Book Review: The Dream Dress by Janice Thompson
Gabi Delgado feels stuck in her little alterations closet, snubbed by the Fab Five and Dynamic Duo, until a reporter for a bridal magazine steps inside her employer’s shop and turns her life upside-down.
Janice Thompson created a story with an appealing heroine in The Dream Dress, the third book in her Weddings by Design series. The lighthearted style sets the pace for this Cinderella tale of a lowly seamstress whose prince is mistaken for a Singer sewing machine repairman by her Spanglish speaking grandmother.
Along with her dress forms, Ginger and (the mystery man), Gabi’s greatest possession is the sketchpad that holds her own bridal designs. But the latest Bridezilla, a handsome reporter, and a tray of chocolate eclairs start her on the road to fulfilling both her personal and professional dreams. I’ll let you read the book to figure out how all those things contributed.
Gabi longs for the father who will dance with her at her wedding, but he deserted the family when she was a child. She blames God for not stopping his abandonment. Will she ever accept the invitation to the greatest ball ever and the opportunity to dance in The Father’s arms for eternity?
I liked the symbolism above and the somewhat quirky secondary characters. Mimi Carmen is a hoot. And Demetri, her boss,…well, I’d guess we’ve all had someone like him in our lives at one time or another. Jordan, her prince, is adorable and so romantic.
Gabi is an easy character to get behind. Because she wants to be more than “the material girl” at a posh Texas wedding boutique, she’s like most of us who have a dream that seems to linger just beyond our fingertips. Sometimes, all we need is a little push.
I read every quote at the beginning of each chapter, something I don’t always do, but hey, they were from Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. I found it a bit odd for so many young women to be fans of such old movies, but it was right up my alley.
The Dream Dress is an entertaining tale of dreams coming true and those we can miss if we’re not careful.
Disclosure of Material Connection: This book came to me free from the publisher, Revell, with the hope that I would mention it on this blog. There was no requirement for me to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed above are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.