New York City in 1912, a fashion designer, and a group of women. You have the makings of a great story. The Story was jammed packed with faith and spiritual content that was interweaved gracefully with the historical details and sweet romance.

Thanks to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, Inc. and author Nancy Moser for providing me with a digital ARC of THE FASHION DESIGNER, which allows me to write an unbiased review.

THE FASHION DESIGNER is one of those books I love to read. It is an inspirational, story set in 1912 New York City. I haven't read many books about America in this era, and was pleased to learn about the buildings, businesses, customs, fashions, and family life in 1912 New York.
It is evident that Nancy Moser did extensive research and has seamlessly woven it together in this story about Annie and her best friends, Maude and Edna giving up their careers at Butterick to start a business designing and making fashionable and functional clothing for busy, modern women.
With faith in God, hard work and determination, Annie, her husband Sean Culver and friends do not give up their dreams, in spite of financial, personal and other hardships and obstacles.
Nancy Moser is a new author to me, and I look forward to reading more of her books.

The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser
This is the second book, the first being, The Pattern Artist. This is not a stand-alone novel but a continued story of Annie Wood. Many of the characters stories are continued and a few new faces are introduced along the way.

Annie and the Sampsons continue with their ideas design dresses, however, the ideas of Annie and Mrs. S collide. With prayer, Annie and her friends break ties with the Sampsons and start their own business. This new beginning is not without bumps. With their faith, they forge their way into the world of fashion.

I enjoyed this book and thought it well written. At parts I thought, “wow, this is too unbelievable- life doesn’t work this smoothly." The reality is this that when God is involved faith can be hard but God can make things work smoothly. God makes his purpose in things come together when it is His will. It is hard to be patient and wait on him. It is hard to stop and listen rather than forge ahead with our own actions. Looking back on the story it was thought-provoking and inspiring to my own faith. I also enjoyed the back section very much. Ideas of the characters period images where shared as well as design ads for items from the book. The authentic history of this book is interesting and fun to read about as well.

Some of my favorite quotes:
“Dear Father, once again we are a three- strand cord that cannot be broken. Replace our exhaustion with your stamina, our confusion with your clarity. Guide us so this opportunity plays out exactly as You planned.”
“She picked up Sean’s not and read the verse aloud. ‘Be Still and know that I am God.’ She laughed. ‘You have me right where you want me, don’t You.”
*I’ve been using this one on my boys… “Delay is not denial.”
“Please give me the faith I need to believe Your promises.”

There are many more quotes I highlighted but that are too lengthy to share. You will defiantly take away inspiring thoughts on your faith and what it means to trust in the Lord. Enjoy reading!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing in exchange for my honest review.

Description of Book

Annie Wood, the housemaid-turned-pattern designer in The Pattern Artist, jumps at the chance to design her own clothing line when a wealthy New York couple offers to finance her endeavor. Joining the project is Annie’s new husband, Sean Culver, her best friend at Butterick, Maude Nascato, and a mother figure, Edna Holmquist.

Annie and her colleagues give up their careers, risking everything to follow a shared passion: clothes that are both fashionable and functional for modern, busy women in 1912.

Personal and financial setbacks test old relationships and new romances while threatening to keep the business from ever selling a single dress. No one said it would be easy. But the promise of the American Dream holds a deep hope for those who work hard, trust God, and never give up.

Review

This is the 2nd book by Nancy Moser I have ever read and I love her books. She is GREAT.

This is the 2nd book I have read by Nancy Moser. I really loved Annie Wood Culver. She is such a srong woman in this book. She has dreams about opening up her own dress shop and through a lot of struggles, she finally does open up her shop. It isn’t easy at all. She finds out she is pregnant and now her shop is opened. Sean (her husband) is so supportive of her and the other girls she’s hired. They all have issues in this book and I just think it’s GREAT how they all come to Annie for their chats.

Then one day, Annie is sitting near her window in New York City and she hears a famililar voice, and there she is, Henrietta Kidd, who was from Annie’s old life in England. In the meantime, there are a lot of problems with the women she has hired and their men. It is just a super book. I guess I had better quit talking about the book or I will ruin it for you. Enjoy.

This is a GREAT book, I loved it so much that I didn’t want to put it down. Thank you Nancy Moser for giving us such a GREAT book. You are wonderful.

Thank you, Barbour Publishing for giving me this book to read and give this honest review

The Fashion Designer
by Nancy Moser

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Run Press
Christian , Romance
Pub Date 01 Jul 2018


I am reviewing a copy of The Fashion Designer through Shiloh Run Press and Netgalley:


Annie Wood was a housemaid turned pattern designer. The pattern artist is given the opportunity to design her own fashion line when a wealthy New York Couple offer to finance her endeavor. Annie's New husband Sean Culver as well as her best friend Butterick, Maude Nascato as well as a Mother Figure Edna Holmquist.


Annie as well as her colleagues give up their already established careers, risking everything to follow their passion for clothes, that were both functional and fashionable for the modern working woman of 1912.


Personal and financial setbacks could derail their careers before they even get a chance to begin? Will they be able to overcome these setbacks?


Find out in The Fashion Designer!

I enjoyed this historical fiction about innovation in the fashion industry in the early 1900 in NYC. A rags to riches story, of women that dared to think out of the box, then execute their dreams despite challenges. Filled with fashion, friendship, women's rights and faith. Thank you NetGalley for the early edition copy for my honest opinion.

I found this book to be very interesting to me. Maybe because I like to sew, or maybe because it was just a good story. Or, both. I liked the plot, the story line and the author. It was a well written and edited book and I would recommend it for anyone looking for a good read. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

The Fashion Designer is a deep look at some of the challenges presented to young women who migrated alone to New York in the early 1900's. Survivors were those who were lucky. Of course the young women needed courage, intelligence, and hard work, but they also needed the good fortune to encounter caring support. At a time when independence in women was not admired, and economic and legal independence was often denied, the good fortune of finding people willing to support and encourage women's enterprises would have been the difference between success and failure. This story blends the dependence on help from others, with generous passing on of that help to similarly struggling women to show a way to success that might work for any entrepreneurs today. Nancy Moser's message is quite countercultural in what is generally portrayed as today's business atmosphere.

The Fashion Designer is a rags to riches light romance. Annie began in England as a young housemaid, traveled to New York to continue as a lady's dresser, became a pattern artist at Butterick and is now married and trying to start her own business.

I loved everything about this book. The strong spiritual content that wound its way throughout the story was so well done. Everyone of the characters is one you will remember, and the closeness within the group as they started the new "off the rack" dress store was completely endearing. I particularly enjoyed seeing Annie learn patience and that everything would work in God's timing. Another wonderful character was Maude as she learned to let go of the horrible event in her past and open up to love. Several of Annie's group found their true loves throughout this story, but Moser did an excellent job of keep the romances as a sideline to the main focus of the developing business.

Moser also included some historical detail that was so interesting. The historical detail on the development of the Lane Bryant franchise was so interesting along with the fact that she started out with a clothing store devoted entirely to maternity wear.

This book is the sequel to The Pattern Artist. I had not read the first book but enough information is included about prior events that it is not difficult to follow the storyline. I will definitely be reading the first book in this series.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Shiloh Run Press through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I've been on a reading break for too long!!! This book took me awhile to read only because of my super busy schedule. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Annie's story of how she came from rags to riches! Her bravery in leaving her service position to escape to what she hoped would be a better life in America kept my interest the entire time. The historical accuracy of the book was also a breath of fresh air and the author really put a lot of time and effort into getting it as right as possible.

This book has several ups and downs and the story line flowed freely. I loved the note at the end about how the characters will make appearances in other novels so that the reader can still follow their story. Overall, this was a fulfilling summer read!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book to review in exchange for my honest opinion. Many thanks to NetGalley, Barbour Publishing, and Nancy Moser for allowing me to review this story!

Three ladies to start their own fashion company. Was it folly,or could it be a reality, they did have financial backing. They were friends, they had faith, and they had their dreams. Women in the work force in 1912 needed more serviceable clothing. This also goes into their personal lives, and of their different struggles. It also covers the history of designing, in which the author has done a lot of research on. It was written with that personal touch of the lives and emotion of these woman, and one felt close to them. Given ARC by Net Galley and Barbour for my voluntary review and my honest opinion .

In this second book of the Pattern Artist series, author Nancy Moser has let a little time pass for Annie Wood, a housemaid-turned-pattern designer who is now making a another leap of faith at the chance of designing her own clothing line with the help of a wealthy New York couple who offered to finance her endeavor. Included in the project are Annie’s new husband, Sean Culver, her best friend at Butterwick, Maude Nascato, and a mother figure, Edna Holmquist (all introduced before in the PATTERN ARTIST)

This now is an even bigger leap of faith when Annie and her colleagues give up their careers, risking all to follow a shared passion of making ready to wear clothes for the working woman which would be both fashionable and functional for the modern, busy woman in 1912.

While the main characters Annie, her husband and good friends, struggle with planning the designs for a 12 dress fashion show with their financier, they discover that the dream they had for designs was not that of their backers and as a result their backers pulled out. It was tough going with many ups and downs and their many prayers to the Almighty to “show them the way”. Each step forward sometimes left them back at the starting plate, but through their unsurmountable faith and incredible hard work they strove forward.

The story really tested the mettle of so many of the engaging characters found in this story and the meeting between Annie and the famous Lane Bryant was truly a treat along with all the other historical glimpses of that time. This is truly a most engaging and lovely read that leaves the reader with that ahhhhh…… feeling of true contentment.

Marilyn Rondeau

I enjoyed the authors note to readers as much as I enjoyed the novel. I liked hearing about her research and the treasures she found. She mentions the time period between 1912-1913 had an enormous impact on women’s fashion. The shift was made to functional and comfort. Instead of difficult and tight fitting. There is a sad but hilarious scene where Henrietta gets stuck in her high fashion dress because she had no one to help her undo the buttons in the back of her dress. I often wondered why they needed maids to help them dress and undress. That scene says it all! Grin!

Annie is inspired to bring pretty, and comfortable creations to life for the working woman. She wanted clothes that woman could breathe and be free in. She called it “fashion for the unruffled, unveiled, and the unstoppable woman.”

I was swept up in the excitement of these young ladies coming up with ideas for the clothes and watch them set up their store in New York fashion district. It was an intriguing look into the fashion world back then. What they had to go through to have women change and how they set up a retail store with different size dresses. It was unique for that time when dresses were made to order. Lane Bryant was in the novel. I liked hearing about the interesting facts behind Annie meeting her. I learned fascinating facts about Lane Bryant too that made me smile.

I enjoyed all the ladies in the story, how they got along, how they created and how they dealt with family and loved ones.

I enjoyed the natural organic spiritual thread running throughout the story. Each lady is dealing with something and are willing face hard issues and grow. I like how they explain things to one another and encourage each other to pray and hear from God. This is just one example:

“Life is a grand puzzle, with pieces interlocking, pieces elusive, pieces missing. But in the end, God puts it all together and we see the full picture.”

This is book two in a series. The first book is called The Pattern Artist. It reads as a standalone. I look forward to the Pins Promise in an Anthology Christmas Stitches: novella. Where some of the characters in the book will appear.

The author includes 23 discussion questions and fun pictures at the end of the book that can be used at your meeting. I highly recommend this book for a fun, intriguing read and/or for your next book club pick.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins! www.bookfun.org
The Book Club Network blog www.psalm516.blogspot.com
Book Fun Magazine https://tinyurl.com/y9lwbfrs
SVP Promotion

I really enjoyed this story. More so than it's predecessor. I liked how the characters relied on God's provision. Sean often reminded Annie, during her times of doubt or stress, how much they had been blessed.
I particularly enjoyed the storyline of Maude. Seeing her struggle to find reconciliation with her past with its tragedy, and the possibility of a happy future. It was amazing how she saw God open a door for her. Will she step through it? No spoilers from me.
I loved the name of the store and all it stood for too.
Nancy Moser has written a wonderful story filled with great characters that know they are flawed but thankful that each day is a new beginning. There are great biblical truths found in these pages, some have ministered to my own heart as I am sure they will do to others.

Think 1912, women’s suffrage, the American Dream, men’s dominance, entrepreneurship…all of these elements are part of “The Fashion Designer” by Nancy Moser. This is a very good book to help the reader realize the hardships and obstacles that faced a woman at this time.

Trying to find more manageable, comfortable, affordable women’s wear, Annie Culver is on a quest to design fashions that are more for the common women. Working women need something other than the frilly trappings of the elite woman who has nothing to do but attend teas, charity meetings and such. Annie, her husband, and her loyal group of friends are determined to build a new industry. It seems as though as soon as one obstacle is overcome, another appears to threaten their success.

I found this book very enlightening about the plight of women in the early 1900’s. I would suggest that it would be helpful if you would read “The Pattern Artist” first as it gives a good background for this subsequent novel.

This book hooked me on the first page and keep me hooked till the end. This story is a wonderful example of how God is in control of everything and will work it out in His time if we will just kept the faith. It might not be how we want it to work out, but His way is always the best. You won't regret getting this book.I received an ARC copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through Netgalley. This is my honest review.

“Life is a grand puzzle, with pieces interlocking, pieces elusive, pieces missing. But in the end, God puts it all together and we see the full picture.” (Sean Culver)~pg 210

I was so glad I was able to read The Pattern Artist and go right into The Fashion Designer! It was like picking off where I left off and continuing a story I very much enjoyed. I knew the characters and their history, which connected me to them even deeper. This picks up after our main characters Annie, Maude and Edna start off on a new venture designing their own dresses with the backup of the Samsons, who fund their dreams. They soon learn those dreams come with hard work, lots of faith and a few missteps. Just like that puzzle Sean Culver is talking about, God places each piece where they need to be to build a complete picture.

I especially loved watching the character growth in Maude as the story progressed. I will admit I didn’t really like her, but this book gives more of her backstory and past life that came to light. It helped me understand how it shaped her over the years and why she built a wall around her heart. I can also relate a lot to her struggles with God and seeing how He can bring about good when something terrible happens. When her heart does begin to soften to Him again, she starts to feel peace and assurance of His love and that He does have a good plan for her life no matter the circumstances she’s facing.

I loved watching the journey of Annie, Maude, Edna, Sean and a few new characters in this heartfelt story. Learning about fashion in the early 1900’s was fascinating and how it revolutionized with more women entering the work world. The author gives a bit of history at the end of the book; don’t miss reading it for yourself! Lastly, I loved the strong faith theme, each reminder speaking right to my own heart. It’s why I love Christian fiction so much!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.*

1912 - New York City

Annie Culver has just quit her job at the Butterick Pattern Company. Her husband, Sean, works for the same company and will retain his position. Annie and her friends, Maude and Edna, have all left their jobs to start their own fashion company.

The ladies had met Mr. and Mrs. Sampson at a Paris fashion show and they agreed to back them in their venture. The plan is to provide nice and affordable clothes for the masses, not just for the elite. However, Mrs. Sampson has changed her mind and wants the shop named after her, Eleanor’s Couture, and clothes made for wealthy women. They reluctantly agree to make 12 dresses for Mrs. Sampson’s party but decide to use everyday women to model them and the dresses will be made for working women. However, these dresses did not appeal to the upper crust women and they did not get any orders. That made the Sampsons break with them and now they must start over.

When Annie finds she is expecting, Sean’s mother, Vesta, offers to help with the dress making. She loves doing it but Sean’s wealthy father refuses to help them. Angry at him, Vesta moves in with Sean and Annie.

Along the way, the friends and family work hard together, hitting setbacks, but their determination and belief in God keeps them going toward their goal.

This is a very clean book that is a follow-on to the author’s earlier novel, “The Pattern Artist.” I enjoyed the first novel a bit more as there is a little too much preaching in this one. However, it wraps up the story nicely.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the first time I've read anything by Nancy Moser but it will not be the last time. I truly enjoyed this book.

There was a bit of history, a lot of interesting facts and a new idea for a story. The characters were very well developed and interesting. The storyline flowed very well and was truly interesting. I did not skip any parts, nothing dragged. It was full of Christian characters but not a preachy sort of story.

The book I received for review stated that it was an advanced reader copy and not fully edited. I hope they do a better job than what is done now. I wouldn't normally comment on this but it was much-needed work to be done.

I do recommend this book if you enjoy historical romance that is clean and has a Christian foundation. I received this book to review free of charge and the review is my own, honest opinion.

I have liked the characters in this novel since I first met them in, The Pattern Artist. Annie is now married and is on the verge of making her dreams come true of starting a new line of beautiful, functional and affordable clothing for working women. Filled with an entrepreneurial spirit and the love and support of her husband and friends, she is ready to get her business started.

Annie, Sean and her friends have plenty of faith which is fantastic, it's the desperately needed funds they are lacking. The strong message of faith is one of my favorite things about this book. No matter how close they are to realizing their dreams of getting their business started, there is always a set back but through prayer and faith, they persevere.

One of my favorite characters in this book is, Vesta (Sean's mother), she showed much more spunk than I would have imagined by standing up to her husband, Richard. My first impression of him was that her was a miserable person, but after a while I changed my opinion of him and thought he was opposed to the changes in his wife. He had to relinquish some control which was probably difficult for some older men to do in that time in history.

I loved that Ms. Moser added Lane Bryant to this story and included an ad for the stores maternity corset. The menu for an engagement party for two of the characters at Delmonico's was the menu for Mark Twain's seventieth birthday party held there in 1905. This is why I love this authors work! She blends fiction and history so well.

I look forward to the next book in the series for a few reasons, I love the characters, I'm excited to read about the many successes the characters have both professionally and personally, but mostly I want to read about the wedding dresses the ladies will be making as it looks like there will be a couple of weddings coming up.

I would recommend reading, The Pattern Artist first to appreciate what the characters have gone through to get to this point in their lives and to familiarize yourself with them. I don't think this a book for a very young reader due to some mature content though it doesn't go into great detail there are mentions of some things that may not be suitable for all readers.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and was under no obligation to write a review. All opinions are my own.