I was excited to read The Seamstress of New Orleans. Having family in the area and loving the rich history of New Orleans, I was sure this would be a hit for me. Unfortunately, it fell flat. I was listening to the audio version, which may have contributed to my having some difficulty keeping track of the characters - I would rewind and listen to pieces twice. The story was extremely slow and really dragged. I did not feel there was much of a plot given the wealth of material that was available. Knowing how much work goes into writing a book, it is painful to give a low review, however I just never made a connection with the material.
My thanks to NetGalley for the audio ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A Mesmerizing story of two woman whom fate has bound togther by a secret niether of them could imagine .I like the turn of the centry , womans rights movement , also love the dress in the story , its told in such detail that your mind can see it planily , so exqusite ! I liked the charters and the storyline was believable for that era .

The Seamstress of New Orleans

The Seamstress of New Orleans has us following the life of Alice Butterworth in Chicago, whose husband has suddenly disappeared, and Constance Halstead of New Orleans, whose husband fell off a moving train which she witnessed while being incognito.

In her quest to find her missing husband Alice travels to New Orleans and finds herself a position offering sewing lessons at an orphanage. In need of a ball gown, Constance offers Alice a place to stay when Alice agrees to make her the gown as payment for her boarding. These two women slowly become good friends, along with Constance's two children, and the story weaves as Alice finds herself wanting to be a part of this family. Little does she know there is already a connection, albeit one that neither Alice nor Constance will like.
Diane McPhail has written an intriguing historical mystery that has twists and turns and a creepy New Orleans gangster who haunts Constance wanting her to pay off her dead husband's gambling debts.

I enjoyed the extensive research that was done and the background history of New Orleans. I also enjoyed the strong female characters who bonded so easily to form a unique family unit along with the children.
The narration was superb which added to the enjoyment of the novel.
My only disappointment was not having more of New Orleans and Madi Gras which the novel description discusses.

My thanks to #NetGalley and Highbridge Audio for the ARC. This opinion is my own.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the audio version. Very fun book! Had me guessing and binge listening to to see where the story went. The only thing I really didn't like was the narrator. Highly recommend though besides that!

A beautiful cover page, an interesting era, and a story with great potential.

Unfortunately the book itself was slow and boring. It took forever to happen what was obvious and predictable after about 20% of the book. And the narration did not help at all. I am sorry to say it but I couldn't wait to finish this novel.

Thank you NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for an Advance Review Copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the early read/listen. The story was easy to predict but still enjoyed listening and reading. The characters were all likable. Narrator did a great job telling the story and giving each character their own voice.

This stunning cover totally drew me in and I'm huge historical fiction fan. Set in 1900 this story follows two lady protagonists Alice and Constance. Two women who simultaneously become widows around 1900. Alice lives in a small apartment in Chicago reliant entirely on her husband to support her simple life. Both women are married but calling it happy would be a stretch. A series of events leaves both women without their husbands. Constance is dealing with the aftermath of her husbands questionable dealings and Alice is trying to figure out how to support herself without her husbands income. I wish this book had more background and build up. I did enjoy the descriptions of the dress and the concepts that were sewn into this gown. Helping to build upon the Mardi Gras tradition. The friendship that blossoms between the two is one of my favorite parts of the book. The way Constance and Alice learn to depend on one another in such a short period of time is fantastic. With some mystery and intrigue included, the women lean on each other for support during a difficult time for both. As a historical fiction fan, this book had all the perfect ingredients for a phenomenal story: Mardi Gras, New Orleans, ball gowns, women supporting and inspiring each other. It just fell short for me and felt like a chore. The story was incredibly slow moving and dull.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity.

Constance Hollingsworth is suspicious of her husband, so one morning when he goes to catch the train to Chicago she dresses like a boy and follows him. After watching him gamble his money away she follows him out to the best bill of the train. Only for him to try and sexually assault her that is until he recognizes her by her eyes and to quickly a man Russia’s out and knocks them off the train or did he? Alice Butterworth is in Chicago cooking dinner waiting for the arrival of her beloved husband. When he doesn’t show up at first she is distraught and then thinking of the welfare of her own born baby she decides to go to Tennessee to find him or at least his mother. When on the train she overhear a mother and her daughter talking about Mardi Gras and needing a seamstress for their club. So when she arrives in Tennessee and find out the street he gave her for his mothers address was really a den of sin and sexual debauchery She goes to New Orleans so she can be a seamstress. Oh at least that is her goal and pays off. She starts working at the orphanage where the benefactor is good friends with Constance and wanting constant to be in La Mysteria the female Mardi Gras crew that can either be concealed or show their face Constant Begzo, but the benefactor Dorothea won’t hear of it. She introduces constants to Alice who is a great seamstress and Constance allows her to live in her home rent free while she’s making the Mardi Gras ball dress. There are a lot of things Constance didn’t know how close she would become to Alice, the things she would share with Alice EN the paternity of Alice’s unborn baby. Will the secrets they have between them rip the newly found family apart or make it even stronger. also, what about the man that keeps watching cards does his house and the gambling debts her husband accrued to the black and? The reason I waited until the end of the very long summary to talk about the black and this because in the book I kept forgetting about them and then the ugly man would show up again. So having said that let me say oh I loved this book! I thought this book was well written I thought the narrator did an awesome job because I believe a narrator can make or break an audiobook and she definitely made it better even though it was extraordinary to begin with. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction and those who don’t this really is a book anyone would love. It has all drama and it makes you ask yourself what is it you don’t know about your husband? I was given this book by net galley and I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any grammar or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review but all opinions are definitely my own.

I’m a huge historical fiction fan and this book had all the perfect ingredients for a phenomenal story: Mardi Gras, New Orleans, ball gowns, women supporting and inspiring each other. It just fell so short for me and felt like a chore to read. The story was incredibly slow moving and dull. I was happy to have finished it.

I love New Orleans, we are regular visitors to the city, so I was instantly intrigued by The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C McPhail. Not to mention that cover is so eye-catching and beautiful it makes you want to pick it up no matter what it was about.

I loved Diane C McPhail's writing, the story was well written and I enjoyed how she incorporated a mystery into the historical fiction, however being a fan of New Orleans, I was really hoping that the historical fiction part of the book was the major story and it really did not seem to be to me. The story spent most of its time on the mystery of the two men. Usually, I would have enjoyed that, I do love a good mystery, but in the case of this book, it did not work for me.

The two main characters were fantastically written as strong women who in the time of having a husband taking care of you, as a rule, showed strength in being able to do without one.

The Seamstress of New Orleans was very well researched, the females are empowering and have a wonderful friendship. I only wish it had more on the lead-up of Mardi Gras, which the blurb spoke about, the glamour of the dresses that were being made, the female Krewes, and of course the magic that is New Orleans.

I feel rather disconcerted for not being able to give this audio book a positive review but I found I did not enjoy listening to it. Consequently, I gave up.
As a British person I found the American accent unappealing, which I could no doubt have overcome were it not for the way that the book was read. The rythme of the reading seemed wrong and off-putting and didn't seem naturel. It was almost as if the person were trying too hard.
Perhaps this reading would appeal more to an American readership.
I regret not having listened to an audio sample before requesting the book. I would certainly do so in the future.
This is not a comment on the book itself, just the audio presentation.

The Seamstress of New Orleans is a Historical Fiction Mystery that takes place in the late 1800s early 1900s. This was a book I really wanted to love, but fell flat.

My biggest complaint is that it’s a mystery that isn’t really a mystery. The big reveal at the end wasn’t even close to a shock and it made the ending just kind of happen. Alice and Constance had sort of interesting stories but I could not connect with either character. I really disliked the narrators breathy voice for Annalise because it kind of made me hate parts where Annalise was involved. Same for Constance’s daughters. This is a book where the kids took away from the story and didn’t add to the story.

Overall I’m neither here nor there about this book. The author clearly researched and researched because the details are perfection, it just wasn’t an exciting story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Highbridge Audio and author, Diane C. McPhail for the eARC to review.

I enjoyed this audiobook but it did take a bit of time to get involved in the story, The beginning chapters seemed to have missing segues and made the story difficult to follow. The author made some things very clear to the reader but it seems the women, both Constance and Alice, never picked up on them which made them seem naive and a few clowns short of a circus. I questioned why Alice didn't use the photo she had in her quest as well, that question was answered. What I did like was the period in history that this story took place and how women worked together to help other women and together, strive to make all of their lives better and less dependent on amen and marriage. I also liked how the friendship of other women was an important theme.

The book was wonderful and the connection between Alice and Constance was interesting. However I figured out the secret 17% through the book and was waiting until they figured it out through the rest. It was written as a historical fiction but i would say it was more of a mystery set at the turn of the century. The audio book was okay at 2.0 speed but it seemed a bit muffled or distorted. I was unable to read it at 2.5 due to it causing it to skip. I tried it on different devices, with Bluetooth and without and it seems to be an issue with the production of the audiobook.

This story focuses on two women, their struggles overcoming 1900's male conventions, and the mystery of a missing husband. I was really interested in the mystery. I liked where it went, and I was interested in how it all unraveled. The two women's growing relationship was my favorite part though. I loved the time period, and how their work together breaks the expectations of the time.

Alice and Constance become friends through a dress Alice is sewing for Constance and her Mardi Gras ball. I wanted more of this part of the story. I loved the details, and I could have just stayed in this part for so much longer!

This is a great story for readers who enjoy historical fiction with a female focus!

Two women at the turn of the century must navigate life following their new status as "widowed" for all intent and purpose. Both are young mothers, and both have suffered insurmountable loss. But they are able to find each other and that friendship helps them move forward as they find themselves in the bustling metropolis that is 1900 New Orleans. As they learn more about each other, they also support each other on their journey of self-discovery and self sufficiency.

That said, all of the characters beside the main two are not developed and could almost be interchangeable. Even the maid character was barely developed. To be honest, even the leads aren't well introduced, I listened to 23% before realizing there were two separate characters, and not one. I was SO confused before realizing.

Most of the dialogue was stilted and awkward. So many interactions and lines were clearly just there for the effect of being able to talk about what is said. It rarely was naturally occurring dialogue and was just overall very strange.

Finally, the twist at the end was interesting, but when nothing came from it, turned pointless and mere shock value. There was no reason to include that, though it did make my confusion at the beginning make more sense. I don't know if that was intentional or not, but it certainly made more sense that I confused them.

Overall, it was just an okay book. I loved the New Orleans scenes, and outside of the mispronunciation of praline and pecan by the narrator (it was not said in a New Orleans accent despite her putting on accents for other characters) the representation of the city was good.

All of that said, I have a huge problem with the fact that the white narrator putting on a Mamie accent for the black character. Was that necessary? There are tons of black narrators that could have done this book instead if the 'black voice' was so important. Not a good look.

The seamstress of New Orleans

⭐️⭐️

A story of two women and their life as it was married and what it looked like after they are widowed. There may be more of a deeper mystery to their situation than either of them know.

I gave this book 2 stars as it has a wonderful plot however the mystery is giving away about a quarter of the way through the book. I would have liked to of felt more of an emotional connection with the two women as well as the orphanage and there cause. Instead I was focusing on the dead in the story. not much emphasis on the ball or the orphanage I would have liked more details and more involvement with the orphanage itself and whatever happened with the dress was it the buzz or no? I really felt like aspects of the story were lost once the plot begin to unravel.

Overall it was an emotional read. A story to really make you sit and think how much is really unsaid an unknown how much pain how many secrets can one person carry with them and still live a happy full life. For those who enjoy heavy emotional mysteries.

thank you #netgalley and #highbridgeaudio for supplying the audiobook for my review.

#doublelife #betrayel #secretaffairs #gabling #mengolddigtoo #abuse #infantloss #historicalfictionreader #newadult #sadstory #evilmen #lifestolen #silverliningstory #bookreviews #comingmay2022 #arcreader #books2022

This is a tale of feminism, of friendship, or hardship and perseverance in times when women's options were extremely limited outside of marriage.
Alice and Constance's voices are truly enchanting in this narrator's voice.
If you like historical fiction, a good who dunnit with a splash of feminism, this book is for you.

I thought this book was beautifully written and very interesting. The author clearly did a lot of research for this time period and location and I felt very intrigued whilst reading. I also loved the mystery aspect of this book!

In 1900, Alice is pregnant and alone, not a condition condoned by society in 1900. She travels to New Orleans where she finds work teaching sewing at an orphanage. This is where she meets Constance, a well to do widow who is in the midst of a charitable visit to the orphanage. She offers Alice a place to stay in exchange for Alice’s help creating a dress to Mardi Gras and the first all female Krewe. And while the gown comes to breathtaking life, Constance is in fear of the Black Hand, the gangsters she believes are responsible for her husband’s death, and evidently the criminals feel that Constance owes them still more. This was an enjoyable historical that takes place in one of the most storied cities in the United States and highlights the strength of the bonds that women forge