I love historical fiction, and I am an avid sewist myself, so I thought I couldn’t lose with this story. The premise is a good one: it is 1900 in Chicago and New Orleans, where two women have husbands disappear under different circumstances. Fate brings the women together, and they develop a friendship.
One of the problems I have with it is the writing style. The author repeats ideas, thoughts, and even dialogue, not just a couple of times, but incessantly. If the repetition was removed, the story would likely be a lovely novelette, or even short story. Next, the villain is removed “offstage,” which gives it less impact. The ending (SPOILER!) leaves one of our characters less forthcoming than the other, which also bothered me. And lastly, I always have a problem with cover art that does not reflect the actual story. The dress on the cover has nothing to do with the dress being sewn throughout the story, which is described in great detail. Overall, I really wanted to love this story, but it was just okay. ( )

Writing style stilted and awkward.

Forced-in diversity with a gay male scene right at the outset on Page 5.

Moving on. ( )

Allow two days for this PG15 complex historical mystery set in New Orleans, Louisiana and Chicago, Illinois between September 1899 and late 1900, and featuring two women: Alice McGuire Butterworth of the Great Plains who marries Howard Butterworth in Chicago, and Constance Halstead, wife of Benton Halstead, in New Orleans. I had an ARC and this is my voluntary review. ( )

An interesting story of two women, both abandoned (in different ways) by their husbands, who find each other, build a friendship, and create their own sort of family. Constance is a modestly wealthy woman in New Orleans, grieving after her husband's murder. Alice is left nearly destitute in Chicago after her husband disappears without a trace. Alice travels toward New Orleans, seeking news of her husband and work for herself. Her path crosses with Constance's and the two women form a friendship as Alice creates a magnificent grown for Constance to wear to an upcoming New Orleans ball. A decent read overall, but the final twist was very predictable (at least for me). ( )

The lives of 2 women, Alice Butterworth in Chicago and Constance Halstead in New Orleans, become intertwined like delicate stitches on the finest garments in a way neither could have imagined. After a surprising turn of circumstances, Alice makes her way to New Orleans. As Constance is grieving the loss of her husband Benton, a friend who knows both women sees an opportunity to help them.

It is an engaging story that brings aspects of the cultural expectations for women at the turn of the 20th century; the changes access to a sewing machine in the home brought to women’s lives, the first all-female Mardi Gras krewe, and the history of New Orleans Storyville district.

The dynamics of the seamstress creating a unique ball gown and mask for the Mardi Gras event, with each woman inspiring each other as they discussed the design and the accents possible due to their knowledge of mythology and the talent of the seamstress herself was an extraordinary part of the novel. Even with the author’s beautiful description, this is one time when I wished for at least a pen and ink drawing of Constance before she left for the special evening event.

The main secret in the women’s lives was easy to detect long before the reveal in the storyline but doesn’t diminish the reading experience, nor the inspiration of reading of the friendship that strengthens, encourages, and nurtures not only the women but the children in their lives.

Book clubs will appreciate A Reading Group Guide with discussion questions provided at the end of the novel. The Author’s Note and Q&A with Diane McPhail also illuminate interesting facts on the writing of historical fiction and are points specific to this title. ( )