The Dressmaker on Amelia Island
by Hope Holloway
Publisher: Hope Holloway
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Reviewed by PJ
A sisterhood saga with threads of drama, dreams, and danger.
Life for the Wingate women of Amelia Island is never dull! While Raina balances the challenge of nurturing newborn twins and a budding romance, trouble arrives on her doorstep to threaten her sweet new life. And when Tori and Justin firmly disagree on an issue that affects the whole family, their love faces a test that could end their relationship forever.
But one person in the family is enmeshed in the adventure of a lifetime, and she’s keeping the secret from everyone but her former flame. Under the guise of creating a wedding dress for a mafia princess, Madeline steps into a thrilling but risky new role. Leaving the safety and security of her quiet life, this dressmaker must put everything on the line to protect the people she loves most.
As the winds of change blow over Wingate Way, the seven sisters continue to face every crisis with strength, grace, humor, and love.
PJ's Thoughts:
Each book in Hope Holloway's Seven Sisters series has been a pleasure to read but this one, The Dressmaker on Amelia Island, ticked all my happy reader buttons in a big way. Holloway is a master at creating a family of characters who leap from the pages of her books. I feel like I know each of them personally and am thoroughly invested in their lives, their hopes and dreams, their challenges, and, yes, their happiness. I enjoy how each book in the series focuses on the storylines of four primary characters while also threading other family members, friends, local citizens, and adversaries throughout. Just as in real life, no one character lives in a vacuum. I also appreciate the age span of the sisters which gives us relatable journeys at various points of life.
I do love an older heroine and never-married Madeline, at almost fifty is a gem. It's such fun to watch her not only rediscover love but rediscover joy and adventure at the same time. Raina is my favorite of the sisters. She has a fair number of obstacles thrown her way in this book with some surprises along the way. She also has a new man in her life who makes me want to shout, "If you don't take him I will!" Her storyline never fails to make me smile, shed a few tears, and want to stand and cheer. Then there's Tori, a character to whom anyone who has ever had teens will be able to relate. I love the possibilities in her future and especially the tear-inducing grand gesture awaiting her. Finally, there's a new - unexpected - character in this book, one who brings disruption and chaos to one of the sisters. I was surprised by the direction this new character's storyline took. I don't want to give away spoilers so I'll just say I love the way Holloway weaves grace, accountability, and forgiveness into the journeys of (some of) her characters. Alas, there will always be villains who stay villains.
If you enjoy family sagas with endearing (closed door) romance, sisterly bonds that may stretch but never break, heart-tugging emotion, humor, and (in this book) a bit of danger and suspense, Hope Holloway's Seven Sisters is a series that will have you reading late into the night, closing each book with a deep satisfied sigh, then wanting nothing more than to go back to the beginning and read them all over again.
This is a series where the stories and relationships in each book build upon the previous book(s). I strongly recommend beginning with book one and reading the entire series in order. The final book, The Inn on Amelia Island, is scheduled to be released on July 12, 2024.
The Beach House on Amelia Island (book 1)
The Café on Amelia Island (book 2)
The Bookstore on Amelia Island (book 3)
The Florist on Amelia Island (book 4)
The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island (book 5)
The Dressmaker on Amelia Island (book 6)
The Inn on Amelia Island (book 7)
The Café on Amelia Island (book 2)
The Bookstore on Amelia Island (book 3)
The Florist on Amelia Island (book 4)
The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island (book 5)
The Dressmaker on Amelia Island (book 6)
The Inn on Amelia Island (book 7)
Have you read any Hope Holloway books yet?
Do you enjoy family sagas? Have you read any that you would recommend?
In this book, Raina is embracing the joys - and challenges - of life with infant twins. Are any of you twins? Do you have twins in your family?
One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, May 6 will receive a print copy of book five, The Chocolate Shop on Amelia Island.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
In my family, my brother and sister were born - Jack and Jill, (fraternal)within a few months, my twin cousins were born - Pat and Pam,(fraternal) within a few more months my twin cousins were born - Robin and Rae, ( identical girls). There was a picture and story in the newspaper. When Pam was an adult, she had twin boys, (fraternal). And another cousin, Doug and his wife have identical twin girls. So, yes, I am part of a family which has had twins. We have a picture from a family reunion in 1905 - and there are identical twin girls in that picture. Of course - the twins were all born when everyone in the family was having babies all over the place. Maybe the twins popped up because of some sort of weird mathematical odds. Or maybe our family was very blessed.
ReplyDeleteHoly Guacamole, that's a lot of twins! I agree, Annette. I think your family has been very blessed. By the way, in the Seven Sisters series, Raina is also a twin.
DeleteI have read Hope's novels which are wonderful. This book sounds special and captivating. What a lovely story. It interests me greatly. I enjoy family sagas and have read many over the years. There are no twins in the family. Your review was great!
ReplyDeleteGlad to hear you're enjoying Hope Holloway's novels too, traveler. They really speak to the heart, don't they?
DeleteAnother new author for me!! Love family saga’s!! My favorite is The Dogfather family by Roxanne St Claire
ReplyDeleteI have twin nieces who are more like daughters to me.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, I love Hope's books. Her world building is phenomenal. I went to school with a set of twins. They were so hard to tell apart. They actually liked to dress alike, even in high school. I remember in history class our 2 day tests were given by rows. So they would switch seats so they took the same test. I don't think the teacher ever figured it out.
ReplyDeleteNo twins in my family. I have read Hope's books, agree with Dogfather and Dogmother books, Carly Phillips' Dare series and spinoffs. JS Scott Sinclair series, Tess Thompson Mama Moon and others in series, Hope Holloway Sanibel series.
ReplyDelete'
I have not read anything by this author, although I do have a few of her books on my TBR shelf. I do enjoy reading family saga and we have one set of twins in our family.
ReplyDeleteI have not yet read any of her books, but it is definitely a series I will have to get. No twins in our families. It was hard enough have two 15 months apart.
ReplyDeleteI like family sagas and there are many good ones out there. It has been a long time since I read them, but Christine Feehan has The Drake Sisters series and the related Sea Haven Sisters Of The Heart series. In the Sisters of The Heart seri3es, they are a sisterhood, not blood relatives.