This was an Intriguing historical fiction story following three women trying to make it in the fashion industry. These three talented women have struggles that are similar as mothers and in the male dominated fashion world.

I enjoyed this peek into the fashion world and WWII Paris. Each of the three timelines were interesting and kept me reading on, mostly to figure out what happened to Astrid!

This book is on the longish side at 460 pages. My only issue with the book is that it took too long to get to the big reveal, which didn’t have the wow-factor I was expecting. If the plot were a little tighter and the book a little shorter, it would have been five stars for me.

4.5 stars

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester is Historical Mystery fiction set in the 20th century fashion world. What happened to a young woman rising to a life of fame and fortune? A story of fashion, the designers, with all the struggles, glamour, family, love, and tragedy in life. While I thought the book was a little slow at the very beginning it quickly became very interesting. I highly recommend this book for the fascinating characters and the mysteries in their lives. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

I loved this multiple point of view novel about three generations of fashion designers who are overshadowed by the men in their lives, and perceived by the general public as being muses and/or sluts because of their beauty. Combining vintage fashion, New York and Paris settings, the early 20th century, 1970s, and 21st century, and motherhood (all interests dear to me), this is a moving and infuriating reminder of how women have been devalued. #TheDisappearanceofAstridBricard #NetGalley

This book is filled with fashion and love. A mystery and multigenerations. New York and Paris.

I was originally hooked by the mystery of the disappearance but quickly fell in love with the characters and their relationships. Both Blythe and Astrid are strong women that were ahead of their time.

I’m amazed that women’s fashion is dominated by men. Astrid was trying to break into this male dominated field with forward thinking designs.

In addition to the characters, I loved all the mentions of fashion icons. And even more so I love how these women put themselves first.

These women will be with me for a long time.

Barrie Kreinik did a great job bringing the characters and story to life. She was able to give reach of them their own voice so the plot was easy to follow.

I loved the three generations which told the story of finding your way in fashion. I was a fashion merchandising major in college so I thought everything about the design world made this book so interesting. The disappearance is only a small part of the plot which I was good with.

Natasha Lester follows the lives of three generations of women designers as they face adverse recognition in a field dominated by men. Mizza. Bricard was known as Dior’s muse. Her daughter Astrid fell in love with designer Hawk Jones. Despite her talent, many of her designs were credited to Hawk as his reputation grew. She disappeared in 1973 when she realized that all of the harassment will never end and will affect the daughter that she had with Hawk. That daughter, Blythe, met her husband Jake in design school. She put her career on hold while he created his business with the promise that her turn would come when he was established. As his business grew he became distant. Now she is a divorced mother of two young children and it is time for her to prove to herself that she can succeed in the fashion world.

There is a disparity in the media between the treatment of men and women and it is apparent in the treatment of all three Bricard women. Despite their talents they are ridiculed, while the men in their lives thrive. Lester’s story also reflects the changes in fashion over time. Astrid introduces a line of separates that can be mixed to go from office to the clubs in the 1970s. In the present Blythe is more concerned with recycling vintage clothing into new styles. Above all else this is a love story. After her disappearance Hawk never stops loving Astrid, just as Jake hopes to reconcile with Blythe. There is so much to love in Lester’s story. Her characters are well developed and she beautifully captures the time periods of each of the Bricards. This is a story that will stay with you long after you have finished reading. I would like to thank NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing this book for my review.

Courtesy of Forever & Grand Central Publishing and Netgalley, I received the ARC of The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester. This multi generation historical novel focuses on creative women in fashion design, starting with the beautiful and talented associate of Christian Dior, Mizza Bricard, and then branching into fiction. Encompassing the eras of WWII and the Resistance, the turbulent 1970's, and contemporary design and marketing issues, this story stresses the bias against women, the negative power of the press, and the impact of the lack of privacy. The characters are compelling, the mystery suspenseful...a page turner! Highly recommend!

Sometimes, you find a book that is just poignant, appropriate, and meaningful to the time in your life, and ASTRID was that for me. This timeless multi-generational novel weaves the fabric of the fashion industry with the lives of three generations of the Bricard women. ASTRID is a powerful, inspirational, and passionate lesson in feminism and the power of the female. I was enraptured by this book until the very end, and it will stay with me forever.

Thank you, NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Natasha Lester for this ARC. The book is released on January 30, 2024.

Also, read the Author's Note, it makes the book more powerful.

Mizza Bricard makes a name for herself in the fashion industry, starting as Dior’s muse. The daughter she gave up for adoption, Astrid, wants to follow in her birth mother’s footsteps, but as a famous designer in her own right. She falls in love with fellow designer, Hawk Jones, and a media frenzy ensues, decades later, their child Blythe, whom also was given up for adoption, finds herself also wanting to design clothes.

As always with NH books, I feel I learn so much while reading, it is clear she does a lot of research when creating her novels, and I love how she can create a story full of characters who seem real. I enjoyed the 3 POV and alternating timelines between the 3 Bricard women, and how their lives intersected. Some of the chapters felt a little redundant at times, but overall I enjoyed this story. There’s even a cameo by Alix St. Pierre! I recommend to those who enjoy NH, and who want to read about women trying to shatter the glass ceiling in the fashion industry.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester is a magnificent multi-timeline Historical Fiction novel based on real-life Madame Mitzah Bricard (Mizza) who was muse and advisor to Christian Dior. Scandal clung to her like a shadow. She was daring and pushed gender boundaries of the time. She also played a role in Nazi-occupied Paris in The Great War.

In the 1970s, Mizza's daughter Astrid is desperate to forge her own path and escape her mother's loose reputation. She was a talented fashion designer with close ties to fellow designer Hawk Jones. But things go awry when her bloodstained dress is found in Versailles.

In 2012, Astrid's daughter is anxious to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance. She uses her grandmother's name Mizza as her design label. She knows there are buried stories which need to come out.

The author seamlessly cements the pieces together with common threads of all three women's experiences in their roles as women, how they went about making changes, and their family bonds. Observing their similarities and differences was enlightening and thoughtfully done. This tantalizingly slow burn story is chock full of atmosphere and clever insight into human nature. It's smart and zippy.

Though most fashion doesn't particularly interest me, what it teaches about people, lifestyles and cultures through history does. The ripples of importance through the eras have been manifested in various ways for thousands of years.

My sincere thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this beguiling novel.

This book would likely appeal to people who remember the 1970's, disco, mirror balls, and who are interested in fashion and designer clothes. The book encompasses the stories of three generations of women from the same family, women who excel at fashion design. There is also a mystery. Astrid Bricard disappeared without a trace from a fashion event, leaving behind a blood-stained garment, her mother and infant daughter. Reading this book reminded me of how far women have come since those days.

I received an e-arc of this book from the publisher Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed it.

Thank you @readforeverpub @netgalley for this great historical fiction. This book has everything, a bit of romance, a bit of mystery and a lot of drama. The story spans over 3 generations of women who were all involved with the fashion industry. As the title suggests, the story mainly centers on Astrid from her upbringing to her raise to fame to her disappearance. The author did such a great job bringing the 70s alive. I love that this story focused on female empowerment. All 3 of the women's story was interesting and kept me so engaged.

This is the story of three generations of ultra-talented women, overshadowed and denied their due by the men in their lives. Mizza Bricard, abandoned by her mother after the premature death of her father had struggled to rise in the treacherous world of Haute Couture. Resisting pressure to become just a plaything to men, she manages to find work with the likes of Molyneux and Balenciaga out of sheer grit and talent. She also becomes very close to a young and not yet famous Christian Dior. As she navigates the murky waters of the Second World War in occupied France, her star rises, falls and rises again. Her daughter, Astrid Bricard, is a talented student at Parsons, New York. in the 1970s. Her paths cross with upcoming designer Hawk Jones who goes on to turn the American fashion industry on its head. But love is not enough for the ambitious Astrid Bricard. The novel actually opens with a scene at a Versailles fashion show where Astrid has disappeared and all that remains is her white dress splotched with blood. Then we meet Blythe Bricard, daughter of Astrid and Hawk, another woman with a lot of ingrained talent, recently divorced and struggling to build her career while grappling her personal life. When she receives a offer to revive the brand "Mizza", which used to be Astrid's, she has a lot of stuff to put in order.
Natasha Lester, the diva of historical fiction, has done a beautiful job of creating and portraying these three talented women and the treacherous world of high fashion. She aptly brings out the slippery slide in all its glory replete with a savage media and competitive politics galore. Along the way, you meet a host of famous designers and brands and get a glimpse into the New York pop culture scene of the times. While the story could have been a tad bit shorter, I am sure those who are interested in haute couture and glam world icons will not complain. All in all an entertaining read with some history, some mystery and a few Cartier diamonds thrown in
Thank you Net Galley, Natasha Lester, Grand Central Publishing Forever for the ARC

This book really makes you think about the way media writes the story of women and it is excepted as the truth no matter what. This follows 3 generations of the Bricard women who each have their place in the fashion world. Mizza is based on a real person and then we follow her daughter Astrid and her granddaughter Blythe. It did take me a bit to get used to the time jumps back and forth but I did find it compelling once I was invested in all three stories. The mystery of what happened to Astrid was a little bit of a let down but overall an interesting concept on who tells the stories.

Thanks to Netgalley and Forever Publishaing for this Arc. All opinions are my own.

The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard was s gripping story of three women and how the world defined them as something merely superficial. In this book we know the story of Mizza, Astrid and Blythe: grandmother, mother and daughter in the world of fashion, a world dominated by men and the media. These three stories intertwin to create a tale of strong women struggling to survive in a world that wants to take them down.
In all honesty, it was hard for me to get into the story in the first chapters, but once I advanced, I was caught in this incredible tale of women who were more complex than the press had made them seem.
Reading this provoked such a strong reaction against the press that sometimes I wanted to throw the book away (I’d definitely would have done it if it wasn’t my kindle). Despite not understanding the characters and their choices at first (especially Astrid’s) it was inevitable not to ache for them.
I also loved how characters from Lester’s previous books had an important part in the women story.
Overall, I really enjoyed the story and it continues my admiration for Natasha Lester’s work.

Natasha Lester's previous book, The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre, was one of my favorite reads of 2023 so I was so excited to read her latest, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard. The book starts off a little slow, but I was quickly drawn into the characters and how they connected. Astrid is a flawed but beautiful character who fights for her place in the fashion world. I loved that each woman - Mizza, Astrid, and Blythe - was fully fleshed out, and I was hooked to find out what really happened to Astrid at Versailles. Loved this one, and the reappearance of Alix as a side character. As always, a great story from Natasha Lester!

TW: PPD

Thanks to Forever for the copy of this book!

“Why is the world so full of older men all telling a young woman she won’t be able to do what she wants? How do women walk down the street beneath the weight of all the doubt everyone wants them to carry? Why is powerlessness the only thing the world wants to gift them? An anger like she’d felt during the women’s march sweeps through her. And underneath it, the same desperate need to be more than what everyone wants to make her.”

Natasha Lester is a go-to author for my picky historical fiction self. THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD is a fantastic read, full of lush fashion history, heartache, love, tenderness, and empowerment. Told through three generations of Bricard women in three timelines, we see the way that women are treated in the fashion industry and how it impacts every relationship in their lives. I think this is a book to pick up even if you aren’t typically a historical fiction reader - it’s very relevant while also focusing on some interesting history.

Read if you:
- like generational stories or multiple timelines
- enjoy fashion
- want some aching & longing with your romance
- love women’s empowerment

WOW!! 🤯 This book had me HOOKED from the first chapter. This is one of those historical fiction books that makes you want to Google whether everything is historically accurate or not. It took everything in me to wait until the end (and I did, go me 🎉) and the authors note gave me all the information I wanted.

I don't want to spoil the plot because so much amazing stuff happens, but if you love historical fiction, fashion, or a bit of family drama/intrigue this book is absolutely for you!

Thanks to @netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Fascinating history that follows three generations of the Bricard family who were all involved in the fashion industry. The story starts out slow and I almost gave up on it, getting confused between the various women, but once it picked up, I was drawn in and couldn’t get enough of all three of them. From the strength of Mizza in the war, then the resilience of Astrid in the tough, male-dominated fashion industry, and finally the resolve of Blythe with her family issues, everyone of them was compelling and had you rooting for them. Highly recommended for those who love fashion and/or multi-generational novels.

This timeless story was beautifully written. Natasha Lester always does a fabulous job of melding fictional drama with real-life people and events. I was equally captivated by each of the three timelines, which isn't always the case in books with multiple perspectives.