The Keeper of Happy Endings

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Errors aside, I enjoyed the story again and she has some lovely little remarks in it, such as, "There are all sorts of heroes, and almost none of them will ever have something shiny pinned to their chests" and I love the idea of the echoes as well. This made me smile-"I've been warned about Americans, all disarming smiles and apple pie" and the passage about a bride's spine is a tremendous one as well.

Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. The book unfolds across multiple timelines: both Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II in the 1940s and Boston in the 1980s. The story follows two women both dealing with devastating losses and heartbreak after fate keeps them from their true loves. What a wonderful story full of fate, serendipity and a little bit of magic. I loved it start to finish. In a Nutshell: An interesting premise and pretty good execution. I loved the story but the extremely slow beginning and the extremely contrived ending took away some of my enjoyment. It involves interviewing brides to see if they are a good fit with their finances, as well as spell weaving and sewing a charm into the bodice of the gown itself. The magic is not supposed to be used for selfish ends, but when used for a bride it is supposed to promise them a happy life. Source: UnsplashSoline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It’s said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline’s world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget. Soline Roussel is well schooled in the business of happy endings. For generations her family has kept an exclusive bridal salon in Paris, where magic is worked with needle and thread. It's said that the bride who wears a Roussel gown is guaranteed a lifetime of joy. But devastating losses during World War II leave Soline's world and heart in ruins and her faith in love shaken. She boxes up her memories, stowing them away, along with her broken dreams, determined to forget. Soline is now elderly and a bit of a recluse and not receptive to guests. For many years her family owned an exclusive bridal salon in Paris. It is said that any bride who wears a ‘Roussel’ gown is guaranteed a lifetime of happiness. It is believe that there is magic woven into the gown with each stitch. When you find out how the women are connected, what was your initial reaction? Did you see it coming? Source: Unsplash In March of 1943, Soline volunteered at a hospital in Paris, France, where she met and fell in love with Anson, an American Field Service ambulance driver. Both Anson and Soline were part of an escape network. When it became too dangerous for Soline, Anson arranged for her escape to his family’s residence in Newport, Massachusetts. Upon notification that Anson was most likely dead, Anson’s father cut off all ties with Soline, even though she was pregnant with Anson’s baby. After the trauma of losing her baby shortly after birth, destitute Soline found a job as a dressmaker in the city of Boston. She was highly successful until a catastrophic fire at the shop in the early '80s upended her life.

I have always grieved the ends of things. The final notes of a song as they ebb into silence. The curtain falling at the end of a play. The last snowflake. They all seem so long ago now, and yet the collective rawness still chafes. He has been angry with her all these years because he thought she didn’t want him once she found out he may never walk again and thought she had moved on to another lover (who was actually her gay best friend). So when I saw that Barbara Claypole White offered praise for this novel and is the author of Echoes of Family, I immediately put that book on my TBR list. It rekindles her desire to make her dreams come true. Rory’s persistence brings her face to face with Soline, the owner of the store. Soline sure has made a name for herself in an unknown country, but what’s she has lost can never let her live in peace.It’s also the story of Rory, decades later. When she leases the property owned by Soline’s family to open an art gallery, she finds letters and a dress with special meaning. Soline and Rory’s paths cross in an unexpected way. While I am not a "clothes person", I enjoyed the descriptions of the beautiful embroidery and other handiwork that went into the Roussel wedding gowns. The element of magic added even more spice to the story. How I wish there were more of the magical bits! The story is beautiful and heartbreaking. At about 59%, I connected the dots, but then the author threw in a twist. Of course, my guess was right, but the way she revealed it worked better than my expectations. A chance sighting of the studio and a desire to open a gallery leads Rory into Soline’s life and shakes things up in ways neither of them saw coming. Source: Unsplash