"Sensitively explores the emotional journey of two sisters...a poignant narrative that will resonate with readers...[and] offers a fascinating glimpse into women's lives during WWII...Highly recommended to fans of Jennifer Ryan's books." --Historical Novels Review
Description
The author of the “enthralling” (Woman’s World) The Lost English Girl returns with a heartfelt new novel about estranged sisters who inherit their late mother’s dress shop in World War II London.
Isabelle Shelton has always found comfort in the predictable world of her mother’s dressmaking shop, Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions, while her sister Sylvia turned her back on the family years ago to marry a wealthy doctor whom Izzie detests. When their mother dies unexpectedly, the sisters are stunned to find they’ve jointly inherited the family business. Izzie is determined to buy Sylvia out, but when she’s conscripted into the WAAF, she’s forced to seek Sylvia’s help to keep the shop open. Realizing this could be her one chance at reconciliation with her sister, Sylvia is determined to save Mrs. Shelton’s Fashions from closure—and financial ruin.
Through letters, the sisters begin to confront old wounds, new loves, and the weight of family legacy in order to forge new beginnings in this lyrically moving novel perfect for fans of Genevieve Graham and Lucinda Riley.
Reviews
"The Dressmakers of London should come with a warning. You will become so immersed in the lives of the characters, their dilemmas and their relationships, that you just might ignore the world around you as you keep reading to see how the sisters will ever come together again. Watching the journey is truly a lovely experience." —Bookreporter
“An uplifting WWII story about familial struggles, societal standards, and forgiveness . . . Kelly portrays friendships built, sisterhoods solidified, and new, deserving love stories formed. Women's strength in the face of adversity is the focus of this fine historical novel.” —Booklist
"A captivating, uplifting story of family, fashion, and friendship during World War Two. Izzie and Sylvia are strong, resourceful sisters who have become estranged and I was rooting for them to heal the rift. The descriptions of fabrics, dressmaking techniques, and the ingenuity of fashion designers operating under wartime austerity measures are fascinating. Joyful!" —Gill Paul, USA Today bestselling author of Scandalous Women
