Book Review of
The Dressmakers of London

Lynn's Review

The Dressmakers of London by Julia Kelly is a historical fiction book published in 2025.

I love Julia Kelly’s historical fiction and historical mystery books. She is one of my favorite historical fiction writers. When I saw that she had a new book coming out, I knew that I had to read it. 

The Dressmakers of London is about a dress shop in London during World War II. It is about WWII, but the war is not the primary focus of the book. The dress shop and the family that owns the shop are the stars of the book. 

I love both fiction and nonfiction books about WWII, but having read so many, I enjoy finding ones that are a little different. I love that this book was set during World War II, but it wasn’t just about World War II. 

When their mother dies, sisters Isabelle and Sylvia inherit the dress shop that their mother owned. 

The sisters live very different lives and have had very little to do with each other for years. Izzie hopes to buy Silvia out, but then she is forced to join the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. While Izzie is gone, Silvia must manage the shop on her own. 

The sisters must confront the past while realizing how much they both loved their mother and the dress shop she owned. 

One of the things that I loved about this book is that it is not a dual timeline book. Many WWII books now feature dual timelines, so it was a welcome change to have a single-timeline book. 

If you love Julia Kelly’s writing or are looking for a WWII book that is a little different, I think you might enjoy The Dressmakers of London.