This reader has never been adept with a needle and thread, but the fascination for those who have this ability has always interested me; I know that’s why I chose this title to preview. The Memory Dress was filled with so much more than Princess Diana’s beautiful gowns and the talented team that created them. It was a story of friendship and mystery and loss. It was neighbors helping each other, and learning to deal with the challenges of caring for anyone suffering from dementia. A devastation that so many of us can understand.
The addition of a memory room in the story and an amazing neighbor named Jayne who used the clues on these walls to help unravel the mystery of Meredith, was definitely a friendship that any of us would be fortunate to have in life.

I’m so happy to have had the chance to read the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy of The Memory Dress by Jade Beer; thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group!

WHAT A BOOK! 😍 All the feels for this beautiful, poignant and heartwarming/heartbreaking book.

When the story began, I knew the synopsis but worried that it would simply be cold and efficient. Luckily for us all, it was anything but. There is love, fashion, royalty, care and growth throughout the story and it’s anything but cold and efficient.

Jayne is confined her small, in the shadows life. But when she meets Meredith, the whole world changes. This is for the better, even though she resists. Her life grows and is enriched in such breathtaking ways, and Meredith’s life is transformed, as well.

Advance reader copy provided by Berkley and NetGalley but all opinions are my own.

I have a lot of feelings about this book. It seems like it took me forever to get through this one as it crosses a few decades and sets up the plot through multiple characters. The crossover is in today's world, but the story starts in 1988.

There are a lot of aspects to this story that may seem innocuous but end up being an important key down the road. This story is a blend of quiet neighbors getting to know each other, a touch of romance, and the hunt for missing people from an older neighbor who is worried about her missing her husband, but has little to no memory remaining while living on her own.

The plot in the concept of the story is really interesting and amazing. The way it is written takes a lot of brain power and deals with the reality of dementia. There are so many positive points, but in some areas, this is a heavy story.

Who is helping our older generation? How hard is it to help and become a part of their lives? What will you gain or lose in your own life?

As we traverse England for clues to Meredith's past, tidbits of information trickle in. Friendships develop, romance blossoms, and lives are changed forever. Deep dedication and hard truths are on display and the author's imagination is steeped in the history of a Princess.

The Memory Dress is a story interwoven with threads that come together to create some beautiful memories and some best left unsaid. A warm, endearing story that will make a wonderful memory for you.

I was really looking forward to this book but I found it rather slow and uninteresting. The characters were tolerable but nothing I would write home about. This is a book that someone will love but sadly that isn't me.

Jayne lives in a very nice flat, though she makes her living as a dogwalker and part-time florist. She walks some of the dogs for neighbors and when when one suddenly darts into one of the flats, Jayne has no choice but to chase the dog. She meets the resident, Meredith, a rather untidy, confused woman with a bad memory. Meredith wants to know where her husband has gone. So, she meets with other residents of the building to try to learn Meredith's story. No one knows her well and no one has seen her husband for a very long time. They decide to try to find him as it's obvious Meredith needs more care than the group of neighbors can provide.

Jayne gets to know Meredith better and sees a very expensive, familiar dress in her flat. And, Meredith shows her the "Memory Room" with drawings of famous dresses, dresses mad for Princess Diana. Jayne realizes that the dress Meredith has once belonged to Diana, and Meredith even has a personal note from the Princess gifting it to Meredith. We learn through Meredith's scattered memories that she and her husband were on the team designing dresses for Diana. Since Meredith so obviously is suffering from dementia, Jayne and the rest of the neighbors decide to find her husband. It's a lot more difficult than they anticipate but they do learn Jayne has a grown daughter. One she hasn't heard from in years. Jayne even takes Meredith on trips to London and other places the group believes might trigger her memories. The group all work together and eventually crack the mystery of what happened to Meredith's husband and daughter, becoming good friends to one another along the way

People who enjoyed Beer's book, The Last Dress from Paris will want to read this one as well And wonder if there will be more offerings of stories about famous dresses to come...

I found The Memory Dress to be captivating, instructive, and essential reading about dementia, as well as a finely written novel. Jade Beer has tackled dementia in a compassionate story of love, loss, and growth. My mother died from dementia, and yet, I found so much new information in Beer's exploration of how this disease has impacted the lives of everyone who knows Meredith, who is living with dementia.

The shame that families feel and that the patient might feel was handled so well in The Memory Dress. It isn't just the opinion of strangers that concerns family, but also the reaction of colleagues at work and friends, who will in some way pass judgment on those who have lost so much of who they are. Dementia doesn't just rob patients of their memories; it robs them of their identity and personality. Patients become isolated. Fear of this disease requires an effort to hide dementia from too many people. Beer also includes a fear of medical help, perhaps a fear of learning the truth, of having a name for what has been forgotten? In The Memory Dress, readers see the stages of the disease, all that is lost of experience and self, and how dementia creates a fear that incapacitates victim and friends and family.

The Memory Dress is an important novel, which entertains, even while teaching. Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for driving me with this ARC to read in exchange for my honest review. I do recommend The Memory Dress.

This incredibly lovely novel tackles the extremely sensitive subject of dementia. And it is done in such a wonderful manner. We often hear the phrase, "it takes a village to raise a child". But in this story it took a village to help one sweet, elderly woman to deal with the disappearance of her beloved husband. The characters who populated this novel were all special people, especially Jayne, our protagonist. We could all use a Jayne in our lives sometimes. "The Memory Dress", also deals with a host of other issues, like love, loss, and connections. Ms. Beer is a wonderful writer and I highly recommend her book.

I love historicals and I love the royal family so this book had a lot going for it for me. I thought it was really interesting and I loved the dueling timelines. I was worried they would be confusing but the author did a great job with them.

I received a free e-arc through Netgalley. This book is told in dual timeframes. Jayne who is a bit of a mystery and her zany group of neighbors and then Meredith and William as they meet and fall in love in the past. These worlds collide and we are left with the grief and beauty of a love story told through Princess Diana's dresses. It doesn't overly-focus on the dresses, but it shows the people behind the clothes and how fascinating life can be even if you aren't royalty.

Another good book by Jade Beer. This story of a very skilled seamstress and her connection to making beautiful gowns for Princess Diana appealed to me. I enjoyed the characters and the way they all came together to help their neighbor with her dementia. The idea of a memory really appealed to me.

This novel is a breathtaking tapestry of past and present, intertwining the lives of two remarkable women in a story that’s both heartwarming and heart-wrenching. The sense of discovery and the rich historical details make it an unforgettable read. It’s a beautiful blend of mystery and personal growth that kept me engrossed from start to finish.

Jayne is an introvert who enjoys dogs over people. When one of the dogs she is walking runs into the apartment of an elderly neighbor, Jayne cannot believe what she sees. This neighbor, Meredith, is having a hard time taking care of herself, and Jayne befriends her to help out. It's then that she learns that Meredith can't find her husband. Jayne and other neighbors try to figure out where Meredith's husband has gone, and in the meantime discover that Meredith had once created dresses for Princess Diana. A good story that keeps you reading to find out where the husband has gone, but the story drags out and could have been shortened.

Thanks Netgalley for allowing me to read this book. Jayne has lived a sheltered life. She meets her neighbor who is losing her memory. Jayne decided to help her neighbor find her husband. With very little to go on, Jayne goes on a quest to get some answers. A great book.

This was such a lovely and heartfelt read. This story revolves around an elderly woman, Meredith, who lives in a building where none of the others living in the building seem to have much, if any, interaction with her. When Jayne crosses path with her one day, she senses that this woman could use some help - not that Meredith sees anything wrong with the way she lives, and soon Jayne is asking the others in the building about her, and if they would be willing to help this woman organize her things. Jayne takes a lot of it on, herself, and soon she is learning more about Meredith, things she never expected, including Meredith’s missing husband. She’s looked for him everywhere, and can’t seem to find him.

This is also about Meredith’s past, when she was younger and was a seamstress and the dresses she created, including at least one for Princess Diana.

There are twists and turns throughout this, while moments of the past creep in there, as well, along with concern about Meredith’s missing husband. Journeys that Jayne takes with her in order to get to the heart of the mysterious disappearance of Jayne’s husband.



Pub Date: 05 Nov 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by Berkley Publishing Group / Berkley

It’s been 2 years since Jade Beer’s last book and it’s been a long wait but soooo worth it!! The story and her characters in this book are so well developed and the reader will feel like a part of the story. It takes a village of friends to make our lives complete especially when we all have struggles in our life. This book is a must read especially if you’re a fan of the late Princess Diana and her wardrobe. Beer is spot on with Diana’s wardrobe history & I enjoyed Googling many of the outfits. A definite summer book! Thanks for the advanced book!!

My first read by Jane Beer, it was a lovely story
This was a great story brining somewhat strangers together. I say that because they all lived in the same building but really didn't know each other well.
It was lovely seeing how Meredith helped create dresses with her William for Princess Diana. I was in my early 20's when she passed away.
It was also sad to see how a disease can take away one's most cherished memories. I am happy that Meredith had Jayne and the crew to bring those memories back even though it was quite often.
This book did take you back to the past, as well at the present. Meredith had family and friends close by even though she didn't know. She brought the whole building together as one big family as well.

This is the second book by Jade Beer that I have read and I loved it! This was a phenomenal book. The Characters are fantastic, the story is great. I will highly recommend this book to anyone who loves dual timelines.

An intriguing story about Meredith--with a missing husband and a gown given her by Princess Diana--and Jayne, who wants to get to the bottom of Meredith's unraveling life. Unputdownable.