I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

4 stars because I thought it was cute but it could have gone a little deeper and tied up some more loose ends. Like, payback on Gabrielle's ex or her dating Liam. A lot of things were left open that would have helped the story. I also thought the estate lawyer would have played a bigger part with how they made her out to be in the beginning.

Love the concept of this book!T HE FASHION ORPHANS is about discovery, of both vintage designer goods and oneself, forgiveness, strong female relationships, and the power of a mother's love. It was a fantastic read!

The Fashion Orphans written by Randy Susan Meyers and M J Rose.... fabulous.

Two terrific authors have joined forces and written a very entertaining novel. Randy Susan Meyers has written a number of interesting novels about family relationships and MJ Rose is also a prolific author writing historical novels about fashion and jewels. Together they took the story of two half sisters who have grown apart and brings them back together after their mother dies and leaves her apartment and belongings for them to work together on distributing and clearing out.

Like so many sisters each has a very different personality with ideas and lifestyle differences. Like so many sisters they have to find a way to connect and not argue. Gabrielle is the first born daughter and she grew up in a in a luxury apartment on the upper east side of Manhattan. She is a costume designer on Broadway and recently divorced. Lulu grew up in a working class neighborhood in Brooklyn, mainly raised by her grandparents. She is a grieving widow now, working to make ends meet at a bakery owned by her in laws.

The two sisters come to the reading of their mother's will each hoping to divide the estate and walk away with enough money to set their lives in order and leave the other sister behind.

To their surprise they have been left a secret collection by their mother, who it seems starts talking to them from the next life through inspiring messages she has left behind in her vintage clothes and accessories.

The sisters become closer to each other and to the group of friends they never knew their mother had. These friends also help the sisters learn so much about their mother and each other.

Written in a light and entertaining style there really is a great depth to this novel, so much to think about and aa great discussion starter.

This author didn't disappoint. Loved the plot and was engrossed from the very beginning. Definitely recommend

This is a very intriguing book with a premise that I had not seen before. I’d like to set up and I found characters to be intriguing. The interaction of the characters was probably the main draw of the story. All in all it’s enjoyable.

Fashion Orphans by Randy Susan Meyer and M.J. Rose revolves around the enigmatic question: What would Coco Chanel do? Estranged sisters Lulu and Gabrielle inherit a remarkable collection of vintage Chanel items, complete with Coco Chanel's quotes that mysteriously resonate with them. While the first half of the book felt sluggish, the second half picked up the pace. Unfortunately, I found the overall experience lackluster, lacking connection to the characters and a compelling plot. However, fashion enthusiasts and those interested in a tale of sisterly reconciliation may find something to appreciate.

Two sisters getting together to go through their moms things after her death? Sign me up! That sounded insensitive but thats how I felt when reading the description. it was a cute book that I enjoyed reading,. Thank you for the advanced copy!

I want to thank everyone for this gifted copy of The Fashion Orphans for my honest review of this book.

Unfortunately, I don't think I was the right audience for this book. I honestly found most of it pretty boring (like had a hard time staying awake to read it). I do feel like it picked up a little about halfway through but it really just felt kind of meh for me. I do wonder if I was more into fashion if I would have enjoyed this book more.

A good read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

When Gabrielle and her sister,Lulu learn that their mother had died it revealed a whole new aspect of all of their lives. They knew their mother loved fashion but they had no idea how much time and money she had spent on her “Coco Chanel” collection.
After finding that their inheritance was tied up in these clothes they could not imagine what their mother was trying to teach them. With their determination and vision with the help of their mother’s friends and a few”clues” they are on their way to becoming the woman their mother wanted them to be.
These characters are so engaging and entertaining. Pick up this book for a fun read!

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Not a huge fashion person, so that aspect of the book really lost me. Overall, a fun mindless beach-type read.

I thought thus book would interest me because I love fashion and thought it would be interesting but it didn’t grab me,

The Fashion Orphans; doesn't that title just grab your interest? It did mine, even though I have never been in fashion. The story is about two women, half-sisters, who together inherited their mother's collection of high end clothes and accessories. This is not what they had expected and felt they needed. Gabriel and Lulu go on from there. I really enjoyed how the author wove the story into such an enjoyable tale.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for this ARC; this review expresses my personal opinion.

Gabi was always Lulu's protector when the half-sisters were growing up, in part to make up for emotional absence of their mother, Bette. After the tragic loss of Lulu's husband and the nasty divorce from Gabi's husband's shenanigans, the girls became estranged until they were called to the reading of their mother's last will and testament. The girls inherit Bette's secret and fabulous Coco Chanel collection and are instructed to do something special with it. As the girls sort through the luxury clothes and accessories, they confront their emotional baggage, both with each other and with themselves and slowly begin to heal.

A gentle women's fiction book focusing on two middle aged sisters who come to realize they are stuck with letting life control them instead of taking control of their worlds. I wouldn't necessarily classify this as a beach read, but more of a "curl-up-in-front-of-a-fireplace" read.

I want to thank Netgalley and the author for gifting me the ebook. A good women's fiction novel. Love the cover. Highly recommend

This is an interesting story about dealing with the loss of a parent, especially one that didn’t have the best relationship with their children. I enjoyed the book, but I’m not really into high fashion or designer labels, so that aspect of the book (which is a big part) didn’t interest me as much as it might interest a different reader. It was a unique story with good messages!

smack in the middle of the chick-lit genre, this novel explores sibling rivalry, fashion & community without breaking new ground.

the most complex & interesting character is Bette, which is unfortunate as we only see the aftermath of her life.

also unfortunate is the fact that the most likable characters are on the periphery. the two main protagonists are shockingly immature for their ages.

at least this book was well paced.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

In The Fashion Orphans, you will meet Gabrielle and Lulu. Two sisters who grew apart are reuniting once again. This is due to their mother's untimely death. While one might think they would have been left some money, they were actually given a vintage collection of Chanel with a twist.

Now I'll admit that the sisters took a while for me to like. I think it's mostly because of how slow things were going in the first half of this book. Once things started to pick up, and the pages were flying, they started to become a bit more likable. I did, however, like how they were sort of forced to face their past in order to heal and make the present, and future, better for themselves.

I will also admit that I was confused over some references used throughout the book but that's due to me being super naive towards fashion. I'm definitely a yoga pants and sweats kind of girl since I've been working from home for basically two years.

Other than that, I really liked the second half of this book. I'll have to check out another book written by Randy or M.J. in the near future for sure.

I'm not a fashionista by any means, but I still found this story, of two women who inherit their mother's collection of Chanel items, very moving. Well-written and funny, with two very relatable heroines.