Threadbare was such an enjoyable book that I loved escaping to. A story about family, community, love, and loss, I felt so connected to the characters and their lives.

The story is set in the Gilded Age (late 1800s New York) and follows Tillie, a chicken farmer’s daughter who gets married at 16 to escape farm life under her stepmother’s thumb.

From the tenements of New York, Tillie starts her new life and is horrified at the living conditions but slowly starts to build a life for herself, making friends and becoming a part of her new community.

The historical details were done very well. From tenement conditions, disease outbreaks & deaths of loved ones, the Comstock Act and how to deal with unwanted pregnancies, this was not an easy time for women. The garment industry details were so interesting and I loved hearing Tillie’s new business ideas and could not believe the disdain she received from the men she worked with.

I didn’t realize this was a prequel to an earlier written book and will definitely be tracking down book 1 in the series.

Thank you to Goodreads and the publisher for this ARC. I was a Goodreads giveaway winner. 1 Joyeux Noelle239 4

very nuanced, well-researched

Threadbare tells the story of a young Jewish from 14 to her late 20s as she navigates her mothers death, her own marriage, life in tenement housing, working with immigrants, and eventually starting her own business in the fabric district.
The time period is well-researched and the characters do come alive as they struggle through history. The look at the garment industry is fascinating as well as healthcare for women at the time.

**I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”1 Dale Pilchman1 review1 follower

Loved Tillie and her family from the very first page! Jane creates a picture with her words of a life long gone. You root for Tillie and celebrate her accomplishments! 1 Goodlittlewitch30 2

I read this book as an advance copy. Threadbare is the prequel to Jane Rubin’s first book, In The Hands of Women, an historical women’s fiction that follows the medical career of her character, Hannah. In Threadbare, we learn more about Hannah’s childhood, and her elder sister, Tillie, who is a substitute mother-figure to Hannah.

Threadbare begins in the late nineteenth century, when Tillie is just leaving eighth grade and Hannah is still a small child. We learn, in vivid prose, what life is in the tenements o the Lower East Side at the turn of the century, and how Tillie, as an intelligent woman, driven to carve out an identity for herself, first helps her husband build his business and then starts her own with her best friend Sophie.

Of course, life in the tenements is not easy for her and her husband. She is a young bride with little life experience. But life is also a challenge for her little sister, Hannah. Eventually, Tillie and her father determine that despite the difficulties of life on the Lower East Side, it will be better for Hannah to live with her sister and brother-in-law, that to stay on the family farm with her stepmother.

Over the years, Tillie and Sophie’s business becomes wildly successful largely as a result of Tillie’s imagination and business savvy. Despite setbacks, Sophie and Tillie navigate the world of being a supplier to some of the biggest retailers of the time, Bloomingdale’s and a sewing pattern company, based loosely on the legendary Butterick’s patterns business.

We learn, too, how Hannah grows into the medical doctor we meet in In The Hands of Women, watching her first become fascinated with general women’s health and midwifery, and later with infectious disease and cancer.

Ms. Rubin deftly interweaves the risks of illness and surgery at that time with the difficulties that the rising middle class encounters, especially the difficulties of women in business. I especially related to that element of the book because my own grandmother was among the first female owners of a liquor business, and subjected to cancer treatment that we would think of as barbaric, not much later than the time frame of this novel.

Between the evocative prose and the insightful dialogue, I felt as though I had met these characters and lived in their world for a brief time. I am so looking forward to reading more of this writer's work. Geneva Roa117 2

Thank you NetGalley and author Jane Loeb Rubin For the copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

"Threadbare recounts the story of an innocent but tenacious young girl who chooses marriage to Abe, a lonely widower, rather than follow her farming community north as urban development transforms rural Harlem. Convinced Abe will help her attend high school on the Lower East Side, she faces a rude awakening to the filth and disease of the tenements. Through the following decades, Tillie turns her energy and intelligence to partnering with Abe as he builds a thriving button business while she and her neighbor Sadie launch a unique garment company. Pushing back against anti-Semitic Victorian values dominating the time, she acquires wealth only to have her life upended by a devastating, unforeseen challenge."

It is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that seamlessly blends high-stakes drama with richly drawn characters and lush descriptions of New York City’s elite. It explores the complexities of human relationships, highlighting the sacrifices we make in pursuit of our dreams and the consequences of our choices.1 lori pennington605 4

Many thanks to NetGalley and Level Best Books for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is a wonderful historical tale of NYC in the early 1800s that follows a jewish woman's life over many decades and the birth of the garment district. Tillie and her family immigrate to NYC from Germany before Hitler has a chance to exterminate them. The family begins as kosher chicken farmers until tragedy strikes with the mother dying of breast cancer. As the progress of immigration and development moves north, Tillie makes a courageous decision to marry a widower and move to the tenements instead of continuing farming. Despite poverty, death, and disease, Tillie begins building a button business with her husband and a garment business with her friend, Sadie.

This is such a well researched and written story of the history of the NYC garment district. The characters are very likable and believable. The plot works well. Also, it was nice to read a historic tale of a jewish family that did not focus on Hitler.

I have not read the other book in this series but I have just downloaded it and plan to do so.

HIghly recommend!!!give-aways Maria ImbalzanoAuthor 12 books316

I was pulled into this story from the first page. Ms. Rubin did an excellent job of bringing the reader right into life in NYC in the late 1800s—from the northern farms, to the tenements in lower Manhattan, to the middle-class apartments—with her attention to detail (sights, sounds, smells) which made it all real. This historical fiction novel is a prequel to her first novel (In the Hands of Women) and follows the protagonist, Tillie, as she struggles for equality as a business owner in a man’s world. Taking us into the factories as well as the executive offices of Bloomingdales and Butterfield, we are just as furious as Tillie when she has to keep quiet and let her husband do the talking in order to make a sale, despite being the entrepreneur with all the great ideas. You will smile, cry, and scream in frustration right along with Tillie and her best friend, Sadie as they navigate through life in this emotional story. I would highly recommend this book.
I was given an advance copy of this book by the author for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Peggy WilliamsAuthor 3 books19

Threadbare offers an intimate and emotional immersion into the 1880s and '90s in the nascent Jewish garment district of New York’s Lower East Side. In Jane Rubin’s thoughtful and well-researched novel, we follow teenage Tillie who marries a widower and has her first babies—premature twins—when she is only 16. Striving to create a decent home in a slum neighborhood, and having to give up one dream for another, Tillie exhibits creativity, ambition, and pride. When she makes a personal decision that threatens to end her marriage, and later when a TB epidemic causes pain and grief, I was riveted, turning pages to find out how Tillie and her family and circle of friends would survive physically and emotionally. Anyone who enjoys reading about strong, yet imperfect women struggling to keep their families together in uncertain times will enjoy Threadbare. 1 Fentestik57

I was offered a chance to receive an Advanced Readers Copy ( ARC) of Threadbare and was so glad I had the opportunity to enjoy this beautifully written book prior to the release date. This gives me the chance to tell others what they can expect with this book by Jane Rubin.

This story is an example of thorough research combined with the author's ability to draw you into the emotions and struggles of the characters. The writing is beautiful . It provides a comprehensive view of the time period. I was cheering the characters on throughout the story. The sheer drive and ambition of the females to succeed was palpable.

I enjoyed this prequel to In the Hands of Women which is the culmination of the trials and tribulations of these characters . Both books get 2 thumbs up from me.1 Diane Bergner1 review1 follower

I was fortunate to be given the opportunity to provide an ARC review prior to its release date, in exchange for my honest review. It was a great depiction of the id to late 1800's, giving a glimpse into life for immigrants in NYC at this time. The author clearly did a thorough job researching this time period and what was life back then from a scenic viewpoint, poignantly describing the landscape beautifully -- or not so beautifully with all the stench of poverty. But what really struck me was how magnificently she captured the emotions of the protagonist Tillie. I was rooting for her. For a time when men/husbands/doctors ruled women (literally), Tillie had so much grit, yet navigated her cards with such deliberate finesse. I loved this book! 1 Laura Taylor1 review

This is a prequel to In the Hands of Women, but could absolutely function as a stand alone novel. Rubin deftly paints a picture of NYC in the mid to late 1800s, following the beloved Levine/Isaacson family that we met in her first novel. This time she tackles the fashion industry, and it is striking that the familiar themes of familial/friend support and women's ambition/intellect with the balance of home life are still so relevant today. Rubin truly shines in part 3, when undertaking a TB outbreak which will surely speak to all of us, as we all just lived through Covid. I truly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series! Rachel148 3

I received an ARC on NetGalley.

I enjoyed this book. It was a breath of fresh air to read a historical fiction book about a Jewish family that did not take place during the Holocaust. It especially touched me because, besides being Jewish, I am also an avid sewer and for many years used Butterick patterns (somewhat hidden in the name of the company that was used in the story). The story covers many decades and follows the main character from her young years, through tragedy, marriage, children and success.1 Linda RosenAuthor 3 books197

Brava Jane Loeb Rubin and brava Tillie and Sadie, Ms. Rubin’s strong, feisty women in this engaging gem of historical fiction. This talented author sets the reader deep into the late 1800s in New York City, inhaling the stench of the tenements of the Lower East Side to the sweet apple orchards in Northern Manhattan. You’ll cheer. You’ll cry. You’ll meet characters that you’ll be glad to meet again in Ms. Rubin’s debut novel, In the Hands of Women. Read both, in any order. You’ll be glad you did. Katelyn Glembot47 2

Tillie is a young girl who is tragically forced to grow up fast. Threadbare follows her through the trials of a young marriage, motherhood, earning a living in 1800s NYC, and many more trials. Tillie navigates them all with her husband Abe, trusted friends and family with admirable grace. A book well worth finishing in one sitting, Tillie's story carries a breathtaking weight.


I received an advance copy of Threadbare through Goodreads as a giveaway and am thrilled to have the opportunity to experience Jane Rubin's work. Christine1,025 30

A nice easy novel ! It reflects what New York looked and felt particularly for the immigrants living in poverty. The story also focuses on how women are considered when they try to get their own business whether by their husbands or society at large. Rather interesting.
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I am leaving voluntarily an honest review. Claire Flanagan94 3

Set in Victorian New York this novel is an absolute delight. Following the story of a young Jewish girls upbringing and marriage to a man 10 years senior, it is not what you expect. I was completely enthralled, a best seller in the making. Lisa Bleich63 2

3.5 Debra Spice3 1 follower

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