The Dressmaker by Kristie Self

The Dressmaker by Kristie Self is second in The Ladies of Rodrick Glenn and takes place in Devonshire, England in 1857. The story tells of Marigold Pendleton and Hadley Stevenson who have been friends since childhood. Both have their own issues and backstories, but have remained friends throughout the years. The story also includes the stories of the villagers of Rodrick Glen.

While reading The Dressmaker I was struck by how this story reminded me of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskill. It was an epic story with a great deal of depth in the characters. The author did a nice job of integrating into the story several other people from the village of Rodrick Glenn and their stories. The couple from the first book in the series was revisited with updates, and I found that enjoyable even though I have not read their story. Honestly, I kind of felt like I was a village resident by the end.

The Dressmaker is a story about forgiving yourself, the gift of friendship, and how we all woven into each others’ stories. I found this a unique story that was an interesting historical read. I recommend it for those who enjoy historical fiction and authors like Elizabeth Gaskill.

Kristie Self combines her love of history and romance to write faith-filled love stories with memorable characters and intriguing plots. A banker by day, she spends most of her nights and weekends focused on writing. She enjoys traveling, watching movies, and curling up with a good book. An avid lover of music, she also teaches piano, as well. She is a graduate of Howard Payne University and lives in Lott, Texas with her cat, Arlo.