The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is about 3 generations of women who live and work in the fashion industry. Blythe Bricard is our present day narrator, living in her mother, Astrid, and grandmother, Mizza's shadows, trying to break free from their reputations as mere "muses" for more famous men in the fashion world of their time.

The book opens with the disappearance of Astrid in the mid 1970s during the morning of the famous Battle of Versailles fashion show. From there it goes back to when Astrid first starts at Parsons in NYC, meeting Hawk Jones and how she became reputed to be his muse despite her own talents and strengths in fashion design. The book also weaves in Mizza's timeline and her work in the fashion industry in Paris prior to, during, and after WWII, as well as Blythe's as she debates a life changing decision while on a family holiday with her ex-husband and their 2 children.

This a strong follow-up to Natasha Lester's previous book, The Many Lives of Alix S.t Pierre, who is a secondary character in this book, although the two books are otherwise independent from each other. The writing is skillfully done, with each woman having her own distinct voice that is easily distinguished from the others. also enjoyed the message of what it means to be a woman in a male dominated industry and the perspective on how history isn't always accurate to the truth, as well as the exploration of each woman's experience as a mother.

For me this was an interesting and captivating read, and although it was long, it never dragged or felt like it should have been shortened. 4.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the electronic ARC of this novel for review.

A gorgeous drama with an historical setting of 1970s brings the readers into the rarified world of high fashion. Trust me, you won’t want to leave!

In this novel we hear from three generations of women, all who are trying to prove themselves in a world mainly dominated by men. Throughout the generations there is the Vietnam war, women's rights movements, and Blythe in the current day navigating a divorce and uncover the truth of her grandmother and mother. We hear from their three perspectives as the story of what happened in the past is revealed. The last 25% of the book brought things together nicely and was very touching and emotional.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The compelling story of three women fighting to make a name for themselves in the male dominated fashion world. Their struggle to balance work, family, life and love is real and hard. Overall a great book. Found parts to be a little long and drawn out.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Natasha weaves a beautiful story of love, loss and the challenges of being a woman in the male dominated fashion world, delivering heartache, stirring up the fight instinct and hitting the crescendo with a happy ending.

Three generations, all trying to break through the glass ceiling, to be seen and recognized for their immense talent in the fashion industry, rather than relegated to being pigeonholed as a muse, or discredited, their talent attributed to a man.

Mizza, Astrid, Blythe. Three talented women who seem to repeat history with their fierce commitment to designing fashion that will make a women feel Fearless, Powerful, Color and Courage, but at what expense, the love they have to give up to be able to step out of the shadows of a man, the love that makes them give up a child (Mizza, Astrid) for them to have a better life. The impact of a sense of abandonment and the flow on ramifications in their lives.

There is a terrific Authors Note at the end outlining the elements of the story that are based on facts, what fictional license was taken to fit to the story/characters that were developed.

Anyone in Australia/New Zealand are lucky to be able to get their hands on this book now, in the US there is a little bit more of a wait.

Natasha Lester is quickly becoming one of my favorite historical fiction authors for well-researched, well-told stories of strong female characters rising up against all the odds stacked against them.

In a massively oversimplified overview, this book tells the story of three generations of women trying to be recognized for their talent and work in the world of fashion, and the world in general, over three different time periods while also balancing love, motherhood, and personal struggles.

I found myself most drawn to Blythe’s present day storyline, but all three timelines were necessary to convey the collective story of the three women. It examined the ways bravery can look different in different situations, the struggle with choosing what is viewed as the selfish route in putting oneself first, and finding the strength to make something happen and demand to be recognized for it. Narratives are written and created for women daily based on slivers of truth, and they’re often damaging and/or demeaning. This book tells the story of three women creating their own narratives, suffering the consequences of the one the media decides to tell, and finding a way to rewrite it and reclaim their family history and future.

Bonus points for getting glimpses of Alix St. Pierre again as well from one of my favorite reads of the year.

This story follows the lives of three women - a mother, daughter, and granddaughter - in three different timelines as they each encounter professional struggles in the fashion industry and their personal lives. Each makes choices that have drastic and sometimes serious impacts on not only themselves but their careers and family as well.

I wanted to like this book so badly but just struggled to get into it. I thought this was going to be a great mystery but it fell short of that expectation. I also struggled that one of the main characters - Mizza Bricard - is based off a real person of the same name, however her daughter (Astrid) and granddaughter (Blythe) are entirely fictional. I also struggled to believe in the relationships that these women had in their lives and how incredibly quickly they forgave serious transgressions and trauma all in the name of love and family conquering all. Parts of the story dragged on with unnecessary details and plot aspects and on more than one occasion I got completely frustrated with the terrible decisions and actions of characters that I had to put the book down.

Thank you ot Natasha Lester, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is an amazing book, so well written and researched, with a story based on history with some real characters and some imagined. It takes place in 3 timelines, with 3 fascinating women and is set in the world of fashion.
I loved each timeline and the powerful women in each. Being set in the fashion world, there are lots of familiar names. I was aghast at the way women were treated, as well as the viciousness of some of the top designers. Strange that most of the workers in the industry are women, the people wearing the clothing are mostly women and yet it's the men who rule the roost. It's truly a fascinating look at the world of fashion.
Highly recommended!

Enjoyable, but overall it was too long and too involved. Delves into three generations - so that the lot ping pongs back and forth too much. Characters get hard to track and there are too many side people to track (minor family relations, who can remember all the names when they only appear after 150 pages?). The fabric/sewing/ fashion metaphors (she was as fragile as chiffon etc) began to feel forced.

In this book Natasha conveys the injustices of how women have been treated throughout the decades within the fashion industry and in general. How women are misunderstood and undermind and men are treated and seeing so diferently under the same circumstances. I admit that several times I got a bit upset with Astrid sacrificing her future and so much for Hawk lol. I like how Blythe took the reins and control of her life and made things right for the 3 generations of women, Mizza, Astrid and herself.

This book also refers to family, the relationship and how the lives of a mother and daughter were affected due different situations and decisions. Right or wrong, their decisions affected their lives. Who knows what we would have done under the same circumstances!

I enjoyed how Natasha Lester included characters from other books like Remy and Alix St. Pierre.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange of an honest opinion

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this amazing story. The Disappearance Of Astrid Bricard was incredible. Ms. Lester has introduced us to three amazing women, Mizza, Astrid & Blythe. Their stories are ones of courage, perseverance and love. We also meet Alix St. Pierre again. This book is a must read.

Those who love and breathe fashion with visions of beautiful clothes will devour this book.

Three women – Blythe, her mother, Astrid, and grandmother, Mizza, are connected through their dedication of creating new styles to make women feel comfortable and powerful. They all like to shake things up a bit with eye-catching garments which are destined to set new trends.

However, there are constant battles that they have to overcome. The book touches on the struggles that these women had in an almost all-male field. There was a hefty price they paid by being in the spotlight and constantly chased by the press. Also, there are all kinds of challenges with their relationships between the mother/daughter and the men they loved.

The author includes some key historical accounts from the time. Mizza lived during WWII when she was terrorized by the Nazis. The story gives the reader a good sense of the agonizing battles she faced being a single woman in the fashion field. In the 60s, Astrid watched crowds of people protesting against the war in Vietnam and was part of the movement to change the conservative styles. In modern times, Blythe was searching for her mother who disappeared years ago. She also questioned where she fit into the world with the latest designs.

I was amazed at the amount of research it took to prepare for this book. Natasha Lester’s knowledge of fashion is astonishing. Yet, I think it could have been somewhat shortened with less substance – almost like watching a three-hour movie. My mind was drifting in a few places.

The book does a good job capturing the imagination of all kinds of styles -- in words rather than pictures. The characters are well described. I didn’t mind the change in chapters which followed the three women. The suspense of Astrid’s disappearance made me curious. It’s a good book for discussions with pertinent issues.

My thanks to Forever and NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of January 30, 2024.

Can a woman be more than a muse for a man in the fashion industry? If you are interested in knowing about the struggles of women to be recognized as fashion designers for the past nearly 100 years, then please read this book. Three talented women who are related (grandmother, mother, daughter), yet don’t know each other for the majority of their lives strive to become fashion designers. There is much to learn in this absorbing novel with real people interspersed with the fictional. The author’s notes at the end are illuminating.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for Allowing me to read this book. This book is another best seller.. A family of Women who want to make it into the fashion world that is dominated by men and are determined to be successful. A page turner. This book kept my interest until the end.

Three generations of women, struggling to make it as women in the fashion world. Mizza, Astrid and Blythe all are passionate about designing clothing, wanting to make a name for themselves in a world dominated by men, and struggling to balance life, love and family.

This author is fast becoming a fav . She has a way of immersing us in a time period along with creating characters we love and had a gift for evoking a setting we can immerse ourselves in . In this book we are immersed in the NYC fashion world and the House of Dior .it was an excellent immersive read
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review the book

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is the new exciting historical fiction novel by Natasha Lester. American designer Astrid Bricard is a young designer changing the fashion landscape. She and fellow designer Hawk Jones dominate Vogue magazine and New York City's disco scene. Yet she can't escape the shadow of her mother, Mizza Bricard, infamous "muse" for Christian Dior. Astrid would give anything to take her place among the great houses of couture--on her own terms. But then Astrid disappears. In the present day, Astrid's daughter, Blythe, holds w her mother and grandmother's legacies. The only question that no one has been able to answer is, "What really happened to Astrid?"

Lester does a wonderful job creating another thrilling and empowering story. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard had me turning the pages to the very end. The descriptions of the Dior gowns were enchanting and I could easily envision them. The book is an easy 5 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction. mystery, and fashion. I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

This was my first Natasha Lester book and I deeply enjoyed it. It reminded me of The View Was Exhausting (which I adored) and the women gave me TJR vibes (a compliment in the highest degree). Historical fiction isn't my go to genre, so I can't compare it much in the way of popular historical fiction titles, but I really loved the journey with these characters and all of the societal references throughout. If you're a fashion lover, I think this will be especially fun, as there are many references to the major fashion houses throughout, and those alongside the dated historical commentary was super interesting. Easily a 4.5 star read for me!

Welcome to the 1970s, fashion, disco, music, and each rising designer, trying to make them work on the world
All of them seem to want Astrid to see which one of the designer she’s wearing next, and she seems to have disappeared

I enjoyed this book, I enjoyed the time. And I enjoyed the little bit of mystery to it.

After listening to Daisy Jones again I needed something to fill the void and this was PERFECT! This was perfect from start to finish and it is for people that are looking to get their fix after Daisy Jones