The Keeper of Happy Endings, by Barbara Davis, is such a mesmerising story. With themes of fate, 2nd chances, and hope, you'll have a hard time putting it down. Both main characters are strong, brave women. Most of the secondary characters are pretty likeable, as well. Though they have their moments where you might be left wondering what on earth they were thinking.
It's World War II, in Paris, and we meet Soline Roussel, who's spent her life learning the family business of happy endings. For generations they've had an exclusive bridal salon in Paris. They can work magick when they sew a wedding dress.. Rumor has it that any bride who wears a Roussel gown will have a lifetime of joy.
Heart breaking losses leave Soline’s belief in love soured. She stores her memories and hides them away, as well as her shattered dreams.
Decades later, aspiring gallery owner, Rory Grant, is dealing with her own painful issues.. She leases Soline’s old bridal shop and finds a box of letters and an antique wedding dress. After she returns the box, an unexpected friendship develops. The unusual parallels in Rory’s and Soline’s life experiences start to surface. They both realize that they were always meant to meet.

Loved it!! Full of magic and so much more. Soline was definitely destined to meet Rory. She was the best thing for her. They had a connection in so many ways. Both of them lost the person they loved the most. When Rory first talked about her fiancé, I figured he either left her for another woman or died in a tragic accident. I would have never guessed what really happened to him. Soline was there for Rory, listened and gave wonderful advice without criticizing everything about her. Pretty much the exact opposite of Rory's mother Camilla. Camilla wanted to control every aspect of her daughter's life. Their relationship is complicated. Loved reading about Soline's story, which was my favorite part of the book. I felt horrible for her when she met Owen and everything that he did to ruin her life. He was a cruel and horrible man. I can't believe the lengths he went to keep everything quiet and not ruin his precious last name. Was I surprised about what eventually happened? No- I kind of suspected how everything would work out and how everyone's lives would end up being intertwined. I never thought there would be so much anger surrounding the one person but I guess that happens when you believe the lies that were told to you. I also knew this person would help with Hux. I just had a feeling. The book was beautifully written and I wanted Soline to be my fairy godmother. The story was full of love, loss, forgiveness, and so much more. (Plus a bit of magic.)

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the characters, writing style and story. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

First time reading this author and what an outstandingly beautiful and poignant storyline can highly recommend.
Thank you netgalley for an arc.❤❤

This is a very well written story of two very different women whose lives are brought together against all odds. When young Rory Grant's finance disappears she feels as though her life is in limbo. She is supposed to be returning to complete her education as her mother wishes, but she barely has the heart or the motivation. What she really had been wanting to do is open her own art gallery. But how can she choose a life's direction when she can barely pull it together to make it through each new day. Her relationship with her mother is not going well.

Soline Russell, from generations of exclusive Paris dressmakers has lost heart as well. She had come to America as a young woman and been devastated by the loss of the young man she was to marry. And now years later, in her sixties, it has been three years since a fire has destroyed her life's work. The beautiful salon where she had skillfully designed and expertly crafted the wedding gowns of brides' dreams, reputed to promise them happy lives, in ruins. A different season of life than Rory's but with a heart just as broken, probably much more.

But her fascination with a row house that Rory walks past each day is the beginning of an intricate weaving together of the two women's very different lives and backgrounds.

Both the plot and the characters are more deeply and artistically rendered than most of the novels I have been reading. I enjoyed it very much and always couldn't wait til the next time I could pick it up. The characters and places were so real I felt as if I were right there and I knew them.

The only reason for holding back a star is for the whole witchcraft framing of the story. It seemed like an unnecessary add-on to a wonderful work of fiction that stands on its own legs of love, passion, hope, faith, brokenness, forgiveness, and healing. For that reason I skipped over the little intro quotes for each chapter and don't feel I missed a thing. I believe it is God who brings the happy endings.

Enjoyable and well written. Plot involved two time lines, they were well handle to be flash backs rather than to be two separate stories, making it easy to follow. Wonderful characters and a fairy tale ending which wrapped it up in a lovely bow!

4 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and the Author and publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely love Barbara’s stories and this was no exception !! This was such a beautiful story with such amazing characters! So good! Highly recommend.

As I am drawn to WW II fiction, this caught my eye. I felt this one was different in the way the house was part of the story. I also thought the back and forth between timelines was well done. While stories set in this era have been saturating the market, this one is worth the read. Thank you Netgalley for the advance copy.

Aurora and her mother do not get along. Aurora is struggling with the disappearance of her fiancee. A seemingly innocuous house will hold the key to the past and the future of both mother and daughter. The author of this book does a masterful job of weaving the past and present into a fascinating story of one woman's escape from Paris during World War II, a successful career, and a mystery and love for the ages. As Aurora struggles with losing her love Hux, a house seems to signal to Aurora. She checks it out hoping to lease or buy it from its previous reclusive owner, a wedding dressmaker and French designer. The story gradually unfolds into a story of mystery, tragedy, loss, love, and reconciliation. The characters in this book are interesting. The three women are strong yet sensitive and bonded in ways they don't understand until the mystery unravels. The settings are modern-day and war-torn France in the 1940s. This is a romance worth reading. Well-written and complex it is an enjoyable journey thru history, time, and the unknown parts of the heart. Thanks to #TheKeeperofHappyEndings#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Everything separates Soline Roussel and Rory Grant. They are not the same age, do not come from the same background and did not even grow up in the same country. However, when Soline agrees to rent her old shop to Rory, who wants to open an art gallery, a friendship begins between the two women whose lives are so different, yet so similar. Their destinies take us from the Second World War to the Second Sudanese Civil War, with the loss of a fiancé as a common thread.

Being a history buff in my spare time (especially the Second World War), I was immediately drawn to this book when I saw it on NetGalley and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.. The story is full of the emotions that make up life: joy, love, fear, sadness, loss… A bit of white, a bit of black, all mixed to give a nice shade of grey. The characters are endearing, and we want to learn more about them as the story goes on.

However, I have two complaints about this book: the ending, which in my case was not a mystery, and the misuse of French grammar. Indeed, being French myself, I couldn’t help but notice the mistakes that some of the terms contained. Having had access to an uncorrected proof, I hope that these errors were seen before publication (e.g. ‘mal de mare’ when it is ‘mal de mer’ in French).

I recommend it to fans of fiction mixing romance and history.

Thanks to NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing and Barbara Davis for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wasn't very far into this book before I realized it would turn me into a snot bucket. This book plays with the idea of pain vs. a happy ending, how it often looks like the one can preclude the other. I don't read romance as a whole. I find them sappy and unrealistic as most I've read in the genre don't factor in real human pain and how a happy ending can often seem unattainable or just plain stupid when in the depth of suffering.

This book did not shy away from pain. Does that mean it isn't a romance? It has two very deep love stories at its heart. Barbara Davis really plays with that happy ending trope, stands it in its head. Pushes us deep into human suffering and makes us cry.

And I'm good with that. Because these are the kind of books I love. Books that are real. That make us face what we are suffering or feeling and perhaps put it into perspective a little.

The story
I am blown away by how stunning this story is. Set partly in the Second World War, mostly in Paris, and mid-1980’s Boston, this is the story of Soline, a young Parisian who works with her mother to make wedding dresses. But no ordinary wedding dresses, these dresses are infused with a touch of magic bringing happy endings to the lucky brides that wear them. Rory, or Aurora, is a young woman whose fiancé Hux was taken hostage working for Doctors Without Borders in Sudan. Months later, Rory is depressed as no news from him is forthcoming. When she rents space to start a gallery from Soline, their paths intersect in so many special ways.

My thoughts
It’s hard to say anything about this story that doesn’t give away all the spoilers! The story is so beautiful, all so well-written, I was totally absorbed in the plot and characters. I did so not forsee where the story led to. A totally gorgeous read ❤️

Such a good book, well written characters with a great storyline centred around two characters. it was gripping and i was both heartbroken and heartwarmed at times when reading it.

Enjoyable and well written chick-lit. Even though the plot involved two time lines, they were well crafted so as to be flash backs rather than to be two separate stories as has become so popular the past few years. And of course, there was the nice fairy tale ending which brought it all to a lovely conclusion.

This was the first time I remember reading a novel heralding the various wartime functions of the American Red Cross.

I appreciate this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Who doesn’t wish for a wedding that everyone says “Aww and they lived happily ever after”?

Story alternate between two women Soline and Rory from two different eras with different past. It weaves through years in France and now the US.

Rory (Aurora} Grant is leasing and renovating a building that had been in a fire, as she knows it will be perfect for her art gallery. While cleaning up she comes upon a box with letters, memorabilia and a vintage wedding gown inside. She figures she will return it to the owner of the building Soline Roussel..

Soline is now elderly and a bit of a recluse and not receptive to guests. For many years her family owned an exclusive bridal salon in Paris. It is said that any bride who wears a ‘Roussel’ gown is guaranteed a lifetime of happiness. It is believe that there is magic woven into the gown with each stitch.
However, war torn Europe left Soline with a heart ache. Soline was planning to marry the handsome Anson William Purcell when he was killed in the war. Hmmm it appears that her own wedding dress was not made with the magic of “happily ever after stitches” or was it?

I thought this was going to be totally a predictable story but the twists made me love the story and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Not going to give any more away as you need to enjoy it for yourself! Trust me ~ you will enjoy it!
BTW: Don’t stop at the end of this story as the ‘Book Club Questions’ are great and will give you something to think about even if you aren’t in a book club.

My first author, Barbara Davis story and I am looking forward to another!!!

On another Note: The talk of ‘echoes’ certainly got my interest
We are bound by our echoes.
Echoes connect us to the ones we love, binding us forever.
Echoes are voices and/or images buried in the recesses of our brains
So when I saw that Barbara Claypole White offered praise for this novel and is the author of “Echoes of Family”, I immediately put that book on my TBR list.

Want to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for this uncorrected- proof. This file has been sent to me for an honest professional review.
Publishing Release Date was October1, 2021.

What a wonderfully crafted historical romance with a wee touch of magic! With a title like "The Keeper of Happy Endings" you go in expecting happy endings - and this book does have them, but wow does it take a lot to get there! I enjoyed the dual timeline stories of Soline in 1940s and Rory in 1980s and how their stories compare and intertwine. Love the folklore and charm of the wedding dresses and Soline's was so well written.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

What a beautifully told story! This was a book that actually made me forget it was a book! Rory has suffered a loss and decides she must make a change in her life…she must start living again! As she moves forward with her plans for the future, she meets an intriguing woman who turns out to be her true fairy godmother. This was a most lovely story, with twists and turns that leave you breathless. I absolutely loved it!

Do you believe in happy endings? Have you had to search for yours?

Soline Roussel comes from a family of seamstresses who have an exclusive bridal boutique in Paris. For generations, the Roussells have been schooled in the business of happy endings. Rumour has it that a bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. Driven to expand the business, Soline attempts to branch out on her own just as the Nazis come to occupy France. Her dreams set aside, she discovers she’s accidentally volunteered at an American hospital - the only one the Germans allowed to operate - and she meets the love of her life, Anson William Purcell. When it becomes unsafe for her to be in Paris, she packs up a single suitcase and heads for the USA.

Forty years later, after a great career, circumstances force Soline to retire and she leases the shop space to Rory Grant who wants to open an art gallery. Rory is a trust fund baby who doesn’t want that life. In conflict with her mother, she maintains her heart set on launching artists just starting their career and names the shop, “Unheard of.” While renovating the space, she finds a cardboard box containing a vintage wedding dress and a pile of old thank you letters from former brides who wore Roussel gowns, detailing their ‘happy endings.’ This is the catalyst for Rory to diligently seek her own happy ending. You’ll be mesmerized as soon as you notice the timelines overlapping!

I absolutely LOVED this book. What’s not to like - Paris, couture, second chances, family dynamics, and subtle magic? My first introduction to this author and I’ve already placed her on my ‘auto buy’ list.
Why?
-She is an effective storyteller who engaged me to the point that I couldn’t set the book down.
-Her rich characters are crafted so that I could relate and therefore become engaged
-Her action-oriented story focuses on the development of a significant outcome.
-Her visceral writing has a conversational tone to it which really built a connection with me.
-She tells Soline and Rory’s story by describing their experience and expressing sympathy. It drew me in and had me anxious to know more about their past.

This emotionally immersive read with strong female characters who experience losses, have creative impulses, yet continue to search for their happy endings must top your Fall reading list!

I’m eagerly anticipating “The Care and Feeding of Old Books” about an owner of a vintage bookstore who finds an intriguing book in a box of donated items.

Published October 1, 2021.
I was gifted this copy by Barbara Davis, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.

The first thing that drew me to this book was it's cover, beautiful and mysterious. You have to wonder what is going to happen in this story and it is so much...secrets, romance, and mystery! The Keeper of Happy Endings is the story of Soline, the owner of a bridal salon in Paris. The dresses her family has made for generations are supposed to bring a lifetime of joy to those who wear them. Tragedy strikes when World War II happens, and Soline’s life is forever changed. Two storylines that are connected down the road. Rory is an art collector, Both had similar heartaches and they have a passion in common.
Great story, great characters, and beautiful prose. Wonderfully written, this is the first book I have read by this author and I am intrigued by her writing!
Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for a copy of this book!

This is my first ever book I’ve read by Barbara Davis and I enjoyed it very much! I loved everything about it - the story, the characters, it was great! A nice change of pace from the last book I read and all the psychological thrillers I’ve been drawn to here lately. Definitely one of my FAVORITE books of 2021!!! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review. Out for publication right now.

I'll be honest; I'm getting a little tired of WWII themed historical fiction romance... but then I decide to read just one more, and wow, I adored it. This was such a lovely story with magic, romance, and second chances. I stayed up late to finish this since I just didn’t want to stop reading.


Thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC of this title. Opinions shared are influenced by nothing other than my reading experience.