Vintage

February 1, 2014

At Hourglass Vintage in Madison, WI, three women bond through a love of vintage clothing and find their friendship to be a source of strength at a time when they need it most. Violet, the store's proprietress, believes in second chances for people as well as clothing. April, the store's teenage intern, vows not to let her unexpected pregnancy, canceled wedding, or recently deceased mother get in the way of her college plans. And Amithi, a dutiful wife, comes to the store to sell some of her possessions after she finds out her husband has been engaged in a long-term affair. When Violet learns of her impending eviction from the building she and her business call home, she will need the support of all those around her to find a solution to the upheaval. VERDICT Similar in theme to Stephanie Lehmann's Astor Place Vintage, but without the historical aspect, this novel is sure to please fans of women's fiction who enjoy an engaging story filled with plucky characters and second acts.--Karen Core, Detroit P.L.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2014
Lost souls find new hope in a Madison, Wis., resale shop, in Gloss' debut. Owning Hourglass Vintage, which sells estate clothing and other high-end castoffs, has helped Violet reconstitute her life after divorce from alcoholic husband Jed. But now her landlord, hoping to cash in on a real estate boom, is forcing her to either exercise her option to buy the building (unlikely at the seven-figure price tag) or vacate. Other characters enter the store with their own dilemmas, represented by the items they choose to sell. April, a teenage mom-to-be, brings in her wedding dress, never worn--her mother died recently in a car crash that might have been a suicide, and her fiance, Charlie, has called off the wedding after his snobbish parents threatened to disown him. Amithi is selling jewelry and saris which carry unpleasant associations since she learned of her husband's infidelity. (She had always thought her marriage, though arranged by parents in India years ago, was a happy one.) April, who exhibits a knack for figures and computing, wangles an internship at Hourglass and begins to organize Violet's hopelessly haphazard inventory system. Successive crises test the women's mettle and the bonds between them. To raise money, Violet mounts a fashion show featuring Madison's trashiest-talking drag queens and a surprise guest appearance. Unfortunately, too much exposition-laden dialogue slows the pace, and the novel's ending is anything but surprising. A likable but lackluster debut, not likely to stand out in the crowded field of fiction about women united by a common pursuit.

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March 1, 2014
Violet Turner, owner of Hourglass Vintage, a store in Madison, Wisconsin, anchors this debut about the transformative power of female friendship. Each item of clothing in the shop has a rich history, which is why Violet loves vintage clothing so much; her own past, however, with a failed marriage to an alcoholic man, she's happy to forget. Two other women rotate around Violet and Hourglass Vintage: Amithi, from India, who has just learned of her husband's affair, and April, a pregnant 18-year-old, mourning the loss of her mother. Both assist Violet as she attempts to raise enough money to buy the shop and prevent developers from converting the building into condos. At the start of each chapter, a vintage item is describedfor instance, White nightgown with the tags still on it. Flutter sleeves. Rosebud embroidery along the square neckline which is then woven into the upcoming narrative. Swap the vintage-clothing device for knitting, and you have Kate Jacobs' The Friday Night Knitting Club (2007), which means Gloss should have a built-in fan base for this book-club-worthy story of redemption, healing, and love.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)