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Her Mother's Secret
- Narrated by: Edwina Wren
- Length: 11 hrs and 17 mins
- Categories: Romance, Historical
Non-member price: $29.95
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Publisher's Summary
England, 1918. 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.
New York City, 1949. 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.More from the same
What listeners say about Her Mother's Secret
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- davkat
- 02-06-2017
Stunning
What a read! This extraordinarily beautiful story will have you hooked from the first page.
6 people found this helpful
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- Brrenda
- 21-07-2017
True love is strong
I loved this book. I was actually disappointed that there wasnt more when it ended. A beautiful love story from the 20's. worth listening to.
2 people found this helpful
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- Lynnette
- 27-11-2017
Not really what the title suggests
An interesting history about cosmetics and the right for women to choose them. Otherwise a pretty predictable chic flick of sacrifice and love.
1 person found this helpful
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- cottagedweller
- 04-08-2019
Uuugghh
The narrator ruins any chance of getting into this book. Very dull and the accents used were off putting. The main character's accent very insipid. She painted no picture of what could be a good book. Make up, fabrics and fashion, jewellery, decor....1920s 30s glamour. All lost in a drab delivery akin to reading the phone book. 6 hours in I want to return this book as I had from the beginning. This story is just not believable. The characters were wishy-washy. After listening to the fabulous City of Girls this book was very disappointing. And returned to Audible.
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- Claire
- 01-07-2018
Historical love page turner
What a lovely story; full of interest, post-wartime life, love, heartbreak, twists and turns and a strong female lead. Couldn’t put it down.
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- Louise Guy
- 17-04-2017
Absolutely captivating.
Her Mother's Secret is a wonderful story set predominately in NY in the 1920s. The storyline is cleverly woven and elements of the plot have you waiting and hoping with all of your heart that the circumstances will unfold in certain way. The characters, descriptions and writing are brilliant. I had the same problem when listening to the Audible version of Lester's A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald, I did not want it to end. The narration is excellent; the narrator has a voice that truly engages you. For a number of days I was totally caught up in the world of Leo and her journey during the founding years of the cosmetics industry. Leo's decision making, her courage and her perseverance ensures this story will appeal to anyone who enjoys historical fiction, women's fiction, strong characters and a wonderful storyline. Can't wait for another book from this author.
2 people found this helpful
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- Tamela
- 11-12-2020
love this author
Natasha Lester writes beautifully. The story is great and well done all the way to end.
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- paula wright
- 28-11-2020
I love anything about cosmetics
I really enjoyed this book. Had no clue that make up was so frowned upon very informative about this subject The upper class were so Unlikable for the most part. I’m looking for another book by ms Lester
I appreciate the fact that there was very very few profanities used.
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- Anonymous User
- 28-07-2020
Loved this book
I enjoyed this every bit as much as Natasha Lester’s other books The narration was superb. Thoroughly recommend.
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- DizzieLuff
- 13-02-2020
wow.. just wow!
I adore Natasha Lester's books. Her flow is so easy to follow and get wrapped up in. It was so hard to put this book down.
Edwina Wren does an amazing job telling the story.
I highly recommend this book!
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- Marsha Sullivan
- 02-08-2019
A Reading if Her Mothers Secret
Although I didn’t totally understand the title of this book, I thoroughly loved listening to the book. The characters were well developed, and supported by the voice of the reader. I loved the story of the woman who developed the cosmetics line, and using the Chinese shop. The love stories were elegant! I would recommend this to all my friends.
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- My Two Cents
- 11-05-2017
Brilliant
This is the second book from Natasha Lester I have listened to. Historical fiction has never been much of an interest to me until I read 'A Kiss From Mr. Fitzgerald' and then I was hooked.
Leo East is a young woman working in her fathers pharmacy in the early 1900's. Her dream is to create cosmetics that can be easily assessable to women in any society. After the death of her father, she sets out to New York in search of this dream. While on a ship sailing to America, she has a quick romance with Everet Foresight.
Once in New York, her dreams are soon crushed with a society that fights her on every battle. Sacrifices are the only way her cosmetic business, along for herself are the only thing she can do to survive.
It will takes almost twenty years for her to get back the two things she had to give up. Love knows no bounds when we are selfless.
I loved the love story along with the history lesson in cosmetics. A two in one here. The only thing, I felt the time lines jumped to far ahead at times. But I recommend this novel to all.
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- Jean
- 26-08-2017
Excellent
Could not put this book down. Beautifully read, and will us her again. Will also need to re-read it in a short while. Thanks.
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- Lisa Bennett
- 27-04-2017
A truly lovely story
This was beautifully narrated and a delightful love story. If you fancy a gentle story with a feel good factor then this is the one for you
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