Any book by Nancy Moser is enjoyable, and that describes this book. I loved the accurate historical details woven into this book, and the photos/illustrations at the back of the book add some extra authentication to the story. I had not read “The Pattern Artist” before I started this, and I did not know the background of all these characters, but I was still able to enjoy this book. Although it’s not written in the same style, it made me think of the theme of some of the older novels by Grace Livingston Hill: Faithful Christian women who, along with family and friends, face difficulties with grace and faith in God.

There’s quite a cast of characters to keep up with as you’re reading this book, but Mrs. Moser made all of them come to life. I loved the loyalty and “sisterhood”of all the ladies in the story. It was easy to keep up with each individual storyline and everything ties together very well at the end. It was not just the independent spirit of these ladies that I admired, but the fact that they were open to God’s leading every step of their journey to open up their own dress shop. I was almost sorry to come to the end of the story, as I had grown attached to these characters.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All opinions are my own.

"The Fashion Designer" by Nancy Moser is a book filled with fashion, history and women's rights! It is also packed with faith content! It's the second book in "The Pattern Artist" series and can be read as a standalone, but I would recommend reading the books in sequence to get the most enjoyment from the series as there are references to past events, and characters from the first book make cameo appearances. Ms. Moser does refresh the reader later on in the story regarding characters and events from the previous book, but it would have been nice to have a little refresher or character list earlier on.

Ms. Moser excels in the historical details. She wows the reader with her descriptions of the time period, down to every minute detail. I felt like I was transported back into New York City in the early 1900s, when women were still fighting for their rights and maternity clothes weren't yet in fashion. Our main character, Annie, wants to design affordable, functional clothes for the everyday woman. She even wants to try her hand in maternity wear (gasp!). I learned so much history while following Annie's journey.

"The Fashion Designer" has characters that really live out the Christian walk and incorporate their faith into everything they do. The main characters are always talking about their faith, praying, discussing God's timing and trying to trust God. There is a sweet bit where Annie's husband leaves her a Scripture verse when she is struggling with doubt.

There are some more mature themes in this book, such as domestic abuse and rape. They are both talked about, not in a lot of detail, but enough that I was feeling uncomfortable. It was very hard to read about the way a husband is treating his wife at one point. I know that these are important and realistic themes to address, but they may be hard for some to read about.

"The Fashion Designer" incorporates a lot of great history and faith content! I really enjoyed those aspects, but I would caution younger and/or sensitive readers due to the more mature themes in the book. Overall, I really enjoyed it!

Content: I would rate this book PG-13 due to some of the mature themes that are addressed. Some examples of the content are: a joke about a woman’s bosom; a man smokes a cigar; people drink champagne and other alcoholic beverages; a man is emotionally and a little physically abusive towards his wife and he oppresses her; there is a conversation about a woman giving birth, but it’s not graphic; a woman has been raped in the past and talks about that and losing her virginity; there is talk of a man being a drunkard.

Rating: I give this book 3 stars.

Genre: Historical fiction; Christian fiction

I want to thank NetGalley, Nancy Moser, Shiloh Run Press and Barbour Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I express in this review are my own. This is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s CFR 16, Part 255. I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.

Annie is taking some really big steps forward in her life, trusting that the Lord will lead her.
After being spared from the wreck of the Titanic by circumstance, Annie finds herself on the verge of a new business and a new family.
Neither will be easy. Birthing a business is fraught with decisions, that will have an effect everything moving forward.
It was a delight to follow Annie on her journey, sharing every struggle, indecision, and finally, resolve.
A great series chapter or stand alone .

The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser is a powerful story of a young woman's courage to trust God to fulfill her dreams. Annie, a former housemaid and pattern designer, has dreams of designing dresses for the working woman and of having her own shop. The journey she takes as doors that open (or sometimes close) to her and her friends is almost magical. The author blends in history (an interesting presidential election, women's rights, the beginnings of the Lane Bryant clothing empire), romance, and faith in a God who loves unconditionally, who gives second chances and who fulfills dreams to tell this charmingly delightful story of a young woman's lofty hopes. The characters are compelling, believable and likable. Readers will cheer for, cry with and be drawn into the lives of Annie, Maude, Vesta, Henrietta, and others. The author deals well with the gritty and sometimes desperate subjects of marital discord, domestic violence, and assault, which adds reality and depth to the book. The story flows well and has a few "oh, no!" moments where one wonders how will this turn out! As one character notes, God doesn't deal with luck but with blessing. The Pattern Artist is a fascinating and inspiring novel of a spirited woman and her friends who choose to realize their dreams and find love and faith as well. Although it is second in a series, The Fashion Designer is easily a stand-alone story. For more reading enjoyment, I recommend picking up the first book, The Pattern Artist, too. At the end of the book, the author includes a list of discussion questions, pictures related to some of the characters and fashions from the early 1900s.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.

After reading The Pattern Artist I wanted more about Annie, Sean and their friends. So I was really excited when I was invited to read The Fashion Designer. I got to not only spend more time with these characters but I also got to learn more about the fashion industry in the early 1900s. A definite win~win!!

Nancy Moser has created believable, realistic and extremely likable characters. It’s was just impossible not to like the characters in this book. OK, so maybe I didn’t care for Sean’s dad, Richard, all that much. He was a total jerk! (And I’m being nice here.) The fact that I didn’t care for him one bit shows the ability of the author to create a wide range of characters with different personalities. I love the author created characters for me to both love and despise. (Although maybe towards the end I didn’t despise Richard as much.) I really liked the addition of Vesta, Sean’s mother.

Another aspect of the book I really liked was the attention to historical detail. The details add to the story and made me feel as if I were experiencing the time period along with the characters. In addition to the historical details, the author includes a lot of fashion design details that were very interesting. There is the inclusion of the story of Lane Bryant that was done in a way that felt genuine to the story and not just added in because the author discovered how the store got its start. All of the details added really brought the story to life and soon I wasn’t seeing words on the page but the workshop, apartments, and streets of NYC.

The book was effortless to read. As much as I wanted to rush through the book I also wanted to read it slowly and enjoy every moment with these characters. As satisfied as I was with the story I still want more of these characters and am hoping the author will give me a chance to visit with them again. Wouldn’t it be fun to see how Annie and the gang adapt to fashion in the 1920s??

This book is well-written and is just a really good story. It’s a story that makes you feel good while reading it. And with the lovely cover, it’s definitely a book for the keeper shelf! Happy reading!!!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and was not obligated to write a review. All opinions are mine.

Although I had been disappointed with The Pattern Artist, I was relieved to find Nancy Moser back on
her usual good form in its sequel, The Fashion Designer. (In fact I deliberately slowed down when reading the last few chapters, as I did not want to come to the end!)
Written about a group of women from very disparate backgrounds, who become the forerunners of a
new, classless society - & in doing so step quite out of their expected roles.
It can be good for us to be reminded of just what many of our female forebears went through, facing
challenges largely unknown to us today.
A thoughtful surprise was to find pictures included at the end, of some of the designs described earlier
in the book.

Set during a time when women could only really aspire to be a wife and mother, Anna Wood and her friends hope to start a business that sells common dresses to the common woman. Most special dresses were made only for the wealthy. Through trials and set backs, these friends forge a new path.

I really enjoyed catching up with these characters and seeing where they were. All of the characters were well written so that you knew them from the start. This story turns to God and one's faith that things will work out. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

This story was a simple, quick read. Reading about the fashions and history of the time period was fascinating - I loved the details. But the story itself left me wanting. The overall theme seemed to be that yes, bad things might kinda-sorta happen, but if you pray about it then you’ll get everything you wanted. It very much required a suspension of disbelief, almost like a fairy tale.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book continues the story of The Pattern Artist. I would recommend reading it first to get a full understanding of the story. I had not read it and sometimes wanted to know more of what was going on. This is a wonderful history of the fashion industry. I loved that the author included actual events throughout the book. The afterword is very interesting. Faith played an importance to the characters even in hard times. Highly recommended!

Interesting twist on a historical fiction book set in New York City. Enter into the world of fashion design and meet the early advocates of affordable, practical, attractive clothing for the working class in New York City. Three friends set out to do just that. This book was different than most historical fiction books in that it addressed a topic rarely written about.

The Fashion Designer is a sequel to the Pattern Artist, so it includes many of the people from the first book. I enjoyed this second book more than the first one. As Annie continues to expand her career into fashion design she encounters joy, disappointments and challenges. Along with all her friends and a new husband you will see how life was in 1912 New York. Great read!

I received this book from NetGalley and all opinions are my own.

The Fashion Designer is the second installment from Nancy Moser’s series, The Pattern Maker. I thought it was a pretty read. I enjoyed Annie and being taken back to her time of 1912 New York City. I found the story to be inspirational and full of faith.
I give The Fashion Designer a well deserved 5+ stars and highly recommend it for those who love historical fiction. I would recommend to the reader to make sure to catch the first book of the series, The Pattern Artist, before reading this one.

This book continues on with the characters from The Pattern Artist. Annie Woods, who has now left Butterick Patterns to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion designer for the “everyday woman”. In a time when women had no rights, except that of being a wife, mother, or if fortunate, a wife of a wealthy man, women basically couldn’t afford to by an “off the rack” dress that was fashionable. Fashion was left to those wealthy women.

Annie, her new husband, Sean, and friends endeavor to start their own business. Amid trials, financial woes, marriage woes, and new love, these women’s lives give us an exciting read.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it. I received a copy of this book from Netgalley for my honest opinion.

Here is a great sequel to Moser's first one, The Pattern Artist. Loved the characters then, and still love them. Sometimes it's nice to find out What Happened Next!

Characters were developed well in the first one. This one, it's kinda difficult to develop them even more. There were mentions of characters in the first book that are developed more in this one. Quite interesting. Since i read the first one, it's hard to tell if you really need to read the first one to get everything in the second. Although there was some rehash from the first, so I doubt reading the first is a must.

The plot moves along at a steady pace. The difficulties the characters must overcome are completely different, and that is what makes this book as interesting as -- maybe even a bit better -- than the first. Good reading all around. Five of five stars.

Received this book from Netgalley. No exchange agreements were made for this honest review.

The Fashion Designer is a very well written inspirational book. I enjoyed the plot and the well developed characters. Ms. Moser has a great talent for writing. Highly recommend this book.

I did not read The Pattern Artist before this book and I really think that I should have. I just felt that I was missing a lot during the book, then I realized it is a continuation of a previous book. Maybe if I would have read the first one, I would have enjoyed this one more.

In this faith based story, three ladies who are also friends, leave the security of their jobs to start a business together in fashion design. They have a vision to design clothes for the average woman that are both attractive and practical. As they begin their journey, the ladies encounter difficulties along the way, but they do persevere. In the midst of the hard work and sometimes doubt, their friendship, camaraderie and support for one another shine throughout the story.
I liked this gentle story. These women had some strength and tenacity in them. And! Their faith in God and support for one another got them through the challenging times.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing through Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser is the follow-up to The Pattern Artist. It is not necessary to have read The Pattern Artist as there is plenty of background information so that you don’t feel like you are missing some important detail but I believe you will want to read it.
It is August 1912 and Annie Culver has just finished her last day as a pattern artist for Butterick Pattern Company. She is ready to step out on her own, along with the help of her friend Maude, to start her own design company. Their friend, Edna, has given up her job at Macy’s to join the adventure, also. Annie’s husband, Sean, is very supportive and assists when he can. The group also has financial support from Mr. and Mrs. Sampson who they met on a ship while returning from a fashion show in Paris. After missing the Titanic, thanks to God’s delaying them, Annie and Sean realize life is short and opportunities must be appreciated. Will their faith in God carry them through the hard times?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I had read The Pattern Artist first so I felt I already knew Annie, Sean and Maude and their earlier struggles. There is enough general background in this story that you will not feel left out. I was rooting for Annie and her friends to be successful with their business and was so down when they had setbacks. I wanted to help them myself. The book is not “preachy” but faith is a definite them throughout. Some characters struggle with their faith and others lift them up and encourage them. When circumstances look dark Sean has to remind Annie how far they have come and all the blessings God has bestowed so far. The characters re all very realistically written and act in ways that would be expected in the situations they are in. I wholeheartedly give this book 5 of 5 stars.
I received an advance copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Following a Dream in 1912 New York to become a Fashion Designer

Annie Wood, an English woman, started as a housemaid. She came to New York with high hopes, but things didn’t work as planned. Instead of returning to England to realize her goal of becoming a ladies’ maid, she found a job at Butterick designing patterns.

In this second book, Annie is married to Sean Culver, who also works at Butterick. Things are going well, but when Annie is given the chance to design clothes by a New York couple, her friend Maude with Sean’s blessing pushes her into taking the chance. Annie worries that they will fail and all be out of jobs, but Sean has faith and pushes her to continue when her first collection is not well received.

This is a story of faith and striving. Annie, Maude, Sean, and Edna, a mother figure, support each other and their strong faith keeps them together. They’re striving to do something they believe in. It isn’t easy. There are setbacks, but they don’t lose sight of what they want to do.

This second book relies on information from the first book, The Pattern Designer. I recommend reading that book first for full enjoyment of the second. The characters are people you’d like to know. They have a shared dream and together they are able to work through all the hardships to make that dream a reality.

I received this book from Barbour Publishing for this review.

I am really enjoying this series! I am not a huge fan of fashion and clothing, but this storyline is so great. I love all the characters, and the challenges they face together. Their lives are not perfect, and while there are many happy endings, the book doesn't seem cheesy at all. There is a warmth between the characters that makes the book a very enjoyable read. The historical context is also very interesting, especially the addition of Lane Bryant. One thing that was annoying to me was the continual references to their surviving the Titanic. I knew from the last book, but even if I hadn't, they mentioned it way too many times. That is my only complaint. I will look for more books in this series, and from this author. Great read!