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mbladams's review against another edition
4.0
Gabrielle and Lulu have had a difficult few years. They lost their father 4 years ago, and both Gabrielle and Lulu lost their husbands a couple of years ago (Gabrielle's ex-husband cheated on her and took her money and reputation, and Lulu's husband passed away). At Lulu's son's wedding, the sisters had a huge fight, and haven't really spoken since. Now their mother has passed away. They never doubted that she loved them, but she wasn't a warm and fuzzy mother, either. Both sisters go to the will signing hoping for a big enough inheritance to make their money troubles go away. But they are in for a surprise. Their mother left them some money (not nearly enough), but most of their inheritance is tied up in her "collection," which the sisters must decide together what to do with and get the approval of the lawyer before they do anything.
I won't spoil the book by sharing what the collection is, but is fascinating! As the sisters explore what the collection is and what it meant to their mother, they also meet her friends, learn more about their mom, and grow close again. They also start to heal and move on from the disappointments and heartbreaks they've gone through in the last few years, and take a chance on new careers and new love.
This is a lovely story of family, friends who become family, and the love we share with them that makes all the hard stuff worthwhile.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy of a wonderful book!
I won't spoil the book by sharing what the collection is, but is fascinating! As the sisters explore what the collection is and what it meant to their mother, they also meet her friends, learn more about their mom, and grow close again. They also start to heal and move on from the disappointments and heartbreaks they've gone through in the last few years, and take a chance on new careers and new love.
This is a lovely story of family, friends who become family, and the love we share with them that makes all the hard stuff worthwhile.
Thanks to NetGalley for this advance copy of a wonderful book!
katejeminhizer's review against another edition
5.0
Covers and plot descriptions drive my curiosity towards a book just as much as the author does. Having read many of M. J. Rose's individual and collaborative works I was intrigued to see what this latest artistic pairing would bring. I was not disappointed. Let's talk cover art for a moment. This cover is light and airy, hints at the wonders to be found in the closet, and identifies the differences in the girls. The title really pops with the wonderful red cursive script. It also hints at the inspiring messages the girls find in their mother's treasured closet.
Even though the book tackles some tough topics, it does so with warmth and lightheartedness. Love, divorce, growing up, parenting, death, financial struggles are all a reality. This story isn't one written to weigh the reader down. It is a story that identifies those challenges we all face and shows that there are various ways by which to move forward in our lives. The reader doesn't need to be a lover of couture fashion or Chanel to appreciate the wonders of Bette's closet. Rose and Meyers utilize what that closet represents to bring us a wonderful story of coming to terms with hidden truths and unravelling the depths of love that family has for each other.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this title.
srivalli's review against another edition
4.0
3.8 Stars
One Liner: Heartwarming.
Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro are estranged half-sisters with debts, pain, and a common dislike for their mother’s controlling methods. Bette has passed away recently and left detailed instructions for her daughters to fulfill her wishes before they can get their inheritance.
Gabi and Lulu resent that Bette is controlling them even after death. They are both in dire need of money to continue living with dignity. Moreover, relations have been strained, and working together doesn’t seem like a good option.
With no other choice, Gabi and Lulu visit Bette’s house and discover a huge secret collection, almost all of the best from Chanel, Bette’s favorite brand. Confused, annoyed, frustrated, and uncertain, the sisters start to work out their differences and try to find out what Bette wanted them to do with her collection.
The path they choose is not easy, but they learn some valuable lessons on the way. Gabi needs to get over her ex-husband’s betrayal and the messy divorce, while Lulu needs to spread her wings and look beyond her late husband’s family bakery. The two sisters need to find each other again and learn to forgive themselves and others. But is it really possible? Can Gabi and Lulu rebuild their bond and also forge a new path to the future and happiness?
As the title suggests, the book relies heavily on fashion and brands (Chanel being the predominant one). However, it is relationships and emotions that keep the momentum going. Gabi is fifty-five and seven years older than Lulu. The sisters are opposite in many ways, be it their sense of fashion, appearance, or approach to life.
Relationships, self-love, and happiness are major themes of the book. We see how Bette pushes Gabi and Lulu to take control of their lives again and do what makes them happy. The story is presented from both their perspectives, giving us insights into their lives.
The reader might be tempted to support one sister a wee bit more than the other, though we want them to sort their differences and become close as they used to be. I was team Gabi even before the book touched 20%. That didn’t stop me from empathizing with Lulu and her circumstances.
The book dragged a little in the second half. As much as I liked Nicholas and Seth (Lulu’s sons) and the other interesting ladies (Bette’s friends), I wanted the story to move a little faster. However, it managed to provide a happy and satisfying ending.
To sum up, The Fashion Orphans is a heartwarming story about love, forgiveness, and relationships. Happy to add that the book doesn’t focus on romance though there’s a glimmer of hope and lots to look forward to.
Thank you, NetGalley, Blue Box Press, and AuthorBuzz, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley
One Liner: Heartwarming.
Gabrielle Winslow and Lulu Quattro are estranged half-sisters with debts, pain, and a common dislike for their mother’s controlling methods. Bette has passed away recently and left detailed instructions for her daughters to fulfill her wishes before they can get their inheritance.
Gabi and Lulu resent that Bette is controlling them even after death. They are both in dire need of money to continue living with dignity. Moreover, relations have been strained, and working together doesn’t seem like a good option.
With no other choice, Gabi and Lulu visit Bette’s house and discover a huge secret collection, almost all of the best from Chanel, Bette’s favorite brand. Confused, annoyed, frustrated, and uncertain, the sisters start to work out their differences and try to find out what Bette wanted them to do with her collection.
The path they choose is not easy, but they learn some valuable lessons on the way. Gabi needs to get over her ex-husband’s betrayal and the messy divorce, while Lulu needs to spread her wings and look beyond her late husband’s family bakery. The two sisters need to find each other again and learn to forgive themselves and others. But is it really possible? Can Gabi and Lulu rebuild their bond and also forge a new path to the future and happiness?
As the title suggests, the book relies heavily on fashion and brands (Chanel being the predominant one). However, it is relationships and emotions that keep the momentum going. Gabi is fifty-five and seven years older than Lulu. The sisters are opposite in many ways, be it their sense of fashion, appearance, or approach to life.
Relationships, self-love, and happiness are major themes of the book. We see how Bette pushes Gabi and Lulu to take control of their lives again and do what makes them happy. The story is presented from both their perspectives, giving us insights into their lives.
The reader might be tempted to support one sister a wee bit more than the other, though we want them to sort their differences and become close as they used to be. I was team Gabi even before the book touched 20%. That didn’t stop me from empathizing with Lulu and her circumstances.
The book dragged a little in the second half. As much as I liked Nicholas and Seth (Lulu’s sons) and the other interesting ladies (Bette’s friends), I wanted the story to move a little faster. However, it managed to provide a happy and satisfying ending.
To sum up, The Fashion Orphans is a heartwarming story about love, forgiveness, and relationships. Happy to add that the book doesn’t focus on romance though there’s a glimmer of hope and lots to look forward to.
Thank you, NetGalley, Blue Box Press, and AuthorBuzz, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
#NetGalley
jonid's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. This is a book about sisterhood. Lulu (raised in working class Brooklyn with her grandparents)and Gabrielle (raised in luxury on the upper East side) are half sisters. Lulu is a widow, deeply in debt with two sons and Gabrielle is Broadway costume designer whose ex-husband left her a social outcast) Their mother Bette, loving but distant, has left them a collection in her will - A sizable cachet of vintage designer clothes and accessories from Chanel. The sisters get schooled about fashion and their mother by her friends. They discover notes left by Better in the purses on stationary that seem to serve as guidance. There is lots of fashion trivia to enjoy but overall, a distant mother who seeks to create some post-death closeness struck me as odd and not in a good way. It ends predictably.
jodyhadlock's review against another edition
5.0
Two estranged sisters are grudgingly brought back together after their mother's death and are faced with a unique dilemma over her estate. This book is about much more than fashion. It's about family, the bonds of sisterhood, and forgiveness. Poignant and heartwarming. Loved it!
onebusybiblio's review
3.0
Fashion Changes, Style Endures- Coco Chanel
Who doesn't want to be surrounded by a closet full of vintage Chanel?! This is the predicament that estranged, down-on-their luck sisters Gabrielle and Lulu find themselves in when they lose their dynamic, unpredictable mother and instead gain... a style inheritance. Born to two different fathers, Gabrielle and Lulu could not be more different- their upbringing, their lifestyle choices and their fashion sense. Gabrielle is Manhattan glam and Lulu is Brooklyn shabby chic. Still, the sisters must work through their differences as they try to better understand their Chanel obsessed late mother and the legacy she has left them. In the end the lesson may be worth more than a logo enamel cuff or a double string of pearls...
What I liked about this novel was the relationship between the two sisters. The underlying current of this book is really a lesson on love and family and forgiveness.
What I had trouble with was the mother-daughters relationship. Both daughters are in financial distress through no fault of their own and, instead of helping out her daughters, the mom stockpiled thousand-dollar purses. Then, rather than sell these incredibly expensive items, they decide instead to figure out a way to honour their mother's collection at the behest of her wealthy friends. Like hello, in real life there would have been a major garage sale, no question.
I do want to live in this fake closet though.
Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for letting me sample this read in advance!! Expected Pub Date 1 Feb 2022
Who doesn't want to be surrounded by a closet full of vintage Chanel?! This is the predicament that estranged, down-on-their luck sisters Gabrielle and Lulu find themselves in when they lose their dynamic, unpredictable mother and instead gain... a style inheritance. Born to two different fathers, Gabrielle and Lulu could not be more different- their upbringing, their lifestyle choices and their fashion sense. Gabrielle is Manhattan glam and Lulu is Brooklyn shabby chic. Still, the sisters must work through their differences as they try to better understand their Chanel obsessed late mother and the legacy she has left them. In the end the lesson may be worth more than a logo enamel cuff or a double string of pearls...
What I liked about this novel was the relationship between the two sisters. The underlying current of this book is really a lesson on love and family and forgiveness.
What I had trouble with was the mother-daughters relationship. Both daughters are in financial distress through no fault of their own and, instead of helping out her daughters, the mom stockpiled thousand-dollar purses. Then, rather than sell these incredibly expensive items, they decide instead to figure out a way to honour their mother's collection at the behest of her wealthy friends. Like hello, in real life there would have been a major garage sale, no question.
I do want to live in this fake closet though.
Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for letting me sample this read in advance!! Expected Pub Date 1 Feb 2022
marensreads's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
What would Coco Chanel do? This seems to be the overarching question in Randy Susan Meyer and M.J. Rose’s Fashion Orphans.
Having grown apart over the past decade, estranged sisters Lulu and Gabrielle are shocked to learn their deceased mother has left them an entire collection of vintage Chanel. Even more startling, are the mysterious Coco Chanel quotes, found in many of the pieces, that seem to speak to each of them directly. As the sisters struggle to figure out what to do with all of their mother’s belongings, they are forced to confront both their past relationship with their mother and with each other.
The first half of this book was incredibly slow with a lot of eye rolling on my part. After struggling to get through the first half of the book, I was glad the second half read a bit faster. All in all, this book felt very lackluster. While the characters weren’t completely one-dimensional, I did not feel as though I really connected with either of them. The plot inched along at a snail’s pace and there was nothing in this book that really peaked my interest or kept me engaged.
This was not my cup of tea; however, I’m sure there are others who would enjoy all of the wonderful fashion references held within these pages as well as the moving story of two sisters finding their way back to one another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What would Coco Chanel do? This seems to be the overarching question in Randy Susan Meyer and M.J. Rose’s Fashion Orphans.
Having grown apart over the past decade, estranged sisters Lulu and Gabrielle are shocked to learn their deceased mother has left them an entire collection of vintage Chanel. Even more startling, are the mysterious Coco Chanel quotes, found in many of the pieces, that seem to speak to each of them directly. As the sisters struggle to figure out what to do with all of their mother’s belongings, they are forced to confront both their past relationship with their mother and with each other.
The first half of this book was incredibly slow with a lot of eye rolling on my part. After struggling to get through the first half of the book, I was glad the second half read a bit faster. All in all, this book felt very lackluster. While the characters weren’t completely one-dimensional, I did not feel as though I really connected with either of them. The plot inched along at a snail’s pace and there was nothing in this book that really peaked my interest or kept me engaged.
This was not my cup of tea; however, I’m sure there are others who would enjoy all of the wonderful fashion references held within these pages as well as the moving story of two sisters finding their way back to one another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
tabberz's review against another edition
4.0
A definite 3.5 stars but I rounded up.
This was a story about sisters, loss and building a legacy. Two half-sisters, Gabrielle and Lulu, have been estranged for many years. They are forced together after their mother's death and reading of her will. Both have suffered not only the loss of their mother but other losses in their lives that have driven them apart.
Gabrielle has gone through a messy divorce where her name was smeared and she lost the career that she cherished. Lulu is now a widow with two grown sons. She runs a bakery with her in-laws in upstate New York.
Based on their mother's extravagant lifestyle and beautiful apartment, they both thought they would be getting a sum of money from her estate. However, they are surprised when they are left with dealing with their mother's legacy - her overflowing collection of couture, mostly vintage and mostly Chanel.
What ensues is an adventure for them both. They learn a lot about their mother that they never knew. They meet her eccentric group of friends and where they end up, is no where near where they thought they would. There is healing, laughter and love all rolled into one.
This book is great if you love fashion. You learn so much about vintage fashion and a bunch about Coco Chanel. I love the way it is weaved into the story of these sisters and their mother. You'll also enjoy this book if you love these types of family drama to healing books.
It was a departure from my usual books and I did enjoy it.
This was a story about sisters, loss and building a legacy. Two half-sisters, Gabrielle and Lulu, have been estranged for many years. They are forced together after their mother's death and reading of her will. Both have suffered not only the loss of their mother but other losses in their lives that have driven them apart.
Gabrielle has gone through a messy divorce where her name was smeared and she lost the career that she cherished. Lulu is now a widow with two grown sons. She runs a bakery with her in-laws in upstate New York.
Based on their mother's extravagant lifestyle and beautiful apartment, they both thought they would be getting a sum of money from her estate. However, they are surprised when they are left with dealing with their mother's legacy - her overflowing collection of couture, mostly vintage and mostly Chanel.
What ensues is an adventure for them both. They learn a lot about their mother that they never knew. They meet her eccentric group of friends and where they end up, is no where near where they thought they would. There is healing, laughter and love all rolled into one.
This book is great if you love fashion. You learn so much about vintage fashion and a bunch about Coco Chanel. I love the way it is weaved into the story of these sisters and their mother. You'll also enjoy this book if you love these types of family drama to healing books.
It was a departure from my usual books and I did enjoy it.
marensreads's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
What would Coco Chanel do? This seems to be the overarching question in Randy Susan Meyer and M.J. Rose’s Fashion Orphans.
Having grown apart over the past decade, estranged sisters Lulu and Gabrielle are shocked to learn their deceased mother has left them an entire collection of vintage Chanel. Even more startling, are the mysterious Coco Chanel quotes, found in many of the pieces, that seem to speak to each of them directly. As the sisters struggle to figure out what to do with all of their mother’s belongings, they are forced to confront both their past relationship with their mother and with each other.
The first half of this book was incredibly slow with a lot of eye rolling on my part. After struggling to get through the first half of the book, I was glad the second half read a bit faster. All in all, this book felt very lackluster. While the characters weren’t completely one-dimensional, I did not feel as though I really connected with either of them. The plot inched along at a snail’s pace and there was nothing in this book that really peaked my interest or kept me engaged.
This was not my cup of tea; however, I’m sure there are others who would enjoy all of the wonderful fashion references held within these pages as well as the moving story of two sisters finding their way back to one another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What would Coco Chanel do? This seems to be the overarching question in Randy Susan Meyer and M.J. Rose’s Fashion Orphans.
Having grown apart over the past decade, estranged sisters Lulu and Gabrielle are shocked to learn their deceased mother has left them an entire collection of vintage Chanel. Even more startling, are the mysterious Coco Chanel quotes, found in many of the pieces, that seem to speak to each of them directly. As the sisters struggle to figure out what to do with all of their mother’s belongings, they are forced to confront both their past relationship with their mother and with each other.
The first half of this book was incredibly slow with a lot of eye rolling on my part. After struggling to get through the first half of the book, I was glad the second half read a bit faster. All in all, this book felt very lackluster. While the characters weren’t completely one-dimensional, I did not feel as though I really connected with either of them. The plot inched along at a snail’s pace and there was nothing in this book that really peaked my interest or kept me engaged.
This was not my cup of tea; however, I’m sure there are others who would enjoy all of the wonderful fashion references held within these pages as well as the moving story of two sisters finding their way back to one another.
Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.