Review #98: The Dressmaker by Posie Graeme-Evans (GIVEAWAY!)

*The Dressmaker by Posie Graeme-Evans

Genre: Fiction, Historical

Publisher: Atria (Simon and Schuster)

* (please click on title for more product and order information)

My Thoughts:

"A meeting of the romance of Jane Austen, the social commentary of Charles Dickens, and the very contemporary voice of Posie Graeme-Evans, The Dressmaker plunges the reader deep into Victorian England in all its rich and spectacular detail."

(from the book description)

I must say, this turned out to be such a delightful read. I was immediately drawn to the gorgeous cover and the time period and setting. They are always favorites of mine. I liked it so much that I have decided to do a Giveaway of my copy. I have no system whatsoever when it comes to Giveaways. When I feel it, I do it.

In this case, I would really like to bring some attention to this author, who was new to me before reading. I think this book and her others; a trilogy set in medieval Britain around the 1450s (show below) would appeal to many readers of historical fiction,

romance and women's fiction.

The Dressmaker opens up during the year 1843 in Norfolk, England. It is Ellen Gowan's thirteenth birthday and it is going to be splendid! Her father Reverend Edwin Gowan has invited many distinguished guests, many of whom are his pupils. Not a wealthy family but well respected in the community, Reverend Gowan teaches the young sons of many affluent families.

When an encounter between one of these sons and Miss Ellen occurs during the festivities, the outraged mother of the boy pulls him from the Reverend's class.

This swift move changes the future of the Gowan family, for when the news spreads, the Reverend is left without any students and no income coming in to support his family.

I will not give away any spoilers but this event changes the fate of Ellen and her family. We follow Ellen from that day to her eventual success as a sought after dressmaker. In between we meet the disastrous and cunning Raoul, who would become her husband and almost her death; Oriana, her beautiful and giving older cousin; Connor, her first "love", Oriana's husband and ultimately her savior; Polly, her advocate, best friend and business partner; Connie, her darling mother and the host of English royalty she creates lavish dresses for.

I found it to be a utterly absorbing read, in the way that Philippa Gregory is. It's filled with drama, expectation, societal rules, thievery, romance, love, lust, success, failure, family, honor and redemption. Ellen is a tough character but wears it with honor and pride. She is not forceful or fierce in her strength. She carries it quietly within. I liked that. I would say that goes for many of the female characters in this book.

There were parts of it that were predictable. I could easily see where the story was going many times, especially the end. That didn't take away my enjoyment at all. By the time this came into play, I cared for the characters and was hoping for the best.

Rating: 5 stars/ 6 stars

This comes close to a full 6 star rating due to my enjoyment of it but falls a bit short with its predictability factor. Overall, it is a beautiful blend of history and romance, and I think any reader of both genres would love it. I know that when I work at my bookstore or library now, I will definitely recommend this to fans of Philippa Gregory. It has that same lush feel to it and it easily sweeps you away to a different time.

Book Club Note:

I thought most about society and the rules of the classes and the rules for women in the late 1800s. This time period has always fascinated me. I think it would definitely stir up some discussion for book clubs.

Author Website:

Posie Graeme-Evans

Giveaway Rules:

* Leave a comment with your email and maybe a favorite historical romance of yours.

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*WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN 2 WEEKS ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23*

Happy Reading and as always, thanks for stopping by!

red headed book child