I have read many nice little clean romance stories and that was what I expected this book to be--a sweet Christian romance set in the magical towns of Charleston, SC and Fairhope, AL-- but it was way more; it was literature. It is the story of several generations of bi-racial women in the Deep South. There were many heart-breaking moments especially at the beginning of the book but, as I continued to read, themes of hope and redemption broke through. The only thing I would change about the book is that I would like more at the end of the book--more of the "happy" and more of the love between two of the main characters. Perhaps we will see those things in the sequel that is hinted at in the notes at the end of the book. I loved The Dress Shop on King Street and can't wait to gift copies to my daughter and sister. Highly recommend!

This book is absolutely heart breaking and amazing. With the references to Jane Austin and Gilmore Girls, it stole my heart right from the first chapter. I need to read the rest of these once they are out! The two main characters, Millie and Harper will feel like family when you're done

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark
Genre: Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction
Rating: 5/5 stars
Ages: 16+ (this book is clean but will likely hold the attention of those 16 and up)
Content: racism, implied consummation of marriage but nothing explicit

A lovely book weaving multiple stories into one that you can’t put down. I don’t usually like split timelines in books because one or the other can tend to be a little slow, but I found The Dress Shop on King Street to be so good I stayed up way too late reading. The author did a wonderful job connecting Millie, Harper, and Peter’s stories.

Even though the book was divided between modern day and the past (meaning less time getting to know the main characters as opposed to what you get with a single pov) the characters were well-developed and sympathetic. It was heartbreaking to see the way racism affected Millie and her family’s lives. The author did a good job handling the sensitive subject of racism and Millie’s struggle with being split between cultures.

Pacing was good, plot was good—I don’t see any problems there. The writing was beautiful as well as the themes the author wove in. I will have to look into more of Ashley Clark’s books. Overall a recommended read for lovers of historical fiction or Christian fiction.

I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a great historical fiction novel that is the first in a series titled: Heirloom Secrets. It is a wonderful dual timeline story that weaves together the separate stories of two women: Harper and Millie and weaves those heartfelt stories together seamlessly to create a memorable story full of love, loss, heartbreak, lost chances, new beginnings, second chances, overcoming obstacles and hurdles, and finding hope and faith against it all.

There were wonderful secrets and mysteries sprinkled throughout the storylines that added a wonderful touch and complexity to a great, memorable story that will stick with me for a long time. This is the first book that I have read from this author, and if the future works from her are anything as excellent as this story, we are in for a real treat.

5/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication.

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.

This book was lovely and kept me fully engaged from start to finish.
It involved more than one time period but was primarily the stories of Millie and Harper. The author did a fabulous job of creating a sense of mystery about the characters and their backgrounds which ultimately made the story one you didn’t want to put down!
I’d recommend this book heartily.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review.

A remarkable novel that pulled at my heart strings. The depth of emotions as the author takes you from past to present is very well written. It has encouraged me as I look at lost and broken dreams, and the tug-of-war between my inner and outer being. I have been reminded that God is working all things together for my good.

I am not sure why I have not heard more about this book, as it is truly a hidden gem. I found myself going between the characters, wondering wishing and hoping to see as the story unfolded.
Sometimes stories with racial divisions from the past, open a new world to us that we wish we had not seen. I loved the hints and quotes from Gilmore Girls, the fashion design quality and the boarding house history enclosed in this book, as well as shades of Jane Austen slipped in. With heartbreaking moments, you will find yourself thinking about this one after you finish.

Ashley Clark has written a book that weaves history and modern day together so seamlessly that it was hard to put down. She has researched life in the south in the 40s and 50s, and brought understanding to the rights or lack thereof of people of color during that time era.
Millie is the daughter of a black woman and a white/Italian man and she has skin light enough to "pass." So her mother encourages her to leave Charleston, South Carolina, and make her way in Fairhope, Alabama. On the way to Alabama, she meets Franklin, a train jumper and the two of them make an alliance to help each other out. They end up at a boarding house where the owner believes them to be married. Still in the back of Millie's mind is the desire to own a dress shop.

Harper is a young lady who has studied sewing under Millie and has gone to the Savannah College of Art and Design to get a degree in clothing design, but her advisor tells her she's nothing special. Harper's dream of owning a dress shop using her own clothing designs goes up in so much smoke.

Peter is actually Millie's grandson, but he doesn't know that. He just knows that Millie's been a close family friend for many years. In his search for some family heirlooms that his stepfather gave away after his mother's death, he finds the truth about the relationship between Millie and him.

I found the plot of this book to be so deep I had to take breaks in reading once in a while just to let it sink in. The quality of Ashley's writing is of the highest caliber. Her plot moves at a steady pace and her settings induce the reader to want to be a part of the story. The characters are realistic and likable. This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a sweetgrass basket to hold your secrets.

Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.

THE DRESS SHOP ON KING STREET by ASHLEY CLARK is both heartwarming and heartbreaking as we are taken from 1860 when a nine year old girl, born and raised in slavery is sold, to her present day descendants. Her devastated mother had filled a sack with a letter to her daughter and some things that were precious to her, including two beautiful buttons which play a big part in the story.
The characters are beautifully portrayed and we are taken into their dreams, joys and disappointments and the sometimes difficult decisions they have to make.
We meet Millicent Middleton, whose dream is to own a dress shop, and Franklin Pinckney, the train jumper, in 1946. The story is brought together in the present time with Peter Perkins, an historian who describes his research into the past as "architectural salvage", And Harper Rae, whose dream is to own a dress shop and design clothes. She is passionate about restoring vintage clothing and learning the stories behind the beautiful garments and shoes that she finds. Both Peter and Harper have a history with Millie.
The theme of restoration is strong, of mending that which is broken or torn, of following the dreams the Lord has given us, and not giving up when His timing is not the same as ours.
The horrors of racial division and the fear it evokes, as well as the importance of embracing the whole of our heritage, form an important part of the story.
The Dress shop on King Street is an inspirational and well written read with a strong Christian message of hope running through it, and one I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys historical romantic fiction.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bethany House Publishers. The opinions in this review are completely my own.