As much as I WANTED to enjoy this book, as I have enjoyed others written by this author, it just dragged for me. It felt as though it was flipping between two timelines and was difficult to keep up with.

Content warnings: war, suicide, murder, POW, death of a loved one

Alix St. Pierre uses the last of her money to move to Paris, where she accepts a job as the marketing director for a new fashion house -- Maison Dior. Surprisingly, the job makes good use of the spycraft skills she developed in the OSS during World War II.

The novel jumps back and forth from Alix's current job at Dior and her time working in Switzerland during World War II. Many bad things happened to Alix and those around her during the war and its aftermath, and some of them start to catch up to her while she's living in Paris. She joins forces with another former OSS agent to finally figure out what happened during a botched mission. But as the story progresses, Alix may be running out of time...

Recommended for fans of World War II fiction and historical women's fiction.

Representation: orphan, women with careers in the 1940s

Intriguing characters and a fabulous setting

When we first meet Alix St. Pierre in the early 1940’s, she is packing up from school and heading to Paris to start her new life….but not, as planned, with her best friend. She is undaunted and sets out to take the glamorous city by storm. But soon the tale shifts, and we see Alix returned to Paris again, this time after the end of World War II. Her experiences during the war have shaken her, but she is trying to start anew. A former colleague has arranged for her to interview with the fledgling House of Dior. But even as she is finding her feet in this latest life, something from her wartime past and its connections to the realm of espionage intrudes. In order to have a future, she will need to put to rest some dangerous secrets from her wartime life. There are people around her who are ready to help her….but there are some who want her life destroyed.

I have read many books, novels and memoirs alike, set in this time period. The glamour of Paris, the horrors and deprivations of war, the clandestine world of espionage…all are to be found in the pages of this novel, alongside the rebounding world of fashion. It is an enthralling read, both in deciphering the mystery of who is after Alix and why, and also in learning who Alix was and is, and how that has factored into the mystery at hand. Readers of Susan Elia MacNeal, of Aline Countess of Romanones, and others who write of women involved in WWII intelligence will enjoy this novel. I highly recommend it! Many thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

In the author’s notes, Lester comments there were many fun facts she could have included but it would have made the book twice as long. I would have preferred her adding in the fun facts and skipping the many irrelevant passages. Tightening the language and removing unnecessary characters would allow for more information about Dior and a cleaner, easier-to-follow story.

NOTE: I received early access to this book in exchange for writing an impartial review. Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing. Publication Date: January 10, 2023.

Bestselling author Natasha Lester has done it all! THE THREE LIVES OF ALIX ST. PIERRE is historical fiction with suspense, romance, two interesting story lines, three-dimensional characters that grow and change over time -- all set against the drama of World War II!

The novel moves back and forth in time (as so many contemporary books do these days), though together both only cover the period of 1937-47. At the center is Alix St. Pierre. Orphaned as a teen, Alix winds up living with her close friend (more like sister) Lillie's family, and, for the first time, experiences a world of wealth and privilege. Though she never quite feels like she belongs.

One story thread follows Alix's work during the war, where her facility with multiple languages lands her an important job working in intelligence. The second story involves Alix's post-war job in Paris, handling press relations for a brand new, visionary women's apparel designer, by the name of Christian Dior. In both positions, Alix excels, proving herself intelligent, resourceful, and strategic. But, in both situations, she also finds herself in danger. Because her war responsibilities have left a big target on her back and many Nazis are still walking the streets free.

One big theme of the book is examining gender roles. This is an era where society sees women primarily as second class citizens, whose proper rolls are as wives and mothers serving the careers and aspirations of their husbands. So even when a woman is assigned work where lives are at stake, is she ever fully trusted? Can she act independently? And what becomes of someone like Alix who succeeds so brilliantly in intelligence work, but is then expected to return to a subservient role when the war ends. This is exactly what happened to thousands of woman who worked and lived financially independent lives DURING World War II, taking on the jobs left behind by soldiers going overseas. And then, after the war, those same women were expected to quit those jobs and return to "domestic bliss."

So, yes this book offers page-turning plots, with many unexpected twists and turns.
And yes, there are interesting characters.
Along with a budding romance.
But what Lester has also done is given voice to the thousands (millions?) of capable women who have not had the opportunity to use their brains in the pursuit of valuable work outside the home. Understandably, when World War II ended, emphasis was on the returning soldiers. But Lester has reminded us all about the war's impact on women, by inserting 21st century feminist questions into this iconic 20th century event.

There is some violence in the book and a few moments where I thought the message was a little heavy-handed. (Some lecture-like dialog that made me wince a bit.) But nothing that spoiled my overall enjoyment of this very compelling read.

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester starts with us being introduced to Alix as she prepares herself to work in Paris for a new up and coming designer, Christian Dior.
Before Paris we meet Lillie. Lillie is Alix’ best friend and they’re inseparable growing up. But the time has come when Alix must go to Paris to pursue her dream.
I really enjoyed the character of Alix St. Pierre. One could say she’s a smart, fast talking, independent, trouser wearing, woman who is also a heroine. I loved her strength AND her vulnerability.
There’s a dual timeline in the book that flashes back during the war when Alix worked for the OSS. She is currently in Paris working for le patron, a nickname for Christian Dior. It’s 1946, and in the wonderful world of fashion in Paris and Alix has acquired a position as Director of Publicity for the House of Dior. Her presence there really makes some much-needed improvements.
Alix has lived with crippling guilt ever since the war ended. After stumbling upon a figure from the past, Alix enlists her closest friends to help with an investigation into finding out the identity of a Nazi informant whose bad information led Alix to launch a fatal mission that ended up with the deaths of men from her company. She must work closely with someone from her past to find out what happened. Alix believes that “listening and observing are critical skills when persuading.” She sets things in motion to find out the identity.
Her friendly and not so friendly banter with Anthony is well written. He is someone who is deep, difficult to understand but wants to be close to Alix, for what purpose? Is he a spy too? I’ll never tell.
One of the lines from Anthony was pivotal to the story “Maybe sometimes in a life there’s a moment when you get just what you thought you wanted – and it turns out to be everything you wished for”. His character really develops and makes this book even better.
Alix, always working and not accustomed to being told or forced to do anything goes to New York for work and later stated “when I returned to New York, they asked me to make posters telling women to quit their jobs and go home and cook nice dinners for their husbands. I told them I didn’t know how to spell husband.” This quote shows a lot of her quirkiness and sassiness.
Like a beautiful tapestry, the author’s intricately woven storylines are so engaging. I couldn’t put it down. I always look forward to the Author’s Note at the end to read about how the story came to be and what the historical facts are in the book. I especially loved the historical fashion in this book. Natasha’s meticulous research is amazing.
Thank you to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an Advance Readers copy in exchange for an honest review

Alix is the kind of woman that I wish every WWII woman could be. Bold, brave, and entirely unforgettable, while also the epitome of romance. As an avid historical fiction reader, I can say with confidence that Natasha Lester is one of the foremost voices in this space, deftly weaving fact with fiction and creating a story that is truly impossible to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy.

This book takes the reader back to a time in the past when Alix is deeply involved in WWII and then in the salon of one Christian Dior. I absolutely loved the settings of the story. The fact that a man from the past, from a totally different world, enters the world of fashion and Alix must find a way to make sure he gets what he deserves. Aside from the wonderful story, one of my favorite parts was seeing a character whose name I know well, seeing him in "real life" was so intriguing.

This was another amazing book by Natasha Lester. She is able to take her main character, Alix, and give her many different facets of life. Not only does she do amazing research but she also gives details in a way that you can imagine a Dior gown down to the stitch work. I always tell people to tell a new author. She is definitely a must on my list.

3.5 stars!

The beginning was kind of slow but once the story picked up I really enjoyed it. This was my 2nd book by this author and I plan to read more.

After many weeks of sitting on my currently reading shelf, I finally DNFed this book. The writing was amazing but sadly the story wasn't for me. I may pick this back up at a later date.

This has been one of my favorites in this genre so far.

Alix St. Pierre had secrets during the war that haunt her even after. She goes to Paris to try to escape those feelings but they end up following her and putting her life at risk once again. Alix tries to make a name for herself in the House of Dior but unknown people around her are threatening her and attempting to scare her out of Paris. She knows it's all connected to an event that happened during the war, but can she find out who in time? Does she even know who she can trust?

Excellent novel!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I wanted it to be. It had me turned pages without even realizing. It was so good!

Loved it!! Alix had some secrets during WWII but now she trying hard to make it in the fashion world in the House of Dior. Her worlds soon begin to collide. Told in 3 timelines the story of Alix begins to emerge. Spies, mystery, intrigue and of course romance. Who can be trusted?
Read it!

Thanks to netgalley for the read!

This one pulled me in quickly and I marveled at the writing of Ms. Lester (a new to me author), as she wove history, couture glamour, love, heartache, and intrigue so magically together.

Highly enjoyable and I am looking forward to reading more of the author’s work.

Absolutely recommended.

This story of a young woman, Alix St. Pierre, takes place before, during and after WWII. We meet her when she is a 13 year old orphan living with her friend and their family. As her journey and life continues Alix becomes a spy during WWII recruited by the U.S. because of her gift of languages...knowing French, Italian and German. After the war Alix heads to Paris where we find her working as a PR person for Christian Dior as he opens his fledgling house of fashion. However, while in Paris she is faced with a figure from the past during the war years that not only has her unsettled, but she finds she must investigate who this figure is. This is a person whose identity is that of the Nazi informant whose false information led Alix to launch her last mission that turned out fatally and led to the guilt she has carried ever since.

This novel filled with intrigue and spies during the war and that of the fashion world after WWII kept this book and the reader a story that couldn't let go until the very end. The research was impeccable and the characters well developed. I have long been a fan of Ms. Lester...none of her books disappoint and "The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre" is tops among them.. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great story written by Natasha Lester. She weaves history with love and heartache in a way that make you feel each character. Her background knowledge of the history behind the war and her descriptions of the settings makes you feel like you are in the book. Love when her books come out

Christian Dior is a familiar name in fashion, but an unknown in post-WWII when he hit fashion week with the New Look. What if his public relations director was a woman with a haunted past in the OSS that wasn't really in the past?
Postwar Paris, fancy named dresses, and spies.
Yes, please.

Fashion, historical fiction, spies and romance equal perfection! I absolutely loved this book. I highly recommend it!

I love Natasha Lester's historical fiction and strong female characters. The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre weaves together the stories of past and present, creating an interesting narrative and intriguing mystery. Alix is a strong woman who has faced many challenges throughout her life. She is a sympathetic and realistic character to whom readers will be drawn.,
This is another great novel by Natasha Lester!