The audio version of this review was first shared in Episode 41: A Bookchat about Come Down Somewhere with Jennifer L. Wright & a Review of The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark
THE BOOK
Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie’s past are brought to light.
In 1946, Millie Middleton—the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman—boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.
Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they’ve both dreamed of. But it’s not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.
THE REVIEW
Sometimes a book finds you at a pivotal moment when it seems as though the story was written just for you. Like a love note from God tucked within the pages. For me, “The Dress Shop on King Street” was one such book.
With southern charm and a whole lot of heart, Ashley Clark has created a story with the skilled craftsmanship, exquisite detail, and unique beauty of a couture gown from days gone by. In hat-wearing Millie and vintage-loving Harper, I found kindred spirits. And in their story, I found a gleaming thread of hope to mend the fabric of a long-cherished dream.
If you’re a fan of southern fiction, multigenerational stories, and intricately woven dual time narratives,The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a must read!
THE AUTHOR
Ashley Clark is the acclaimed novelist of The Heirloom Secrets Series. She writes women’s fiction set in the South, and her stories are filled with faith, sweet romance, and lots of family secrets. She loves all things vintage and the almost-forgotten stories of the past. Ashley finds her writing interests influenced by the spaces shared between femininity + strength, loss + legacy, and beauty + memory. She is an English adjunct instructor, a wife and homeschool mama, and she adores her adopted senior Cocker Spaniel.
Read more about Ashley on her website. (www.ashleyclarkbooks.com)
Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.