The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer kept turning pages way past my bedtime because I absolutely needed to know how it was all going to end. This is a dual timeline story one is Paris 1952 with all it’s postwar glory, couture and glamour, the other is 2017. Sylvie asks her granddaughter to go to Paris to retrieve a Dior dress. The granddaughter, Lucille, does as her grandmother requests, although this quest turns into much more than Lucille bargained for. She ends up with more questions and continues to dig for answers.

This is the first Jade Beer book I have read. I did keep turning pages because I wanted to know what happened but as much as I want to give this 5 stars, I am going to have to give it a 4. Read and see if you can find out why.

Thank you #netgalley and #berkleypublishinggroup for allowing me to read the eARC of this book. All opinions expressed above are my own.

Thank you #NetGalley @BerkleyPub #BerkleyWritesStrongWomen #BerkleyBuddyReads for a complimentary e-Arc of #TheLastDressFromParis upon my request. All opinions are my own.

Do you own a dress that could tell a story?

In dual timelines (2017 and 1952), The Last Dress From Paris is a page-turning story of family secrets, romance, and couture. In the present-day timeline, Lucille’s grandmother asks her to go to Paris and retrieve a priceless Dior dress for her. Upon Lucille’s arrival in Paris, she realizes that there’s more than one dress and a mystery involving her grandmother’s past to solve.

In historical fiction, a grandmother’s secret uncovered by a granddaughter is a commonly used trope. This allows the author to provide us with a side of mystery and intrigue as well as a multigenerational relationship.

One of the reasons I liked this story is its structure. In alternating chapters, the past unfolds as present-day discoveries are made. I also appreciate that the story uses the eight dresses as an informal organizational structure. Each dress represents an important development in the story as it unfolds and we gain a more complete picture.

I love a story with likable characters you can root for, and there are reasons to admire the woman in each timeline. Alice (1952) is a risktaker which causes her to make difficult decisions. Lucille (2017) is determined to solve the mystery of her grandmother’s past. Throughout the story, we’re never quite sure which character the grandmother is until all is revealed and made clear in the end.

If you love the world of couture, design, and, fashion, you will have extra reasons to appreciate this story. The couture Dior dresses are easily googled!

Thoughtful themes include family secrets, difficult decisions, risk-taking, found family, reconciliation, forgiveness, sacrificial love, and daughter/mother/grandmother relationships.

I think fans of historical women’s fiction and couture (Dior) with a side of page-turning mystery and romance (closed door) will appreciate The Last Dress From Paris.

In 1952 Paris, Alice, wife of the British ambassador to France, lives a life of luxury, but she longs for more than fancy banquets, jewels, and couture Dior dresses.

In 2017, Lucille travels from London to Paris in search of a priceless Dior dress for her grandmother. When she sets out to find the missing dress, she never expects to discover hidden secrets along the way.

I’m a fan of the dual timeline format for historical fiction novels, but I was surprised that I enjoyed the present day timeline more than the past. It was so much fun to follow Lucille on her search for the dresses! I felt like I was on a treasure hunt in Paris! The detailed descriptions of the exquisite dresses made them easy to visualize, and the cards containing notes about each dress, such as where it was worn, were fascinating. It was also wonderful to see Lucille become more confident throughout her journey, and I loved how both timelines came together in the end. I really enjoyed this beautiful book about fashion, friendship, family, mystery, secrets, and romance!

WWII era in Paris is an amazing town. The Last Dress from Paris is post WWII and also set in the current time. Sylvie sends her granddaughter, Lucille, to Paris to find the dresses that tell her story. The dresses all come with a notecard that tells of the history of the dress, where the dresses were worn, and what was said when the dresses were worn. I love, love, love learning of the history of post WWII. The way of life of the diplomats, what was expected of their wives, and how the world perceived them is so different from today’s world.

Jade Beer must have done so much research not only of post war Paris but also of the couture of the time, specifically Dior. The descriptions of the dresses brought them to life, I could picture each one as they were talked about in the book. I cannot imagine a world where you kept a list of where you read each dress, who was there, and what was said just so you do not wear them again with the same people.

I love reading about Lucille following the clues to figure out her grandmother’s history, which surrounded so much of the dresses. The relationships she formed while traveling around Paris were phenomenal. The places she went were iconic, places I dream of visiting.

If you love the 50’s, Paris, WWII, fashion, and historical fiction this is the perfect book for you.

Historical fiction is my favorite genre. I love all the details of other eras, particularly of the clothes. That's why I was so keen to read The Last Dress From Paris, by Jade Beer. The story follows the wife of a British ambassador in Paris in the early 1950's. I loved all the descriptions of that world, with the details of how each diplomatic event was planned, and the high fashion that needed to accompany it. The story of the crumbling marriage of the ambassador and his wife, and the young man who gets in the middle of it was not very compelling. Considering the young wife's life leading to that point it didn't make a lot of sense for her to risk everything. With an ending that was surprisingly realistic, and not romantic in the least, I was not satisfied with the book. This would make for a solid library read, but I wouldn't recommend buying it.

What I Liked:

Setting/Details:

I'll never know what it's like to live in high society, or be a young bride in the 1950's, but the author's depiction of these things puts me in the center of it. Living in Paris as the wife of an ambassador was full of social obligations to plan beautiful parties and receptions, and dress in the latest fashion. I was particularly struck by how Alice had to weigh all her choices, right down to her choice in flowers, against any political implications. She couldn't be seen as only favoring British things, or she would be insulting her French hosts. But she also needed to make sure British influences were represented, as she and her husband were an extension of England. It was a tightrope of balancing two opposing forces.

Fashion:

Alice reveled in her role as an ambassador's wife, and really loved that she had access to couture apparel by designers such as Dior. As her husband was an ambassador, no expense was spared to dress Alice in the most exquisite gowns. I loved the descriptions of the clothes, and how they were made. These works of art were made to actually be worn, so the construction of each piece had many features to aid in the comfort of the woman who wore it. We also get a glimpse behind the scene as Alice, and later Lucille, learn about the mannequins (the women who modeled the clothing). These were hard working women who not only modeled the clothes in the showroom, they also had to endure countless hours standing stock-still as the designer draped various fabrics on them to find the perfect materials for each design.

Story:

I really enjoyed the more modern story of Lucille as she tries to solve the mystery of the eight dresses that her grandmother owned. She travels to Paris, thinking that she only is there to retrieve one dress, but then finds that there are actually eight dresses, two of which are missing. How could Lucille's grandmother own any Dior dresses, let alone eight? And why can't the grandmother just tell her the story? While I felt that these were legitimate questions, I loved the scavenger hunt this put the character on. It was fun to unravel the mystery. And I loved the people she met along the way.

What I Was Mixed About:

Story:

While I enjoyed Lucille's story, I was less impressed with Alice's tale. And that's a problem, as it is the basis for Lucille looking for the dresses in the first place. I am not going to go into too much detail, as I hate spoilers. But, much of the story didn't make sense to me. Given that Alice was much younger than her husband (she was 25, while he was in his 40's), I can understand that she was restless. But she seems totally stunned that her husband is all business when he becomes ambassador. I felt that the author gave him a personality change in order to justify that Alice was unhappy. But she was certainly happy to wear Dior every chance she got! The risks Alice took to find happiness seemed reckless. I don't think a woman in such a high profile social position would have jeopardized her entire world for a budding romance.

Ending:

Again, I do not want to spoil anything. But I thought the ending was really strange. It was surprisingly realistic, given how romantic the novel wanted to be. I really wanted the ending to be a lot more hopeful. What I did enjoy was the resolution of Lucilles story, and that the mystery of the dresses was solved.

In 2017, Lucille is asked by her beloved grandmother Sylvie, to go to Paris to fetch a Dior gown for her from the past. As Lucille explores Paris and meets some lovely people she realizes this is a bigger and more important task than she originally thought. Secrets from the past start to come together and she learns so much more about her own family.

In 1952, Alice Ainsley is married to Albert, the British ambassador to France. She has everything she wants and her responsibilities are to entertain and make her husband look good. Her marriage, however, is falling apart. One night she meets a handsome man who she feels drawn to and the events to come change her life forever. She is forced to figure out what’s important to her and how she wants to live. Her friendship with her lady’s maid, Anne, was one of my favorite parts.

I love historical fiction and the setting of Paris was perfect. I enjoyed the characters and the vivid descriptions of the gowns. I also liked the dual timelines and how they came together. It was fairly obvious but I still enjoyed the story. If you like fashion, drama, love and Paris then I recommend this one! Also the cover is beautiful 😍

Thanks to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the arc for an honest review.

High Couture, Paris, and Mystery

It’s 2017, Lucile has a fraught relationship with her mother, but she’s devoted to her grandmother, Sylvie. When Sylvie asks her to go to Paris to retrieve a fabulous Dior dress from 1952, she agrees thinking it will be a simple task. The simple task turns into a mystery, and a hunt for missing dresses that could change her life.

In 1952 Alice Ainsley lives in Paris with her new husband Albert, the British Ambassador. Alice has everything, magnificent dresses, jewels, and entree to all the fabulous parties in Paris, but she feels that Albert’s affection has waned. Then a dashing man enters her life and promises complications.

If you love fashion and Paris, this is a book you’ll enjoy. In her search for the missing dresses Lucille visits Paris landmarks and views gorgeous Dior dresses from the 1950s. The author does a good job meshing the story lines from two different eras. I loved the detailed descriptions of Paris and the Dior dresses.

Lucille is a heroine you have to like. As her quest takes her through Paris, she gains self-assurance and competence in solving the mystery of the dresses. Alice is also a good character, but her story is less upbeat than Lucille’s and it was harder for me to get into. This is a good book to curl up with.

I received this book from Berkley Publishing for this review.

Dual timeline books don't always click with me, but Beer wrote both stories which such passion and detail that I was instantly hooked. I'm just over half-way through now and what I thought would be a simple story about the search for a dress has become so much more -- and not just because there is more than the one dress. It has been a heartwarming and sometimes heartbreaking adventure full of mystery and romance and self-discovery.

Full teaser review at https://wellreadpiratequeen.blogspot.com/2022/06/the-last-dress-from-paris-by-jade-beer.html

The Last Dress From Paris is a beautiful story of one women's time in Paris at the height of couture and her pursuit of love. The story is told from two points of view, present day and 1952. The reader is led through a collection of Dior dresses with special notes and the impact they have on one women's life. Slowly all the secrets long hidden are revealed in shocking detail.

Alice's story is genuine of the time - a women who wants to be seen, heard and love on her own terms. The Last Dress from Paris is a heartbreaking novel about sacrifice and forgiveness. I throughly enjoyed this read and the mystery surrounding Dior’s fashion in this young women’s life in the 50’s.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for the advance reader copy.

THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS by Jade Beer is a well-written and intriguing story that kept me engaged from beginning to end. Told in dual timelines of London in 2017, and Paris in 1952, this story of family, fashion and secrets was woven together seamlessly. In London in 2017, Lucille’s beloved Granny Sylvie asks her to go to Paris and retrieve a very special Dior gown from her past that a recently deceased friend was keeping for her. Lucille travels to Paris and meets Veronique, the daughter of her Granny’s friend and soon learns that the original gown is just the beginning of her quest. With the help of Veronique and the grandson of a local dress shop owner, Lucille will traverse the streets of Paris on a treasure hunt that will reveal long-held secrets from her Granny’s past. In Paris, 1952, Alice Ainsley is the newly married wife of the British ambassador to France. She is immediately thrust into the limelight where her couture wardrobe, jewelry and hostess skills are on display at all times. The man she thought she had married becomes distant and manipulative. The only friend she has is her newly-hired lady’s maid, Marianne. Soon, Alice finds herself swept up in an illicit romance that will change the lives of everyone in its wake. I was totally drawn in to the different storylines depicting complex family relationships, female friendships and romances. All the threads were tied together perfectly at the end. The author brought the characters, setting and both time periods to life. I highly recommend this heartwarming book. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

As children it always comes to a surprise to us as we grow older and learn that our parents and grandparents have lived a totally different life before children. It is one of those things that just hits you one day out of the blue. For Lucille her revelation is bit more direct. When Lucille is asked by her grandma to drop everything in her life and go to Paris to retrieve what she thinks is a special dress, she knows she needs to go. Yet a simple task of retrieving a dress unearths a secret that Lucille’s grandmother has been hiding for years. Will Lucille be able to figure out the secret and bring back the one true thing that her grandmother wishes to see the most?
This is a fantastic read. I love the mix of Lucille’s perspective and Alice’s the stories fit together perfectly and keep the reader invested in both what is happening in the past and the present. Readers of historical fiction are going to love the heart felt messages found in this book, and the characters themselves. This is a perfect summer read if you love historical fiction, or even better if you love books where a family’s pasts get reviled allowing for a reconcilement that allows deep personal growth. I personally cannot wait to recommend this book to patrons.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy.

I loved this book! It seamlessly goes between current times and the 1950's as a granddaughter searches for answers to why her grandmother owns couture dresses from Dior. I loved following along as she goes to all of the places in Paris that the dresses where worn to stitch together the story.

I had guessed how the book would end, but I was still tearing through the pages to see how the author wrote the ending. It was so good! All the questions get answers and the story wraps up nicely.

I highly recommend this book that blends historical fiction and current times into a novel that I didn't want to put down.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer was an enjoyable read with a bit of a mystery as grandmother’s life is unraveled.

I liked this historical fiction/romance so much. It’s told in two timelines, one is postwar Paris where the city is recovering from the German occupation during WWII. The other is in modern times.

Lucille’s Granny Sylvie lived in Paris but never returned after she left, and she doesn’t talk about her time there. She sends her granddaughter Lucille to Paris to get a dress, but until she arrived Lucille didn’t realize it would turn out to be a scavenger hunt.

She teams up with her granny’s contact, a woman named Veronique, and Leon, whom she met at his father’s shop. His father knows about the dress and the people involved, and has some ideas for them.

They follow clues all over Paris that eventually lead to a beautiful couture Dior dress collection. The dresses were purchased by Alice Ainsley, the wife of the British ambassador to France in the post-war 1950s. Why does Granny Sylvie want another woman’s dresses?

Lucille finds pictures of Sylvie at fabulous parties, and one alone with a handsome man that’s not her grandfather. What exactly was Sylvie doing in Paris, why won’t she talk about it, and why didn’t she go back?

This book is beautifully written and well plotted. I love the twist at the end! The characters are vibrant and real, and the descriptions of Paris (and the food!) made me want to go back there again. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

It’s 1952 and Alice and her new husband Albert are living in luxury in Paris. Albert is the British ambassador to France and Alice, or Madame Ainsley as she is known, is his much younger and very beautiful wife. Alice is the perfect hostess and lives a charmed life. Her closet is full of couture gowns including the finest of designs by Christian Dior. Yet her marriage has turned into more of a business arrangement than a partnership. Her only true friend is her lady’s maid Anne. When a dashing man attempts to sweep her off her feet, Alice has to decide what type of life she truly wants.

In 2017, Lucille lives in London and is devoted to her grandmother Sylvie. Her mother is more focused on her successful career than their relationship. Lucille is unhappy in her job and has never been in love. When her grandmother asks Lucille to go to Paris to pick up a very valuable Dior dress of hers from a friend, she is excited to go. Once in Paris, Lucille soon figures out that there is much more to this initially simple request. A mystery starts to unfold, and hidden secrets emerge.

I am a big fan of dual timeline fiction that is set in contemporary and historical periods. The Last Dress from Paris was a very satisfying read as both the stories set in 1952 and 2017 were equally engaging. Author Jade Beer’s story includes a treasure hunt-like search through historic sites in Paris, complex family relationships, romance, friendships and fashion. The details of some very special Dior dresses are so well done that you’ll be able to visual them.

Rated 4.25 stars.

Please someone give me the task to retrieve an item from Paris for them, and if it is a designer dress made by Dior even better! The Last Dress from Paris is a bit of a historical fiction mixed in with a bit of romance and mystery. I loved this book I found myself a bit sad and disappointed each time I had to set it aside to do adulting things. I just wanted to stay within the story with Lucille as details unfolded revealing all the intricate mysteries. The book takes a look at motherhood, desire, and what one sacrifices when difficult choices are made. Without giving too many details and spoil the fun for other readers, the book was extremely well written, and I felt the emotions I believe the author had intended. Moments where I was tense about secrets being uncovered, moments of happiness and love, and moments of heartache or even fear. The pacing of the book was spot on, and at 380 pages it left me with just wanting more. Brillant.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and honestly review an advanced digital readers copy.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer is a dual timeline novel that takes place in 2017 and 1952. A grandmother (Granny Sylvie) tasks her granddaughter (Lucille) with recovering a special dress from Paris. It sounds like an easy task, but grandmum may have left out a few details. Lucille soon finds herself on a journey in Paris that could change her life. I thought the story was well-written. Jade Beer is a descriptive writer. I enjoyed the word imagery of the couture dresses. I could imagine sitting at the Dior fashion shows seeing all the gorgeous creations. I delighted in the detailed descriptions of Paris. I thought the author beautifully blended the two timelines together. The Last Dress from Paris has a forbidden romance, couture fashions, elaborate parties, Paris landmarks, a dress hunt, friendship, a strained mother/daughter relationship, and an unexpected romance. I liked the strong female friendship between Anne and Alice. I did have a hard time getting into the story. It took me some time to become engaged. I did find Alice’s storyline to be on the sad side, but it was balance with the more upbeat atmosphere in Lucille’s storyline. I like that we get to see Lucille grow and become self-assured. I appreciated the epilogue that nicely wrapped up the story. The Last Dress from Paris is a heartfelt tale about friendships, fashion, and familial relationships.

The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beers is a rich, multi-generational story that immediately catches the reader’s interest. This takes place in two time periods and the stories weave seamlessly back and forth. These women are all so strong and brave, their stories really struck a cord with me. If you have ever wanted to visit Paris or been in awe of the culture and fashion, this book is chef’s kiss.

This was a very detail-oriented book, on so many levels. It is evident that Beer loves to describe everything in the book so that you have the same vision she has. Between the elaborate descriptions of Paris, to the minute details of each Dior dress. This story felt like a verrrrry slow build for me, and perhaps a little predictable. I'm always a sucker for dual timelines, so that was great. I also appreciated the acknowledgement of the complexity of mom/daughter relationships and how other family members can step in.

I received a gifted galley of THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS by Jade Beer for an honest review. Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, PRHAudio, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review!

Rating: 4.5 / 5

THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS follows two timelines. In 2017, Lucille is sent to Paris for by her beloved grandmother, asked to retrieve a Dior dress that her grandmother left there. Lucille doesn’t know the story behind this task, but her grandmother is her favorite person so she is willing to go. When she arrives in France, she discovers even more questions and must trace the history of the fashion that her grandmother left behind. In 1952 France we are following Alice who is the wife to the British ambassador. It is not a happy marriage in spite of the glamor the life provides.

I have been in a bit of a historical fiction slump lately, but this book immediately sucked me in which was such a pleasant surprise! I really wound up loving this! It was a fantastic mix of mystery and character development. We don’t initially know how exactly the two timelines will meet up and it kept me wondering and theorizing throughout. I really loved the characters of Lucille and Alice.

I especially enjoyed the modern day setting as Lucille and her new friends in Paris begin to trace the history of the fashion from the 1950s. It was very interesting to come across dresses that can actually be researched and viewed online. They are not always the most comfortable looking of pieces, but the history and the value in them was very interesting to see alongside the story.

I found this a quick, easy read and one that I think many will enjoy!