Natasha Lester has become a Must Read author for me ever since I read her novel The Paris Secret at the end of 2020. I love how she approaches historical fiction and how she weaves (pun intended) fashion into her stories. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is her latest and it’s another winner.
Here’s the book’s description:

Three generations. One chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history?
French countryside, Present: Blythe Bricard is the daughter of famous fashion muses but that doesn't mean she wants to be one. She turned her back on that world, and her dreams, years ago. Fate, however, has a different plan, and Blythe will discover there is more to her iconic mother and grandmother than she ever knew.
New York, 1970: Designer Astrid Bricard arrives in bohemian Chelsea determined to change the fashion world forever. And she does―cast as muse to her lover, Hawk Jones. And when they're both invited to compete in the fashion event of the century―the Battle of Versailles―Astrid sacrifices everything to showcase her talent. But then, just as her career is about to take off, she mysteriously vanishes, leaving behind only a white silk dress.
Paris, 1917: Parentless sixteen-year-old Mizza Bricard has made a to be remembered on her own terms. Her promise sustains her through turbulent decades and volatile couture houses until, finally, her name is remembered and a legend is born―one that proves impossible for Astrid and Blythe to distance themselves from.
There are some definite Daisy Jones and the Six vibes about this story but Lester’s novel is entirely her own. The focus is on fashion instead of music but the time period is similar, as is the gossip, sex, drugs, and rock and roll atmosphere. I wouldn’t say music or fashion are huge passions of mine but Lester, like Jenkins Reid, was able to hook me with a world I may never have read about. Which would have been a damn shame.

Like Lester’s other novels, and many other historical fiction stories, this was a multi-timeline novel. I’m honestly getting a little over that…would we call it a trope? Storytelling choice? I don’t know why it’s been such A Thing in historical fiction but here we are. But Lester uses the three timelines well, for the most part. The bulk of the novel is dedicated to Astrid and Hawk during the seventies as their personal and professional lives collided in a spectacular explosion. Then there was Blythe in what the book’s description calls “present” but is actually the 2010s (I want to say 2012?). Finally, Lester introduces Mizza in 1917 and follows her through both World Wars, focusing on what she was involved in during WWII.
Mizza’s storyline is where things got a bit muddled which is interesting since, of all the characters, she’s the only person who actually existed. Lester notes at the end that much of Mizza’s background is unknown and, like a lot of French women who lived through World War II, she never spoke of what happened during that time. I don’t really mind when authors take liberties with real people, and I don’t think that was my issue with Lester’s treatment of Mizza. As intrigued as I was with Mizza and how the Bricard dynasty began, I felt like it was a totally separate story and didn’t quite mesh with Astrid and Blythe’s story.

I never, ever feel like Lester does an info dump in her novels, which is surprising since there is always so much new-to-me information in her stories! I love love love how passionate she is about fashion and how she inserts interesting (and relevant) details into her novels about the world of fashion. She does her research on other historical tidbits too which make the novels feel authentic and such a joy to read.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard isn’t going to usurp The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre as my favourite Natasha Lester novel but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great read. I still loved it! Other historical fiction lovers will find a story that is interesting, emotional, informative, and entertaining all at once. I definitely recommend it!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Forever, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

The characters of Astrid, Blythe and Hawk walked right off the first page and didn’t want to go away at the end. I was disappointed they weren’t real but were characters created from real events and attitudes in the early 70’s. It was tough for women who were just starting to push their way forward – things that women now days take for granted are because of what happened in the late 60’s and 1970’s. Astrid’s story very well could have happened exactly as the author envisioned which makes this a must read especially for young women.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever for accepting my request to read and review The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard on NetGalley.

Stars: 2

Published: 01/30/24

Somewhere between the synopsis and the end of the book there was a long drawn out story. I enjoy historical fiction and was enticed by three generations and perhaps a missing dress. Historically the explorations of cities, countries, designers, and eras were possible.

I found this to be a mess and not enjoyable. There wasn't a character that I liked. I spaced the reading out over many days and read other things during those times. I found this to be exhausting. The ending sealed the deal for me, two stars.

I would recommend reading other reviews and see if they touch on your interests.

I received this advance reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. This novel really blew me away! I normally find multiple timeline novels to be tedious and less skillfully written. Not in this case! Every character was incredibly engaging and their story was just as fascinating as all the other characters. I really found the overall vision and message of the novel to be so well crafted and dynamic. This is a fabulous read!

Natasha Lester certainly knows how to write strong stories about women! In THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD, I particularly enjoyed the story of Mizza. Based on a real person known as fashion designer Christian Dior. I was totally invested in the stories about her as a guide to get children through the underground tunnels of Paris to get children to safety during World War II. I also appreciate how she brought Alix St. Pierre a character in a previous Lester book.

I did have a little difficulty keeping storylines and characters straight at times. My second favorite storyline was about Blythe Bricard, Astrid’s and Jake’s daughter. I would have liked to seen more interaction between Jake’s dying mother and Blythe.

I know I can count on Lester to deliver a wonderful story with lots to think about. I read and listened to the story on Audible. I enjoyed the narrator’s voice. My thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Also thank you to Audible. The opinions in this review are my own.

This is a multi-period novel exploring the lives of three Bricard women who are talented but largely unrecognized for that talent. Mizza Bricard was a talented designer who is better known as the real-life muse of Christian Dior. Her fictionalized daughter Astrid Bricard was known as the daughter of Mizza Bricard and also as the muse of designer Hawk Jones. Astrid’s daughter Blythe is fighting to be recognized as a designer in her own right, but she is in the shadow of media perceptions and her designer ex-husband Jake. She is also living with the fact that her mother disappeared when she was a baby and her father has never been there for her either.

This novel looks at the oppression of women in the fashion industry, mental health, abandonment, and other issues. The characters are strong, talented women who face an uphill battle with discrimination, public perception, and media portrayals. The fashion industry background is richly described, and the treatment of the media towards women over the decades is eye-opening. Important mental health issues that affect women are also brought to the forefront. The three time periods—the 1940s, 1970’s, and present day are very different, but all share the same issue of women fighting to be recognized in the fashion industry. The love stories set in the midst of the glamour and betrayal of this industry are well done.

My rating is 4.5 stars, rounded up to five on sites with no half-star option.

Anyone interested in fashion and historical fiction will enjoy this novel.

I received a free copy of the ebook from Forever Books. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Although I knew going in this was historical fiction I did think there was going to be more about the mystery of Astrid's disappearance. It all felt very glossed over and strange that everyone just accepted she was gone. Overall a 3 because i felt it was very drawn out.

So much heartbreak, beautifully woven with fashion’s biggest houses. Spanning the 20th century of fashion icons, war, and women trying to make it in a man’s world, Lester has probably written her best novel to date.

I could not put this novel down, and I was constantly switching between the kindle and my audiobook (thank you @forever and @netgalley) trying to piece together the history of these three women, filling in the blanks and question marks.

Each generation of beautiful women with equally beautiful fashion designs has secrets they are keeping, and through a multiple timeline perspective, winding through the early 1900s to present day. Blythe has been abandoned by her famous fashion parents, and she’s trying to find her own way in the fashion world as well.

The ending, while wrapping up the story nicely, still left me with questions! I just wanted to know so much more of Hawk and Astrid, as well as Jake’s mother.

Highly recommend this if you enjoy historical fiction (not based on anyone’s true story), multiple perspectives, sweeping time spans, and familial drama.

Three generations of Bricard designers take to the runway in Natasha Lester’s intriguing mystery of a famous designer’s disappearance from the Palace of Versailles’s Hall of Mirrors in 1973. Leaving only a blood-stained white dress as a clue, the missing designer, Astrid Bricard, remains the central character as her mother, Mizza, muse to Christian Dior, and Blythe, Astrid’s daughter, reveal their own stories in alternating chapters. There are many questions to be answered and Lester’s plot unfurls like chiffon from its bolt. The patterns seem to be set, only to be redesigned and refit depending on the Bricard women’s level of guilt, pain, and pure stubbornness. Lester’s vivid settings of underground escape tunnels in Paris, the Viet Nam War, and the Equal Rights Amendment sink readers into the political events of the early years of WWll and the 1970’s. The rich and famous Jackie Kennedy, Princess Grace of Monaco, and the Duchess of Windsor make appearances at events and in the current magazines of the day, Vogue and Life. Lester captures John Fairchild’s intolerable personality and keeps readers infuriated with his “In and Out” column. Scenes at real venues, Electric Circus and Cheetah, with ever present paparazzi trying to get a picture of Astrid in the silver lamé dress, along with pop culture icons Mick Jagger and Bianca, depict the ‘breakneck, brash’ vibe of NYC in contrast with the ‘sultry, aloof’ streets of Paris. Lester’s research into the details of the famous competition involving designers, situations, and interactions revealing their personalities is a treat for fashionistas as American designers Bill Blass, Oscar de la Renta, and Halston match wits and design creativity against French icons Yves St. Laurent, Christian Dior, and Givenchy. Changing the show order and screaming shout downs were part of the toxic atmosphere at Versailles! Was it a French or an American designer? More importantly, what happened to Astrid Bricard?
Enter the strange and mysterious world of fashion as Natasha Lester’s designing women of three generations, each an expert at leaving, create their own “pièce de résistance.”
Do you remember wearing hotpants or kneeling on the floor to have the length of your skirt measured? The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard was written with you in mind!

A great story about three generations of women in one family, each trying to prove herself in the world of fashion dominated by men. Each woman is viewed by the world as a "muse" to a famous designer rather than being seen as the extraordinary designer she is in her own right. It speaks to the struggle woman have faced for decades as their history is written by others as they fight to write it for themselves. Excellent read.

Natasha Lester, when are you releasing your next book?? This is my second advanced copy from the author & the second time I couldn't put down her writing. Alternating between World War II-torn Europe, the chaotic 1970s & present day, "The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard" is a mystery, a love story & a historical tale all wrapped up in a five-star novel.

"Why is the world so full of older men all telling a young woman she won't be able to do what she wants?"

"CALM DOWN. Wasn't that what a man always said right before he tried to gaslight a woman?"

If you have ever felt this way in work or everyday life, then you NEED to read this book! It's a glittering take on female empowerment, love lost & gained and the secrets we hold in hearts that have the power to destroy. Plus - *spoiler alert* we get a surprise appearance from a title character in one of Lester's previous works! So much fun! Run, don't walk, to get a copy!

This contemporary novel spotlights three generations of Bicard women, all involved in the cutthroat world of fashion design. Grandmother Mizza was the face of Paris fashion in the early 1900s. Although a designer she was known only for her risque photos. During the war she worked with the Resistance. Her daughter Astrid disappeared during the fashion event of the century, a showdown between American and French designers. Her daughter Blythe struggles with her mother's fate as she tries to break the glass ceiling of design. This well written historical novel spotlights how the media and history have short changed talented women down through time. The novel's strength is its well drawn characters who come alive with lyrical word smithing while exploring the underbelly of the fashion industry. As a bookseller I have sold multiple copies of this Australian author's novels yet this is the first one I have read. Call me converted. A thought provoking engaging read.

Title: The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard
Author: Natasha Lester
Publisher: Forever
Genre: Historical Fiction + Mystery
Pub Day: Today 1/30/24

Thank you @forever for the early arc to read and review. One thing you can count on in author Natasha Lester’s books is immense research always goes into them. This book was no exception. Do not miss her note at the end where she explains what is fact, who is real, and who is fiction. But, what’s wild is even the fictionalized characters are based on real people. She studied the heck out the fashion industry and each of the time periods she wrote about.

You might say to yourself “Hmmm, I don’t really care about fashion, so this book probably isn’t for me.” I’ll be honest I don’t care about clothes or labels, myself. I’m an athleisure wear kinda girl. But this is what the author has to say…

“How and why are women constantly reshaped by the media into something they aren’t? And why can women only be the inspiration in the creative process, rather than the creator? Those questions drove the writing of this book”

This book really puts a sharp lens on the disadvantages women faced and still face with careers and poor media attention; all while weaving and layering together a mysterious and glamorous story.

Told in three timelines of three mother/daughters. Our main focus is of fashion icon Astrid in 1973. She is the daughter of the legendary Mizza Bricard, Christian Dior’s infamous “muse”. Despite not being raised by her mother, she can’t seem to escape this legacy when she is on scholarship at Parsons fashion school. There she collides with another designer Hawk Jones and together they are electric. On the rise and finally scraping some recognition Astrid disappears at the Versallies designer showdown.

Fast forward to 2012 where we meet Blythe, Astrid’s daughter, who is the remaining Bricard legacy. She is a designer too, but has come up with the idea to resurrect her mother’s Mizza line. Ultimately, she really wants to finally take the opportunity to dig into what happened to her mother?

For those of you that want a little more true HF, Mizza's character starts in 1917, but her timeline progresses into the 1940s and WWII and she's put into some interesting situations during the war.


“I thought that if I took myself out of the story, it would end by itself. But, stories never end—the tellers just find another girl to ruin with words.”

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 My biggest quibble is going to contradict my opening paragraph, but there is maybe too much research here because I think this book is little too long! It’s 455 pages (at least the arc is)! Otherwise I really loved it, so just putting it out there this is a longer book so you know ahead of time. I do still highly recommend this one! Maybe the audio for those of you that fear or struggle with longer books? It moves along and sucks you in, though! There I go contradicting myself again.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester. This is a thought-provoking work of historical fiction, which tells the story of three generations of fashion designers: Mizza, Astrid, and Blythe Bricard.

Told from the POV of Mizza (the grandmother) and Blythe (the granddaughter), the plot not only poignantly shows the struggles faced by women creatives in a man’s world but how the media can write and rewrite history and a person’s role in it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and its well-developed characters.

Thank you to the author, Forever, and NetGalley for the digital copy in exchange for my review.

Being the love child of famous fashion designer, Hawk Jones and his missing muse, Astrid Bricard, hasn’t been easy for Blythe Bricard. She wants to be a designer, but with her mother and her grandmother also being labeled as someone’s muse rather than either a designer in their own right, she pushes her dreams aside to raise a family and support her now ex-husband, Jake. With money issues becoming a problem, she toys with the idea of resurrecting Mizza, the clothing label started by her mother in honor of her grandmother. Her niece, Coco, reaches out with some new information and wants to dig further, causing Blythe to wonder what really happened to her mother.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is an easy to read, gripping historical fiction novel from one of my favorite authors. I love the combination of mystery, drama and romance, along with the glimpses into the lives of characters from her previous novels in this story. The theme of not really knowing what a person has been through or is going through without walking in their shoes makes you sit up and take notice of the world outside you. Highly recommend this story!

4.5 stars. The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is the perfect blend of historical fiction, fashion, and mystery. Natasha Lester weaves these threads together perfectly (pardon the pun) into a book I devoured in a single day.

Historical fiction set in the fashion world is a weak spot of mine, and Lester's latest had me madly Googling to find more books just like it so that it didn't have to be over.

This is my first Natasha Lester novel, though I have had my eye on her books for a while. I really enjoyed this book. I liked the multiple timelines, for the most part, and the fashion world is very entertaining and Lester clearly is knowledgeable. I struggled with the insertion of the Mizza story line. For the first quarter to a third of the book, the structure clearly follows an Astrid/Blythe/Astrid/Blythe pattern and then all of a sudden we have the insertion of two or three Mizza chapters in a row, when we haven't seen her perspective at all. I appreciated the info we got, but did not like how it suddenly felt dropped in. I loved the author's note that clarified what was real and what was made up. This is certainly a step above the usual "forgotten woman of history" novelizations that have been so popular over the past 10 years.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard exemplifies the best of historical fiction, seamlessly blending real events and people with fictional characters whose lives intersect. It combines a family saga, the mystery surrounding both Astrid’s disappearance and the identity of her father, and an exposé on the misogynistic toxicity of the fashion industry.

In the author’s note, Lester mentions that Mizza Bricard, Astrid’s biological mother, was a real person, knowledge which led me down a Google rabbit hole. Fictional Mizza was the first generation of Bricard women who gave birth out of wedlock (what an archaic term), thus passing on the common surname, but that’s not where the commonalities end. Beautiful MIzza, who began her fashion career almost by accident, grew up fast in the salons of Paris on the eve of World War I, rubbing elbows with everyone from Coco Chanel to Pablo Picasso. Despite her incredible design talent, she was relegated to being a “muse” to Christian Dior with a sordid reputation thanks to the misogynists with fragile egos who rule the world of haute couture, both then and now. As Lester mentions, “I believe the truth is more likely to be found in the accounts of those who knew her, rather than men reporting on her thirty or forty years after her death who’ve decided that the racier the anecdote, the more chance they have of being published.” If you’d like to read more about Mizza, I’ve included a link at the bottom of this review to an article written by Lester for the Sydney Morning Herald.

Mizza’s fictional daughter Astrid, who was raised by her adoptive parents, enrolled in Parsons School of Design in NYC in 1970 at age 24, and, despite not being raised by Mizza, she suffered a similar fate by virtue of association. Hawk Jones was a wunderkind who started his own design house right out of school. From the moment they met in the Parsons Archives, the pull between them was undeniable and unavoidable. Although Astrid’s designs inspired Hawk and he was adamant about giving her credit, the toxic and petty fashion patriarchy persisted in undermining her talent and painting her as a muse as well. Like her mother, whose famous, somewhat scandalous photograph sealed her fate, Astrid was captured wearing a silver lamé dress and nothing else while dancing at a disco. As months passed, she and Hawk pumped out hot-selling pieces while rubbing elbows with the likes of Mick Jagger, and ultimately fell in love. When it all came to a head at the Battle of Versailles in 1973 (an actual event that had the established and favored French designers competing against the upstart, risk-taking American designers), Astrid disappeared, and no one knew if she was dead or in hiding for the next 40 years.

Blythe Bricard, daughter of Astrid and Hawk and divorced from fashion mogul Jake Black, is at the tipping point of her fashion career. Like her parents, she and Jake met in design school and vowed to support each other’s dreams. However, the pressure and fickle nature of the industry has led her to the point that she must decide if she will continue designing costumes for film (which would mean giving up her dream) or revive her mother’s fashion brand, Mizza, either with Jake’s competitor, with Jake’s company if they can first overcome their personal differences, or by taking the reins herself with investments from other women. In a world heavily populated by female customers, workers, and talent but still run mostly by men, it’s a point of pride and ownership she craves. And, of course, she wants to be the first in her family’s line to get credit for her work and shed the heavy mantle of “muse.”

Although this isn’t a romance, the relationships each woman had are intrinsic to the plot and it’s impossible not to root for both Astrid and Blythe to find some happiness. However, the over-reaching theme is the damage caused by generational trauma and parental neglect and abandonment as well as the repeated messaging that talented women in fashion, especially ones who are trying to be innovative (like Astrid with her mix-and-match separates for ‘working women’, modeled after Anne Klein, the actual female designer at Versailles) will be suppressed, rejected and ridiculed by both petty journalists (like real-life Women’s Wear Daily’s John Fairchild) and most male designers.

Dior didn’t know Mizza would be reduced in later years. And she was his muse. But she was a designer too. History forgot the second half because it’s a man’s name on the awning. History kept the first half because that’s the way stories of male creators working with women are written. (Blythe's niece Coco in response to her question about why Dior allowed the press to slander Mizza)

Lester has written characters so compelling and well-rounded and settings so alive with imagery that you can’t help but put yourself in their place. As the mother of a fashion model, I was also affected by the knowledge of how men treated female designers because they were threatened by their talent. I really appreciate Lester’s extended author note, showing readers the depth of her research and findings.

The only slight criticism I have is that the multiple timelines got a bit confusing at times, and I personally would have preferred a first-person point of view from each of the Bricard women. It’s a minor quibble that doesn’t negate the power and appeal of this story. Highly recommended.

For more information on Mizza Bricard, read

She Was Known as Christian Dior’s Muse, but Mizza Bricard Was So Much More Than That.

https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/life-and-relationships/she-was-known-as-christian-dior-s-muse-but-mizza-bricard-was-so-much-more-than-that-20230914-p5e4ro.html

I was drawn in by the title, the cover, and the description, but I was hooked from page one. This is a powerful epic story of three unique women in different eras who struggle to make their mark on the man’s world of women’s high fashion. Fighting perception, media, and their own selves forces them to question their dreams and make difficult choices - just as many women in the 20th and early 21st century have done. The author does an amazing job of unveiling the layers of sexism and its lasting impact. We may have come a long way, but there’s still so much further to go, and authors such as Natasha Lester are going to help us get there.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing), Forever, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this fascinating epic family story.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.

This book checked many boxes for me: fashion, a mystery, France and New York, historical fiction – and it’s written by one of my favorite authors.

Going back and forth between the past and present, the story is told by a few different characters in the timelines of 1940s, 1970s, and 2010s: Mizza, her daughter Astrid and husband Hawk Jones, and Astrid’s daughter Blythe and husband Jake Black. All of these characters are clothing designers who create avant garde items, who love intensely, and live wildly.

The premise of the novel is that the famous (and notorious) Astrid Bricard has been missing since 1973. “Astrid Bricard wasn’t just a model. Nor was she just a designer, nor just a celebrity. It’s impossible to say what she was, just that – if a person could ever be said to represent an era, Astrid Bricard was the 1970s. She was a muse and a myth, and now she’s the biggest fashion mystery of all time. What happened to Astrid Bricard? It’s a question almost as famous as that silver dress Hawk Jones made for her.”

Blythe (Astrid’s daughter) was raised by an adopted family after her mother disappeared. Divorced from Jake Black for two years, she wants to help her kids get to know their father again now that he’s back on the scene. She also wants to come up with a plan for her fashion label MIZZA (named after her grandmother). And most importantly, she wants to find out what happened to her mother, Astrid. Is Astrid gone, missing, vanished or dead? Everyone speculates, and they never stop even after almost 40 years since her disappearance.

While this is a story about mothers and daughters, abandonment, and families set in the world of the fashion industry, it is also a statement about empowerment of women and the gender imbalance in fashion. “The workers were women, while the famous designers and the executives were largely men.” And “Women lose out to men in the strange world of fashion, where the customers are largely women, but the people in charge are men.”

The female characters make many feminist observations throughout the novel, such as Astrid’s fashion mission statement: “I want to take women’s fashion, which is the epitome of this supposedly terrible thing called femineity, and I want to make clothes that are both beautiful and give women back their power – clothes that damn well never make them feel like their only job is to make a man more powerful.”

Author Natasha Lester’s explanation of what inspired her to write this story: “My book is a work of fiction. In trying to tell some parts of a true story, I’ve made up a lot, in order to address how and why women are constantly reshaped by the media into something they aren’t. And why can women only be the inspiration in the creative process, rather than the creator? Those questions drove the writing of this book, and thus required me to invent Mizza’s daughter, Astrid Bricard, and her lover Hawthorne (Hawk) Jones, as well as their daughter, Blythe Bricard. But around the invention is a great deal of fact.”

One negative aspect was that I found it difficult to keep straight all the characters and time periods – which was the mother, the grandmother, the daughter? Who was married to whom? I had to stop and remind myself every few chapters. It was helpful that the chapter titles featured those characters (and often included the dates).

What made the book a fun read was the inclusion of so many facts, including many real-life fashion designers (i.e. Christian Dior and Mizza Bricard) as well as rock stars (i.e. Mick Jagger), music from the 1970s, and the emerging women’s movement.