The Dressmaker’s Dowry audiobook

4.5 starsThe Dressmaker’s Dowry is a highly entertaining read. The story takes place in San Francisco, one of my favorite places to visit, in two different time periods, the mid-1870’s and present day. Sarah Havensworth is working on her thesis and struggling to find a topic that spurs her to write. She stumbles upon an article about two missing dressmakers in the 1870’s who were believed to be murdered, decides to pursue the story for her thesis, and begins researching and visiting places from that era. Back in 1876, The Dressmaker’s Dowry follows two women dressmakers, Hannelore and Margaret, through the dirty streets of the Barbary Coast. Margaret vanishes, and Hannelore is determined to find her. As the book progresses, the two stories converge in an entertaining and surprising manner.Meredith Jaeger clearly exhaustively researched her subject matter and presents 1876 San Francisco vividly. I felt like I could envision the streets Hannelore traveled down, the decrepit bars she had to scour, and the beautiful Nob Hill mansion she stayed in briefly. I learned so much about that era, including the existence of Long Bridge and the various immigrant areas that are long gone now. She also portrays places in present day San Francisco that I was unaware of and now plan to visit on my next trip there.I highly recommend this engrossing and engaging novel. I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

From San Francisco 1876 to present day, we learn of the plight of the poor, the privilege of the wealthy, and secrets of a family that connect both eras.Sarah married into a wealthy family and brought a secret with her that she never revealed to her husband. Her husband's family had a secret too, but he was unaware of it. Or was he?Sarah was writing her thesis and came across two dressmakers, Hannalore and Margaret, who lived in1876 and who fascinated her because of the story of their lives.As Sarah researches, she finds connections between the dressmakers and her husband's family.THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY moved us back and forth in time with Hannalore's life story being much more interesting than Sarah's story about her life as the wife of a wealthy man and a journalist.Hannalore's story tells of her hardships as well as her resilience as she takes care of herself and her three siblings after her mother dies and they escape from their drunken, abusive father.The characters definitely were authentic especially the wealthy with their fancy clothing and privileges. The destitute were equally well described, and you could feel their pain and suffering through the excellent writing style and descriptions of Ms. Jaeger.I enjoyed THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY.I would recommend this book to readers who enjoy historical fiction, switching back and forth in time, and finding items from from past to present turning up for a mystery that includes a bit of love. 5/5This book was given to me free of charge and without compensation by the publisher in return for an honest review.

This is my first novel, and I loved the process of writing it. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I appreciate it!

Intriguing, thought-provoking and heartwarming!This story is told from two different perspectives. One is that of Sarah, a young woman who stumbles upon an unsolved mystery from the 1870s while working on her thesis. And the other is Hanna, a young woman struggling to survive and raise her siblings in a time when women had no rights and few options.It is, ultimately, a story about loneliness, loss, injustice, determination, strength, tragedy, guilt, and love.The writing is smooth. The characters are strong, multi-layered, and fascinating. And the multiple plots quickly unravel into a engrossing mystery that not only manages to intertwine all the subplots, but also ends with a little surprise.Overall this is a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more from Jaeger in the future.Thank you to Edelweiss, especially William Morrow, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.All my reviews can be found at http://whatsbetterthanbooks.com

A modern woman, faced with her MFA thesis deadline, finds herself drawn to a 140-year old newspaper headline about two missing young women in San Francisco. Rather than complete her previous project, Sarah changes course and decides to pursue a new one, about the two missing seamstresses. Little does she realize that the story will ultimately circle around and touch her in-laws today, a family of wealth that has resided in San Francisco for more than 150 years. The story occurs across two timelines, the San Francisco of today and that of 1876. The author does a good job of describing San Francisco of 1876, I felt as though I was there and could imagine what it felt like in that wildness. She also brings more to San Francisco today than a simple list of well-known locations. Her characters are engaging enough that I wondered what they would do next; not always easy to create, especially for historical fiction. The book is imaginative and fast; for lovers of historical fiction and San Francisco, this is a delight. I received my copy from the publisher through Edelweiss.

This is an excellent debut historical novel from Meredith Jaeger. The novel is well written and extremely interesting and once I started it, I had trouble putting it down again. The novel takes place in San Francisco and is the story of Hanna, a German immigrant working as a dressmaker in 1876 and Sarah in present day trying to complete her thesis. She originally planned to write a novel but when she finds a story about two missing dressmakers from 1876, her interest was sparked and she decided to try to find out what happened to them and then write a story about it. Little did she know that the story of the two missing women from 1876 would circle around and connect back to her family.I thought that the author did a magnificent job of describing San Francisco both modern day and life in 1876. The immigrants of this time were definitely treated as second class citizens and were often forced to work and live in terrible conditions. It was very apparent that the author did significant research into the city both past and present.This is a fantastic debut novel and I look forward to future books from this author. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Review to follow.

A compelling dual-timeline story with a mystery at its heart that will keep you turning the pages until its conclusion. San Francisco, past and present, came alive for me with Jaeger's vivid descriptions. Looking forward to more from this author!

Meredith Jaeger's The Dressmaker's Dowry is a riveting story that leaves the reader mesmerized with each turn of the page. Set in 1876 San Francisco and the present day in the same city, the story entails the disappearance of two immigrant dressmakers and the difficulties living with drunken fathers and caring for younger siblings with a modern day writer working on her thesis. The wealthy Havensworth family is part of the fabric of each time period. Ms. Jaeger has woven a story where Hannelore Schaeffer and Margaret O'Brien's disappearance affects the life of Sarah Havensworth who stumbles upon a newspaper article concerning the possible death of Margaret. Sarah finds that her life becomes a search for answers involving the lives of the two young girls. The Barbary Coast, saloons, houses of ill-repute in 1876 and locked closets, hidden secrets and power in the present day are linked together with over two-hundred years between them. A read that will leave the reader so engrossed in the story that the last page arrives too soon!

An Outstanding Debut Novel!Set in San Francisco, “The Dressmaker’s Dowry” takes place in 1876 and also in present day. Meredith Jaeger does an excellent job weaving both time periods together to tell a story of love, betrayal, tragedy, and triumph. This is the author’s first novel and I found it to be an outstanding read!Sarah Havensworth is married to the son of wealthy parents whose family has played a major role in San Francisco society for generations. She is working on her MFA thesis, but has lost interest in the novel she has chosen to write. While randomly searching the internet for inspiration, she stumbles across a headline from 1876…”Missing Dressmakers Believed to be Murdered.” It immediately captures her attention, so Sarah begins to investigate the unsolved crime. It will be her new thesis.The dressmakers are two immigrants who met while working together at a dress shop. Margaret is a young Irish girl, and Hannelore is German. They became close friends, bonding because they share the experience of caring for their younger siblings, and they both live with the horror of abusive fathers. One day, they meet two wealthy young men from San Francisco’s elite society and their lives are forever changed. Sarah, the present day character, is drawn into their story, unaware that she has a personal connection to both of the woman who lived generations before her. As the story progresses, all of the characters are touched by love and by tragic events. The plot thickens when murder is committed. As Sarah begins to uncover the details of the murder, the wealthy Havensworth family (Sarah’s own in-laws) attempts to cover up a crime committed more than one hundred years ago.Meredith Jaeger has written a page-turning thriller in her debut novel. She tells the story in a riveting way, and the book is spellbinding. I couldn’t wait to discover what would happen to each character and how the story would end. I was not disappointed! If you enjoy history and intrigue, you will love this book!I received a copy of this book from the publisher, through Library Thing's Early Reviewers group, in exchange for my honest review.

Full review on my blog: http://www.thebookwhisperer.org/2017/...

THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY, by Meredith Jaeger, is an appealing and unique story of love, survival, and secrets. Set in San Francisco, it alternates between modern times and 1876. The story begins in the present day and is told in first person, past tense. Sarah Havensworth is a grad student trying to write a novel for her MFA thesis. She's stuck with her story about life in the late 19th century's Barbary Coast and hasn't written anything in several weeks. Not only does she feel like a fraud because she can't finish her book, she's reluctant to let her husband Hunter Havensworth know. He's from a wealthy San Francisco family and has been her greatest supporter, both monetarily and emotionally, while she's been writing. They've been drifting apart, and she's afraid he'll think she's a big disappointment.While researching her novel, Sarah discovers an article in an 1876 local newspaper referring to the disappearance of two dressmakers. The story intrigues Sarah because a serial killer was in the area at the same time, and she wonders if there's any way to tell if the dressmakers were his victims. So she abandons her soulless novel to write the more compelling dressmakers' story. This portion is set in 1876 and told in the third person, past tense by Hannelore "Hanna" Schaeffer. She's an immigrant from Bavaria, speaks German and English fluently, and is the oldest of four children of a fat, alcoholic, and abusive father. He takes the money she makes from her dressmaking job to drink and eat at taverns, while she and the other children barely scrape by. She and her Irish immigrant friend, Margaret O'Brien, spend long hours sewing for an unpleasant woman and her wealthy customers. One night Margaret is supposed to watch Hanna's siblings but never arrives. Hanna vows to find Margaret and enlists her friend, real estate mogul Lucas Havensworth, to help her.Both Sarah and Hanna are survivors. They've lived through horrible situations and experienced bullying, deprivation and self-doubt. Though they each find love, they feel they don't deserve it and try to distance themselves from their partners. Sarah and Hanna have secrets too. Deep ones, that if discovered, could make their lives miserable.As a history and preservation professional, I'm drawn to the research Sarah conducts to gather information for her story. The author uses this info to capture the disparity in living conditions between the wealthy citizens of late 19th century San Francisco and the poor immigrant populations living in unsafe and squalid areas of the city. And her portrayal of how the upper classes treated the other levels of society is reflected in both Sara's time and in 1876.Pros: The story is definitely unique and well thought out. The plot and subplots interweave fairly well, and the characters are multidimensional and extremely interesting. Cons: The novel could have been shorter--some passages are a little too long without adding to the story. In many places, the length of the sentences are similar, resulting in a somewhat stilted reading rhythm.Final Thoughts: THE DRESSMAKER'S DOWRY is a good book for readers who like mysteries and character-driven stories and for people who like a bit of history sprinkled through their fiction. Though it's in the contemporary women genre, it's something I would have wanted to read even in the fifth grade (when I read GONE WITH THE WIND ), so it's suitable for teenagers too. If You Like This, You Might Like: THE LIFE SHE WAS GIVEN and WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND by Ellen Marie Wiseman, INTO THE WATER by Paula Hawkins, HER EVERY FEAR by Peter Swanson, THE ISLAND HOUSE by Nancy Thayer, INHERITING EDITH by Zoe Fishman* Read my other reviews on the Blue Moon Mystery Saloon blog.** A e-galley was provided by William Morrow/HarpersCollin and Edelweiss for an honest review.

Two women, two storylines, and two different era’s. Hanna, 1876, and Sarah, present time, are entirely different women with entirely different lives. Hanna is poor, working to feed and clothe her siblings and keep her drunk father from abusing them. Sarah has married well and is working on her thesis. The thesis is what pulls these two stories together. Sarah’s thesis is the story of Hanna and Margaret, Hanna’s friend who goes missing. There were times that I wondered exactly how these two stories would come together, what would bind them. I kept reading, not able to stop with the need to find out what happen to Hanna and Sarah. I found the 1876 story line more intriguing to me. I was interested in how Hanna would be able to take care of her siblings in a time when the only job women could do is sew or whore themselves. Sarah was a character that I struggled to connect with. I knew there was more to her, something that was keeping her from being honest, but I couldn’t figure out what it was until it was revealed. San Francisco is described in great detail, especially in the 1876 timeframe. I could picture the stores, the markets, the whorehouses, and the ragged homes Hanna and Margaret were growing up in. The details were perfectly shared so that I could see exactly what the characters were seeing. I felt like I was walking the streets with them, the fear of being mugged, the drunks approaching, and the history of the era were real to me. The Dressmakers Dowry is a quick read. The words flow, the story moves along. I recommend picking up your own copy.

3.5For more reviews visit www.goodbookfairy.comThe Dressmaker’s Dowry is a fast paced historical mystery and romance wrapped up in chick lit. I flew through this novel and learned quite a bit about San Francisco’s early history. That was an unexpected treat.The author’s own engagement ring from 1903 was the inspiration for this parallel time period novel. I’ll start by saying that I was more connected to the historical aspect of this story. I’m not sure if that’s because I’m a big fan of historical fiction or because the current day story fell short. I really liked the main the protagonist in the current day storyline, but I found it contrived that such a big secret in her life wouldn’t be shared with her adoring (read as too good to be true) husband. All other aspects of her life were relatable, so perhaps that was it. I found her journalist’s sprit, arduous investigation skills and often-fruitless leads to unearth the truth quite fascinating. I appreciated the details that went into her search for information.The squalor and hard times that befell the two dressmakers was unbearable at times. It felt hopeless and the author’s descriptions brought the sounds and smells to life. The responsibility that these young girls had to bear was reprehensible. I’m glad we saw at least one of them get out and flourish.There was a good amount of old fashioned romance, which was a welcome rarity. I’m looking forward to reading more of Meredith Jaeger’s books.Quotes I liked:So long as my mouth was full, I wouldn’t say something rude that I’d regret later.”-“Perhaps this was customary, as every proper woman believed herself to be merely an extension of her husband, silent and passive.”

This book is not bad for a first novel! Jaeger's well-researched vision of Victorian San Francisco is compelling and inspiring. I appreciate well-researched historical fiction, and I often put down the book and Googled several locations mentioned in the story both from the past and in the present. Hanna's story is much more interesting, and Hanna is a more fully developed character than Sarah. There are several mysteries and questions between both storylines, and there is plenty of suspense to keep the reader thoroughly engaged. Lucas and Hanna make a great team as they solve Margaret's disappearance. Unfortunately the mystery's true resolution is so insidious it frightens Hanna enough to flee Nob Hill.Sarah has a tragic secret she's kept from everyone, especially her husband Hunter. I find it almost incredible that someone of Hunter's stature would marry a girl he knows nothing about. He never visits Sarah's hometown, has never met anyone she knew as a young girl. Although her secret is a tragic one, I don't think it's enough to cause her anxiety. I also find it highly unlikely that a character who truly loves his wife wouldn't take a more proactive approach to help her cope. But Sarah isn't the only one with a secret: Hunter's family has skeletons in the closet and they're dancing! The best part about Sarah's storyline is while working on her thesis for her MFA in writing, Sarah walks away from a terrible novel she's half-heartedly written and instead decides to research Hanna and Margaret's story. I find the connection between both stories interesting, but I would have been happy if it had just been a historical romance. If you enjoy historical fiction and are interested in reading a story with a San Francisco setting, then I recommend The Dressmaker's Dowry.Disclosure: I received a copy of the novel from the publisher via TLC Book Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This was a delightful diversion for me from my more involved and darker reads – not that a book with the themes that this one uses doesn’t involve some dark acts. It just doesn’t delve into them too deeply. Our heroine, Sarah is married to the man of her dreams and in the middle of writing a novel for her thesis but it’s not all going that well for she is keeping a big secret from her husband and her novel is going nowhere. As she continues her research into San Francisco’s less than savory past she stumbles upon an intriguing headline of two dressmakers who went missing. Little does she know where this one small tidbit of history will lead her.Sarah is a young woman who has come up from nothing to marry into one of the wealthiest families in the San Francisco area. Her husband is nothing liker her cold father in law. While her mother in law welcomes her into the family she never quite feels as if she belongs. She somehow feels adrift until she stumbles upon the story of the two missing seamstresses. Once she decides to investigate their story instead of writing her novel everything changes; she feels alive again but she also starts to receive threatening messages. Why? From whom?This was a book that entertained me, gave me a look into San Francisco’s dark history and let me escape for a while. It’s not a book that required a lot of thought and to be honest it’s better if you don’t think too hard while reading it. It’s an escapist piece of reading and well suited to that realm. I’d pick up another book by the author without hesitation for an enjoyable afternoon’s reading

A great mix of history (some great history that little is known about), mystery, strong female characters (although they struggled) and romance!! The dual timeline really came together in the end; I actually enjoyed them both equally (which is rare for me). If you do read this book, be sure to read the notes at the end and check out the pics--they are fantastic!

Excellent historical fiction set in old/current San Francisco. Two young seamstresses disappear in the Barbary Coast area of the city. A young writer stumbles upon the mystery, not realizing that it is closer to her and her family than she had ever imagined.