Lyon of the Highlands (The Lyon’s Den Connected World)

 The Last Dress from Paris by Jade Beer

Title:  The Last Dress from Paris 

Author: Jade Beer
Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group 
Genre:  Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction
Format:  Kindle
No. of Pages: 380
Date of US Publication:  21 June, 2022
My Rating:  4.5 Stars

My Thoughts 

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.

Description

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.