The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Little French Bridal Shop

by Jennifer Dupee

Published by St. Martin's Press on March 9, 2021
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
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Get Your Copy at: Amazon, Book Depository

Is a lie of omission still a lie? Larisa Pearl didn't think so and it got her into a heap of trouble.

When Larisa Pearl returns to her small seaside hometown in Massachusetts to manage her beloved great aunt's estate, she's a bit of an emotional mess. She's just lost her job and her boyfriend and she's struggling to cope with her mother's failing health. When she passes by the window of The Little French Bridal Shop, a beautiful ivory satin wedding gown catches her eye...

Now, to the delight of everyone in town, Larisa is planning her wedding. She has her dress, made floral arrangements, and set the date. The only thing missing is the groom. How did this happen? All she did was try on a dress and let her fantasy take flight. But word about her upcoming nuptials has reached the ears of Jack Merrill. As teenagers, they spent time together on her great aunt's estate, building a friendship that could have become something more had they chosen different paths.

Lost in a web of her own lies, Larisa must first face some difficult truths, including her mother's fragile future, before she can embrace her family, straighten out her life, and open her heart to finding love.

The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee is a wonderfully written story that deals with reality and love.

Will Larisa find herself again?

Larisa Pearl

Larisa is our main character. She has recently lost her Aunt Ursula; her mother was diagnosed with dementia, she broke up with her boyfriend and was fired from her job. You could say she has been having a rough time of late. However, some of these things happened due to her own actions. Larisa is lost and has difficulty dealing with her mother’s loss of memory and personality changes. It is almost like she has lost her center.

Larisa does some really off-character things like lying, starting a renovation that she really didn’t know much about, taking someone’s car, and wrecking it. However, lying is the worst. She isn’t just lying to other people; she isn’t truthful with herself. Larisa isn’t dealing with the real reason that she is hiding at the house that Aunt Ursula left her father.

I felt sorry for Larisa at times, and at other times I was honestly trying to figure out if she had lost her morals. She is so selfish at times; all she thinks about is herself. Larisa does finally seem to get beyond her issues and steps up. By the end of the book, I was honestly rooting for her. Larisa has such a hard story, yet the author does a fantastic job of showing us how Larisa learns to deal with life. Ms. Dupee reminds us that everyone is human, we lose our way, but with patience and time, we can remember what is important.

Jack Merrill

Jack is our male lead; he is married, has triplet sons, a contracting business, runs a snow plowing business in the winter, and is the caretaker at Elmhurst, Aunt Ursula’s estate. He is extremely busy and doesn’t spend much time at home. Jack is also not himself; he is lost, his marriage is falling apart, and he misses Ursula, who was like a mother. Jack isn’t sure who he is anymore, other than the father to his sons. He wants to be happily married, but it doesn’t feel right. There is an attraction between him and Larisa, but it’s complicated.

I liked Jack, and then I didn’t, and then I did again. Jack’s story isn’t complicated, but it is something that happens. We have to work on marriage, and if we don’t, it won’t last. Ms. Dupee shows that in Jack. He isn’t mean; he doesn’t hate his wife; they just aren’t in love anymore. They can’t find things in common anymore. But he feels like he doesn’t want to end it because it hurts to think along those lines.  Ms. Dupee shows us life itself with Jack and his plight.

Four Stars

The story follows these two characters through some hard times and some good times. It is a glimpse into life and how these two characters deal with what is thrown at them. My rating for The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee is four stars. The author does a fabulous job of showing us what it is like to live with someone with dementia and how it affects the loved ones of the diagnosed person. I think the ending of this book is perfect.

If you like women’s fiction/chick-lit, this is a good pick.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee.

Until the next time,

 

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