I received an electronic ARC from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley.
What a joy to see how Beer blended fashion history with a family's story. The interwoven timeframes (1950's and 1970's) reveal several generations of the same family.
Lucille's grandmother, Sylvie, sends her to Paris to get a special dress of hers that a friend has had for decades. Sylvie is struggling with her career and her life path so goes because she loves her grandmother. While there, she discovers there are eight dresses and each has an identifying card that tells a full story. All are Dior and all are exquisite. Together with a new friend, Veronique, and a possible love interest, Leon, she tracks down the story of whoever owned these dresses. Interwoven with the modern quest are chapters that tell Alice's story in real time. Readers are transported to the 1950's in Paris and meet an Ambassador's wife who is unhappy and unloved. They see her find love in an affair with the inevitable consequences of pregnancy and abandonment. Though readers wish for a different result, Beer stays true to the timeframe and provides a true look at what can happen in these circumstances. She does so with a tender touch and never lets readers or her characters let go of hope for a different outcome.
No spoilers but the characters in the two timelines blend together in the present and figure out what is most important in their lives.
A sweet and tender story that offers readers the chance to become part of this family. The author uses a gentle style to address heartbreaking issues in the past and present, and to show how family dynamics echo generation to generation.
A definite Book Club read that offers so many topics for discussion. Don't miss the questions included at the end of the book.

The Last Dress from Paris is a sweeping historical mystery revolving around the search for missing Dior dresses. The story travels back and forth from 1952 post war France and modern-day London. I enjoyed getting lost in the by gone days of 1952 Paris and all the intrigue revolving around Alice and her life as a diplomat's wife. I did not care for her husband one bit. But such was the world and society’s view of women in 1952. Modern day Lucille is caught in much the same trap at her job, and it was frustrating to see how women are still treated in the workforce.

I loved so much about this book. The 2 POV’s, the mystery of the missing dresses, the mystery of A & A, and the missing baby. It all comes together so beautifully with a heart wrenching ending. The Last Dress in Paris has made me want to travel to London and Paris and see all the places described as the mystery of the dresses, and Granny Sylvia’s life, unfolded.

Thank you to Net Galley and Berkley Publishing for my eArc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a most delightful book with it's dual time-line you'll get pulled into two delightful stories that just seamlessly mesh.
Lucille has a special and loving relationship with her Grandmother Sylvie and will do anything for her.
When her grandmother asks her to go from England to Paris to find a priceless Dior dress she believes she'll be home quickly and easily with the task completed.
What she doesn't count on is needing to rent a French apartment and finding a side of her grandmother she had never know about.
The book kept me spellbound while reading about the 1950's glamour of the fashionable Dior gowns,an opulent lifestyle a forbidden affair,well kept secrets and a heartbreaking betrayal.
So many glamorous Dior gowns each representing a special time. You can practically feel the heaviness and sumptuousness of the velvet and other lush materials of the vintage gowns in your hands.
Secrets and heartbreak comes alive in this book I was unable to put down!

Pub Date: 21 Jun 2022
I received a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

This one is an interesting love story and historical fiction mixed with modern day.

Lucille sent on a missions by her Granny Sylvie to bring back a dress from Paris. Once she is there, she realizes it’s really 8 original Dior dresses and a romance story to unravel.

Alice is a diplomats wife in Paris, but stuck in a false and loveless marriage. While hosting one of the many required parties at the embassy, Alice meets an artist named Antoine. Slowly their story unfolds through different Dior dresses and events.

This story is a hard one to say I loved, mainly because sad stories are hard to cherish. However! This one was written perfectly and how it all unfolded just added more depth to the story. The characters were written superbly. You really felt what Alice and Lucille felt.

Historical fiction woven through two timelines with a bit of mystery thrown in is what this book is all about. You get a glimpse into the Paris fashion world of 1952 and the work of Christian Dior. It is also about friendship, family, and the choices we make.

Despite the fantastic synopsis and my true interest in reading this, my interest wasn’t fully piqued until about 15% of the way in, at which point I found myself fully immersed. From that time, I raced through this book, desperate to see how it turned out.

Both timelines are equally engrossing and the writing here is visual and so beautifully lush in its descriptions that you can practically feel that vintage, heavy and rich velvet and see the embroidered lettering.

This was my first novel by Ms. Beer; it definitely won’t be my last.



eARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley. Opinions shared are my own.

The Last Dress from Paris is a sweeping and beautiful story of a woman and her grandmother and a search for Dior dresses that are not only exquisite but that change the lives of its owners forever. In this dual timeline historical fiction, it follows Lucille in London 2017 as her Granny Sylvie asks her to retrieve a Dior dress from Paris, and also Alsice in 1952 living a lavish lifestyle she feels trapped in with only her maid Marianne as a real friend. The prose and story are beautiful. Each character has so much life and growth and beauty. Lucille’s journey through Paris, as she uncovers the secrets hidden beneath the folds of her grandmother’s gowns and finds her own strength and passions too, is just wonderful. She starts so self conscious and kind of a pushover and watching her stand taller with each discovery was beautiful. And Alice’s story is so captivating. There were some predictable twists, but it didn’t take away from the story as a whole. I adored how it all tied together and how it developed. I was captivated by Alice’s story—she wants so much to be seen and have a voice in a time where women didn’t have that opportunity so much and her voice is stunning. And the other side characters were so good—they felt so genuine and developed! The friendships were beautifully done and set up, and the family moments were so thoughtful. I loved the tie of the dresses through the story and how they were a character in themselves.The Last Dress from Paris is heartbreaking and heartwarming. I just really enjoyed the book and I was just really excited to see where the story went!

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but this was definitely more intriguing and engaging than I anticipated. It was a little on the predictable side, but that is okay because it was a well-developed story. I am not a fashionista, but I do enjoy post-World War 2 historical fiction and alternating timelines and narrators.
Sylvie sends her granddaughter on a treasure hunt to Paris to find one of her Christian Dior dresses. However, it turns out to be more than the treasure hunt she is sent on. She learns more about her grandmother and herself on this journey.
The story intensifies as Alice, married to a diplomat, whose bittersweet story is interwoven to paint a picture of high fashion, high society, and consequences.

In 2017 England Lucille adores her grandmother, Sylvie, and is happy to carry out her mysterious request to retrieve a dress from Paris. This leads her to a story which takes place in 1952 Paris. Alice, the young wife of an ambassador, is pampered but neglected. She wears Dior but has only one friend. By following a trail left of dresses Lucille will discover Alice's story.
The value of friendship, complex mother-daughter relationships and how men fail us are themes for discussion. This book is a nice companion read to the recent Dior Exhibition.
This is a review of an advanced readers' copy provided by Netgalley.

Beautiful story woven with Dior dresses and strong women who support each other in every circumstance.

"The secret is hidden within a collection of Dior dresses...

London, 2017. There's no one Lucille adores more than her grandmother. So when her beloved Granny Sylvie asks for Lucille's assistance with a small matter, she’s happy to help. The next thing she knows, Lucille is on a train to Paris, tasked with retrieving a priceless Dior dress. But not everything is as it seems, and what Lucille finds in a small Parisian apartment will have her scouring the city for answers to a question that could change her entire life.

Paris, 1952. Postwar France is full of glamour and privilege, and Alice Ainsley is in the middle of it all. As the wife to the British ambassador to France, Alice's job is to see and be seen - even if that wasn’t quite what she signed up for. Her husband showers her with jewels, banquets, and couture Dior dresses, but his affection has become distressingly elusive. As the strain on her marriage grows, Alice’s only comfort is her bond with her trusted lady’s maid, Marianne. But when a new face appears in her drawing room, Alice finds herself yearning to follow her heart...no matter the consequences.

The City of Light comes alive in this lush, evocative tale that explores the ties that bind us together, the truths we hold that make us who we are, and the true meaning of what makes someone family."

Dior! Need I say more?

If your Grandmother sent you to Paris to retrieve a priceless Dior dress wouldn't you jump at the chance? Lucielle did. But when she finds a secret that may change everything, she's looking for more than a dress.

The story is also much about Alice Ainsley, the wife of a British Ambassador to Paris in 1952. She's trying to fit in and isn't finding things simple. Does she stay and live a luxurious life or leave and follow her heart? And how do the stories in this dual-timeline novel intersect?

Read it and find you. It's full of secrets and is lush, glamorous, and has the wonderful setting that only a book set in Paris can have.

It’s 1953, and newlywed Alice Ainsley is making her first visit to the boutique of the famous couturier Christian Dior. Alice’s much older and very demanding husband has made it clear that money is no object when it comes to supporting his diplomatic career, and—greatly daring and perhaps hoping to revive a marriage already teetering just months after the wedding day—Alice gives into temptation and orders a stunning ballgown known as the “Cygne Noir” (Black Swan). Fortified by this stunning dress and the support of her new maid, Anne, Alice enters into her role as hostess and almost immediately attracts the attention of a handsome and smooth-tongued young Frenchman who, in modern parlance, “gets her” in ways that her middle-aged husband has never imagined were possible.

Fast forward to London in 2017, where a 30-something named Lucille has just received a rather bizarre request from her Grandma Silvie: drop everything, take the Eurostar train to Paris, and reclaim another Dior dress called the Maxim’s, which by a pathway Silvie will not divulge belongs to her. Although Lucille’s unpleasant boss has a major fit at her sudden request for leave, she cannot refuse her grandmother, now in her nineties. So Lucille takes a day off and travels to Paris for the weekend. What she finds when she gets there throws a new light on the entire history of her family.

Lucille’s quest pulled me in from the beginning, and the descriptions of Dior’s fabulous creations never failed to delight. For much of the story, I feared that Alice would succumb to clichés, unable to hold her own against the hints of mystery and romance and modern sass that enliven Lucille’s half of these increasingly intertwined tales. But the author surprised me, in a good way, and Alice at last emerged from the shadows, both damaged and strengthened by her experiences.

I hope to talk with Jade Beer on New Books in Historical Fiction (link below) in June, but those plans are not yet finalized.

A search for Dior Dresses from the 1950's - how fun would that be?

Louise makes a trip to Paris on her grandmother's request to find a certain dress, but it turns into a trip to search for eight other dresses.

What she finds is someone to help her, personal notes that accompany the dresses, secrets her Grandmother Sylvie kept all these years, and of course, the gorgeous, interesting dresses that have stories of their own.

We then go back in time and meet Alice Ainsley in 1952 who is the ambassador's wife and who also has gorgeous Dior dresses and a wonderful confidante for a maid, and a husband who is not who he appeared to be. He is cold, and she is lonely.

The loneliness leads to her visiting with a young man named Antoine.

Louise's chase to find the dresses leads to finding her grandmother's secrets, a love interest for her, and a longer stay and return to Paris.

Those readers who love Paris, who love fashion, the 1950's, and visiting with characters with complicated relationships will want to read this book.

A very enjoyable read with a bit of a mystery as grandmother’s life is unraveled. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher for an honest review.

A heartfelt read that blends fashion history with the evolution of various women's relationships (mother/daughter, grandmother/granddaughter, and female friends). Having spent plenty of time studying Dior (I teach fashion history at my university), I was quick to request a chance to read this title, and I really enjoyed the ways the central line of Dior dresses informed the scenes in which they were worn. For those less familiar with Dior's work, it's worth looking up images while you read. Beer describes each dress, but nothing compares to seeing the real thing and getting a feel for the shapes, textures, and movement of the dresses. While the book presents the reader with two romances (one in each of the dual timelines), the women's relationships take centre stage here as two mother/daughter pairings find resolution after years of strain, and two friendship pairings show how influential having supportive, loyal female friends can be on a woman's life. With its blend of glamorous couture, strong friendships, and unfolding romance, this will no doubt be a hit with many avid readers.

THE LAST DRESS FROM PARIS
by Jade Beer
Berkley Publishing Group
Pub Date: Jun 21

There are compelling dual timelines in this historical fiction gem. London, 2017, when Lucille is tasked by her grandmother to travel to Paris to find a certain Dior gown. While there, she locates something in a small Paris apartment that has her scrambling across the city for answers.

Then Paris, 1952, when the City of Light bustles with glamour post-war, drawing dignitaries such as Alice Ainsley, wife to the British ambassador to France. Although her husband gives her many gifts, including Dior gowns and jewels, she senses he's pulling away. Lonely with just her lady’s maid as confidante, Alice soon finds someone who makes her care not for consequences as she desires to heed her heart.

I was completely captivated by both eras, by the complicated relationships, the gorgeous gowns, and the expansive story. Highly recommended for lovers of historical fiction, Paris, the Fifties, and haute couture.

Thanks to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#TheLastDressFromParis #JadeBeer
#berkleypublishinggroup #NetGalley
#womensfiction #London2017 #Paris1952 #Dior #CoutureDresses #Romancenovel #mysterynovel #historicalfictionnovel

This was was a well written easy to follow story with 2 main characters, Lucille and Alice(Sylvie) who share the untold history of Alice's life. The way the Dior dresses come into play and their history tell a tear jerk story.of true love and friendship.
.I thoroughly enjoyed this and I am excited to highly recommend this book and read future books by this author, Jade Beer.

A brilliant book that will stay with me for a long time. I know it took me a day to read and believe me I went slow, stopping to do life and eat. A thoroughly engrossing novel of strong love. The story goes between past and present which, to be honest, I am never a fan of BUT it works here.

Someone amazing created this story board. I would love to see it. I need to research this author. What a a well researched and imaginative book. The author thought long and hard about Alice and Anne, the creation of these cards and the description of places. I appreciate each and every one. I looked at videos and photos of St Germain des pres Church. I googled the heck out out Dior. There is nothing like classic couture from the 50’s Every dress named has the most vivid description.

Creating the image of Alice, the wife of a diplomat, is organized, has a staff, prepares, shops, attends events, I mean she does it all. Alice had this "job" that she was more than capable of. It doesn't take a genius to see that something is missing. in her life. He husband Albert is a man typical of the political nature. I imagine the story board with Albert and some dashing wool suits. Very clean cut dapper and elegant. I dont know who he would look like but the fabric next to his photo would be amazing. Together for only a few years, there is nothing left between them. She is just there to be a puppet, sad, very sad. .

Then the formation of Marianne "Anne" and Alice is what totally wrapped up the package for me. Anne has a story, they bond, and she becomes the best friend that Alice could ever have. This is a personal assistant that dresses and undresses Alice. That is a bond.

Antione was .....young but somehow so worldly. He spoke deep thoughts. He was so smart and the talent described was precise. The author creates these visuals in my mind about what he draws that is so descriptive. I want to say so much more, but I dont want to spoil it.

A few of the sub characters are Veronique and Leon. What to say about Leon? his grandfather? I saw just a bit of Antione in him. Veronique's story was simply shocking.

To Jade Beer 🥂 you are awesome!! You made me cry and that’s pretty hard

This is a lovely little jewel of a novel. It’s part romance, part historical fiction and part mystery. When Lucille is asked by her aged grandmother to go to Paris and find some very unusual dresses, she is unaware that she is also untangling a decades long family mystery.

The dresses were prime examples of designer Christian Dior at his most magnificent. The dresses were the possessions of Alice Ainsley, wife of the British ambassador to France in the early 1950’s. So, how was Alice Ainsley connected to Lucille’s aged grandmother, Sylvie? Lucille retraces the steps of Alice, and the dresses she wore, with the help of Veronique and Leon, both connected to the dresses and the Alice Ainsley, who has disappeared.

The hunt and the descriptions create an engaging little tale, which I enjoyed. The author took me to so many places I love that the journey with Lucille was mesmerizing. Beer is a very talented writer, recreating details of Alice’s life and wardrobe.

Thank you Netgalley for this treat. I think women’s groups will love it!

I liked this a lot. It was exactly what I expected it to be. It is super predictable, basically because the narrative is seeded with little clues. I'm not going to point them all out. You'll have to read it yourself.

A young woman is sent to Paris on an errand by her grandmother. And the errand turns out to be way more complicated than fetching an old dress from the daughter of an old friend.

This also has lovely descriptions of Paris. It gave me a bit of a travel bug. I think I could go to Paris a million times and always find something new to explore.

If you're into historical fiction or love stories or basically anything, I definitely recommend this one.