MY REVIEW:
The Dress Shop on King Street is one of those books with all the feels. Its primary focus is on Millie Middleton as it highlights different stages of her life. Harper Dupree also plays a strong role in the story as does a young man named Peter. As the tale passes back and forth between characters and time, the reader slowly begins to get a glimpse of how their lives have somehow been woven together over the years without their knowledge.
Sometimes difficult to read and at times heartbreaking, the story relates the struggles of a mixed race woman who appears to be white during an era when such things could be dangerous. It is a tale filled with love, dreams deferred, difficult choices, faith through it all, and eventually forgiveness and reconciliation.
I loved the relationship between Harper and Millie, especially the fact that they both had similar dreams. A surprise or two along the way were perfect touches in this beautiful narrative that left me with ample things to ponder when I closed its covers.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT 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.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ashley Clark (www.ashleyclarkbooks.com) writes romantic women’s fiction set in the South. With a master’s degree in creative writing, Ashley teaches literature and writing courses at the University of West Florida. Ashley has been an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers for almost a decade. She lives with her husband, son, and two rescued Cocker Spaniels off Florida’s Gulf Coast. When she’s not writing, she’s rescuing stray animals, dreaming of Charleston, and drinking all the English breakfast tea she can get her hands on.
