While an interesting and quick read, this one felt rudimentary and not at all challenging. The language and character development were lacking and some of the events were a stretch. The ending wrapped it up well, definitely for fans of historical fiction and with an interest in the US post-WWII period.

I received an ARC of Tobacco Wives in exchange for an honest review.

The novel provided an interesting perspective on a tobacco town before the harmful effects of tobacco were known and fully understood. Today, we have a very different understanding of the tobacco industry, and the harmful effects are common knowledge. This novel puts us in a world where an entire community has pride in their work and the products they produce. The products have the endorsement of medical professionals, and the entire existence of the town depends on the success of this product. Along comes a 15-year-old girl who is exposed to the reality of tobacco and the impact of those products on people’s health. What do you do? Don’t assume you would always do the right thing and this author clearly articulated that right and wrong is never simple and clear-cut.

Maddie is a 15-year-old and is dealing with the death of her father, who was killed in the war. Her mom is having an even more difficult time since she was dependent on her husband for everything. Late one night, Maddie’s mom whisks her away on a road trip to her aunt Etta’s house. She plans to leave Maddie is Etta’s care while she finds herself a “new” husband to take care of her.

Aunt Etta is a professional seamstress in Bright Leaf, a major tobacco town and although Maddie visits each summer in late August, Maddie knows that now is her aunt’s busy time – getting the Tobacco Wives ready for summer festivals, parties and galas. Although Etta is surprised by Maddie’s visit, she welcomes her into her world and has plans to use her to assist with her sewing business – a skill Maddie has been honing over the past few years.

Unfortunately, Etta comes down with an illness that lands her in the hospital and Maddie ends up being the lead dressmaker for the elite of Bright Leaf. Maddie is mesmerized by the opulence and beauty associated with the revenue from the tobacco industry. She is especially mesmerized by Mrs. Elizabeth Winston (aka Mitzy), who takes Maddie under her wing while her aunt is in the hospital. Mrs. Winston is the wife of the president of Bright Leaf Tobacco.

Maddie arrived in Big Leaf with what she thought was a clear picture of right and wrong. During her time there, she stumbles across some confidential information about the effects of smoking on pregnant women and uncovers the reality of the working conditions for women in the tobacco fields and factories. However, she finds herself in a moral dilemma – should she reveal the truth and risk running the lives of so many individuals who depend on the success of the tobacco industry and even potentially put her own aunt’s livelihood and health at risk?

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel along with its strong female characters. Although we have a long way to go, t is because of women like Maddie, who are willing to question right and wrong that we live in a much better world today.

The Tobacco Wives by Adele Myers is a coming of age story about a young woman in 1946. After her father is killed in WW2 Maddie is abandoned by her mother in Bright Leaf, North Carolina with her great aunt. Maddie begins to apprentice for with her aunt, a local seamstress who caters to the tobacco company executive wives. Just prior to a large gala she must step up to cover for her aunt when she becomes ill. As Maddie becomes entrenched with the wives, the families, the factory workers, she is faced with a moral dilemma. What do you do when you find out information that will potentially dismantle the industry that supports an entire town? What’s the cost of withholding such information, who do you trust?

Myers draws on personal history as well as extensive research and it clearly shows in the meticulous attention to detail that doesn’t sacrifice the humanity of her characters. A native of North Carolina she started with family oral history, then researched for years. While the book takes place primarily in 1946 with an epilogue decades later, this is inspired by events spanning from the mid 1940’s through the 1980’s. Not to be missed is the authors note which I found both personal and helpful.

I highly recommend The Tobacco Wives for book clubs and buddy reads as I think there’s so much to discuss here. Also for lovers of historical fiction and fans of Fiona Davis.

Many thanks to BookClubGirl, Netgalley, and William Marrow for the Advanced Reader Copy and the opportunity to review The Tabacco Wives by Adele Myers. All opinions are my own.

Such an absorbing read! Maddie is growing up in post World War II North Carolina, with a sparkling gift for sewing just like her famous aunt who sews gorgeous clothes for the so called wealthy "Tobacco Wives", essentially the former plantation owner's wives who run the local tobacco plants that employ entire towns. Seen through the eyes of an adolescent, Maddie is swept away into her aunt's business after her mother foists her off to work for her. When Maddie is starting to realize that tobacco is causing alarming health issues among these same wives, she wants to sound the alarm, but the powers that be have other plans to silence any possible concerns.
Myers is a debut author who understands the world of women. I was immediately drawn into her characters and motivations, Maddie is a spunky and believable heroine. It almost wrapped up too neatly into a bow at the end, but it was a very satisfying read. Recommended for fans of Southern fiction.

A story of the old South as told through the lives of the rich and wealthy - the Tobacco Wives. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth of the story while connecting to the reality that is Big Tobacco. The character development was brilliantly woven throughout the many facets of the storyline - and I LOVED the nickname that went along with each of the Tobacco Wives. Thanks to NetGalley For the early read.

Thank you Harper Collins Publishing and Netgalley for this ARC e-book. This was a fascinating story about the tobacco industry in the 1940’s. I found the heroine of this story to be strong, independent, and very likable. This book forced me to do some research to see if some of these things were actually happening. Shockingly, they were. It is hard to believe how long it took for the Surgeon General to finally crack down on these companies. This is an easy, interesting read.

An easy, engrossing read about "big tobacco" set in mid 1940's North Carolina. The story is told through the eyes of a 15-year-old dressmaker who discovers some local tobacco execs are hiding health info that is beginning to surface. I found myself recalling all the TV, radio, & magazine advertising that focused on the "glamour" of smoking. The author's note at the end is very interesting and provides some context for some of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley & Wm. Morrow for the ARC.

This fascinating exploration of the people and business of raising tobacco and selling the finished tobacco products just after World War II examines the role of Southern women, of all social strata, during this transitional time. The novel has well-developed characters and delves into the conflict not only of the women who worked in the cigarette factories during the war and their precarious position once the war was over and the men came home, but also the conflict created in tobacco-producing areas, focusing on North Carolina, of a society dependent on an industry with serious drawbacks that were just coming to light--and how those drawbacks were ignored and swept under the rug.
The protagonist is Maddie, a young seamstress who sews for the tobacco wives. As somewhat of an outsider, she is able to see and question things that the society wives take for granted. The author grew up in the area and has a clear view of the complicated issues involved. The novel also gives a well-grounded perspective of what life was like for women in this time and place and focuses a sympathetic light on the people involved. This book is well worth the read.

HUGE thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow and Company. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received this book as an advanced reader copy, but it did not disappoint! I was instantly hooked from the first chapter.

Just a note — there is a part of the book where it talks about a father dying. I know this might be a trigger for some, as it was for me, so I thought I would warn other readers.

I enjoyed this book and found it to be a quick read. The story was believable and I liked the main characters. It is hard to believe that tobacco was touted for many health benefits during the post wwIi days.

As a North Carolina native, I enjoyed the setting. I thought this book had a nice balance of romance, mystery, suspense, social issues, and family dynamics. I enjoyed the flow of the book while I was reading it and felt immersed in the story. I like how big tobacco was incorporated and especially the health impacts, I work in maternal and child health, so that resonated with me a lot.

I didn't find the book to be very well-researched. There were a few social and cultural norms that just felt off for the time period.

I was let down by the ending - I definitely thought the book had several chapters left and it felt like it ended abruptly. The epilogue helped but I wish there had been another chapter after the fall out.

3.75/5 stars

A gripping story set in the 1940s South. What happens when a girl has to take over her father's tobacco farm? It's a great read.

The Tobacco Wives is marketed towards fans of Fiona Davis and Lisa Wingate--big shoes to fill--and Adele Myers absolutely exceeded my expectations with her debut novel!

Centering around Maddie and set in the tobacco capital of the South during the 1940s, the reader gets immersed into this world of southern women navigating the post-war period. Maddie is thrust into the role of the seamstress to the wives of big tobacco executives leading up to their huge Gala, while learning that there is so much more going on behind the pretty dresses, high houses and fancy parties.

I loved how the author explored multifaceted themes while not overwhelming the plot. While there are certainly a lot of women, I really loved the characters--from the warm Mitzy to the sassy Cordelia. I especially enjoyed the epilogue and the author's note, it provided an interesting perspective for me as a reader.

The book is narrated by Shannon McManus and Janet Metzger, with both delivering the smooth Southern accents that really bring this story to life! I'm familiar with both from other Southern fiction I've read and enjoyed, like the Peachtree Bluff series. While this Jersey girl can't truly evaluate their authenticity, I found their performance added to my enjoyment of the novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Audio and William Morrow & Custom House for the advanced copy and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book grabs you from the start and you won't want to put it down. It is a very readable historical fiction. It not only well paced but the characters pull you in. For those that prefer their historical fiction with a ton of researched details this might not be for them. I think this will appeal to more mainstream readers who may prefer a great story set in an interesting historical time..

I enjoyed this book a lot. Having lived in North Carolina and met my husband there, who worked for RJR Nabisco at the time. I worked across the street for Wachovia Bank. When I first moved there and started my job, I had a “thank you for not smoking” sign on my desk - that disappeared. Tobacco was still king. And they still had young women on the street corners downtown handing out free packs of cigarettes. This was the mid 1980’s. The story and characters were well defined. And the Southern ‘caste’ system was in full bloom.

The town of Bright Leaf, North Carolina exists because of tobacco. Maddie Sykes, a 15-year-old budding seamstress, is left there to spend the summer with her aunt and becomes embroiled in the town's best kept secrets. Through the events of the summer, Maddie learns about herself and about choices that are made that have far-reaching consequences.

Maddie Sykes is an apprentice seamstress who goes to work with her aunt in 1946 Bright Leaf, North Carolina. Suddenly Maddie is thrown into the role as head of her aunt’s sewing business where she must satisfy the wealthy wives of the tobacco executives. The demands upon her are almost overwhelming and dealing with the women can be very trying.

When Maddie accidentally learns that the new tobacco line that is being heavily promoted can be hazardous to the health of young women, she is caught in a quandary. Should she share her concerns or keep them to herself?

The story of corporate greed and the spreading of falsehoods covering up real danger, is nothing new – especially in the tobacco industry. But this is 1946 and the entire area around Bright Leaf is supported by tobacco. The wives are used by their husbands to promote and sell the new line of tobacco that’s aimed at women smokers. Maddie fears telling the truth as well as the cost of staying quiet.

This inside look at the manipulation and outright deceit that is practiced should be shocking, but it isn’t. Jaded corporate America is not surprising, but Myers shows us the complex inter-connectedness of the profit vs public safety mentality.

Maddie not only works very hard to do the sewing, but there’s the additional onus of pleasing the elite clientele. Her desire to do what’s right makes her admirable. In today’s era of whistle-blowers, there’s much to admire in the young seamstress. This is a riveting story that readers will embrace.

Maddie is woken in the middle of the night by her mother, taken to her aunt's house hours away, and left there. She's 15, just lost her father and it's 1946. Maddie is confused by her mother's actions, but a bit excited to be staying at her aunt's in Bright Leaf, NC. Her aunt is a seamstress and Maddie has been learning the trade during previous summers. She's looking forward to helping her aunt with Gala dresses for the "tobacco wives" this year.
Then her aunt falls ill and all the work is left to her. One of the "tobacco wives" takes her in and Maddie discovers a shocking secret about the town. What should she do with this knowledge?

I loved so many things about this book. The descriptions were lovely and really made me feel like I was there. This is more of a coming-of-age story than anything else and I really enjoyed taking that ride with Maddie and seeing her discover her strength and power. There were so many interesting characters from Etta, Francis, and Mitzy to Ashley and Cornelia. I liked how each lady had her own personality and back story. They did not seem like cookie cutter figures.

My complaints about the book are small. It took three quarters of the book to really get to the main conflict (the discovery of the secret and what to do about it). Before that the story was just kind of meandering and dropping hints, But I was enjoying the story so much, it wasn't too troublesome. My second complaint is that I felt that Maddie's name was too modern. It just bothered me.

Thanks @netgalley for the ARC!

The title of this books refers to the wives of the executives of a large Tobacco manufacturing company in North Carolina. There are the higher up wives and the lower rung ones. This bookd deals with mostly a few of the higher end wives, and their fashion requirements.

Madeleine Sykes is a fifteen year old young woman who has suffered loss, abandonment, and tough times. She’s a smart cookie, smarter than some think. She knows what’s right and what’s wrong, and she’ll fight for the right way. She’s also an incredibly talented seamstress. When her aunt, the seamstress to the Tobacco Wives in the town of Bright Leaf becomes ill, young Maddie steps in and takes over creating elegant gowns for the big gala event. I do wonder at her being able to handle it all, given her age, but there are always exceptional teenagers who surprise us with their ability to deal with stressful situations.

The book takes place over a few weeks during the summer of 1947. The writing, the characters, the descriptions all work together to bring you right into the book, making you feel like you’re a part of whatever is happening. There’s a lot that happens in this book beyond Maddie taking over for her aunt. The book involves women in the workforce during and immediately after WWII, the move to unionize those women to protect their jobs from the returning vets, women mentoring women, and the cover up of the dangers of tobacco smoking, especially for expectant mothers and their babies.

It’s a wonderful coming of age story, and an interesting look at a small town community. There’s even a touch of romance. While I would have liked to see more of Aunt Etta, I understand why that wasn’t possible. I would also have liked to see more of Cornelia. She turns out to be an important character, but there’s much about her that’s missing. Despite those, I found this an inspiring and nostalgic read that kept me turning pages.

Tobacco Wives is a wonderful and compelling read. I highly recommend it.

I received an advanced reader copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. I thank all involved for their generosity, but it had no effect on this review. All opinions in this review reflect my true and honest reactions to reading this book.

This novel shed light on how the tobacco industry effected women employees and customers during the 1940s. I learned some disturbing claims the tobacco industry made during this time while reading this engaging story. A must read for historical fiction fans.