BLOG TOUR + REVIEW: The Milliner's Secret by Natalie Meg Evans

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My Synopsis

Imagine This: It’s 1940s in Paris. You make hats for a living. But your dad is beating the life out of you and taking back all your hard-earned money. How’s that living?

A Londoner, you always imagine yourself living your dream in Paris. You’d escape your dad’s fists. You’d ran to Paris and begin a whole new life out there. Paris, the city of lights with many possibilities.

Except you had no idea how dark your future would turn if you make it into Paris. A one-chance opportunity presents itself, and before you know it, you are waking up in bed in the arms of a married man. In the City of Love, you become a mistress. Ahh, bliss.

Then the Germans invade, sending your life into turmoil. They’d kill any Jew, any Gypsy and definitely any Englishwoman masquerading as French with a new identity. The secret of your nationality, you’d die to keep. Because if you reveal it, you’d die anyway.

But whoever said, this secret is your biggest problem? Soon, you’d have to face devious fashion-rivals, Gestapo, a scorned lover fighting for the enemy, helping friends escape brutality and lots of danger in a city dominated and run by die-hard Nazis. When all this is accomplished, your life, if you ever have one, would never be the same again.

Coralie de Lirac/Cora Masson’s treacherous life summed for your delight.

MY REVIEW 

I loved this book! So in my review, you’d know I’d be yelling at you to go buy the hell out of it along with lots of vintage hats!

Yet again, Natalie Meg Evans wows with a wild storyline set in '40s Paris—a time of war, resistance, and love if you ever have the time! Stunning! I’m fiercely very scared for debut authors releasing a sophomore title. A sophomore title which might not outrun or even match the success of their debut novel. This storyline is a winner, carving out an image for Natalie Meg Evans as a historical romance author who breaks (fashion) boundaries, destroys enemies and neatly weaves romantic plots in Paris during the second world war! I fear no more for Natalie Meg Evans' inevitable success. A star.── ★

I loved the lead! SO, SO much! Very ballsy, very daring, the kind of historical heroine that would grab you right from the start! You’d love Coralie, for the tough decisions she has to make to save herself, her little daughter, and her friends. Her struggle to make it in Paris is so engaging. Then when she finally makes it, her struggle to keep all she has from falling apart would reel you in further. A star!── ★★

Other characters are amazing! You’d love Una Kiplin, the American fast-talking, fashionista who has lots of lovers falling at her feet. You’d love Dietrich, the German-lover who would stop at nothing to protect our lead (then make love to her). You’d also adore, Ramon, our lead’s husband, who’s quite the charmer, given he’s an anarchist (are those types charming at all?). You’d also fall in love with Teddy, the flamboyant art dealer who takes a liking to our lead. Lots and lots of characters in this book you would adore. Even the ones, you’d have to hate—Serge Martel, the shady club-owner who loves to bite off ears in the throes of love-making; Lorrienne, the scorned milliner who would do anything to destroy our lead’s business; Hiltrud, the wife of Dietrich, who would take a journey of vengeance that would leave readers gasping. A star!── ★★★

There’s something about this book I cannot help but bring up. The dialogue! It’s sharp, fast, and very… different. I didn’t really realize that was one of the engaging features of Nat Meg Evans’ writings till I remembered her debut. The Dialogue embodies the beauty of the age Nat Meg Evans writes about—an age of fine sarcasm, an age of witty comebacks and innuendoes stronger than a fist. A star!── ★★★★

There’s suspense that would keep you holding this book. I can vouch that you’d only drop this book only to go get yourself a hat… after you are done reading. There’s also humour to keep you chuckling. A star.── ★★★★★

Very few writers do this: make you forget how excellent their previous title—which was also their debut—was after reading their latest! If you have read The Dress Thief (—if you haven’t, I highly recommend it!), after reading this, you'd be thinking: Debut? What debut?

My rating: Five/five stars!

The Milliner’s Secret is available on amazon.

I recommend this to anyone who wants something historical to get cosy with this summer. Anyone who’s been a fan of Hitler-themed novels should grab this off the shelves. If you also love couture in Paris in the forties, this book is for you. Most importantly, if you want a book with an amazing plot, an engaging heroine, do not hesitate to get this. This is not your average historical romance with leads worrying about how tight their corsets are fancying and not-quite-fancying rogues and knights—if you would pick this title expecting a standard historical read you'd be disappointed! This, is one of the many reasons I love Nat Meg Evans!

My work not done here. Off to post my review on Goodreads as well as amazon.

Book Review: The Dress Thief by Natalie Meg Evans

MY Synopsis

Imagine This: It’s 1930s, Germany is waging war over Spain and Paris is still the heart of haute couture on the globe. Think Chanel, Think Hermes. And think you, with dreams of establishing your own successful fashion brand.

You might not have the income, or a lover as in Coco Chanel’s case, but you sure do have talent. And you are looking for that one little break to shoot through the ranks of fashion’s elite. But dreams and talents do not put breakfast on the table of you and your fragile grandma, shitty jobs do.

Then suddenly, a task falls in your lap. Your boyfriend has managed to pull a gig that would grant you the opportunity to be all that you want. The task? Copy the whole spring-summer collection of a renowned fashion house. Every detail. Down to every thread. The result? So thousands of fakes could swamp the New York ready market for cheap counterfeit couture. The prize? A lot of money.

It’s all a very easy-task when you are plunged in the fashion house to act as mole.

But things wouldn’t be as easy as you assumed. Because you might find it difficult to gain the trust of this theatrical designer, you might be fighting off the advances of one model’s dangerous boyfriend, you might be having your thoughts constantly wrapped around an English Adonis reporter who promises a second date but disappears, you might face the threat of being arrested by the fashion police. And as though all the above isn’t scary enough, there’s a killer on your tail, threatening to make you disappear if his demands are not reached.

In a world of lies, deceit, hatred, love and haute couture Alix Gower must keep her head in the game or lose it––literally.

MY REVIEW

I loved, loved this book. So you know in my review I’d be yelling at you to go get it.

Girl wants to succeed in fashion, Girl is giving the most treacherous task, Girl needs to keep her mind focused on her family, a possible love life and her life if she wants to live long enough to be a name on every fashion enthusiast’s list. Amazing strory-line! Who really doesn’t want to read about 1930s popular culture teamed with some good, old vintage love story? A star to the story-line. ── ★

An enchanting heroine! Alix Gower might not be today’s it-girl, but she sure is a force for the Kardashian sisters to reckon with (except when you consider the bootay). You’d love her passion to survive in the cutthroat world of fashion, you’d love her sense to pick the style of clothes down to every detail metres away, you’d love her artistic talent to design something fresh, and her ability to predict future trends. Not to portray her as a die-hard, fashion girl––which she is, you’d be enthralled by her curiosity to tie-up the bits and pieces of her shattered past, and her intelligence. A star to the lead. ── ★★

A terrifyingly addictive plot! You wouldn’t want to put this book down. All through it, you’d be swishing from foot to foot to let go of this book so you could go spend the rest of the holiday festivities with your family. High levels of suspense and intrigue to get you flipping for more even though you’ve completed your reading limit for the day. ── ★★★

Marvellous supporting cast! There’s Verrian, the hot English reporter who would never call in time for a second date. There’s Monsieur Javier, the theatrical talented fashion designer. There’s Mémé, the secretive grandmother who worries Alix is quitting a shitty job for a shittier one with long hours and peanuts as salary just to chase her dream. There’s Bonnet, the artist friend who’s bad enough to keep a secret after a little pint. There’s Madame Rey, the nosy concierge who probes too much into Alix’ love life. There’s Serge Mantel, the persistent model’s boyfriend who has very strange tastes in bed.  Madame Kiplin, who reminds you of a pretentious socialite known to wear only counterfeits. Rosa, the landlady with witty sayings and quotes who deserves a twitter account. Loads of other characters that are amazingly developed. ── ★★★★

Humour ── ★★★★★

My rating: Obviously a five/five star book. And it’s not every debut you could label a five-star read so applause to Natalie Meg Evans.

Natalie Meg Evans' fabulous debut is available on amazon.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read about the hip, vintage world of the 1930s, anyone who wants a title laden with suspense and intrigue and anyone who wants a story with an engaging lead enough to keep you awake through 500 pages.

My work not done here. Off to post my review on goodreads.