(I received a free copy of thi book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

The chance discovery of an antique wedding dress weaves together the fascinating stories of three women from different eras: Sophie, in hiding from a troubled past; Belle, who must lose everything to learn what really matters; and Martha, forced to give up those she loves in order to avoid exposure.
It’s 1931 and Belle Bartholomew has arrived in rural Sweet Wattle Creek to claim her inheritance – a run-down grand hotel formerly owned by Martha Ambrose. Determined to solve the mystery of her birth and the reason why she was bequeathed the hotel Belle runs into difficulties with the townsfolk and their desire to keep their secrets safe.
Sixty years later Sophie Matheson is on a quest to find Belle and her family after discovering the wedding dress. The Sweet Wattle Creek Centenary brings more challenges when her past catches up and she must fight for all that matters to her. Who were Belle and Martha and what links their lives together?

A pleasant surprise, this book. Went into this book with no expectations - didn't know the author, the plot sounded intriguing, and Harlequin usually release good books. There was a lot of good stuff to take from this novel:

1) The time period. A lot of Australian historical fiction is set either during either/both World Wars, or the years after World War 2. So, finding a story whose historical time frame was the 1930's was a great treat!
2) The characters. What an amazing bunch of characters Kaye Dobbie has drawn here. Hard to get just right, the mix of characters is just about perfect. From diamonds-in-the-rough, to rogues, to the rags-to-riches character, and the glamourous one...and they are just the minor characters! Both Sophie and Belle have wonderful story arcs that are both interesting and original. I found it very hard to drag myself away from their stories.
3) The twin plots: I sometimes get scared when I know there are parallel plots in a book. Some authors don't quite get it right - Kaye Dobbie does. The connection between the two plots - the history of the wedding dress, and the Belle's quest to discover her history - blend seamlessly into one stunning story.

The one downside, for me, was the romance between Sophie and Ian. I think if the author had kept their relationship to just finding out the history of the dress, it would have worked far better.

A highly recommended Australian historical fiction novel!


Paul
ARH