The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard
Natasha Lester
Reviewed by Helen
Another fabulous story from Natasha Lester, I always look forward to her stories because I know I am going to be taken on a journey that will stay with me for a long time, her characters are not easy to forget and this time she has taken us to the 1970’s, and the world of fashion design in America and the struggle that woman had then to make a name for themselves, come along and meet three amazing woman who stood proud and strong.
1917 and we meet Mizza Bricard she is sixteen and is on her own, at an exclusive party she meets some very scandalous woman and learns that she will need to stay strong and stand up to men to make her way in life, she will make a name for herself. She does that through the couture houses in Paris and becoming known as Dior’s Muse, but was she?
1970 Astrid Bricard arrives in New York determined to prove to her adoptive parents that she can make it as a fashion designer, she has a scholarship at Parsons and lots of determination, but then she meets Hawk Jones, fashion designer and their lives explode in passion and love, and the media set her up as Hawk’s muse, totally ignoring her true designs. But when the top fashion designers of America come up against the French in Versailles Astrid’s world falls apart.
Present times Blythe Bricard wants more than anything to design fashion, but she never wants to be someone’s muse like her grandmother and mother before her and turns her back on designing but cannot leave the fashion industry altogether, when she is invited to a Chateau in France her life will unfold in an emotional roller coaster that will tell the true story of her grandmother, mother and father.
This is a must read story, so beautifully told, I was pulled into the story from page one, the mystery of what happened to Astrid and why, getting to know Mizza, Astrid and Blythe was fabulous, I loved these characters as I did Hawk, The 1970’s was a world that was staring to change but not fast enough for some, Natasha Lester has taken on some issues that still to this day are happening when they shouldn’t be. The ending is the best ever, it is an emotional roller coaster with every emotion there is rolling from the pages and yes I cried so much, I loved it.
I do highly recommend this one, truly it is one not to be missed.
1917 and we meet Mizza Bricard she is sixteen and is on her own, at an exclusive party she meets some very scandalous woman and learns that she will need to stay strong and stand up to men to make her way in life, she will make a name for herself. She does that through the couture houses in Paris and becoming known as Dior’s Muse, but was she?
1970 Astrid Bricard arrives in New York determined to prove to her adoptive parents that she can make it as a fashion designer, she has a scholarship at Parsons and lots of determination, but then she meets Hawk Jones, fashion designer and their lives explode in passion and love, and the media set her up as Hawk’s muse, totally ignoring her true designs. But when the top fashion designers of America come up against the French in Versailles Astrid’s world falls apart.
Present times Blythe Bricard wants more than anything to design fashion, but she never wants to be someone’s muse like her grandmother and mother before her and turns her back on designing but cannot leave the fashion industry altogether, when she is invited to a Chateau in France her life will unfold in an emotional roller coaster that will tell the true story of her grandmother, mother and father.
This is a must read story, so beautifully told, I was pulled into the story from page one, the mystery of what happened to Astrid and why, getting to know Mizza, Astrid and Blythe was fabulous, I loved these characters as I did Hawk, The 1970’s was a world that was staring to change but not fast enough for some, Natasha Lester has taken on some issues that still to this day are happening when they shouldn’t be. The ending is the best ever, it is an emotional roller coaster with every emotion there is rolling from the pages and yes I cried so much, I loved it.
I do highly recommend this one, truly it is one not to be missed.
5 stars
September 27, 2023 by Hachette Australia
