Author: Liz

Sunflower Sisters is a story of slavery, the Underground Railroad, and the Civil War through the eyes of three strong but very different women. 

Sunflower Sisters by Martha Hall Kelly

The sharp divisions between the North and the South have finally resulted in war in the United States. Sunflower Sisters follows three women from  very different backgrounds, showcasing both slavery and the Civil War through each woman’s eyes. 

Ann May, owner of the Peeler Plantation in Maryland, and her slave Jemma are two of the characters. Jemma was born into slavery and has lived most of her life on the tobacco plantation. By contrast, Ann May grew up in Louisiana but came to Maryland after she married, to run the plantation left to her by an aunt. Even within her household, loyalties are divided between North and South.

Finally, there is Georgeanna Woolsey (Georgey) from New York City. Georgey comes from a family of strong women who fight for their beliefs. Not one to sit at home and wait for marriage, Georgey makes a name for herself as a Union nurse. 

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The Paris Seamstress packs in mystery, intrigue and romance in two intertwined timelines, present day and World War II, from New York to Paris. 

The Paris Seamstress by Natasha Lester

It’s 1940 and the Nazi army is approaching Paris. Seamstress Estella Bissette finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Within just 24-hours, her world is turned upside down, with new truths revealed about her family and herself. Her mother forces her to flee. Estella boards one of the last ships to the U.S. before the Nazis reach Paris. 

Estella arrives in New York City with little money, her mother’s sewing machine, and the gorgeous gold dress that she wears. Her mother dreamed of her safety and her success as a seamstress and a designer – but can she do it alone? And what will her journey look like? 

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