The Dressmaker's Secret

by Karen Dickson

‘A compelling saga that will hold you fast from the first page to the last. Loved it’ VAL WOOD, author of The Lonely Wife

Perfect for fans of Dilly Court and Gracie Hart, The Dressmaker’s Secret is a moving and heartfelt family saga from the talented author of The Shop Girl’s Soldier.

Dorset, 1876. When young Beatrice Cullen shows up in the local church with her illegitimate child in her arms, Reverend Michael Redfern takes it upon himself to help her.

He finds her daughter, Lily, a home with a kindly couple. But when, at the age of 9, Lily loses her adopted parents, she is forced to live with her awful Aunt Doris and cousin Jez, who treat her no better than a slave. Lily can only seek solace in her dream of one day escaping her aunt and becoming a seamstress.

Five years later, now aged fourteen, Lily makes a startling that her birth father is none other than local aristocrat Sir Frederick Copperfield. Lily is stunned. And when she gets the chance to work for the Copperfields, she can't pass up the opportunity to get to know her half-sister Eleanor.

But will Eleanor ever really get to know her, or will Lily’s true identity forever remain a secret?

'This rollercoaster of a novel draws you in from the first page. Expertly researched and a fabulous storyline with real heart at the centre... I devoured this in one sitting and look forward to more from this author. In short a gem of a read' FIONA FORD, author of Wartime at Liberty's

'A delight to read... Lily Hayter is a wonderful heroine whose resilience and integrity shine through as she struggles to claim a life of her choosing and find a family. At the heart of the story is a warmth and humanity that makes it a truly uplifting read. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was sorry when I reached the end because I wanted to linger in Dickson’s world. I eagerly await more from Karen Dickson' VICKI BEEBY, author of The Ops Room Girls

'The characters in this novel are so believable that I cared deeply about them from the first chapter. A heartfelt, hopeful account of one young woman’s fight to keep her child safe when all the odds are against her. Atmospheric and beautifully written' JAN CASEY, author of The Women of Waterloo Bridge

‘An exciting, fresh and talented new voice – a five-star read!’ CAROL RIVERS on The Shop Girl’s Soldier

Genres: Romance, Historical Fiction

Audible Audio

Published April 20, 2021

Reviews

[Kelvin Mullings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book!!

Excellent read could not book this book down.

Refreshing and i can't wait to read her next novel
Well done Karen keep them comming!!!

[Elizabeth Cleland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely book!

Enjoyed this book so much and will look for more from same author. Such a sad and nice story with so much happening!

[Jan Parkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

What a storyline. This is a must read, I had to keep reading as I felt so sorry for Lily and I wanted to know what would happen. Jez got his just deserts

[Book Lover · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Dressmaker's Secret

I really enjoyed this book, loved how real each character felt. Sadly , I was disappointed with the ending. I would have loved to know , how the reunion went between mother and daughter,and Charlie and lily. I would have welcomed , a part 2 , maybe a part 3. What happened to Alice? Did Lily Marty again? So many questions. Very well written, with lively.almost real characters.

[Alison Burnhill · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good

I couldn't put the book down, read through until 3.30 am. I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story, you just had to know what came next, then unfortunately it was all over.

[Kathy E · Rating 5 out of 5]

I simply loved this book this is the first one I have read by this author. This book is such a lovely story and a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recommended read.

[FBEE · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is a lot of suffering in this book, for a novel called "a heart-warming family saga", which would be fair if the plot didn't resolve in the last few pages, entirely off-screen, by sudden deus ex machina. The first half of the book is compelling and draws you in, but then it starts to meander, and characters make really weird decisions, and others have incredibly unlikely/unreasonable reactions to situations to advance the plot. Many 'trope' characters (kindly old man, bawdy sailors, Mary Sue lead character), and others you want to know more about that you never see again. It feels like this book ended suddenly. However, the audiobook narrator was fabulous.

[Judith Ring · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just wasn’t for me, far too depressing. Most of the characters were believable although I found the protagonist, Lily, a bit out of kilter with some of the life decisions she made. . Despite this it was an intriguing story line and part of me wanted to finish the book to find out what happens to Lily but it was just too full of misery for me. I might come back to it as Val Wood, whose novels I love describes it as heart warming!! I will try another Karen Dickson novel at some point but for now I moved on to Val Woods Children of Fortune which was truly an enjoyable pleasant read.

[MICHAEL j WYATT · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great novel from beginning to end

I loved this story. It contained al the elements which make a good read and I didn’t want to put it down. Plenty of social history, drama, heartache and kindness before Lily eventually finds the peace and happiness she deserves. I also enjoyed the Dorset location with memories of my childhood in Poole.

[Lynda Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author and it had me hooked from the first page. I would definately recommend it and will be reading Karen's other book as well. I felt really sorry for Lily. The main character in the book because she tried so hard to make a good life for herself and met many obstacles along the way. But thankfully all came right in the end which was very satisfying.

[Zainab Al Lawati · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

I was scrolling through available audiobooks in my library and found this one.
I have not heard about it before but the description seemed inviting.

The book was quite enjoyable. The story is gripping and filled with emotions, the characters were vivid and real, and everything about it was really satisfying.

[Samantha Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok. This one for me became a but predictable with some of the story.
I would have liked a twist with one of the moments which would have made the story more shocking.
Just because of the main character and what was going on. It wasn't one I could read again.
But I will take my chance to read any other book by the author

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent read! The Dressmaker's Secret had me rivetted from the very first page. Karen Dickson did a great job with this book, fully fleshed out characters and a gripping plot but it caused me to stay up far two late for two nights in a row.

[Elaine Magill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read, love Val Wood's books, always very interesting & spellbinding

[Mrs Margaret Maher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book it is an amazing story. It also lets you know that what is for you won't go past you. I couldn't lay it down.

[cathie knott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book

Thoroughly enjoyed reading this story. Well thought of and very well written. Great story.Would highly recommend this book for avid readers

[Mrs m f proudfoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.really enjoyed it.

[Katrina Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read book

Excellent read in all aspects. I simply could not put it down. This book really draws the reader into the pages. I finished reading this at 4:30am!

[Dorothy mccullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good read

I enjoyed this book with it twists and turns I would have liked it to have another chapter to see how they all got on.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story and loved the characters. The book finished too abruptly denying the reader of enjoying the close.

[josephine Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A story that you could not put down.

What a lovely story, I have read many authors and needed to find new stories, this one gave everything, sadness, history and life.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant!

I enjoyed this book immensely. This is the first book I have read by this author and am so pleased I did. I recommend it!!!!

[Angela Woof · Rating 4 out of 5]

First time reading a book by this author and enjoyed it

[Anita Birtles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book about families and there intricacies.

[Penny Little · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. A family saga set in late 1800s with well written characters and storyline.

[Nadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slightly slow start but a beautiful human story which I thoroughly enjoyed!

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read of Karen Dickson and I can't wait for more.
This book was fantastic well worth a read

[Alexa Hallsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly wonderful!

[Janice Spaulding · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new author to me, but I thoroughly enjoyed the read. A great page turner. Lots of twists and turns. I am looking for her other book now.

[Claire Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting insight into certain aspects of life in the late 1800s