The Dressmaker by Kate Alcott, Read by Susan Duerden

Tess isn't a maid, but she's trying to work as one. Her dream is to be a seamstress, and when she learns that the new ship Titanic is hiring workers, she escapes her dreary position and takes a chance on a new life. She's extremely lucky that the Lady Duff Gordon takes her on as a maid. Lady Lucille is a talented English seamstress headed to NYC for a clothing design show. Tess and Lucille have an interesting relationship--Lucille is a witch who demands servitude, while Tess is independent enough to be thankful of her new position, but secretly hoping that she can use Lucille to launch her own success.

And then the Titanic goes down. Both women survive, but Lady Duff Gordon is in an almost empty lifeboat. The media maelstrom attacks the Duff Gordons, and Tess is forced to take sides. If she shows support for her boss, she might go down with the ship. But if she breaks ties with Lady Lucille, she might lose her chance in the design world.

Of course, there's love in the air, too. Tess must choose between a handsome woodworker she met on the ship, and the divorced rich man who tries to woo her. Oh, decisions!

I loved this audiobook--just the type of romance I like. Lots of history thrown in, along with some independent women. The reporter Pinky Wade is a great supportive character--female reporter for the Times demanding a raise? Heck, yeah!

This is another audio performer that I will be looking for--I thought her accents were great, the speed perfect for me, and I wanted to keep listening when I stopped driving!