A Gown of Thorns: A Gripping Novel of Romance, Intrigue and the Secrets of a Vintage Parisian Dress (30 page)
Authors: Natalie Meg Evans
Tags: #Mystery, #Historical Fiction, #French, #Military, #Literature & Fiction, #Romance, #Historical, #20th Century, #British, #Thriller & Suspense, #Genre Fiction
Winner - Festival of Romantic Fiction's Best Historical Read and USA Today Bestselling author
A
modern tale
of desire and deception set in the world of 1930s Parisian haute couture – perfect for fans of
The Perfume Collector
or
The Paris Wife
.
A
lix Gower has a dream
: to join the ranks of Coco Chanel to become a designer in the high-stakes world of Parisian haute couture. But Alix also has a secret: she supports her family by stealing designs to create bootlegs for the foreign market. A hidden sketchbook and two minutes inside Hermès is all she needs to create a perfect replica, to be whisked off to production in New York.
T
hen Alix is given
her big break - a chance to finally realize her dream in one of the most prominent Parisian fashion houses - but at the price of copying the breakthrough Spring Collection.
K
nowing
this could be her only opportunity, Alix accepts the arrangement. But when a mystery from her past resurfaces and a chance meeting has her falling into the arms of a handsome English war reporter, Alix learns that the slightest misstep - or misplaced trust - could be all it takes for her life to begin falling apart at the seams.
‘
T
he Dress Thief
goes way beyond a story of Parisian fashion. It is a story of mystery, romance, friendship and the everyday struggles of life.
Right from the start this book will grip hold of you and draw you into Alix’s story and it won’t let you go till the very last page…
’
That Thing She Reads
'
A
delicious treat of a novel
.
I loved the setting in 1930s Paris - a place of intrigue, exquisite silk frocks, and dangerous secrets. And I was utterly charmed by the story's delectable heroine, as she struggled to make her mark in this seductive but perilous world' Margaret Leroy
'
A
truly accomplished
and delicious
debut novel' Laurie Graham.
L
ondon
,1937. A talented young woman travels to Paris with a stranger. The promise of an exciting career as a milliner beckons, but she is about to fall in love with the enemy...
L
ondoner Cora Masson
has reinvented herself as Coralie de Lirac, fabricating an aristocratic background to launch herself as a fashionable milliner. When the Nazis invade, the influence of a high-ranking lover, Dietrich, saves her business. But while Coralie retains her position as designer to a style-hungry elite, Paris is approaching its darkest hour.
F
aced
with the cruel reality of war and love, Coralie must make a difficult choice – protect herself or find the courage to fight for her friends, her freedom and everything she believes in.
A
breathtakingly beautiful
and evocative tale for readers of
The Book Thief
,
One Lavender Ribbon
, and
Suite Francaise
.
‘
F
resh and exuberant
and full of authentic detail.
’ Rosanna Ley
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN
United Kingdom
Copyright © Natalie Meg-Evans 2016
Natalie Meg-Evans has asserted her
right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
ISBN: 978-1-78681-011-3
