If you don’t mind a bit of chick lit set in the 1960s mixed with a touch of fashion faction (fiction and fact combined), may I recommend to you Heaven, Hell & Mademoiselle? It follows a small cast of characters set in the world of haute couture in the late 1960s.
Thrillingly, Coco Chanel features prominently. If you are a fan of Chanel, and a fan of Paris, this is a fun book. To me it’s a cross of chick lit, chic lit and faux history.
Set in the late 60s, Heaven, Hell & Mademoiselle by Harold Carlton follows the lives of a group of young people who have moved to Paris and are starting out. It also shows Chanel at work. One of the young women has started work in Chanel’s workroom and one wants to be a designer.
I read it on our summer holiday a few Christmases back, but I remember the descriptions of Paris, the petite apartments they lived in (petite but chicly decorated, on a budget of course), the aloof discipline of one of the main characters, all intertwined with a mystery surrounding one of the girls which somehow linked her to Mademoiselle Chanel.
I read it in about a day and a half because it was so readable and enjoyable. There were a few sensually sexy love scenes too. They were so well written and different to other chick lit love scenes. The book transports you to Paris, and you can imagine you live among the characters.
Since I have such good memories of this book, I have just reordered it from our library to read again. It’s been long enough that it will be like a brand new read to me!
Gosh I love a good read, and even more so when it has chic details that I can soak up and take away.
Have you read this book? Do you have a favourite that is along these lines? Please let me know so I can add it to my wishlist.