TLC Book Tour: Mademoiselle Chanel by C.W. Gortner

It’s a tour day today, and I’m so pleased to share with you C.W. Gortner’s Mademoiselle Chanel!

She revolutionized fashion and built an international empire . . . all on her own terms

Born into rural poverty, Gabrielle Chanel and her sisters are sent to a convent orphanage after their mother's death. The nuns of the order nurture Gabrielle's exceptional sewing skills, a talent that would propel the willful young woman into a life far removed from the drudgery of her childhood.

Burning with ambition, the petite brunette transforms herself into Coco, by day a hard-working seamstress and by night a singer in a nightclub, where her incandescence draws in a wealthy gentleman who becomes the love of her life. She immerses herself in his world of money and luxury, discovering a freedom that sparks her creativity. But it is only when her lover takes her to Paris that Coco discovers her destiny.

Rejecting the frilly, corseted silhouette of the past, Coco's sleek, minimalist styles reflect the youthful ease and confidence of the 1920s modern woman. As her reputation spreads, her couture business explodes, taking her into rarefied circles of society and bohemian salons. But her fame and fortune cannot save her from heartbreak as the years pass. And when Paris falls to the Nazis, Coco is forced to make choices that will haunt her always.

An enthralling novel about an entirely self-made woman, Mademoiselle Chanel tells the true story of Coco Chanel's extraordinary ambition, passion, and artistic vision.

drey’s thoughts:

I’ve never been a fashionista nor am I particularly fashionable, but even so I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to check out C.W. Gortner’s Mademoiselle Chanel. (I do wear Coco Mademoiselle every so often, it dresses up my jeans & t-shirt wardrobe very nicely!)

I LOVED this look at the life of a young woman whose beauty and skill gets her noticed, and whose grit and determination gets her places. Life was not easy for young Gabrielle Chanel, abandoned by her father and placed with nuns upon the death of her mother. The nuns clothe and feed Gabrielle and her sister Julia, nurture Gabrielle’s sewing talents, and eventually find employment for her, though (of course) for a pittance. It’s not long before she decides to try her hand at selling her own wares, convinced her designs would appeal for its elegant simplicity.

But things never turn out as planned, and Gabrielle has to decide if she’s going to accept the helping hand offered by a young man intrigued by her looks and her brash attitude. (Y’all know how I like a girl with attitude, right?)

I should start calling her Coco hereabouts, though. Anyway.

Coco as portrayed by C.W. Gortner is a mesmerizing persona, changing her life on strength of will alone, it seems. She goes after what she wants, never letting anyone hold her back. Not that she’s perfect, but then none of us are.

I couldn’t put down Mademoiselle Chanel, even when Coco made decisions I didn’t agree with. Then again, this is her story – not mine – and C.W. Gortner does an amazing job in the telling of it! Pick this up if historical fiction’s your thing, or if you’ve ever wondered about this fashion icon.

drey’s rating: Outstanding!

Have you read Mademoiselle Chanel? What did you think? And if you haven’t, read on to win your own copy!

Giveaway!

Thanks to the publisher and TLC Book Tours, I have one copy of Mademoiselle Chanel for you. This one’s open to US residents only; no PO Boxes please. To enter, fill out the form below before April 13th. Good luck!

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About C.W. Gortner

C.W. GORTNER holds an MFA in Writing with an emphasis in Renaissance Studies from the New College of California, as well as an AA from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in San Francisco.

After an eleven year-long career in fashion, during which he worked as a vintage retail buyer, freelance publicist, and fashion show coordinator, C.W. devoted the next twelve years to the public health sector. In 2012, he became a full-time writer following the international success of his novels.

In his extensive travels to research his books, he has danced a galliard at Hampton Court, learned about organic gardening at Chenoceaux, and spent a chilly night in a ruined Spanish castle. His books have garnered widespread acclaim and been translated into twenty-one languages to date, with over 400,000 copies sold. A sought-after public speaker. C.W. has given keynote addresses at writer conferences in the US and abroad. He is also a dedicated advocate for animal rights, in particular companion animal rescue to reduce shelter overcrowding.

C.W. recently completed his fourth novel for Ballantine Books, about Lucrezia Borgia; the third novel in his Tudor Spymaster series for St Martin’s Press; and a new novel about the dramatic, glamorous life of Coco Chanel, scheduled for lead title publication by William Morrow, Harper Collins, in the spring of 2015.

Half-Spanish by birth and raised in southern Spain, C.W. now lives in Northern California with his partner and two very spoiled rescue cats.

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