A VINTAGE AFFAIR: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
A VINTAGE AFFAIR
BY ISABEL WOLFF

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Every dress has a history. And so does every woman. In Isabel Wolff’s captivating A Vintage Affair, a treasured child’s coat becomes a thread of hope connecting two very different women. Her friends are stunned when Phoebe Swift abruptly leaves a plum job at the prestigious Sotheby’s auction house to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream. In the sunlight-flooded interior of Village Vintage, surrounded by Yves Saint Laurent silk scarves, Vivienne Westwood bustle skirts, cupcake dresses, and satin gowns, Phoebe hopes to make her store the hot new place to shop, even as she deals with two ardent suitors, her increasingly difficult mother, and a secret from her past that casts a shadow over her new venture. For Phoebe, each vintage garment carries its own precious history. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe is rewarded whenever she finds something truly unique, for she knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life. Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of smart suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:


Isabel Wolff was born in Warwickshire, England, and attended Cambridge University. She is the author of seven bestselling novels, which have been published in twenty-five languages. She lives in London with her family. Bantam Books will publish her next novel in 2011.


MY REVIEW:

In Isabel Wolff’s A VINTAGE AFFAIR, Phoebe Swift is working as the department head of costumes and textiles at Sotheby’s when her life takes a tragic turn. Phoebe is stunned by her best friend’s death and the subsequent break up with her fiancé. She takes a leave of absence, and during that time she decides to trade her career at Sotheby’s and open her own vintage clothing shop. She does this and names it “Village Vintage”. Struggling with her own personal problems, Phoebe throws herself into her new business to try and not think about the sadness in her life. She knows that when a person looks good, it makes a big difference in their personality and mood, and so hopes her new venture will work for her, as well as her customers. This new life seems to start off very well as the store opens successfully and soon she has not one, but two new likely suitors.

Phoebe fills the Village Vintage with items mostly from auctions, the French markets, and other dealers. Sometimes she is asked to look at pieces that have been kept in a wardrobe for years, and it is during one of these times that she meets Mrs. Thérèse Bell, an elderly lady who has a entire wardrobe of her dresses she wants to sell. Phoebe and Mrs. Bell connect right away especially sharing their experiences of losing loved ones. They are good for each other and grow close. Mrs. Bell, however, has one item of clothing that she will not sell. This is a small blue coat and as Phoebe learns the story behind this coat, she realizes that her deciding to help Therese Bell may in turn also wind up helping herself.

At first glance, readers may get the impression that this is a light chick-lit type story but there is much more to this thanks to Isabel Wollf’s superb writing talent. Her story moves so smoothly along that you will find yourself caught up in Wolff’s narrative and find it hard to put down. She gives readers well developed, believable characters that are in a tale involving some romance but also one built around loss, remorse, and most importantly, the relationship that Phoebe and Mrs. Bell have. Both women learn to deal with their emotions while the setting of the vintage clothing store brings their story, and the other characters Phoebe meets in her new life, together in a satisfying conclusion.

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