Thank you Hachette Audio for the ALC and Forever/Grand Central Publishing, #partner, for the advanced copy of The Three Lives of Alix St. Pierre in exchange for my honest review.
Publisher: Forever / Hachette Audio
Published: January 10, 2023
Summary:
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.
1943. After spearheading several successful advertising campaigns in New York, PR wizard Alix St. Pierre comes to the attention of the U.S. government and finds herself recruited into a fledgling intelligence organization.
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 and takes a position as head of publicity for the yet-to-be-launched House of Dior. But when a figure from the war reappears and threatens to destroy her future, Alix realizes 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.
My thoughts:
I am still relatively new to Natasha Lester’s books, this being only her second book I’ve read but I can tell you that I am most definitely a fan! I loved the last one I read, The Riviera House, and I think I might love this one even more!
It’s no secret that I love historical fiction and one of the time periods I can never seem to get enough of is WWII. Even though there are tons of books out there, I feel each author has their own perspective to share and that is exactly what we have here. To me, this was such an interesting take because we get three timelines – before, during and after the war – something that I really haven’t seen done very often, if ever. And our main protagonist is one you cannot help but fall in love with!
Natasha Lester has created, in Alix Pierre, a sharp, independent, fierce woman that refuses to settle for the typical female roles of her time. From being an orphan in childhood to working as a spy during the war to then making her way as head of publicity for Christian Dior, Alix doesn’t take no for an answer. This book totally captivated me and I found myself completely transfixed by Alix’s life. The drama of it all, the espionage, the lies and gossip, and of course, the romance. I didn’t know much about Christian Dior and his start up, so I did find that to be quite interesting and of course found myself going down a bit of a rabbit hole once I finished reading, but that’s what I love about historical fiction. This book is such a perfect blend of fact and fiction, and the author’s note is not to be missed.
This story is a must-read for all historical fiction lovers. There are a lot of moving parts, but they all are woven together so beautifully. While it might seem like a long book, this is one book I actually didn’t want to end. I wanted more time with Alix St. Pierre!
Audio thoughts:
I was able to grab a copy of the audio version of this story and it was narrated by Barrie Kreinik, who did a fabulous job bringing it to life. Barrie Kreinik also narrated the other book I read by Natasha Lester and I feel that she really gets the nuances of the characters that Lester creates. Kreinik gave such unique voices and personalities to the characters, really making this audio shine. Her pacing is spot on and she infuses just the right amount of tension and emotion into her voice as needed. This was a great book to listen to, even with it being a long one, coming in at almost 13 hours, and I really enjoyed it!
