This was a strong and insightful novel, and one I could not put down. I loved the rich historical detail and the story was captivating.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I read this ARC for an honest review
All thoughts and opinions are mine

Historical fiction is my thing and the cover of this is absolutely lush

Fantastically researched
Wonderfully drawn characters and stories

I got completely lost in this - wonderful

Thank you to the author, Thomas Nelson Publishing and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This story of wartime Paris (WWII and the Nazi occupation) has all the elements to make an engrossing tale. Unfortunately, the piecemeal storytelling - alternating POVs and LOTS of timeline jumps, even within one POV - destroyed any cohesion this story might have had. I found the lack of flow and the choppiness confusing and distracting, and ended up annoyed and not caring much about any outcome. The lack of any logical rhythm was especially frustrating as it turned out not to make any difference whatsoever to the story - it seems to have been purely a gimmick, and a very unsuccessful one at that. The connection between the two POVs was too weak, and came too late, to be of any consequence. Perhaps I would have come around if any of the characters were engaging - but they lacked depth and thus I found I didn't really care about any of them. When requesting this ARC, I didn't realize it was written as a Christian book - there was nothing in-your-face about that aspect, but it does seem like an obvious attempt to cash in on a lucrative genre (I have read my share of Christian books on living through war, in a previous lifetime).
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I always love to read anything by Ms. Cambron and she does not disappoint in her latest release! This novel is a split-time novel, but it just goes back and forth between about a five- or six-year period. This book is set during World War II in France. I loved how she interchanges between the different times and characters. The book focuses on several main characters and their stories all tie together. Whether you enjoy historical or romantic novels, this book is for you! As you read this novel, even if it seems confusing at first as you go between times, Ms. Cambron does a great job of piecing together the story like a giant puzzle. This is probably one of the best books I have read this year. I highly recommend this book for all readers and know you will not be disappointed when you finish!
***I was given a free electronic copy of this book from the publisher. This is my honest opinion. Even though I received this copy free, this is my own opinion.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

When I first heard about the latest from Kristy, I was thrilled! I have loved everything I have read from her and I knew I had to experience this one. This book was a beautiful, intense story that showcases Kristy at her best!

The first thing that grips me in any story by Kristy is her beautiful language. She describes common scenes with such grace and poise. A snowflake becomes a waltz, the street becomes a story, a look, a touch and a sigh become the world. I am always blown away by the way the words in Kristy's stories become a part of her story. The very way she describes Sandrine's wartime apartment or her walk through the streets of Paris with her son transports me to those places and moments. I feel the fear, determination, and pain of Lila as she fights for freedom and for love.

One of my favorite narrative styles is the multiple perspectives. I love getting inside the heads of multiple protagonists and seeing how their worlds connect and collide. Kristy does this so beautifully. She brings us into each of these stories and creates characters that are impossible not to cheer for. Their stories are unique yet also connect in unexpected and clever ways. There's always a mystery to be solved in Kristy's novels. And this one was enthralling. I found myself deeply invested in the fates of these two women and how their stories would align. I thought I had it all figured out but then I was surprised in the end. Which is my favorite type of ending.

This novel, like many of Kristy's other war time books that I have enjoyed, celebrates finding joy and goodness amidst and impossibly evil and fearful backdrop. I have read a lot of books from this time period including several set in occupied France. But this novel deserves a spot as one of the best in the genre. I found myself enthralled by the protagonists and their unique situations within their Nazi occupied nation. To hear how Lila left her fashion career to work for the resistance and Sandrine worked for the Nazis were both new to me and fascinating to learn about. Kristy often surprises me with such detailed stories about life during this time period.

Stories set in WWII are fascinating because they often show that hope, bravery, love, and joy can still be found in the darkest of circumstances. Kristy is a master at illustrating hope and joy in such situations while giving readers a glimpse at the harrowing experiences that defined nations and individuals. I love her writing, her characters, and her beautiful faith in this novel. I highly recommend this and all of Kristy's books for fans of historical fiction, faith based stories, and novels that celebrate the hope and joy of the human spirit.

It took me a while to really get into the story. It felt very slow the first half or so of the novel. I love multiple perspectives and the multiple timelines. But it did take me a little while to understand how that worked so I could orient myself to the order of events. Once I discovered it went two chapters per narrator, one in the past and one in the "present" I followed the story more easily.

Cambron (The Butterfly and the Violin) recounts efforts of the French Resistance during World War II as two women’s separate actions combine to work towards defeating the German army. Budding fashion designer Lila de Laurent uses her access to German mistresses living at Paris’s Hotel Ritz when she alters a gown to sew a message for the Resistance into the hem. Sandrine Paquet catalogs stolen art for the Germans to ship to Germany when she finds a paper hidden in the seam of a dress sent to her workplace. Though Sandrine is viewed as a collaborator by some of her fellow French citizens because she works for the Germans, she quietly works for the Resistance. Sandrine keeps up with her ruse while hoping that her husband Christian, a French soldier, continues to survive and trying to avoid the attentions of Captain von Hiller, a German officer supervising her museum work. As Lila is hiding after being involved in the shooting of a German officer, her former boyfriend, Rene Touliard, helps her, confident that his connections to the Resistance will help keep them safe. As the worlds of the two women collide, they must remain faithful to the Resistance while hoping that their subterfuge will not be discovered by the Germans who are becoming more desperate when the tide of the war turns against them. Readers will be mesmerized by Cambron’s richly-drawn characters brought vividly to life as they endure hardships and risk their lives to defeat the evil destroying their county. Historical fiction fans will be riveted from the very first page.

Thank you Netgalley, Thomas Nelson and Kristy Cambron for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

Strong female characters, World War II, French Resistance movement, twists and turns of fate, love story - all are the parts of The Dressmaker. All parts that I personally love in a story.

However, something didn't work for me. I had trouble in the time line with both characters. It took me a while to adjust to time jumping and narration style. Also I couldn't see the point of Sandrine - I mean it was obvious that at some point the storylines would clash and something would come out of it, but it was hard to imagine how.

I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and how lovely it was tied up. I ended up having mixed feeling about the book - I really wanted to love and enjoy it as it is what I usually seek in a book, but I couldn't commit fully neither to the story nor to characters.

What an amazing story!
Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they couldn’t abide. (from: @goodreads)
In 1939 we meet Lila, a seamstress working at the fashion house La Maison Chanel which is then closed due to war. Though she gets other work in fashion, it is in her work for the Resistance where she finds her true purpose.
In 1943 we meet Sandrine, whose work includes classifying priceless pieces of art the Nazis have stolen from the Jews. Their stories collide when Sandrine finds an exquisite Chanel gown (😍😍) with a cryptic message from the dressmaker. Paris is known for its glamour and couture and this book tells the story of how the world of fashion was affected by the war. In addition, it demonstrates the strength, bravery, sheer determination and faith of the women who fought for freedom. As a fan of historical fiction, strong female leads, tales of bravery and FASHUN, I absolutely enjoyed this book. While it took me a while to get into the story, once I did, I found it absorbing.
A recommended read and a 4/5 from me ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Brilliantly woven and well researched story. I was blown away by the depth of the characters and their arcs, as well as the way that things came together in the end. I loved the atmosphere and writing style; Cambron is clearly talented with prose. The historical fiction genre is a favorite of mine, and the addition of romance is always an added bonus. Loved this one and would highly recommend.

Meticulously researched and with characters to cheer for. Cambron does a really good job showcasing the difficulties Paris women faced during the German occupation in WWII. Drawing on historical figures and records, the story follows two ordinary women fighting for the Resistance in different ways. Married with a young son, Sandrine works for the Nazis cataloging stolen works of art and trying to pass along any information she can while also struggling to fend off unwanted advances and search for her missing husband. Lila, on the other hand is a talented couture dressmaker who ends up working as a seamstress for Nazi officer’s wives and girlfriends living at the Ritz. In this way she is able to gather intelligence for the Resistance as “The seamstress” but things get complicated when her former lover turns up unexpectedly. Both women choose to do what is right instead of what is easy at great personal risk and danger. For fans of Natasha Lester, the Nightingale or Mistress of the Ritz. Thanks to NetGalley for an advance audio review copy!

The Paris Dressmaker is a compelling story exploring the courageous actions of Parisienne women during the German occupation of the city in World War 2. While a fictionalised account, the story is inspired by actual events and features a couple of supporting characters who existed in the real world.
Lila de Laurent is the eponymous dressmaker, employed by the house of Chanel prior to the war, but she and her friend Amelié lose their jobs when their boss, Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel elects to close down the business for the duration of the war. The two women must find a way to survive the years ahead, and choose very different ways of doing so.
Meanwhile, art historian Sandrine Paquet must farewell her beloved husband, Christian, as he heads off to the front. She remains in Paris with their young son and her parents-in-law, and is employed by the Nazi overlords to help sort and catalogue stolen artworks before they're shipped to Germany for the Fuhrer's collection. Unfortunately, she's caught the attention of her Nazi supervisor, Captain Von Hiller, and struggles to avoid his unwanted advances without placing herself and her family in even greater danger.
Over the course of the story, both women become involved in La Résistance, the famed underground network of French patriots who work to undermine and, ultimately, overthrow the German oppressors. A stunning haute couture Chanel gown from 1938 links their two stories.
The setting, during the Nazi occupation of Paris, certainly provides a high-tension backdrop, in which "ordinary" people endured incredible hardship and were called upon to carry out extraordinary actions of courage and patriotism. I found both Lila and Sandrine's stories compelling and, on occasion, nerve-wracking. It's evident that Kristy Cambron has based her narrative on a great deal of historical research.
However, I felt that the book was over-long at 400 pages, and that the two separate character storylines, with back-and-forth timeframes in both made this an unnecessarily complicated reading experience. Either story would, in my opinion, have alone provided sufficient material and interest upon which to base a novel, and I wonder whether The Paris Dressmaker might have been more successful as a pair of interrelated titles. The links between the two stories are sufficiently minor that the narrative arc wouldn't suffer unduly.
My other concern relates to the cover design, which I note several reviewers have commented initially attracted them to the book. It is an attractive design, and the dress is undeniably beautiful, but to me seems anachronistic, more consistent with 1950s Chanel designs than those of 1938.
I found The Paris Dressmaker to be an intriguing read, and would recommend it to those who enjoy fact-based historical fiction and strong female protagonists.
My thanks to the author, Kristy Cambron, publisher Thomas Nelson, and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I don't read historical fiction often, but this synopsis of this book drew me in and I was not disappointed. A beautiful, thought-provoking story. I was sad when it came to a close.

A poignant read that follows two courageous women who fought for their country against the Nazi occupation of France.

Bouncing forward and back to different points in time in the lives of both Lila de Laurent and Sandrine Paquet throughout the duration of the Paris occupation, and how these brave women fought back in small ways to preserve their culture and resist. It took a while for me to grasp what was going on, as it took some time to accustom myself to the time jumping back and forth in the different women's lives, but after I began to piece together what was happening it didn't bother me quite as much, though sometimes if I wasn't paying attention it could be disorienting.

Well researched, Kristy Cambron breathes life into her portrayal of the the Paris occupation, and often while reading this book it put me in mind of The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. I enjoyed learning about the couture and the reality of what the women left in Paris faced, and both of the stories were equally compelling and riveting. I admired Sandrine and Lila for daring to stand up for their country and not give into the temptation of an easier life by being complicit.

Overall, a stunning novel that tells two remarkable tales. I enjoyed both of the stories individually, though the combination of the two was at times hard to follow. Action-packed, filled with espionage, as well as a storyline that runs the emotional gambit. Recommend for fans of strong female protagonists, and powerful WWII stories.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book strictly by the cover and the fact that it had to do with Paris...I didn't even read about it because I didn't need to. In actuality, this book was basically two story lines AND two time periods so it could be a little hard to follow at times. Lila is the actual dressmaker and we follow her story during the Nazi Occupation but it jumps from 1939 to 1943 quite often and in my mind, that is not enough of a gap for stories like this...past and present are usually a little further apart. :) But I got used to it. We meet her in 1943 when she has been shot and comes face to face with someone she thought was dead...and then we learn all of the circumstances that led both of them to be in that particular spot at that particular time. Sandrine is our other main character and we also follow her through these same time periods...what happened to her husband and his family, how she has made it this far...and how the two stories and women are actually connected. So YES, I can completely understand why some people are giving it less stars because there is so much happening all at once but I personally really liked this book and I would feel comfortable recommending it to anyone else who loves Paris, historical fiction, or strong female characters. Oh and also...some parts of this book are based on actual events and people. That's pretty cool to me. :)

What an amazing story. Extremely well written. I was drawn into the lives of Parisans during the worst time. Love, betrayal and honour is what is throughout this story.

** 2.5 stars **

I've always been drawn to these types of books, the types of books that show the strength of the human condition during the Nazi reign that show what I suppose 'true good and evil' looks like. So having said that, I really wanted to like this book. I'm not going to give you a while run down of the book (you can look at other reviews for that), but I will give you some thought on what I felt kept the book from being great.

It was disappointing how often this story felt like it feel flat. I was reading and just kept waiting for it to pick up and for the emotions to our something to start to drive the story I know I would assume would be involved during this time. Yet, the story often felt like it was focusing more on the characters relationships than on the importance of the story.

The narrative did a lot of jumping back and forth between different time-frames
so it made it hard for me to get a real fix on the story.

Overall, it has the trappings of being a good book. These are just my opinions.

** I appreciate the opportunity from Thomas Nelson Publishers and NetGalley for the ARC **

This book received so much hype from early readers, I worried it wouldn't live up to my expectations. As it turns out, all the hype was well deserved. This book was a masterpiece. Incredibly well researched and impeccably crafted, this story highlights the contribution of women in the French resistance during World War II. I learned so much about what Parisians endured during the German occupation and was able to experience the war from a different point of view. The stories of Sandrine, who was charged with cataloging stolen art, and Lila, a talented designer on a mission to reclaim lost treasures, flow through the book and ultimately merge into one action-packed emotionally intense climax. This book has something for everyone- history buffs, action lovers, and romantics.

This was my first book by Kristy Cambron, but it will not be my last! I think I have found my new favorite author! I enjoyed her writing style so much. Put The Paris Dressmaker at the top of your to-be-read list today!

Bravery in the face of actual tyranny and war shows beautifully just how fall we have fallen. It is a fictionalized account of real life, but it still aptly illustrates the decline.

It doesn't become clear until very late in the book how the two female MCs are connected. I would have liked to know a little sooner. Still, a great read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

I loved this book about Lila and sandrine . It was a good story about the parisians durin wwii . I love Cambrons writing as she has a way of crafting plot and characters.