Publication Date: December 30, 2014
Publisher: Ballantine Books
For fans of
Alice Hoffman, Sarah Addison Allen, and Adriana Trigiani, The Dress Shop of Dreams is a captivating novel of enduring hopes,
second chances, and the life-changing magic of true love.
Since her parents’ mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta’s dress shop. Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta’s charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passersby, but the colorfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces, and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets: With just a few stitches from Etta’s needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman’s deepest desires.
Etta’s dearest wish is to work her magic on her granddaughter. Cora’s studious, unromantic eye has overlooked Walt, the shy bookseller who has been in love with her forever. Determined not to allow Cora to miss her chance at happiness, Etta sews a tiny stitch into Walt’s collar, hoping to give him the courage to confess his feelings to Cora. But magic spells—like true love—can go awry. After Walt is spurred into action, Etta realizes she’s set in motion a series of astonishing events that will transform Cora’s life in extraordinary and unexpected ways.
Since her parents’ mysterious deaths many years ago, scientist Cora Sparks has spent her days in the safety of her university lab or at her grandmother Etta’s dress shop. Tucked away on a winding Cambridge street, Etta’s charming tiny store appears quite ordinary to passersby, but the colorfully vibrant racks of beaded silks, delicate laces, and jewel-toned velvets hold bewitching secrets: With just a few stitches from Etta’s needle, these gorgeous gowns have the power to free a woman’s deepest desires.
Etta’s dearest wish is to work her magic on her granddaughter. Cora’s studious, unromantic eye has overlooked Walt, the shy bookseller who has been in love with her forever. Determined not to allow Cora to miss her chance at happiness, Etta sews a tiny stitch into Walt’s collar, hoping to give him the courage to confess his feelings to Cora. But magic spells—like true love—can go awry. After Walt is spurred into action, Etta realizes she’s set in motion a series of astonishing events that will transform Cora’s life in extraordinary and unexpected ways.
No, these women are looking for much more than
that; they are looking for a lost piece of themselves. Which is exactly what
Etta Sparks can give them.
Now Etta knows that great love only comes once
in a lifetime, if you’re lucky.
A simple, ordinary day, made special and
extraordinary by first love and first words.
It’s a great shame, she thinks, that the heart
cannot feel joy without also feeling pain, that it cannot know love without
also knowing loss.
I have been a fan of Alice Hoffman ever since I
became entranced with her novel, Practical
Magic. The magical realism genre is full of intrigue and sweet, cozy
stories. I discovered Menna Van Praag’s newest book and was reminded of Hoffman’s
mystical and engaging magical tales. This book is full of romance, mystery,
magic, and so much more. A lot of the book takes place in Etta’s dress shop
where she has the ability to set free a woman’s deepest desires. Etta hopes to
unleash some of her magic on her granddaughter Cora who cannot see the love
that is directly in front of her. This novel contains four different love
stories, told from varying perspectives, all while Cora is trying to solve her
parent’s murder mystery. There is a little something for all in this book!
The characters in this story are all connected
in one way or other and they are all rich and complicated and have obstacles
they are facing in life. There are sad moments in the lives of these
characters, but there are moments of extreme joy as well. I was completely
enamored with this story and all of its original details. Menna has become of
my favorite authors. Just like Alice Hoffman, I vow to read whatever she
releases next. Her writing is breathtaking and is sure to make a believer out
of you!
***A free copy of this book was provided to me
by the publishers at Ballantine in exchange for my honest review***
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