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The Dressmaker's Secret by Susanne Dunlap #Review

We are diving into the past to the nineteenth century with the Regency romance, The Dressmaker's Secret Earl by Susan Dunlap . It was published by Comfortable Prose Publishing on 25 Mar. 2025 .   A marriage of convenience to a scoundrel? Not if Augusta can help it. The impoverished daughter of a baronet, Augusta has no intention of being bartered away like a prize horse. Instead, she flees to London, determined to forge her own path as a modiste. But fate has other plans. On her very first day in the city, she crosses paths with a brooding earlā€”one burdened with a clubfoot and a reputation nearly as scandalous as the proposal she ran from. His captivating sister, Mariana, is not only Augustaā€™s employerā€™s best client but harbors a secret ambition of her own: to marry the one man society deems wholly unsuitable. Drawn into Marianaā€™s reckless schemes of masquerades, cross-dressing, and Whig intrigue, Augusta soon finds herself entangled in more than just scandalā€”sheā€™s lo...

The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts by Alison Sherlock #Review

Welcome to The Village Shop for Lonely Hearts by Alison Sherlock. Published by Boldwood Books on July 9th, it is a really heartwarming tale!
 
After losing her job in New York, Amber Green isnā€™t looking forward to visiting her godmother in the sleepy village of Cranbridge. With its empty lanes and rundown shops, itā€™s hardly a place to mend her lonely heart.

But when Amber discovers that Cranbridge Stores, owned by her godmother Cathy and son Josh, is under threat of financial ruin, she realises that her skills as a window dresser might just be able to help save the struggling shop.

When disaster strikes, Amber and Josh must unite to save both the shop and the village from flooding.

Can Cranbridge Stores become the heart of the village once more?

And as the village begins to come back to life, perhaps Amber will discover a reason to stayā€¦

 A feel-good story of new beginnings set in a gorgeous country village, perfect for fans of Katie Fforde and Milly Johnson.


 My Thoughts

I was delighted to find out that this is the first in a new series as there is so much potential in the village for a whole host of stories. The first one centres around the village store and introduces a whole range of interesting characters. What I liked about the central characters, Amber and Josh, was the way they tried to hide their insecurities. They are both people pleasers and it is their kindness which shines through. 

    Amber has suffered from bullying in the past and her self- esteem is through the floor. Living in the village and getting involved with the villagers gives her another chance and the opportunity to work out where her home is. You realise that she has been rather lonely in the past but she gradually lets her talent shine through. This is one of those comforting reads for a cosy night in. As you will discover, Amber is not the only character who is ready for a fresh start. Roll on the next in the series so we can discover what happens next!

In short: Home is where the heart is.
 
About the Author


Alison Sherlock is the author of the bestselling Willow Tree Hall books. Alison enjoyed reading and writing stories from an early age and gave up office life to follow her dream. Her new series for Boldwood is set in a fictional Cotswold Village and the first title will be published in July 2020.

You can follow Alison here:  Twitter
                       |  Facebook  |  Bookbub

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Alison Sherwood, Boldwood Books and Rachel of Rachel's Random Resources for a copy of the book and a place on the tour. 

Check out the rest of the tour!

 

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