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The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights
For fans of Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, and Joanna Goodman, a mesmerizing historical novel from Kitty Zeldis, the bestselling author of Not Our Kind about three women in 1920s New York City and the secrets they hold.
Brooklyn, 1924. As New York City enters the jazz age, the lives of three very different women are about to converge in unexpected ways. Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought north with her. Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.
When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious, and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past in order to move into the happier future she seeks.
Moving from the bustling streets of early twentieth century New York City to late nineteenth-century Russia and the lively quarters of New Orleans in the 1910s, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is a story of the families we are born into and the families we choose, and of the unbreakable bonds between women.
Brooklyn, 1924. As New York City enters the jazz age, the lives of three very different women are about to converge in unexpected ways. Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought north with her. Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.
When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious, and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past in order to move into the happier future she seeks.
Moving from the bustling streets of early twentieth century New York City to late nineteenth-century Russia and the lively quarters of New Orleans in the 1910s, The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is a story of the families we are born into and the families we choose, and of the unbreakable bonds between women.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 6, 2022
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July 6, 2022Hi Readers!
This is not a review--it's my own book!--but I did want to share the backstory with you, so here goes. I do hope you'll put this novel on your want-to-read list and I would love to visit your book club or group to talk about it more. Writers are nothing without readers, and so each and every one of you is precious to me!
In the case of The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights, there were two distinct stories that were operating in my mind and I had to find a way to weave them together, like braiding a challah bread.
The first of these was New Orleans, a place that figures importantly in the background of one of the central characters, Beatrice Carr. I first visited the city in 1988 and fell instantly in love. The look of it, the melange of cultures—Southern, French, Spanish—the food, the music, the history, all contributed to its appeal. After that trip, New Orleans was on my radar so when I came upon the book Empire of Sin by Gary Krist, I dove right in. It was from Krist that I learned about Storyville, or The District as it was also called—a designated area in which prostitution was legal during the years 1898-1917. Not only legal, but on full and lavish display, as Basin Street, which was across from the railroad station, was lined with brothels, one more opulent than the next. Their owners—often women—became celebrities of the demi-monde, important individuals who wielded influence and power. Prostitution was a huge business that in turn helped fuel other businesses as hundreds of musicians, cooks, waiters, servants and more were needed to keep the wheels turning. Guides to sin city were published and these so-called Blue Books, widely available, were designed to inform the constant influx of tourists and pleasure seekers about the vast array of choices that were available. Although filled with ads for the various houses of ill repute as well as for restaurants, cafes, clubs etc. the Blue Books were chiefly a listing of prostitutes. One of the entries read like this: Caucasian, twenty-one, Jewish. Jewish! This was news to me. As an Ashkenazi Jew myself I had heard many immigration stories, stories in which those who were chased out of the old country found their way to a new one. But the story of a Jewish prostitute in New Orleans was not something I’d encountered before and since I am a novelist, not a historian, I decided that I wanted—no, needed—to imagine my way into such a life and in doing so, write it. I set about researching, trying to make the period real in my own mind so that I could make it real in the minds of my readers. I read all that I could find, looked at scores of old photographs, and made another trip to New Orleans. Soon a character began to emerge—a young Jewish woman, far from home and cut off from family and friends, who finds herself pregnant. Dismissed from her job and without a husband or home, she finds work in a brothel, first as a maid, later a prostitute and eventually a madam, with a house of her own.
The other strand of this story—or part of the challah if you will—comes from my grandmother, Tania Brightman. She was an unhappy, difficult woman, prone to terrifying outbursts of rage. She was also a troubled and even traumatized soul who did not fully understand the impact of her tragic past and how it had shaped her, much less expect any help or solace. I did not like her and as I grew up, found it easy to distance myself from her; we lived in different states. So when she died, I was wholly unprepared for the flood of grief and regret I felt. I wished I had been more patient, more understanding, more loving. Of course it was too late to make amends to her. But writing, as I have long thought, is a form of redemption, and it was through my writing that I could reframe her story, giving her the dignity and the compassion that I’d withheld from her in life. I looked at her life and used significant events in her past to shape my novel. And although she never became a prostitute or madam, and never even visited much less settled in New Orleans, it is her spirit that animates the character of Beatrice Carr and I can only hope I have done her justice.
This is not a review--it's my own book!--but I did want to share the backstory with you, so here goes. I do hope you'll put this novel on your want-to-read list and I would love to visit your book club or group to talk about it more. Writers are nothing without readers, and so each and every one of you is precious to me!
In the case of The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights, there were two distinct stories that were operating in my mind and I had to find a way to weave them together, like braiding a challah bread.
The first of these was New Orleans, a place that figures importantly in the background of one of the central characters, Beatrice Carr. I first visited the city in 1988 and fell instantly in love. The look of it, the melange of cultures—Southern, French, Spanish—the food, the music, the history, all contributed to its appeal. After that trip, New Orleans was on my radar so when I came upon the book Empire of Sin by Gary Krist, I dove right in. It was from Krist that I learned about Storyville, or The District as it was also called—a designated area in which prostitution was legal during the years 1898-1917. Not only legal, but on full and lavish display, as Basin Street, which was across from the railroad station, was lined with brothels, one more opulent than the next. Their owners—often women—became celebrities of the demi-monde, important individuals who wielded influence and power. Prostitution was a huge business that in turn helped fuel other businesses as hundreds of musicians, cooks, waiters, servants and more were needed to keep the wheels turning. Guides to sin city were published and these so-called Blue Books, widely available, were designed to inform the constant influx of tourists and pleasure seekers about the vast array of choices that were available. Although filled with ads for the various houses of ill repute as well as for restaurants, cafes, clubs etc. the Blue Books were chiefly a listing of prostitutes. One of the entries read like this: Caucasian, twenty-one, Jewish. Jewish! This was news to me. As an Ashkenazi Jew myself I had heard many immigration stories, stories in which those who were chased out of the old country found their way to a new one. But the story of a Jewish prostitute in New Orleans was not something I’d encountered before and since I am a novelist, not a historian, I decided that I wanted—no, needed—to imagine my way into such a life and in doing so, write it. I set about researching, trying to make the period real in my own mind so that I could make it real in the minds of my readers. I read all that I could find, looked at scores of old photographs, and made another trip to New Orleans. Soon a character began to emerge—a young Jewish woman, far from home and cut off from family and friends, who finds herself pregnant. Dismissed from her job and without a husband or home, she finds work in a brothel, first as a maid, later a prostitute and eventually a madam, with a house of her own.
The other strand of this story—or part of the challah if you will—comes from my grandmother, Tania Brightman. She was an unhappy, difficult woman, prone to terrifying outbursts of rage. She was also a troubled and even traumatized soul who did not fully understand the impact of her tragic past and how it had shaped her, much less expect any help or solace. I did not like her and as I grew up, found it easy to distance myself from her; we lived in different states. So when she died, I was wholly unprepared for the flood of grief and regret I felt. I wished I had been more patient, more understanding, more loving. Of course it was too late to make amends to her. But writing, as I have long thought, is a form of redemption, and it was through my writing that I could reframe her story, giving her the dignity and the compassion that I’d withheld from her in life. I looked at her life and used significant events in her past to shape my novel. And although she never became a prostitute or madam, and never even visited much less settled in New Orleans, it is her spirit that animates the character of Beatrice Carr and I can only hope I have done her justice.
December 14, 2022
About the book: “For fans of Fiona Davis, Beatriz Williams, and Joanna Goodman, a mesmerizing historical novel from Kitty Zeldis, the bestselling author of Not Our Kind about three women in 1920s New York City and the secrets they hold.”
Oh, how this book spoke to my inner seamstress. Both grandmothers had sewing baskets, and I have many memories of helping thread a needle with my “fresh eyes.” I wish I knew more about sewing because there’s nothing more soothing. Do you sew?
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is the story of Bea, Alice, and Catherine, each character well-drawn, and how their lives intersect. It’s also a story of friendship and resolving the pain of the past. I loved the time periods and settings, including Russia, New Orleans, and Brooklyn.
One of my favorite things about the book is the message about found family. It’s a beautiful, intriguing story of friendship and forgiveness. Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction, and especially if you love sewing, too.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Oh, how this book spoke to my inner seamstress. Both grandmothers had sewing baskets, and I have many memories of helping thread a needle with my “fresh eyes.” I wish I knew more about sewing because there’s nothing more soothing. Do you sew?
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is the story of Bea, Alice, and Catherine, each character well-drawn, and how their lives intersect. It’s also a story of friendship and resolving the pain of the past. I loved the time periods and settings, including Russia, New Orleans, and Brooklyn.
One of my favorite things about the book is the message about found family. It’s a beautiful, intriguing story of friendship and forgiveness. Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction, and especially if you love sewing, too.
I received a gifted copy.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
August 5, 2023
I won this book from Goodreads and I loved every bit of it. I truly could not put it down. I love historical fiction and this takes place during the 1920's and prohibition. This is a beautiful story of harships and triumphs and the love of a mother. This is the first time I have read anything by Kitty Zeldis and can't wait to read anything else she writes.
December 10, 2022
Bea, Alice, and Catherine.
What is their connection?
What are their stories?
Bea had come from Russia, moved to New Orleans, and had met Alice there. Bea found something out from her past that was in New York so she and Alice moved there.
Bea and Alice opened a dress shop and met Catherine the day she stopped in.
Bea was acting very odd when Catherine paid for her purchase.
Catherine never came back into the shop because Bea had frightened her.
Catherine found out what caused Bea to act so oddly the day they met by accident.
THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS takes us from Russia to New Orleans and then to New York and is a beautiful read about family and forgiveness.
Find out the stories and the secrets of these three women in this lovely read that will have you turning the pages and joining in their sorrows and joys.
There are some agonizing moments, but many beautiful, endearing ones.
Seamstresses will adore this book as well as historical fiction fans and women's fiction fans. 5/5
This book was given to me by the author for an honest review.
What is their connection?
What are their stories?
Bea had come from Russia, moved to New Orleans, and had met Alice there. Bea found something out from her past that was in New York so she and Alice moved there.
Bea and Alice opened a dress shop and met Catherine the day she stopped in.
Bea was acting very odd when Catherine paid for her purchase.
Catherine never came back into the shop because Bea had frightened her.
Catherine found out what caused Bea to act so oddly the day they met by accident.
THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS takes us from Russia to New Orleans and then to New York and is a beautiful read about family and forgiveness.
Find out the stories and the secrets of these three women in this lovely read that will have you turning the pages and joining in their sorrows and joys.
There are some agonizing moments, but many beautiful, endearing ones.
Seamstresses will adore this book as well as historical fiction fans and women's fiction fans. 5/5
This book was given to me by the author for an honest review.
December 28, 2022
Catherine Berrill is living a life of affluence with her adoring husband in 1924 Brooklyn, New York. The only thing that is missing is a child. While strolling through the neighborhood, she is intrigued by the new dress shop operated by Beatrice Jones and her ward Alice Wilkerson. Unknown to the community, Bea is a Russian Jewish immigrant who has recently left New Orleans and her successful brothel to start a new life with orphaned Alice. As Catherine and Bea get to know one another, teenage Alice feels left out and seeks her own independence putting herself in danger. Bea's journey includes tragedy in Russia, trying to survive in New Orleans and then reinventing herself in New York City. As her story unfolds, it reveals many secrets including Bea's connection to Catherine.
Author Kitty Zeldis has created an excellent sense of place with The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights. The streets of Brooklyn during this era come alive as does New Orleans, with its bordellos. The relationships between Catherine, Bea and Alice are complex and moving. This is a touching story of survival, friendship, motherhood, forgiveness and second chances. Anti-Semitism, abuse and other difficult subjects are addressed. Fashion was nicely woven into the story. I'm pleased to recommend this book.
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
Author Kitty Zeldis has created an excellent sense of place with The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights. The streets of Brooklyn during this era come alive as does New Orleans, with its bordellos. The relationships between Catherine, Bea and Alice are complex and moving. This is a touching story of survival, friendship, motherhood, forgiveness and second chances. Anti-Semitism, abuse and other difficult subjects are addressed. Fashion was nicely woven into the story. I'm pleased to recommend this book.
Rated 4.5 stars.
Review posted on MicheleReader.com.
December 15, 2022
Well it's official, I have found yet another autobuy author in Kitty Zeldis! The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is historical fiction, women's fiction, tragedy, heartbreak, and hopefulness all rolled into one cross-generational read. Bea, Alice, and Catherine narrate and along with multiple viewpoints, there are different timelines as well especially when it comes to Bea. Her story was the most heartbreaking of all to me, but she was also one of the best characters and her resilience would put others to shame. I loved that despite everything that happens to these 3 women (really more a girl for Alice), they were all strong female characters and had the urge to persevere.
Bea is Jewish and the historical fiction aspect of The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights really came into play with that part of her life and the setting/time period. You could pop these 3 characters in any story but having this specific one set in the 20s and earlier is what really gave them the situations they ended up experiencing. I feel like the sort of trauma they had just hit differently in the 20s than it would in another setting. I also have nothing but wonderful things to say about the audiobook which is narrated by Karen Gundersen. I really loved her for all of the different voices she was able to do, and while it didn't feel like I was listening to someone COMPLETELY different for each character, she was wonderful. I got more than a little emotional during this book, and it was incredibly touching at times as well. Highly recommend it to historical fiction AND women's fiction lovers!
Thank you to the publishers for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
Bea is Jewish and the historical fiction aspect of The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights really came into play with that part of her life and the setting/time period. You could pop these 3 characters in any story but having this specific one set in the 20s and earlier is what really gave them the situations they ended up experiencing. I feel like the sort of trauma they had just hit differently in the 20s than it would in another setting. I also have nothing but wonderful things to say about the audiobook which is narrated by Karen Gundersen. I really loved her for all of the different voices she was able to do, and while it didn't feel like I was listening to someone COMPLETELY different for each character, she was wonderful. I got more than a little emotional during this book, and it was incredibly touching at times as well. Highly recommend it to historical fiction AND women's fiction lovers!
Thank you to the publishers for my complimentary listening and reader copies of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
December 3, 2022
Master storyteller Kitty Zeldis returns following Not Our Kind with THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS —a haunting and moving story of the bonds between three women in 1920s New York City and the secrets they hold.
Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, an emotional story of reinvention, rising above tragedy, and finding family.
Moving from nineteenth-century Russia to the brothels of New Orleans in 1910 and landing in New York City in the 1920s,
Brooklyn, 1924. We meet three different women whose lives are about to connect unexpectedly.
Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought with her.
Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.
When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past to move forward.
Three women whose lives are bound by a secret history are forced to make irreversible choices to survive.
The author crafts a beautiful historical fictional account of maternal love, friendship, and loyalty. From the strong bonds of women, friendship, loss, despair, and forgiveness.
Zeldis eloquently captures the essence of the time and place with vivid settings and richly developed characters.
If you enjoyed Not Our Kind, you will love THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS with its stunning historical settings, fashion, and customs!
INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NOVEL: Check out the letter from the Author on Goodreads.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 ⭐ Stars
Pub Date: Dec 6, 2022
Dec 2022 Must-Read Books
Set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, an emotional story of reinvention, rising above tragedy, and finding family.
Moving from nineteenth-century Russia to the brothels of New Orleans in 1910 and landing in New York City in the 1920s,
Brooklyn, 1924. We meet three different women whose lives are about to connect unexpectedly.
Recently arrived from New Orleans, Beatrice is working to establish a chic new dress shop with help from Alice, the orphaned teenage ward she brought with her.
Down the block, newlywed Catherine is restless in her elegant brownstone, longing for a baby she cannot conceive.
When Bea befriends Catherine and the two start to become close, Alice feels abandoned and envious and runs away to Manhattan. Her departure sets into motion a series of events that will force each woman to confront the painful secrets of her past to move forward.
Three women whose lives are bound by a secret history are forced to make irreversible choices to survive.
The author crafts a beautiful historical fictional account of maternal love, friendship, and loyalty. From the strong bonds of women, friendship, loss, despair, and forgiveness.
Zeldis eloquently captures the essence of the time and place with vivid settings and richly developed characters.
If you enjoyed Not Our Kind, you will love THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS with its stunning historical settings, fashion, and customs!
INSPIRATION BEHIND THE NOVEL: Check out the letter from the Author on Goodreads.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 ⭐ Stars
Pub Date: Dec 6, 2022
Dec 2022 Must-Read Books
February 1, 2023
Just an okay read for me. I liked parts and connected with these three women trying to find love and careers in early 20th century New York while also dealing with infertility and unwanted pregnancies. Good on audio and recommended for fans of City of girls by Elizabeth Gilbert.
June 23, 2022
This book was a real treat. It’s the story of three women, Bea, Catherine and Alice. The author details their intimate connections within a beautiful story of maternal love, friendship and loyalty.
Bea is a Russian immigrant, coming to America after her family is destroyed during intense acts of Anti-Semitic violence. Her life is upended by the abuse of the males she meets. She has to face the ultimate struggle of a young, unprotected pregnant woman. It is this pregnancy that serves as a nexus for the novel.
Later, it is the young Alice who must struggle with the aftermath of sexual abuse.
I was totally engaged by the novel and loved all the women. The author has made life in NYC during the 1920’s come to life. I felt incredibly connected to all the women. I will recommend this novel to my book clubs since it is not only an enjoyable read, but brings up so many important and incredibly timely issues.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC. It was truly a pleasure to read.
Bea is a Russian immigrant, coming to America after her family is destroyed during intense acts of Anti-Semitic violence. Her life is upended by the abuse of the males she meets. She has to face the ultimate struggle of a young, unprotected pregnant woman. It is this pregnancy that serves as a nexus for the novel.
Later, it is the young Alice who must struggle with the aftermath of sexual abuse.
I was totally engaged by the novel and loved all the women. The author has made life in NYC during the 1920’s come to life. I felt incredibly connected to all the women. I will recommend this novel to my book clubs since it is not only an enjoyable read, but brings up so many important and incredibly timely issues.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC. It was truly a pleasure to read.
June 23, 2023
Charming historical fiction following unexpected family connections, beautiful dresses and the strife of dislocation caused by war, poverty and new beginnings.
February 22, 2023
THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS by Kitty Zeldis has been on my TBR shelf for a little while. I was afraid to pick it up because I just knew that story would break my heart. It did, indeed, break my heart but it also filled it with appreciation for a mother’s love. The setting of this beautiful book is vividly described, and the sense of time and place is palpable throughout. The story is ultimately a celebration of motherhood, sacrifice, and forgiveness. It is also a story of creativity, and resilience. This well-written historical novel is both heartwarming and heartbreaking.
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January 5, 2023
As you read this novel, you're plunged into its milieu -- mainly New York City in the mid-1920s -- with every one of your senses. Author Kitty Zeldis richly describes the feel and colors of the satin and wool clothing, the taste of the cafe au lait and tortellini, the parade of flowers, the pummeling of a rain shower. It's clear that she not only did a vast amount of research, but that she loved doing it, as well.
The plot is compelling, too, with one nonstop twist after another, told through the alternating voices of three very different women:
Zhenechka was born in Russia in 1878 to a prosperous Jewish family, owners of a tannery. However, the Christian world around them couldn't stand seeing prosperous Jews; after her father was brutally murdered and her mother died of grief, teenage Zhenechka fled to New Orleans and Americanized her name to Beatrice Carr. An accidental pregnancy banished her from the home where she'd been hired as a governess. When no one else would take her in, she found refuge in a brothel in the city's red-light district. At first, she scrubbed floors, dishes, and clothing, but ultimately she was drawn into the district's real work -- and meanwhile, she gave away her baby daughter to a wealthy couple. After the brothels were closed in 1917, Bea hired a detective to track down the girl.
Thus, in 1924, Bea and her young assistant Alice set out for New York City to find Bea's daughter -- and, Bea hopes, leave her scandalous past behind her.
All that is only one small portion of this page-turning story.
The plot is compelling, too, with one nonstop twist after another, told through the alternating voices of three very different women:
Zhenechka was born in Russia in 1878 to a prosperous Jewish family, owners of a tannery. However, the Christian world around them couldn't stand seeing prosperous Jews; after her father was brutally murdered and her mother died of grief, teenage Zhenechka fled to New Orleans and Americanized her name to Beatrice Carr. An accidental pregnancy banished her from the home where she'd been hired as a governess. When no one else would take her in, she found refuge in a brothel in the city's red-light district. At first, she scrubbed floors, dishes, and clothing, but ultimately she was drawn into the district's real work -- and meanwhile, she gave away her baby daughter to a wealthy couple. After the brothels were closed in 1917, Bea hired a detective to track down the girl.
Thus, in 1924, Bea and her young assistant Alice set out for New York City to find Bea's daughter -- and, Bea hopes, leave her scandalous past behind her.
All that is only one small portion of this page-turning story.
November 4, 2022
Set in Brooklyn in the 1920’s the lives of three very different women are about to come together in New York City. Beatrice is working hard to establish a new dress shop. Alice is an orphaned teenager that Beatrice brought with her from New Orleans. And Catherine is a newlywed who desperately wants to have a baby, but it is not in the cards for her. These three ladies will unexpectedly change each other’s lives forever.
THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS is historical fiction at its best! A very touching story that puts you back in time for a few hours. The characters were fantastic and perfectly developed to the point that I was connecting with all of them. The writing in general was outstanding and I am sure that historical fiction fans will agree!
TW - Rape
Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, Kitty Zeldis, and Harper for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
THE DRESSMAKERS OF PROSPECT HEIGHTS is historical fiction at its best! A very touching story that puts you back in time for a few hours. The characters were fantastic and perfectly developed to the point that I was connecting with all of them. The writing in general was outstanding and I am sure that historical fiction fans will agree!
TW - Rape
Many thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours, Kitty Zeldis, and Harper for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This review will be posted to my Instagram Blog (@coffee.break.book.reviews) in the near future.
December 20, 2022
A really lovely story about three women and how families are created. Catherine, a young wife who desperately wants a child, finds her path intertwining with Bea, a retired madam turned businesswoman, and Alice, a talented seamstress. I particularly loved the character of Bea, who manages to make the best of each downturn in her life, and possesses a graciousness worth aspiring to. Overall, this novel makes for a satisfying story with conclusion that provides the characters with their own sort of happiness.
November 11, 2022
5.0
Scruples, desperation, hope…
A poignant story of three different women in 1920s Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Bea is a Russian immigrant who lived in New Orleans for .
twenty years before moving to NYC. Who was she searching for when she came to NYC?
Alice is Bea’s teenaged orphan ward who also moved to NY. Together, they created a dress shop. What was Bea’s previous occupation?
Newlywed Catherine lives on the same street as Bea and Alice . Catherine is yearning for a baby, but has been disappointed so far.
Their lives will ultimately intersect with each other. Their tale of unexpected secrets will tell a story of maternal love— bonds, losses, and forgiveness
How does life circle around for Bea?
Bea’s life was “all facade, an act. “ Will her past remain quiet?
“Some secrets are like acid and they corrode the soul “. What are the secrets of the three women?
* I always enjoy reading anything about one of my favorite places—NOLA. I love the music, architecture,
and food. My favorite food in the US— hands down, the best!!
* A story of tragedy, as well as hope. A great, satisfying ending!
Scruples, desperation, hope…
A poignant story of three different women in 1920s Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Bea is a Russian immigrant who lived in New Orleans for .
twenty years before moving to NYC. Who was she searching for when she came to NYC?
Alice is Bea’s teenaged orphan ward who also moved to NY. Together, they created a dress shop. What was Bea’s previous occupation?
Newlywed Catherine lives on the same street as Bea and Alice . Catherine is yearning for a baby, but has been disappointed so far.
Their lives will ultimately intersect with each other. Their tale of unexpected secrets will tell a story of maternal love— bonds, losses, and forgiveness
How does life circle around for Bea?
Bea’s life was “all facade, an act. “ Will her past remain quiet?
“Some secrets are like acid and they corrode the soul “. What are the secrets of the three women?
* I always enjoy reading anything about one of my favorite places—NOLA. I love the music, architecture,
and food. My favorite food in the US— hands down, the best!!
* A story of tragedy, as well as hope. A great, satisfying ending!
November 10, 2022
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights by Kitty Zeldis. Thanks to @harperbooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
It’s 1924 in Brooklyn New York and the lives of three very different women are about to come together. Each with their own histories and stories.
This was a pretty solid historical fiction with an entertaining plot. The women’s stories were all interesting and I liked how they were intertwined, instead of being three complete different stories. There were a lot of difficult issues in the book, but it was still a light read. It was a little predictable but that didn’t affect my enjoyment. My favorite part was the fashion descriptions! I love reading about fashion during different time periods.
“The past would not stay quiet or hidden away. In fact, it seemed as palpable as the present, living and breathing alongside her. If refused to remain on the periphery. No, the past demanded attention; and even more — it demanded a reckoning.”
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights comes out 12/6.
It’s 1924 in Brooklyn New York and the lives of three very different women are about to come together. Each with their own histories and stories.
This was a pretty solid historical fiction with an entertaining plot. The women’s stories were all interesting and I liked how they were intertwined, instead of being three complete different stories. There were a lot of difficult issues in the book, but it was still a light read. It was a little predictable but that didn’t affect my enjoyment. My favorite part was the fashion descriptions! I love reading about fashion during different time periods.
“The past would not stay quiet or hidden away. In fact, it seemed as palpable as the present, living and breathing alongside her. If refused to remain on the periphery. No, the past demanded attention; and even more — it demanded a reckoning.”
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights comes out 12/6.
July 9, 2022
When I saw a new book was being published by this author I was thrilled to be able to receive an advanced digital arc. Her vivid descriptions set the stage for her engaging story of three women who are intertwined by both love and loss. Despite what life has in store for them, they forge ahead with their ambitions while trying to reconcile their past. This is a story of mothers and daughters seeking love and forgiveness as they all grow to understand each other’s past and move ahead with their futures. #TheDressmakersOfProspectHeights #KittyZeldis #NetGalley
January 3, 2023
I just finished The Dressmakers off Prospect Heights by KITTY ZELDIS ( a pseudonym). I have to say, it was very predictable. A woman with a checkered past moves from New Orleans to Brooklyn to find her long-ago-abandoned daughter. Takes place in the 1920s. Pleasant enough story but too easily figured out.
January 9, 2023
Predictable historical fiction taking place in 1920s Brooklyn and New Orleans. Bea and her young assistant leave New Orleans and their secret past set up a dress shop in Brooklyn. Bea's motivation for going to NY, as well as her history, unravel as the story goes on. Enjoyable, but not exceptional.
January 23, 2023
Genre: Historical Fiction
I went into this one with zero expectations and it turns out I was definitley pleasantly surprised. I liked the story of Bea, Catherine and Alice. Their POVs were unique and they each had their own struggle and their own journey. I also liked the time period this takes place in. The author dressed that up nicely. The audio was also well done.
So 4 stars
I went into this one with zero expectations and it turns out I was definitley pleasantly surprised. I liked the story of Bea, Catherine and Alice. Their POVs were unique and they each had their own struggle and their own journey. I also liked the time period this takes place in. The author dressed that up nicely. The audio was also well done.
So 4 stars
March 31, 2023
This is historical fiction set after WWI in Brooklyn. The three main characters - Bea, Alice and Catherine - cross paths at the outset of the story. Bea and Alice own a dresshop that Catherine wanders into one day. We find out Bea has been waiting for Catherine to visit for a long time.
The exact decisions and turn of events that has led to this moment is what we get in alternating chapters offering background into each of the women's lives.
I had to suspend my disbelief to buy the events would turn out the way they did. There is a lot going on. I liked the history I learned, but I needed more time with the characters to understand their motivation.
The exact decisions and turn of events that has led to this moment is what we get in alternating chapters offering background into each of the women's lives.
I had to suspend my disbelief to buy the events would turn out the way they did. There is a lot going on. I liked the history I learned, but I needed more time with the characters to understand their motivation.
July 5, 2023
Possibly the best book I’ve read this year so far.
December 30, 2022
TITLE: The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights
AUTHOR: Kitty Zeldis
PUB DATE: 12.6.2022 Now Available
From Russia to New Orleans to New York City
Found Family and Friendships
Fashion during the Jazz Age
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is the story of strong and resilient women - Beatrice and Catherine, and a young girl named Alice. Through their point of views, we get a snapshot of their lives, their past, and learn about their characters. The time period and the setting was phenomenally told in rich immersive detail.
I love reading historical fiction that blends the stories of women’s lives, no matter the time frame or the location- this is the triumph of writing that is of Kitty Zeldis, now a favorite author of mine. Do give this story a read especially if you enjoy a good historical fiction that is heartbreaking, heartwarming, and incredibly hopeful.
AUTHOR: Kitty Zeldis
PUB DATE: 12.6.2022 Now Available
From Russia to New Orleans to New York City
Found Family and Friendships
Fashion during the Jazz Age
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights is the story of strong and resilient women - Beatrice and Catherine, and a young girl named Alice. Through their point of views, we get a snapshot of their lives, their past, and learn about their characters. The time period and the setting was phenomenally told in rich immersive detail.
I love reading historical fiction that blends the stories of women’s lives, no matter the time frame or the location- this is the triumph of writing that is of Kitty Zeldis, now a favorite author of mine. Do give this story a read especially if you enjoy a good historical fiction that is heartbreaking, heartwarming, and incredibly hopeful.
October 31, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up.
There is a lot to unpack in this story. The plot is fairly complex as the lives of 3 women: Bea, Catherine and Alice intersect and become enmeshed. All 3 women repress their own feelings about what is happening in their lives for different reasons, even as it negatively affects those who love them and want the best for them. Each has to come to terms with events that have happened in their pasts, the ways they have hurt themselves and those they love.
I really like that the author includes Jewish main characters in her stories. It makes me feel seen. The writing is a bit too sweet for me but that can be overlooked as you get submerged in the story. Some trigger warnings to be aware of: rape, death of a baby, antisemitism, sexual assault, prostitution, just to name a few.
Given that the author delves into thought provoking subject matter in her historical fiction, I will probably keep reading books by her, writing style notwithstanding.
There is a lot to unpack in this story. The plot is fairly complex as the lives of 3 women: Bea, Catherine and Alice intersect and become enmeshed. All 3 women repress their own feelings about what is happening in their lives for different reasons, even as it negatively affects those who love them and want the best for them. Each has to come to terms with events that have happened in their pasts, the ways they have hurt themselves and those they love.
I really like that the author includes Jewish main characters in her stories. It makes me feel seen. The writing is a bit too sweet for me but that can be overlooked as you get submerged in the story. Some trigger warnings to be aware of: rape, death of a baby, antisemitism, sexual assault, prostitution, just to name a few.
Given that the author delves into thought provoking subject matter in her historical fiction, I will probably keep reading books by her, writing style notwithstanding.
July 14, 2023
This book should come with a ton of trigger warnings. You can message me if you’d like to know them. It’s an intense book yet I couldn’t stop reading. It was so interesting I had to know how everything was connected. The cycles that kept happening. Everything. I was actually surprised with how much I liked it.
December 5, 2022
I received this book as an ARC and it was a lovely read. Wonderful indepth story line, the characters were well thought out.
A story of Beatrice who left her home in Russia, her parents who had both died as well her brother's she had no family.
Arriving in New Orleans to distant family she finds they to have passed away leaving her without a home or Family.
Her survival depends on her ability to work which she finds as well as a very handsome young man whom she falls in love with.
Through circumstances he also passes away from a fever leaving her alone and pregnant.
She finds work at a brothel in New Orleans District as a housecleaner then to a high end House where she becomes the Madame.
Her journey continues to Newyork where her sole purpose is to find her daughter that she gave up days after she was born.
Beatrice and Alice an orphan from New Orleans open a dress shop where Beatrice hopes to run into her daughter.
The story is beautiful and refreshing, l don't want to give away the rest but this is the start of a wonderful read
A story of Beatrice who left her home in Russia, her parents who had both died as well her brother's she had no family.
Arriving in New Orleans to distant family she finds they to have passed away leaving her without a home or Family.
Her survival depends on her ability to work which she finds as well as a very handsome young man whom she falls in love with.
Through circumstances he also passes away from a fever leaving her alone and pregnant.
She finds work at a brothel in New Orleans District as a housecleaner then to a high end House where she becomes the Madame.
Her journey continues to Newyork where her sole purpose is to find her daughter that she gave up days after she was born.
Beatrice and Alice an orphan from New Orleans open a dress shop where Beatrice hopes to run into her daughter.
The story is beautiful and refreshing, l don't want to give away the rest but this is the start of a wonderful read
December 16, 2022
Sometimes I read a book that I really like but I have a hard time reviewing it. This is one of those times.
This is a historical novel, set in New York in the 1920s. There are 3 main characters, Beatrice, Alice and Catherine. Beatrice came to America from Russia and settles in New Orleans, Alice is her ward and Catherine is the young wife of a businessman in Brooklyn.
The lives of all three women come together in ways they never expected. Nor did I expect.
I enjoyed the different settings. Russia and New Orleans were both part of flashbacks. New York was the present, being the 1920s.
I'm always fascinated by books that take place anytime in the 20th century. I love reading about courting “rules”, the descriptions of clothing (this book was especially good for that) and even the household routines. There was a particular description of preparing the house for Christmas that made me wish I could have been part of it.
The other elements that made this book interesting were finding lost family, century-old “Me Too” issues, conflict, anti-semitism, forgiveness. And, most important of all: mothering and
mother/daughter relationships.
This was a very satisfying read.
This is a historical novel, set in New York in the 1920s. There are 3 main characters, Beatrice, Alice and Catherine. Beatrice came to America from Russia and settles in New Orleans, Alice is her ward and Catherine is the young wife of a businessman in Brooklyn.
The lives of all three women come together in ways they never expected. Nor did I expect.
I enjoyed the different settings. Russia and New Orleans were both part of flashbacks. New York was the present, being the 1920s.
I'm always fascinated by books that take place anytime in the 20th century. I love reading about courting “rules”, the descriptions of clothing (this book was especially good for that) and even the household routines. There was a particular description of preparing the house for Christmas that made me wish I could have been part of it.
The other elements that made this book interesting were finding lost family, century-old “Me Too” issues, conflict, anti-semitism, forgiveness. And, most important of all: mothering and
mother/daughter relationships.
This was a very satisfying read.
December 28, 2022
From the beginning I was completely enthralled by the characters of the story. The story is told from 3 strong women; Bea, Alice and Catherine, in the 20’s era. Each one has a distinct voice and heartbreaking pass. As the story moves into the present, they soon discover secrets of each other that connects them more than they realize.
A moving story of found family that works brilliantly during the time period.
A moving story of found family that works brilliantly during the time period.
February 28, 2023
I adored this novel set in the 1920’s of Brooklyn. The story is set around three ladies. Beatrice has brought an orphaned teenager from New Orleans with her to Brooklyn. Another main character is a newlywed, Catherine who wants a baby.
This novel tugs at your heart. The writing is fabulous and transports you to the 20’s. I read this authors novel Not Our Kind a couple of years ago, and I highly recommend that one as well.
This novel tugs at your heart. The writing is fabulous and transports you to the 20’s. I read this authors novel Not Our Kind a couple of years ago, and I highly recommend that one as well.
July 16, 2022
Predictable but very enjoyable historical fiction/women's fiction novel told from the perspective of three women in the 1920's. The New Orleans and Brooklyn settings were especially interesting. It won't be published until December but I recommend it to readers who enjoy friendship & mother/daughter stories and books by writers like Lynda Cohen Loigman, Rachel Beanland, and Renee Rosen.
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