The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester Review!

 

New York Times bestselling author Natasha Lester delivers an unforgettable story of an orphan turned WWII spy turned fashion icon in Paris—perfect for fans of Kate Quinn and Fiona Davis.

A compelling and lavish novel from the NYT bestselling author about a young woman striving to forget her part in the war by building life anew as the publicist at the just-launching House of Dior in Paris

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.

The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre is a thrilling, sumptuous work of historical fiction told in three timelines: before, during and after WWII. This completely immersive story takes readers from the dangerous, intrigue-filled rooms in Switzerland where elites of both sides mingled and schemed during the war, to the glamorous halls of the House of Dior in the golden age of French fashion and journalism.

Natasha Lester is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of THE PARIS SEAMSTRESS, THE PARIS ORPHAN and THE PARIS SECRET. Her new book, THE THREE LIVES OF ALIX ST PIERRE, is out on 28 September in Australia/NZ, 10 January in North America and summer 2023 in the UK.

Prior to writing, she worked as a marketing executive for L’Oreal, managing the Maybelline brand, before returning to university to study creative writing.

Natasha's books have been translated into many different languages and are now published all around the world.

She lives in Perth, Western Australia with her 3 children and loves fashion history, practicing the art of fashion illustration, collecting vintage fashion, travelling and, of course, books.

https://www.natashalester.com.au/

My Thoughts

The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre by Natasha Lester tells the story of Alix's time prior, during and after the war. Alix is orphaned at the age of thirteen and taken by a rich family and she becomes best friends with the daughter, Lillie. The reader learns about her friendship with Lillie and their friend Bobby.

During the war, in 1943, Alix is recruited to be a spy for the OSS, The Office of Strategic Services, which was an intelligence agency of the US. Alix is sent to Europe to help the Allied forces. She is sent to Bern; Switzerland and her boss is a man named Dulles who was the first civilian person to head the CIA. Alix was able to be in contact with the resistance fighters and was part of the plot to assassinate Hitler which never came to fruition.

In 1946 Alix goes to Paris to run the Service de la Presse which is a press/ newspaper of the time. She works with Christian Dior and helps publicize his new fashion house. She promotes the line of clothing, even getting Rita Hayworth a gown for her movie Gilda. Alix is well liked by all but there is a woman who is not so enamored with Alix. She is out for revenge, and she has enlisted the help of a person that Alix would rather forget, but when she finds that he has escaped prosecution for his Nazi war crimes, Alix is determined to find him and bring him to justice for the atrocities he committed.

Alix meets an American newspaper editor, Anthony March, who ends up helping her in her quest for justice, plus a bit of romance thrown in. This story is about fashion, Nazi's, the resistance and danger. A story that will tug at your heartstrings and have you rooting for Alix and Anthony. A lot of the story is based on fact, with real people and their stories of the time in the war and after. 

I love historical fiction and love when the protagonist is a strong woman who knows her mind even in the time after the war when women were sent back home to be wives and mothers, stay in the kitchen even though they risked their lives during the war to assist the men.

I think that Natasha Lester did an amazing job of telling the reader a story that will stay long after the last page is turned.

I give it 5 stars!

I received a copy of the book for review purposes only.