The Dressmaker of Paris is the debut novel from Georgia Kaufmann following one woman’s story of loss, trauma and suffering as she navigates her world following a life changing incident. She is trying to come to terms with this and to reconcile with a decision she made which at the time she viewed as the being the best choice given her circumstances. Over the course of her life she struggles to find true independence that will make her comfortable in her own skin but the loss she bears is deep and the guilt eats away at her. How can we right a wrong which at the time was perceived as a right as said decision would hopefully benefit all involved? The woman was always looking to the future for security given the humble background she had come from but events in her late teens conspired against her and altered the course of her life.

When we are introduced to Rosa in New York in 1991 she is preparing for the most important meeting of her life and as she takes care in getting ready she recollects her story to somebody. We do not know who she is speaking to, nor who is she preparing to meet, but as she casts her mind back over her eventful life we come to understand how she reached the position she holds today. We are taken through a large time period and across many countries as her life and evolves, alters and develops. She has spent her life running but the time for that is finally over as she confronts the repercussions of the decision she made so long ago.

Rosa will never be able to fully love again until she is healed. She seeks this love in many places and at some points in the book, I thought she believed that she had found it but that deep burning love that one has for a certain somebody always truly evaded her. I think when she thought it had arrived at her door it was merely a façade on her part in some instances. She is constantly restless, never truly happy and confident in her own skin and that is all because of the choice she made that at the time she believed was the best as she had no other option. She can cover over her tracks and keep secrets and try and be successful in her professional and public life but the guilt she feels and the longing that is always there will never be quashed until she has gained acceptance and forgiveness from whom she seeks it the most.

Georgia Kaufmann excels in bringing the multitude of settings that feature in this book to life. We begin in the Alps in Northern Italy where Rosa lives in a hilltop village. Her family run the local gausthus. The families agonise over their identities. Are they German or Italian and even more so when the Germans arrive and take control of their village during the war. The author details life in the village and how danger, fear and wariness lurk at every corner. Rosa becomes taken with a Thomas Fischer and would like to pursue this but he is on the opposite side. The enemy. An horrific event in which her father is complicit, and her mother has no idea about sees Rosa leaving the village secretly aided by a true friend.

She arrives in Switzerland and is taken in by a professor. She knows this is only but a stop gap as her true talent for sewing and dressmaking emerges and a better life is needed to be made. Facing a cruel and life impacting choice in which there is no right or wrong decision she makes the ultimate sacrifice. One which given time, courage and determination will see things pay off. But is she willing to deal with the consequences of her actions? Will everyone else involved carefully slot in with her plan and ultimate vision? Or do others move on in her absence and therefore she is left haunted by her decision?

I loved the section of the story set in Paris as real historical figures were brought to life on the page. I thought we got a fascinating insight into dressmaking in Paris and how designers and couture started to come to life post war. Rosa was ambitious but wary at the same time but Dior sees beneath her and knows she has a bright future ahead of her even if those around her do not know the secrets she holds and why she is so driven and determined. A meeting at an event sees her fall in love with chemist Charles Dumarais and her life takes another unexpected turn. Here is where things got slightly heavy after they venture to Brazil because of Charles’ job. Some of the scenes were hard to read because I didn’t like the way her life was turning out. I couldn’t falter the love she felt for Charles. It was real and genuine but I thought she was going further and further away from the reason for her plan. Aspects of the story that took place in Brazil were sad but at the same time there was happiness to be found and friendships to be forges in the most unexpected of places.

Perhaps the Brazil section was dragged out too much and it was a relief to move to the next phase in New York. Although success was coming her way, a new stage to her plan felt forced and unnecessary although it did bring about a redemption of sorts towards the end. Rosa was a hit and miss character for me. I loved her when she was in Italy and Switzerland but she changed, of course she had to, in Brazil and New York. I didn’t respect her decisions and I thought she needed to lay the ghosts of the past to rest in order to move forward. They were always dragging her down as there were so many and she needed to confront them but as for the majority of this book she was always running and evading what needed to be truly met head on.

The Dressmaker of Paris was a really good book and a well accomplished and written debut. Given the title I thought all of the book would be set in Paris and to be honest I thought it would focus on the war years. Instead we are given an awful lot more and yes this is a sweeping story that you will get lost in as the reader is taken with Rosa on an incredible journey. One you would have not thought possible when we meet her during World War Two as she lives with her family in the mountainous region of Northern Italy. She goes through many quick transitions in her life, always pushing forward with a goal in mind and at times this goal has to be pushed aside as other forces take hold. I did enjoy this book but I wasn’t as swept away in it as I thought I would be, maybe because I felt certain parts of it were too long and at times it strayed away from the main crux of the Rosa’s story. Her reason for always being on the running and seeking affirmation, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Don’t get me wrong it is a good book and that stunning cover will draw you in because that’s certainly what made me want to read it but there was just a slight something missing in it for me. I can’t quite put my finger on it but that feeling of rapidly needing to turn the page and you don’t even notice you are doing so and then all of a sudden you reach the end was absent for me. At times, certain parts were a struggle just because I felt the story needed to be moved on instead of extended description or focus on where Rosa was at a time. Saying all that I would definitely recommend this book, Georgia Kaufmann is a writing talent to watch out for and I am intrigued to see in which direction she will next venture in in future books.

This is a sweeping novel of a woman's life across three continents. Rosa narrates to a person she calls Ma Chere (the identity of this person is revealed at the end).. She started life in Italy, living in poverty and with abuse, and then moved through Europe. Her talent as a seamstress carriesher though and ultimately leads her to create a mini-empire. Is she happy? The narration is almost detached,. which makes it hard to get a connection with her but I found myself turning the pages nonetheless. Each chapter is framed around a different cosmetic- starting with lipstick- which is quite appropriate. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Interesting historical fiction.

A gripping book that is as dark in places as it is beautiful. A book that combines fashion, history and travel was always going to be right up my street however I was surprised at just how much it drew me in. I took a little while to connect with Rosa but I think that added to my love for the character as the book progressed.
The detail in this book is superb, each location travelled to perfectly described. Simply an addictive read from start to finish

Oh my goodness what a book it was so gripping.

It is the story about Rosa the hardship she has to go through to get where she is now. She is just a country girl working in her families business.

We see Rosa going from strength to strength but she has had to go through heartache to get there.

It certainly kept me wanting to know what would happen next.

Very good.

The Dressmaker Of Paris is an emotional and atmospheric read which was hugely enjoyable.

Rosa was a very interesting main character and I found it fascinating to follow her throughout her life. She’s definitely had a very hard life and lived through some emotional moments. The reader follows her through all the highs, lows, love and friendship that she experiences which allows them to understand more the kind of person she is. It did take me a while to warm to her as some of the decisions she makes I didn’t initially agree with, though I think as time goes on I came to understand more why she made them.

This book takes the reader to multiple continents which I found very enjoyable. The author has clearly done her research and I loved the way she included little details about the country and their customs which made me feel like I was right there experiencing everything alongside the reader. I learned a few new things about the countries along the way which I always enjoy.

Overall I really liked this book which I thought was very well written. It was a bit darker than I was expecting in places but I felt that this wasn’t over done and that it was balanced out nicely with other lighter moments. The ending was quite surprising and not at all what I expected which I always like. If you are a fan of historical fiction then I think you will like this book.

Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book.

Rosa Kusstatscher has reached a pivotal moment in her life. From a troubled and difficult childhood, she went on to build a global fashion empire that has taken her around the world, but there are some things from her past she’s never shared. As she prepares for an important meeting, she opens up and each chapter of her life begins with an observation of something in her bathroom that she couldn’t be without, be it nail varnish, cotton wool or aspirin. Its presence triggers a memory, and the next instalment of her story unfurls.

I found her an intriguing character from the beginning. We don’t really get introduced to present day Rosa, and it takes almost the entire book before we discover who she is talking to, where she is off to and why it is so difficult to choose just the right look. The book moves at the gentle pace of an older lady remembering an extraordinary life. We meet those who let her down and those who helped her move on, those who loved her and guided her, and those who left her.

As well as Paris, this book took me to some unexpected locations including the Nazi invasion of an Italian mountain village, Switzerland, Brazil and New York. Rosa became good at running away, but Paris was where she found her niche in the fashion world and turned her life around. She may have gone on to make her fortune, but the price she had to pay was a high one and it took a lot more running and searching before she found peace in her heart.

Rosa’s story was one that stayed with me long after I put the book down each night. As well as the glamour and love, alongside hard work, high risks and heartbreak, there was always something to ponder on as I tried to work out where her story was going.

If you are looking for a book to draw you in, that will give you history, travel, fashion and love, then The Dressmaker of Paris should tick all these boxes and more.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I requested this book, but I tend to really enjoy anything Paris related and so the title reeled me in. In actual fact very little of the book is based in Paris, but this didn’t deter me and I was swept into an emotional roller coaster of a book. I honestly felt every single emotion whilst reading this soul-stirring and sentimental novel.

It’s beautifully constructed, narrated by the main character Rosa Kusstatsher who is telling her life story to someone referred to as ‘ma cherè’ - we don’t know who this is until towards the end. The narrative reflects on Rosa’s life, beginning in the Italian Alps in World War 2 and spanning several decades, we follow her through to Switzerland, Paris, Rio de Janeiro and finally New York. She escapes from Italy as a young girl after something devastating happens to her, she leaves her family and makes her way on her own. Rosa is a talented seamstress and we see her gradually becoming successful in building up her fashion empire. Some of the diverse characters we meet along the way are wonderful and you can’t help but empathise or fall in love with them. The story is not at all predictable and there are one or two twists that really surprised me.

The Dressmaker of Paris is a real treasure of a book which will stay with me for a long time to come. It’s a beautiful, emotional and thought provoking and I was completely captivated by this wonderful story.

Written with such finesse that it's hard to believe this is the author's debut!

Rosa has a story to tell, and it is expertly written and unfolds beautifully. From her hard life as a young girl in a mountain village to the creator of a global fashion empire, she reveals everything - the good, the bad and, yes, the ugly. She is honest to a fault and her story is related while she prepares herself for the single most important meeting of her life.

I was first drawn to this book by both the title and cover; I've been known to create a few articles of clothing myself over the years so anything with 'dressmaker' in the title always piques my interest. I can't tell you how happy I am that I requested this one and didn't scroll on by. Unfolding at an even pace from first to last, it is a tantalising tale, which drew me in until I felt as if Rosa is - well, not my best friend, but definitely someone I was aware of. Skilfully created, this is an eloquent tale and I admired so much about Rosa whilst wondering if I would have been able to take the hard decisions she had to. This novel has left me feeling honoured and privileged to have been given a glimpse into Rosa's world and it's all wrapped up with a superb finale! Georgia Kaufmann is definitely an author to watch and, in all conscience, I really cannot give this one any less than a full five stars.

My thanks to the publisher for my copy via NetGalley; this is - as always - my honest, original and unbiased review.

I was attracted to this book by the absolutely gorgeous cover (a pair of scissors representing the Eiffel Tower). I also love historical novels.

Rosa Kusstatscher has built a global fashion empire upon her ability to find the perfect outfit for any occasion. But tonight, as she prepares for the most important meeting of her life, her usual certainty eludes her. As she struggles to select her dress and choose the right shade of lipstick, Rosa begins to tell her incredible story. The story of a poor country girl from a village high in the mountains of Italy. Of Nazi occupation and fleeing in the night. Of hope and heartbreak in Switzerland; glamour and love in Paris. Of ambition and devastation in Rio de Janeiro; success and self-discovery in New York. A life spent running - but she will run no longer.

The Dressmaker of Paris wasn't quite what I was expecting! I had thought it would be more a glamorous read, like one of those old 80s novels by Judith Krantz or Barbara Taylor Bradford. Instead it is grittier, even a bit dark in places, more like a family saga - so not really for me. The format is a story within a story, meaning we never get right into Rosa's head but witness her life at a distance. However, it is well-written and well-researched, and perfect for anyone who loves 20th century historical fiction, covering the 1930s to the 1990s. A solid four-star read.

Thank you to Georgia Kaufmann and Hodder & Stoughton for my copy of this book, which I requested from NetGalley and reviewed voluntarily.

My aim this year is to broaden my reading and this book is one of the first that I chose to read that is out of my comfort zone. And I am happy that I did.

Rosa is am ambitious and extremely successful businesswoman but she also has a problematic personal life which started with devastating events that occurred when she was in her teens. She manages to escape with help but a series of decisions affect her for many years. Regrets, guilt and loneliness are never far away, despite the very successful business, her first to marriage to Charles and her friendship with Graca giving her something else to live for. But what she really wants is unavailable and she finds it difficult to accept that somethings are beyond repair.

It did take me a while to settle into this novel, I don’t follow fashion trends and designers, even though I did know the names mentioned. But Rosa’s character was one that captivated me and I really enjoyed the way the chapters started with the descriptions of everyday beauty regimes.

Rosa has had a tough life despite her business success but her personal life changed in ways she didn’t expect when she moved to New York. As you would expect, with the type of life she had it wasn’t all easy but she somehow managed to analyse, accept and make the best out of a difficult situation.

It is a wonderful account of a life that starts in a Italian village in WW2 and ends up in a penthouse in New York, many mistakes made but also dreams accomplished. My favourite part of it was the last quarter when Rosa was able to come to terms with the decisions she had made.

As well as a great storyline with some fascinating characters I also felt it was a travelogue. I was able to see so many places through Rosa’s life story.

Wow this book brilliant it loved the writing style hooked from the first few words I could picture what was going on so clear in my head some part are very hard hitting it will pull at your heart strings I loved the plot who she grow as a young girl to a very powerful women
I live the chapter tiles it filled into the plot so well love how your know about dior channel who she describes nail was so good you could see her doing her nails in my head I love hearing about her life I can not recommend enough one lovely teaf

Fantastic read. I have been completely unable to put this one down. I cannot wait to read more by this author.
Full review to follow on publication.

The Dressmaker of Paris - Georgia Kaufmann

We follow a young girl growing up and seeing how certain events impact on her life and character. The perfect escapism for the current times as we get to take a journey through Europe - and any trip would be welcomed right now (but I would have liked if more of the story had been set in Paris.) Perfect for lovers of Historical Fiction.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for allowing me the chance to read and review this one!

The Dressmaker of Paris follows Rosa from her meager beginnings in Germany to her success as an internationally-renowned head of a fashion and beauty empire. Each chapter begins with Rosa speaking directly to the reader in her present day (in her 60s), and then flashing back to her life events. We begin to understand how, despite her monetary success and her romantic relationships, she has a black hole in her life, left by the people in her past (whom I will not mention to avoid spoiling the story).

Although I was driven to learn what happened to Rosa throughout the novel, I felt as though I couldn't fully empathize with her character. Though other reviews mention her anti-Semitism, I did not believe this to be true. However, I could not warm up to her either. The authorial intrusion did not help the matter. I found this approach off-putting, and even presumptuous.

Ms. Kaufmann knows how to tell a tale, and I don't believe it was poorly written, but as they say, it was not entirely my cup of tea. I encourage you to read it if this story intrigues you. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance e-reader copy of this book!

A lovely book a heroine that I cheered for .Her life full of difficulty hard times as she travels to success.The perfect book to take you out of your world into hers,#netgalley#hodderstoughton

An intriguing historical novel which tells the life of Rosa from 1940s to 1990s. The writing style was great and it felt just like Rosa was speaking directly to you. I was rooting for Rosa throughout all the twists and turns of her exciting life! I laughed and cried and would recommend this book to historical fiction fans.

One thing to note is that there are scenes of sexual assault and domestic abuse in case of any triggers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

There are so many things to appreciate about this book from the beautiful writing style and smart divisions within chapters (wheels within wheels!) to capturing the harrowing ordeals and effects of war to pondering true happiness and riches. My emotions were all over the place whilst reading as it felt as though I was reading a true story.

Rosa is a young teenager in Tyrol in WWII and suffers terribly under cruel Nazi occupation. She gladly escapes...but what does she escape to? And run from? Her life is barraged with heartache and she unfortunately continues to make one poor choice after the other as she ages. She does succeed, however, as a skilled dressmaker, and pursues money and fame and wearing the "right" clothes, makeup, hair styles, etc. She moves several times and each time finds new problems and is weighed down by past events and secrets which torment her. The story spans many years written in differing timelines and details her successes and failures, her passions and priorities.

Though I empathized with Rosa's plight, her character and decisions were frustrating, causing me to root for her at times, yet reluctantly. I engaged with the story, just not her. But we are always meant to fall in love with each character we meet! The ending was unexpected...and I love unexpected endings!

Historical Fiction readers interested in a surprising book, do read this. It was different than I thought it would be. Get lost in the story.

My sincere thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this enthralling book in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated.

I love reading the occasional historical fiction and my discovery of this novel was significantly facilitated by its beautiful cover, which is why as soon as I was approved for the ARC, I moved everything on my TBR aside and dove right into it.

Rosa Kusstatscher has built a global fashion empire upon her ability to find the perfect outfit for any occasion. Tonight, as she prepares for the most important meeting of her life, her usual certainty eludes her. What brought her to this moment?

As she struggles to select her dress and choose the right shade of lipstick, Rosa begins to tell her story. The story of a poor country girl from a village high in the mountains of Italy. Of Nazi occupation and fleeing in the night. Of hope and heartbreak in Switzerland; of glamour and love in Paris. Of ambition and devastation in Rio de Janeiro, and of success in New York. A life spent running, as she sees now. But she will run no longer.

The novel spans decades and continents in this riveting account of a young woman’s journey to self-discovery. As I followed Rosa in the retelling of her story and the struggles that were part of it, I often forgot how young she was. As a teenage victim who escapes the Nazi occupation, becomes Christian Dior’s Muse, and grows to be a world famous fashion icon and businesswoman, she takes each challenge in her stride. Her encounters with love, friendship, and sisterhood, encourage her to draw strength from within and rise above the heartbreak and tragedy.

As mesmerising as this novel is, what truly brings it full circle is the way it ends. It transforms your entire reading experience, leaving you with a heart bursting with emotion that is impossible to contain.

Inspiring, soul-stirring, and hypnotic, this novel will hook you with the first line and reel you in.

This ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Hodder Books.

The Dressmaker of Paris follows Rosa through decades of her life from her childhood in the Italian alps to her illustrious career as a dressmaker and designer.

The story is told from Rosa's perspective as she is sharing her life story. This theoretically should make the reader feel closer to Rosa, but she comes off as distant and condescending in her narration.

I generally found Rosa deeply unlikeable. My heart went out to her when she was sexually assaulted and when she described her father's abuse, However, I found her incredibly hard to connect with as a reader.

Rosa completely lost me when when she made an anti-Semitic comment. She said that she had never met a Jew before the professor she lives with in Switzerland and realizes that he is a human. There is certainly something to be said for realizing the similarities you have with those who are different from you, but the way it was phrased was jarring and upsetting to me.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise intrigued me, but I found the actual novel to be a boring slog with a snooty narrator.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I actually enjoyed this book, great storyline and great characters not normally the sort of book I usually read.