Happy Wednesday, friends! Today I am thrilled to share my thoughts about The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark, which released yesterday December 1st. Fans of time slip novels, get ready for a fantastic new book to add to your TBR lists.
Have you read any time slip (dual timeline) novels yet?
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.
MY THOUGHTS
The Dress Shop on King Street is the first book in author Ashley Clark’s Heirloom Secrets series. This time slip novel is filled with deep emotion, heartbreaking moments, and hope for the future. Ashley Clark intricately weaves the past and present together in this compelling tale of following our dreams, while incorporating beautiful messages of God’s faithfulness and purpose in our lives.
The Dress Shop on King Street focuses on the present-day storyline and the historical storyline beginning in 1946. However, the brief glimpse back to 1860 in Charleston completely broke my heart, with the anguish that Rose, a young slave and mother, experienced. In 1946, dark moments in the past led to the difficult decision of hiding part of her heritage as Millie Middleton struggled with the implications of her racial identity in Charleston. Both storylines were well written, but the historical storyline definitely captured my interest. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
The Dress Shop on King Street is recommended for readers of romantic women’s fiction.
I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK FROM BETHANY HOUSE AND WAS NOT REQUIRED TO WRITE A POSITIVE REVIEW. ALL OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE MINE.
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.
Diversity Between the Pages 