The American Dream thrives in 1912 New York City Annie Wood, the housemaid-turned-pattern designer in The Pattern Artist, jumps at the chance to design her own clothing line when a wealthy New York couple offers to finance her endeavor. Joining the project is Annie’s new husband, Sean Culver, her best friend at Butterick, Maude Nascato, and a mother figure, Edna Holmquist. Annie and her … Holmquist.
Annie and her colleagues give up their careers, risking everything to follow a shared passion: clothes that are both fashionable and functional for modern, busy women in 1912.
Personal and financial setbacks test old relationships and new romances while threatening to keep the business from ever selling a single dress. No one said it would be easy. But the promise of the American Dream holds a deep hope for those who work hard, trust God, and never give up.
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The Fashion Designer by Nancy Moser is a powerful story of a young woman’s courage to trust God to fulfill her dreams. Annie, a former housemaid and pattern designer, has dreams of designing dresses for the working woman and of having her own shop. The journey she takes as doors that open (or sometimes close) to her and her friends is almost magical. The author blends in history (an interesting presidential election, women’s rights, the beginnings of the Lane Bryant clothing empire), romance, and faith in a God who loves unconditionally, who gives second chances and who fulfills dreams to tell this charmingly delightful story of a young woman’s lofty hopes. The characters are compelling, believable and likable. Readers will cheer for, cry with and be drawn into the lives of Annie, Maude, Vesta, Henrietta, and others. The author deals well with the gritty and sometimes desperate subjects of marital discord, domestic violence, and assault, which adds reality and depth to the book. The story flows well and has a few “oh, no!” moments where one wonders how will this turn out! As one character notes, God doesn’t deal with luck but with blessing. The Pattern Artist is a fascinating and inspiring novel of a spirited woman and her friends who choose to realize their dreams and find love and faith as well. Although it is second in a series, The Fashion Designer is easily a stand-alone story. For more reading enjoyment, I recommend picking up the first book, The Pattern Artist, too. At the end of the book, the author includes a list of discussion questions, pictures related to some of the characters and fashions from the early 1900s.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review. The opinions are my own.
Set during a time when women could only really aspire to be a wife and mother, Anna Wood and her friends hope to start a business that sells common dresses to the common woman. Most special dresses were made only for the wealthy. Through trials and set backs, these friends forge a new path.
I really enjoyed catching up with these characters and seeing where they were. All of the characters were well written so that you knew them from the start. This story turns to God and one’s faith that things will work out. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.
The Fashion Designer
by Nancy Moser
The Fashion Designer is the sequel to The Pattern Artist. The first book is set in 1911 and the second is set in 1912. Since I am a sewing enthusiast, both of these books appealed to me and I could not put either of them down once I started reading.
I really enjoyed the characters and how they encouraged each other through some very discouraging times and worked to build a business that was a seeming impossibility. There were many interpersonal relationships that had to be worked through with this rather large cast of characters. Nancy Moser did a good job getting her characters through these issues to some very satisfactory resolutions. It was also great to meet Lena Bryant in the pages of this book.
My favorite quote from this book is, “Life is a grand puzzle, with pieces interlocking, pieces elusive, pieces missing. But in the end, God puts it all together and we see the full picture.”I think that’s what Nancy Moser has done with this book. I highly recommend it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.