THE DRESS THIEF by NATALIE MEG EVANS

THE DRESS THIEF

BY NATALIE MEG EVANS

THE BLURB:-

A modern tale of desire and deception set in the world of 1930s Parisian haute couture.

Alix Gower has a dream: to join the ranks of Coco Chanel and become a designer in the high-stakes world of French fashion.

But Alix also has a secret; she supports her family by stealing designs for the foreign market. A hidden sketchbook, and a moment inside Hermès, is all she needs to create a perfect replica, to be whisked off to production in New York.

Then Alix is given her big break- a chance to work in one of the most prominent Parisian fashion houses- but at the price of copying the breakthrough Spring Collection.

And when a mystery from her past resurfaces in connection to a handsome war reporter, Alix learns that the slightest misstep- or misplaced trust- could be all it seems for her life to begin falling apart at the seams.

THE REALITY:-

I had seen this book on Amazon and had earmarked it for buying, so was overjoyed to find it staring up at me in a charity shop!

As a fashion designer, what's not to like about intrigue and glamour in the world of Parisian haute couture in the 1930s? I've been to Paris and it sure lives up to its stereotype, which is not a bad thing at all. I've walked the length and breadth of its streets in a day (Paris is small enough to do just that- mind you, I had no choice due to there being no trains running due to industrial action. I missed a Rene Magritte exhibition and a visit to the Catacombs due to nothing being open that day and it really pissed me off. Whenever I go to France, it seems that someone is striking somewhere).

This book stunk like an ashtray. Whoever had this before me smoked forty fags a day. As an ex-smoker, you realise that you don't appreciate how much cigarettes stink until you give up and can smell a fag being lit five floors down.

This book was written in a bouncy style that led a merry old dance through Paris, back to Alsace- the county of origin of Mathilda and Jean-Yves- and also through Verrian's life. I loved the way the couture House of Javier was described: from its workings to its workrooms, with its petty jealousies, bullying and favouritism. Nothing has changed in the fashion industry, then!

I warmed to the heroine, Alix, immediately and sympathised with her position- a talented young lady with the natural skills and charm to “make it” but in the unfortunate and familiar position of simply needing to make ends meet. I liked the mix of good and bad throughout the characters and also the mystery of Alix's attacker, which came as a REAL surprise.

The author also adds her own notes at the end of the book, including those regarding fashion in the 1930s and female couturiers. She also includes her recipe for French onion soup- I must try it to see if it tastes better than mine!

A gem of a book- fun and charming.

THE REJECT'S CLUB SERIES...

The Reject's Club as a Kindle series

A big thanks to all of you who supported me and bought my first novel, The Reject's Club, and good for you for getting in there! Following feedback, I have decided to try marketing my work as a series, so have suspended the complete version of my book.

These were the comments that came my way:-

1. Many people aren't regular or voracious readers, and might find the sheer size of such a work (722 pages) off-putting. Yep, I could flatten this book in a few days, but then I suppose that not everyone's like me!
2. The font, at 10 point was too small to read. It's now 12 point.
3. The margins were too big. I'm no expert at publishing (or marketing for that matter, which is why I need an agent and a publisher) but this one's now sorted.
4. “You look half-naked in your photograph on the back cover!” I'll refrain from adding a saucy comment, but I can understand why some people might not think the slutty, strapless dress look overly-professional! I cropped the photo so you now get just a phizog shot instead.
5. People want a novel that's easy to slip into their handbags when they get on the train or are going away on holiday. I can understand that. I have an unread copy of Scarlett- the sequel to Gone With The Wind- sitting here, and the very reason I haven't read it is that it's too big to cart around. This is what really sold the concept of serialization to me.
6. More than one publisher told me that, at 320,000 words, it's very long- when you consider that most novels come in at more like 120,000 words. And for me personally, I think I may have set the bar way too high, as I've every intention of making subsequent works around 160,000 words (500 pages) long.

But the best feedback of all was that The Reject's Club is far too good to be on just Kindle alone- it needs to be out there in the shops. I'm inclined to agree, especially considering some of the sheer TRITE I've read recently, and by experienced authors at that. I am going to take a short break, then will begin my onslaught to agents and publishers again...wish me luck!

The Reject's Club as a paperback series.

Here is the link to the Kindle and paperback series:-  http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=THE%20REJECT%27S%20CLUB

IRREGULAR CHOICE TULIP TOWN SHOES...

I am the epitome of badness and will not go to heaven. Not that I want to, I wouldn't know anyone! wink emoticon

I've always wanted to own a pair of Irregular Choice shoes, but there was one small problem- I don't like most of their designs! They look like something a courtesan would have worn in the 17th century.

But these delights are called "Tulip Town" and will do me just nicely.  And they cost me only £15 off eBay- result!

THE NIGHT WATCH by SARAH WATERS

THE NIGHT WATCH

BY SARAH WATERS

THE BLURB:-

Tender and tragic, set against the backdrop of wartime Britain.

The Night Watch is the extraordinary story of four Londoners: Kay, who wanders the street in mannish clothes, restless and searching...Helen, who harbours a troubling secret...Viv, glamour girl, recklessly loyal to her soldier lover...and Duncan, an apparent innocent, struggling with demons of his own.

Moving back through the 1940s, through air raids, blacked-out streets, illicit liaisons and sexual adventure, to end with its beginning in 1941, this is an astonishing novel.

THE REALITY:-

I've read Tipping The Velvet and Fingersmith, by the same author- both were brilliant, mucky, lesbian Victorian romps, and the TV adaptations were equally enthralling! I've also read The Little Stranger, a ghost story that was good, but not brilliant. After watching the TV adaptation of The Night Watch, which was compelling, I chanced across the novel in a charity shop and decided to give it a go.

Yawn! It was too long bloody winded and a bit of a mission to get to the end. Also, the author's overuse of the word “queer” as an adjective really began to piss me off.

Wartime London was absolutely beautifully depicted, and the characters were varied and very real, and I liked the way the story actually ran backwards in time- a very original concept, I've never come across this in a novel before, so top marks for ingenuity. You get a good mix of good and evil, from the very manipulative Julia, who seems to have an axe to grind and who is truly out for herself, and the creepy Mr. Mundy to Viv, helpless in the arms of her married (seemingly nice but bastard incarnate) lover and Duncan, who's only crime seems to be misdemeanour.  I also loved masculine-styled Kay (probably the key figure in the book) and liked the subtle way the characters interlinked.

Some scenes really stuck in the mind, such as Viv's illegal abortion (us modern girls do not know how lucky we are, what with such things now legal, and also with our free access to reliable contraception) and the revolting, grossly disturbing details surrounding wartime life in a male prison.  The author is good with getting to the nitty-gritty with an essential abundance of gruesome detail, which really brings the feelings of the participants to life.

I kept reading to the end (even though I vaguely remembered the made-for-TV film) as I wanted to find out about the fate of Alec but really, this novel dragged quite a bit and was overly drawn out. Ms. Waters has been nominated for a lot of literary awards, but I do have to question what the exact criteria for these pretentious honours are, as this was good but not exceptional. Still, I look forward to reading more work by this author.

ONE LAST DANCE by JUDITH LENNOX

ONE LAST DANCE

BY JUDITH LENNOX

THE BLURB:-

As the twentieth century draws to a close, Esme Reddaway knows that she must uncover the truth. A truth that began during the First World War when Devlin Reddaway fell passionately in love with Esme's elder sister Camilla, and promised to rebuild his ancestral home, Rosindell, for her.

But the war changes everything and Devlin returns to England to find that Camilla is engaged to someone else. Angry and vengeful, he marries Esme, who has been secretly in love with him for years.

Esme tries to win Devlin's heart by reviving the annual summer dance. But as the years pass she fears that Rosindell has a malign influence on those who live there, and the revelation of a shocking secret on the night of the dance tears her life apart. Decades later, it is she who must lay the ghosts of Rosindell to rest.

THE REALITY:-

Another great read from the pen of Judith Lennox. I've read most of her books and whilst I don't think this is her best novel, it's certainly not her worst- but then again, she's never written anything that could be described as “rubbish!”

Her style appears to have changed- or maybe evolved would be the better term, as all writers grow and develop over time. She uses the present tense in certain parts of the novel, which some readers have criticized. I personally think that, in the broader sense of the book, it works.

She uses the theme of two sisters becoming involved with the same man. I've seen this thread used before in her novels but in reverse, with a main female character having a close friendship with two brothers both in Written On Glass and, to a lesser extent, in The Shadow Child. I guess that if you are a successful writer who has written loads of books, then you are going to end up repeating some circumstances, especially if those circumstances are close to your heart or seem to “work” for you.

I wonder if the writer was trying to evoke Rebecca-esque feelings, as this novel was set in The Devon countryside (I've never been to Devon- note to self, make the time to holiday in both Devon and Cornwall) and Rosindell Hall ended up being set alight and almost destroyed in a blaze. Whether yes or no, the ghostly Rosindell and its location were very atmospheric and interesting.

There were many characters in this novel and sometimes too many were introduced at once, making the story confusing. I liked the slutty (and heartless) Camilla- every book needs a villain, and it's good to find a female version of one! I could also associate with the almost Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Zoe, with her need for solitude and order and her lack of spontaneity and hate of disorganization. Some of us like to work out exactly what we will be doing at the beginning of each day and don't like changes to routine, and feel threatened by the concept of adventure, so there!

The “secret” part of the story was all too predictable, as was the final ending and revelation of truth. But, all in all, a fantastic and very highly recommended read.

BAY OF SECRETS by ROSANNA LEY

BAY OF SECRETS

BY ROSANNA LEY

THE BLURB:-

Set between England and the Spanish Canary Islands, three women discover a surprising truth about their shared pasts.

Spain, 1939

Following the wishes of her parents to keep her safe during the war, Julia is forced to enter a convent in Barcelona. Looking for a way to maintain her links to the outside world, she volunteers to help in a maternity clinic. But worrying adoption practices at the clinic force Sister Julia to decide how far she will go to help those placed in her care.

England, 2011

Six months after her parents' shocking death, thirty-four-year-old journalist and jazz enthusiast Ruby Rae has finally found the strength to pack away their possessions and sell the family home. But as she does so, she unearths a devastating secret her parents, Vivien and Tom, had kept from her all her life.

THE REALITY:-

“Three women discover a surprising truth about their shared pasts...” says the blurb. Well, actually no, I read the story and it's two women and one man who discover a surprising truth about their shared pasts... Could those that write the blurb at the back of a novel kindly read the story first, or otherwise leave it to the author? Please and thank you.

This was a wonderful story that was really heartfelt and touching, starting with the tried and tested formula of one of the characters finding a shoe box containing mysterious things pertaining to her parents. It slipped between Ruby's current, modern-day life and Sister Julia's nicely researched historical life as a nun with superb and page-turning ease, continuing pleasantly when the two collided.

All the characters were definitely there for a reason- not superfluous fluff- making this a compact story and an great read. The descriptions of West Dorset and Fuerteventura were so lifelike it made me want to go and visit both of 'em, right now! This novel dealt with the situation of “delayed registration” on a birth certificate- this was not something I have ever come across before and, as I always like to learn new things and keep improving myself constantly, was a very good subject springboard for a story.

My only dislike- and it's a BIG one- is that the story was not tied up properly. If you are going to have a character find out that they're adopted, and go off in search of their birth mother, then at least let them get to actually find and meet her at the end, otherwise the book ends up being unfinished.

Rant over. This novel is still worthy of a read and was a bit of a gem, it's just a shame about the disappointing lack of a real ending.

THE SUMMER GUEST by EMMA HANNIGAN

THE SUMMER GUEST

BY EMMA HANNIGAN

THE BLURB:-

Lexie and her husband Sam have spent years lovingly restoring No. 3 Cashel Square to its former glory. So imagine Lexie's delight when a stranger knocks at the door, asking to see the house she was born in over sixty years ago.

Kathleen is visiting from America, longing to see her childhood home... and longing for distraction from the grief of losing her husband.

And as Lexie and Sam battle over whether or not to have a baby and Kathleen struggles with her loss, the two women realise their unexpected friendship will touch them in ways neither could have imagined.

In Caracove, there's more than a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

THE REALITY:-

A truly lovely story at a time when I needed a truly lovely story and a bit of an uplift! After reading the blurb, I did worry that I'd stepped into the genre of chick lit, but this wasn't sarcastic chick lit that tries to be clever and ironic but ends up being painful (urgh!) This was more than that- a great story, told very well.

As most of the main characters are around my age group, it was easy to associate with the issues that they're dealing with. I think it's always important to create good, descriptive scenes, so that readers can envisage where exactly things are taking place, and the writer does this well with her detailed depictions of Lexie's house and the area of Dublin she lives in, and also the surrounding part of Ireland. It helps that I've been to both Dublin and Howth- it's nice to read novels set in places you've been to.

The lives of the characters are all clearly depicted, along with their shortcomings, issues and angsts. Kathleen's entry into the story offers a totally new perspective and though at first Amelie's teenage diary writings got on my nerves, I do think they were important for building her character, and also as an added contrast in terms of writing style.

The supernatural appearance of rainbows, albeit in unexpected ways, add a sense of other worldliness and make us question whether there is some kind of afterlife, and whether the dead come back to visit the living one way or another. I personally think they do!

Although there is sadness in the story, things do kind of work themselves out to a natural conclusion and the story finishes all wrapped up. Difficult to put down, and a truly magical read.