This book was heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. The book is just beautifully written and I read it in one sitting. The dual timelines and the characters kept me totally engrossed in this beautiful story.

What a sweet and heartfelt story. I love the multiple timelines of this story.
This was a quick, historical read that will make your heart smile.
Thank you NetGalley!

The Dress Shop on King Street
Heirloom Secrets #1
By Ashley Clark

Harper Dupree's dreams never seem to come to fruition and she is constantly disappointed. But when she joins her dream with Millie it seems that finally, both women will see a long-held dream come true.

Millie Middleton has a secret, a secret that could cost her everything if the truth came out. A secret that made her choose who she would be. And it cost her the family she dearly loved. To deny part of oneself was not something she did lightly, but the world refused to accept her for who she was.

For more than 50 years Millie has had to deny the truth but as her long-held dream comes closer to reality she has a chance to reveal the truth. But revealing a long-held truth isn't as easy as it seems.

The Dress Shop on King Street takes the reader on a journey through history with a pivotal moment occurring in the prologue which is set in 1860's Charleston, South Carolina. The story offers a back-and-forth in which Millie's story is presented (starting in 1946) and Harper's which is present day. This back-and-forth slowly unfolds a story that is both beautiful and heartbreaking. And then there is Peter Perkins who could very well hold the key to what both Millie and Harper want. But sometimes what we think we want is so different from what we need and this is a truth that needs to be discovered personally.

I was provided a complimentary copy with no expectations but to provide my honest opinion. All thoughts expressed are my own.

The Dress Shop on King Street begins the Heirloom Secrets series by Ashley Clark. I thought it was pretty good. I give it four stars.

Beautifully written. Well developed characterization. Heartwarming. Emotional. Inviting cover art. Savor this novel. You will not be disappointed. Five stars.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a compelling debut novel that weaves two storylines together across two different timelines. It's a story that covers deep topics like race and class and colorism.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This story flipped back between past and present fluidly and the two main female characters were beautifully written. This book brought up a lot of emotions, I will definitely read more by this author. I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher and this is my honest opinion.

Oh my! The dual timeline story capture my attention and kept it. I would love to see this as a movie! The characterization is excellent, as is the balance between the two storylines. Looking forward to her next book!

Ashley Clark is a wonderful storyteller. As a lover of Charleston, I was drawn to this book by the title and the image. I read the book in just a few days, because the story was so compelling. It merged historical fiction with modern day stories in a way you don't come across very often. Highly recommend.

This book is about an interesting and sad part of history. I loved learning more about the southern parts of the country it is set in. Well done!

This book had a lot of heart. The characters were well defined. I found myself routing for them, and crying for them. There were a few lines of thought that were resolved right at the end.

The Dual timeline story set in 1946 and present day will keep you reading. The story doesn’t shy away from the prejudice that was prominent in 1946. I loved the story that was steeped in hope and courage. The family heirlooms that connect it all. The search for family and the truth behind it all.

"The Dress Shop on King Street" by Ashley Clark was an excellent read about a woman who passed as white at a very dangerous time in the US history in the south. Due to that history there are twists and turns in her family's history that come out much later in her life. You feel the pain Millie, the main character whose life story is told in the novel feels at various times in her life where tough decisions need to be made. The time line alternates between her younger years and where she is later in life as a widow.

She had a dream to own her own dress shop earlier in her life. Instead she spends most of her life running a boardinghouse. During the time she runs her boardinghouse she meets a young girl Harper who she teaches to sew clothing. Harper is a major part of her life in the story as Harper has just graduated from design school and had her dreams crushed for having her own dress shop and designing clothes.

These two women and a man named Peter come together to help Millie as she may finally realize her dream of having that dress shop she always wanted.

I really enjoyed this book though the storyline is hard to read at times as well as it tells harsh truths about what happened to African Americans in the south and how interracial marriage was viewed in the early to mid 1900's.

A wonderful, beautifully written book that flawlessly weaves time periods together to make a beautiful story. These are not characters that you will not soon forget. This author’s debut book will earn her many fans. I’m already looking forward to reading more from her.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark is a Bethany House publication.

Such a wonderful uplifting story!!

In 1946 Millie, a young woman of mixed heritage is leaving Charleston by train, with a couple of heirloom buttons and the dream of owning her own dress shop, when she meets a train jumper who changes her life…

In present day, Harper Albright has returned to Alabama after her dreams of a career in fashion are dashed. Here she reconnects with Millie, the woman who first taught her to sew. Millie senses Harper needs some time to regroup and offers her a place to stay at her boarding house.

This string of events will merge the past with the present, as Millie’s story is finally revealed, possibly leading to an opportunity for both she and Harper to realize their true dreams.

I loved this story! It’s so sad and heartbreaking, but is also moving, inspirational and heartwarming. As is usually the case with multiple timelines, the historical side of the story was the most effective, in my opinion. Millie’s journey is riveting as she navigates through treacherous waters, finds true love, but faces the most heart wrenching choices along the way.

The characterizations are rich and vivid, and the story is teeming with tension, and joy, highs and lows and triumphs and failures. It’s about life and the unforeseen curveballs and trials, and a reminder that we don’t have to carry our burdens alone and, that maybe things work out best in God’s good time.

The author does an incredible job of handling sensitive topics, incorporating a gentle message, and creating such a beautiful story, it lingered in my heart and mind for long after I turned the final page.

Overall, this is such a refreshing story and an impressive debut!! Will read this author again!

The Dress Shop on King Street tells the story of two women: Millie in the 1940's, and Harper (with a much older Millie) in the present day. Their stories are interwoven, of course, with the fullness of their connection not revealed until the end.

I was partial to Millie's story line (just by a bit), but I also enjoyed Harper's. And the connections between Harper, Millie, and Harper's love interest Peter were so fun to uncover!

Also, it was heartbreaking to read about Millie's struggles as a Black woman passing as white. The choices she had to make were unfathomable. The way those choices - which she made to the best of her ability - impacted the rest of her life and her loved one's lives ... I just wanted to give her a big hug!

I can't really say more without spoiling anything, and this book is one where the secrets are best uncovered as you go! But trust me when I say that fans of historical novels that deal with tough topics from our nation's history will find much to love here.

Oh what tangled webs we weave! This story is heartache and dreams mixed all into one! A family's secrets and history...recalling the "Old South" mixed in modern day reality. A must read!

Imagine being unable to embrace half of your ancestry for fear of being harmed because of the tone of your skin. Beautiful story of how prejudice can force people to make decisions that will impact their life and future generations. Interesting and realistic characters brought together by their love of vintage clothing and historic properties. Great read with an impactful story line.
Thank you for sending me a complimentary copy, the opinions in this review are my own.

The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark follows the family saga of a family of mixed race people , some of who can pass as white, from the time if slavery through present day. The fear, violence, misfortunes, racial slurs and the necessity to lie and keep secrets are fully realized in each successive generation.

I found this historical fiction novel to be entertaining and extremely well written.

A heartfelt novel of dreams, loss, love, heartache, and the history that makes us who we are.

Tracing forwards and back lingering on pivotal moments in Millie's life, as well as the stories of Harper and Peter, as they entwine in the past and present day. A beautifully immersive read, with captivating characters that tell their stories and search for answers. Even though the story wends its way through various points in time the lines of the story were easy to follow, and I didn't find myself getting confused and enjoyed watching the pieces come together.

This book explores various themes, from the pain of racism, casting two shadows, the ties that bind you to your past, and following your dreams, all infused with faith that shines hope into the darkest days. Millie is an extraordinary woman, full of wisdom, gumption, and faith, and I loved following her through the turning points in her life, as well as her relationship with Harper and how she encourages her in her dreams and love. Peter is a man with big dreams too, he loves reviving pieces of history to preserve their history, while searching for the answers to his own.

Overall, a gorgeous blending of past and present, taking inspiration from real life heart rending choices that many had to make. Romance, heartbreak, and dreams realized, I loved everything about this novel. Highly recommend!

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