Many thanks to both Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, by Natasha Lester. The expected publication date is September 7, 2023.

History said she was just a man's muse. History was wrong.

Mizza Bricard, at a party surrounded by the most scandalous women in Paris - including Coco Chanel - sees what society expects of a woman alone in the world. That night, she vows to never be gossiped about because of who has paid for her pearls, a vow that drives her through decades and couture houses until finally her name is remembered and a legend created.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a fascinating deep dive into the fashion industry from the 1900s, through to today. Mizza Bricard existed in real life and started as a pattern maker for Dior in 1946, eventually becoming known as his muse.

Mizza's fictional daughter, Astrid, arrives in New York determined to change the fashion world forever but becomes best known for her dance on a table while wearing her daringly short, silver lamé dress and no underwear. And then Astrid disappeared…

Astrid's fictional daughter is Blythe, who has fashion-designing dreams of her own and is determined not to be anyone's muse.

The author did an incredible job combining a real-life character with a handful of fictional ones in order to spotlight what fashion designers had to accept at the time - being invisible as men got the credit for their ideas.

I felt the story lost some momentum during the star-crossed-lover bits Astrid and Blythe, both suffered through. (There's no doubt in my mind, however, that romance lovers will think that's the best part of the book!) For me? It was the fashion industry parts of the book that were the most captivating.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester.

Three generations of women, all tangled in the fashion world, and all desperate to make a name for themselves on their own merit.

This is somewhat formulaic, if you've ever read a Kate Morton, or something similar, then you know the type. Absolutely nothing wrong with the formula though! I loved all of the fashion references, Halston, Chanel, Dior, you see them all, and I'm not even a fashionista, but I do love pop culture and history.

This was a finely woven story about three women, and it's articulate and well done. My personal struggle with the story, having listened to it, was keeping all of the Bricard women straight, and remembering what men belonged to whom, and how exactly they were connected to one another.

This book was very exciting and riveting. I believe it is the second book I have read by Natasha Lester. If you like historical fiction books, you will enjoy this book for sure!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this book in exchange for my honest review.



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Thank you!

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is my first book by Natasha Lester. The story, which is told from the perspective of three generations of women in the fashion industry, focuses on gender inequality. I thought Lester’s writing was beautiful and the stories were interesting. I would absolutely read another book from the author, but ultimately, I just didn’t connect to the overall story. Maybe all the glitz and glamour just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow I love this book so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am a huge historical fiction fan and somehow this is my first Natasha Lester book but it certainly won't be my last. Going to binge read her others now.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester
Historical fiction. Multiple time line within the same family.
Blythe Bricard is the daughter of a famous fashion icon and the granddaughter of the famous Mizza Bricard. The story follows Blythe as she tries to find the true story of what happened to her mother, as well both Astrid and Mizza as each become part of the fashion industry. None of their lives are uncomplicated or private.

Women trying to make a difference in a world dominated and managed by men for women's fashion decided on by men. Glass ceiling, obligations of war and surviving, and undiagnosed medical issues devastate the three generations as each simply wants a successful career. And each wants the love and best life for their children.
It’s devastating. It’s poignant. It’s uplifting. It’s truth. It’s history.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I purchased copies to read again.

This review will be posted on February 2, 2024 to: https://instagram.com/amandas.bookshelf

The beginning was a bit muddled for me. There were three timelines and a LOT of characters and plot points to keep straight. Something clicked for me when I was more than a third of the way through (I think it was when the mystery surrounding Astrid really got going). The plot was robust though and immediately sucked me in for the last two-thirds. Each Bricard woman (Mizza, Astrid, and Blythe) worked *so* hard to fulfill their creative visions and to be recognized for being the artists they were. There were also some wonderful lines of prose about history, patriarchy, and women's equity that felt so resonant (even still in 2024). I especially appreciated the beautiful descriptions of the fabric and colors in the fashion designs, even if I struggled to picture some of them. (I so so wished the sketches and/or pictures of the Bricard women's completed designs were included.) The only sub-plot I didn't care for was Blythe's will-they-won't-they-reunite romance with Jake. She was interesting enough, strong enough that her plot didn't need to be bogged down with romance. #TheDisappearanceOfAstridBricard Rating: 🙂 / liked it
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This book is scheduled for publication on January 30, 2024. Thank you @readforeverpub for providing me this digital ARC via @NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @netgalley and @readforeverpub for sending me this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
I loved the idea of this book – three generations of women in a fashion dynasty working to prove themselves as more than muses to the men in their lives and to keep history from repeating itself.
In her author’s note, Natasha Lester writes about the driving factors behind this book: “How and why are women constantly reshaped by media into something they aren’t? And why can women only be the inspiration in the creative process, rather than the creator?” Natasha Lester explains that these are the questions that required her to invent Mizza’s daughter, Astrid Bricard, Hawk Jones, and their daughter Blythe Bricard. But, she says, “around the invention is a great deal of fact.”
I love that she wrote about women throughout three generations that were perceived as muses, but were all actually brilliant creators, and how they worked to be seen as such – by the men in their lives, the media, the fashion industry, and the public – all in different time periods. To prove this misconception, at one point, Astrid says to Hawk, “I need you to stay far away from my clothes otherwise the press will make them yours.”
However, and this is likely an unpopular opinion, something was just missing for me. It almost felt like I had been dropped in the middle of the plot and I was missing things. I also just skimmed most of Mizza’s chapters as they didn’t feel quite as relevant to the story. I know that Mizza was the real character in this novel and was considered the muse of Christian Dior. However, I’m not sure her chapters did as good of a job as I would have liked of establishing that she was more than a muse. I thought overall, the book was slightly too long or maybe just imbalanced, and could have used some additional editing – both for clarity and relevance.
Also, I just have to say, Blythe’s husband seemed like a total jerk and I didn’t really buy the explanation for why. Also I was so worried about their kids, Eva and Sebby, at the beginning. I even read ahead to check on Sebby before I read the rest.

The author does a wonderful job of building a fictional story around a true life person. This book is great for fans of fashion, mystery, and historical fiction. The story of three generations of strong women making a life for themselves.

This historical fiction set in the fashion world of New York City during the 1970s spans generations of women in the Bricard family. The strong female characters, vivid descriptions of New York and details about the fashion industry combine to create a tantalizing read.

Astrid Bricard is an upcoming fashion designer in the middle of her degree when she meets fellow designer Hawk jones. The two become the city’s latest “it” couple. Between their nightime party scene and their innovative new fashions, the press and public can’t get enough. Astrid struggles to be seen as more than a muse, to escape the shadow of her famous mother, Mizza, and to be taken seriously as a fashion designer of her own. Now Blythe, Astrid and Hawk’s daughter, is trying to solve the years old mystery of the disappearance of her mother.

The inequalities faced by the women in this family and the history of male dominance in the fashion industry are woven together in this well written novel. Natasha Lester both educates and entertains in The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. Perfect for fans of historical fiction and family sagas.

Thanks to Forever for an advanced copy of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester which came out yesterday - January 30th.

Natasha Lester's historical fiction are some of my favorites. I love how she weaves fashion into her books and this book is about 3 generations of women in fashion.

Three generations. One chance to prove themselves. Can the women of the Bricard fashion dynasty finally rewrite their history?

I liked the book and was so curious to see what happened to Astrid. I really loved her story and the modern one with Blythe. I felt like the Mizza chapters didn't necessarily flow but once I read the author's note I wanted more Mizza since she was the real person!! I liked how this was a great mix of fictional characters with real ones. This book didn't feel as historical fiction as Lester's past books but I loved the drama and intrigue, especially towards the end.
I also loved seeing Alix St. Pierre as a side character!

If you are a fan of Natasha Lester or love fashion you'll enjoy this!

How I love reading a gripping historical fiction to find out in the acknowledgments that some characters really existed and/or some others are based off real people. This is exactly what happened with this book. Mizza was born in the beginning of the 20th century. Her father dies when she is still young, and her mother remarries. She quickly sends her off to a convent where Mizza has to figure out life on her own. Mizza knows that the convent life is not for her, and she starts hanging out with the elite of Paris. She turns into a fashion superstar, but was never acknowledged as such, just like the vast majority of women at that time. Her work was diminished, she was considered just a muse, just a starlet trying to get attention.. During the second WW, nobody knows what happened to her, but she managed to get a baby. Little Astrid. Astrid was not raised by her mother, but she had fashion running in her veins. A passion for designing. She wanted to graduate from Parsons, but she met Hawk, and then started a whirlwind of a friendship/partnership/romance.. Hawk destroyed her without even realizing it. They ended up having a love child. They named her Blythe. This story is told by those 3 ladies' POVs. It was heartbreaking to see how the story kept repeating itself from one generation to the next. They each suffered the same heartaches and injustice, without being able to stand up for themselves and be able to voice their side of the story, the real story, because of this patriarchal society we live in. It was quite a beautiful novel. I knew that the world of fashion was ugly, but I still learned quite a lot thanks to authors Natasha Lester. And I look forward to doing some research on the 1973 fashion event discussed in detail in the novel, which really happened, and I never heard of it! A single female designer was featured in the event, Anne Klein, in the midst of all those big-egos male designers. She was shred to pieces, just like Astrid did in the story. We still have a long way to go before women can finally feel like they are being treated like equals.
A great multi-generational historical fiction in the world of fashion.

Short synopsis: Multi-generational story following three women and their experiences in fashion, pushing gender roles, and empowering women.

My thoughts: Natasha Lester quickly became a favorite of mine a few years ago after reading The Riviera House. Her writing is compelling and she writes a past/present timeline so well with such amazingly developed characters it’s hard to remember they are fictional.

I particularly liked the discussion regarding womens rights in this one, especially in the fashion industry. Her book the Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre also touched on this concept (which Alix makes a cameo here) but this one dives a little bit deeper into how men were given a lot of the credit for the fashions that women created. And women were simply a muse.

There is such a great balance between historical facts, fiction, and romance that you’ll have a hard time putting this one down!

Read if you love:
- Historical fiction based of real people and time
- Women’s rights
- Multi-generational stories
- The fashion industry
- multiple POV

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard

By: Natasha Lester
5🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

I always enjoy Lester’s books and her love of fashion always shines through in the books she writes.
🤍
This sweeping novel follows three women with multiple timelines over decades.
🤍
Gender bias was evident in this novel when Astrid’s cannot show her own designs. They were only thought of as muses.
🤍
If you enjoy fashion, a light romance and powerful women who fight for their rights this is the perfect novel for you. Intriguing and powerful!
🤍
Thank you Forever Pub for this advanced copy. I was also gifted a Netgalley copy. Available NOW!

#thedisappearanceodastrufbricard, #natashalester, #foreverpub, #bookreview, #bookstagram, #bookreview, #stamperlady50

Astute, heartbreaking, and mysterious!

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is a tender, intriguing tale that takes you on a journey into the lives of three generations of Bricard women. Mizza, a young Paris assistant and muse to Christian Dior who spends the wartime helping the resistance; Astrid, a bold, headstrong designer who uses all her energy to try to step out of the shadow left by her mother and prove the journalists wrong once and for all by showcasing her true talent at the 1973 Battle of Versailles Fashion Show, and Blythe a mother of two who, after being abandoned by both her famous parents, dreams of making a success of her own sustainable-fashion brand and perhaps finally discovering what really happened on that night so long ago when her mother seemingly disappeared without a trace.

The prose is vivid and expressive. The characters are talented, tormented, and resilient. And the plot, including all the subplots, intertwine and unravel into a poignant, simmering tale of familial dynamics, drama, emotion, secrets, love, loss, lies, heartbreak, introspection, passion, inequality, injustice, and the misogynistic world of fashion.

As most of you know, I am a huge fan of Natasha Lester and have read almost every novel she has ever written, and The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard is without a doubt another compelling, romantic, affecting tale by Lester but one with perhaps a little more grit, depth, and layers than we’ve had the pleasure of seeing from her before.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard
by Natasha Lester

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Natasha Lester pulls back the curtain on the world of fashion in The Disappearnce of Astrid Bricard and subverts the female muse/male creator construction. A historical mystery following three generations of women, each attempting to find their way in an industry ruled and dominated by men. The titular, Astrid Bricard, lives in 70’s New York at the peak of disco and the dawning of American modish fashion. She is a student at Parson’s when she meets Hawk Jones. Together they are about to turn the American fashion scene on fire. Fashion is in Astrid’s blood. Her mother Mizza, was the creative genius behind the House of Dior. Mizza may have survived the German invasion of Paris, but she couldn’t escape the male establishment who labeled her a notorious demi-horizontal. Decades later, Astrid’s dream of designing clothes, that will make women feel powerful, is slipping away, as the press diminishes her to nothing more than Hawk’s sexy muse. Determined to prove herself, Astrid breaks away from Hawk, to build her own brand - Mizza. They meet again to compete with a select group of American designers in The Battle at Versailles. Astrid is the only female designer invited, and her career is about to sky rocket when she mysteriously disappears.

Fast forward to 2012, Blythe is divorced and the mother of two young children. Blythe has set aside her career as a designer. Marked by the absence of her mother early in life, she has chosen to focus on motherhood
. But she is presented with an opportunity, and she has the potential to be great, greater than either Mizza or Astrid could ever have imagined if given the chance.

The Disappearnace of Astrid Bricard was a nostalgic plunge into the world of 70’s fashion and I was happy to dive in head first. If you like a mystery, enjoy exploring the lives of women history has forgotten, or are curious about the world of fashion, this should be your next read.

Many thanks to the author @NatashaLesterAuthor, @ReadForeverPub and @NetGalley for the pleasure of reading this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

At the height of her fashion career in the 1970s, Astrid Bricard disappears from the fashion event of the century never to be heard from again. While Astrid was a student in design, she was always better known as a muse, just like her mother Mizza, who was famous for scandalous dress and behavior. In the present day countryside in France, Astrid’s adult daughter, Blythe, is vacationing with her ex-husband and his family, managing her children, and trying to figure out her career as a designer. As Blythe delves into her mother’s and grandmother’s complicated histories as both muse and designer, she discovers untold secrets, giving the Bricard legacy a new chance to revolutionize women’s fashion.

This book has three main characters and plot-lines, following each of the Bricard women as they navigate war, love, vocation, and patriarchy. I think the author did a good job not glossing over the tragedies depicted, and allowing each woman to struggle. I preferred reading about Astrid and Mizza the most, particularly the intersection of politics and pop-culture that seemed to surround life in the 1970s. A few elements of Blythe’s story did not appeal to me, however, her discoveries really helped conclude everything nicely!

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and the author for the chance to read and review this book!

I'm a huge historical fiction fan so I really wanted to love this book. Unfortunately I'm in the minority as I've seen a lot of great reviews. I just didn't like it. The premise was intriguing and I was excited to see how the lives of the three generations of women would somehow intertwine. Their stories were mostly individual and although that's fine, the bouncing back and forth between the three characters and timelines was confusing at first. I thought the book itself was way too long as it felt really drawn out. I was also disappointed by the reasoning of Astrid's disappearance. I won't go further for fear of spoiling for others but I wish this aspect had been different

I liked Mizza's storyline the most and enjoyed the fashion industry plot, even though the sexism was maddening. I think a lot of people will love this one, it just wasn't for me!

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me a digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

Pub Day Book Review: The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard 💐

Author: @natashalesterauthor
Publisher: @readforeverpub
Date: Out Today!

⁉️: if you could identify a person who can represent an era for you, who would it be? Or do you have a favorite fashion brand?

🌺 Natasha Lester’s latest novel is a testament to the inter-generational story of a family set in the 1970s New York City and Versailles, France. Told in alternative narratives, the focus of the novel is on the lives of three women: Mizza, Astrid, and her daughter, Blythe Bicard. Loosely based on the story of a real person, Mizza was born Germaine Louise Neustadt as shared by Lester in a news article. Mizza who was the muse of Christian Dior - a household name around the world. Her history is the most fascinating, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. Lester shares in her article that Mizza was a demimondaine (the French word for sex worker). However, she was able to socially navigate and become a name in the fashion industry in France. Known as Madam Biano, she was the head designer of a French brand called House of Doucet in 1920s and 30s. When the Second World War started, she also became part of the resistance. To learn more about her, Natasha has written an article about her.

🌺 In the novel, emerging American designer Astrid Bicard and fellow designer Hawk Jones take over feminism and fashion’s scene in the 1970s. However, she is unable to escape her mother’s shadow. Then, she suddenly and mysteriously disappears. After her disappearance, her daughter, Blythe takes over trying to recreate what remains of her mother and grandmother’s legacies.

💭 This was my second Natasha Lester novel after reading The Three Lives of Alex St.Pierre. As a fan of historical fiction, I love Lester’s novels as they transport me to a different era. As you can tell, I was most fascinated by Mizza’s life and how three generations of women make a name for themselves in a very competitive industry. I have never been a follower of the latest fashion trends but I do enjoy learning about how clothes, shoes, and other things become show stoppers, and the amount of work that goes into creating a fashion show. The themes explored here include media, celebrity, intergenerational family trauma, and war, it is clear that Lester has done substantial research for this story and it comes alive with each page.

Thank you @readforeverpub and @grandcentralpub for the gifted e-arc.

#NatashaLester #TheDisappearanceOfAsterBicard #ReadForeverPub #GrandCentralPub #shnidhi

I loved this book! It tells the story of Astrid Bricard, her mother Mizza and her daughter Blythe. Mizza was famous for being the muse to famous fashion designer, but no one knows her real story, especially about her activities in Paris during the WWII German occupation.

Astrid wasn’t raised by her mother, but wanted to go into fashion as a designer. She joined forces with another designer, named Hawk, and he went on to become famous. Eventually the two became parents to Blythe. After the famed Battle of Versailles fashion show, Astrid disappeared leaving Blythe with her father. Blythe is also a designer but she approaches fashion differently, but her famous family precedes her.

I loved the way the book spans timelines. The characters are fascinating and the their stories are gripping. This is one of my favorite books of 2024, 5 stars

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.