I am a huge fan of Julia Kelley’s work, and The Dressmakers of London is no exception. It is a beautiful story of two young women learning to go after their dreams and aspirations while supporting each other.

This is a fantastic book! I enjoyed the various settings. A dressmaker's shop in London, Nottingham Court, and a WAAF camp.

The characters are relatable, and I became invested in Izzie and Sylvia's stories. Izzie started out thrilled with the responsibility of running her mother's dress shop. Her passion, though, is sketching and making beautiful clothes. Sylvia left her family behind as she walked toward a bigger and brighter future. A tragedy brings her back home, and she finds pieces of herself that were lost.

It was heartwarming to watch the sisters' relationship unfold. As they wrote letters to each other, they began to see each other in a new light.

I found the author's note very interesting! I never knew about the various clothing rations that occurred during the wars. The idea of owning clothing tailor-made is probably something I'll only dream of. Thanks to this book, I can picture my outfits in my imagination.

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from Simon and Schuster via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

One can never go wrong when picking up a Julia Kelly book, so I knew I was in for a great read - but even I was blown away by how good this was! Unputdownable and lovely are the two words I would use to describe this!. Fantastic and utterly addictive would also suffice :) Either way, you are in for a treat! I loved this!

I have loved everything Kelly has written, but this is my new favorite and one of my top ones for 2024. Every historical fiction reader will love this one.

I was particular drawn to the story-line of a dressmaker’s shop that runs in this family. When the matriarch dies, she leaves the place to her estranged daughters. Sylvia walked away years ago and Lizzie stayed at the shop with her mother. She gets the news about the will and now they must work together. Will their relationship be repaired or forever estranged?

Love, loss, family and the strength you never knew you had. I am amazed that Kelly always finds a new story-line that completely has me staying up late at night to finish because I was so involved in these sisters. I am a quilter, so the sewing aspect and the designs discussed fascinated me.

The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly is a great WWII-era novel that is all about family and second chances.

Isabelle and Sylvia are estranged sisters, and through multiple events are brought together again to either overcome their pasts and differences or to have them distance themselves again from on another. The concepts of family, love, loss, forgiveness, overcoming obstacles, hope in the midst of adversity, and the complicated world of relationships are brought together beautifully in this HF by Ms. Kelly.

I also liked what the inclusion of the landscapes background of London during the War and their mother’s dress shop added to the character-led novel.

This is the 6th book I have read from this author, I enjoyed it very much, and will continue to read her mysteries and historical fiction.


4/5 stars

Thank you NG and Gallery Books for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 2/18/25.

Another great novel by Julia Kelly! Izzie and her mom own and run a dress shop during WW2 London. The mom dies and has left the shop to both Izzie and her estranged sister. Sylvia is older and disappeared from Izzie's life when she met Hugo, an aristocrat. Now Sylvia has discovered some terrible news about her husband and Izzie has been conscripted, forced to leave the shop.

I absolutely love this author and this book was amazing. I enjoy her writing style and the characters. The story was so much fun to read.

Story of two estranged sisters in WW II London who inherit their mother's dress shop, and must decide whether they can put their differences aside or risk losing their mother's legacy. A bit melodramatic at times, but still an interesting look into Britain's fashion history at that time.

In The Dressmakers of London, two sisters, Isabelle and Sylvia, inherit their mother’s dress shop, Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions. The sisters have always had a rocky relationship, worsened when Sylvia married a rich man and left Isabelle behind. As World War II hits and the shop struggles financially, the sisters must put aside their differences to save the business and their future. The book balances the WWII backdrop with the personal story of the sisters, making it both engaging and memorable.

I loved this book because while there is the theme of WWII, it isn't overpowering. I loved the storyline and each of the two independent and stubborn sisters.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gallery Books, and Julia Kelly for the opportunity to read The Dressmakers of London!

I'm a big Julia Kelly fan -- I love her historical fiction set in England and have read many of her books. I had a hard time with this one though -- some good history but a little too much (needless IMHO) drama. It was clear how the story was going to go but I felt there was too much unnecessary angst put in and I it made me dislike the characters too much to complete. I'm holding out hope for the next Kelly offering which I hope I will like more.

Julia Kelly's The Dressmakers of London is a poignant exploration of sisterhood, legacy, and resilience set in World War II London. The story follows Isabelle and Sylvia Shelton, estranged sisters who unexpectedly inherit their mother's dress shop. While Isabelle finds solace in the shop's familiar routines, Sylvia has long distanced herself, marrying a wealthy doctor much to Isabelle’s disdain. The novel is both a heartwarming and heartbreaking journey of reconciliation, as the sisters exchange letters that gradually heal old wounds and uncover new possibilities. This beautifully written story is rich in historical detail and emotional depth, while capturing the essence of wartime London and the enduring power of family bonds.