Book Review for The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

 The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

Paperback, 384 pages

Publication: June 21st 2022 by Berkley Books

 

Taken from Goodreads:  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.

My Thoughts:  WWII era in Paris is an amazing town.   The Last Dress from Paris is post WWII and also set in the current time.  Sylvie sends her granddaughter, Lucille, to Paris to find the dresses that tell her story.  The dresses all come with a notecard that tells of the history of the dress, where the dresses were worn, and what was said when the dresses were worn.   I love, love, love learning of the history of post WWII.  The way of life of the diplomats, what was expected of their wives, and how the world perceived them is so different from today’s world. 

Jade Beer must have done so much research not only of post war Paris but also of the couture of the time, specifically Dior.  The descriptions of the dresses brought them to life, I could picture each one as they were talked about in the book.  I cannot imagine a world where you kept a list of where you read each dress, who was there, and what was said just so you do not wear them again with the same people.

I love reading about Lucille following the clues to figure out her grandmother’s history, which surrounded so much of the dresses.   The relationships she formed while traveling around Paris were phenomenal.  The places she went were iconic, places I dream of visiting.  

If you love the 50’s, Paris, WWII, fashion, and historical fiction this is the perfect book for you. 

**Thank you Berkley for a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.  

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