I last read a book by this author 2 years ago, again with the Kindle First offer. I really enjoyed it but marked it down to 4* for some silly mistakes, only to find those same mistakes still feature in this one as well !! It is baffling that nobody spots them, let alone corrects them ! Thank you, NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own. What a wonderful story full of fate, serendipity and a little bit of magic. I loved it start to finish.

I’m eagerly anticipating “The Care and Feeding of Old Books” about an owner of a vintage bookstore who finds an intriguing book in a box of donated items. What forms is a special friendship between the women despite the forty year age difference. Fate has brought them together, it was their destiny.In spite of the multiple perspectives and timelines, the story keeps every arc straight and it never gets confusing. Unlike some multi-pov books that change characters in every chapter, the author here seems to have a clear purpose for each perspective change, and makes sure she completes that plot point before moving on to the next pov, even if it takes multiple chapters. This is so much better than abrupt pov shifts just for the sake of it. This approach also ensures that all the timelines are given equal attention. I absolutely LOVED this book. What’s not to like - Paris, couture, second chances, family dynamics, and subtle magic? My first introduction to this author and I’ve already placed her on my ‘auto buy’ list. 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: 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. All this changes in the blink of an eye when Soline loses everything she holds dear due to World War ll.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. Just the kind of book I always hope for. Two women, Soline and Rory, from different eras and with different pasts come together in a twist of fate that leads them to a stunning and unexpected discovery that changes everything. To sum up, The Keeper of Happy Endings is a story of hope, love, second chances, family, relationships, and happy endings.

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! However, war torn Europe left Soline with a heart ache. Soline was planning to marry the handsome Anson William Purcell when he was killed in the war. Hmmm it appears that her own wedding dress was not made with the magic of “happily ever after stitches” or was it? Soline Roussel made wedding dresses for her exclusive bridal salon before a fire burned down her studio and left her with hands unable to hold a needle. Rory Grant is barely living ever since her fiance disappeared on a mission in Africa. Rory (Aurora) Grant is leasing and renovating a building that had been in a fire, as she knows it will be perfect for her art gallery. While cleaning up she comes upon a box with letters, memorabilia and a vintage wedding gown inside. She figures she will return it to the owner of the building Soline Roussel. The story comes to us from the first person perspectives of Soline in 1941 and 1985, and from the third person perspective of Rory in 1985.

Advance Praise

If you are a fan of historical fiction with a twist of magic, this book needs to make it onto your “must-read” list. Barbara Davis describes different kinds of grief very vividly in the story. How did her descriptions make you feel for the characters? Can you relate to them?