The Dressmaker: A heartrending saga of a mother's dream for her daughter

Benita Brown

Jan 2010 · Hachette UK

About this ebook

Can the rags of her life be sewn into riches?

Benita Brown's The Dressmaker is the unforgettable saga of an abandoned young woman learning to stand on her own two feet. Perfect for fans of Rosie Goodwin and Lindsey Hutchinson.

Emmeline Dornay's dying wish is for her daughter Melissa to have a home. But when the funeral is over, Melissa discovers that her future looks bleak. Wealthy Lilian Winterton will honour her promise and put a roof over Melissa's head, but only if she can earn her keep.

As an unpaid seamstress in the grand Winterton household, Melissa is ignored by the family and mistrusted by their servants. And when scandal occurs and the blame lands unfairly at her feet, she is thrown on to the streets. Left with nothing but her needle and thread, Melissa finds her dreams are in tatters. But can the rags of her life be sewn into riches . . .?

What readers are saying about The Dressmaker:

'Really enjoyed every moment of this book - it's a story of love, loss and friendship, with a good story line and great characters'

'For anyone who enjoys a Catherine Cookson novel this book is an absolute must. I have read all of Benita Brown's novels and find her style of writing engaging with good plots and characters'

'Five stars'

Ratings and reviews

couldn't put this book down a really heartwarming story ❤️ 💕 💜 ♥️

had the potential to be a really good book but the ending was just boring and typical

lovely book enjoyed every page 😀

About the author

Benita Brown was born and brought up in Newcastle by her English mother, the youngest of thirteen children, and her Indian father, who came to Newcastle to study medicine and fell in love with the place and the people. After meeting her husband while she was at drama school in London, Benita returned to her home town and worked as a teacher and broadcaster before becoming a full-time writer, publishing many much-loved novels. Sadly, Counting the Days was Benita's last book, as she passed away in April 2014 following a sudden illness. She will be greatly missed.