Author: Natasha Lester
Started: May 28, 2002
Finished: June 4, 2022
In 1940s Paris, Estella Bissette lives with her seamstress mother. As the Germans advance, her mother decides to send her to America with only her meager belongings, a few Francs, and her sewing machine. Somehow, Estella must figure out how to make a name for herself in the fashion industry to make her mother's wishes for her come true. Throughout the story, we discover how Estella made her mark, remembered her mother, and gained the family she chose.
In this dual timeline in 2015, Fabienne Bissette, Estella's granddaughter, takes part in the Mets Gala that looks back on her grandmother's amazing career. It was this night that started her journey to discovering her beloved grandmother's mysterious past and how her life is changed because of choices other people made.
This almost 500-page book takes you on a full journey of Estella and Fabienne's lives. This historical fiction includes the story of Evelyn Nesbit and Harry Thaw and their extremely toxic dangerous relationship. Natasha Lester did such an amazing job of putting the story and timelines together to make one cohesive story. This was a book my daughter picked for me off my shelf for me as I was having a hard time choosing and this was a perfect fit for the moment. This is my first Natasha Lester read but I will definitely be reading more.