I don’t know if it stems from our “year of restrictions” or if there are just too many good new releases, but the last couple of months I’ve found it impossible to limit my book club selection to a single title!
“Sisters Of The Resistance,” by Christine Wells, and “Island Queen,” by Vanessa Riley, are the two I’ve chosen to share with you during the month of July!
Sisters Of The Resistance
Here’s an incredible story, inspired by real-life people, places, and happenings. “Sisters of the Resistance” by Christine Wells, tells of the bravery of Catherine Dior, sister of the fashion designer, Christian Dior, whose label we all covet to this day, and her heroic movements near the end of WWII in occupied France.
“Paris, 1944: The war is nearly over, but for members of the Resistance in occupied France, it is more dangerous than ever before. Twenty-five-year-old Gabby Foucher loathes the Nazis, though as the concierge of 10 rue Royale, she does her best to avoid conflict—unlike her bolder sister Yvette, who finds trouble at every turn.
Then they are both recruited into the Resistance by Catherine Dior and swept into a treacherous world of spies, fugitives, and intrigue. While Gabby risks everything for the man she is hiding from the Nazis, Yvette must decide whether to trust an enigmatic diplomat who seems to have guessed her secret. As the threat of betrayal draws ever-closer, one slip could mean the deaths of many, and both sisters must make choices they might regret. “
We hear so little of the remarkable women who helped to defeat Nazi forces during WWII, that I find stories such as these completely engrossing and absolutely jaw dropping.
"As dazzling as a Dior gown! With a gorgeous blend of fashion, heartbreak, heroism, and love this book will transport you to France...” —Natasha Lester, New York Times bestselling author of “The Paris Secret.”
Immerse yourself in Catherine Dior’s Paris spy network by picking up
your own copy of SISTERS of the RESISTANCE.
Island Queen
From what little I know of the colonial West Indies, a story about a woman of color who rose from slavery to become a wealthy and powerful landowner, would seem rather extraordinary. And that’s exactly what “Island Queen,” by Vanessa Riley is! Extraordinary.
In this stunning historical novel, Riley draws upon the true-life story of Dorothy Kirwan Thomas to weave a fascinating, page-turning adventure.
”Born into slavery on the tiny Caribbean island of Montserrat, Doll bought her freedom—and that of her sister and her mother—from her Irish planter father and built a legacy of wealth and power as an entrepreneur, merchant, hotelier, and planter that extended from the marketplaces and sugar plantations of Dominica and Barbados to a glittering luxury hotel in Demerara on the South American continent.
Island Queen is a sweeping epic of an adventurer and a survivor who answered to no one but herself as she rose to power and autonomy against all odds, defying rigid eighteenth-century morality and the oppression of women as well as people of color. It is an unforgettable portrait of a true larger-than-life woman who made her mark on history.”
I absolutely could NOT put this one down. It is rich in historical details, transporting me to a hot tropical climate in a time without air conditioning or any other modern convenience, and where survival for most was tied to incredible physical labor and discomfort. How anyone survived the circumstances baffles me, and how one woman could rise, and rise, and rise, is astonishingly inspirational!
“Richly detailed, vividly depicted, and sweeping in scope, “Island Queen” is historical fiction at its absolute finest. A stunning must-read!”—Chanel Cleeton, New York Times bestselling author of “The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba.”
