You know when you’re reading a wildly engaging and fascinating novel that part of you wants to read it as fast as you can so you know what happens but the other part wants to savor the story?

That was me with this book.


* While reading the author’s The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre first isn’t absolutely necessary, I’m glad that I read that before my reading of this.

* The cover and vibe of this one put me more in mind of old Judith Krantz novels than Daisy Jones, and despite their age (which is quite evident in some of the text) I still love Judith Krantz novels and read them when requiring a comfort novel.


This is excellent, excellent historical fiction and a strong recommendation from me.



Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the DRC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Natasha Lester especially for allowing to read her upcoming new book. I have read all of Natasha's books. I love stories with strong female protagonists and this one has a few over the eras. The fashion industry always was lead by men, and in this one the women standup for themselves. Recommend The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard.

4.5 rounded up
Well researched and written well. Learned a lot about the early fashion industry (which was incredibly written) and there was some romance too. Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

Another wonderful book by Natasha Lester always look forward to reading her books this one did not dissappoint! Loved the fact she referenced back to a character from another book. Great storyteller and she makes the characters come alive!

Natasha Lester hits it out of the park again! I’m always impressed when I find a fresh take on the WWII historical fiction topic, and having it be through the scope of the fashion industry was unlike anything I’ve read before. Lester’s writing is so intricate, with each separate character really getting their chance to shine and tell their story. It’s so satisfying to have all the details given to you so you can form a picture in your head, Lester always does that! I really enjoyed the ties created between Mizza, Astrid, and Blythe- they all had some traits in common and it was interesting to see how they came into play with each generation. The twists and turns with each character, particularly Mizza we’re intriguing, and I couldn’t put this one down! It was also fun to see Alix St. Pierre featured throughout!

Natasha Lester’s books are amazing! I loved her last one and was so excited to get to read this early. It didn’t disappoint. You get lost in the world of Astrid!

Thank you to the publisher for the arc

The premise of this immediately grabbed my attention but fell flat for me. The writing style didn’t really work with the story. However this would be fantastic if it was all in first person.

Wonderful book about three generations of fashion designers. Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for a review.

Ebook received for free through NetGalley

This book was bloody brilliant. The characters grabbed on immediately and the book was tough to pause. Absolutely loved it.

This is a powerful story about the lack of gender equality in the fashion industry, but its application reaches to all industries. Three generations of women are made to be less than they are due to the men in their lives. What is different in this book, though, is that these men are supportive of the women, but it is the social norms that bring the women down. A bit depressing but very real, and a reminder that there has been little movement in gender equity since the Equal Rights Amendment failed in the 1970s.
The book is much more than a gender equity book, though. The author spins interesting characters, plot twists and storylines that keep the reader moving through the pages quickly. There were several times where I checked to see how far I was through my digital copy because I did not want the book to end. An important but also extremely interesting read, especially for those of us who don’t know much about the fashion industry.
Thank you, NetGalley, for an ARC.

I love Natasha Lester! Her books are intriguing and captivating. I loved reading this book. The characters and storyline hooked me early. The love stories intertwined made for a good story. I received an advance copy and was not required to leave a positive review.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester was an excellent book! With a swift pace, fully formed characters, and an immersive setting, it was easy to get swallowed up by this story.
One of my new favorite historical fiction novels. This story kept me up at night.
The combination of family drama and high fashion couture was so magical.
An absolute page turner that held me captive from the very beginning.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and Forever for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

A multi-generational story of great depth, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester tells the story of three generations of Bricard woman. Spanning from the early 20th century to today, the novel centers on Mizza Bricard, the infamous "muse" for Christian Dior, who is more than history gives her credit for.

Mizza's strained relationship with her daughter Astrid leads to some complex inter-generational trauma, which lands squarely on Astrid's daughter, Blythe's, shoulders.

Taking place in the competitive fashion world, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a gripping family drama set amongst an intriguing -- and, at times, infuriatingly misogynistic -- cast of characters. To be honest, though, what I enjoyed most was the stories of the ties between the three women, above and beyond the fashion component. In that family drama aspect, Natasha Lester's work shines.

I loved this book!It also hit home on the fact that women are just in a man’s world no matter what they do. The story was so well written. I was never sure on what was going to happen. One of my favorite books this year!

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a family drama set in the world of fashion. It is historical fiction in a more recent time period. Astrid, her mother Mizza and her daughter Blythe are all trying to make it in a man's world. How is the world full of male designers making clothes for women? Are there no female designers making what women really want. This is a story of the struggle women have being accepted in the top of the fashion world. For how much the world has changed since the 1970s, some things still remain the same.
When will women be accepted as equals and be able to shine without being torn down. This is an excellent story of women trying to make it and not always succeeding.

This is an excellent historical fiction book and I enjoyed it very much. If you like historical fiction you will enjoy this read.

Thank you to #NetGalley, @Forever, @GrandCentralPublishing and @NatashLesterAuthor for a copy of this book.
#TheDisappearanceofAstridBricard

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester is a story of three generations of strong women who impacted the world of fashion.

Fashion icon Astrid Bricard disappears at the Versailles designer show in 1973. All that's left is her dress. The book weaves through decades of turbulence in the great couture fashion houses and the true story of Astrid’s iconic mother Mizza. But it is her granddaughter, Blythe Bricard, a lawyer, who finally gets the Bricard label recognized as a great house of Couture.

I love that Remy from The Riviera House and Alix St. Pierre from The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre are a huge part of this story. This was quite a treat for me to have these two in this story.

The author has written some incredible books relating to Historical Couture Fashion and I love how she has created this world of fashion to empower these strong women characters. Mentioning these fashion icons like the House of Dior, Givenchy, Halston, Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta to name a few and her vivid descriptions of these iconic designers made this story so incredible.

Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and Net Galley for an advanced Reader's Copy in exchange for an honest review.

I am definitely going to recommend this book and will be adding this one to my Natasha Lester collection of books!

This is a wonderful book about three generations of women fashion designers and their very difficult struggles to have the world recognize them as top fashion icons. All three were determined to change the fashion world forever and you are transported through history following each of their journeys. These iconic women had to fight a gender biased industry, ugly media criticism, and personal heartbreak just to prove their talent was equal to their male counterparts. The story begins with fashion icon Astrid Bricard who disappeared at the Versailles designer show in 1973. The book weaves through decades of turbulence in the world, great couture fashion houses and the true story of Astrid’s iconic mother Mizza. It is granddaughter Blythe who finally gets the Bricard label recognized as a great house of Couture. A fascinating story with unexpected twists that I highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for allowing me to review this book

If you enjoy a story rooted in fashion and history, with a distinct blend of suspense, mystery and multiple points of view, this is a book I think you will really savor! Plus, the cover art is stunning and eye-catching. It made me think of Daisy Jones, which kind of makes sense as there’s a bit of 1970s in this story, too. (I love a good timeline crossing tale!)

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!

Absolutely loved this book. The cover drew me in, and it was all uphill from there. Gave me The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo vibes but a totally different storyline, and characters. Still the same feelings -inequality for women in every industry, being unable to love who you want without sacrificing your career, double standards, etc. Told from the point of view of three generations of Bricard women over the span of several decades.

Synopsis (from Netgalley, the provider of the book for me to review.)
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In 1973, fashion icon Astrid Bricard disappeared at the legendary Versailles designer showdown. All that remained was a scrap of fabric...and a family unravelled.

Everyone remembers her daringly short, silver lamé dress. An iconic photo capturing an electric moment, where emerging American designer Astrid Bricard is young, uninhibited, and on the cusp of fashion and feminism’s changing landscape. She and fellow designer Hawk Jones are all over Vogue and the disco scene. Yet she can't escape the legacy of being the daughter of Mizza Bricard, the infamous "muse" for Christian Dior. Astrid would give anything to take her place among the great houses of couture—on her own terms. I won’t inspire it when I can create it.

But then Astrid disappeared…

Now Astrid's daughter, Blythe, holds what remains of her mother and grandmother's legacies. Of all the Bricard women, she can gather the torn, shredded, and painfully beautiful fabrics of three generations of grief, heartbreak, and abandonment to create something that will shake the foundations of fashion. The only piece that's missing is the one question that no one's been able to answer: What really happened to Astrid?

Although I enjoyed this book, for me, it could have been … better. For me, it dragged at times and it got kind of maudlin ... this is a good book but not a great one...maybe it is my distinct lack of love of high fashion outside of awards shows and my ability to heckle the outfits which I cannot in a novel??????
#shortbutsweetreviews