The Paris Dressmaker

By: Kristy Cambron

Narrated by: Barrie Kreinik

Length: 12 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Based on true accounts of how Parisiennes resisted the Nazi occupation in World War II—from fashion houses to the city streets—comes a story of two courageous women who risked everything to fight an evil they could not abide.

Paris, 1939. Maison Chanel has closed, thrusting haute couture dressmaker Lila de Laurent out of the world of high fashion as Nazi soldiers invade the streets and the City of Light slips into darkness. Lila’s life is now a series of rations, brutal restrictions, and carefully controlled propaganda while Paris is cut off from the rest of the world. Yet in hidden corners of the city, the faithful pledge to resist. Lila is drawn to La Resistance and is soon using her skills as a dressmaker to infiltrate the Nazi elite. She takes their measurements and designs masterpieces, all while collecting secrets in the glamorous Hotel Ritz—the heart of the Nazis’ Parisian headquarters. But when dashing René Touliard suddenly reenters her world, Lila finds her heart tangled between determination to help save his Jewish family and to bolster the fight for liberation.

Paris, 1943. Sandrine Paquet’s job is to catalog the priceless works of art bound for the Führer’s Berlin, masterpieces stolen from prominent Jewish families. But behind closed doors, she secretly forages for information from the underground resistance. Beneath her compliant facade lies a woman bent on uncovering the fate of her missing husband . . . but at what cost? As Hitler’s regime crumbles, Sandrine is drawn in deeper when she uncrates an exquisite blush Chanel gown concealing a cryptic message that may reveal the fate of a dressmaker who vanished from within the fashion elite.

Told across the span of the Nazi occupation, The Paris Dressmaker highlights the brave women who used everything in their power to resist darkness and restore light to their world.

• Stand-alone World War II historical fiction
• Includes discussion questions for book clubs

©2021 Kristy Cambron (P)2021 Thomas Nelson

Critic reviews

“Kristy Cambron deftly weaves multiple timelines to craft a story as complex and romantic and beautiful as a couture gown. In addition, Lila and Sandrine’s strength and courage in a troubled world inspire us to live likewise. Tres magnifique!” (Sarah Sundin, best-selling and award-winning author of When Twilight Breaks and the Sunrise at Normandy series)

“With real life historical details woven in with her fictional tale, the story popped off the page. Readers will be thinking of this book long after they've read the last word.” (Rachel Hauck, New York Times best-selling author)

“A well-researched and beautifully interwoven treatise on courage and conviction in the midst of oppression.” (Rachel McMillan, author of The London Restoration and The Mozart Code)

Excellent in all ways

I'm normally pretty critical of the literature I digest and that often takes away from my enjoyment of the story. This book was over in a blink for me - I drank in the heartwrenching details, felt the fear, and felt like I was standing side by side with the characters in the story. Wow, what a ride! This book was so well-written, I couldn't poke holes in the grammar or sentence structure. I just got to enjoy it. I can imagine this as a major motion picture film in the years to come, but I would hate to see any of the delicious details changed for screen. The narration was excellent as well. Well done to both author and narrator. Now I want to read more books from this author. Bravo!!

Felt like I was there

The performance was 1st rate. The story in many ways made you feel some of the anxiety of living through the war

I loved it.

I enjoyed this book. It sucked me in and I was totally enthralled with the story. when i first read the reviews I was dishearten by them, but I had no problem with the time travel back and forth. Kristy Cambron can paint a picture and it was enjoyable to be transported. I have a 2 hour commute everyday and I look forward to listening to the story. I found myself putting the story on whenever I got in the car. I loved it!

excellent - great details and pacing

loved this story - didn't know much about the civilians in occupied Paris and loved the two parallel stories of the women. Great pacing forward and backwards in time and the citing of the years was helpful. Exciting story I plan to listen to a second time. Clean, hopeful story despite the dark, heavy circumstances and historical setting

great read

Excellent...could not put down. very exciting. I enjoyed the back story very much. this was an excellent story about Paris during WW2.

Hard to follow

I enjoyed this book but as others have said the back and forth timeline was difficult to follow in the audio version. Possibly clearer to follow in a book. The back and forth timeline is popular with authors of these historical fiction books. I prefer to stick to one period.

Loved it!

I couldn’t wAit to have time to get back to this story! Great narration - I felt like I was living the experiences happening in the book. Recommend!

Fascinating and engaging

This story is amazing. I love how the author illustrates the story. There are several story lines in one. It jumps back and forth then ties them all together. The actual history mixed with the author imagination is captivating.

Fabulous

Well researched and thought out. Riveting situations that kept me on the edge of my seat. I am inspired by the women who aided the French Resistance so bravely. The narrator was very good. Bravo Kristy Cambron!

Intriguing storyline.

I do enjoy the stories of the brave men and women who helped undercut the German takeover of Europe during WW11. The Paris Dressmaker is no exception. That said it was hard to follow and keep the story straight with the shifting back and forth of time periods and characters.