The Secret Dressmaker by Jenny O'Brien - #bookreview #blogtour

She folded up the last dress and placed it neatly in the box, her fingers brushing over the tiny, white and yellow daisies embroidered around the neck and hem. Two complete layettes...

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I am required to make it clear at the beginning of my reviews that I received this book for free from Rachel's Random Resources. I have not been paid for doing this and all opinions are my own. I am Bookshop.org affiliated, which means I earn a very small amount of money if you buy from there using my direct link. Although I include purchase links to Amazon, I am not affiliated with them. I include them to make it easy for you to navigate to them if you so wish.

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The Blurb

Shelves of sequins in a kaleidoscope of colours. Bolts of silk and tulle against the back wall. The sewing room was the last place anyone had seen her daughter alive.

Northern Ireland, 1942. Flora Toussaint packs parachutes for the RAF, haunted by the twin daughters she was forced to give up eighteen years ago. When British intelligence shows her photographs of her girls – now young women in occupied Paris – her world shifts. One is safe. One has vanished. And their father, the celebrated couturier Lucien Lumineau, is suspected of collaborating with the Nazis.

Flora agrees to a dangerous mission: parachute into France, pose as a seamstress at the Moulin Rouge, and uncover the truth. Lodging above a brothel where Edith Piaf sings after hours and where Pablo Picasso still holds court, she mends costumes between shows, searches for any trace of her missing daughter between curfews, and circles closer to Lucien.

But Lucien isn’t the man she remembers. Neither is their history. And what Flora discovers will unravel everything she thought she knew – about Lucien, about her daughters, and about the night she gave them away.

A sweeping tale of wartime Paris, family secrets and impossible choices. Fans of Kate Quinn, Pam Jenoff and Kristin Hannah will be mesmerised by The Secret Dressmaker.

My Review

Although this is the second book in the Threads of Resistance series, it works perfectly well as a standalone. There is a link to my review of the first book, The Resistance Knitting Club, below.

The story begins in Northern Ireland where the main character, Flora, is recruited by the French Resistance and subsequently parachuted into Paris. Although she is sent to spy on her former lover, who is suspected of collaborating with the Nazis, she has an ulterior motive. Eighteen years previously, Flora gave birth to twin girls whom she was forced to give up, but she is determined to look for them now as one of them has gone missing.

What I loved about Flora's character was her resilience and determination. She is a strong protagonist in this story, and I think many of us will read this book and admire her. The author did a fantastic job of bringing her to life on the page through a combination of narrative and dialogue.

The story moved along at an appropriate pace for the genre, and there was something new to discover in each chapter. Ms O'Brien is a skilled storyteller, and she held my attention throughout.

There were sufficient twists and turns in the story to keep me guessing, and I hadn't anticipated some of the secrets which were revealed at the end. The book is tense and atmospheric throughout, and the author's research of the period is extensive. She knows her time period extremely well and conjures up a compelling story for her readers.

The conclusion was satisfying whilst leaving the story wide open for the next book in the series. This was an extremely enjoyable read, and I shall definitely be getting my hands on the next book in the series, The Crocheter's War, when it becomes available.

I suspect that if the author and I ever sat together over a cup of coffee, we would get on extraordinarily well. She clearly likes reading, knitting and sewing, just as I do. If she is also a dog lover, then we would probably be best friends forever! Of course, you do not need to be a knitter or sewer to enjoy her books, but if you like historical fiction with a strong storyline that features women of courage, then you will love this book.

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Book Details

ISBN: 978 1837004904

Publisher:  Storm Publishing

Formats: e-book, audio and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  320 (paperback)

Series: Book 2 in the Threads of Resistance series

Purchase Links

Amazon UK

Amazon US

About the Author

 Jenny O’Brien writes complex thrillers and heartbreaking historical fiction, as well as intriguing romances. Silent Cry, initially self published, topped the Amazon kindle chart in both the UK and the USA. Most of her books have followed suit. 

Jenny has over 40 years experience as a qualified nurse. She turned to creative writing as a hobby when her children were born. Now, 20 years later, she's retired from the day job to focus on writing. She's currently working on the third book in the Threads Series. 

Born in Ireland, she now lives in Guernsey with her husband and children.

You can also find Jenny at:

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Bluesky

My Other Blog Posts Featuring This Author

The Resistance Knitting Club

The Puppet Maker

(ARC and media courtesy of Rachel's Random Resources)

(all opinions are my own)

The Making of Maddy James by Sara Sartagne - #bookreview

Something woke her. Maddy peeled open her eyes, sticky with mascara that she hadn't taken off. Oh my God, what was the time...

The Blurb

She’s got dreams. Ludicrous, fanciful dreams to become a fashion designer.

But years spent caring for her adoptive mother and being a full-time breadwinner has forced Maddy to leave her dreams unspoken. It’s something of a family tradition – keeping secrets.

When her estranged aunt Tess invites her to spend the summer in Corfu, Maddy glimpses a different future. Designing a wedding dress for Adriana, daughter of the influential Gavros family, could be the break she needs.

However, the commission comes with conditions. And complications. Once again, Maddy must ignore her suspicions and stay quiet. And Kon, Adriana's uncle, is a complication she really doesn't need.

But they're not the only secrets she’s keeping…

As the summer unfolds and her secrets start to unravel, Maddy must decide: will she continue to live in the shadows of half-truths and compromise? Or finally find the courage to shape a life that’s truly her own?

My Review

This made for delightful reading, and I enjoyed every page.

For the past few years, Maddy has been working in admin whilst caring for her adoptive mother. Her dreams of being a designer have had to be shelved as she has had to financially and emotionally support her mum through her illness. When Maddy's mother dies, she is invited to Corfu to spend time with her estranged Aunt Tess. 

For me, reading this during the winter months was glorious. For a short while, I was taken away from the grey, wet skies of England to sunny Corfu, and I very much enjoyed my time there while I got to know Maddy.

As a dressmaker myself, I loved all of the descriptions of the clothes that Maddy was designing and making once she was in Greece. Maddy clearly is very skilled, and I loved watching her gain confidence in her own abilities. She was a great character, and the author did a marvellous job in making her come alive on the page. Equally good were the secondary characters, who all help in the portrayal of her character.

I have been to Corfu and so could readily imagine the streets Maddy walked down. The descriptions of the Greek island are lovely. They are just enough to help the reader envisage the surroundings but without getting bogged down with paragraphs of descriptions. Instead, we see it through Maddy's eyes as she familiarises herself with Corfu.

The book has been well written, and the author understands her characters very well. Equally, I felt she had researched and spent time in Corfu in order to compose such a compelling atmosphere for her novel.

I have never read anything by this author before. I enjoyed it very much and will definitely be reading more of her work next year.

I can highly recommend this novel. If you would like an escape from the cold winter days, then this would be an ideal novel to snuggle down with.

Book Details

ISBN:  978 1918354003

Publisher:  Key Title Books

Formats:  e-book and paperback

No. of Pages:  297 (paperback)

Purchase Links

Author Website

Amazon UK

About the Author

Sara wanted to be a journalist when she was younger, and actually ended up on the dark side, in PR. From there, it was a short skip to writing for pleasure, and from there to drafting her first book, The Garden Plot. This is the first novel in a romance series where gardens feature in a BIG way - She inherited green fingers from her grandmother, and gardening is a passion.

She moved from London to East Yorkshire in 2019 and is loving the open skies and the green fields. And a HUGE garden! Although not a country girl, She has discovered the joys of very dark country lanes with no streetlights, septic tanks and ordering logs. Going from an underground tube or bus every three minutes, bus timetables in a small Yorkshire town have been a bit of a shock.

She loves being a writer although it's not her only job - yet. Over the years since she began, she has cultivated some wonderful friendships with readers and she loves hearing from anyone who has thoughts about the books and characters - and even about gardening! 

You can also find Sara at:

Author Website

Facebook

Instagram

(ARC and media courtesy of the author)

(all opinions are my own)

Loose Ends by Ninette Hartley - #bookreview #blogtour

In the small industrial town of Ridley, West Yorkshire, two young women walked out of the shirt factory gates together... They were looking forward to the weekend...

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It’s March 1941 at the shirt factory in Ridley, Yorkshire. Ness is a typist in the office, and her friend Eileen works as a seamstress on the shop floor. 

Nobody could have imagined the consequences when as a result of a prank Eileen plays on her friend, Ness’s name and address ends up in the pockets of two shirts destined for Royal Navy personnel on active service.

The fallout from Eileen’s action takes Ness on a challenging, life-changing journey where she must develop her talent for dressmaking and acquire the skills needed to run a business. 

It is not easy during wartime, when money is short, clothes rationing is widespread and negative attitudes prevail. 

Can she win through? 

Or will a painful secret she must conceal destroy her chances?

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The book begins in 1941 with carefree friends Ness and Eileen leaving work in anticipation of the weekend ahead.

The main character of the book is Ness and she is a wonderful main character. When Eileen jokingly puts Ness' name and address in two shirt pockets that she is packaging up at work, she unknowingly sets into motion a set of challenges that Ness will have to face.

What I loved about this book is how we see Ness develop throughout the story. The novel begins in 1941 and we follow Ness right through to 1953, and observe her grow from girl to woman. At an early point in the novel she faces a life altering event which she keeps secret for many years. However, it dogs her path significantly and we witness her bravery and courage throughout.

The secondary characters were equally well drawn. I loved Ness' mum and her friend Rose, as well as the devoted George. The author creates characters extremely well.

This book had everything that you would expect to find in a book of this genre; challenges, romance and secrets. It was extremely enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who likes fiction about strong women set again a working class background during World War II.

ISBN:  978 1838421045

Publisher:  Horstead Books

Formats:  e-book and paperback (currently available on Kindle Unlimited)

No. of Pages:  362 (paperback) 

About the Author:

Ninette Hartley is a writer, mother, grandmother, wife and teacher. She has followed many paths – from acting and dancing to magazine publishing, and even driving a pony and trap – but she has always come back to storytelling.

Ninette has an MA in creative writing and has been published in three short story collections. Her first memoir Dear Tosh, published in May 2021 was shortlisted in the Selfies Book Awards and long-listed in the Dorchester Literary Festival Writing Prize 2022. From 2008 -2016 she lived in Italy on an olive farm, returning to the UK to live in Dorset for eight years. Never one to stay in one place for long, she has recently moved to France where she plans to continue writing more works of fiction and poetry.

Loose Ends is her debut novel. You can read more about her on her website: www.ninettehartley.com and you can also follow her on social media.

(e-book and media courtesy of Zooloo's Book Tours)

(all opinions are my own)

10 Ten Exciting New Releases in November 2023

 

Here we are, halfway through October and looking ahead to November.

I hope that October has been a good month for you so far with lots of great books.

Here are ten books which are being released in November. Anything here that catches your eye?

The Sewing Factory Girls by Posy Lovell

Available in paperback on 9th November, The Sewing Factory Girls is Posy Lovell's heartwarming and moving novel inspired by the brave, hardworking women who fought to improve working conditions at the Singer Factory in Clydebank, Scotland. It is an uplifting and emotional novel of friendship and courage, for readers who enjoy fiction based on real-life stories.

Like half of all the young women living in the Scottish town Clydebankin early 1911, Ellen works at the sewing machine factory. So does her big sister, Bridget, Bridget's fiancé Malcolm, and her new friend Sadie, who has come to work at the factory after the death of her father...

For Sadie, the factory is a way to make ends meet, but Ellen has sewing in her veins. She is even making Bridget's wedding dress on her beloved sewing machine. But after the excitement of the wedding dies down, everything changes. Ellen discovers that the work of the cabinet polishers - her job - is to be reorganised, and they will be doing more work for less pay.

Ellen feels betrayed - the sewing factory is her family and they've let her down. Sadie is more pragmatic. But the women aren't going to give in without a fight. They've been reading about strikes and they've got an idea - much to the disgust of manager Malcolm.

Meanwhile, Bridget, forced to choose between her husband and her sister, has made a new friend and is fighting her own battle, alongside the suffragettes.

The events of the strike will throw Ellen, Bridget and Sadie's lives into turmoil but also bring these women closer to each other than they could ever have imagined.

A History of the Cotton Industry: A Story in Three Continents by Anthony Burton

This book is about technology and how it has changed the lives of people on three continents over the last three hundred years. The development of the cotton industry was the starting point for one of the great turning points in history – the industrial revolution. It began with the importation of cloth into Britain from India and that created a new fashion. As the demand for cotton cloth grew, British inventors began to find ways of making the same cloth using powered machinery and built the first cotton mills. The old way of life of the textile workers was transformed, as work moved from home to factory and thousands of small children were brought in to tend the new machines. If conditions in the cotton towns were bad, they were far worse in America where, thanks to the work of slaves, the country took over the supply of raw material from India. During the American Civil War, Britain turned again to India for its supplies. Today, positions have changed dramatically. India again has a thriving industry, while in Britain only a fraction of the old mills are still at work. The author looks in detail at the technology that produced the changes, but the emphasis is very much on the human stories of the industrialists and their workers, the planters and their slaves in Britain, India and America.

The Library Girls of the East End by Patricia McBride

1940, London - When Cordelia accepts the post of head librarian in Silver Town Library, her mother is more than a little disapproving. The East End has high levels of poverty and illiteracy, and her mother says it’s no place for a woman of her status.

But Cordelia is determined to make a difference in these times of strife, and along with her colleagues, Jane and Mavis, she begins to help the local community, making sure everyone knows what the library can offer them.

And maybe even a romance will blossom, giving Cordelia the strength to make it through the chaos and destruction that constantly threatens their livelihood.

Against a background of war, air raids and rationing, it becomes clear the library is more than a building filled with books - it is the beating heart of a community refusing to be torn apart.

The Little Liar by Mitch Albom

When the Nazis invade Salonika, Greece, eleven-year-old Nico Crispi is offered a chance to save his family. He is instructed to convince his fellow Jewish residents to board trains heading towards the east, where they are promised jobs and safety. He dutifully goes to the station platform every day and reassures the passengers that the journey is safe. Only after it is too late does Nico discover that the people he loved would never return.

In The Little Liar, Nico's story is interweaved with other individuals impacted by the occupation: his brother Sebastian, their schoolmate Fanni and the Nazi officer who radically changed their lives. As the decades pass, the consequences of what they endured come to light.

Exploring honesty, survival, revenge and devotion, The Little Liar is a timeless story about the harm we inflict with our deceits, and the power of love to redeem us.

The Tuscan Orphan by Siobhan Daiko

1944 - When an air raid strikes the hospital she’s been working in, Carrie’s life irrevocably changes. But as a nurse in the middle of wartime, she has no time to grieve, as she has too many people relying on her.

For resistance fighter, Vito, nothing is more important than seeking vengeance for the atrocities his fellow comrades have suffered. But when he liberates a convent, finding a group of Jewish children in hiding, he suddenly has even more to fight for.

Little Mimi is injured, scared and alone. Together Carrie and Vito vow to find her parents, a loving home. But under the shadow of war, is it wise to make promises you’re not sure you can keep?

The Wisdom of Sheep & Other Animals by Rosamund Young

We talk about people behaving like sheep, which assumes that sheep all behave in the same way. That has not been my experience.

Some are affectionate, others prone to head-butting. Some are determinedly self-sufficient, others seek our help when they need it. And some can be trusted to lead the flock home. They are as individual as we are.

Farm animals are familiar to us from childhood stories, but little did we know that their inner lives are full of complexity, deep bonds and family dramas. Rosamund Young has been an organic farmer for over forty years and this is her record of a life at the beck and call of the animals while observing and preserving the abundant wildlife at Kite's Nest Farm. It is a story of joy, discovery, cooperation and sometimes heartbreak. We learn about sheep growing old disgracefully, the intelligence of supposedly 'bird-brained' hens, 'conversations' between cows and why you should never send a text whilst milking . . .

Made to Measure byElisalex Jewell

Learn to draft and sew your own customized clothes that fit you perfectly and make you feel fantastic.

You no longer need to feel confined by the boundaries of a sewing pattern in order to make clothes that fit beautifully and represent your style in a way that store-bought clothes never can. Designer and founder of popular pattern brand By Hand London Elisalex Jewell is known for designing beautiful, fun garments that look fabulous on women of all sizes. In Made to Measure, she guides sewers to create stylish garments while empowering them to learn new skills, be creative, and feel confident. Following an overview of essential sewing tools, a primer on fabrics, and a guide to essential sewing techniques, you will learn how to:

 

Draft simple patterns based on your measurements

Take a pattern from an existing garment

Identify and fix common fit issues

 

The sixteen pattern-free projects for dresses, skirts, tops, a pantsuit, and more are a springboard for creating a versatile, personalized wardrobe. The designs include: Sweet Shirred Top and Dress, Faux-Cute Jumpsuit, Paneled Wrap Skirt, Prairie Dress, Not Your Grandma's Quilted Circle Skirt, Siren Slip Dress and a Refashioned Sweater Dress

 

In today’s world of “fast fashion,” sewing your own clothes is a wonderful way to slow down and create garments that are sustainable and unique. While most sewing books show you how to create garments from specific patterns, Made to Measure takes sewing clothes to the next level by allowing you to customize the designs to fit you.

Whether you’re new to sewing clothes or want to add to your garment-making skills, Made to Measure guides you to create a dream wardrobe that is tailored just for you.

Henry VIII's True Daughter: Catherine Carey by Wendy J. Dunn

The lives of Tudor women often offer faint but fascinating footnotes on the pages of history. The life of Catherine – or Katryn as her husband would one day pen her name – Carey, the daughter of Mary Boleyn and, as the weight of evidence suggests, Henry VIII, is one of those footnotes. As the possible daughter of Henry VIII, the niece of Anne Boleyn and the favourite of Elizabeth I, Catherine’s life offers us a unique perspective on the reigns of Henry and his children. In this book, Wendy J. Dunn takes these brief details of Catherine’s life and turns them into a rich account of a woman who deserves her story told. Following the faint trail provided of her life from her earliest years to her death in service to Queen Elizabeth, Dunn examines the evidence of Catherine’s parentage and views her world through the lens of her relationship with the royal family she served. This book presents an important story of a woman who saw and experienced much tragedy and political turmoil during the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, and Mary I – all of which prepared her to take on the vital role of one of Elizabeth I closest and most trusted women. It also prepared her to become the wife of one of Elizabeth's privy councillors – a man also trusted and relied on by the queen. Catherine served Elizabeth during the uncertain and challenging first years of her reign, a time when there was a question mark over whether she would succeed as queen regnant after the failures of England's first crowned regnant, her sister Mary. Through immense research and placing her in the context of her period, HENRY VIII’S TRUE DAUGHTER: CATHERINE CAREY, A TUDOR LIFE draws Catherine out of the shadows of history to take her true place as the daughter of Henry VIII and shows how vital women like Catherine were to Elizabeth and the ultimate victory of her reign.

A Woman of Courage by Rita Bradshaw

It's 1890, and Josie Gray is an innocent and beautiful fifteen-year old when Adam McGuigan, the youngest son of a dangerous and influential crime family spots her singing in a Sunderland public house. Adam is handsome and charismatic, sweeping Josie off her feet with his beguiling lies and promises. He charms her into marrying him on her sixteenth birthday, but on her wedding night the fairy tale ends.

Josie finds herself trapped in a living nightmare and there's no one to help her. Events spiral out of control, and when her life is put in danger she escapes with her baby son. Fleeing to a different country, Josie fights to make a good life for her child and then love beckons again.

But the McGuigan family's power is far reaching. When the day of reckoning comes, can Josie survive it?

A Woman of Courage is a heartwarming saga by Rita Bradshaw, author of the bestselling Believing in Tomorrow and is being released in paperback in November.

Inheritance by Nora Roberts

1806. Astrid Poole is murdered on her wedding day. Her last words - a promise to her husband never to leave him...

After finding her fiancé in a compromising position with her cousin, Sonya MacTavish needs an escape. When a lawyer turns up on her doorstep out of the blue with news that she has inherited a beautiful Victorian house, Sonya thinks maybe this is just the change of scene she needs.

The house - nicknamed Lost Bride manor - is beautiful, the setting idyllic and the local town offers Sonya the smalltown comforts she craves after life in a big city. So what if there are sometimes shadows in the windows, objects move of their own accord and music starts playing out of nowhere. Sonya can live with the house being a little haunted.

But things soon start to take a darker turn and it becomes clear that Sonya has inherited far more than a house. She has inherited a centuries-old curse, and a puzzle she must solve if there is any hope of breaking it...