Don’t you love it when a debut novel blows you away with a complex story that comes to life so vividly, it feels as though you lived it yourself? “The Dress Shop on King Street” is an absolutely beautiful time-slip tale by Ashley Clark, the first of a series called “Heirloom Secrets”, and one of the most poignant books I have read in a long while. Published by Bethany House, this story weaves pain and joy of past and present, while gently unveiling a theme of hope long held and dreams unfurled.

In “The Dress Shop on King Street”, our story opens with a heart-wrenching scene as a slave woman in 1860 is forced to say goodbye to her beloved daughter, who is about to be sold to another plantation… the two would never see each other again. In the following pages, we take a journey forward in time as this woman’s descendant struggles with her heritage in ways so different, yet so much the same. Precious family heirlooms, unforgotten family ties, and an overarching connection of love that is so sweet and gentle, yet so all-encompassing, that it cannot be anything but God-breathed – all of these elements and so many more bring life and color to the pages of this story.

Although many novels in the Christian Fiction genre are inspirational, this one really struck a chord in my heart with its particular tapestry of themes and characters. In closing, allow me to share a beautiful quote that stood out to me near the end of the story, spoken by a character whose life was defined by fear of injustice, the judgment of others, and dreams long dormant… But in the end these words were the ones that came forth from her heart: “The secret, my sweet Harper, is we stop fearing shadows when we see the sun that makes them. Instead of cowering, we shift into the sunlight, and the shadows shift as well.”

Bonus note: As a special surprise, I was delighted to see that we don’t have long to wait until the next story in this series releases… Watch for “Paint and Nectar” coming in May of 2021!

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”