"The Seamstress of New Orleans" by Diane McPhail weaves an enchanting story which takes place in the context of the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe in 1900. The central theme revolves around women's empowerment and their fight for independence in a society bound by rigid social norms. Through the story, we get to meet Alice, a skilled seamstress forced to flee Chicago, as well as Constance, a young widow struggling with her late husband's debts. As their paths intertwine, we get to follow Alice as she creates a dazzling gown for Constance for the upcoming Leap Year ball, a time when women traditionally propose to men.

As the breathtaking gown takes shape, it becomes a powerful symbol for both women. Each stitch represents a step towards a future free from societal constraints. Through their friendship and shared challenges, Alice and Constance inspire each other to defy expectations and carve their own paths. The novel beautifully portrays the power of female solidarity and the strength found in defying limitations.

Special thanks to NetGalley, HighBridge Audio, and the editorial team for giving me the opportunity to review the ARC in audiobook format and to you, my reader, for taking the time to read this honest personal book review.

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Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick. I just reviewed The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C. McPhail. Our library purchased and our patrons have been checking out and and enjoying the book. I see it is a popular book club choice as well we hope to have more oppurtinies to support authors like them

I love reading Historical Fiction, but lately I've really enjoyed the added mystery and suspense as was the case with THE SEAMSTRESS OF NEW ORLEANS.

1900 New Orleans; It's the turn of a new century. Constance is a society woman living in New Orleans, when she discovers her husband has been murdered, leaving her a young widow. Alice Butterworth is left to fend for herself after her husband disappears, later crossing path with one another, they form an unlikely friendship.

*many thanks to High Bridge Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

This books is a work of historical fiction that really would appeal to most interests of people. It is a work of historical fiction, but also a mystery and a thriller, in some ways. Pregnant Alice leaves Chicago in the dead of winter, her husband seemingly disappeared and her rent overdue. She doesn't know what happened to him, and while she is worried for his safety and whereabouts, when she goes to inquire about him, most don't know what she is talking about (even at places that he said he was.)

Constance lives in New Orleans, and is a society woman. She also is having husband issues, and takes matters into her own hands. Alice and Constance meet by fate, and when they do, both of their lives are turned upside down, but ultimately changed for the better.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narration of this book was excellent. Overall, I liked it, but had real issues with the pacing of the book. At times, it felt overly slow in the plot, and was difficult for me to concentrate on. Other times, I couldn't wait to find out what was going to happen. I needed a little more consistency in the pacing, for this book to be more likable. The narrator was easy to listen to, and I enjoyed her skills in the narration.

I had such high hopes and this wasn't horrible, but it wasn't what I expected or hoped it to be. A good historical fiction, but a story I will soon forget.

While I don't read a lot of historical fiction, I decided to give The Seamstress of New Orleans a try because of its beautiful cover and where the story is set. My grandparents used to live in New Orleans and I always enjoyed visiting them there. I thought that reading a book set in the city (especially during Mardi Gras) would be fun! Overall, this novel turned out to be just okay. The big "plot twist" is extremely predictable and it takes forever for Alice and Constance, the protagonists, to figure it out for themselves. I would recommend this title to fans of historical fiction and stories that feature strong, independent female characters.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for a chance to read and review this book in exchange for an honest review. This book takes place at the turn of the century (1900) and follows two widows - Alice, who decides to leave Chicago to make a new life for herself in New Orleans, and Constance, whose husband dies under mysterious circumstances. Both of these women are connected before they even meet one another. I felt the plot was interesting but it took to long to get to the ending....a lot of unnecessary paragraphs and repetition.

Alice Butterworth's husband has vanished, leaving her to fend for herself and the child she carries within her. Constance Halstead's husband has been murder, leaving behind gambling debts and the threat of vicious gangsters. These two women cross paths in New Orleans and forge an unlikely friendship.
This was an interesting book to listen to, though I can't say it was an immediate favorite. Alice and Constance were interesting characters, and I was sympathetic to them both. They both deserved a better plot than what they were given. It felt like there were bits of drama added only for it to be solved by someone else a few chapters later. The big reveal was also easy to see coming very early on. I would have liked there have been more about the grand Leap Year ball of Les Mysterieuses, the first all‑female krewe of Mardi Gras. It played almost little part in the plot.
The narrator for the audiobook had a lovely voice. However, it was a bit slower and had a breathlessness that didn't quite fit. I ended up listening at a faster speed because I became impatient with the pacing. 
Overall, it did not meet my expectations but was not a bad book. Readers looking for a historical tale with drama and women exploring their own lives may enjoy this one.

Diane C. McPhail's book, The Seamstress of New Orleans, is quite interesting! I enjoyed it very much and the audiobook narrator did a great job. The story follows two women, Constance and Alice. Constance is a young mother, recently widowed, who has lived a life of luxury but always wanted more. Alice lived on the prairie as a girl and moved to the city at her mother's urging so she could do more with her life. When Alice's husband disappears, she sets off from Chicago to find him, going first to Memphis, then Louisiana, where she meets Constance. As the girls form a bond over a dress that Alice is commissioned to make for the Mardi Gras ball, they will discover that they have more in common than they realize.
Thanks to NetGalley for this opportunity, All opinions are my own.

Wow. This audiobook is terrible. I have listened to a couple of hours and my ears are bleeding. I will attempt to read the paper version, but this audiobook should be redone.

I want to thank NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for allowing me to listen to and review The Seamstress of New Orleans, written by Diane C Mc Phail.
I liked the descriptions, the characters, the vivid images and the way the story evolved. New Orleans came alive!
But I was bothered by the premise. How could there be no photos, especially in a affluent home with two children?
This is a woman’s novel. The Mistress of New Orleans published May 31,2022.

Not my cup of tea but I am sure others will like it. I did enjoy the historical parts of the book and I enjoyed reading about how they were helping the orphans. I liked hearing about the dresses they were creating but was hoping to hear more about them.

The book follows 2 women in 1900’s from New Orlean’s who unexpectedly loose their husband. One husband is a business man and the other is gambler with lots of debt. Constance is looking for a dress to be made for Mardi Gras and the pregnant seamstress Alice agrees to make it for her. The ladies grow close and work together through there pain trying to find out what happened to their husbands.

There are some twists and turns in the book but only at the end of it. I felt the book was very slow.

The cover is beautiful!!!!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Missing Husband

A story of two women surviving in 1900 by sewing gowns and teaching orphans to sew. Both women have missing husbands. Constance knows her husband is dead. Alice is searching for hers. They are alone with children and must survive. It is not easy in the year 1900 for women to start a business, but the need for Mardi Gras Gowns in New Orleans helps them in their endeavor.

Constance is constantly frightened of the Black Hand to whom her deceased husband owed debts. This gangster comes after Constance for payment .

Together the two women and their friend a lady with contacts and one concerned police officer stop the Black Hand from frightening Constance and her children.

When the mystery of Constance's husband's death is finally solved another mystery comes to light which could damage their happy relationship.

It is a good story of strong women fighting for independence in a society that thinks women should be home cooking, cleaning and caring for the children.

I enjoyed this story of these two independent women and I know you will too. I listened to the audio book and I loved the narrator such a pleasant voice to listen to . I would recommend this book.

Thanks to Diane C. McPhail for writing a great story, to Jessica Marchbank for the excellent narration, to HighBridge Audio for publishing it and to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to the audio book and review it.

I liked listening to the audiobook. As a narrator, I thought Jessica Marchbank's voice was clear and soothing but there was not much voice variation in terms of portraying the different characters. I liked both the female protagonists Alice Butterworth and Constance Halstead whose paths are brought together at the turn of the new century, in 1900, when both become involved in the orphanage in New Orleans and Alice is asked to create a gown for Constance for the Leap Year Ball of Les Mysterieuses, the all female krewe of Mardi Gras. Constance is newly widowed and busies herself in the orphanage work while Alice travels to New Orleans from Chicago after being abandoned by her husband. Although, belonging to different social and economic class of society both Constance and Alice seem to have endured similar experiences while growing up in typical patriarchal households. The mystery of Constance's dead husband and Alice's missing one makes up most of the plot but anyone paying attention will probably figure it out way earlier in the book.

My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher Highbridge Audio and the author Diane C. McPhail for the audio Arc of the book.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐✨💫

"The Seamstress of New Orleans" follows the tragic and unlikely story of two women, Alice and Constance, at the turn of the century. Alice, a poor-midwestern seamstress, and Constance, a high-society New Orleans benefactor, have more in common than either could have ever imagined at the turn of the 20th century. Part mystery, part friendship novel, "The Seamstress of New Orleans" was supposed to be a feminism manifesto filled with loyalty and finding one's voice.

Unfortunately, this novel fell extremely flat for me in all ways. In fact, this novel felt deeply condescending towards women and people of color. Both Alice and Constance put themselves down, played into stereotypes and could barely function. While 1900 was a fundamentally different mindset, these characters fell short of breaking any expectations and finding any strength. While I enjoyed the concept of this book, the characters created an indisputably problematic element of the book.

I was pretty excited for this one but I just didn't like any of the characters. None of them really stood out as a strong character. I felt like the story lacked a lot of tension and there weren't really any reveals to look for in the later part of the book. I did think the historical details were well done but I would have liked a bit more history. I did like the narrator of the audiobook though.

This book shows the strength of women even before they had rights. How they could take care of themselves and each other. I listened to it as a free audiovisual from Netgalley.

Alice’s husband has disappeared. She is in dire straits. She is pregnant and has no source of income. She ends up traveling to New Orleans because of an overheard conversation about a needed seamstress. She takes a leap of faith and ends up in the home of Constance Halstead. But, everything is not as it seems and Alice may be taking a huge risk.

Jessica Marchbank is the narrator of this audiobook. And to be honest, I am not sure if she is the reason I gave this novel a 3 star rating or if it was the story itself. I found this narrator a bit too dramatic and too soft in her tone. Usually narrators do not bother me much. But, she just did not sit well with me.

The story itself is pretty good. It is a bit far fetched in the outcome. And I found it a bit contrived. But, I did enjoy the time period and the setting of New Orleans in the early 1900s.

Need a good historical fiction with some strong women characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This audiobook could be good. I’m sorry to say that the narrator made this book unbearable. Her voice was sickeningly sweet and annoying to listen to.

The story also is way too long. The author drags it out retelling Constance’s fears.
A bit of rewriting and a new narrator might improve this audiobook.

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, HighBridge Audio, and Diane C. McPhail for the advanced copy. The Seamstress of New Orleans is available now. All opinions are my own.