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The Paris Prize
In the rugged heart of sheep country, a woman can dream ... From shearing sheds of the Great Dividing Range to the highlands of Scotland, Maddy Rainforth is on a mission to make the finest Merino wool - and now the glittering catwalks of Paris are calling. But it will take much more than just a dream.
Grazier Maddy Rainforth lives and breathes wool - and not just any wool, the finest Merino wool that can be grown. Maddy dreams of a day when her golden fleece is the toast of the country, but it's going to take everything she and her family can offer - and sometimes a bit more, when the country that gives so much bounty can also take it away.
Battling the unforgiving elements takes her all - from devastating drought to deadly bushfires and suffocating dust storms and more - as well as the demands and heartbreak of war, and the expectations of an industry run by men. Inspired by her family's heritage, Maddy travels to the highlands of the Scottish Isles to trace ancient techniques, and begins to produce her own unique, woollen fabric in colours drawn from the country around her. Soon Australia is riding high on a wool boom - and as haute couture in Europe rises from the ashes of war, Maddy's fleece and fabric is in demand. And now the prestigious Paris Wool Prize - which has launched the careers of the most famous designers in the fashion world - is knocking on Maddy's door.
But Maddy's journey is fraught with challenges - prejudice, heartbreak, and the ever-present threat of failure. For fans of The Dressmaker, The Paris Seamstress and the The Woolgrowers Companion, The Paris Prize is a rousing story of a woman who turned dust into Dior and the indomitable spirit that defines what it means to be Australian - one of love, legacy, obsession and passion.
Grazier Maddy Rainforth lives and breathes wool - and not just any wool, the finest Merino wool that can be grown. Maddy dreams of a day when her golden fleece is the toast of the country, but it's going to take everything she and her family can offer - and sometimes a bit more, when the country that gives so much bounty can also take it away.
Battling the unforgiving elements takes her all - from devastating drought to deadly bushfires and suffocating dust storms and more - as well as the demands and heartbreak of war, and the expectations of an industry run by men. Inspired by her family's heritage, Maddy travels to the highlands of the Scottish Isles to trace ancient techniques, and begins to produce her own unique, woollen fabric in colours drawn from the country around her. Soon Australia is riding high on a wool boom - and as haute couture in Europe rises from the ashes of war, Maddy's fleece and fabric is in demand. And now the prestigious Paris Wool Prize - which has launched the careers of the most famous designers in the fashion world - is knocking on Maddy's door.
But Maddy's journey is fraught with challenges - prejudice, heartbreak, and the ever-present threat of failure. For fans of The Dressmaker, The Paris Seamstress and the The Woolgrowers Companion, The Paris Prize is a rousing story of a woman who turned dust into Dior and the indomitable spirit that defines what it means to be Australian - one of love, legacy, obsession and passion.
- GenresHistorical Fiction
425 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2026
About the author
Tania Blanchard
13 books241 followersTania lives in Sydney with her husband and three children. Coming from a family with rich cultural heritage with a German mother and Italian father, stories have always been in her blood. Following a career in physiotherapy, it was only when she had her family that she decided to return to her passion of writing.
Her debut novel is The Girl from Munich, the story she has always wanted to write, inspired by the fascinating stories told by her German grandmother, and she is currently working on the sequel, set in Australia in the 1950s.
Tania is excited to have found her light bulb moment, her love for writing historical fiction. She looks forward to delving further into her interests of history and family stories to enrich and bring to life the many ideas inspired by the amazing tales she has gathered over the years.
Her debut novel is The Girl from Munich, the story she has always wanted to write, inspired by the fascinating stories told by her German grandmother, and she is currently working on the sequel, set in Australia in the 1950s.
Tania is excited to have found her light bulb moment, her love for writing historical fiction. She looks forward to delving further into her interests of history and family stories to enrich and bring to life the many ideas inspired by the amazing tales she has gathered over the years.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Big thanks to Tania and Harper Collins for sending us a copy to read and review.
This country has some of the best historical fiction authors in the world.
Tania Blanchard is one that’s on that list.
Her books are dynamic, compelling, fascinating and a wonder to read.
The Paris Prize is inspired by the writers family ancestors and linked to her two previous books.
In the early 1930s in country Australia, Madeleine Rainforth dreams of the perfect wool.
Sheep farming is what her family property is known for locally and Maddy believes she can manufacture the best.
Her husband Tom and three children, David, Reggie and Tess work along side her.
The elements continue to bring havoc and disappointment and the industry is very unstable.
She pursues the dream with success and family support but war brings problems and heartbreaks.
Out the other side her life spans prestige and money among sadness and grief.
Can the legacy live on and Maddy come out strong……..
A delightful, beautiful and informative read.
You can always guarantee that when you read a book by this talented author, you get a lesson in history, it’s rich in detail, a storyline woven of fact and fiction and a great reading adventure.
You are all in for a treat when this gets released.
This country has some of the best historical fiction authors in the world.
Tania Blanchard is one that’s on that list.
Her books are dynamic, compelling, fascinating and a wonder to read.
The Paris Prize is inspired by the writers family ancestors and linked to her two previous books.
In the early 1930s in country Australia, Madeleine Rainforth dreams of the perfect wool.
Sheep farming is what her family property is known for locally and Maddy believes she can manufacture the best.
Her husband Tom and three children, David, Reggie and Tess work along side her.
The elements continue to bring havoc and disappointment and the industry is very unstable.
She pursues the dream with success and family support but war brings problems and heartbreaks.
Out the other side her life spans prestige and money among sadness and grief.
Can the legacy live on and Maddy come out strong……..
A delightful, beautiful and informative read.
You can always guarantee that when you read a book by this talented author, you get a lesson in history, it’s rich in detail, a storyline woven of fact and fiction and a great reading adventure.
You are all in for a treat when this gets released.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you for my copy of your beautiful book Tania.
Another immersive novel by Tania Blanchard that brilliantly brings the wool-growing and weaving industries to life.
Meet Maddy Rainforth: a captivating protagonist fueled by passion, breaking barriers in an industry run by men. She proves that nothing is out of reach, as this standout quote reminds us: “You’ve shown the country and the world what’s possible when you dedicate passion and persistence to the pursuit of something others thought impossible.”
The story opens in Paris, 1954, where Maddy Rainforth meets fashion icons Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy, both eager to source premium Australian wool for their upcoming haute couture collections.
The story winds back to New South Wales, 1934, where Maddy and her husband, Tom, run a sheep property. When Maddy takes her clip to the Goulburn wool auctions, it fetches the season's second-highest price, bought by a French merchant for a major Parisian fashion house.
However, Maddy's triumph is quickly followed by a series of trials and tribulations. After her father passes away, she inherits a mysterious family heirloom—a discovery that ultimately drives Maddy and her Aunt Bella to journey across the world to Scotland to unravel its hidden history.
A brief stopover in London uncovers a startling revelation: the true identity of Tom’s mother (a familiar face from a previous book of Tania’s)
Pushing onward into the Scottish Highlands, Maddy unearths a rich ancestral legacy of master weavers. Immersing herself in traditional Scottish weaving circles, she returns to Australia inspired to craft her own bespoke textiles. What begins as a passion project quickly explodes into a booming business, forcing Maddy to scale her operation and find a commercial factory to keep up with the soaring demand.
A decision by Maddy sparks sudden friction with Tom, a tension deeply compounded by the looming hardships of World War II.
Just as the couple begins to heal their rift and life takes a turn for the better, a dust storm sweeps across their property, closely followed by a piece of devastating news that threatens to shatter everything they have built.
With Maddy and her son working by her side, her wool business is once again thriving. Realising that exporting her fabrics to France could provide the long-term financial security needed for expansion, Maddy sets her sights on the European market. In a stroke of good fortune, her path crosses with Christian Dior once more. She provides the exquisite cloth for his upcoming show, and a deeply impressed Dior nominates her for the prestigious International Wool Secretariat (IWS) design awards. Maddy and her daughter, Tess, travel to Paris for the event, where Maddy’s exceptional wool fabrics take center stage—contributing to two out of the three winning designs for the highly coveted "Paris Prize."
After working tirelessly for years, Maddy finally succeeded in replicating her family tartan. To support her thriving business, she made a major new purchase—though I’ll keep that a secret for now!
Another immersive novel by Tania Blanchard that brilliantly brings the wool-growing and weaving industries to life.
Meet Maddy Rainforth: a captivating protagonist fueled by passion, breaking barriers in an industry run by men. She proves that nothing is out of reach, as this standout quote reminds us: “You’ve shown the country and the world what’s possible when you dedicate passion and persistence to the pursuit of something others thought impossible.”
The story opens in Paris, 1954, where Maddy Rainforth meets fashion icons Christian Dior and Hubert de Givenchy, both eager to source premium Australian wool for their upcoming haute couture collections.
The story winds back to New South Wales, 1934, where Maddy and her husband, Tom, run a sheep property. When Maddy takes her clip to the Goulburn wool auctions, it fetches the season's second-highest price, bought by a French merchant for a major Parisian fashion house.
However, Maddy's triumph is quickly followed by a series of trials and tribulations. After her father passes away, she inherits a mysterious family heirloom—a discovery that ultimately drives Maddy and her Aunt Bella to journey across the world to Scotland to unravel its hidden history.
A brief stopover in London uncovers a startling revelation: the true identity of Tom’s mother (a familiar face from a previous book of Tania’s)
Pushing onward into the Scottish Highlands, Maddy unearths a rich ancestral legacy of master weavers. Immersing herself in traditional Scottish weaving circles, she returns to Australia inspired to craft her own bespoke textiles. What begins as a passion project quickly explodes into a booming business, forcing Maddy to scale her operation and find a commercial factory to keep up with the soaring demand.
A decision by Maddy sparks sudden friction with Tom, a tension deeply compounded by the looming hardships of World War II.
Just as the couple begins to heal their rift and life takes a turn for the better, a dust storm sweeps across their property, closely followed by a piece of devastating news that threatens to shatter everything they have built.
With Maddy and her son working by her side, her wool business is once again thriving. Realising that exporting her fabrics to France could provide the long-term financial security needed for expansion, Maddy sets her sights on the European market. In a stroke of good fortune, her path crosses with Christian Dior once more. She provides the exquisite cloth for his upcoming show, and a deeply impressed Dior nominates her for the prestigious International Wool Secretariat (IWS) design awards. Maddy and her daughter, Tess, travel to Paris for the event, where Maddy’s exceptional wool fabrics take center stage—contributing to two out of the three winning designs for the highly coveted "Paris Prize."
After working tirelessly for years, Maddy finally succeeded in replicating her family tartan. To support her thriving business, she made a major new purchase—though I’ll keep that a secret for now!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
One of the reasons I love historical fiction is the way it can transport you into a time and place while teaching you about things you might otherwise never have known much about.
In The Paris Prize, I was immediately drawn to the fashion and textiles, particularly with the story moving between the rugged Australian landscape, Scotland and Paris. But what surprised me most was just how much I learnt about sheep farming, Merino wool and the world of textiles.
The realities of farming really came through - the devastating droughts, bushfires, dust storms and the sheer unpredictability of working with the land. It reminded me just how unforgiving the Australian landscape can be, and how much resilience is required to make a living and life from it.
At the heart of the story is Maddy, whose warmth, determination and resilience make her a captivating character to follow. I loved seeing her passion for wool evolve from the Australian sheep country to the Scottish Highlands and eventually towards the glamour of Paris.
There’s something really special about that contrast - the grit and hardship of rural Australia alongside the artistry and beauty of fashion and textiles. And underneath it all is a story about ambition, family, perseverance and what it takes to pursue a dream when the odds aren’t always in your favour.
A sweeping piece of Australian historical fiction with vivid landscapes, fascinating insight into the wool industry and characters who are easy to become invested in.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for my review copy.
In The Paris Prize, I was immediately drawn to the fashion and textiles, particularly with the story moving between the rugged Australian landscape, Scotland and Paris. But what surprised me most was just how much I learnt about sheep farming, Merino wool and the world of textiles.
The realities of farming really came through - the devastating droughts, bushfires, dust storms and the sheer unpredictability of working with the land. It reminded me just how unforgiving the Australian landscape can be, and how much resilience is required to make a living and life from it.
At the heart of the story is Maddy, whose warmth, determination and resilience make her a captivating character to follow. I loved seeing her passion for wool evolve from the Australian sheep country to the Scottish Highlands and eventually towards the glamour of Paris.
There’s something really special about that contrast - the grit and hardship of rural Australia alongside the artistry and beauty of fashion and textiles. And underneath it all is a story about ambition, family, perseverance and what it takes to pursue a dream when the odds aren’t always in your favour.
A sweeping piece of Australian historical fiction with vivid landscapes, fascinating insight into the wool industry and characters who are easy to become invested in.
Thank you to Harper Collins Australia for my review copy.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Paris Prize
Tania Blanchard
Thank you for this book to preview Tania.
I loved this story. What an amazing history of how Australian wool became the best in the world.
Maddy Rainford grew up on a farm with her 2 brothers . Sadly her father didn’t see any need for a daughter to be on the farm working ,yet her one wish was to breed sheep with the finest wool. She married Tom and they had their own farm leased from her aunty .
Maddy became obsessed at raising the best wool and also hand dying the wool with her own natural plants. As a result she became an expert on both fine wool and dying the colours.
We follow her journey as a wife, Mum, friend and farmer.
I am impressed with the history Tania has researched to write this book and it was not only entertaining but so interesting.
Absolutely recommend this book for a relaxing read and enjoyment.
Tania Blanchard
Thank you for this book to preview Tania.
I loved this story. What an amazing history of how Australian wool became the best in the world.
Maddy Rainford grew up on a farm with her 2 brothers . Sadly her father didn’t see any need for a daughter to be on the farm working ,yet her one wish was to breed sheep with the finest wool. She married Tom and they had their own farm leased from her aunty .
Maddy became obsessed at raising the best wool and also hand dying the wool with her own natural plants. As a result she became an expert on both fine wool and dying the colours.
We follow her journey as a wife, Mum, friend and farmer.
I am impressed with the history Tania has researched to write this book and it was not only entertaining but so interesting.
Absolutely recommend this book for a relaxing read and enjoyment.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Loved absolutely everything about The Paris Prize! What a beautiful love letter to Australian farmers. I could feel the tenacity, resilience, determination and ambition in Maddy Rainforth and her family and friends. I can’t wait til this one is out on the 29th there are so many people who are going to love it! Thanks so much Harper Collins and Tania Blanchard for my early copy, couldn’t appreciate it more!!!
September 18, 2026
I really enjoy Tania’s historical fiction novels. She combines interesting bits of history with strong women who are well ahead of their time. The Paris Prize features characters from her last two novels but can definitely be read as a stand alone. It’s the story of Madeline Rainforth a sheep farmer who takes Australian wool to the high couture fashion houses of Paris.
Tania’s research shines through once again. From the realities of sheep farming, islands of Scotland to the House of Dior in Paris, I could picture myself in each location and what it was like at the time. It was fascinating to learn about the wool industry and how fabrics were made. Maddy was such an engaging character and I enjoyed going along with her journey through all its ups and downs and admired her for her hard working ethic and innovation. An inspiring and immersive historical fiction novel perfect for fans of The Gown and The Paris Dressmaker.
Tania’s research shines through once again. From the realities of sheep farming, islands of Scotland to the House of Dior in Paris, I could picture myself in each location and what it was like at the time. It was fascinating to learn about the wool industry and how fabrics were made. Maddy was such an engaging character and I enjoyed going along with her journey through all its ups and downs and admired her for her hard working ethic and innovation. An inspiring and immersive historical fiction novel perfect for fans of The Gown and The Paris Dressmaker.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews