18 August 2022

The Seamstree of New Orleans - Book Review

The Seamstress of New Orleans by Diane C. McPhail
Publication date: May 31, 2022
Pages: 304 pages
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ☆☆☆☆
Sweet Spark: The beauty of women helping women is truly timeless.

In 1900, the world is not an easy place for women. When Alice Butterworth's husband suddenly doesn't return to their home in Chicago, she starts struggling to make it on her own, while the rent is initially prepaid on their apartment. As winter hits, she knows Chicago is no place for a single pregnant woman to try and make it on her own. She leaves, at first in search of the mother-in-law she's never met.

Fate instead takes her clear down to New Orleans, where her sewing skills are in demand, and she's connected with another young assumed widow. But while Alice has only what she carries, Constance Halstead is relatively secure with her two young children, a trusted housekeeper, and trust money from her grandfather. 

The women's connection, along with the housekeeper and a society matron with power and money to spare, was wonderful. Their relationships are beneficial to them all, and strengthen daily alongside the backdrop of a leap-year mardi gras ball exerting the growing power of women.

I enjoyed this historical fiction, set mostly in my favorite city, very much! The ending was especially charming and inspiring, and I'd love to see a follow-up. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars and would recommend it to those who like women's stories and historical fiction.


Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my electronic copy of this book. Receiving the book for free did not influence my review, of course.

1 comment:

Trin Carl said...

Sounds like a fantastic read.