"The Paris Seamstress" by Natasha Lester: An Unforgettable Tale of Love and Sacrifice in 1940s France

bea: Novela entretenida de principio a fin ;no pido más, pero qué difícil es conseguirlo y esta novela me lleva de una historia a otra (dos generaciones) de una manera fluida y amena.

Spain on Jul 01, 2023

madeleine barker: I’m sorry to the writer for such a low review. But I did not like this book at all. I found it to be confusing at time, quite boring, the characters weren’t that likeable. Switching between eras was unnecessary. The “present day” stories are always the same “grand daughter finds mystery, while solving family dark secret, she finds a wonderful man which is luck since, she’s just got out of a relationship with a man child” always always the same boring story. I wanted to like this book, I made it to 80% in my kindle and just could not finish it. I read a lot of historical fiction and this felt more like a bad romance book that happens to kinda be set in WW2

United States on Mar 23, 2023

Lori P.: I just found a new to me author!
Loved the two, well done timelines/storylines. They were easy to follow.

The descriptions of the areas and the times the characters lived in were well developed as were the characters themselves.

I couldn't put it down. I had to see what happened to the characters in the next chapter.

I am looking forward to reading Natasha's other books!

United States on Dec 19, 2022

Susan Ebert: Such a great story line…I got drawn into the intrigue very quickly.

Canada on Mar 27, 2022

Ellesse: This book would have been twice as good if it had been half as long.
The story took so long to unfold and jumped about so much that for me it lost its coherence. I did finish it and there was a good story therein but my goodness it was long winded. I was glad to finally make it to the end!

France on Feb 22, 2022

Vanessa: Best book I’ve read for a while. Heartbreakingly beautiful and mostly unexpected plot and characters you can’t help but feel with. Very well written. Would absolutely recommend.

Germany on Oct 30, 2020

Cliente Amazon: Libro veramente molto bello. La storia è molto particolare ed intrigante con un finale appagante perché molto simile alla realtà in cui ci si ritrova ad accettare che i grandi amori sono tali perché sono simili ai sogni e perciò durano poco.

Italy on Jun 18, 2020

Mrs. D: I love historical fiction and this is an amazing mix of both. The author weaves the story and characters beautifully. Set during WWII it gives you a realist view of how the lives of those who lived through it were affected and what they might have faced. It was especially interesting for me because my father and other family members were there and getting to see the events from the different perspectives was a real wake-up call for what really happened. This is a definite must read book. It is written in a way that draws you in and you won't want to put it down. It has heart breaking moments mixed with excitement and falling in love during a time when you don't know if you will live another day. I'm not going to give you the full story because I want you to discover and experience it without being influenced by what someone tells you. If you like suspense,fashion,rooting for the under dog and seeing what real life was like during occupied Paris and the things people had to do to survive you will enjoy reading this book

United States on Mar 04, 2019

P. Blevins: The Paris Seamstress is by Natasha Lester. It is a story of sacrifice, second chances, bravery, and courage. It is also the story of love between Mother and Child.
Estella was the head of Stella Designs out of New York. She had come to the United States from Paris. At that time, all she knew was that her Father was an American. She had no idea who he was but it gave her a way to get into the United States at this time. She had jeopardized her place in Paris when she delivered a package to a spy when a friend asked her to. In order to save her life, her Mother sent her to the US with only a suitcase and her sewing machine. Through her perseverance, her love of designing, help from others, and lots of luck, she managed to create her own designs and make a name for herself in the United States. When she died, her estate went to her granddaughter, Fabiene who when she found her Father’s birth certificate realized he was not Estella’s child except by adoption. Her search to find out the truth about her ancestry takes her from New York City back to Paris during World War II. This is the story of her quest to find out who Estella really was.
The book is easy to read and takes...

United States on Jan 20, 2019

Lynn Pool (Ellesea): I originally downloaded a free preview of this novel issued by Hatchette from Netgalley. After enjoying the four chapter taster, I bought and read The Paris Seamstress in full.

Told from a duel point of view, the narrative switches between the two female protagonists; Estella Bissette's life as a seamstress, living in nineteen-forty Paris before she is forced to flee to America to begin a new life. Fabienne Bissette, Estella's granddaughter brings the story to the present time as she delves into her family's past after her father, Xander died.

Filled with heartbreaking intrigue, the shocking discoveries made by Fabienne certainly add darkness to the riveting narrative. Fear not, there are plenty of high points too. With equally fascinating characters who pull everything together in this well-researched page-turner.

'That a piece of clothing could do so much. That it had power beyond the fabric and the thread and the pattern.'
It's always a delight to learn something new when reading a novel and I particularly enjoyed learning the fascinating details and techniques used by seamstresses working on couture designs. The insightful inclusion by the author is a...

United States on Jan 14, 2019