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 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.

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!

From beginning to end this book is a page-turner, and you will not be disappointed.
Millie is a spunky young woman when this story begins and we follow her into her 90's, and what a life she has had. Not many could have withstood the heart aches, but she has hung in there, and we journey with her in deep south Alabama. Hate and prejudice abounds here, but how she deals with it, such grace and a few chuckles.
Millie's heart desire is to open a dress shop and she has a kindred spirit in Harper, a young woman she has know from Harper's childhood on.
There are surprises here, and how the facts unfold, we don't get to see the justice that should have happened, but we get to know Millie.
This is an eye opening, heart wrenching read, that you don't want to miss.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Bethany House, and was not required to give a positive review.

This book is incredible. It very delicately touches on racial issues and decisions you could not possibly imagine having to make. At the very beginning I was a little lost with the introduction of characters, but after the third chapter when all the main characters in the family line were introduced, it was much easier to keep them all straight. The author effortlessly takes the story line between two time periods, only to weave an incredibly beautiful story of hope and ultimately redemption. There are a lot of deep emotions in this book, heartache, loss, but also an amazing hope. The way the author weaves Harper and Millie's stories together will keep you turning the pages until the very end. I found myself reading slower toward the end because I did not want this book to end. This did not feel like a fiction book, but more of a true story. It will make you feel all kinds of things. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a very well-written, engaging fiction. I think whether you are a historical fiction fan or not that you will enjoy this story. This is one that I will remember for a long time. Thank you to Bethany House Publishing and Net Galley for making it possible to read this book. All opinions are entirely my own.

A vintage gown, two antique buttons, and an embroidered flour sack are the only clues to a mystery involving a biracial slave girl sold away from her mother at the age of 9, a young woman in the post-WWII South trying to pass as white, and a present-day college student trying to make it as a fashion designer. Two sweet love stories and heartbreaking family secrets make this a tough book to put down. (Netgalley review)

What a beautifully written, sometimes heartbreaking and sometimes heartwarming story beginning in Charleston, SC in 1860 when Rose prepares to send her 9 year old daughter, Ashley, to be sold as a slave. She sends a bag with her which contains some pecans, a cut off braid of her hair and 2 matching butterfly buttons. The story fast forwards to downtown Charleston 1946 where Millicent "Millie" Middleton whose mother is Black and her father is Italian realizes that she can pass for white. Millie's father is killed because he married a Black woman and her mother encourages her to leave Charleston and head to Alabama where maybe she can fulfill her dreams of having a dressmaking shop if she passes for white. Millie is torn with this idea as she is very proud of her Black heritage. When Millie is on the train, she sees a young man hopping the train and he eventually ends up in the train where they meet. The dual timeline begins in Charleston 1946 to Fairhope, Alabama modern day and then as the years pass and secrets are revealed ends up in modern day. I was fascinated with both timelines and all the very interesting characters and their secrets.

Thank you NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for the ARC of this wonderful book that captured my heart in exchange for an honest review. I am looking forward to reading the next book in this series by Author Ashley Clark.

Harper Albright wants to be a fashion designer and when her dream seems impossible to achieve she returns home to Alabama. She arrives at Millie’s boarding house a place where she’s always made to feel welcome and she and Millie are kindred spirits. Both Millie and Harper have a shared interest in fashion, sewing and both dream of having their own dress shop. Despite the age difference, they decided to give it a go and plan opening their own shop together.

The Dress Shop on King Street has a dual timeline; it goes between present time and back to 1946 when Millie was a young woman.

In 1946, Millie Middleton made the choice to leave Charleston, her mother and her heritage behind. Her mother encouraged her to leave, racial tension was dangerously high, Millie could pass as white and it was a very difficult decision for her to make. On her way to her new life, she's extremely nervous, she meets a charming man called Franklin Pinckney on the train; she has no idea she has just met her future husband and do you believe in fate?

Set in America’s south the book is full of descriptions of the old buildings, beautiful vintage dresses, fabrics, buttons and sewing notions both women use. All rather fascinating and It’s also about family secrets, heirlooms, friendship, love, loss, choices, guilt and regret. The Dress Shop on King Street is the first book in the Heirloom Secrets Series; I’m so looking forward to reading the second book and five stars from me.

THE DRESS SHOP ON KING STREET is a lovely, heartfelt dual timeline story recommended for fans of historical fiction and women's fiction. I found myself equally captivated by both timelines and I especially enjoyed the author's wholesome - almost old-fashioned - story-telling style. She does a great job at immersing the reader in the setting and scene. Also, the character development is a delight. I will look forward to more from this author.

The Dress Shop on King Street
by Ashley Clark
Bethany House
You Like Them You Are Auto-Approved
Bethany House Publishers
Christian | Women's Fiction
Pub Date 01 Dec 2020 | Archive Date 12 Jan 2021

This is the first in a series and I can't read to read the next one. Ashley Clark has hit it out of the ballpark. Great book! Thanks to Bethany House and NetGalley for the ARC. I will recommend this book to our readers.

5 star

This is a beautifully written story about Millie, a biracial child growing up in Charleston, South Carolina in the 1940-50s. Her Italian father was murdered because he was the father to this beautiful child. This story went back and forth between those challenging years for people of color to the present time. As Millie grew into a lovely young woman, her mother sent her away where she would have a chance for a better life, and fulfill her dream of opening a dress shop. She sent Millie off on a train with a satchel that was a family heirloom containing 3 handfuls of nuts, a braid cut from the mother's hair, and some very special buttons passed down from generations before.. While on the train, Millie observed from the window, a "train jumper" who ended up on the train when most eyes were looking outside at a disturbance on the other side of the train.. Franklin, the jumper, a handsome young white man, sat right down next to Millie.

Moving on to the present, Harper, having just graduated from a prestigious design school in Savannah, is enthusiastic about finally having her dream come true.since she was a young girl of having her own dress shop. Her dream is quickly shot-down when she turns in her final senior project, a beautiful vintage dress.. The comment that the dress could be found at any Anthropologie store killed her dream and her confidence in herself.

This is Ashley Clark's debut book and what a lovely story it is.. She brings together the different generations and time together beautifully, as well as the past and present relationship of Millie and Harper. Not wanting to give away any spoilers, I'm not going into too much of the story. I do however, highly recommend this heartfelt, beautiful book.

Harper is a little girl when Millie teaches her to sew. Now grown, Harper's dream is to open a dress shop. She doesn't know that Millie has had that same dream her whole life. Mile let go of the dream. She was busy being a wife and raising her daughter. What few people knew was that she actually had twin daughters. Both of the babies are beautiful. The thing is while one is white with light hair, the other is much darker with curly dark hair. Millie is biracial. She has had to hide her black parentage. At that time people who were biracial were killed or beaten. Her mother made her hide that. Now she must again choose between two cultures, both of which she loves. To protect her child she sends her to live with her husband's mother. The other they raise. If questioned the child is to say that she had an Italian grandfather.
This was a horrible time in history. The dress shop was put on hold. The dream was not forgotten.
Great book, enjoyable read!

This is the first book I read by Ashley Clark so I wasn't sure what to expect. What a pleasant surprise!! The book is beautifully written going back and forth telling us Millie's story. I was just as invested in her past as I was in the 'modern time' with Harper and Peter. It was also a breath of fresh air to read a historical fiction book not based around WWII.

Thank you NetGalley, Ashely Clark, and Bethany House Publishers for this ARC.

The Dress Shop on King Street is a heartbreaking yet beautiful story. Racism is the main theme here and I commend Ashley Clark’s bravery in writing such a novel and doing so with such diplomacy. This was a dual time period novel, one beginning in the 1940s and the other in present day. The historic storyline will move you and is a sobering reminder that such events really didn’t happen all that long ago. But this novel will also bring you joy. The contemporary storyline ties in well to the old, however, I did preferred the historic one as it had a lot more depth and felt more realistic. But overall, this was an excellent story, thoughtfully and creatively put together. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read it.

This is an interesting portrayal of how a young woman must deal with her biracial background in the 1940’s. It’s a story of a mother’s love and sacrifice for her family. I’m not a seamstress, but I loved how the author wove this art into the story. Every handmade item has a story behind it, and it is up to us to learn that story and cherish it. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Ashley Clark’s books.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a beautiful story about Millie Middleton, the child of an Italian father African American mother. After her father was killed by racists her mother realizes that Millie could pass for white. Millie is sent away to start a life where no one would know her heritage.
A wonderful story of passion , love and hardship. But so much more!
Will look for more of this authors books. This book does not disappoint!

I requested to read and review this book for free from Baker Publishing Company. This is a powerful story about love, forgiveness, race and hurt, anger, determination. Millie, Rose, Ashley. This story takes place at different times some in present time and other time is 1940s, 1960s, 1980, 2000s. The main setting is the South. It starts a time when slavery was ok and how through the years it was better but not great. Never judge someone by their appearance. What a powerful story about how you have to be strong and fight for what you want. Sometimes the fight has to last for a while but in the end its worth it. This story is for any type of reader.

Wow! What a wonderful story. The Dress Shop on King Street captures the tension of the time period in the 1940s-60s, then slips on to modern day to tell an incredible story of courage, despair, and hope. I absolutely love Millie and Franklin's story as Millie traverses the world of a white person, whose heritage speaks differently. At times Millie's story breaks my heart and makes me angry because of the unfair world she lives in, but she perseveres. Harper's search for the future she dreams of leads Millie and her into Peter's life. The story that tumbles out of the past and crashes into the future is one filled with untold secrets, regrets, and hope, always hope. I also enjoyed the sewing references and the tale of the buttons. I'd love to see Harper's gorgeous creations. Ashley Clark did a beautiful job stitching the eras together and giving Harper a clear understanding of what it takes to follow your dreams. 5+ stars. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I LOVED this book. Ashley Clark seamlessly weaves this multigenerational story together in a book that is a joy to read. The characters are rich in depth and detail in a way that the I feel like I know them as real people. Even though the part of history the story is wrapped in is dark and ugly and hard, the story is full of light and redemption. The Dress Shop on King Street is the kind of book I was so immersed in that I was compelled to keep turning pages, at the same time wishing the story would not end.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

What a fascinating book! Author Ashley Clark does a fantastic job of weaving current day with the past, showing the early days of Millie's life and mingling it with Millie's life today. Characters from Millie's past weave together with characters in her world today, explaining how past decisions influenced today's actions. This book is well-written, holds your attention from beginning to end, and doesn't downplay the difficulties of life in the south as a bi-racial individual. All of this with a bit of sweet romance from the past into the present. Great story! I can't wait to read more books from this author!

I was drawn to this book because of the cover and the Charleston setting, but what I got was so much more. I was immediately sucked into the worlds of Harper and Millie. Their stories were compelling and the Charleston location was just an added bonus. It was so interesting to read about a biracial character coming of age pre-Civil Rights Movement. It is heartbreaking to read the lengths that people had to go through in order to protect their own families, but this is/was the reality for so many people. I appreciated the detail the author went into regarding historical restorations and family heirlooms. I loved this book and was excited to see that it is the first in what will be a series.

I love timeslips because they give you the best of both worlds - a little contemporary and a little historical. Many times when I read a time slip, I end up liking one story more than the other. In this case, I was equally enthralled by both. Honestly, because Harper and Millie’s stories are so intertwined in the contemporary part of the novel, I almost felt like this was more of Millie’s life story.

Millie and Franklin’s story was equally as beautiful as it was heartbreaking. Several times while reading their story, it kind of broke my heart. After I read the authors note in the back of the book, my heart really did feel broken. While I loved their relationship, there was one thing I wish Millie would’ve handled a bit differently even though I understood that, for her, it seemed like the only choice. There was also a life changing decision that I wish both her and Franklin would’ve somehow been able to come to a different conclusion for because of the many lives it affected.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a story that will definitely touch your heart and one I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Told from multiple perspectives, and in multiple timelines, this book will suck you in from the very start and hold you rapt through to the last page. Harper's story is all told in present day, but Millie's story follows the timeline of her life until both of their stories converge. You'll feel the humidity of Charleston, the hopelessness of the post-Depression South, the constant flux of emotions of a mixed-race person growing up in this place and time, and the heartbreak of a mother... You'll stay up all night long, wanting to know how their stories end.

Millie has a dream of owning a dress shop but sometimes dreams will take a lifetime to accomplish. Harper also dreams of owning a dress shop but every attempt fails. The author does a wonderful job of intertwining the lives of these two women to create a story of love, sacrifice and determination. I appreciated Peter's love of history and wanting to preserve it through restoration. Harper's love of repairing vintage clothing and protecting the history is a gift. Millie's story is an important one and is quite intriguing. Recommended!

The Dress Shop on Kings Street
Ashley Clark

*"God’s timing don’t always match ours, and that’s okay.”*

Oh if I had a penny for every line I quoted in this book I'd be 1k times more richer 🤭 because this book was thaaaaaaat good and people who know me will know how I work but new followers be warned that when I love something I gush and fangirl about it a lot and this will be one of the books that will stay in my heart for a very long time 💙

Giving up dreams is easier showing all the reasons why you can't do it but oh the result is so worth it and this story is all about fulfilling your dreams and to say that I was inspired and touched is an understatement. Dreams are worth the pursuit and time you spend on it, just because ten doors slam in your face or just because you've preached twice dry bones don't come to life it all comes together when God breathes life into it and makes our dreams reality

This novel does not follow a linear narrative or a chronological order but the story is told as a series of episodes or scenes that flip from the past to present depending upon Millie's nostalgia and surrounding occurance. The scenes being moved from past to present in a constant swing it still flows like a river and bends and twists and I love that in a book being unpredictable and with many plot twists!!

The book starts with Millie as a teen who has to move away from her mama just because she told Harry that her grandma was sold as a slave long back and yeah also she's partially black not so much in color but of race. She goes to Alabama as her mom said and lives her life forgoing her dream to own a dress shop one day, she's wealthy alright but with an unfinished business.

Harper Rae is a beautiful young girl with dreams and she's ready to take on the world with her vintage dresses but not everyone sees the diamond in the rough right so leaving all hopes of starting up a dress shop she runs to Fairhope to her father who is the man who is her rock throughout the novel.

Peter is a historian who is addicted to history and digs deep till he finds what he wants and now after years of searching he's finally found a heirloom from his mother's family side and wants to know more and when one domino falls the other falls into place right,..... Yeah not really

This book took me on an emotional rollercoaster at the last hundred pages because of its brilliance and the way the author has used scripture from the Bible and linked with the characters was simply....... Oh I don't even have a worthy enough word for it!

If you ask me if this book is worth your time? Is the writing good? Are the characters faulty and humane? Is it a real story?
YES to all of the above!!!


And yes it's kinda a historic fiction and surprisingly I loved it because history and me don't have a very good relationship but this book was the BOOK and I'm gonna be waiting with bated breath for "PAINT & NECTAR" Book 2 of the series 💙

Clark wrote a lovely story. The narrative alternates from the 1940 to modern day. Readers receive bits and pieces of the story and begin to sew together the full picture. I liked how the author brought the two parts together. There were a few surprising turns in the book. I liked the sewing part. It's soothing to read about although I have no seamstress skills at all. Millie was my favorite character and a very strong person.

This book was difficult to get into as the first few chapters were a bit confusing to me. But I’m so thankful I continued on! Millie’s story is one of incredible heartache, a big dream that took lots of detours along the way, and the strength of this woman in her incredible journey. This is an incredible story weaving love, dreams, and God’s grace seamlessly.

Oh my goodness what an excellent debut novel!!! I could not put this book down, and I loved not knowing where the story would take me. A beautiful multigenerational story, The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark, seamlessly weaves together the past and the present, heartache, and joy in this fantastic page-turning story.

The story of Millie Middleton, the great-granddaughter of a slave (Ashley) who was sold at age 9 and forever separated from her mother Rose in 1860. Rose gave Ashley a flour sack containing an old dress, three handfuls of pecans, and a braid of her hair, and two butterfly buttons that continue to appear over the generations.

The story of Millie, a beautiful young woman, the daughter of loving parents, a black mother and an Italian father begins in 1946 when inter-racial marriages were banned and attitudes completely against biracial marriages were sadly incredibly prevalent. Millie's father dies trying to protect her from racist people who did not want her playing with their children. Millie's mother wants her to leave town to find a better life. Because of Millie's light skin, her mom wants her to pass herself off as a white woman to pursue her dream of owning a dress shop and having a better life far away from where she grew up. Millie loves both sides of her heritage and struggles with trying to hide one of them.

"But here on this train between home and new ground, God settled how very deeply she was loved, even as her grandparents before her had been, and the generations before them, She would embroider Rose and Asley's story on the satchel when she got situated in Alabama. Maybe that would bring some closure about the life she had to leave for the life she wanted to live. The hidden heritage that still caused her to ache with pride, regardless of where she called home."

Millie later says of her hero of a husband "Well, I can't speak to what he was trying to find, but what he did find was me, and I'll tell you, that changed things for both of us."

Millis is simultaneously vulnerable, tough, and funny. She & Franklin are very easy to love. "Sometimes life gives us those moments. Like the very first flutter of a butterfly's wings. Moments that are so profound and so purely beautiful, you try to capture them so that you can come back to them later."

In the present timeline, Millie reconnects with her former neighbor and sewing student Harper, who is at a crossroads in her life, and she also connects with a handsome young man Peter who Millie has known for many years. Peter has a great love of history and is trying to unravel his own family history one clue at a time.

Later in life Millie reflects:
"How do you do right by your child when you don't even know what that is or looks like? At times, I was convinced I'd allowed fear to make all my decisions and done everything wrong. other times, some awful act of racial violence would be in the paper, and I'd feel justified."

The themes of the resurrection of hope and dreams, family past and present, and striving towards your dreams, come full circle in this very compelling story. I highly recommend The Dress Shop on King Street!

Thank you to Bethany House and Net Galley for allowing me to read an early copy. I loved it! All opinions are my own.

The Dress Shop on King Street is the debut novel by Ashley Clark. It was a book that I talked about to others even before I had it all finished. The book was a wonderful weaving of stories from slavery to modern day and from South Carolina to Alabama.
The author creates a character in Millie that is totally believable, and you get caught up in the emotions of the moments and what she goes through. The cast of characters that are introduced are very vivid with details that you can just see in your mind. The way that the author describes circumstances and feelings make this book a page turner. Even though it is a modern-day story, the author tells you where in time the memory takes place which weaves the story fabric even stronger with more depth and belief.
The other main characters of Harper and Peter are strong characters the author uses to further tell the story of Millie. She tells of how God puts people in places and circumstances to weave His story. Perhaps this book resonated more with me because I am a sewer and quilter, or perhaps because I am a daughter and mother, or perhaps because I am a lover of history, or perhaps because it is a GREAT penmanship of words.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. #NetGalley #AshleyClark #TheDressShopOnKingStreet

Two beautiful butterfly buttons, tucked into the bag of a little girl who is being taken away from her mother, become heirlooms and connect a young man to his grandmother. Ashley Clark weaves a beautiful story showing the ultimate triumph of truth over lies as we pursue our dreams and God's purpose. Millie and Harper share a dream of opening a dress shop. Both have felt the pain of a dream deferred. We follow their paths in Millie's past story and their present connection. Millie's struggles with her biracial heritage and the racism of her day are heartbreaking and a jarring reality of the work we still have to do. Harper's struggle with self-doubt is a reminder of our daily spiritual battle against the enemy. Using beautiful metaphors with buttons, seams, butterflies, water, and more Clark gives us all a reminder of our Maker and His love in the midst of the toils and troubles of this veil of tears.
There were times when I felt the seams were unraveling a bit regarding the plot, but the writing is beautiful and I look forward to Heirloom Secrets #2.

Thank you to Bethany House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review. All my opinions are my own.

This was a well written book involving three time periods. It dealt well with the issue of race in America through the years and of true character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of an honest review.

I do not always care for books that swing between different time periods but Ashley Clark intertwined these two stories beautifully. I kept wanting to know more about each character. I was invested in Harper, Millie and even Peter. Highly recommended!!

Charleston is one of my favorite places in the world so I loved getting to read about it in the current day and in the past. The way this story tied together, almost immediately if you were paying attention. I really liked Ashley Clark's writing and this story as a whole just felt comfortable even though it dealt with uncomfortable topics. This would be a great book club book.

Wow. What a book. As a person who enjoys sewing, I was initially drawn to the book on those grounds. The early chapters speaking to the horrors of the personal toll of slavery were very emotional for me, and reading the personal strength through the generations and how they found their way was uplifting. I loved how small tokens of heirlooms tied the story together and gave clues to the connections.

I received a free ARC from Netgalley.
I like books about dress shops since I majored in Fashion Design for a time in college and the fashion world still appeals to me. That isn't the main focus of this book, but it does weave together the stories of the two main women characters--Millie and Harper. Millie is half black and half Italian, but she can pass for white which leads to both joy and sorrow in this book about protecting those we love from the unjust systemic racism that abounds. A very good read.

The story just took my breath away! This dual timeline story captured me from the opening paragraphs and had me enthralled to the very end. What a poignant story of loss and second chances. The author weaves the stories of Millie and Harper (and Franklin and Peter) together beautifully. Millie’s racial identity has a transforming influence on all her choices. I found myself feeling deeply her agony as she felt she was continually prevented from living out her dream. Harper’s feeling of failure in achieving her life dream also resonates. She is crushed and withdraws into herself. It is only through helping Millie achieve her dream that she finds a way to achieve her own.

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

With a refreshing new voice, Ashley Clark's debut novel is sure to win the hearts of many readers. This dual timeline story of long buried secrets coming full circle is one of my favorite story tropes that never grows old. Especially when such dazzling characters come to life and populate the pages, their stories tugging at my heart. Ms. Clark has designed a heroine who faced a moral dilemma and was haunted by a choice that would affect those she loved for generations. Her prose is melodic, rich with images that transported me to another place and time, holding me captive. Laced within is a wonderful faith thread that will resound with readers. I look forward to reading more books by this author in the future.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Reviewed for www.compassbookratings.com

The Dress Shop on King Street is a sweet Southern tale of finding family and following dreams. Written by Ashley Clark, this well-crafted historical fiction alternates between two characters--Harper and Millie. Millie's story ranges from her youth to old age and is particularly poignant. She gracefully navigates challenge after challenge, while always working on her dream of owning a dress shop. The story is fraught with mystery, romance, and jumps between several time periods. The Dress Shop's strength is in Clark's use of vivid descriptions and detail. Readers will feel like they are actually in Fairhope, Alabama and Charleston, South Carolina. A major theme in the book is race and passing for white. Clark includes Book Club questions to allow groups to have meaningful discussions. The Dress Shop on King Street is a delightful read!

Review of Digital Advance Reading Copy

For full content analysis, go to www.compassbookratings.com

A well written Christian novel set in Charleston South Carolina and Fairhope Alabama, two of my favorite places to visit. A story linked by two buttons and a family secret of passing as a white person in the 1940"s. What secrets the family must keep close to protect the ones they love. Will recommend and I think that this would be a good book club choice..

I just loved this book. It was written non-linear in time and person, but very well done. This dealt with being black in the early and mid-1900s. The characters were very well developed. The story kept my interest and had nice twists and turns in the plot to keep you guessing.
The story is Christian, but not at all in a preachy way. In fact, you really don't know it's Christian until the end. It is a clean, well-written book.
Editing is very important to me and this is very well done.
This is Ashley Clark's first book.
I highly recommend this book and give it a strong 4 out of 5-star rating.

This was a beautifully crafted split-time novel following the lives of two very different women with two different stories who ultimately share the same dream— to one day own a dress shop.
There’s the historical storyline that tells Millie’s story which begins right after The Great Depression, starting when she is a only a teenager.
Then there’s the contemporary storyline that follows Harper’s story as she pursues her dream of being a seamstress and opening a dress shop, a dream she almost gives up on... until she becomes friends with the elderly woman, Millie.

This story was heartbreaking yet filled with hope. The characters were well-done and felt real. They were also complex and interesting, each one unique.
Millie was such a strong, inspiring character and watching her life play out was really special and heartfelt.
Franklin was one of my favorite characters. He was wonderful.
Harper was a likable, relatable character but I really, really liked Peter! He was a favorite for sure.

The historical storyline was my favorite as it was a bit more compelling but the contemporary one wrapped it altogether nicely.
Also, the faith content in this one was wonderful. I loved that!

There were times I smiled, laughed, and teared up. That makes for a good book in my opinion!

I’d recommend for historical fiction lovers as well as contemporary fiction lovers as in this one, you will get both.

*Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a review.

Your family heritage can be an exciting adventure to explore. . .unless your heritage is mixed race at a time when that heritage can be dangerous to admit. Millie Middleton is conflicted. She has a dream, to open her own dress shop, but as a woman whose mixed racial heritage will stand in her way as long as she lives in Charleston. When she leaves town and meets a young man on the train, it appears she may have a chance to fulfill her dreams. Or not.

Harper Dupree also has a dream, to be a dress designer, but when her dream is dashed, she returns home and reunites with the woman who taught her to dew and to dream. Can they work together to accomplish both their dreams?

This is a complex story that weaves between several timelines/time periods. I found myself having to take notes as to who was when and what they were doing, but once I got it straight in my mind, I found the story compelling. I remember the racial issues of the 50s and 60s, but only from the distance of California. Reading about it from the point of view of Southern characters really brought it home to me. This would be an excellent read for a book club because there are so many topics that could be discussed.

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley. The opinion is my own.

This book seamlessly wove between two time periods, one where Millie is a young woman in 1946 and the other as a woman in her 90s that befriends a young woman that wants to open a dress shop like Millie had dreamed to do decades earlier. Millie left home in 1946 due to racial tensions and to hide that she is biracial. Her mother urged her to leave home and pursue her dream of owning her own shop. The writing of this book was so vivid that it was easy to imagine the location. I cannot wait to read more from this very talented author.

This was a beautifully-written book with lovable characters. Told in dual timelines, it follows the stories of Millie and Harper, two women from different time periods, with the same dream of opening a dress shop. The only problem I had was that I personally had a bit of a hard time following the connection between the two women, and a third character (Peter). I think the author could have made it a little more seamless, which is what kept me from giving five stars as opposed to four. .

But there were many positive aspects to this book. Millie is such a great character and we get to follow her from age 9 to 90. I loved her relationships with all of the other characters - Peter, Harper and her husband, Franklin. Also, I loved the setting of Charleston, which is one of my favorite cities. I enjoyed Clark's descriptions of the city both past and present, and the snippets of Charleston history.

The issue of racism is a major theme, without being overwhelming. Millie is the daughter of an Italian man and black woman who spends her life struggling with how to honor both sides of her heritage.. While this is a major part of the story it is handled very sensitively.

Finally, I loved the message of never giving up on your dreams! Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. I look forward to the next in the series.

The Dress Shop on King Street, by Ashley Clark, is book one in the Heirloom Secret Series. This is a story that covers several generations and the keepsakes they treasure. When Harper’s dress is rejected she leaves school and goes to visit Millie, the lady who taught her to sew. Millie is a 90 year old lady that left her home at a young age to hide the fact she is part Black. One of her ancestors was sold at just 9 years old and carried with her a pouch that contained 2 buttons. This was passed down through the family and was found at a sale by Peter, Millie’s grandson.

This is a wonderful book to read that shows the readers how it was during different times in our history for the Black people. This is a hard book to read as it shows the decisions they had to make as well as how they were treated. This story shows how Millie left her home to have a chance at a normal life. And when her twin daughters were born, she had to make the decision to separate them to keep them safe. This resulted in Peter not knowing who she really was. I enjoyed reading this story, that is based on a true person, and how the author brings the two women together to fulfill a common dream. This story is well written and very descriptive. It was easy to imagine what the buttons, dresses and the surroundings looked like.

I received an ebook copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley, this is my honest review.

What was it like to be mixed race back in the war years? And what if possibly you could pass for white? What was the right thing to do?

Harper has long dreamed of having her own dress shop but when things don't work out like she'd hope she turns tale and takes herself home to the woman who encouraged her love of sewing.

Millie also once dreamed of having her own dress shop. A dress shop on King Street to be exact. And with that dream come memories. Lots of them that bring out who she was and who she is.

Can Harper help Millie achieve her dreams and also find her way? And then add in one handsome young man who is obsessed with his family history and things start getting better and better.

I loved the genealogy aspect of this novel and the look at history. History is definitely something that interests me. This book takes place in the deep south and so there is racism and segregation that need to be read about and dealt with by our characters.

And there is also a love story and a mystery that must be solved. I loved this book and really hope you give it a read as I think you will too.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.

This might be the best book I've read this year!! Few times in my life have I read a book or found a story that connected to my profound, deep, intimate love of history like The Dress Shop on King Street did. Ashley Clark took my breath away with her handling of this story and her near-orchestral anthem to the power of the stories we tell. Through characters like worried Harper, salvaging her heart amidst the wreckage of broken dreams, or weary Millie, navigating a full + beautiful life with the likeness 0f two faces, or determined Peter, striving to preserve historical buildings in an attempt to connect to the history of his own family, Ashley Clark wonderfully stitches together romance, history, heartbreaking pictures of racism, faith and love.

As Harper and Millie stitch + sew the seams of vintage dreams and dresses, their stories unfold in a beautiful tapestry beneath them as we learn where their dreams came from, and what they are made of. This is a beautiful story with resonant themes, spectacular prose and remarkable storytelling. It invites readers to rediscover the magic of history through the historical setting of Charleston heirlooms, fashion and architecture. It will delight and entice you to keep reading: page after page, moment by moment, button by button. The Dress Shop on King Street captures a rare sort of feeling of coming home: a quiet, unshakable hope in His faithfulness in the past, and His presence with us in the future.

A special thank you to the publisher, author and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This was such a lovely debut novel! It goes back and forth between present day and the 1940’s in Charleston, South Carolina and Fairhope, Alabama and tells the story of two women who have aspirations of owning a dress shop. It is beautiful but also heartbreaking at times. If you are a fan of historical fiction you will love this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5

This is a lovely dual time line story that's really the story of Millie. now 80, who was sent away from home by a mother who hoped she would be able to avoid the prejudice faced by biracial individuals of the time. The story is prompted when she opens a dress shop with Harper, who she has taught to sew. Whole Harper's part of the novel (and Peter's) is interesting, it is Millie who shines. What a saga-the distance from from Charleston to Fairhope, Alabama might not be long in miles but for Millie it was huge in effect. She's a wonderful character. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A gentle and positive read.