Her Mother's Secret

1918, England. Armistice Day should bring peace into Leonora's life. Rather than secretly making cosmetics in her father's chemist shop to sell to army nurses such as Joan, her adventurous Australian friend, Leo hopes to now display her wares openly. Instead, Spanish flu arrives in the village, claiming her father's life. Determined to start over, she boards a ship to New York City. On the way she meets debonair department store heir Everett Forsyth . . . In Manhattan, Leo works hard to make her cosmetics dream come true, but she's a woman alone with a small salary and a society that deems make-up scandalous.

1939, New York City. Everett's daughter, Alice, a promising ballerina, receives a mysterious letter inviting her to star in a series of advertisements for a cosmetics line. If she accepts she will be immortalized like dancers such as Zelda Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker and Ginger Rogers. Why, then, are her parents so quick to forbid it?

HER MOTHER'S SECRET is the story of a brave young woman chasing a dream in the face of society's disapproval.

'If you enjoy historical fiction (and even if you don't) you will love this book' SALLY HEPWORTH

'Had me at page one. This book should come with a 'Do Not Disturb' sign' VANESSA CARNEVALE

'Lester's storytelling is truly captivating; her voice an essential addition to Australian fiction' AUSROM TODAY

'the vivid detail of the narrative has the ring of authenticity and is utterly compelling' Good Reading

'A delightful and multi-faceted romp through the jazz era ... HER MOTHER'S SECRET is a sweeping historical saga about an inspiring woman tackling society's expectations head on, war paint and all' NATALIE SALVO

“Hot on the heels of her well-deserved success with A Kiss from Mr. Fitzgerald, [Lester] again offers readers a strong-willed, determined heroine whose journey is as interesting, as it is inspiring - Jodi Gibson [Lester's] engaging writing style and ability to create characters that connect with readers make her a welcome addition to the historical fiction market. - Herald Sun I'm calling it, Natasha Lester is our generation's Louisa May Alcott. - Tess Woods Australian author Natasha Lester is adept at immersing readers in the lives of characters from a bygone era. - Courier-Mail This slice of romantic fiction also stars a strong female heroine who dreams of making her own cosmetics in a place that is undeniably a man's world, New York City during the roaring twenties. What follows is a story brimming with as many layers as the war paint itself. - 100% Rock Magazine”

Hot on the heels of her well-deserved success with A Kiss from Mr. Fitzgerald, [Lester] again offers readers a strong-willed, determined heroine whose journey is as interesting, as it is inspiring - Jodi Gibson

[Lester's] engaging writing style and ability to create characters that connect with readers make her a welcome addition to the historical fiction market. - Herald Sun

I'm calling it, Natasha Lester is our generation's Louisa May Alcott. - Tess Woods

Australian author Natasha Lester is adept at immersing readers in the lives of characters from a bygone era. - Courier-Mail

This slice of romantic fiction also stars a strong female heroine who dreams of making her own cosmetics in a place that is undeniably a man's world, New York City during the roaring twenties. What follows is a story brimming with as many layers as the war paint itself. - 100% Rock Magazine

Natasha Lester is the international bestselling author of A Kiss from Mr Fitzgerald, Her Mother's Secret, The Paris Seamstress, The French Photographer, The Paris Secret, The Riviera House, The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre and The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, and a former marketing executive for L'Oreal. Her novels have been translated into 21 languages and are published all around the world. Her eighth novel, The Disappearance of Astrid Bricard, was longlisted for the 2024 ARA Historical Novel Prize.

When she's not writing, she loves collecting vintage fashion, practising the art of fashion illustration and reading about history. Natasha is a sought-after public speaker and lives with her husband and three children in Perth, Western Australia.

For all the latest news from Natasha, , subscribe to her newsletter Bijoux, follow her on Instagram (natashalesterauthor), or join the readers who have become Natasha's friend on Facebook.

1918, England. Armistice Day should bring peace into Leonora's life. Rather than secretly making cosmetics in her father's chemist shop to sell to army nurses such as Joan, her adventurous Australian friend, Leo hopes to now display her wares openly. Instead, Spanish flu arrives in the village, claiming her father's life. Determined to start over, she boards a ship to New York City. On the way she meets debonair department store heir Everett Forsyth . . . In Manhattan, Leo works hard to make her cosmetics dream come true, but she's a woman alone with a small salary and a society that deems make-up scandalous. 1939, New York City. Everett's daughter, Alice, a promising ballerina, receives a mysterious letter inviting her to star in a series of advertisements for a cosmetics line. If she accepts she will be immortalized like dancers such as Zelda Fitzgerald, Josephine Baker and Ginger Rogers. Why, then, are her parents so quick to forbid it? HER MOTHER'S SECRET is the story of a brave young woman chasing a dream in the face of society's disapproval. 'If you enjoy historical fiction (and even if you don't) you will love this book ' SALLY HEPWORTH ' Had me at page one . This book should come with a 'Do Not Disturb' sign' VANESSA CARNEVALE 'Lester's storytelling is truly captivating; her voice an essential addition to Australian fiction' AUSROM TODAY 'the vivid detail of the narrative has the ring of authenticity and is utterly compelling ' Good Reading 'A delightful and multi-faceted romp through the jazz era ... HER MOTHER'S SECRET is a sweeping historical saga about an inspiring woman tackling society's expectations head on, war paint and all' NATALIE SALVO

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