I loved this story so much! The story is centered around a cursed opal that connects two different eras. You immediately fall in love with Fleur and Bert, two main characters who are so well developed and likeable that you feel like you know them in real life! The mystery keeps you guessing and never feels dull and the slow burning romance will warm your heart. Looking forward to more from this author!

This book was received from the Author, and Publisher, in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Australian historical fiction writer, Tea Cooper, has written an Incredible compelling historical fiction is set in two timelines. Meticulously executed, The Woman in the Green Dress is a stunning atmospheric novel that weaves historical facts with engaging fiction. Della and Fleur are the leading ladies in this storyline that takes the reader between 1919 at the end of the war and in 1853 in colonial New South Wales.
I was taken in by this wonderful mystery, the author gives a creative tale with scientific discovery, and lovely bit of romance.

#TheWomanintheGreenDress #historicalfiction #gwendalyn_books_

The story two woman who were brave, inspirational and knew what they wanted. It gives you a slice of life after WWI. This is the first time I have read this author and am looking forward to her next book.

Fans of historical mysteries will enjoy this look at the early days of Australian settlement alternated with Australia at the end of World War I. Written using the familiar convention of alternating chapters in different time periods, the story does require some close attention to keep track of which year you're in with which characters.

The story revolves around a cursed opal that provides the red thread connecting the mid-19th century story to the WWI era. The two best things here are Fleur and Bert, who will worm their way into your heart. This is a mystery, historical fiction, and a love story - everything that will appeal to fans of Kate Morton and MJ Rose (albeit without Rose's supernatural additions). A good summer read.

A book of two time periods woven seamlessly together Tea Cooper. The cover art captured my attention....however, the story line captured my heart. I'm sure it will capture yours, too. Five stars.

This was an interesting book but I couldn’t really get into this much. I feel bad that I couldn’t get into it because the author has great writing style.

This is a stand-alone novel with two timelines one in 1853 and the other 1918 both set around the Hawkesbury region. In 1918 readers are introduced to Fleu Richards in a London Tea Shop. Fleur is anxiously awaiting the arrival of her husband Hugh Richard. Fleur is told her husband was killed and she needs to travel to Sydney, Australia to get the inheritance due her as Hugh’s wife. She doesn’t believe he’s dead. She didn’t get a telegram and where were his belongings?

It was a whirlwind romance. They dreamed of going to Australia to work a farm and raise children. He hadn’t mention anything about an inheritance. She hadn’t been married long before Hugh shipped out to do war duty. Maybe Hugh was in Australia waiting for her. She had to find out and make things right, so in 1919 Fleur arrives in Sydney. Boy was she surprised at what met her there.

Then in 1853 readers meet Della Atterton a broken woman, grieving the loss of her parents. Della’s aunt Cordelia heads to the family farm in Hawkesbury. Cordelia seeks to take over the shop in Sydney. Della takes over the taxidermy profession her father had done for the shop. Then in walks Captain Stefan Von Richter who seeks a unique opal and asks Della and Cordelia for help.

Fleur does some digging in the old Curio shop of Wonders and uncovers some bizarre items that get her digging around for more clues as to her late husband’s family history and affairs, that turn up some interesting artifacts. Fleur stumbles across an unexpected mystery to solve of a woman in the green dress. What was her role in all of this? What secrets did she have?

I enjoyed the fact that most of this novel took place in and around Sydney, Australia, the Hawkesbury River and Wiseman’s Ferry. I enjoyed the note to readers about the real historical facts this author used that inspired this story. I found them interesting. The author says, “In the latter part of the nineteenth century, two women, Tost and Rohu, opened a shop in George Street. An advertisement claims they sold “all kinds of taxidermist work” and held “the largest stock of genuine native implements and curiosities and possum, native bear, kangaroo and wallaby skins made up into carriage and travelling rugs.”

I enjoyed the unraveling mystery on both timelines even though I felt a little lost from time to time. I did like the fact that it mostly took place in Australia. It was a fun intriguing story with a splash of clean-romance. I liked learning about the business of taxidermist (crazy stuff). All and all this was an interesting read with quirky characters working together in each timeline to get to the bottom line. The author includes discussion questions for you to use at your book club meeting.

Fleur Richards, orphaned with no siblings, has fallen deeply in love with Hugh, a man she has known for a very short time. He promises to take her back to his homeland, Australia. Unfortunately, dying in war, he can not fulfill his promise. He does, however, list her as his sole beneficiary and, confused about this news and reluctant to stay in England, she travels to his land and she attempts to find answers to the many questions she has about him, his family and their promised future together. It is post-war 1918 Australia and she finds her answers after traveling between Sydney and rugged farmland, meeting characters who confuse her even more. Parallel to Fleur’s story, the reader follows the quest of a mid-19th century Austrian explorer searching for a rare opal. This gem seems to be the legacy around which Hugh’s family fortune revolves. When the initial connection between her husband and this explorer is revealed, Fleur is sickened as she is with the family shop of curios which houses horror. Tea Cooper teases with the title as the reader stays focused on the strange opal. It is not till the closing chapters that we realize the significance of both. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and this particular book that is written in dual timelines did not disappoint me. Tea Cooper is a new author to me and I loved that she included two very strong female characters. This book would be perfect for readers of Kate Morton and Kimberley Freeman.

4.5/5 stars rounded up! This book is incredible! It is a dual-timeline story that is filled with mystery, history, romance, and so much more! Every single time I picked up "The Woman in the Green Dress", I felt like I was whisked away back in time to two different, yet connected, eras!

This is the first book I have read by Tea Cooper, and I can't wait to read many more! Her writing is transcendent, and she brings the times, characters, locations, and world to life in such a visceral way. She truly made the mid-1800s and early 1900s feel so real, and I felt like the transitions between the two were seamless. I can tell she is so passionate about what she is writing, and I can only imagine the amount of research that went into this book.

If you love historical fiction, historical mystery, and or just want an extremely intriguing novel to read, I highly recommend this book! It had me turning the pages and trying to connect the dots chapter after chapter. I guessed part of the mystery (no spoilers!), and my mouth certainly dropped at everything else! SO GOOD! I could not wait to see how all the puzzle pieces of this novel came together. How Ms. Cooper tied in the characters’ story lines and the mystery surrounding the opal, etc., was absolutely brilliant!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson--Fiction for an ARC of this book, and to Thomas Nelson--Fiction for sending me a physical ARC as well! I really enjoyed it!

The Woman in the Green Dress moves between two different time periods, going back and forth between the early nineteen hundreds and the mid eighteen hundreds. From Europe the main characters travel to Australia to discover truths shared by trusted ones who have died. Weaving back and forth between characters and time, the story develops slowly, but quickly pulls you in as the characters become alive. The story will keep you guessing to the end. Although I was tempted to put the book down the first few pages, by about chapter two I was hooked. Stick with it as the characters develop and you won't be disappointed!

The story is told beautifully as the two tales are interwoven so naturally.
When you think you know what’s happening, think again things are not always what they seem.
All these little details add to the beauty of the book. I found the writing about The Old Curio Shop, fascinating.
We have strong female lead characters, some to love and one to hate as well as handsome and funny male leads.
Even the secondary cast is aptly placed.
The puzzle of the opal and other mysteries are all revealed to the surprise of the reader.
Overall a brilliantly researched and captivating read with a solid proportion of fact and fiction.

This is the first book I've read from this author. I thought the story was intriguing and definitely different, but I felt that it was kind of all over the place as far as having many different threads going on. At one point the woman in the green dress just kind of disappears and even at the end you never really know what exactly happened. The taxidermy is a little odd too, but I guess that was needed to make the poison connection. I think the author did a good job with the actual writing and the setting, just not sure the actual story was my cup of tea.

Tea Cooper has done a marvelous job of bringing early Austalia to life with this historic fiction based after World War I. Bouncing between Fleur's discovery of her husband's roots, back to Della's beginnings with The Curio Shop, the threads are woven to keep the reader guessing till the last about the mystery of the lost opal, the curse on the family, and the woman in the green dress. Fantastic job!

Tea Cooper is an Australian writer who has a number of titles under her belt, but The Woman in the Green Dress is the first novel published by her from Thomas Nelson Publishing. As most American readers are not familiar with the Australian landscape, Cooper had to describe a lot of scenery for us to image where Della and Fleur interacted with. She did a good job. I loved hanging out in the Curio Shop. I wanted to see more and more of that shop from the past and 1919. The story is a time-slip novel, but both story lines actually take place in the past. 1853 and 1919 are the two time frames. The plot is interesting and different. It isn't like anything I had ever read before. Definitely kept my attention. There really isn't a lot of romance in either time period. It is more about solving the mystery for Fleur and coming to reality with her life for Della. Overall, Tea Cooper crafted a delightful historical story that invites readers down under but captures their attention with the mystery. Fans of Karen Witemeyer and Melissa Jaguers might enjoy this novel too.

I received a complimentary copy of The Woman in the Green Dress by Tea Cooper from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.

A dual timeline tale set in Australia with an underlying mystery, a colorful cast of characters, and just a hint of romance. Beginning in 1918 London on Armistice Day, a young woman begins a journey of discovery when she is sent to Australia to receive her soldier husband's inheritance.

Vivid descriptions of rural Australia, including the various people, their history and conflicts, pulled me into the story. Themes of prejudice and greed added sinister elements to the slowly unfolding mystery that seemed to revolve around a lost opal and a curiosity shop. Fleur was an interesting character who grew in depth as she rose to the challenge of unraveling the truth behind her husband's family. The author does a good job of conveying her grief and confusion in the face of a sudden loss.
The story had elements of real history, as the author reveals in her end notes, making it feel quite authentic. The detailed descriptions read a bit like a travelogue at first , setting the stage well. The pace picked up quickly towards the end as the pieces of the puzzle snapped together. A few mentions of prayers and "thank God" moments were about it for inspiration. A theme of standing up for the downtrodden, and right vs. wrong added a strong moral message.
Overall, it was an interesting read, with only a hint of romance, some action, drama and adventure.

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed the dual timelines and Australian setting of The Woman in the Green Dress. I was a little confused throughout the book and at times it felt like it jumped too quickly without going into enough detail. I had a hard time getting into the characters and it was a little slow in the beginning, but it does pick up. It was a nice historical fiction and I'd recommend it!

I was immediately intrigued when I saw this book and I was not disappointed. The story captures so many emotions in a wonderful way and connects you to the main characters with beautiful storytelling and incredibly well-done research into the era.

The mystery and beauty of this story will stay with you for a long time, making it the perfect choice for any lover of mystery fiction.

This book was an interesting look at the life a woman after WWI. I was slow getting into the book as it went back and forth between 1853 and 1919. This made it hard to figure out what was going on in each time period. I don't believe this is really a romance, as the mystery of what was going on (in 1853,) and what had brought them to this point in 1919 seemed to be the focus. After I felt comfortable with the story, it was hard to put it down. I enjoyed the story , but the ending was awkward and the rest of the book hadn't done well to prepare for it. It also I felt left some questions unanswered. Enjoyable, but not satisfying.

Beautifully set in Sydney, this book tells two stories situated at different times in history. Tied together in a fabulously atmospheric world, this book will stay with me.