Author: Natasha Lester
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Genre: Historical Fiction, Wartime, Fiction, Modern & Contemporary
Year of release: 2022
Release Date: 28th September 2022
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
Lavish and compelling, this is the story of a young woman trying to forget her devastating part in the war
1943. After spearheading several successful advertising campaigns in New York, PR wizard Alix St Pierre comes to the attention of the US government and finds herself recruited into a fledgling intelligence organisation.
Enlisted as a spy, Alix is sent to Europe where she is tasked with getting close to a Nazi who might be willing to help the Allied forces – but there’s also the chance he might be a double agent.
1946. Following the war, Alix moves to Paris to run the Service de la Presse for the yet-to-be-launched House of Christian Dior. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realises that only she can right the wrongs of the past and bring him to justice.
Review
1943 Alix ST Pierre catches the ever-watchful eye of the US government thanks to her ability to speak languages French, German, and Italian fluently she soon becomes a spy recruited into the underdeveloped intelligence organisation Office of Strategic Services (OSS) leaving her former life of PR behind her.
Alix proves to the agency to be the right choice for recruitment advancing quickly up the ranks, Alix finds herself off to Bern Switzerland in Europe. Upon her arrival, she is given the task of getting closer to a Nazi who could be prepared to aid the Allied Forces in bringing Hitler’s reign of terror to its knees once and for all. But there’s a risk this Nazi could be a double agent potentially sending Alix ST Pierre to her grave while giving Hitler’s army one more cog in the machine, thus ensuring the death and destruction continues.
1946 The War has ended thanks to the United Nations Alix ST Pierre has moved to Paris to manage the press office for the soon-to-be House of Christian Dior, however high-end fashion is not the only thing waiting for Alix ST Pierre upon her arrival in the City of Lights.
The war might be officially at a close for everyone else Alix discovers there’s someone who doesn’t believe the same can be said for Alix and is threatening to destroy her future, it’s up to Alix ST Pierre to put right what went wrong all the years ago making sure the hidden figure in the shadows is forced out into the sunlight ensuring justice is served once and for all.
Will Alix ST Pierre be able to lead her fears out in plain sight without opening old wounds up to far leaving Alix broken and beyond repair once and for all?
If you’re like me an avid reader of the Historical Fiction Genre, chances are you know of or have read a book by Australian Natasha Lester one of the very best authors in this genre in my opinion. I have always been a little fascinated by the world of espionage; and having read a few of Natasha’s previous offerings The Paris Secret and knowing how much she weaves fashion into her novels combining the two felt like the perfect fit for a great novel I was certainly not disappointed.
This is my zero hour.
Ten minutes pass.
It is up to me to give the signal to open the doors.
The show is about to begin.
-Christian Dior
As always with a Natasha Lester book it has been subject to meticulous research and it shows throughout the book, it would be so easy to just say that Alix ST Pierre is a three-dimensional character, but she’s so much more she’s the owner of a fierce independent streak, she’s a friend, she’s a career-driven woman which is admirable all of these traits make her not feel like a character in a fictional novel at all, which is why The Three Lives of Alix ST Pierre receives all the stars from this reviewer.
I might even go so far as to say The Three Lives of Alix ST Pierre might have taken top spot for favourite Lester to date, not that I have favourites!
I’ll admit I was hoping for a little more time spent with Alix and Christian Dior their friendship made for a wonderful subplot. I was rather hoping for a bit more of an explanation as to what happened to some of the minor characters in the book but perhaps Lester has a future novel for them?
“You have to put your heart and soul into it, as no doubt everybody does who wants to succeed”-Christian Dior.
At times, especially in the opening chapters, it felt as if the reader was going to be treated to a slow burn this reviewer believes this was what made for a slower-than-usual offering from this author, however, the plot does gain some much-needed momentum during the conflict chapters.
Subplots that were bought to my attention here:
- Friendship
- Self-discovery
- Romance
- Fashion
- Espionage
Some of the noteworthy tropes that were used throughout this book:
- Historical Figures- companies, people, and locations were expertly threaded into the book.
- Protagonists ahead of their time- Alix didn’t wish to be just a wife and mother figure who had dinner on the table for her husband she had a strong desire to be in the workfare.
- Political and social upheaval- in the past set during wartime.
- Dual timeline is my personal favourite trope used in this genre, the book moves back and forth between the years 1937, 1942, 1943, 1945, 1947.
Once again reading an offering from Natasha Lester has left me hungry for her next tale, by the time I reached the final chapters I was blissfully happy for Alix and Anthony and my imaginings of their upcoming nuptials.
I highly recommend this book to a mature audience, if you’re looking for a Historical Fiction that packs a slight punch then The Three Lives of Alix ST Pierre is for you.
With continued thanks to Hachette Australia for sending a copy to read and review in exchange for my honest opinion.