Alix St. Pierre is a feisty heroine and I loved her story. The book jumps back and forth between her adventures during WWII, when she works for OSS in Bern, and her post-WWII life working for Christian Dior in Paris. It takes a while to understand how the two timelines are connected and at times I felt confused during the early chapters trying to understand what was happening. However, this is a thrilling and action-packed story, combining elements of a spy novel, a mystery, and a romance. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. Highly recommended for fans of dual timeline WWII novels!

𝐌𝐲 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑

If you’ve followed me for long you probably know that @natashalesterauthor is one of my absolute favorite authors. She is a master storyteller of WWII fiction, and I was beyond excited to receive an ARC of her newest novel, The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre. Just look at that gorgeous cover!

“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐬,” 𝐀𝐥𝐢𝐱 𝐬𝐚𝐢𝐝.
“𝐍𝐨.” 𝐋𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭. “𝐀 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐮𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥. 𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞. 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐬𝐭.”

𝐁𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞: Born to French immigrants who worked as costumiers in Hollywood, and orphaned at 13, Alix St. Pierre is taken in by her best friend’s affluent family, but she never truly felt part of that world.

𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: In 1943, Alix is sent to Switzerland by the US Government as a spy. Soon she is on the precipice of something big, very big. But how far can she trust her German informant…? And at what cost…?

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫: 1947, Paris - Alix is hired as Directrice of the Service de la Presse for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. In the glamorous halls of the French fashion house, she can nearly forget everything she lost and the dangerous secret she carries. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes that only she can right the wrongs of the past…and finally find justice.

As I’ve come to expect from Ms. Lester, Alix’s story is full of mystery, romance, suspense, espionage, and heartbreak. But it’s also one of courage, love, redemption, and belief in oneself, with a little fashion, too.

In 1943, Alix St. Pierre is a talented PR consultant working in New York City. When the US government becomes aware of her skills and the fact that she speaks three languages, she is recruited to join the OSS to use her skills as a spy in WWII. Alix is sent to Switzerland and becomes involved with the Italian partisans by arranging supplies and other things to help with their fight against the Nazis. Alix is good at her job but when an informant gives her information that leads to the deaths of people she is close to, she vows to bring him to justice.

After the war, Alix goes to Paris where she becomes the PR consultant to Christian Dior who is about to launch his first collection. Once again she is successful at her job but when someone from the war suddenly appears, the past comes crashing into her.

Natasha Lester has crafted another wonderful WWII era book with an unforgettable heroine. Alix is strong, independent, resilient and talented but haunted by the past and determined to find justice for the partisans who died because of her. Natasha Lester’s research is impressive and the novel has a strong sense of place. The details about the House of Dior are an added bonus. Be sure to add this book to your To Be Read List!

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre will be published in the US on January 10, 2023. Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the advanced reading copy,

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre transports the reader to Paris during the 40's as we meet our heroine. Alix has had to reinvent herself in order to survive her youth, WWII and the haunts of her work as a spy during the war.

This historical fiction novel is extraordinarily stunning with its romance, heartbreak, intrigue and suspense. Alix's courage and determination make her a worthwhile protagonist to admire. She's not afraid of danger, but afraid of matters of the heart. Her slow-burn love story with Anthony March, a journalist, is seamlessly woven into their work together to expose a double-agent who's out to destroy Alix.

The Parisian nightlife and couture blazes from the pages with the authors captivating writing. The Christian Dior couture was an absolutely fascinating element to the story and Alix's life. This novel is a must-read for fan of Historical Fiction.

Thank you Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary copy of this novel.

So I’ll just be over here nursing the biggest book hangover EVER because I don’t know when I’ll be able to extract myself from Paris and Bern, from the bar at the Ritz, from French 75s and chocolate tarts, from Dior’s maison and Alex’s pension. This is by far Lester’s best book yet and it will be both what her loyal readers expect but somehow better, deeper and more than what she’s delivered before.

This story is at the same time cunning and elegant but also full of tension and heat that would set the city of light alight.

I think the cast of characters was perfectly executed and the various timelines are used and worked in such perfect interchangeability to keep us readers on the edges of our seats. Even at the 85% mark I truly was not sure how it was going to end (to me this is a good thing) and I found myself still guessing as the final pages flicked by.

This book is the reason that I will keep reading Second World War era books about what or who we might call badass women who weren’t trying to be extraordinary but whom somehow found themselves at the forefront of the action, with the war at their fingertips.

Elegant, exquisite and transporting.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.
I really enjoy historical fiction but I’ve grown tired of WWII stories over the years. This book is definitely an exception.
Alix St. Pierre was an orphan and is now determined to live a life of her own choosing, rather than what society deems appropriate.
Alix is definitely one of my favorite fictional characters!
During the war she works as a spy, proving to be an invaluable resource until she’s given false information from a trusted informant and 9 men lose their lives. After the war, Alix is struggling with the guilt and the loss of her fiancé. She moves to Paris to be the PR officer for Christian Dior, which was so fun to read about!
This story flips back and forth between timelines, pre-war, during war, and post-war. I loved how the story unfolds slowly as the characters are deeply developed.
This was one of my favorite books of 2022!

A historical fiction account that takes place in the lead up to WWII, during the war, and the fall out after the war. Our protagonist must rely on the wiles she achieved being a spy during the war to bring the past to justice. In the interim, she becomes employed by an up and coming fashion designer named Christian Dior. The is a story of heartache, intrigue, drama, and espionage all wrapped up together in a compelling story. Thanks to NetGalley for the early read.

Incredible! I got completely lost in this historical fiction gem. There was romance, heartbreak, intrigue and suspense.

Alix is such a badass character, I loved a glimpse into her lives. Through alternating timelines, the reader is immersed into her life as a genius PR Director for Dior and as a spy during WWII.

I find myself hesitating to reach for World War II novels as sometimes they can be heavy. And while this has its moments that gut you, overall, I found this empowering. There is a strong point-of-view of the role of women post-war that is woven not only in Alix's storyline but evident in the great supporting cast as well.

Natasha Lester's writing is captivating. The way she describes Paris and the breathtaking fashion, while also developing unforgettable characters and quote-worthy dialogue makes this book a dream to read.

Thank you to Forever and Grand Central Publishing for an advanced copy of this and the opportunity to share my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I LOVED this book! I’m a huge fan of historical fiction and this is perfect for readers who enjoy Fiona Davis and Kate Quinn. I learned a lot about intelligence and the war in Italy specifically, lots about Christian Dior and the beginnings of the brand, and society in Paris immediately post-war. This was a romance, there were mystery and suspense elements, it was about friendships, it was just so phenomenally researched and well-written. I would recommend it to almost anyone, I think it has so much to offer. A great way to end 2022!

My thanks to NetGalley and Forever for an advance reader’s copy.

As someone who works in PR, reading this book was super fun. Alix's post-war job of working PR for Christian Dior was really interesting for me to read about, especially with Dior as a character. I also thought that the inclusion of the three different timelines was interesting and kept the story flowing, although it did get slightly confusing for me at times.
It took me a little while to get into this book, since ocassionally I felt like characters were just being thrown at me, especially those from before and during the war, but once I got them all situated in my head, I really enjoyed reading about them, especially Alix and her three lives!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre!

Star Rating: 3⭐️
Genre: Historical Fiction
Pub Date: January 10, 2023

I was very excited about TTLOASP. First off, I LOVED the inclusion of Christian Dior. I thought the fashion house, Alix's role, and all the glamour of Paris was so well-done. It was my favorite part of the book, honestly! I also really liked Alix. I felt like she was a relatable main character who definitely brought the main character energy to the page! Her life was really interesting, and I thought she was so elegant.

Where this book fell short for me (and ultimately earned a three star rating instead of a four star rating) is that the story just felt jumbled to me. The plot was interesting, but the story didn't have any flow. It felt choppy and like it jumped around too much for me. I don't know if that is a writing issue or an editing issue, but it didn't work for me.

I still enjoyed this one, and I will want a copy for my shelves, though!

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester
Historical Fiction
Publication Date: January 10, 2023

The novel begins with Alix as a new publicist for the relatively unknown Christian Dior fashion house. Alix has a skill set acquired during her mysterious past during 1943-1945 in which she worked in Switzerland as a OSS operative. With the war now over, Alix is trying to keep the past in the past but her past refuses to remain hidden.

The novel is divided into sections of Alix’s life both during and after the war, with the bulk of the novel taking place after WWII. I’m not the biggest fan of alternating timelines, especially because I think it is relied on too heavily in historical fiction however, I think grouping by chapters in this particular case worked. The book left an excellent trail of breadcrumbs for the reader to follow throughout the past and present. That being said, I was more interested in Alix’s life in Paris post WWII because it touches on post-war effects on society and individuals.

The male lead is swoon worthy and delivers some incredible dialogue. There’s an exploration of family, friendship and women’s rights simmering underneath the surface of a well-researched mystery. There are a lot of chapters initially establishing the character so despite the mystery unraveling slowly I stayed intrigued from beginning to end. The dash of romance probably helped. The male lead was downright swoon worthy and I will forgive the author for writing the typical scene where a female character descends in a gorgeous dress because it was flawlessly executed.

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is definitely one of my favourite historical fiction reads of 2022 and I am delighted to find out this author has numerous titles in her back catalogue for which I will be snagging from the library immediately!

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing an advanced reader’s copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“‘I can’t compliment you on how you look because there isn’t a word I can think of that’s enough.” … He didn’t think he would ever forget, for the rest of his life, the sight of Alix St. Pierre in the doorway of the maison. And it wasn’t just the dress; it was that smile. It was like snowflakes catching the moonlight against a black sky, diamonds suspended for an instant before they vanished. He’d felt his eyes smart, and then he couldn’t look at her at all.”

I just want to apologize for the word vomit that is about to ensue. For me, The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is one of those reads that doesn’t even register on my star rating system because five stars is indisputably inadequate. This books gets all the stars in the universe. Even as I sit and write this review, I’m dreading starting another book. I feel sorry for that book because I know it’s going to fall woefully short of giving me the feelings this book has. So bravo, Natasha Lester. You broke me. I’m so broken that I don’t even know how to review this masterpiece.

Friends, this is historical fiction/romance at its absolute finest. This story is told in dual timelines and the way this was done masterfully reveals the bits and pieces to the mystery of who is after Alix St. Pierre. The way each part of the timelines ended had me on the edge of my seat and aching to go back to that time. This was deliciously maddening because as soon as I got comfortable in one timeline I was pulled into another.

Alix St. Pierre’s story was both beautiful and heartbreaking. Reliving pieces of World War II through Alix’s eyes felt very real and it was extremely eye opening as to the many horrific atrocities that happened during this time. If this book doesn’t make you cry at some point, are you even human?! Lester’s writing is so lush and descriptive. From the streets of Switzerland and the Italian war front, to the Ritz of post-war Paris and the luxuriant rooms of Maison Christian Dior — the descriptions were so stunning and vivid. I truly felt like I was there! And the dresses, oh the dresses of Christian Dior. I want them all. If you read this, please know that all of the dresses noted in this book are real. It was so much fun googling them and being able to picture them in the story — especially a certain dress that is integral to the romance.

And so the romance! I wasn’t expecting it. I was not prepared for the way it utterly destroyed me. I’m not mentioning any names because the way to experience the deliciousness of it is to unravel it for yourself. It’s so multilayered and will break your heart while putting you back together.

There is also an entire cast of amazing supporting characters that could make this review go on for another ten pages. I absolutely loved diving into all the lives of Alix St. Pierre and getting to know all of the people that shaped her along the way. She’s such a fierce and courageous character thrown into extraordinary situations and the way she handles them with poise and grace is addicting. She has her flaws, but they make you love her and you understand why she is the way she is; I was rooting for her from page one. If you love history, fashion, mystery, unexpected twists and turns, and romance that makes you ache, I truly can’t recommend this story enough. The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is a timeless story that I will come back to over and over again.

Thank you to Forever for an advanced copy. My thoughts are my own.

In 1943, Alix St. Pierre is recruited by the U.S. government as a spy and is sent to Paris. There, she is assigned to a potential Nazi turncoat who is meant to help the Allied Forces. But there are always risks.

In 1946, Alix is in Paris as the head of publicity for the newly established House of Dior. However, Alix’s past is haunting her. Can she put it to rest and bring justice? Or will she drown in sorrow?

I have not read any of Natasha Lester’s novels prior to this one. Normally, I am weary about reading WW2 novels. It seems odd to me that the individuals who were there are also the people who don’t talk about it, and yet we as a civilization write stories about it. I think it’s important, but also it can be invasive and emotional. A fact that the author conveys throughout the whole novel brilliantly. The emotional and psychological impact that such horrors had on everyone and on the countries themselves was conveyed with the utmost detail.

I enjoyed Alix. I saw a lot of my grandfather in Alix and in Anthony. The emotional side, I should say. There were many things that my grandfather, and Alix, couldn’t talk about. However, I also found them all to be incredibly strong, realistic characters. I liked that the “past” was chasing Alix. Many believe that everything ended with the war, but that isn’t true. Scars can last a long time.

Even though this is historical fiction, I put Natasha Lester up there with David Grann and Erik Larson. It is easy to judge the individuals from a hindsight point of view. But we must remember that no one really knows how they will act or react. I felt Natasha embodied that with Alix, especially with her ending.

Overall I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre is a rich, deeply detailed story of an orphan who made good as a a publicist and a spy who is determined to seek revenge for the death of her fiancé. The story is told in three time periods (before WWII, during the war, and after the war). Alix lost her parents as a young girl and is taken into her friend Lillie van der Meer’s family. They go to a finishing school in Switzerland, The second time period, 1943-1945, finds Alix in training and assigned to go to Switzerland to gather information as she is multi-lingual. She cannot tell Bobby, her fiancé, or Lillie what she is doing. Alix reports to Allen Dulles who is in charge of the OSS in Switzerland. The third time period finds Alix leaving New York to go to Paris where she obtains a job for Christian Dior as his publicist.

The story is complex and themes of revenge, friendship, trust, and a possible romance. There are many characters, and I found it very helpful to make a character chart. I learned, while reading Lester’s Riviera House (a favorite of mine) that Lester is a master storyteller and she does lots of research to bring the reader a rich story that entertains and gives readers the feeling that they are in the story. I really appreciated Lester’s author notes! I would have liked a short epilogue (maybe 20-25 years later 1967ish) to see what happened to the characters. My thanks to Forever and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions in this review are my own.

As the book opens, the reader is introduced to Alix St. Pierre, a newly hired public Relations Master for the new couture fashion house Christian Dior in post-war 1947 France. The story unfolds in different layers with the reader learning about Alix St. Pierre's two prior lives: 1) her early years built on familial tragedy and 2) her time as a government operative during the war in which she loses her fiancée, Bobby. Even as Alix forges ahead with her new life and tries to find out who she is now, she must come to terms with her past actions. Those actions while well-intended gave rise to horrible consequences including the death of her fiancée. She must also hope her past, including a dangerous Nazi, does not find her first.

In addition, to Alix St. Pierre, this book has a wonderful chorus of supporting characters including childhood best friend, Lillie; a possible love interest; a sex worker/spy; the colorful Dior who insists on working at the top of the stairs as well as all those who work for the fashion house.

There was much to love about this book from the amazing descriptions of both the French fashion world and Nazis during WWII. Alix St. Pierre is fearless and pragmatic and is definitely a character you will want to cheer on despite her flaws.

I received this book in an exchange for a honest review. Thank you NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing!

Have you ever gone through an event that changed your life forever? For Alix St. Pierre it was WWII and her time working of a covert team trying to aid in Northern Italy.

What I liked:
- The house of Dior was a large part of the present day part of the story
- The strong female characters
- There was romance
What I didn’t:
- There were three timelines in the book; prior to WWII, during the war, and after. It honestly got confusing.
- I couldn’t connect to Alix. There was just something about her I couldn’t connect to.

Over all the book was a 3 for me. I loved the fashion and how the women’s roles during WWII and how they changed forever was central in the story but Alix was just not like-able

Chiffon, taffeta, silk, wool, swirl down the stairwell of the House of Dior. As Natasha Lester weaves a tale of love, war, trust, and so much more. Her vibrant words and details sweep you up and transports you back in time, a time when you must keep your mind razor sharp or have everything be whisked away from you. Lester breaks the book up into sections before, during, and after World War II. Focusing on the main character Alix St. Piere. Alix St. Piere is everything you want in a main character. Strong, bold, elegant, courageous, brave, and a sense a humor to get her through all that life throws at her. There is more to Alix then what meets the eye. There is a woman inside that finds it hard to trust and believe in others, after what she saw and witnessed when she worked as an OSS agent in Switzerland. Will she be able to believe in others again and wish upon a star that tomorrow will be better.

Alix St. Piere has had a life. Her parents were ripped from her at an early age during a tragic accident. Her best friend's parents took her into their home and lives. Leaving her to want for nothing but not able to pay them back. She is determined to make something of herself and to blaze her own trail. She is hired by the OSS during the war and is whisked away to Switzerland, where she is to spy and collect information from the Germans. Through her friendships and contacts, she develops so much more and is destroyed by the end of the mission. She moves to Paris at the end of the war to work for the House of Dior as head of PR. She still is looking over her shoulder knowing someone is following her. Will she be able to uncover who before they destroy the life she has created?

I loved this book and every other Natasha Lester book I have ever read. Lester takes you in and creates the perfect setting, characters, and plot to entice you. With the perfect touch of elegance and glam to light the way. I cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you to Natasha Lester and Forever Books for gifting me this sensational read.

I have read all of Natasha Lester's books, they have a strong female lead, doing something very progressive for their time, gut wrenching war story, mixed with a love story.

While some of her other books flick back and forth between now and war times with dual love stories running, this one focuses on the time of the war and the years following.

Alix, is strong, intelligent, and in stepping up to do her part in the war, is not willing to give all of that up to return to finding someone to marry, in her class system and give up on all that she is passionate about.

There is a mystery that runs through as they try to work out who an informant really is, and to make him pay for his war crimes.

The horror of war is always an emotional read, this is mixed with some very happy moments and a slow simmering love story.

I usually have my friend in Australia send me the new books as it is released in the US 6mths later, this year, I was able to read the ARC, so thank you NetGalley.

Alex St Pierre is an amazing character that I loved getting to know. From a career with Christian Dior to espionage to looking for Nazi sympathizers hers is a life filled with excitement and intrigue.

This is my first read by this author and definitely won’t be my last. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book to read and review!