This book is a cross between the sisterhood of the traveling pants and Emily in Paris but adult version.

It follows three girlfriends in their mid twenties who reconnect over a Dior dress. The book follows each lady’s struggle in their career and desires of life, love, and the future. It’s a story of friendship and family.

Thank you Netgallary for this arc!!

The Paris Gown was a fanciful story about three best friends, Claire, Gina and Margot and they're undying love for each other. One of their favorite pastimes was to go stand in the window of the house of Dior where Claire would fantasize about owning a Dior gown.

Claire had gone to culinary school and dreams of working for a Michelin worthy chef and then opening her own five-star restaurant. She was able to secure a job with that chef. Her family owned a brassiere called La Chet. Her father was up in years and had difficulty running the restaurant so she quit her job and went to work with him. Madame Vaughn lived in an exquisite apartment behind the restaurant. She and Claire knew each other well. She decided to leave the country and asked Claire to take care of her apartment. Also, she had purchased a Dior gown and left that to Claire. In the meantime, Claire's father decided to sell the restaurant to a man named Hervé whom Claire had history with. They'd work together before and she'd had a crush on him. Her father's only caveat was that he keep Claire on as a chef.

Gina was American and came from a very affluent family. She went back to the states and met Hal and became engaged. Hal's plan was to run for governor. When Gina's father lost everything, Hal's father decided she wasn't governor's wife material and convinced her to break up with him. She was heartbroken and took off back to Paris where she showed up on Claire's doorstep. She had no place to stay and little money so she took a dilapidated maid's room in a hotel. When Claire found out where she was staying, she invited her to live with her in Madame Vaughn's apartment, which she accepted. One other thing about Gina: she was writing a book.

Margot left Paris and went back home to her wealthy family in Sydney, Australia. She fell in love and married a man whose life's mission turned out to be that of destroying her and robbing her of her self-confidence. The once bubbly, life of the party woman ended up cowering and was self-deprecating. When she had enough of him, she left him and fled back to Paris. She learned that a divorce from him would take 5 years. She took a job working in the Dior salon and change her name to Marie. Her friends had written to her over the years but she never received the letters. It turns out her husband had stolen them and confiscated the letters she wrote to them. When she got to Paris, she did not tell her friends. She didn't tell them because she had told her husband about Claire's parent's restaurant and she didn't want to go there for fear that her husband would search for her there. One day, Claire and Gina were downtown and standing in the window of the Dior salon where they saw Margot. They went inside to confront her and ended up inviting her to the apartment that evening. She had taken a room in the seedy part of Paris and when her friends found out where she was living they convinced her to come and live with them.

Gina's father flew to Paris and invited her to lunch with an ulterior motive. He had been invited to a ball at the American embassy. He knew Hal would be there and he wanted Gina to go and convince Hal to do business with him. Gina had no desire to see him and told her father as much. But he insisted. She had nothing to wear because all of her good clothes had been confiscated by the government when they raided her father's home. When Claire found out about the ball, she insisted Gina where the Dior gown. So Gina went to the ball. When she saw Hal It tore her apart but she was on a mission. He was there with another woman but he was so glad to see her that he asked her to dance. It was evident that he still had feelings for her but she knew that as long as his father lived, there was no future for them. She refused his dance offer and left the ball.

In the days to come, Hal whined and dined Gina. It was clear that they still loved each other. He proposed to her again and she accepted. He was there with his campaign manager, Tommy, who met with Gina and told her all the things that were required of a governor's wife. It didn't sit well with Gina. And then Hal told her that once she completed her book it had to be vetted by his team before she could publish it. That didn't sit well with her either. It became clear to her that the relationship would never work. So she broke up with him again.

In the course of Margot's work it happened that she met a man named Andrew and his sister, Charlotte aka Charlie. Charlie and Margot became fast friends and Andrew was smitten with her. She knew nothing could come of it because first of all, she was married, and second of all, she had a severe distrust of men because of her cruel husband. Charlie was having a formal costume party and she invited Margot. She had no desire to go because she didn't want to see Andrew, but Charlie wouldn't take no for an answer. Of course she had nothing to wear, but when Claire found out about it she suggested she wear the Dior gown. It was at the party that Andrew declared his affection for her. And when he took her home he kissed her.

Gina worked diligently on her book. Margot knew Andrew was a publisher and she told him all about Gina's book. He was intrigued and asked her to bring him several pages so he could read. He was having a get together including several publishers and literary agents and he invited her to attend. She did and was very comfortable in their company. It was there that she decided she wanted to be a literary agent with Gina as her first client. Andrew was taken with the book and agreed to publish it. It was a hit and landed on the best sellers list. All the while, a relationship was building between Andrew and Margot, but she had declared that she would never again marry.

Claire and Hervé worked well together. He suggested that she go to work for the world renowned chef, Thibault and that he would arrange an interview for her. The interview went well and she was hired. But Hervé had an accident in the kitchen where he burned his hand and found it difficult to cook. Claire took a leave of absence and went back to help him. They became an item and were engaged. It took them 5 years before they were married. During that time she became extremely proficient in the Thibault's kitchen and Hervé rehired her. When they got married, it was a foregone conclusion that Claire would wear the Dior gown. And by the way, Claire was pregnant. When it came time to throw the bouquet she threw it at Margot. By then she and Andrew had been living together for quite some time. She had wanted to be married and have children but she found out she was barren. It didn't matter to Andrew, he loved her no matter what.

This thoroughly delightful saga had me from the very beginning. The characters were believable and the author had a flair for, as I said in the beginning, the fanciful. I will read this book again, and I want to read more books by this author. I gave it five stars.

This is a lovely novel about the strength of female friendships. Set in Paris in the 1950s, 3 young women help each other navigate the challenges of life and love and careers. The fact that it takes in Pari# and we learn about French cooking and Dior gowns are a bonus!

An emotional story of three friends who support each other and survive together. The vivid descriptions of Paris and fashion and food are delightful. I especially liked how the author included an epilogue so readers would know what happened to the characters 5 years in the future. Thanks to #Netgalkey and #Theparisgown for advanced digital copy.

I thought that this book was alright nothing too special though. I really liked the vibes of the book and relationships between the main characters.

I loved everything about this story. Getting to see how one couture gown held three friends together through their various struggles was captivating.

The Paris Gown by Christine Wells takes readers to Paris in the 1950s where three women become friends and share their dreams. The ladies like to stroll by the House of Dior and admire the current gown on display in the window. Claire dreams of owning a Dior gown one day. A few years later, the three women are in Paris once again and they get a chance to reconnect. The Paris Gown is told from Margot, Claire, and Gina’s point of view. I liked the relationship between the three women. I found the beginning to be interesting. I was drawn in and curious until the story turned into a standard romance. I enjoyed the sections about the House of Dior and its infamous designer. I loved the descriptions of the dresses. I was surprised that the Dior gown did not play a big role in the story. The food descriptions will have your mouth watering. I did not find myself enjoying the latter half of the book. There are subplots that never materialize and repetitive details. The ending was rushed. I found some details to be farfetched and everything was tied up too neatly at the end. The Paris Gown had some bright spots, but I wish it not been

The Paris Gown is about three friends with a love of Christian Dior couture. After losing touch, they find each other again when life doesn't turn out as planned. A quick and easy read for anyone who has friends they are proud to call "framily."

The Paris Gown was a captivating story of 3 friends. Set in Paris in the 1950s, this tale brings you in from the beginning. Fast paced, and told from all 3 girls perspectives. Very minimal language & closed door (although, a few things are eluded to). I will definitely try another one of Wells' books

The Paris Gown is a delightful story of 1950's Paris, fashion, and female friendship, with a dash of romance for good measure. It took me a bit of time to get into the story but once I did I really enjoyed it.

The story follows three culinary school graduates - Gina, an American writer, Margot, a society woman from Sydney, and Claire, a Parisian determined to rise through the ranks as a chef in the city's finest kitchens. The three women reunite in Paris after several years apart, each with their own secrets. By a stroke of luck, they manage to find themselves living in a lavish apartment above Claire's family brasserie. As the three women catch up on each other's lives and try to confront their own challenges, they will lean on their friendship and one very special Dior gown.

The descriptions of the city and its 1950s fashion was so vivid and fun. My review is 4 stars instead of 5 due to the slowness of the beginning, and because I wanted more of Claire's story. The perspective shifts among the three women, and I felt that there was more development in Margot's and Gina's and would have liked more in Claire's.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Paris Gown will be published on August 20, 2024.

Historial fiction in Paris, 1955? YES PLEASE. A Dior gown on the cover? YES. I try to jump on historical fiction like this when I see it. Please sweep me away to another time, another place!

The Paris Gown by Christine Wells centers on three young women in Paris. The story is told through multiple viewpoints and the women’s years of friendship. I loved the details within the pages of the book and appreciated a positive story about women’s friendships.

This was a breath of fresh air between heavier, darker books that I often read.

Paris, 1955

Three friends — Claire, Gina, and Margot — who parted as very young women with their whole lives ahead of them, reunite in Paris years later, determined to start life anew.

Parisian Claire has been working hard to become a Michelin-starred chef one day, but ever since the heady time she spent in the company of socialites Gina and Margot, her dream has been to own a Dior gown. This seemed like a far-off fantasy, until the eccentric and wealthy Madame Vaughn, who lives above Claire’s family brasserie, abruptly leaves Paris, asking Claire to mind her apartment. More bafflingly, Madame Vaughn also makes Claire a very special gift: a stunning Dior gown.

Meanwhile Gina, a cool American blue blood, lands on Claire’s doorstep nursing a broken heart and a broken engagement after her father lost all of the family money in a risky business venture. A journalist aspiring to be a novelist, Gina has returned to Paris in the hopes of pursuing her dream. But when her father begs her to attend the United States Embassy ball in the hopes of persuading Hal Sanders, her former fiancé, to invest in her father’s new business venture, she is torn. She wants to help her father, but seeing Hal again will be exquisitely painful. And what on earth is she going to wear?

Warm-hearted Claire insists Gina wear the Dior gown to the ball, and after some hesitation, Gina accepts. At Dior for Gina’s fitting, who should assist them but Margot, the friend they thought had gone back to Australia to be married. But Margot is living in Paris and working at Dior under an assumed name, and clearly, she is not happy to have been found.

Is their close friendship at an end? Or will the wonder and delight of the Dior gown bring these young women back together?

Gorgeous, perfectly fitted, lustrous and luxurious, the Dior gown has the power to change lives — as these three remarkable women are about to discover…

Oh, how I adored this story of female friendship and the Dior gown that reunited them after years apart. Well done, Christine Wells!

this is set in the 1950's, about three friends and a Dior wedding gown. It was hard to put down as the story unfolds. really enjoyed the book.

A light, easy read about friendships and making your dreams happen.
My only criticism was everything came together too easily for these girls. There are moments of hardship but they are glossed over quickly. Margot’s reasons for hiding and being back in Paris didn’t feel threatening enough and could have been explored further. Hence my comment about it being a light read. The true triumph is the women’s friendship that survives heartbreak, disappointment, anger and absence.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

I loved THE PARIS GOWN! The 1950s Paris setting, depiction of strong friendships between women, themes of finding your true self and following your dreams, and behind-the-scenes look into both the publishing and fashion industries at the time were all definite highlights for me. Even though this is technically historical fiction, I also liked that the story felt almost timeless in some ways, while still remaining grounded in the setting overall. Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

It was hard to put this book down once I started and got into the story there is nothing about it, but I did not love!

Trials, tribulations, luck and friendship, it’s all in here. The way the author weaves the stories I’ve Claire, Marta and Gina makes this so hard to put down. You just want to read and turn the page until you get to the end and then you want some more. I would definitely read more from this author.

Who can resist the romance of French haute couture in the magical world of 1950s Paris? The title (and book cover) of Christine Wells' upcoming novel - The Paris Gown - invites readers to step into this dream world of high fashion and glamour. (And, the authenticity of a real Dior fashion photograph on the cover is pointed out by Christine Wells in her acknowledgements.)

Readers are quickly drawn in as they watch three close friends admire a gown displayed in the House of Dior window. After witnessing this private moment with them, you’re ready to follow their journey of friendship and adventure.

The trio were initially brought together as classmates at the famous Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. Only one followed the path of a culinary career. The other two friends set off on different paths. Each individually experiences the highs and lows of youthful mistakes, struggles and secrets. However, their ongoing support of each other reinforces their friendship and respect for each other.

Each character’s point of view is shared in an engaging and compelling manner. We cheer the characters on, hoping that they’ll find love, family, and satisfying careers in their own way.

I enjoyed the story and wanted to turn the page to satisfy my curiosity about the turn of events for each friend. What surprised me is that the story reads more like contemporary fiction than historical fiction. Although the story is engaging, I felt that the description of the time period and historical events were too lightweight. There is some name dropping to hint at the cultural icons of the day, such as Montbatten, Madame Brazier, and Escoffier. However, these references were not enough to satisfy my expectations of the historical setting.

I would recommend the book to anyone who enjoys contemporary fiction. Historical fiction lovers may be disappointed that more of the groundbreaking fashion industry events and significance of 1950s Paris is missing.

Thank you HarperCollins Publishers for providing this Advance Reader’s e-proof via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

A friend’s rash departure from Paris conveniently gives the friends an opportunity for free/inexpensive housing as well as a free Dior gown. This starts the unlikely reunion of Claire, Gina and Margot. These young women are each battling sex discrimination in the work force, questionable lovers/partners, and each is struggling to make ends meet.

Gina wants to be a writer, but she also wants to be Hal’s wife. Unfortunately, she might have to choose between love and career for now. Claire is devoted to her trade. A trained chef but without her own kitchen. The liveliest of the bunch, Margot, is a bit worse for the wear after a few years in a bad marriage. Can these three rekindle their friendship, find love and/or a satisfying career?

Gina, Claire and Margot are all likable characters that I found myself rooting for. They each have strengths and weaknesses that most readers can identify with. The men in their lives range from supportive to frustrating to downright bad for their health. There is a solid, underlying feminist message in addition to some romance and haute couture. A good, easy poolside read.

While I enjoyed hearing about the Dior gown and the relationships between these three friends, I wouldn't call this novel historical fiction. It's set in Paris in the 1950s and focuses on Claire, Gina, and Margot, three friends who spend time together and dream of owning a Dior gown. Later, the trio reunite and their wish of a having a Dior creation comes true. At the same time, they must manage career and love lives. While the tale is entertaining and kept my attention, I would have liked more atmospheric and historical details. I would give it a 3.5.
Thanks to Netgalley and William Morrow for an advanced copy.

A cute story! This took place in 1950s Paris but I really wouldn't call it historical fiction ... I really think it was in the 50s just to include Dior as a character. Not a bad thing though! This was still a fantastic women's fiction story about friendship, resilience, love, and making your own way.