3.5 Stars.

The Lost Dresses of Italy by M. A. McLaughlin is presented as historical fiction, but a murder mystery, filled with twists and turns, is also woven into the fabric of this captivating tale. The novel begins with a seemingly unrelated murder, setting the stage for an intricate story that unfolds over two timelines in Verona, Italy: the late 1800s and 1947, just after WWII.

The discovery of three well-preserved Victorian dresses in a trunk in Verona is the catalyst for the story. Textile historian Marianne Baxter, a meticulous and determined researcher, is enlisted by a personal friend to prepare these dresses for a museum display. The dresses belonged to the renowned poet Christina Rossetti, and hidden within them are clues about her personal life during her stay in Verona. As Marianne delves into Christina's past, she enlists the help of other researchers, including the witty and resourceful historian Dr. Jameson, to uncover connections between Rossetti and the missing Menigatti family jewellery.

McLaughlin masterfully intertwines the two timelines, drawing readers into a richly detailed world where history, mystery, and suspense converge. Marianne's investigation reveals hidden truths about Christina Rossetti, and as the pieces of the puzzle come together, Marianne finds that her own life and the lives of those around her may be in danger.

The narration by Hope Newhouse, Melanie Crawley, and Edoardo Camponeschi is a stroke of genius, breathing life into the story. Each voice adds depth and nuance to the characters and their experiences, creating an immersive experience for the reader. You'll feel like you're right there in Verona, uncovering the secrets alongside Marianne.

The Lost Dresses of Italy is a captivating journey through time, teeming with historical intrigue, mystery, and the haunting beauty of Verona. McLaughlin's adeptness in weaving a complex narrative with rich historical detail and suspenseful twists makes this book a must-read for fans of historical fiction and mystery genres.

Thank you to NetGalley and Regal House Publishing for the E-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I want more books of these two MCs putting together museum exhibits and solving past mysteries. They were so fun together and the way they could use different things to uncover information for their exhibit was just so much fun.

The story about some of the mysteries surrounding the Rossetti family, This fictional tale uses a museum curator, a curator of clothing, and a lost trunk to uncover the mysteries of what could have happened to change poetess Christina Rosetti to the more subdued and withdrawn writer she was in her later years, as opposed to her active, engaged activist self that came in the years before she took a trip.to her her father's homeland in Italy.

#arc
#netgalley
#thelostdressesofitaly

I am admittedly disappointed. I was really excited for this book, but it just didn't work for me. The story dragged in most places, and just really didn't hold my attention. I liked the narrators, but ... it's excessively wordy, and overly descriptive at times that just bogged it down, "I stood up and straightened the ecru cotton dress I was wearing." The color/fabric was completely meaningless, why mention it? Also, I really wish I had been paid a nickel for every time, "her dark hair, her best feature," was mentioned, I could retire and never work again.

I'm a big fan of most of Dreamscape's books... just not this one. Sorry. (I was being generous with the stars...)

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.

This book took me a bit to be able to follow because of the time/narrator changes but the story was really good and the ending was not at all what I expected. Enjoyable!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an audio arc in exchange for an honest review.

In 1947, Marianne has been invited to Verona, Italy to assist a museum in restoring and displaying three Victorian dresses once owned by famed poet Christina Rossetti. While working on the pieces she discovers hidden secrets sewn inside the dresses leading her to delve into the mysterious life and romance of the famed writer. What drew her to Italy and why had the gowns been left behind?

1864 Verona, Christina Rossetti along with her mother and brother to Italy to see the sights and museums although she has been tasked with a much bigger mission by her deceased father. She has been swaying between her ambitions of being a writer (and likely a spinster) or conforming to society and marrying a man she does not love. While there she discovers the life and love her father had before moving to England, finding herself in love along the way. However, these star crossed lovers might find themselves having the same fate as the cities most famous couple.

This is a dual timeline historical fiction (with some glaring historical errors and liberates) told by the POV of Christina and Marianne. Antonio's POV didn't feel necessary. I enjoyed the Victoria era and storyline of Christina, feeling like it had more layers and character development. I really struggled with Marianne. She is incredibly self-centered and demanding, giving very little concern to the people around her or the country trying to climb out of a world war devastation. The way she makes the discovers is a bit of an eye roll and it keeps happening with each garment. The writing style attempts to be poetic and at times comes across clunky and slow. There is a spattering of Italian thrown in which is jarring and disrupts the flow. The ending is just ridiculous. There was an interesting story in there but I would have preferred staying with Christina instead of trying to cover so much in the duel narratives.

I had the audio version read by Hope Newhouse; Melanie Crawley; Edoardo Camponeschi. They were all okay but not enough voice deviation between characters. Edoardo is authentic but hard to understand at faster speeds.

The Lost Dresses of Italy is a time warp story switching between the late 1800s and two years after World War III. The story is centered on three pieces of clothing that are found in a trunk and appear to have some thing to do with the poet from the 1800s I did not finish this book, it could not hold my interest. However, I am sure that some people will love it if this is the style of book that they love thank you for the chance to let me listen

Utilizing multiple voice actors, The Lost Dresses of Italy audiobook is more performance than narratiion. This technique also makes it easy to keep up with story and timeline as the book weaves between two time periods, two overlapping plots, and multiple characters. It does take a little time, in the beginning, to adapt to the voices and dialects; however, once fully emerged, you're engaged and don't want to stop until the story finishes. I usually listen to audiobooks during my commute, but this one kept me intrigued to the point that I began wearing earbuds to continue listening at home. (My house looked so clean at the end of the book when I realized I could clean and listen at the same time!)

The story itself was well-done. I'd read Rossetti's poetry at university, but hadn't delved deeper into her personal life and career and this inspired me to do additional research. The ending was satisfying without being terribly predictable.

I have read a lot of historical fiction with split timelines, but this one was unique in having 2 historical timelines, not a contemporary one. While it took me some time to get into the story (I’m very unfamiliar with pre-20th century Italian history), I did eventually get into it. I did not expect as much of a mystery as there was, which was a pleasant surprise (and surprise me it did as I thought I had it solved and was entirely wrong).

The Lost Dresses of Italy offers a bit of mystery and romance set in Verona, Italy. The narrative follows two timelines, 1864 and 1947, that are effectively woven together. For me, the pace was a little slow at the start, but it picked up and the ending was truly surprising.

I’d recommend this book to anyone that enjoys historical fiction, or stories set in Italy.
Thank you #netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Lost Dresses of Italy synopsis is presented as a historical fiction, but don’t be fooled there is a bit of a murder/mystery thriller built in that raises the excitement level. The novel begins with a murder that seems incredibly unrelated…just wait for it. The story is told over two timelines in Verona, Italy: the late 19th century and 1947 just after WWII.

Three well preserved Victorian dresses have been discovered in a trunk in Verona. Textile historian, Marianne Baxter has been asked by her personal friend to ready these dresses for a museum display. The dresses belonged to the famous female poet Christina Rossetti and within them there are a few well-hidden clues into her personal life during her stay in Verona. Marianne calls in some help with researching Christina’s life and makes some connections between her and the missing Menigatti family jewelry. As she puts the pieces of Christina’s story together, her life and those around her might be in jeopardy.

This story was incredibly interesting and I enjoyed the audio production. However, the ending felt a bit rushed and the connections a tad loose.

I really enjoyed listening to The Lost Dresses of Italy. It is a dual narrative story flipping between 1947 and 1864 in Verona. I really loved how the writer weaved these two stories together. Its plot is part mystery, part romance, and part literary fiction. I especially enjoyed the surprise ending because I didn't see it coming!

The story begins in 1947 when textile historian Marianne Baxter visits post-war Italy on an invitation from a college friend whose family runs a museum. Her friend's family found three pristine Victorian dresses in a trunk in the attic once owned by the famous poet Christina Rossetti. Marianne’s expertise is needed to help restore the dresses before they go on exhibition at the museum. The story line set in 1864 features the former owner of the dresses, Christina Rossetti after she returns to her family’s homeland in hopes of fulfilling her father's last request before he died: to deliver a book and piece of jewelry that he stole from a family friend before he emigrated to England.

The narrators were excellent: Hope Newhouse; Melanie Crawley; and Edoardo Camponeschi. Simply put, I highly recommend this audiobook and look forward to listening to other books by this author!

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

This was really well done and well written. I enjoyed the history, the setting, all of it. It also wasn't too hard to keep tracking of the perspectives while listening. The narrators did a great job.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really liked it, stuck with me & would recommend
Verona, 1947. Textile historian Marianne Baxter comes to post-war Italy with one thing on her mind: three pristine Victorian dresses once owned by the famous poet Christina Rossetti. Hidden away in a trunk for nearly a century, they were recently discovered at the Fondazione Museo Menigatti and Marianne’s expertise is needed before they go on exhibit.

Verona, 1864. Christina Rossetti returns to her family’s homeland in hopes of leaving her unfulfilled personal life and poetry career in England and beginning a new chapter. After a chance encounter with an old family friend, she finds a gift her father once gave her: a small ornate box with the three Muses carved into the lid. When she stumbles across a secret compartment, Christina finds a letter from her father with an urgent and personal request.

Part mystery, part fashion history, part emotional journey, I really enjoyed this dual timeline/POV story. I was impressed by the amount of research M. A. McLaughlin did to bring to life Verona in both eras. I appreciated that it was inspired by the real-life mysteries surrounding poet Christina Rossetti and I really liked both main characters' journeys. The Lost Dresses of Italy centered on themes of family, friendship, romance, poetry, art, fashion, secrets and losses and I would recommend this to anyone who likes historical fiction.

The narrators, Hope Newhouse; Melanie Crawley and Edoardo Camponeschi, did a good job, I had no trouble understanding who was saying what, where, when, with what expression/intension, and the appropriate accent. It was a pleasure to listen to.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and author M. A. McLaughlin for providing me with a digital ARC copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. The Lost Dresses of Italy by M. A. McLaughlin is out February 6, 2024.

I genuinely did not see the end of this coming. A book about history turns into a thriller really. A tragic tale that is told in such a unique way- with fabrics and notes and stitches. I liked the relationship aspect of it too. Just still surprised at the ending honestly.

🌀Synopsis
Marianne Baxter wants to preserve as much history as possible. So when she gets the opportunity to preserve some dresses, she takes it and goes to Italy. What she finds are three dresses with hidden history. Hidden history from a famous poet no less.
Marianne dives into a complicated past that actually ties to her present. With the help of the handsome museum owner, she starts to unravel the mystery. Just when she thinks she has it all figured out her friend delivers another surprise.

In 1947, widowed Marianne Baxter comes to postwar Verona, Italy, to set up an exhibit of 3 Victorian dresses owned by famous poet Christina Rossetti that were just discovered. She throws herself into the mystery of the letter found with the dresses with the dresses as well as asking questions about a murder that took place right in front of the museum where she is working toward the end of the war. In 1864, Christina Rossetti has returned to her family’s homeland from England, with a letter from her dead father and unanswered questions.

Despite loving stories with multiple timelines and the different voice actors for Marianne and Christina, I at times had trouble keeping track of which time period I was in/which woman was narrating the story at times. I think this was because the story was slow-paced until it suddenly wasn’t. I didn’t dislike the story, but I think the pacing could have used some work. I had not heard of Christina Rossetti before this novel, so I enjoyed learning about the real woman who inspired part of this story.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an audio ARC of this book.

This audiobook was such an engaging listen! I loved stepping into the 19th century and the 20th, and seeing how the characters were tied together by the dresses.

Tie in such a beautiful place as Verona, and you really add to an already compelling story.

If you love historical fiction set in a beautiful place with a fashion element, this is the book for you.,

Book: The Lost Dresses of Italy
Author: M.A. McLaughlin
Format: Audiobook
Genre: Historical Fiction
Places Featured: Verona, Italy
Review Score: ⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2 (rounded down)
Review: Told in a dual timeline, The Lost Dresses of Italy tells the story of two women connected by three Victorian dresses. One story, set in the 1860s, follows the dresses’ original owner, Christina Rosetti, a poet looking to redefine her life and her poetry career. And in 1947, while still grieving her husband’s death, we also follow textile historian Marianne Baxter who travels to Italy to restore three dresses once owned by a famous poet. The dresses contain a mysterious letter that sends Marianne on a search to find out what’s behind the letter (since we also hear the story from Christina’s perspective, we know a bit more about what the letter means). While the story has a great sense of place (as someone who lived near Verona for four years, it was especially fun to read about that location), the story was a little difficult to follow and I didn’t find myself connecting to either woman or caring about what happened to them. I do think part of my inability to follow might have been that I was listening to it as an audiobook and I could be easily distracted from the plot, so if you are particularly interested in fashion, historical fiction set in Italy, or Christina Rosetti, I would pick this one up digitally or hardcover.

*I was given a version of this book for free in exchange for an honest book review. Thanks to @netgalley and @dreamscape_media.

Copied from Goodreads:
"The Lost Dresses of Italy" begins with an end. At the close of World War II, something is stolen and someone is murdered in Verona. The book alternates between 1947, when Italy is struggling to recover itself, and the mid 19th century. In 1947, Marianne Baxter, a Boston widow and textile historian, arrives in Italy to help her friend preserve and showcase three exceptional Victorian dresses uncovered during a museum's rebuilding. In 1864, poet Christina Rossetti uncovers a letter from her father, a man who died a decade previously. As Marianne uncovers historical artifacts and mysteries, we are treated to the Rossetti family's unorthodox artistic existence in London.

The narrative switches worked effectively, but I was much more engaged in the 19th century than the 20th. The 20th century actors did not have well-developed motives for their actions. I was very surprised by the antagonist's reveal, but I still have no idea why the antagonist was searching for items connected to Christina Rossetti (generalized to avoid spoilers). "The Lost Dresses of Italy" is a solid historical fiction novel reminiscent of A. S. Byatt's 1990 novel, "Possession," worth reading if you are a fan of the dual timeline, fashion history, or Christina Rossetti.

"The Lost Dresses of Italy" was released in the U.S. on February 6, 2024. Thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for this audio ARC given in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Dear The Lost Dresses of Italy,
I am so glad I got to read you. You told such a fascinating story of Christina Rossetti, a poet that I have enjoyed, but never knew much about. I absolutely loved learning about her distinctive family, the societal and familial pressures she had and her unique perspective on life. Marianne was a perfect counterpart to tell Christina's story, and the mystery of the dresses was compelling and made you a one of a kind story for me. I am a total sucker for a dual timeline historical fiction, which is what initially drew me to you.

"We have to remember what came before to make peace with what comes after."

Marianne Baxter travels to Verona Italy in 1947 to help her dear friend Rufina put together an exhibit for the Fondazione Museo Menigatti, which has been struggling to attract visitors in the post-WWII era. Rufina recently discovered three Victorian dresses that she believes once belonged to the famous English poet, Christina Rosetti. Marianne is grateful for the escape from her grief, having lost her husband in the war, and is excited to dive into the work. She quickly discovers a note hidden in one of the dresses that has her wondering, "What was Christina Rosetti doing in Italy in 1864? Who was this woman?" After each of Marianne's discoveries, we are taken back to Verona in 1864 to learn the details of what really happened from Christina's point of view.

When recommending this book to others, I would highly suggest listening to the audiobook instead of reading the physical copy. There were different narrators for Christina Rossetti and Marianne Baxter, and each was well selected for the character they were narrating. There was a third narrator who clearly was Italian (or just had an impeccable Italian accent) that captivated listeners in the prologue.

As a reader, I am someone who gets emotionally attached to characters, and I gravitate toward character-driven novels. This book is very plot-driven, which I have a more difficult time enjoying. This, along with the slow pace of the book, made it difficult to get invested in the story. That being said, the pace of the book picked up in last 90 minutes of the audiobook as the mystery unfolded.

Read this book if you love:
-Dual timelines
-Dual POV
-Plot driven books
-Historical fiction mixed with a little bit of mystery

A big thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Media for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review