Thank you Macmillan Publishing for this book in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

It is 1953 and Melbourne society is looking forward to coronation season, the grand balls and celebrations for the young queen-to-be. Tilly Dunnage is, however, working for a pittance in a second-rate Collins Street salon. Her talents go unappreciated, and the madame is a bully and a cheat, but Tilly has a past she is desperate to escape and good reason to prefer anonymity.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Farrat and the McSwiney clan have been searching for their resident dressmaker ever since she left Dungatar in flames. And they aren’t the only ones. The inhabitants of the town are still out for revenge (or at least someone to foot the bill for the new high street). So when Tilly’s name starts to feature in the fashion pages, the jig is up. Along with Tilly’s hopes of keeping her secrets hidden… It is 1953 and Melbourne society is looking forward to coronation season, the grand balls and celebrations for the young queen-to-be. Tilly Dunnage is, however, working for a pittance in a second-rate Collins Street salon. Her talents go unappreciated, and the madame is a bully and a cheat, but Tilly has a past she is desperate to escape and good reason to prefer anonymity.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Farrat and the McSwiney clan have been searching for their resident dressmaker ever since she left Dungatar in flames. And they aren’t the only ones. The inhabitants of the town are still out for revenge (or at least someone to foot the bill for the new high street). So when Tilly’s name starts to feature in the fashion pages, the jig is up. Along with Tilly’s hopes of keeping her secrets hidden…It is 1953 and Melbourne society is looking forward to coronation season, the grand balls and celebrations for the young queen-to-be. Tilly Dunnage is, however, working for a pittance in a second-rate Collins Street salon. Her talents go unappreciated, and the madame is a bully and a cheat, but Tilly has a past she is desperate to escape and good reason to prefer anonymity.

Meanwhile, Sergeant Farrat and the McSwiney clan have been searching for their resident dressmaker ever since she left Dungatar in flames. And they aren’t the only ones. The inhabitants of the town are still out for revenge (or at least someone to foot the bill for the new high street). So when Tilly’s name starts to feature in the fashion pages, the jig is up. Along with Tilly’s hopes of keeping her secrets hidden..

Review:

I have a deep love for The Dressmaker. Back in high school I studied that book for a whole year and every single time we reread it I found more depth to the story and fell in love over and over! It was and still is to this day one of my favourite fiction books. So with that in mind – I have extremely high expectations of The Dressmaker’s Secret and in fact had to read it twice before I sat down to type this.

Let’s dive into the thoughts that I had around The Dressmaker’s Secret and why this book is fricken AMAZING!

Tilly Dunage has moved back to Melbourne and is trying to keep herself off anyone’s radar, until Sergeant Farret and the McSwiney clan seek her out. While some of her old town folk might be after some new address, the remainder are after revenge and will do anything to win. This sequel is just as quirky as the original and is full of the witty humour and sass that filled you with love of the first book.

Honestly – I loved it. I mean the first book will always have a place in my heart but this book was just as well written, just as entertaining and just as brilliant!!

Rating: 5/5

Publisher: Picador Australia

ISBN: 9781760982027