The Dress Shop on King Street - (Heirloom Secrets) by Ashley Clark (Paperback)

About the Book

In 1946, Millie Middleton left home to keep her heritage hidden, carrying the dream of owning a dress store. Decades later, when Harper Dupree's future in fashion falls apart, she visits her mentor, Millie. As the revelation of a family secret leads them to Charleston and a rare opportunity, can they overcome doubts and failures for a chance at their dreams?

Book Synopsis

Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie's past are brought to light.

In 1946, Millie Middleton--the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman--boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.

Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they've both dreamed of. But it's not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.

From the Back Cover

Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie's past are brought to light.

In 1946, Millie Middleton--the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman--boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever . . . and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future.

Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek . . . and a chance at the dress shop they've both dreamed of. But it's not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what frayed between the seams.

"Clark makes a moving debut . . . . While faith elements are subtle, Millie often turns to God for fortitude when facing the difficult circumstances of her past and the obstacles to finally getting her dreams off the ground. Those who enjoy inspirational time-slip stories will want to check this out." --Publishers Weekly

"Clark opens her new Heirloom Secrets series against the backdrop of discrimination against interracial families and follows a family history anchored to an embroidered satchel and its contents. Alternating between 1946 and the present . . . . this tale traces the consequences of personal decisions through the textile arts, with Millie standing as a bridge between the two eras."--Booklist

"This book moves seamlessly between timelines, stitching together a story of love, hope, and courage amidst prejudice and loss, a story that is fastened with two butterfly buttons." --Historical Novels Review

Praise for The Dress Shop on King Street

"A rich, complex, and uplifting story of family lost and found that I won't soon forget. Highly recommended!"--COLLEEN COBLE, USA Today bestselling author of the Lavender Tide series and One Little Lie

"The Dress Shop on King Street is a novel that will sweetly tug you into a story line that flows seamlessly between two times, only to intertwine in beautiful ways. Page by page, secret by secret, moment by moment, a story is woven of love lost and found, hopes and dreams restored."--CARA PUTMAN, bestselling and award-winning author of Delayed Justice and Shadowed by Grace

About the Author

Ashley Clark writes romantic women's fiction set in the South, and The Dress Shop on King Street is her debut novel. With a master's degree in creative writing, Ashley teaches literature and writing courses at the University of West Florida. Ashley has been an active member of American Christian Fiction Writers for almost a decade. She lives with her husband, son, and two rescued Cocker Spaniels off Florida's Gulf Coast. When she's not writing, she's rescuing stray animals, dreaming of Charleston, and drinking all the English breakfast tea she can get her hands on. Find her online at www.ashleyclarkbooks.com.