This dual time line historical fiction offers all the grace and dazzle of Paris and Dior. A story of secrets and family and unraveling the past. The characters are well written and relatable. The descriptions of Paris and the food will have the reader feeling like they are there

It's 2017 and Lucille's grandmother, Sylvie, lives a modest existence in London. Sylvie charges Lucille with the task of going to Paris to collect (from a friend's daughter) a dress she says she owned. And, it's not just any dress, it's a Dior gown. Lucille is mystified as to how her grandmother owned such an expensive gown and why she knows nothing of her grandmother's past.

In 1952 Alice/Sylvie was the wife of the British ambassador to France. As such, she was expected to dress the part and entertain. When Lucille gets to Veronique's house, she finds not one, but eight Dior dresses. Each dress is named and labeled with the occasion the dress was worn. The novel is told in two timelines--that of Alice/Sylvie in the 1950s and in Lucille's present in the 21st century.

This was a fascinating read, including a mystery, some history and a little romance along the way. The post-war years are a somewhat neglected period in history in the world of historical fiction and so it was appealing to read a work set in that time period. Descriptions of the dresses were so detailed it was easy to envision them and to hear the story behind each gown.

This work will appeal to many--those who enjoy history, mystery, fashion, and romance!

This is historical fiction and really has a way of putting you in that time. Period I found myself absorbed in the story and really felt like I was in Paris of that time. I love the journey of the main character and it’s a fascinating book to.

I am absolute sucker for historical fiction and especially historical fiction that involves dresses. I just feel like a certain dress can tell a story and this certainly did. I really enjoyed this story.
Thank you #berkleypub and #NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review

Lucille's grandmother sends her on a whirlwind trip to Paris with little more than scavenger hunt clues to find several lovely Dior dresses. Lucille meets the daughter of her grandmother's best friend with whom, prior to her death, had exchanged many cryptic letters. While in Paris, deciphering the clues, Lucille starts questioning her own choices and the need to choose a path of happiness for herself outside of expectations of others.

This book wasn't for me. I felt the premise was off - I kept reading the story and wondering why the grandmother couldn't have just told Lucille her story. This was eventually addressed at the end of the book, but it was the grandmother wanting to send Lucille on a journey of self-discovery and would have a better understanding of what happened to her grandmother based on some beautiful gowns. There is no conceivable way, in my mind, that the clue cards and the actual information Lucille could have gotten about the dresses would ever tell the real story, but somehow Lucille and her new friends discovered the entirety of the dual storyline set in the past from the cryptic sentences on small cards that described the dress and when it was worn. I also struggled though the book because the male characters were so off-putting. I think they all acted like jerks, but were more or less venerated as deep souled men with lots of angst and unresolved issues from their past. As I read their actions and conversation, I saw them as condescending, short-tempered, self-centered and weak. Yet the main characters still fell in love with them.

I enjoyed during image searches of Dior's beautiful gowns to get a sense of what they really looked like, but other than that, I probably should have abandoned this book and moved on. Simply not a standout in the many books currently on the market about dressmakers and Paris during WWII.

Thank you @netgalley , @berkleypub and @berittatalksbooks for an e-arc of this brilliant historical fiction!

I really, really enjoyed this one! The dual timeline format was greatly done. I savoured the way Lucille uncovered the secrets of the past by travelling across Paris and finding the 8 dresses in modern time.

But, I was more engrossed in Alice and the tensions she faced being the lonely wife of a British ambassador. Her story was so raw and filled with many of the complexities that we face in real life. I was happy that her story ended the way it did.

I’m not much of a designer person, but the backdrop of Dior and the haute couture dresses was a brilliant touch from the author. I enjoyed being introduced to the world where the designers that we know today were making their wave.

I did guess a few of the twists in this book, but that didn’t stop me from feeling the effects of them.

This was a greatly written historical fiction that I recommend to all.

"The Last Dress from Paris" by Jade Beer is a captivating novel that tells the story of a young woman named Lucille who inherits a vintage couture dress from her grandmother.

Lucille becomes obsessed with unraveling the dress's history and uncovers a web of secrets and lies that connect her family to the dress and the designer's tragic past.

The novel is a beautifully crafted blend of mystery, romance, and historical fiction, and is sure to enchant readers with its vivid descriptions of Parisian fashion and culture.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2023 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2023/01/2023-reading-list-announced-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

I loved the descriptions of the high society parties and, of course, the Dior dresses. They sounded incredible, and I really wish I could have held and seen the dresses myself.

There were parts of the story that were absolutely dreamy, but I feel like the present-day story and the past were competing for my attention. I wasn't sure where my loyalties should be, and I felt like at times that Lucille's story was a little light on weight. The love stories felt rushed toward the end as well as the twist that revealed how everything came together. I wished at times that I could focus just on Alice's story and how all of that came about. I also found it a little hard to buy into Albert's cold-heartedness. The explanation that came late in the book just didn't feel satisfactory enough.

I did thoroughly enjoy the historical parts, though, and I'm glad I read the book for those.

The Last Dress from Paris - Jade Beer
The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer takes place in both 1952 and 2017. Granny Sylvie asks her granddaughter, Lucille, to find a certain special Dior dress in Paris. But this turns into a search of eight different dresses for Lucille. I'm not really into high couture fashion or Paris at all so this book didn't really appeal to me in those aspects.

London, 2017. When Lucille’s beloved Granny Sylvie asks her to go to Paris to retrieve a priceless Dior dress, Lucille is happy to oblige. What she finds in a small apartment sends her on a wild goose hunt through the City of Light that changes her life forever.

Paris, 1952. Postwar Paris is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all as the wife of the British ambassador to France. He showers her with expensive gifts, but not his affection. Alice yearns to follow her heart and becomes caught up in a love affair for the ages.

The Last Dress from Paris is told in parallel narratives in alternative timelines. When I read books constructed in this way, I often dislike the more contemporary narrative. Not this time. I enjoyed 2017 and 1952 in equal measure.

I am no fashionista, but I found this book about haute couture intriguing. The relationship between grandmother and granddaughter is charming—completely unlike what I experienced with my own and one I pray for with my own granddaughters. Both primary characters are deeply written and likeable; Granny’s emotional strength is especially astonishing. I also appreciated the mystery components of the book, and in the case, I even liked the romance!

On the downside, though, I’ve read too many books about granddaughters who find out about their grandmothers’ secret lives. It’s getting tiresome. Come on publishers, let’s be more innovative! The Last Dress from Paris is perfect for fans of The Gown (Jennifer Robison) and The Good Left Undone (Adriana Trigiani). 4 stars.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the is the story of Lucille in 2017 and Alice in 1952. Lucille is asked by her grandmother Sylvie to go to Paris and retrieve a dress that has been with a friend who recently passed away. Alice is the wife of the British ambassador to France, where she is expected to see and be seen. The story alternates between past and present, telling the story of these two women, and unraveling the mystery that will bring their stories together.

I enjoyed this book, with its descriptions of post-war Paris fashion, expectations, familial relationships, and the fear of putting yourself out there. While I was pretty much able to guess the solutions to the mysteries much earlier than they were revealed, that didn't lessen the enjoyment of the reveal.

Quick & Dirty
-dual timeline, dual POV
-historical fiction
-haute couture focused
-intergenerational storyline

Synopsis
Lucille's life is less than glamorous. She's in a dead-end job, a loveless relationship, and can't seem to find her mojo. But when her grandmother, Sylvie, asks her to travel to Paris for the weekend to retrieve a few of her old dresses. Little does Lucille know, those dresses are not just ordinary dresses. Her grandmother somehow owns a series of haute couture Dior dresses, each hand-made and some one-of-a-kind. Sown inside are two initials, A & A, and each comes with a card with a date and location of when they were worn, as well as a cryptic line that suggests a love story unfolded for the wearer. Who's dresses are these? And why does her beloved Granny own them? Lucille's mission is to find out more about the dresses and A & A, but in the end, she discovers way more than she bargained for.

Musings
To be honest, this book took me FOREVER to read. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed it and highly recommend it if you enjoy reading stories about fashion, Paris, and inter-generational legacies. But for some reason, it took me forever to get into the story. The characters and plot are compelling, but the first half of the book is a bit slow. Midway through the story, the pace picks up as the mystery begins to unfold. And while the ending was predictable, it was still satisfying. What I loved most about this book was the unexpected love story, the relationship that, in the end, lasted the longest and made the greatest impact on Sylvie's life. I also appreciate the author's inclusion of intergenerational trauma. The mother/daughter relationships in this book are at the heart of the story. If you enjoy Fiona Davis or Lori Nelson Spielman books, then you'll love this book!

THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS
By Jade Beer

Paris
Glamour
Secrets

I just love a great historical fiction mystery that involves the glamour of Paris and Dior dresses.
In this dual timeline of 2017 London and 1952 Paris, Jade Beer weaves a tale full of suspense and secrets about family and the unraveling of the secrets from the past to reveal the truth.
This novel truly immersed me in both of the timelines of characters I was happy to spend time with. Thoroughly enjoyable and my type of read as a lover of historical fiction novels, with a bit of mystery and suspense.

This historical fiction was also a mystery, which really swept me away. I found myself completely hooked and dying to know how it was going to unfold.

Lucille and her grandmother are extremely close, so when Sylvie asks her granddaughter to go to Paris to receive a priceless Dior dress, she agrees. But when Lucille arrives, she realizes that Sylvie hasn't told her the full story...not even close.

While Lucille tries to unravel the mysteries of the past, the reader gets a glimpse back in time to see what really happened. I loved the dual timelines and thought the pacing, and parsing out of puzzle pieces was perfectly timed. In the end, does Lucille really know her grandmother as well as she thought she did, or is there a whole secret life she knows nothing about?

I thought the characters were so well written, and I felt fully transported back to another time and place through the story.

I definitely recommend this one if you're looking for a moody, historical mystery.

I have been reading a lot of WWII in Paris books, so this one set in the 50s was a nice change. I really loved the Dior references and the dual POV. A must read for the WWII in Paris fans.
4.5 Stars

This dual timeline story was such a fun read. At her grandmother’s request, Lucille has been sent to Paris to retrieve a Dior dress. But what should have been an easy task becomes a scavenger hunt when the dress is question is missing. #partner @berkleypub

Lucille begins tracking down the dress and uncovering the history of Alice Ainsley, wife of the British Ambassador to France in the early 50s. Lucille’s hunt for the dress soon turns into her seeking Alice’s connection to her beloved grandmother.

I loved the way the timelines unfolded and secrets were unveiled. It was lovely to understand womanhood in the 1950s from the lens of Lucille, who uses the lessons of the past to resurrect her own floundering life.

Just the description of the book was enough to peak my curiosity- and it didn’t disappoint. This is one I will be recommending to customers who enjoy a well written literary fiction. Look forward to more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book for review! I did enjoy the story overall - while certain parts were cliché, the hunt for the dresses and story behind the cards gave it a fresh spin. I did guess the overall twist in the story, so that was a bit of a disappointment. The writing was fine, though I found the main love story a bit unrealistic in its intensity/lead-up. Overall a solid effort by the author!

A wonderful, well-written tale of a trip to Paris to collect a dress, not any ordinary dress, but a Christian Dior one. Lucille is sent on this mission by her grandmother, Sylvie. An adventure of the search resolves mysteries decades old. Thoroughly enjoyable story by Jade Beer.