Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young
Publisher & Release: Wild Rose Press, February 21, 2022
Setting: 1913 & present Day
Genre: Historical Fiction
Length: 260 Pages
Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns
Book Description:
Tess Burton is always up for an adventure. She's risked her inheritance to open Divine Vintage, a clothing boutique. While modeling an elegant gown from an Edwardian era trousseau, her mind is opened to a century-old murder. Visions—seen through the eyes of the murdered bride—dispute local lore that claims the bridegroom committed the crime.
Trey Dunmore doesn't share Tess' enthusiasm for mind-blowing visions, yet the appeal to clear his family's tainted legacy compels him to join her in exploring the past. Aided by the dead woman's clothing and diary, Tess and Trey discover that pursuing love in 1913 was just as thorny as modern day. As the list of murder suspects grows, the couple fears past emotions are influencing, and may ultimately derail, their own blossoming intimacy.
Buy Links:
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Add to Goodreads & BookBub:
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Vikki’s Musings
Thanks go to the publisher and Net-Galley for the complimentary digital copy of Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young. I voluntarily agreed to read and review this novel prior to publication. Nothing has influenced my rating or opinion of this book.
Divine Vintage is a well written novel involving characters from the past and present. The heroine has recently opened a vintage clothing shop. Esther DeLeon and her cousin’s son come into the shop because she is hosting an anniversary tea and style show at Carver House, her home, to benefit the local homeless shelter. That starts off this enjoyable story.
Ms. Young brings the Edwardian era to life through vivid descriptions of the clothing and style of that time. She weaves a fantastical tale by using a woman’s clothing and her diary to smoothly transition from the present to the past. The pacing is decent, but it does pick up a great deal in the second half of the novel. I’m not a huge fan of paranormal novels, but I enjoyed this one.
Tess Burton is the heroine of this story, and I liked her character. She’s the typical 21st century heroine who is independent, intelligent, and driven to succeed, but she also has a softer side that comes through as she explores the romantic possibilities that come her way.
Trey Dunmore is the hero, and he exhibits great characteristics from the start as he squires around Esther and does her bidding by modeling for the style show. While he’s attracted to Tess, he behaves as a perfect gentleman which is in tune with the past, making his character fit into the story extremely well.
While this is definitely a romance centered around Tess and Trey, it has more substance than one typically finds in contemporary romance because of the paranormal aspect and the mystery the pair go about solving to remove the blemish on Trey’s ancestors. I enjoyed them as a couple and wanted them to find their happy ending.
If you enjoy contemporary romance with a twist of paranormal involving events from the past, then you will love Divine Vintage as much as I did. I believe this is Ms. Young’s debut novel, and she’s written a lovely romance with delightful character and an intriguing plot. Happy reading!
Author Bio:
Sandra L. Young’s love of vintage fashion inspired her to write her debut novel, Divine Vintage. She’s gathered an impressive collection spanning the late 1800s to 1980s, wearing pieces onstage through years of performing in community theater. She also sports it out on the town for special occasions. To round out her love of the arts, Sandra sings with a trio, a praise band, and at karaoke nights. She draws from these experiences in her writing, as well as her work focus in communications and nonprofit management.
Social Media:
Website: https://sandrayoungauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandra.gleim.50/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slyoungauthor/
Vikki, thank you sooo much for your detailed, lovely review. I'm happy that you enjoyed Divine Vintage and the dual-timeline love stories!
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