The Fashion Orphans is a very good read. Half sisters are left a surprisingly expensive and extensive collection when their mother, Bette, passes, the disposal of which must meet Bette’s lawyer’s approval. The authors do a fine job giving readers a look into the lives of each sister and the legacy left not only to them but to many others. This is a beautiful story that readers will savor. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Lulu and Gabi are half-sisters whose relationship has fractured due to life and loss. Now that their mother has died, they are forced to spend time together to decipher her unusual will requirements.

I loved the group of friends the mom had. Lulu and Gabi are distinct characters but not as interesting as they could be. Both are struggling with loss which consumes the majority of their time and thoughts. I felt the resolution of a conflict between one character and a family member was a little too convenient. There is a lot of political agenda items here, with a feminist theme that goes in and out of focus.

Overall, this was an entertaining and easy read that I enjoyed. Not family friendly due to language and sexual situations.

I have read other books by these M.J. Rose, and this is definitely my favorite. This would make a fantastic book-club book choice!

Lulu and Gabrielle are sisters (I'm guessing in their late 40's to early 50's) who have met with several tragedies in the past two years. One is a still-grieving widow, the other a divorcee still reeling from her husband's infidelity. Both are dealing with financial woes. Then, their mother dies.

The women had had a somewhat distant relationship with their mother, Bette. Each one felt their mother had failed them in some way, and each felt that the other sister has also not been there for them. From beyond the grave, Bette's last desires are a challenge to grow and be happy.

I really enjoyed reading every bit about this book. The sisters are smart but human. They actually say and do things in this book that people would actually say and do. There's not much of a fairy-tale rescue (although there are some (fairy-godmother-esque?) characters who help them out), but their problems are not solved by a whooshing-in-and-save-the-day type person. The sisters have to struggle and figure out every step of the way, finding forgiveness amidst their failures and triumphs.

There is a bit of language, not much, and brief romance is alluded only in passing.

This book deserves all 5 stars!

I received an ARC as a reviewer for NetGalley.

What more can you want than a cute book with strong, flawed, and very likeable characters and Chanel? Come on now! If you love the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella, then you should do yourself a favor and pick this one up! What a fun book!

I chose this offering from NetGalley because I have a life long interest in both fashion and Coco Chanel. I appreciate this ARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

For those readers who enjoy chick lit and silly situations - totally unreasonable and totally predictable -this is your book! You'll enjoy it. You'll enjoy reading the current worth of vintage Chanel fashions as well as reading her own quotes - they're delightful.

It was a nice diversion, just not my kind of book.

I absolutely loved this book! It is well written with great characters that evolve over the course of the story. It is a fabulous story about sisters, mothers & daughters, extended families and generational friends. I enjoyed how each of the characters was introduced and how they interacted with each other and helped Gabriella and Lulu learn to follow their hearts. Using Bette's passion for all things Coco and vintage clothing as a plot vehicle was both unique and and extraordinarily well done, interweaving the past and present to move the novel forward. I fell in love with all the characters. The authors did a good job of reflecting the time period and attitudes of the time during with Gabriella and Lulu grew up. Definitely an enjoyable experience with older characters that were able to find their passion and take the risks to pursue it, recognizing how their past helped shape a new future.

The only flaw in the book is that there were several sentences that had extra words words transposed or missing....but that is an editing issue. The story was fantastic.

This is the story of two sisters who each have very different memories of their cold self absorbed mother. When their mother dies she leaves the girls her "collection" but the girls can only disposed of it in a way that the mother's lawyer approves of. The girls discover that their mother has a closet full of Chanel. Their mother's idol was Chanel and it shows by her "collection". Each sister for their own reasons, really need the money that selling the items could bring them.

I found the sisters equally irritating at times, but I could also empathize with them and with the events that lead them to where they currently are in life. I found myself really enjoying this book and will now go and find other books written by these authors.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Blue Box Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I received an E-ARC of this book through Netgalley.
I was a Fashion Design major my first year of college so the fashion world still pulls me in. I also liked that this book was about sisters as I have 6 of them so I know that sister relationships have a lot going on. I really enjoyed delving into this exploration of sisterhood, fashion, and the intricacies of extended family relationships. The book was very enjoyable and I'd love to know more about how Coco Street does in the future.

Fashion Changes, Style Endures- Coco Chanel

Who doesn't want to be surrounded by a closet full of vintage Chanel?! This is the predicament that estranged, down-on-their luck sisters Gabrielle and Lulu find themselves in when they lose their dynamic, unpredictable mother and instead gain... a style inheritance. Born to two different fathers, Gabrielle and Lulu could not be more different- their upbringing, their lifestyle choices and their fashion sense. Gabrielle is Manhattan glam and Lulu is Brooklyn shabby chic. Still, the sisters must work through their differences as they try to better understand their Chanel obsessed late mother and the legacy she has left them. In the end the lesson may be worth more than a logo enamel cuff or a double string of pearls...

What I liked about this novel was the relationship between the two sisters. The underlying current of this book is really a lesson on love and family and forgiveness.

What I had trouble with was the mother-daughters relationship. Both daughters are in financial distress through no fault of their own and, instead of helping out her daughters, the mom stockpiled thousand-dollar purses. Then, rather than sell these incredibly expensive items, they decide instead to figure out a way to honour their mother's collection at the behest of her wealthy friends. Like hello, in real life there would have been a major garage sale, no question.

I do want to live in this fake closet though.

Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for letting me sample this read in advance!! Expected Pub Date 1 Feb 2022

Really fun read. Finding that their mother has left them with her collection and finding themselves as they decide what it means and what to do with it. Sisters grow closer and become family again.

There are so many characters to root for in this entertaining book that it is a true pleasure to read!

Neither Gabrielle nor younger sister Lulu is particularly happy with her life. Gabrielle's ex-husband cheated on her, then flaunted his new wife. She responds by connecting with the wrong kind of men at upscale bars and working for a pittance at her elderly friend's book store. Lulu's beloved husband has died suddenly of a heart attack. Her in-laws are still close--Lulu works as a pastry chef in their bakery--but she doesn't know how she will ever pay off her sons' college tuition, her mortgage, and her credit cards.

The sisters get together for the reading of their mother's will and learn that she has left them little money but wants them to handle her "collection" together in a respectful way. The problem is that neither has any idea what the collection might be. What they discover astounds them, as do the cards they find that feature quotations that connect them to their late mother--and to each other--in a new way and almost magically lead them in the right direction.

Leading and supporting characters are beautifully drawn and memorable, and I found the plot and its resolution highly satisfying. I'd like to see these two authors collaborate on another book in the near future.

My thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for allowing me to read and review this book.

AHH! All my favorites in one book!
vintage fashion, Coco Chanel, New York society and an Italian bakery. I mean, I loved this book, I loved it!

This is the story of two adult sisters and their mother. The sisters have grown apart and mom has never been close to them. When mom died she leaves behind an inheritance of Chanel clothes. They are to go through the collection together and come up with a plan for disposing of it. At first the sisters are disappointed as they both could use money but then it turns out they have a treasure in their hands. Sorting through the collection brings them closer to each other and their mother. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in the form of an e-book in exchange for an honest review

Randy Susan Meyers & MJ Rose are two of my favorite authors (in particular, The Comfort of Lies & Accidents of Marriage by RSM & Cartier's Hope & The last Tiara are books that still resonate with me) and their collaboration on The Fashion Orphans was absolute perfection!!! The book had so many things I love to read: a sister story, New York City setting, and excavating mother/daughter relationships through objects like fashion & letters, Highly recommend- and really hoping this won't be their only book together!!

This is the story of two adult sisters and their mother. The sisters have grown apart and mom has never been close to them. When mom died she leaves behind an inheritance of Chanel clothes. They are to go through the collection together and come up with a plan for disposing of it. At first the sisters are disappointed as they both could use money but then it turns out they have a treasure in their hands. Sorting through the collection brings them closer to each other and their mother. Their mother has stepped up in death to give her girls a life lesson. The distance that they have always felt from their mother is forgotten as they work together, bond together and put their lives back together. Very heartening and a good read. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy in the form of an e-book in exchange for an honest review.

An absolutely delightful read of two sisters combing through their recently deceased mom's things.

There are warm vibrant characters who bring you into their lives.and keep you on your toes.

Great read.

Two sisters are in a daze in their mother's oversized closet as they open their eyes wide to see the most beautiful dresses, gold bracelets, vintage purses and shoes galore. It's enough to make any woman smile.

The story is about two half-sisters: Gabrielle and Lulu. They haven't spoken in the past few years but they will find themselves both shocked at their mother's death. The sisters were raised in different parts of the city: Gabrielle on Manhattan's Upper East Side and Lulu in Brooklyn with the working class. Both, however, have problems with financial expenses.

The book begins when Gabrielle and Lulu are asked to attend a reading of the will. Both were hoping for cash but to their surprise, their mother left them with a hidden walk-in closet filled with current and vintage designer fashions - some pieces worth thousands of dollars. Most were from Chanel. The estate attorney said they were to take an inventory of the items and then create a plan on what they would do with these treasures. They couldn't just sell or even wear the dresses, shoes and jewels. They had to come up with a proposal approved by their mother's estate attorney within a quick time period.

It's definitely a book for women and especially those who appreciate fashion. The messages in the clothes brings inspiration to the reader. But there's more. It's about sisters creating a close bond and following their mother's last wishes. It made me pause when I read, "Your mother lives in your blood." It's delightful and filled with characters that you can relate to. There's an important emphasis on giving to charities and creating warm and lasting friendships. For relationships, this is it: "Unless both of us are happy, nether of us will flourish."

My thanks to Randy Susan Meyers, M.J. Rose, Blue Box Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with an expected release date of February 1, 2022.

I LOVED this book! It is a story which almost everyone can relate to in some way, shape or form. Rich, quirky characters tell the story of sisters, estranged sisters, born of an eccentric mother and different dads. When their mom passes away, she leaves them a collection which no-one else knows about. Both sisters have recently faced hard times and this collection seems like a burden when in actuality it might be just what they need! I was pulled in to their magical story from the first page. Perfect for those who love fashion, New York and sisterhood. I could see this becoming a movie or series.

Love this book! The sisters, the friends, the settings and the fashion! What a gorgeous description of Coco and her glorious items. Such a fun story of a strange inheritance and how a seemingly unfeeling mother teaches her daughters (after she passes) about her passion and love for the designer. The group of older women involved is such a treat! I love the generational relationships here! Lulu and Gabi are refreshing as lead characters. Well done!

What a delightful, enjoyable and fun book to read! Lulu and Gabrielle inherit their mother's enormous Coco Chanel collection of dresses, jewelry, handbags, shoes and her best friends. But what do they do with this inheritance? You will love this book!

From the start this story pulls you into the relationship of two half sisters and their close bond. While Mom was a bit judgemental, they did love her. A falling out between sisters happened easily as the years and their own lives caused them to drift apart, but the true falling out was both sisters had major life changes and each was so distraught they couldn't seem to help each other, and time just passed. Ultimately, Mom brings them back together with her death, fortunately she had the time to set the stage to help both daughters. It's a wonderful story of family relationships, and breaking out of lives that seem cast in stone. I really liked they had doubts about what they were planning to do, and learned to share and lean on each other and new friends, and mostly learned so much about their mother that they had no idea about. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced read with an honest opinion.