The Little French Bridal Shop

A Novel

By: Jennifer Dupee

Narrated by: Kate Marcin

Length: 7 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

"Jennifer Dupee's debut novel is a delight...a story about discovering your authentic self when things get hard, and the joys you can find when you live from your heart." (Louise Miller)

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.

A Macmillan Audio production from St. Martin's Press

©2021 Jennifer Dupee (P)2021 Macmillan Audio

What a beautiful trip to the New England coast

I loved this book! This was a wonderful story which managed to find the perfect balance of humor and earnestness and simply playfulness. While it covered some pretty emotionally intense material, it did so with a light touch that made it all the more fun as the scene changed. There was just endlessly beautiful imagery, from the quaint New England seaside town, to simple details of the house that is the center of the story. Little things stand out in my mind, like a very specific flower at the core of the story I couldn't help but spend time looking up, reading about and looking at images of. There are so many small but perfect little discoveries there. The story itself is fun and moves along quite quickly and I had a hard time pulling my headphones off as I read it. There are just so many cool elements with each chapter being its own little surprise... a perfect whiff of "Great Expectations" in one place and then magic moments with a flower, and at its heart, a love story about an amazing house. I highly encourage everyone to read this really fun book, especially those like me who don't normally read from this genre. The descriptions and the location and the funny and fun story will do everything a book is supposed to do and take you away to somewhere special.

Has its moments

Simple plot line, side trips into unnecessary details of clothes.

Simple story easy listening

Lovely little story…

…layered, full of possibilities most of which were unfulfilled by the end. The characters - down to the triplets - were well drawn. I even wanted to know Holly more after her talk with Jack. But c’mon… There was so much more to say or happen between Jack and Larisa, necessarily so. If cuts had to be made for that to take place, I can think of 2-3 off the top of my head. Bottom line: the book left me unsatisfied, not for a sequel if that’s what the author would like to believe, but for closure, or even a little lip-licking for more.

Hard to listen to

I’m only into the 3rd chapter and I can’t listen to it anymore. The lady reading this book sounds like a robot and it’s very cheesy!!

Stupid storyline

This was a stupid storyline. I could not even finish the book.
I would now waste my time.