The Dress Shop of Dreams by Menna Van Pragg, Book Review

General Information
Publisher: Ballentine Books
Published: December 30, 2014

Book Summary:(Per GoodReads)
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.
 

My Thoughts:
This book has it all.  A fantastically well-written and constructed story that will become a beloved addition to many a story collection.  The characters provide an adventure that includes love, family, intrigue, suspense, a wee bit of magic, appreciation of fashion, the inner doubts that many face and more.  I enjoyed all the great twists and turns that the story brought into the mix, and did it so well.

This story has some sub stories interwoven into the words and characters seamlessly.  These sub stories caught me by surprise at times and I never quite knew how they would impact the main characters at any given moment.  I have to say that I love the way all the characters were impacted by individuals decisions and the overall conclusion for each person.  

The author writes in a way where you feel the emotions and the depth of these emotions clearly from the beginning.  The insight Menna has into the human psyche and thoughts is fantastic and quite prevalent in the words.

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Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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