up! It was a bit confusing towards the end, especially in terms of how it wrapped things up. The quotes were never really resolved, at least in a meaningful way.So 3 stars for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this digital ARC in exchange for my review.

I enjoyed this book. It started off a bit slow for me, but by the end, I couldn't put it down!

Bette never won Mother of the Year awards, so when she passed away, her daughters, Gabrielle and Lulu (who weren't on good terms) tolerated each other through the funeral and on to the reading of the will. At the reading, they were confronted with the fact that they were going to have to work together to fulfill their mother's wishes.....to do something with her collection.

They didn't know their mother had a collection, and working together seemed out of the question. After arriving at their mother's apartment, they both realize they had never been beyond her Kitchen/ Family Room. When they went to go to her bedroom, they realized she had moved walls. Her bedroom was extremely small, but her closet was enormous......filled with vintage Chanel!

The rest of the story is filled with the ups and downs of processing Bette's collection, forming relationships with her circle of friends, and coming to terms with their own relationship.

I laughed out loud, I cried, and I cheered for these ladies!

The Fashion Orphans is a story about family, legacy and hope I think. It’s a nice easy read. Interesting subject matter, and I enjoyed the fashion aspects very much. While I didn’t love this book, it still kept my interest enough to keep reading. If you’re interested in family dynamics, fashion and contemporary life, then this one is for you!

A story about about sisters bonding over their late mother’s Chanel collection and finding new purpose in their lives. A pretty simple story not very interesting and a little too cute for my tastes.

An quaint story of family drama, loss and personal growth. Family is everything but sometimes we forget that and let life get in the way but sometimes something happens to remind us that we need to refocus

Gabrielle and Lulu go to the reading of their mother's will and come away with a very unexpected inheritance: very little in the way of cash, but a treasure trove of vintage and current designer fashion and accessories. They soon realize that their mother, always manipulating them in life, is now manipulating them from the grave. A terrific family story.

If you love all things designers, you’ll love this one! The sister’s relationship is relatable and all the men in the book sound cute. The plot is developed well, although sometimes a little too slow. The amount of designers tabled about in this book is unreal! The authors clearly know a ton about Coco Chanel!

Two sisters inherit their mothers designer closet and have to decide what to do with it. While figuring it all out, life brings some big decisions they have to make!

Thank you to the authors, published and netgalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Gabrielle and Lulu are half-sisters who never really got along. At 55, Gabrielle found herself ostracized in the theatre community when her husband dumped her for a much younger, nastier woman. Lulu at 48 is mourning the loss of her husband while working in his family's bakery, a job she feels obligated to keep. When their mother dies, Gabrielle and Lulu stop fighting long enough to hear the reading of her very odd will. Both women were expecting a sizeable inheritance that would solve all their problems. Instead they were bequeathed their mother's enormous closet chock full of barely worn couture, mostly by Coco Chanel, their mother's idol. They can't wear any of it, but have to decide what to do with the extensive and very valuable collection. As they are forced together to find a workable solution to this perplexing problem, Gabrielle and Lulu learn more about their mother and each other then they imagined possible. As they uncover more of the mystery surrounding the closet, they meet their mother's friends and gain an extended family of sorts who provide the sisters the love and support they found lacking in their mother. The Fashion Orphans is a well-crafted novel of rediscovery, family and sisterhood. It would make an excellent book club selection - there are many topics for discussion. I enjoyed reading this very much and I appreciate the chance to read an ARC via Net Galley.

From losing almost everything to find each other again, these sisters uncover a treasure trove of vintage couture and a healthy respect for lives lived.

I am a fan of both Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose so when I had a chance to read their co-authored novel, “The Fashion Orphans,” I was overjoyed.

The novel’s focus is on estranged half sisters, Gabriella (Gabby) and Lulu. The sisters have just lost their mother, Bette. Because both had had their share of financial hardships—Gabby, a humiliating divorce that has led to a job loss and Lulu, the loss of her spouse They anticipate that their inheritance from their mother (whom they had a tumultuous relationship with) will relieve their financial situation. Of course, if that were true, there wouldn’t be a novel. Instead of landing on Easy Street, the women discover that instead of money, they are inheriting their mother’s collection of vintage Chanel clothing (accompanied by mysterious notes). While Lulu is anxious to sell the clothing for cash, Gabby, with a fashion background, feels that they need to do more than simply sell the clothing. In the process, they learn more about their mother as well as themselves.

The authors bring a fresh perspective to this slightly clichéd plot. I appreciated the tale of how the sisters manage to find a common connection, despite being raised apart and having such diverse backgrounds. The authors do a good job in capturing the angst of dynamics of Lulu and Gabby’s relationship, which I enjoyed much more than the riddle of the notes. I appreciate a novel about sisterhood; only a person with sisters can comprehend how fragile but necessary sisters’ relationships can be, which “The Fashion Orphans” does an excellent job of demonstrating. The heart of this novel offered a fresh perspective—women working together versus waiting to be rescued by Prince Charming. Though this novel does briefly touch upon romance, that is not this story’s focus.

Three and a half stars.

Thanks to the authors, NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel.

Introspective read centered around two sisters who had a strained relationship following the loss of their marriages, and then their mother. The sisters are brought together to follow their deceased mother's requirement to work together to decide what to do with her fashion collection.

The results of the sisters journey is a fashion collection that becomes more than about money value. Instead it helps to establish new relationships, purpose, and mutual understanding across many generations. A great read to share with others.

Bravo! I just finished this and it was exactly what i needed to read. It has all the elements i like in a women’s fiction. Good characters, Gabrielle, the older sister and Lulu the younger. One recently divorced and one recently widowed. They were sort of estranged and their mother was difficult. Their mom died and they thought they would be inheriting money, but they find out she left them “a collection”. There are friends and foes, The story is unlike any other and i would give it five stars, but it was a little predictable, but that was ok. I highly recommend it. Thank you for the advanced copy, i am honored. @blueboxpress #TheFashionOrphans #RandySusanMeyers #MJRose

This was a heartwarming and enjoyable read about female relationships. A mother leaves her enormous collection of Chanel clothing and handbags to her two daughters, and in the process of sorting through it and figuring out what to do with it, the two come together in unexpected ways. This plot explores the relationship between the two sisters, the mother/daughter relationship, and friendships between women. It was fun and interesting to see them grow and change. The book wrapped up neatly, but also with the understanding that relationships aren't perfect - there are many highs and lows along the way. While this centered around fashion, a strong knowledge of fashion isn't necessary - it's more the impetus for much of the action. I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a break from "heavier" books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

Thank you to Blue Box Press and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book. The opinions expressed are my own.

I liked the title of this book-it fit so well with the story! When their mother dies, half-sisters Gabrielle and Lulu discover their mother has left them a room full of vintage clothes, shoes, jewelry, etc. What a surprise! This is the story of how the sisters learn more about their mother through her friends, as well as make new friends themselves. I liked this book, especially all the descriptions of the vintage clothes and accessories. It's a quick read, but it will grab you right from the beginning!

This started really strong for me and I was drawn into the story of two sisters who's mother left them a cryptic collection. I felt myself losing steam at about the 50% mark and then felt like the story started to drag and go on for longer than necessary. I love fashion, and old new york stories but am only medium of Coco Chanel. I think those who are into fashion and obsessed with Chanel may enjoy this more than I did.

Both of these authors are on my must-read list, but this is the first time I have read a book they wrote together. I had high hopes and they did even better than I hoped. I loved the characters; the SES group was amazing, and I loved seeing them rally around the sisters. The secrets they discovered about their mom kept me guessing at what they would find out next and I liked that the secrets all endeared her more to her daughters.

I know next to nothing about fashion, I just wear what I like, so all the talk about the name brands was semi lost to me. I had no idea on cost of the high ends or how amazing the finds were, but I enjoyed seeing how excited everyone else was. I felt at times it got receptive talking about the collection but it was important to the story so I just read through it. The way that their mother helps they figure out what to do with her collection was interesting. I love the idea of leaving messages for your children when you pass away and the fact that the messages left were all positive and helpful.

The Fashion Orphans was a unique story with siblings estranged and then coming back together at the death of their mother. It sounds familiar but the twists that M.J. Rose and Randy Susan Meyers wrote into the story kept it fresh and fun to read.

Estranged half-sisters Gabrielle and Lulu are forced to come together by the terms of their mother's will. Unfortunately, Bette was distant and difficult. So when the women discover she's left them a vast collection of vintage Chanel - rather than badly-needed cash - they are not at all pleased. But as they're forced to work together to decide how to handle the clothing, they uncover a new side to their mother. Through a series of Chanel-oriented notes, she becomes an unexpected guiding muse, offering opportunity for understanding, hope, and healing.

As a vintage clothing enthusiast and collector, I was very intrigued by the story premise. Randy Susan Meyers and M.J. Rose didn't skimp on the fashion narrative, describing a multitude of pieces in detail. Readers who are interested in clothing and style would especially enjoy the narrative.

The authors also captured the internal turmoil and emotions of the sisters as they struggled to rebuild their lives. In addition to caring about the characters, the plot drew me along with wondering how they would decide to dispose of this initially unwanted / expensive bounty. Plus, a ribbon of romance and lots of interesting female friendships pop up along the way.

Thank you NetGalley for this early reading opportunity! This is a must read for anyone who loves fashion, loves the mystery and aura that is Coco Chanel and for anyone with a sister and that bond you have with each other, despite your differences, and your Mother.

Predicting it now...this will be everyone's book club pick for February through June of 2022 once the buzz about it is out!

Interesting read with many layers. Bette leaves behind a “collection” for her daughters that involve a “message” with each item in the collection. Love how the collection unites the sisters and Bette’s friends on the journey for a new life for them all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It tells the story of estranged adult sisters who discover how to rekindle their relationship while figuring out the mystery of their deceased mother’s estate. The narrative alternates between each sister’s POV and allows the reader opportunity to understand each one and gain insights into her perspective growing up, and her current family. The cast of supporting characters was also nicely developed and I loved hearing about Bette’s friends and how each one also had something to contribute to unraveling the mystery closet she left when she passed away.

The relationship between the sisters resonated with me, probably because I have a sister. It didn’t surprise me that two people could grow up together and yet have such radically different perspectives on their upbringing and experiences. I’m the same with with my own sister. If you’re looking for a fun, fashion forward read that includes some fun family mystery I highly recommend this book. It proves how much you really don’t know other people’s hearts no matter how close you are or thought you were.

Thank you to Net Galley and Blue Box Press for allowing me to read this ARC!