The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard by Natasha Lester

So many people and such a long road to tell the reader about inequality in the fashion industry even in the 1970s. Fantastic female fashion designers had a hard time moving ahead in the industry without a male to vouch for them.

I may have missed something along the way, but I saw no growth or change in the characters, nor was there any drama or action-highs or lows- to speak of. The absent Astrid was constantly referred to, yet no one actually investigated where she might have gone.

This Grand Central Publishing story offered by Net Galley was not the one for me and boredom set in early on. I’ll rate this book 2.5 stars with a push to 3, just because.

A story where fashion and mystery collide!

The desperate need to know what happened to Astrid Bricard kept me going even though my interest waned pretty early. I think the reasoning for the disappearance was good but not good enough for as long as it went on for in the characters' lives. What needed a stronger rationale from the beginning was Astrid's usage of the last name Bricard. We learn quickly that she's adopted and bothered by the comparisons to her birth mother, Mizza Bricard, but then why use Bricard? Every time she complained I grew more and more frustrated. The real reason didn't need to be given early but some explanation because Astrid came across whiny and attention-seeking each time the issue of her biological mother was brought up.

The triple POV made sense and it was nice to see the contrast between the women. Unfortunately, the similarities were not great qualities and there was no escape from the woe-is-me. I found Mizza very interesting and was delighted to learn that she was a real person, but her character received considerably less page time than the other two and some of my favorite parts of Mizza turned out to be falsehoods for creative purposes.

When I read historical fiction I want to be transported to the time and I didn't get near the required description or narration for that to happen. There were moments in this story that I felt were so strong only a highly skilled writer could craft it. But the moments were very brief. The three main characters all seemed motivated by the same two qualities: fear and love. Fear was almost exclusively done through dialogue and it didn't carry through the pages to me as a reader to be concerned when paranoia hit the character. Love was done beautifully with Hawk and Astrid but was such a chaotically hot and cold feeling (and again mostly dialogue or inner monologue) for the other two women that I didn't buy their emotions as believable.

While this book by Lester was one I'd only cautiously recommend I did see talent shine through and would welcome reading a different book by the author.

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ASTRID BRICARD by Natasha Lester is engaging, thought provoking, wonderfully wrought story. Is it better to be muse, artist, or the person trying to make sense of them? Born into a family inextricably wound with high fashion from grandmother muse Mizza to daughter designer Astrid, Blythe Bricard attempts to solve the mystery of her mother's disappearance and resolve the generations of family dreams, secrets, and desires. I was entranced by the pitch perfect creation of the world of high fashion from the inside out and the well-drawn characters who lived it as best they could. I received a copy of this book and these thoughts are my own, unbiased opinions.

I've read almost all of this author's books (minus her first two) and she does not disappoint. While this book started a bit slow for me (which is partially on me and my attention span reading in print), I was utterly captivated by the second half of the book and couldn't put it down. I think this happens sometimes with historical fiction, and maybe particularly when there are alternate timelines because information needs to be shared with the reader in all timelines and then eventually the plot can move forward quite seamlessly.

I loved my time spent with these fascinating characters: Mizza and her fashion friends, Astrid and her school friends and Hawk and his family, and Blythe and her ex-husband and his family. All of the timelines were equally as engaging for me, but I held a bit of a soft spot for Blythe by the end of the book. The fashion world is not one that I turn to often, but Natasha Lester excels at writing about fashion in a readable way (says this person writing this review in pajamas with dogs on them. Lol).

I definitely recommend picking this one up if you enjoy this type of historical fiction novel with a modern timeline as well as moments in the past (70s and WWII).

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again the heroines Natasha writes are dynamic forces of nature. They are trailblazers in an industry or society dominated by men who think they are when in reality these women are the trendsetters laying their hearts on the line day in and day out. This story is a complex tale about the challenges with mothers and daughters, the fashion industry, and how toxic the media is to women. The stories of these three women across the different generations show how little and how much things have changed over time and how it only takes one to rise up.


I loved the tie back to Alix St Pierre and how she connects to these incredible ladies!



Thank you @readforeverpub @natashalesterauthor and @netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

You think you know what is going on the entire book then bam, there is a secret revealed at the end that blows your mind! “The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard” is that kind of book.
It is told with three POV’s
Mizza- survived WWII and was known as Christian Dior’s muse
Astrid- Mizza’s daughter. A fashion designer who had to fight the male establishment her entire life.
Blythe- Astrid’s daughter who is dealing with an ex-husband while trying to revive her mother’s clothing line.
My favorite storyline was Astrid’s- I felt like I was transported back to 1970 in Manhattan. I love Natasha Lester’s books and this one did not disappoint. Many thanks to the author and publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheDisappearanceofAstridBricard #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #fiction #HistoricalFiction #mystery #GeneralFictionAdult

Thank you to NetGalley, author Natasha Lester, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really enjoyed this!! "Contemporary" historical fiction (aka anything set in the 1950s-on) is my favorite sort of historical fiction to read. Add in strong women that come from a line of rocky fashion history, and I'm absolutely sold! Perhaps my favorite part of this book was actually the author's note at the end that explained who Mizza Bricard was and that she was actually a real person. Reading this made so much sense, as while reading, this book absolutely leapt off the page with so many specific details and scenes that I knew some of it must be true. It is clear that Lester put so much time, care, and research into writing this book, and it pays off. It was fascinating to read what the experience of Astrid being a female fashion designer in the 1970s was like, and how much of it was mirrored decades prior with Mizza and decades later with Blythe. I enjoyed the book featuring perspectives from each of the women, as I definitely think it helped a pretty complex familial story be told in the most concise way. However, my biggest complaint with the book was that I do think sometimes the book suffered from having to feature on the perspectives of 3 different women in 3 different times rather than just one. Some chapters and perspectives felt rushed or skipped over, while others took too much of the scene. I also thought it was interesting how much time in the book was spent on the romantic relationships of each of these women when that didn't seem to be what the book was mainly focusing on. Overall, though, this didn't detract too much from my enjoyment of the book, and I'm definitely interested in checking out other works by Lester. Definitely recommend if you are a fan of fashion, stories about strong women, or a "historical" read that feels still modern and fresh!

This was such a rich, lovely story. Told in three timelines, the Bricard women are set up to take the fashion world by storm. But being women, they are always pushed aside to their male counterparts. The media portrays them as a muse not designers.

I adored the love stories in this. Hawk and Astrid. Jake and Blythe. 😍They were perfectly imperfect. The longing and heartbreak and love was so beautiful.

I loved the peek into the fashion industry. Though not so much the press/stories that came from it. Being a woman is tough.

I adored this book. And as someone who doesn’t normally enjoy historical fiction, I think that speaks volumes.

Read if You Like:
👗 Fashion
👗 Generational Stories
👗 Multiple POVs
👗 Longing
👗 Women’s Empowerment
👗 Mysteries

Three generations, three women of fashion and three stories. Will any of all of the Bricard women get eh chance to prove themselves? Mizza Bricard is growing up in the early 1900s in Paris, parentless. By the time her daughter, Astrid gets her chance, Mizza is remembered as a muse to a great fashion designer. Astrid is attending Parson’s in the 70s and trying to make her own name for herself but she’s living in her mom’s shadow. Right when her career is on the verge of taking off, Astrid disappears. Jump forward to now and Blythe is trying to redeem her families reputation in fashion. The child of two fashion icons, Astrid Bricard and Hawk Jones, Blythe is born for the field, but she cant escape the shadow they both left for her. Will Blythe finally be the Bricard woman to escape from muse status and become a big name in fashion design?

I enjoyed how this book was laid out, flipping between the three different points of view of the Bricard women. As each woman’s sorry was told all of the puzzle pieces started to fall together and a great story unfolded. I found this to be a well written story with a great format and characters that spoke for themselves. The twists on this book kept me wanting to keep reading to see how everything was going to play out, in all three stories. Some of the characters weren’t my favorite, but overall I did enjoy this story and kept wanting to come back for more!

Thank you to the publishers for an ARC of this new historical fiction novel!

This book follows the stories of three generations of women who each have to deal with the highs and lows of fashion, love, and motherhood. Mizza (based on a real woman), who experiences two world wars and the birth of haute couture, Astrid, who fights unrelenting discrimination for her place as a top American designer in the 1970s, and finally Blythe, a mother just emerging from a contentious divorce who must grapple with her famous mother’s disappearance in order to revive her fashion career.

The combination of fashion history, family drama, and feminist issues makes this book an interesting and for the most part entertaining read. I’m always, always interested in learning more about fashion history and the famous Battle of Versailles in 1973 where French and American designers competed head to head is one of the events that really provokes my curiosity.

Unfortunately, I feel like what I found most interesting about it (the actual historical events that took place) is not what interests the author. She chose to approach it solely from Astrid’s POV and invent her own fictional twist. While I appreciate the author’s work to create a rich historical setting, I think the real history is actually a lot more interesting. The author’s attempt to address Black fashion history with the book’s sole Black character felt really inadequate to say the least.

Mizza was the most interesting character to me and honestly I wish she had gotten a whole book to herself! I struggled the most with Blythe as a character because her motivations and POV didn’t make a ton of sense to me. Likewise, Jake was an initially frustrating character but had hidden depths that I wished had been properly explored.

I also felt like all of the romances were too fast and inconsistent. I was thoroughly engrossed by the mystery but its resolution felt a bit anticlimactic. While I definitely enjoyed this book, I think the author bit off more than she could chew...

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.