The Wardrobe Mistress

by Natalie Meg Evans

One day, Vanessa would return and unwrap her father's secrets. She might even remember the mysterious scarred woman's name, and push the little gold key that she'd been given at her father's graveside into a lock and hear it click…

London 1945, and as victory unfurls throughout Europe, a young war widow steps aboard a train in search of a new life. Clutching the key to an unknown inheritance, Vanessa Kingcourt can no longer ignore the pull of the threads that draw her to the old Farren Theatre; an enchanted place, seeped in memories of her actor father and of Eva, the seamstress who took a lock of her hair with a promise she would return.

Now owned by troubled ex-sea captain, Alistair, The Farren is in need of a Wardrobe Mistress and a new lease of life. With no experience and no budget for supplies, Vanessa must use her intuition to create beautiful, elaborate costumes from whatever scraps of silk and thread survived the blitz. It’s a seemingly impossible task, but a welcome distraction as she struggles to resist Alistair’s advances.

The war may be over, but for Vanessa the heart-ache has only just begun – what she discovers will unravel family secrets sewn deep into the very fabric of the London theatre scene. Will she repeat the same terrible mistakes her father made? Will she ever dare to love again?

From the Festival of Romantic Fiction's Best Historical Read and USA Today bestselling author, comes a wonderfully evocative wartime drama perfect for fans of Gill Paul and Kathleen Tessaro.

What readers are saying about Natalie Meg Evans’s bestselling novels:

'Natalie's books are a treasure trove of vibrant, vivid stories, memorable characters and pacy writing!’ Tracy Rees, bestselling author of Amy Snow

'Another awesome book from Natalie Meg Evans! Love, love, love this author! Cora's story is all her own and just as exciting. Can't wait for more from this author.' Nik Book Lover

'Travelling between modern day and World War II, Evans evokes the splendour and tragedy of an earlier era.’ For the Love of Books

‘The Dress Thief sweeps readers into the heart of Paris during the rise of the fashion industry… one to be savoured for its wonderfully rich descriptions and details.’ The Great Historical Fiction Review 

‘An amazing look into couture Paris of the 1930's. Natalie Meg Evans has woven, like the tapestry of a beautiful fabric, amazingly diverse characters that will beguile you with their faults and their attempts at redemption.’ Ask A Bookworm

‘The Dress Thief goes way beyond a story of Parisian fashion. It is a story of mystery, romance, friendship and the everyday struggles of life. Right from the start this book will grip hold of you and draw you into Alix’s story and it won’t let you go till the very last page.’ That Thing She Reads 

'A delicious treat of a novel. I loved the setting in 1930s Paris - a place of intrigue, exquisite silk frocks, and dangerous secrets. And I was utterly charmed by the story's delectable heroine, as she struggled to make her mark in this seductive but perilous world.' Margaret Leroy 

'A truly accomplished and delicious debut novel.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Historical, Fiction, Historical Romance, World War II, Novels

408 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 15, 2017

About the author

Being a published writer has been Natalie Meg Evans’ goal from an early age. Having achieved her dream, she extracts maximum fun from it by writing the kind of books she has always loved reading. Mother to one son and currently guardian to a rescued Labrador and a Malinois (Belgian Shepherd), Natalie lives in rural Suffolk, England’s easternmost county.

In 2012, Natalie won the prestigious Harry Bowling Prize and was a Romance Writers of America Golden Heart finalist. She was longlisted in the Mslexia new women novelists
competition, and shortlisted for a Daphne du Maurier award for romantic suspense. The Dress Thief won the readers award for the best historical novel at the Festival of Romance and was nominated for a Romance Writers of America RITA.

Her latest novels are The Locket and The Paris Inheritance, both split timeline novels with a wartime theme.

She has achieved another life-goal, as a published author of country house crime. As Kay Blythe, her first novel in this genre comes out in February 2025. Look out for Murder at Merry Beggars Hall.

Reviews

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com

I have to start by wishing the author a very happy publication day! The Wardrobe Mistress was an absolutely gorgeous read with vivid imagery, beautiful, polished writing and a lovely story that stole a little piece of my heart.

It’s set in England just after the end of World War Two and Vanessa is a young woman who has had a painful and troubling life. The only clear memory she has of her father is going to the theater with him where she met the wardrobe mistress after an enchanting evening. Years later, she is determined to try and unlock the secrets of both her fathers past and her own so she decides to try and get a job as a wardrobe mistress herself.

There was an air of mystery surrounding Vanessa and her past and Evans slowly and painstakingly reveals the secrets throughout the book, keeping me engaged and waiting on pins and needles the whole time. I really liked her as a character and wanted her to find answers and her own happiness. Her romance with Alistair was fraught with drama and complications, which always draws me in deeper.

I loved the setting of the theater and enjoyed the eccentric cast of characters that worked there. Evans writes beautifully and I could easily picture the theater, she truly brought everything to life. This was an emotional read filled with intrigue and tension and I really liked how it all came together in the end.

[Agi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Natalie Meg Evans is on the top list of my favourite historical fiction authors, so I was incredibly excited to see she's about to publish her fourth novel, "The Wardrobe Mistress". The book went with me on my holidays and I was incredibly excited to start reading it - I adored Ms Evans's books in the past, and this one was also sounding very promising.

The author sticks with her favourite historical period as the story takes us to the post - war London. The book consists of four parts and follows the story of Vanessa Kingcourt. It also ventures to a world of theatre, and as I love stories about theatres, I truly had high expectations here. So Vanessa - she was a wireless operator during the war, and now she wants to reconnect with her family, and especially her father who has left the family on his daughter's sixth birthday. But life, as usual, has other ideas and there is no reconnection to be. However, there is the other meeting, with a captain Alastair Redenhall, that takes Vanessa on a very different, adventurous journey. Alastair has inherited a theatre from his godfather, and he truly never has expected such inheritance - well, he was a captain, and taking on a theatre was a totally new role for him.

But oh boy. This book gave me a headache. There was a mystery, but it was tangled in many other events and characters and it just felt very slow and I sometimes had a feeling that very little is happening and it took my whole willpower to continue reading - fortunately, as then, later on, the pace gained some tempo. There were twists and turns that I would never have expected to come but somehow, and it annoys me very, very much as I can't put my finger on why, I just couldn't connect with the story and it didn't wow me as much as I hoped it would. I also couldn't warm to the characters - maybe because there were so many of them, and really, I had a feeling that the plot jumps between them and situations and I just couldn't find myself captured, just couldn't get into the depth of the book. The characters felt too one - dimensional to me and I think that Fern was one of the most outstanding in this novel - she was clever and even though she was playing games, those were intelligent games. Alistair was blowing hot and cold and yes, I get it, he was a sea man thrown suddenly and unexpectedly into totally different entourage and eventually, in the end, I started to warm to him. Vanessa was a great leading character and here I had no problems to like her from the very beginning. She had a mind of her own and, as it usually happens, she was way ahead of her times in the way she was thinking. She has never gave up, and I really appreciated her for this. But altogether, for me, I couldn't start to trust them completely, there was something holding me back, and I was asking myself if their motivations are honest.

As I have already mentioned, there were some twists and turns in this story, but it was all happening so very slowly, to finally come to a dramatic end. But somehow all the good things just happened too late and couldn't save the book for me. However, the author, as always, has perfectly chosen the setting and the descriptions of the theatre, of how the costumes, the plays were prepared, were brilliant, full of details and very, very vivid.

Altogether, I am very sad to say that "The Wardrobe Mistress" was not my favourite read by Natalie Meg Evans, I think that her previous books are better, faster and more captivating, however I am not saying that this novel is bad! Oh no, it has its moments, and the writing style is beautiful, full of vividness and I am sure that it's going to steal pieces of the author's fans' hearts. I am already looking forward to Ms Evans next book.

Copy provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited about this book, being a lover of historical fiction. But it was a disappointment. the writing style was nice but I was reading it night after night feeling that the story wasn't actually going anywhere. There were far too many characters and I didn't like any of the main people... apart from the dog.

[Thebooktrail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novel - many layers of intrigue,a sumptuous theatre setting and the background of WW2 all make for a complex novel of split personalities, shadows behind the curtains and never really knowing who or what is just out of sight, stage left.

There is something very shadowy about the world of the theatre - all those people pretending to be what they're not - and during war time this is more symbolic than most. This is a novel which captured me from the opening scene as the setting is so strong, the cast of characters intriguing and you just know there is someone and some secret just lurking in the shadows.

I felt so involved in this book - this is a fully formed world Natalie has drawn here - and it reads like it's being drawn and recreated right down to the smell of the greasepaint and the feel of the costumes, the anguish of wartime troubles and at the heart of it, a world wanting to carry on as best they could. The Farren theatre is at the heart of this story and it's a theatre with so much hidden meaning and depth. The story plays out as if you are watching it unfold on the stage - it's very visual and evocative and I was dying to know how it all tied together with Vanessa's fate. The story of Alistair and the theatre was just captivating and very well imagined. Natalie has really researched the nuances and settings of the time well as the novel draws you into each and every scene. London during the war is a dangerous place with hidden depths and unsavoury characters but the theatre is a beacon to many..

The writing was strong and lyrical throughout and the plot unfolded with all the flair and panache you might expect of a top london theatre. Bravo Ms Evans - encore!

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vanessa is a war widow and she's a brave woman who played her part for her country in the Second World War. After the war she has to find a job and the theater world, where she has roots, greatly appeals to her. She finds a position as wardrobe mistress at The Farren Theatre in London. Former captain Alistair has inherited the place and is trying to make it successful again. He and Vanessa know each other, but their connection isn't an easy one.

Vanessa is trying to find beautiful fabrics for dresses and costumes when everything is in short supply. She has to prove herself, as she's a beginner without much experience. She has allies in the theater, but she also has enemies. There's something about her past she doesn't entirely understand, will she ever find out the truth? Meanwhile Vanessa has to fight her feelings for Alistair, the man who's married to her dear friend. Will she be able to keep their relationship professional while she feels so much love for the man she isn't ever supposed to be with?

The Wardrobe Mistress is a fantastic story about a strong and talented woman. Vanessa is tough, she can handle everything that comes her way and she's incredibly smart. I immediately liked her. She has to be resilient and clever, but she never loses her honesty and kindness. I loved that about her personality. Alistair can be reserved or loving, depending on his mood and the circumstances of the moment, and it was interesting to see how he reacts in every difficult situation he ends up in. They're numerous, but he always keeps going and I liked his spirit and determination. The relationship he has with Vanessa is wonderfully complicated. I couldn't wait to find out where that would lead and couldn't turn the pages quickly enough to discover how things would end for them.

The Wardrobe Mistress is a book about the marvelous world of the theater. It's something that spellbound to me from the start and I loved Natalie Meg Evans's detailed descriptions of the stage, the costumes and the rehearsals, it felt like I could take a look behind the scenes. She combines this magical setting with fabulous gripping secrets and they kept me on the edge of my seat. The Wardrobe Mistress is a captivating, enchanting, entertaining and interesting read. I absolutely loved this terrific story.

[Milena · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars rounded to 3
I read The Dress Thief by Ms. Evans and loved it so I was really looking forward to reading The Wardrobe Mistress. I had high expectations for this book and I must say I was left disappointed. The writing is totally different from The Dress Thief, it's much less polished, and the story doesn't have a good flow. The dialogue between characters often felt awkward and stilted. I liked the setting of the book, London Theater just after WW2, when the city started to wake and renew following the devastation, but this was the only thing I liked about The Wardrobe Mistress. The characters are not very endearing. I found myself questioning their motivations, especially Alistair's. He is the owner of the Farren Theater that our MC, Vanessa, works at. He is estranged from his wife, Fern, who wants to divorce him. On the one hand he is falling for Vanessa but on the other hand he doesn't want to give Fern a divorce. Does he want to have his cake and eat it too? His actions annoyed me quite a bit, it appeared to me that Vanessa was more in love with Alistair, and wanted him more than he wanted her. This is not the type of romance I enjoy. Also there are way too many unnecessary secondary characters that don't add anything valuable to the story, but make it more confusing to remember who is who.
I wanted to like this book because I loved Ms. Evans' other work but all the flaws made it impossible. I may have enjoyed The Wardrobe Mistress more if my expectations weren't so high.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

[Carole Sullivan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well actually I didn't finish it!
God what a slog. What trite characters. When meaningless drivel. I thought I would enjoy a story with a backstage theatre setting, but alas this was ridiculous. Even after WWII theatre in London could not have been this stupid and amateur. And the mystery of the key and the various semi love triangles and the cardboard characters. I REALLY did not like this book.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored this beautiful book. The author's writing is a treat to the senses, bringing scenes alive with her stunning prose. I lived this amazing book. Highly recommend this colourful, poignant tale to everyone!

[Ginger Pollard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book as it looked and sounded right up my alley. I have to say I was a bit disappointed. It's a little bit all over the place and the reader can get easily lost. Don't judge this one by it's cover!

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I had been waiting for ages for the new book from Natalie Meg Evans to be published and when finally I got my hands on The Wardrobe Mistress I couldn't wait to read it. I have loved everything the author has written in the past and she has become one of my favourite historical fiction authors. Both the cover and the blurb for this new book seemed very intriguing and I felt another very good read was in store. The book is split into four parts and follows the story of Vanessa Kingcourt as she undertakes a journey to uncover family secrets which if revealed could change everything she had believed to be true. The brief prologue was very intriguing and takes us back to a very young Vanessa as she goes to the theatre with her father at Christmas. It's all such a wonder to her but something unusual happens which despite her age will stay in her mind for a very long time to come.

The story then jumped in time to 1945 and I felt we were back on familiar territory as the author had written about the war in her previous books but as it was in the closing stages the war itself would not dominate the remainder of the story, and it became clear the author was edging away from what she had written before and venturing to a whole new world – the world of theatre. It took me quite some time to get into the pace of the story as with the author's previous books I thought there was lots going on and they were full of mystery and suspense. The mystery was here but I found the pace slower and at some points hard going as not much happened. It was in the later half of the book that I found myself really getting into the story as everything started to come together piece by piece and things were ramped up more than a notch.

Emerging from the war after spending years as a wireless operator, Vanessa is without direction having lost her husband. She needs to reconnect with her family as she has not seen her father for 19 years and the relationship she has with her mother is strained and complicated. But events conspire against her and reuniting with her father is not be. What next for Vanessa? An encounter with a ship's captain Alastair Redenhall leads to a journey which Vanessa never expected to undertake that has connections and twists and turns that the reader would never have foreseen.

The story then unfolded told from the perspectives of Vanessa and Alastair. Alastair has inherited a theatre from his godfather which couldn't be more different from the times he has spent away fighting at sea. He is doing his best to get a new production up and running in the hopes of bringing the glory days back to the Farren theatre. A ray of light on the streets of London after so many years in the darkness of war. Combined with this his personal life is not the best as he is battling with his wife. There is an emotional tug of war as Fern wants a divorce but he is not willing to give it to her. Fern was one of the best characters in the book. She had wit and was able to wind people around her little finger. She played a game of cat and mouse and was quite clever behind it all. I thought Alastair was an enigma of sorts in that sides to his character were very slowly revealed or that what you believed to be true about him wasn't right at all. He presented many different personas. as did lots of characters in this book, and given it focused on the theatre and the stage that would seem apt given actors play so many different roles across their lifetimes. Alastair had a tough image as a sea captain and now he had to take on this new role and make the theatre profitable once again. There was something about him, the way he was written that made me feel I could like this man if I met him in real life. That beneath the exterior he presents to the employees of the theatre or even his dealings with his wife that there was a softer side to him. That he could be a man filled with compassion and understanding and he shows his softer side as he gets to know Vanessa more.

It's against the backdrop of the rehearsals and pre-production for the play that Vanessa once again comes into contact with Alastair. She responds to the advertisement looking for a wardrobe mistress. Given she has no real experience it is surprising she gets the job but as the reader comes to know her better it's a mark of her character that once she sets her mind to something she never backs down nor gives up but stands firm until she works and works to achieve something and to find answers. For that is what she is looking for too, her father had been an actor and although towards the end his career may not have been glittering she still wants to know more about him and her family heritage. Why did that visit to the Farren Theatre where she is now employed stay so vividly in her mind?

Vanessa like any character did have her vulnerable side too. She was lonely and hurt after her experiences in the war and given she had lost her husband despite the briefness of the marriage she must have been bewildered at what her next step would be. But soon Alastair inspires something in her, reawakens what has been dormant, an emotional pull that given the chance could blossom into something more but is there too much against them for happiness to be achieved? At the same time the opportunity to uncover things people want secret proves too hard too resist for Vanessa and just what is the significance of a certain item she wears around her neck?

There were an awful lot of characters introduced as the story progressed and that was understandable given the cast of the play and the people who had invested in the theatre. Some of the characters I paid little heed to although there was one loitering on the sidelines whom struck me as being odd yet significant. As Vanessa adapts to her new role as wardrobe mistress and attempts to get the costumes ready for the opening of the show there were a few twists and turns yet nothing major. I felt everything was slowly very slowly building and building to a dramatic conclusion and I would have been disappointed if this had not been the case. I felt the overall tone of the book was of tension and nervousness and at times I thought it was quite dark compared to the author's previous books. Where the author did excel was the descriptions of the theatre itself, the creation of the costumes, the routine and rehearsals for the play and how the actors prepared. Clearly a lot of in-depth research had gone into this and that's what I love about Natalie Meg Evans novels the research combined with a story that grips you and has you asking so many questions in a bid to tie up loose ends.

The Wardrobe Mistress wasn't my favourite read from this author still none the less it is a very good read. I think I didn't favour it as much as her previous books because for me the pace picked up slightly too late. The latter sections of the book kept me rapidly turning the pages desperately searching for all the answers just as Vanessa so desperately was too. Just when you thought everything was resolving itself something else was thrown in putting everything off track. All the little clues laid down throughout the book became red herrings and I was surprised more than once towards the end at all the revelations unfolding. It paid off to keep going with this story despite my misgivings about the earlier parts of the book and I think most people will enjoy this new story from Natalie Meg Evans.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adored this book. Really felt for the characters, even the ones I didn't particularly like. It was almost like reading a mystery as the story of Vanessa's parentage got more complicated towards the end. I'll definitely be reading more by this author.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a book I would usually pick up but this mix of history, romance and mystery made a great Christmas holiday read.

[Leonie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughly enjoyable, wartime and just after, theatre-folk and married men, mysterious beginnings and good endings. The writing is good, the plot a bit overdone, but I had a good time. 3.5 stars.

[Artemiz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Wardrobe Mistress is a story about a girl who is trying to find her identity and her future in London after the II WW. But it’s not as easy as it seems, since her dream to become a wardrobe mistress takes her to a theatre where her father was once working.

Her father has left her and her mother when she was a young girl and at the war time he contacted her again, asking for a meeting, which never happened, since Vanessa had little time away from her service in army and she had hard time to find the tavern her father was waiting her in. Shortly after that, she receives a word that her father has died. When she goes to the funeral, she meets young sergeant and happens on his godfather’s funeral at first but then finds his father’s grave as well.

After the war is over she discovers that Alistair, the young sergeant is the new owner of the Ferren theatre where she wants to get a position as wardrobe mistress. There aren’t many actors and actresses left and also other help is scanty, so when she finally gets the position she has to do everything – build, read the lines, marshal the costume designer and find the seamstresses and besides dealing with Alistair’s estranged wife, her once best friend.

But war has its way to put things in prospective so Vanessa finds her strength to do things she had no idea she can do and Alistair understands that there is no point to hold on to the past.

The story is filled with family secrets and when they start to reveal themselves many things change, and people change. And if from time to time I had a feeling that the author has maybe forgotten the initial idea of the book, then at the end it all falls into place and you realize that everything is exactly as it should be.

It was interesting historical family drama, with a dash of romance.

[Phyllis · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great look at live theater after World War 1

I personally found the storyline hard to follow. Many characters and plots all going on at the same time. I was intrigued with the plot and the mystery of the key, the box it fit and who was this main character.

[Chrissie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wardrobe Mistress is a fabulous read ,telling the story of Vanessa a young woman with a sad background and set just after WW2 in London's theatre land. It is a love story with a mystery woven through it . I loved the characters and the ending was perfect

[Leith Devine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I really liked this book. I have enjoyed all of Natalie Meg Evans' previous books, and The Wardrobe Mistress was no exception. Set in the London theater world during and after WWII, it tells the story of Vanessa Kingcourt, who went to the Farren theater with her father, an actor, when she was little and was immediately fascinated by the costumes and wardrobe mistress. The next day, he leaves her and her mother behind in the country for good.

When WWII starts, Vanessa joins the WAAF. By chance she meets Alistair Redenhall, an officer, but she thinks she'll never see him again. After the war, she finds out that he has inherited the Farren theater. She wants to learn more about her father, so she applies, and is hired, to be the new wardrobe mistress.

I loved the the way the story weaves Vanessa, her friends and family, and her new theater "family". There's a lot of romance and drama, with the mysterious Farren theater always in the background. The details of life during WWII and its aftermath were very interesting and well researched. I thought the characters were compelling and well developed, and the writing was strong. It's the kind of book you know you need to put down but can't.

I highly recommend The Wardrobe Mistress, especially to fans of historical novels.

[Kay Hudson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vanessa Kingcourt, lately released from wartime service in the WAAF, her art college studies long ago disrupted by the war, returns to London for the funeral of the father she hasn’t seen since she was a small child. From that afternoon in the cemetery she finds her life intersecting with that of Commander Alastair Redenhall, a Naval officer married to Vanessa’s childhood friend, and a mysterious woman who was an associate of Vanessa’s father.

Redenhall has inherited the theater where Vanessa’s father was working when he died, and hopes to reopen the damaged building and restore it to a working stage. Vanessa, driven by family mysteries and a hopeless attraction to the Commander, manages to land a job as the theater’s wardrobe mistress, a job she’s not at all qualified for.

Vanessa is a determined protagonist, drawn into the world of the theater by curiosity about her father, a small-time actor who abandoned her and her mother for life on the stage, held there by her growing love of both the theater and Redenhall. People from her past and from the theater company, all of whom knew her father in one way or another, contribute clues in her search for the truth about her family.

[Cindy Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, not great!

This story of a young woman searching to find her true identity in WWII era England has a great plot. The employment of which could have been so much better without all the unnecessary backstage theatre minutiae.

The intrigue of hints, suspicion and backstabbing is very well done. What brings the story down is all the excess in theatre terminology and rather boring descriptions of putting on a play. It might of interest to someone in the theatre, but to a novice, like myself, it was beyond boring and a bit over my head......not that I wasn't trying to understand, but as written it was a senseless muddle. So it took away from the actual meat of this plot.

I add that it isn't a lack of interest on my part. My mother was an entertainer. Costuming was at the heart of her stage life. I simply found this book in its description of backstage life overly done and too much to wade through as a reader. It needs editing in my opinion because it disses the romance completely.

I don't know that I'd be interested in reading another book about backstage life unless it stuck more closely to the actual menu and scaled down all the stuffng. Recommend to theatre people.

[Laurean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Went from warm to super hot

This pleasurable experience took awhile to snag me but when it did, I was a goner! Very well constructed novel with no hanging threads at the hem. Twist and turns, it was not easy to predict the coming developments. I love stories of hidden parentage and courageous women trying to uncover who they might be. I could connect with this character as my father was stationed in England in WW2, set in 1946, and I lost my father too, as Vanessa did, in early childhood. I would have liked to have read more on Fern's, Ruth's, Lord S's reactions to Vanessa's discovery. Fern and Vanessa had grown up together as best friends/"like sister," yet no sisterly recognition during the years from Fern? No special favors to help Vanessa; as clothes, schooling, privileges from Vanessa's wealthy titled real mother? Everyone, except Fern, knew Margery was Vanessa's mother at the estate, so it wouldn't have mattered if Margery had somewhat embraced Vanessa. Did I miss something on this?
The images, details, and history lessons always engage me, and NatalieME brings those teachable moments in her novels. A lovely, sweet and sexy love story adds to very good reading! Thank you again NatalieME! One more book, The Gown of Thorns, to go.

[Gabriella De Los Santos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed feelings

It took me a long time to get into this book. It took me about 2 weeks to get through the first few chapters. But I’m so glad I did. It took exactly 6 chapters to lay out the base of the story. However, once the link was made between the characters I was obsessed. So obsessed that it took me about 2 days (days where I was working too... so all the reading was being done in between breaks) to finish this. I gave up hours of sleep to get some pages in. The love story is really a fate kind of thing. You can’t help but to swoon over it. I was a little sad with how fast everything happened to be resolved at the end. Sort of like a tv series that has been on air for years and yet they fast forward and resolve all the loose ends in like 2 episodes. Or maybe ending like they was brilliant... because it kept me wanting more. I loved Vanessa’s head strong character and Allistair is dreamy as hell with his old school gentlemanly ways. All in all... definitely worth the read.

[Hélène Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A few weeks ago, I read The Wardrobe Mistress by Natalie Meg Evans, recommended this time by an Amazon algorithm rather than by a friend, and I enjoyed it.


The story is set in a theatre in post-war Britain, the heroine being The Wardrobe Mistress, yes, the clue was in the name and I found that I was hooked by it. Vanessa has Mum issues and Dad issues to deal with, on top of coping with post-war grimness and rationing, and all that’s in addition to her task of pairing up with The One. The settings are sketched, not too much, which is fine. The action also jogs along nicely, revealing plot details and personality traits at appropriate times. Characters include the cast of usual suspects: Mum, Dad, the friends, the more distant relatives and acquaintances, the less closely drawn nice ones (most of the theatre staff), and nasty ones (most of the theatre owners, relatives of the late founder). There was also a more unusual addition, with an endearing three-legged dog who is the theatre mascot. He too (I forget the dog’s name but he’s definitely a “he” not an “it”) has served in the war, which is the new manager’s principal criterion for hiring staff, Vanessa included of course.



Things happen, there are revelations and a couple of twists are presented then unravelled towards the end. All good stuff, in fact. To end on a slightly less flippant note, I would like to say that the almost-meeting between Vanessa and … is a very well executed and exploited ploy and shapes the novel very nicely.

[Ariel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time with this one. The Wardrobe Mistress couldn’t make up its mind whether it wanted to be a romance, a mystery novel, or a theatre procedural. Instead it oscillates between all three and never achieves a cohesive theme.

I also struggled with the “romance” portrayed between the two main characters. Love at first sight is all well and good, but maybe the characters should actually like each other too? They spend 3/4 of the novel bickering or assaulting each other.
Alistair almost forces himself on Vanessa at a point early on in the book and it made me feel sick.

Things softened towards the end thankfully, but the book also got more muddled and inconsistent in tone. At time boring and with too much minutiae, at others frustratingly sparse.

I won’t be reading anything else by this author.

[Joyb Animalcrackers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially I was unsure if I even liked this book, but by a third of the way through I couldn't put it down,
Vanessa survives WWII but with no life to rejoin. She finds a family at the bombed-out theatre of oddballs and the lovely dog, MacDuff who has only three legs.
What she feels for the Commander swings between fury, contempt and adoration. She finds real friends a the theatre along with enemies.
Mostly set just by the end of the war, the privations and restrictions along with rationing and bombed records add to the grinding grimness of the time, whilst the life and gaiety provided by the stage and the glorious costumes offset this somewhat - or they would do if fabric wasn't rationed!
This is so well researched and has such accurate details it is an absolute joy to read

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the title, story line, and subject drew my heart in, I found this book difficult to hold my attention. I read about 20% of the book, then just couldn't seem to pick it up again. I was reading the kindle version Perhaps If I go to the library and find a hard cover or paperback version it will gain my attention. The story seems to have lots of disconnected thoughts that just are hard to piece together. Perhaps I was thinking of something else I have read that had some similar lines, and that was why I was disappointed. I will probably try it again in the future.

[Luisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first book, that I have read by this author. I was intrigued by the premise of this book and although the story was good, there were too many characters and I found the story confusing in certain points. The main characters were okay, but I felt that I didn't get to know them well, there was no depth to them and the romance was a bit too rushed and not quite believable.

Overall this is an okay read, but I was expecting something better.

[Annie Leadley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Theatre magic

A wonderful cast of truly believable characters with various plots going on as Vanessa searches for the truth surrounding her birth and identity which have been hidden from her . The Cainine character Mr Macduff is a delight ! All's well that ends well! As they say and it does all sort itself out but it takes you on an interesting post war journey in the theatrical world in London .

[Isabelle]

I wanted to read a novel that would keep me entertained but not too conventional. I found the book a pleasant read and I took a liking in the main character. The action is placed after WWII when London is still littered with rubble and return to "normal life" is not there yet.
I thought that the descriptions of theater life were well rendered.
It is quite classic is that all is well that ends well but it was quite the thing for my summer.

[Sandy Sexton · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've ever wondered where the expressions "break a leg" came from, this historical fiction novel might be for you. Set in the aftermath of WWII, the author takes us into the world of the theatre. The characters are sometimes eccentric, fun and believable. There is also a mystery which determines the overall structure of the book which held my interest along with my hopes that the theatre company would succeed. As for the romance, there were just enough obstacles. An entertaining read.

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, I enjoyed this piece of historical fiction, taking place in London after World War II. Vanessa is a war widow with a troubled past, looking to change her life and become involved in the theater. After chance meetings with Commander Redenhall, their relationship evolves as does the mystery of Vanessa's past. A good summer read, not too heavy but with enough substance.