I always enjoy a good book about sisters and this fits the bill. Gabrielle and Lulu just lost their mother, Bette, and although she wasn’t the warmest person, she led an interesting life in Manhattan. Bette leaves her collection of vintage Chanel to be divided by the sisters, but only if they come up with a plan approved by Bette’s attorney. After not communicating for over two years, the sisters have to find a way to collect their legacy. I liked the main characters, and loved the group of Bette’s friends and their willingness to help. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a quick, enjoyable read that was difficult to put down once started.

I love 'family reunion' type stories even when there is grief, trauma and misunderstandings thrown in.

I loved how it was not just Gabi and Lulu who banded together to bring their idea to life, encompassing other family members and close friends too. Bringing their mother's legacy to life.

I'm pretty sure that the recently departed Bette would have been bursting with pride at how her family, of blood and not, succeeded in building something which was the talk of the town!

Gabrielle and Lulu, estranged sisters, find themselves thrown together upon their mother's death. Anticipating an inheritance, they find instead a huge trove of vintage fashion, mostly Chanel designs. Exploring the collection, they find not only messages tucked in the clothing, but also become aware of their mother's friends and the support they can offer.

This is the story about two estranged sisters that are being pushed back together from the grave by their deceased Mother. They are both in need of money and are hoping that their inheritance with help solve their problems. They are very disappointed when all their Mother left them is a closet full of clothes. As the story progresses, they realize there is more to the clothes with little messages that their Mother left them. As they begin to mend their relationship other great things happen with the final gift that their Mother left them. A great feel good book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in return for my honest review.

This book surprised me in a very good way, I was expecting an easy, not deep content and fast read, well it was fast because from the first moment I started reading I could't put it down.
This book has a lot of depth, and deals with several complex themes, like mother-daughter relationship, sister-sister relationship, friendship, grief (death and divorce), bankruptcy, starting over, to name a few.
The writing is really good, the character development is excellent and the story is believable and relatable and stirs a lot of emotions in the reader.
I truly enjoyed reading it.

In The Fashion Orphans, Gabrielle and Lulu, sisters who have been estranged for the last several years, must come together for the reading of their mother Bette's will. They discover that their mother has not left them with the money they had hoped, but instead left them a "collection" that they must agree on how to handle. Neither one of them is aware of what this collection might be until they visit Bette's apartment and discover she had an entire room full of vintage Coco Chanel clothing, jewelry, shoes and handbags. This leads both sisters on a path to self-discovery and learning more about their distant mother.

I had a difficult time connecting with the characters in this book, and felt like the sisters tended to switch quickly back and forth from arguing to making up and then back to arguing. It was also a little difficult for me to keep track of all the characters from both families and then Bette's friends. The story seemed somewhat predictable at times, which is ok, but I just couldn't really get invested in the characters. I'm sure many readers will enjoy this book, but it wasn't the right book for me at the right time.

I received this book courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A beautifully written story about two sisters who couldn’t be more different, working together to honor their Mother’s legacy. No strangers to loss, through grieving the loss of their mom, they learn how to live their lives fully, develop an understanding of their mom they hadn’t had when she was with them, and learned to forgive one another. The bonds of sisterhood know no bounds and this book showcases that bond. A wonderful read. I am looking forward to more from the author.

I love sister stories, so I knew I had to read this one. Gabi and Lulu couldn’t be more different but through the death of their mother and finding her Chanel collection, they find they have more in common. Through their mom’s friends they see a side that she never exposed them to and find a shared admiration for her.

When 2 estranged sisters inherit their mom's collection of high end clothing, and have nothing in common. except for their sizable debts, and their mother, who was controlling and has recently passed. When they show up for the reading of her will, they expect to receive a giant amount of money to pay off their debts and never see each other again. When that doesn't happen, they don't know what will happen as they work their way through their mother's clothes and treasures, but they find expected treasures & advice from the beyond.

This was a surprise to me. I expected fluff, but it was so much more. A great exploration of the mother-daughter relationship, and the relationships between friends. A wonderful book.

Gosh where do i start from with this gorgeous book. I didn't know what to expect reading this but i fell in love with the characters, the writing and overall the whole book
I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for their next read or fashion lovers
This is your next million star read
Fair warning : keep a tissue box closeby

"Two estranged sisters find that forgiveness never goes out of style when they inherit their mother's vintage jackets, purses... and pearls of wisdom."
"The two sisters arrive for the reading of their mother's will, expecting to divide a sizable inheritance, pay off their debts, and then again turn their backs on each other."
"But to their shock, what they have been left is their mother's secret walk-in closet jammed with high-end current and vintage designer clothes and accessories— most from Chanel.."
As the sisters deal with the death of their Mom and the unexpected inheritance of not money or property but their mother's extensive fashion collection they are again frustrated by their Mother's actions.
In the process though they are moved by the kindness of their Mother's friends and messages left behind; that gradually they come to realize that maybe they do need each other.

The Fashion Orphans is the story of two estranged sisters who must confront their issues when their mother dies leaving them with a unique inheritance. I enjoyed reading about all the fashion and quotes from Coco Chanel and how the sister would deal with the collection and the tension within their relationship. I did want to keep reading to find out what happened, but felt the ending was a little predictable. Overall, an enjoyable read. Thank you netgalley for this copy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own.

The Fashion Orphans ended up being much better than I was expecting. Almost estranged sisters are left to deal with a collection from their mother who just passed away. The collection is a surprise to them and they continue to find surprises along the way. It is a story about family that you have and found family as well. I really enjoyed reading it.

It was an unique look at grief, and the feelings brought on when you have to go through your family member’s life and items after they pass.

As they go through their mother’s closet, they discover hand written quotes that speak to the grieving sisters…a last bit of motherly advice from beyond. The whole process mends their relationship, their hearts, and brings them a community they never knew they needed - surrounded by those that loved their mother most.

Total Hallmark movie vibes!

📌 Pub Date: February 1, 2022

I was given an ARC of this story to read; but thoughts an opinions are all my own. Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the chance to read this book!

The Fashion Orphans is a very interesting tale exquisitely plotted by authors Randy Susan Meyers and M. J. Rose. Half sisters Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro are embroiled in both the grieving process and estate issues for their late mother, Bette Bradford. When they attend the reading of the will expecting to inherit sufficient amounts to take care of their debts, they are extremely surprised when the only thing left to the sisters is the contents of their mother’s closet.

Bette had been a Coco Chanel aficionado forever. While the clothing is high quality, it’s still second hand and they neither expect much value. When they meet with the attorney at their mother’s apartment they are surprised to find an altered closet, larger than the bedroom, filled with Chanel clothing and accessories.

As the sisters work through their mother’s collection they not only meet her circle of friends who call themselves the Style Endures Society (SES) but also work through their differences which began a few years back when Lulu’s husband passed away and Gabrielle’s husband left her.

The SES ladies share much with Lulu and Gabi that they didn’t know about their mother, including how much she cared about her girls. Their interactions lead the ladies to a way in which they will be able to benefit from their legacy as they try to mend their relationship.

This is such a good story it was nearly impossible to do a brief summary, leaving so many nuances there for readers to discover. With interesting and mostly endearing characters and a view into the world of high fashion and those that follow it, this book is a hidden gem. I did enjoy this book and I do recommend it!

What is there not to love about a book where two sisters inherit their mother’s closet full of designer goods? Half sisters Lulu and Gabrielle must decide what to do with their mother’s secret collection of Chanel clothing, and along the way they learn more about their mother through notes left in the things she leaves behind. It was a quick, interesting read. I learned a lot about Coco Chanel, and enjoyed seeing the way in which the estranged sisters revived their relationship through their inheritance. Thank you to NetGalley, Blue Box Press and the authors for an advance copy of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my review!

The Fashion Orphans: two estranged sisters brought back together to deal with their unique inheritance after the death of their mother: a prodigious collection of Chanel clothing, accessories, handbags, you name it. Throughout the story, they bond and learn again how to be sisters, while dealing with their own personal trials and reconciling with their individual relationship with their mother and what she left behind.

I believe this book is great for anyone who enjoys fashion and its art and its role in society, its a great love letter to fashion, and a heartwarming look at the relationships between women, sisters, mothers and families.

There are times when the writing feels disjointed and a little awkward, not always feeling like I'm really getting inside the heads of a widow or a divorcee with their immature language and sometimes victimizing attitudes (at least in the beginning), and some scenes are very heavy-handed in a Hallmark movie kind of way.

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!

I definitely recommend picking this one up in February if you see it!

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

Covers and plot descriptions drive my curiosity towards a book just as much as the author does. Having read many of M. J. Rose's individual and collaborative works I was intrigued to see what this latest artistic pairing would bring. I was not disappointed. Let's talk cover art for a moment. This cover is light and airy, hints at the wonders to be found in the closet, and identifies the differences in the girls. The title really pops with the wonderful red cursive script. It also hints at the inspiring messages the girls find in their mother's treasured closet.
Even though the book tackles some tough topics, it does so with warmth and lightheartedness. Love, divorce, growing up, parenting, death, financial struggles are all a reality. This story isn't one written to weigh the reader down. It is a story that identifies those challenges we all face and shows that there are various ways by which to move forward in our lives. The reader doesn't need to be a lover of couture fashion or Chanel to appreciate the wonders of Bette's closet. Rose and Meyers utilize what that closet represents to bring us a wonderful story of coming to terms with hidden truths and unravelling the depths of love that family has for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this title.