My initial reaction to having read the excerpt for The Seamstress of New Orleans in the Buzz Books Spring/Summer 2022 edition was that the writing was fairly bland. However, I decided to keep it on my to be read list because the introduction to the excerpt promised more intrigue to come. Unfortunately, the contextual clues helped the reader figure out the answers to the two key mysteries about a third of the way through the novel, with the rest of the book being spent watching the characters peck at bird crumbs until they figure out what they can - and in the last ten percent of the book no less.

The Seamstress of New Orleans is a historical fiction novel, primarily set in New Orleans at the turn of the twentieth century (1900 Mardi Gras). While not truly a dual point of view novel, the chapters seem to focus on the events and thoughts of one of the female protagonists at a time. This is especially true while Alice (the seamstress) is alone in Chicago, and Constance (the society widow) is alone in New Orleans. Even after the two lady protagonists develop trust, the reader still knows much more about what is going on in their heads than the other character does. So there are misunderstandings and miscommunications between the two ladies, but not to a romantic comedy level.

Overall, I thought the book was a pleasant way to pass the time. For me, the best parts of the book were the design, construction, and debut of the Mardi Gras gown. These seemed to written with a genuine knowledge of the craft, and were some of the best visuals in the novel. While I did enjoy the journey the protagonists took toward the conclusions that I had reached early on, I would have enjoyed the novel much more if those conclusions had been artfully concealed so that the inevitable revelation would be a sucker punch to the gut.

I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

A feminist turn of the century historical fiction. Beautifully written with captivating characters and atmosphere. An engaging and thought provoking read.

Even after finally finishing this book I still am not sure what to think of it. It is an interesting story and you get a general picture of what society was like in New Orleans and Chicago at the turn of the century. This was good but I feel more detail could have been told about Mardi Gras and about the women who orchestrated it in the leap year, about the men's roles they fulfilled while doing it. I felt the story got somewhat stuck in the mud around the middle of the book. There are many repetitive parts that get annoying after the first few times. Also I think everyone knew the answer to the mystery very early on in the story, it kinda slapes you right in the face straight away.
Constance and Alice's story, despite the repetitiveness and lack of certain details is still a good one. The roles of men and women of those times is portrayed vividly and I feel we get a good sense of time and place.
Overall a pretty good story, I feel people will enjoy this one.
Thank you to Kensington Books and to Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Wonderful Historical Fiction set in 1900 New Orleans, and I felt immediately transported there. When Alice is abandoned by her husband, she comes to New Orleans, intent on using her sewing skills to support herself and her child in a time when women had few rights. Constance is a new widow saddled with her husband's gambling debts. She offers Alice a place to stay in exchange for help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball.

This is a captivating novel with well-developed characters and an intriguing mystery. The theme of women's rights is strong throughout.

I requested this book because I love historical fiction, and this sounded interesting and unique. I received both the audio and the e-book version. I started with the audio version, which was so bad that I could not continue. I then tried, many times, to read the print version of this book. I don't know if the audio version ruined it for me or if this book is just not for me, but I cannot continue to read this or recommend it to anyone. It is just not well written or good in any way. I will let it go quietly into the night.

1900 ushers in a new century which promises social change. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has disappeared. She is desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries. Alice leaves Chicago for a job offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage. Constance Halstead, a young widow dealing with her late husband’s gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice’s help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all‑female krewe of Mardi Gras. As the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives.
This book had such an interesting plot, so I knew I had to read it. The details of the book showed that the author really did research. The characters were written in a way that was clear that they lived in 1900 which I loved in this historical fiction. The book is marketed as a mystery, but I just didn’t feel like it was. The secrete that is the mystery is about was obvious from the start. If you love historical fiction this is for, but if you are looking for a mystery, I suggest another book.

Diane McPhail’s historical fiction novel The Seamstress of New Orleans takes you through a part of history that you normally don’t read about which is the early 1900’s. The story mainly takes you through the relationship of two women during this time period. There is a bit of mystery to the story that kept me engaged.

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

Wow, this turned out to be a real thinker of a book!

Alice Butterworth has been abandoned by her husband, and in her quest to find him, she goes to New Orleans. She is also pregnant, which complicates things. She is, however, a skilled seamstress and these skills are enough to ensure that she will not go hungry.

Constance Halstead is a recent widow, struggling with immense guilt at her husbands passing and being haunted by his secrets.

These two young women, along with Constance's young daughters and their housekeeper/nanny, become family for each other. I love the bond that they all share :)

Life for women on their own in 1900 was very tough indeed and I am very glad that we are living a century later.

This was a well-written book in a languid style, but bit by bit, all the secrets are teased out of the story. I really liked it. It was charming and shocking, in turn.

4 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books.

Great historical fiction about the friendship between Constance, Analee, and Alice set in New Orleans in 1900. There was a light mystery that helped to pull the story along.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of the story.

This was a heartwarming story with a unique plot. Two women, bonded with a tragic secret, leaning on each other's strengths to overcome the trials in their lives. I loved the strong female characters throughout the entire book. At a time where a woman's strength was still now recognized or celebrated, these women stood for one another and the less fortunate around them. The suspense of if and when their secrets would come out was very engrossing. While I would have liked better pacing and less parts that seemed to drag, this was an entertaining read.

Constance is a young mother, recently widowed, facing an unknown future after the death of her husband Benton, a husband with a rather large gambeling debt. The Black Hand wants this debt paid, regardless of Benton’s death. Looking to distract herself, Constance decides to attend Les Mysterieuses, a Mardi Gras ball in which the women have the control. Needing a gown for this event, Constance hires Alice, herself a recent, although pregnant, widow, to make her gown. They soon develop a bond and friendship over their similar situations, but soon a secret emerges that could affect the lives of both women. ⁣

My favorite thing about The Seamstress of New Orleans is the strong female protagonists and supporting characters, especially because the time period in which this novel is set–the year 1900–women were seen as the weaker sex; I love that this book found a way to flip that concept on its head. I loved Constance’s and Alice’s determination, strength and compassion. The narrative flows well and kept me intrigued, and I found myself rather invested in the lives of Constance and Alice. I wasn’t a big fan of the ending however. To me something was missing, whether it be an event or discussion that needed to happen but didn’t; I'm not a fan of loose ends.

The Seamstress of New Orleans, by Diane C. McPhail, is a historical fiction novel about a part of history that I had no knowledge. I enjoyed reading this novel. The irony of the situation made the reading even more interesting. Life threw two women together and the outcome was definitely not expected. Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for providing me with an ARC ebook in exchange for my honest review.

While the pacing and overall story of this historical fiction novel was enough to keep me engaged for the entire read, the novel (when taken as a whole) is really just an average read, at best.

New Orleans is an exciting and mysterious city, filled with hidden nooks and crannies that contain some of the kookiest of surprises. This novel doesn’t treat New Orleans as a city that is a character in and of itself, which is sad. This novel is very character-driven, but I sadly didn’t see many facets of them. I think some may disagree with me, but it seemed to me that when the main characters (in their inner monologues) tried to show us who they were through their own memories of the lives they had lived so far, the way they were raised, and their hopes and dreams, it was all simply the same themes painted over and over again.

I also didn’t enjoy some of the resolution to this book. Some of it seemed unrealistic, and some of it seemed overly idealistic for the time.

Overall, it was an average historical novel with an overdramatic plot.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for allowing me early access to this novel. Due to personal policy this review will not appear on social media or bookseller sites due to the 3 star or lower rating.

Not going to lie, I was drawn in by the gorgeous cover, and the synopsis sounded right up my alley—historical fiction, strong female characters, Mardi Gras and a murder. This novel had all the pieces to be great, but fell flat for me.

Constance Halstead is a young matron, who recently discovered her husband owes The Black Hand a lot of money because of his gambling habit. She is keenly aware of being followed by the crime organization and fears for her and her daughters lives. Her charitable work at a local orphanage and the upcoming Leap Year ball Les Mysterieuses are the only activities keeping her sane.

Alice Butterworth finds herself suddenly abandoned, and rather than sit meekly by, she boards a train to figure out where her husband has disappeared to. She comes to multiple dead ends in the search for Howard and ends up seeking refuge in an orphanage in New Orleans where she meets Constance, who seems to be the answer to all her prayers.

The relationship between the two women, both down on their luck seemed too civil. Tragedy tends to form tighter bonds than the tentative one between Constance and Alice. The big looming secret is also pretty obvious the entire book.

The author did go into great detail about the dresses for the Mardi Gras balls, which was interesting, but I would have liked to know more about the historic all female krewe.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kensington Books, and Diane C. McPhail for the advanced copy. The Seamstress of New Orleans is available now. All opinions are my own.

EXCERPT: 'Howard Butterworth? I'm sorry, miss. We have no one by that name in this office. Could someone else be of assistance to you?'

'You have no one by that name. Are you certain? Look again, please. He works between here and the Memphis office. I'm sure he must be here.'

'No, miss.' The starched young woman ran her finger down a catalogued list of names. 'There is no Howard Butterworth in our records. I am personally acquainted with all of the gentlemen in this exchange, and I assure you, we have no one of that name in our employ.'

'I know he is here,' Alice insisted. 'He is my husband.'

'He may well be your husband, ma'am. But he is affiliated neither with the cotton exchange nor with this office in any capacity. Would you care to examine the list yourself? Or may I help you with anything else before you leave?'

Alice stared at the woman's unrelenting face. After a month reality entered her body, and shock numbed her. There would be no verification here. No more than with the police. The Howard Butterworth she knew as her husband did not exist.

ABOUT 'THE SEAMSTRESS OF NEW ORLEANS': The year 1900 ushers in a new century and the promise of social change, and women rise together toward equality. Yet rules and restrictions remain, especially for women like Alice Butterworth, whose husband has abruptly disappeared. Desperate to make a living for herself and the child she carries, Alice leaves the bitter cold of Chicago far behind, offering sewing lessons at a New Orleans orphanage.

Constance Halstead, a young widow reeling with shock under the threat of her late husband’s gambling debts, has thrown herself into charitable work. Meeting Alice at the orphanage, she offers lodging in exchange for Alice’s help creating a gown for the Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all female krewe of Mardi Gras. During Leap Years, women have the rare opportunity to take control in their interactions with men, and upend social convention. Piece by piece, the breathtaking gown takes shape, becoming a symbol of strength for both women, reflecting their progress toward greater independence.

But Constance carries a burden that makes it impossible to feel truly free. Her husband, Benton, whose death remains a dangerous mystery, was deep in debt to the Black Hand, the vicious gangsters who controlled New Orleans’ notorious Storyville district. Benton’s death has not satisfied them. And as the Mardi Gras festivities reach their fruition, a secret emerges that will cement the bond between Alice and Constance even as it threatens the lives they’re building . . .

MY THOUGHTS: I was greatly disappointed with The Seamstress of New Orleans. There's not a great sense of place. I believe a lot more could have been made of the setting of this book. The storyline was very uninspiring and after about quarter of the way through the book, I found myself skimming large tracts until something caught my interest.

The big secret that cements the bond between Alice and Constance is glaringly obvious very early on in the book, which only increased my disappointment.

It was the chance to learn some of the history of the famous New Orleans Mardi Gras that first attracted me to this book, but again I was disappointed. Pickings in this area are very slim.

The only character I really enjoyed was Dorothea. She is a woman who knows her own mind and has the strength of character to stand up for herself. She is also incredibly kind.

I found Alice and particularly Constance to be quite wishy-washy characters. While I admired Constance's spunk in disguising herself and following her husband, her efforts to behave 'normally' afterwards were quite pathetic.

I don't know if the author was trying to encompass too much with this book, building in a romance, a mystery, deception and the criminal underworld, but it didn't really work for me and I was seriously tempted to abandon this read more than once.

I adore the cover.

⭐⭐.3

#TheSeamstressofNewOrleans #NetGalley

I: @dianemcphail123 @kensingtonbooks

T: @McPhailDiane @KensingtonBooks

#domesticdrama #historicalfiction #mystery

THE AUTHOR: Diane C. McPhail is an artist, writer, and minister. In addition to holding an M.F.A., an M.A., and D.Min., she has studied at the University of Iowa distance learning and the Yale Writers’ Workshop, among others. Diane is a member of North Carolina Writers' Network and the Historical Novel Society. She lives in Highlands, North Carolina, with her husband.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Seamstress of New Orleans for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

The Seamstress of New Orleans is a tale of women supporting women from over a century ago. Alice and Constance are both women who rely on their husbands to lead their family. However, both suddenly find themselves with no one to support and protect them and need to learn how to do it for themselves.

Diane C. McPhail is a new-to-me author. As a rabid historical fiction fan, I loved the way she wove facts and details from the past into her story. As as reader, I loved her accessible and inviting prose. I did find this book a bit slow and would have preferred some more action.

Thank you to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't say that I loved it but I did like it although it was easy to figure out where the author was going with the story
The cover piqued my interest and it being set in New Orleans was a bonus. I love books set there but the 2 woman protagonists just fell short....like I said above I had it figured out within the first couple of chapters.
The gown on the cover is beautiful and I loved how it was made.
I'm sorry to the author but I just couldn't connect with the characters or the storyline. I love historical fiction and I was hoping this one would be I loved it type of book...but it fell way short of my expectations.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing Corp for allowing me to read an advanced digital copy for an honest review. This is my words and my words alone. Again my apologies to the author..

This beautifully written book took me back in time to New Orleans in 1900. I could visualize the merriment of Mardi Gras and hear the hustle and bustle of activity at the wharves. This Mardi Gras is not your typical one. For only the second time in New Orleans’ history, there is an all-female Mardi Gras krewe.

Constance and Alice, both with mysteriously missing husbands and both having lost an infant son, are thrown together in this tale of sisterhood. They draw on each other’s talents to create a magnificent ball gown for the Mardi Gras Ball. As each woman closely guards her own secret, they find strength and independence in each other.

McPhail brought the characters to life for me. Afraid their secrets would come out, I could feel the fear and shame each woman experienced. I smiled at the antics of Constance’s young daughters. The supporting characters were just as interesting as were the main characters: the strength of Analee, the compassion of Dr. Birdsong, the dignified Dorothea Richard.

Filled with intrigue, the book was hard to put down. I loved the unexpected twist at the end. Perfect for the story. Why must daily life get in the way of being lost in such an enjoyable book!

I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an unbiased review.

I read this while planning a trip to New Orleans with my girl friends which I think was fitting, since the central theme of "Seamstress" was the friendship between women that helps all of them keep it together. I loved the characters, and the idea of an all female Mardi Gras, since even now in Louisiana, we very seldom let women be in control. I would definitely recommend this to someone who likes Historical Fiction or just stories with interesting female characters.

In 1900 New Orleans, two women from very different backgrounds find common ground to rebuild the lives they both desperately want.

Alice Butterworth finds herself stranded in Chicago after her husband Howard disappears while on a business trip. With no means of support, and finding herself pregnant, she sets out to search for him and finds herself alone in New Orleans. She discoveries a haven in one of New Orleans’ many orphanages providing sewing lesson in exchange for room and board.

Constance Halstead’s husband Benton is also missing, but she at least knows what happened to him. Desperately trying to keep the secret of how her husband died, she is soon hounded by the Black Hand who are intent on collecting Benton’s substantial gambling debts.
Constance’s charitable work at the orphanages throw these two women together with the goal of creating a costume for the upcoming Mardi Gras all-female krewe. They soon form a bond forged on their shared problems and tragedies.

What the author gives us about turn-of-the-century New Orleans is intriguing, I wish that she had focused more on these details. I longed for more description of this 2nd leap-year Mardi Gras event. Prior to the first female krewe in 1896 women had participate, only allowed to work behind the scenes supporting the men. She also touches briefly on the orphanages in New Orleans, and the half-orphans that made up a great deal of their population. I can imagine a historical fiction novel focused entirely on either of these two subjects, as I am sure the subjects contain stories just waiting to be flushed out. The novel seems to rely heavily on the secrets that two women struggle with, and for many readers the plot surprises are probably apparent early on in the story.

I did enjoy the portrayal of the strong female protagonists and the depiction of the struggles of women during the time period. The descriptions of some of the architecture of both Chicago and New Orleans was also appreciated.

I still would recommend this book for those who enjoy books about female friendships and prefer a lighter approach to history. The author was able to paint a picture of the time period and place, allowing us to put a toe in the water and inspire some further reading.