Maya's dream is to be the head designer for bridal designer superstar Laura Whitcomb. She's in the running for the job when her dad breaks his hip so she returns to the Lowcountry in SC to help care for him. Maya needs a way to earn money during her unpaid leave so she visits a local black-owned bridal shop, hoping to sell some of her wedding designs.

Derek is trying to keep the doors of Always a Bride, the shop his mom started, open. But as a widower with an almost teenager on his hands, there's already a lot going on in his life. But it's hard to deny his growing feelings for Maya.

As someone with a chronic illness, Maya, with sickle cell anemia, was thoroughly relatable. Worrying about when or even if to tell employers, coworkers, dates is difficult. People do treat you differently and some are uncomfortable being around a chronically ill person.

Maya and Derek's grief felt very real to me. Maya wants the head designer in part because she and her mom, who's passed on, shared a bond over sewing. Her mom shared Filipino and West African techniques that Maya works into her bridal designs.

Derek's wife was killed in a church shooting. He's dealing with his grief as well as his daughter Jamila's.

The plot handles difficult subjects like racism, grief and loss, and chronic illness with a soft touch. Preslaysa Williams treats her characters gently, knowing they've already suffered a lot. But she's also made them strong. Instead of anger or resentment in the face of racism or other setbacks, Maya and Derek are full of determination and grit. They're willing to fight for what they want.

The romance is sweet, chaste and gentle. I enjoyed seeing all of the characters attending church events.

A Lowcountry Bride is a heartwarming own voices story with likable and relatable characters. It's about unexpected loss, grieving and taking steps to heal and still having the strength to pursue your dreams.

This was an okay read. The relationships felt forced (Derek/Maya; Maya/Jamila) and rushed and that hampers the storyline. Too much emphasis was put on Maya’s importance towards Jamila and it ended up feeling hollow and falling flat. Kids as plot points either work or don’t, this is a case of don’t.

The internal monologue was cringeworthy and repetitive. The word fancy is overused and makes Maya sound like a hick, not someone who lives and works in NYC. We have plenty of fine dining in the Lowcountry, from Hilton Head to Charleston.

What I did enjoy about the novel was Maya working independently and getting the chance to work in Derek’s bridal shop. The concept was great. Also the inclusion of SCA was refreshing, anemia is often overlooked and SCA more so. Kudos to the author for capturing that.

Wow. I valued so much about this book, from the sweet romance between Maya and Derek, to the way Derek loves his daughter, to Maya’s relationship with her father... but mostly, the complexity of Maya’s decision—will stay true to herself and her culture, designing beautiful gowns with Filipino and West African stitching she was taught by her mother—or literally relinquish her dreams to Laura Whitcomb, the white NYC big shot designer in order to get the big job offer she wants? Whitcomb is such a symbol of systemic racism, appropriation and theft... Ms. Williams has penned a novel that gave me a lot to chew on. I felt this book was really beautiful, with the tension of Maya’s sickle cell anemia and knowing her life will not be long contributing to both the sweet romance and need to follow one’s dreams. Fabulous.

Maya Jackson is a junior bridal designer for Laura Whitcomb who yearns to become a head designer. She seeks the opportunity to showcase her talents and her designs inspired by her ancestry. But when her father injures himself, Maya has to return to her hometown of Charleston, DC to help him recuperate. While she is home, Maya decides to work at the local boutique. Derek Sullivan has taken over the struggling Always a Bride and is trying to do all he can to preserve his mother's legacy. He also seeks to build a relationship with his twelve=year-old daughter. He welcomes Maya's help and while doing so, finds himself open to more.

First of all, I absolutely love love the cover. Seeing the picture of the bride running made me want to discover what was inside the pages. What I found was a cute love story. A heartwarming read that had gave me a fuzzy feeling. I think the author wrote a sweet tale and I loved how she gave both characters well-developed lives because life does not stop even when you're falling in love. Both Maya and Derek had their personal and professional struggles that they each have to resolve. And, it was nice to see how they helped and encouraged each other.

I loved reading about Maya's family history and how she was able to incorporate that history in her gowns. I believe the author did a great job with describing the town and realistically captured small town life. I think this author will only get better with each book.

Thank you, #Netgalley and #AvonBooks for this ARC.

A gentle story of love, family, dreams, grief and recovery. Having recently spent a week enjoying the South Carolina coast I was excited to read a romance set in the area. Maya is a junior designer for wedding dresses at a posh NYC company. Her dreams of being a head designer take a turn when her father breaks his hip and she takes a leave of absence to see to his care in Charleston. Because her leave is without pay she opts to sell some of her designs at a local dress shop. Derek runs the dress shop inheriting it from his mother. He is a single father and trying to connect to his 12 year old daughter Jamila. He takes Maya on as a temporary employee as well.

I think the story excels when talking about the importance of ancestors and remembering the past and still moving on in the present. Jamila is struggling with the lost of her mom and isn't ready to see dad dating. All the main characters are kind and trying to do their best. I've never read a story where sickle cell anemia is an important part of the storyline. And I appreciated learning about the disease and thinking of when you would need to tell a friend, date or employer about something so personal. Unfortunately, I never felt very passionate about the story. I understood the choices the characters were making but wasn't overly invested in the outcome. I though Maya was naive in desiring a job when she didn't understand what the job would entail. And I was underwhelmed with the romance when I wanted to be swept off my feet.

This was a clean book for language and steaminess. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC ebook in exchange for an honest review.

An exceedingly gentle read. Maya is a wedding dress designer with big dreams and a chronic illness. When her father breaks a hip, she takes a leave of absence from her big NYC design job, and heads home to Charleston to look after him. Needing some extra cash, she gets a temporary job at a struggling local wedding boutique. The owner is Derek, a handsome young widower with a tween daughter, both of whom could use some love and affection. But Derek is hesitant to put his heart on the line again, and Maya is only in town temporarily. It would be a big risk for them to get involved.

I really enjoyed Maya’s character growth, especially as she gets more confident in incorporating designs native to her Filipino and African heritage, and figuring out what she really wants from life. But Derek doesn’t get much time to develop, even though nearly half the book is from his perspective. He’s a good guy and a devoted father, but we don’t see enough of the internal changes we’re told he makes. And the two of them have a very chaste courtship, which is fine, but I never felt a zing between them.

The publisher is marketing this as a romance, but I’d categorize it as women’s fiction or perhaps inspirational. There are some Christian themes (something not mentioned in the publicity materials), but they’re not overt.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

Received an ARC from NetGalley. Enjoyed the Charleston setting and that the author included some low country history. Maya is a wedding dress designer headed to her goal job, when her father takes a tumble and she heads home to help out and her life changes. Fast moving read and likeable characters. I'd love to follow these characters further, would enjoy a sequel or part two.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55200710-a-lowcountry-bride

Preslaysa Williams does an exemplary job in presenting multi-cultural characters without their race being their primary characteristic.

I adore this book and author! This is the first title I have read, but I will be reading more. Some Authors have the gift of writing. They can give you more detail and imagery in a paragraph than most in a page or chapter. Ms Williams has this.
Low Country Bride is about family, dreams, and love. I became quickly invested in Maya, I wanted her to succeed. Her life is real, could be anyone we know, and I appreciated the cultural and historical references. I am trying not to give to much away as this story deserves to be read by all.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the advanced copy for my voluntary review.

This review will be posted to Goodreads about May 1, 2021 and to Amazon on release day.

A Lowcountry Bride is a heartwarming story about love, family, and healing. It is also about
personal and professional choices that people make in the hope that we thrive, grow, and succeed in both. Preslaysa William’s sincere attempt to share and celebrate her African-Filipino culture shines through in this novel. As a Filipino reader, it is a delight to devour references to indigenous weaving techniques and Baybayin characters incorporated in a story set in lowcountry region. Teachable moments are abundant! - including issues and topics on history, racism, and slavery.

A story filled with compassion, love, faith and the journey of family togetherness. From the first page, I began caring about the characters and their lives. I enjoyed this story very much. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Thanks to NetGalley for a arc copy for a honest review.

A Lowcountry Bride is a heartwarming love story about forgiveness this was such a cute story a 3 star read.

Happy Reading
Lisa

First, I want to thank Preslaysa Williams, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with this book so I may bring you this review.

Preslaysa Williams is back with another amazing read in A Lowcountry Bride. Preslaysa is a very strong writer who writes what issues and topics she’s passionate about. You can tell when you read the words on the page they are coming from her heart.

This book is dedicated to Preslaysa’s husband and real-life hero, Darren Williams.

Preslaysa would like to dedicate this book also in loving memory of the Emanuel Nine, who died in a mass shooting on June 17, 2015, and the 12 victims of the Virginia Beach, Virginia, mass shooting, who died on May 31, 2019. May your souls always be blessed.

In Lowcountry Bride Preslaysa brought the reader's attention to Sickle Cell Anemia which the main character Maya had. She discussed what the disease was, how it was affecting her daily routine, and her social life. Many books I have read (and trust me I read a lot) rarely if ever focus on this disease. I commend her for bringing awareness to this.

I loved that the main character Maya was a dress designer with her own designs. That even though she worked for her dream boss she too had visions of her own and wanted to make a mark in this world. I commended her for that.

Preslaysa was passionate about having family and culture be a big part of this story. If we have learned anything this year is that family means everything! Many of those story’s show the bond between the family. Unfortunately, some heartache as well.

One of the storylines I was extremely impressed with was Maya’s and Derek’s daughter. His wife Grace passed and it was hard for her to open up to anyone. There was this one scene where Preslaysa just melted my heart because she was letting Mya into her world. This scene was written with a lot of heart, love, empathy, and understanding. It was very touching and moving to see the two bonds like that.

I enjoyed Derek and Maya’s storyline and where it was headed.

Preslaysa’s wish for A Lowcountry Bride is that inspires readers to love, hope, and have faith in their dreams.