I read this one a while ago and never posted a review. Since it has been a couple of years, I don't have many details to share, but I enjoyed this book. The best type of historical fiction is the one that raises awareness of different realities during different times. I love stories in which characters learn more about their heritage and their families, which is exactly what happens in The Dress Shop on King Street as the story focuses on Harper and Millie in two different eras and their journey toward their dreams. I would absolutely recommend this book!

Welcome to the dual timeline world Ashley Clark - you have certainly made your mark. This book is exquisite. I don't know how Clark managed to bring so many layers, so much emotion and depth into this story, but it was fantastic. Highly recommend.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you for this incredible story of a mixed race woman trying to live her life in small town Alabama. I enjoyed the dual timelines and her dreams of opening her own dress shop.

I loved that this book gave so much detail to Charleston, the history of the town, the architecture, the old feel, and especially the people. Written with the delicacy of the South regarding race, this was a excellent read on just how it was then and now. I enjoyed Millie and how she startled the line of being half white-half black and how it effected her life. How she passed for one, but raised by the other. How it effected her future. How some saw only one side of her, but to some neither side mattered. With Millie's love of fashion, and being an excellent seamstress, her dream was to own a dress shop, but could her background let her.

How a train-jumper stole her heart, and she stilled his. How they built a life in a boarding house and how they crossed the illegal line of marriage. Franklin and Millie made a life, and though some choices were difficult, they did them with heart.

Harper is the girl who grew up next door to the boarding house. She learned how to sew from Millie and because of that dreamed of owning a dress shop. When she visits Charleston, she sees her vision in an old building, and her teacher just so happens to be from Charleston. But the owner of the building, has his own secrets. Secrets that bring the three of them together.

I enjoyed this read very much and am looking forward to the rest of the series.

This is a book about multi generations of women whose dream is to own a Dress Shop. Their relationships and their secrets are prominent in the story. The book begins with women in slavery which gives the reader a foreshadowing. The chapters go between Modern Day and the 1940-50s. A touch of a mystery exists with two butterfly buttons. The author does a good job developing the characters. Millie, Harper, Rose and Ashley are the primary women in the book and the story weaves between all of them. You’ll like this book if you like a generational story with a touch of romance.

Thank you to Netgalley and the book’s publisher, Bethany House Publishers, for an advanced reader’s copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed The Dress Shop on King Street. It is a dual timeline story set in Fairhope, AL starting in 1946, and mostly present day in Charleston, SC. I live close to Fairhope, and also really like historical fiction, so I especially liked that part of the story. I struggled at the beginning with the switching back and forth, but once it came together, it was worth it. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, let me say that I went into this book not really knowing what it was about. I knew it was about a dress shop, and Amy Green (who rec’d the book in the first place) said mentioned it was a split time story (which as of late have become some of my favorites). From the first chapter, I was completely enamored by the story. The first chapters are heart-wrenching (read it and you’ll see what I mean). And then I got to Harper’s story and it just hit home.

Harper, our main character, had a dream but felt like she wasn’t good enough. It seemed as if the world was against her from being told that she would be better to find another career path to she wasn’t cut out to be a designer. Oh, I felt for Harper! I know what it feels like to have a dream and not feel good enough — or to be told you’d probably be better off not doing that thing you love. It hurts!

I loved the people in Harper’s life that even though she was ready to give up on her dream, kept nudging her in the direction of her dreams. We need those people in our lives!

Sometimes you read a book and you feel like it was written for you — even if Harper’s story was only one of the stories told. Both stories told in The Dress Shop on Kings Street are sure to touch your heart!

I was not familiar with Ashley Clark's work so I was not sure what to expect. I have gotten behind on my reviews and am glad that The Dress Shop on King Street did not fall through the cracks.

This is a storyline with three different time periods but two main ones are 1940s and present day and two different points of view. The two main characters are Millie and Harper. Harper has returned home after her dreams are crushed as a senior at SCAD. Harper has dreamt of being a fashion designer. After the abrupt change in plans, Harper goes to her hometown and the woman who taught her how to sew, Millie.

As a young woman, Millie is sent away from her hometown by her mother who wants her daughter to have a better life. Millie's mom has told Millie to assume the life of a white woman, keeping one half of her heritage a secret from everyone.

The only reason that I did not give this a 5 star rating was that I felt like too much attention was given to details that were not as important and the important parts of the story lacked some details and depth.

This is a sleeper of a story and I am surprised that it has not received more acclaim.

This is a dual time novel with the main character starting out very young but ending up a senior citizen. It gives the reader a perspective about the life of a biracial girl who is trying to make it big in the fashion industry. The ending was especially interesting when the two time lines come together and you learn the connection between all the characters. I found some parts to be confusing. But perhaps, I just didn't read enough of it at a time. One thing that bothered me was that Millie had a red hat that she wore for years and years and years. I thought maybe it might be kind of tacky by the end of the novel. But it is fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading this novel, but several parts of this were really good, and several parts of the novel really dragged. It seemed to take me forever to finish this book. It’s a dual timeline, so I found myself more drawn into Millie’s story than Harper’s. I loved that the author tackled a tough subject, and still overall an enjoyable read. I finished the novel with lots of unanswered questions but I heard the story does continue with the second in the series which I think I’ll still give a try.

This is a dual timeline story which I really enjoy reading. The historical fiction aspect of the book was most interesting. The author has done an amazing job of presenting a story of God’s will and how He works things out for the best … in His own time. The characters are well developed and the story itself is full of emotion and moments of highs and lows. I love how we discover aspects of Millie’s past, but are also given a peak into the future. Even with the themes of racism, there are many heartwarming aspects to the book and I strongly encourage you to take the time to read this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bethany House Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

This dual timeline story is heartwarming and has excellent character development. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Emotional and rich with heritage, this story sizzled from the beginning. Millie’s tale wrenched my heart throughout, and it was lovely to learn bits and pieces of it alongside Harper Rae and Peter before being able to see the fully stitched-together tapestry of Millicent’s life spanned out before me by the end of the book.

It was good to see such a well-written novel about racism and what that looked like in the Deep South over decades past. What made this book special is that it wasn’t pitting one person against another; rather, it was one woman’s story and how she battled an internal war over her very own heritage. It’s personal stories like this one—no matter which ethnic background they feature—that I adore reading.

I liked that there was an engaging mystery thread. To discover right alongside Harper Rae and Peter just how the bits and pieces of their individual histories were so intricately woven together was superb, and I hope the next two books in the series are just as exquisitely detailed.

The time-slip genre was well chosen for this particular story. The author expertly delivered a tale of complex family ties, hidden ethnicity, and a charming journey with a couple of buttons. While time-slip can be difficult to follow at times, this book did not carry that problem. Every chapter was properly labeled with location and year, and the character voices were distinct and stood apart well from each other while complimenting one another at the same time.

One area I struggled with was that a particular character seemed to be both a feminist and a traditionalist. On one hand, she was “usually the first one to advocate for women having equal opportunities,” but on the other, she told a young lady, “None of that feminist rubbish.” That contradiction showed that she was trying to have it both ways. I wish the feminism mentions hadn’t been included. They were unnecessary to the core story and only served to distract me from what was important to Millie’s and Harper Rae’s and Franklin’s journeys. This story would have earned that final star had the feminism/traditional confusion not been present.

Content: one expletive, replacement expletives, drunkenness

Companion reads:
*THE VANISHING HALF by: Brit Bennett
(NYPL’s most checked out book of 2021)
*THE PERSONAL LIBRARIAN by: Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray
*PASSING by: Nella Larsen
(Now adapted as a new 2021 Netflix film)

I just had the pleasure of reading this beautifully written, richly crafted story by new-to-me author Ashley Clark. Although this was her debut novel released in 2020, it is part of her ‘Heirloom Secrets’ series - with the second book Paint and Nectar released this year in 2021, and the last book in the series Where The Last Rose Blooms coming soon on Feb. 1, 2022. It’s a great feeling when as a reader you come across a novel that touches your heart and is like a cozy blanket or steaming cup of cocoa wrapping around you, only then find out it’s part of a series with more books just waiting for you to dive into!

There are many layers to this novel, but at its core is the ripple effects on herself and each generation after when biracial protagonist Millie passes as white at the encouragement of her mother not only for her protection in a tumultuous time, but to also open the door to her dream of one day owning her own dress shop. Passing is the common thread woven between the three above suggested companion novels and Clark’s, following the subsequent life paths and ensuing ramifications when various women choose to pass as white and thusly are forced to deny their black heritage in an unfair World. Entwined into Millie’s particular story is significant precious heirlooms, one of which included an embroidered satchel that preserves her family history that is based on a real life counterpart. This satchel was given to 9 yr old Ashley by her mother Rose when Ashley was sold as a child in South Carolina. This satchel held pecans, a braid of her mother’s hair, and a dress - the last memories Ashley has of her mother for the rest of her life. This heirloom can now be found in our nation’s Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. The embroidery is believed to have been placed on the satchel likely by Ashley’s granddaughter, Ruth, making it a visibly tangible and lasting piece that outlines their family lineage and history forever.

The author also pulls in other various elements that resonate with the importance and love of history using the other main characters of Peter (who is a historian who restores old buildings and estate items) and Harper (who loves restoring vintage dresses and clothing items). If you are a reader who loves hearing old family stories, diving into genealogy, or exploring antique stores and historic buildings wondering about the people and places behind them — this is your next book to slide to the top of your book stack. Clark masterfully jumps between two timelines of past and present in the cities of Fairhope, Alabama and Charleston, South Carolina until her characters and their histories collide to unravel their ties and connections to each other. I would not be surprised if this novel was highlighted or showcased in bookshops of both Southern towns, to be loved by those readers who also cherish each place.

The other prominent theme or message Clark uses her characters to explore but also has found in her own life as well is: to never give up and follow your dreams. They may come true in a different form or way than originally planned or may take many years before they bear fruit. This anthem is reminiscent of Garth Brooks famous beloved song “Unanswered Prayers”.

Therefore in conclusion, next time you see an antique button, vintage dress, or other possible familial heirloom, be inspired by this book and let your mind wander as to the stories behind them that spring forth, of the people who held them dear, and the places they have travelled or been!

While I liked the premise of this story the writing just fell flat. The characters were not that relatable either. I had a hard time staying interested in this book.

Due to download issues I was unable to read this.

Thank you for the opportunity Netgalley, author & publishers.

This was a great look into history in the south. I can't imagine what life might have been like for Millie or for her daughters. I loved following her all throughout her story. She really never felt like she fit in anywhere, black or white. She isolated herself make sure there was no way she could be found out. What kind of life that must have been for her. I love when Harper also finally finds her true calling also and how everyone is actually connected.

I cannot say enough about this book! It drew me in right away and proved to be a story that kept me intently reading. Beautifully written, and I did not want this book to end.

Due to a family illness, and unexpected events, I am very far behind in writing my reviews.I found my self reading one book after another without writing the review -- that was a big mistake. I did enjoy this book very much,. I happily give it 5 stars.

This is the very good story of Harper and Millie. Millie taught Harper to sew and Harper hoped for a career in fashion design. When things go wrong, Harper and Millie meet again. The characters are wonderful and the plot is great. I highly recommend this book.