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The Vintage Shop
One dress. Three women. A lifetime of secrets.
Among the cobbled streets of Frome in Somerset, Lou is about to start something new. After losing her mother, she knows it's time to take a chance and open her own vintage clothes shop.
In upstate New York, Donna receives some news about her family which throws everything she thought she knew into question. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress.
Maggy is in her seventies, newly divorced and all alone in an empty house. Visiting the little vintage shop in Frome, with its rows of beautiful dresses, brings back cherished memories she'd long put aside.
For these three women, only by uncovering the secrets of the yellow dress can they unlock their next chapter...
Among the cobbled streets of Frome in Somerset, Lou is about to start something new. After losing her mother, she knows it's time to take a chance and open her own vintage clothes shop.
In upstate New York, Donna receives some news about her family which throws everything she thought she knew into question. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress.
Maggy is in her seventies, newly divorced and all alone in an empty house. Visiting the little vintage shop in Frome, with its rows of beautiful dresses, brings back cherished memories she'd long put aside.
For these three women, only by uncovering the secrets of the yellow dress can they unlock their next chapter...
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 16, 2023
169 people are currently reading
4436 people want to read
About the author
Libby Page
9 books720 followersLibby Page previously worked in marketing, moonlighting as a writer. She graduated from The London College of Fashion with a BA in Fashion Journalism before going on to work as a journalist at the Guardian. THE LIDO is her first novel. It was pre-empted within 24 hours of submission for six figures in the UK, pre-empted for six figures in the US, and will be published in 2018 by Orion UK and Simon & Schuster US, followed by eleven other territories around the world.
Libby has been a leading campaigner for fairer internships and has spoken on TV and in parliament in support of fair pay for interns. Libby has been writing from an early age and when she was 16 she wrote an illustrated book called Love Pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.
After writing, her second passion is outdoor swimming. Libby lives in London where she enjoys finding new swimming spots and pockets of community within the city.
Libby has been a leading campaigner for fairer internships and has spoken on TV and in parliament in support of fair pay for interns. Libby has been writing from an early age and when she was 16 she wrote an illustrated book called Love Pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Care.
After writing, her second passion is outdoor swimming. Libby lives in London where she enjoys finding new swimming spots and pockets of community within the city.
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April 19, 2023
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances by Libby Page is a Blend of Family, Friendship, and Women's Fiction!
Within a few days, three women who are complete strangers, each of a different age and background, will cross paths in the Somerset town of Frome...
Hometown girl, 30-ish Lou, deciding to remain in Frome after the death of her mother, opens a vintage clothing store. She loves everything vintage, wears 1950's style make-up, and dresses in the colors and patterns of vintage fashion. Can she make this risky venture a success?
In Upstate New York, 60-ish Donna has been told shocking news about her family causing her to question everything she knows. The only clue to her past is a photo of a young woman in a yellow dress, currently on display in a vintage shop in England. How can she possible begin her search alone in a foreign country?
Newly divorced, 70-ish Maggie is now the sole-owner of her large family home but without anyone living there, she's horribly lonely. Would a shopping trip to the new vintage shop in town to reminisce about her past cheer her up a bit?
Will combining their efforts help Lou, Donna, and Maggie find the answers they're searching for and offer a second chance at a new life for each of them?
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances is the first book I've read by British author, Libby Page and this story gave me exactly what I needed at the time. It's a Family and Friendship Fiction story that's light on romance, heavy on backstory, focusing on three fully-developed main characters and what brings them together. It was a quick, easy read with just the right amount of emotional pull and relevant topics.
Although this won't be a memorable or stand-out read for me, I do recommend The Vintage Shop of Second Chances as a delightful little respite for those who enjoy Women’s Fiction, giving your mind a nice little break from the constant 'flow' of unwanted information that goes in one ear and out the other. "Choose the flow", I say, just like I did and I hope, if you decide to partake in this easy-to-read-story, you enjoy meeting Lou, Donna, and Maggie as much as I did!
3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalleyUK, Orion Publishing Group, and Libby Page for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
Within a few days, three women who are complete strangers, each of a different age and background, will cross paths in the Somerset town of Frome...
Hometown girl, 30-ish Lou, deciding to remain in Frome after the death of her mother, opens a vintage clothing store. She loves everything vintage, wears 1950's style make-up, and dresses in the colors and patterns of vintage fashion. Can she make this risky venture a success?
In Upstate New York, 60-ish Donna has been told shocking news about her family causing her to question everything she knows. The only clue to her past is a photo of a young woman in a yellow dress, currently on display in a vintage shop in England. How can she possible begin her search alone in a foreign country?
Newly divorced, 70-ish Maggie is now the sole-owner of her large family home but without anyone living there, she's horribly lonely. Would a shopping trip to the new vintage shop in town to reminisce about her past cheer her up a bit?
Will combining their efforts help Lou, Donna, and Maggie find the answers they're searching for and offer a second chance at a new life for each of them?
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances is the first book I've read by British author, Libby Page and this story gave me exactly what I needed at the time. It's a Family and Friendship Fiction story that's light on romance, heavy on backstory, focusing on three fully-developed main characters and what brings them together. It was a quick, easy read with just the right amount of emotional pull and relevant topics.
Although this won't be a memorable or stand-out read for me, I do recommend The Vintage Shop of Second Chances as a delightful little respite for those who enjoy Women’s Fiction, giving your mind a nice little break from the constant 'flow' of unwanted information that goes in one ear and out the other. "Choose the flow", I say, just like I did and I hope, if you decide to partake in this easy-to-read-story, you enjoy meeting Lou, Donna, and Maggie as much as I did!
3.5 stars!
Thank you to NetGalleyUK, Orion Publishing Group, and Libby Page for an ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.
October 20, 2022
In Frome Somerset, Lou opens a vintage shop which is something she’s long hoped for, using an inheritance from her beloved mother to fulfil her dream. She’s living in a Premier Inn while she waits for the flat above the shop to be renovated. Also in Frome is Maggie, now divorced after 50 years of marriage, she’s rocked to the core but consoles herself with the thought that at least she got the house! The house is large, she needs a lodger…… Enter Lou! Meanwhile, in upstate New York Donna receives some totally unexpected news which knocks her sideways and all she has is a photograph of a young woman in a yellow dress and it’s that same dress that connects them all.
I really like the premise of this one especially the vintage shop element which gives opportunities for trips down memory lane with the likes of Mary Quant and Biba! The characters are all so easy to like and very relatable. Who couldn’t love Lou in all her colourful glory and also Maggie who resets her life. Donna seems spiky but a good heart beats underneath that armour!
There’s much to delight in this really easy escapist read such as the growing and much valued friendships that arise. The message is heartwarming too as it’s a lovely story of second chances and about finding new horizons when you least expect to. The novel takes you on a journey through the emotions. At times it makes you smile and gladdens your heart, others it’s heartbreaking so be sure to have a box of tissues at the ready!
I daresay it follows a predictable path but I find I don’t mind in the least as it’s a very diverting read which we all need at times probably particularly so now.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
I really like the premise of this one especially the vintage shop element which gives opportunities for trips down memory lane with the likes of Mary Quant and Biba! The characters are all so easy to like and very relatable. Who couldn’t love Lou in all her colourful glory and also Maggie who resets her life. Donna seems spiky but a good heart beats underneath that armour!
There’s much to delight in this really easy escapist read such as the growing and much valued friendships that arise. The message is heartwarming too as it’s a lovely story of second chances and about finding new horizons when you least expect to. The novel takes you on a journey through the emotions. At times it makes you smile and gladdens your heart, others it’s heartbreaking so be sure to have a box of tissues at the ready!
I daresay it follows a predictable path but I find I don’t mind in the least as it’s a very diverting read which we all need at times probably particularly so now.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Orion Publishing Group for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
February 24, 2023
A handmade yellow dress with embroidered flowers is at the heart of this story which features three characters, Lou, recently bereaved after her the death of her beloved mother, 60 year old Donna from New York, a woman of routine shocked by recent revelations and Maggy, newly divorced after 50 years of marriage and struggling to find a new life in her 70s.
Mainly set in Frome, Somerset, but also venturing further afield, the story is mainly told from alternate viewpoints of the three women. One of which is Lou, having given up her career to pursue her dream, a shop of her own selling vintage clothing which is her passion. The yellow dress which she remembers her mother wearing, hangs in the shop and Lou has no idea how much this beautiful item of clothing will change her life.
I fell in love with this story instantly and devoured it. After a couple of book DNFs it was a perfect read for me and I read over half the book in one afternoon. The characters were perfectly drawn and the storyline an intriguing one with a narrative interrupting the present day timeline with chapters from the past.
The story of the three women was superbly woven together with drama and humour. At times it was an emotional read but overall it was just a gorgeous story of new discoveries, family, friendship and community. Lou’s fellow traders were a fabulous bunch, welcoming and helpful, especially in times of crisis. Even when the story moved away from Frome, my interest moved too – I was so invested into these characters lives.
I adored The Vintage Shop of Second Chances. Libby Page has written a touching story of drama and secrets that combines past and present. It’s a real hug of a book and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
Mainly set in Frome, Somerset, but also venturing further afield, the story is mainly told from alternate viewpoints of the three women. One of which is Lou, having given up her career to pursue her dream, a shop of her own selling vintage clothing which is her passion. The yellow dress which she remembers her mother wearing, hangs in the shop and Lou has no idea how much this beautiful item of clothing will change her life.
I fell in love with this story instantly and devoured it. After a couple of book DNFs it was a perfect read for me and I read over half the book in one afternoon. The characters were perfectly drawn and the storyline an intriguing one with a narrative interrupting the present day timeline with chapters from the past.
The story of the three women was superbly woven together with drama and humour. At times it was an emotional read but overall it was just a gorgeous story of new discoveries, family, friendship and community. Lou’s fellow traders were a fabulous bunch, welcoming and helpful, especially in times of crisis. Even when the story moved away from Frome, my interest moved too – I was so invested into these characters lives.
I adored The Vintage Shop of Second Chances. Libby Page has written a touching story of drama and secrets that combines past and present. It’s a real hug of a book and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it.
October 12, 2023
Such a lovely read and Libby Page is definitely back to her best with this one. I loved The Lido but didn’t think that her next 3 books quite hit the mark. This one does! Beautifully woven characters -and story- and I loved how the yellow dress featured in almost every chapter.
March 3, 2023
4.5 rounded to 5
A wonderful relationship based story based,an uplifting tale that I highly recommend.
A wonderful relationship based story based,an uplifting tale that I highly recommend.
February 5, 2023
Lou, having returned to Frome to nurse her mother through her final days is embarking on a new adventure a second chance to have the life she really wants. With her passionate love of all things vintage, especially clothing Lou opens a vintage clothing shop. Inspired by the yellow dress of her mothers which she proudly displays in her new shop.
Donna, thought she knew her whole life until some news reveals that what she knew was a lie. With only a photo of a woman in a yellow dress, she finds herself crossing the Atlantic to a vintage clothing shop in Frome.
Maggy, newly divorced, over seventy and treated as a commodity by her children, mainly when it comes to looking after the grandchildren, needs some colour in her life. Having been left the house in the divorce she is simply rattling around in a grey world. Drawn into the new vintage clothes shop by a bright yellow dress which reminds her of some boots from a time gone by, Maggy discovers colour in her world again.
These three women, across the generations form a friendship and they come into each others lives at just the right time. Lou learns more about the yellow dress, Donna learns more about her past and Maggy learns more about herself.
This wonderful gentle novel from Libby Page shows emotions and depth to the characters as well as the plot. It is great to see friendships across generations, something that I myself wholeheartedly embrace. There is much to learn from all your friends whether they be old or new and this book reflects that in abundance. Added in is the wonder and joy that clothing can bring people, how colour can bring much into your life and cheer even the most greyest of situations.
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances will bring anyone who reads it much joy and colour into their life and I am glad to have read it as it warmed my soul.
Donna, thought she knew her whole life until some news reveals that what she knew was a lie. With only a photo of a woman in a yellow dress, she finds herself crossing the Atlantic to a vintage clothing shop in Frome.
Maggy, newly divorced, over seventy and treated as a commodity by her children, mainly when it comes to looking after the grandchildren, needs some colour in her life. Having been left the house in the divorce she is simply rattling around in a grey world. Drawn into the new vintage clothes shop by a bright yellow dress which reminds her of some boots from a time gone by, Maggy discovers colour in her world again.
These three women, across the generations form a friendship and they come into each others lives at just the right time. Lou learns more about the yellow dress, Donna learns more about her past and Maggy learns more about herself.
This wonderful gentle novel from Libby Page shows emotions and depth to the characters as well as the plot. It is great to see friendships across generations, something that I myself wholeheartedly embrace. There is much to learn from all your friends whether they be old or new and this book reflects that in abundance. Added in is the wonder and joy that clothing can bring people, how colour can bring much into your life and cheer even the most greyest of situations.
The Vintage Shop of Second Chances will bring anyone who reads it much joy and colour into their life and I am glad to have read it as it warmed my soul.
February 18, 2023
This is the most wonderful uplifting book I’ve read in a long time! A heartwarming story that brings 3 women of different generations and countries together, all largely set in a charming Somerset town of Frome where Lou is opening her vintage shop. Lou, Donna and Maggy are each struggling with feelings of grief and belonging, and they are unexpectedly connected by a colourful and bright yellow dress that is displayed in Lou’s vintage shop which holds many memories.
I happily immersed myself in this joyous read which has plenty of emotional and touching moments. It’s a story of friendship, family, womanhood and sisterhood, and giving yourself a second chance at living a colourful and wholesome life. I loved the imagery of clothing to tell a story about someone and how wearing something bright and cheerful can change one’s mood. I love Lou’s sense of fashion and style!
If you want a read to brighten a gloomy day, I highly recommend #TheVintageShop of Second Chances @libbypagewrites which is out now 🤗 Bottled sunshine in a book!
I happily immersed myself in this joyous read which has plenty of emotional and touching moments. It’s a story of friendship, family, womanhood and sisterhood, and giving yourself a second chance at living a colourful and wholesome life. I loved the imagery of clothing to tell a story about someone and how wearing something bright and cheerful can change one’s mood. I love Lou’s sense of fashion and style!
If you want a read to brighten a gloomy day, I highly recommend #TheVintageShop of Second Chances @libbypagewrites which is out now 🤗 Bottled sunshine in a book!
June 1, 2024
I liked the premise well enough, and there were some good story beats and concepts, like female friendship and communities coming together, it’s just a shame that it was so badly executed
I wanted to shout to the author that she didn’t need to explain every single thing that happened, it’s like she didn’t trust her readers to draw their own conclusions on the characters’ emotional state or their way of thinking
I like to realize what’s at stake without someone guiding me through literally everything, a little subtlety wouldn’t have been amiss
I did appreciate the autism-coding of one of the main characters though, like I said it was full of cool ideas, the writing just took me out of the story completely
I wanted to shout to the author that she didn’t need to explain every single thing that happened, it’s like she didn’t trust her readers to draw their own conclusions on the characters’ emotional state or their way of thinking
I like to realize what’s at stake without someone guiding me through literally everything, a little subtlety wouldn’t have been amiss
I did appreciate the autism-coding of one of the main characters though, like I said it was full of cool ideas, the writing just took me out of the story completely
April 28, 2023
I really love Libby Page, she’s been an auto buy author for me ever since her debut. This book was really lovely, it was very warming and wholesome and I always enjoy the pace that Libby’s books are written at, I’m always wanting to carry on reading. I didn’t enjoy this one at quite the same level that I enjoyed the Island Home (probably my favourite) but it was still a really lovely read, and a nice reminder to always live life boldly, and most importantly, full of colour ❤️
February 12, 2025
A lovely feel good book, centred around friendship between women of different ages. I loved it, everyone needs colour in their lives
February 24, 2023
Lou is embarking on her dream of running a vintage clothing shop after the death of her Mom. She decides to lodge with Maggy, a recent divorcee who wants to rekindle the sense of adventure in her life. Together they meet Donna, an American woman who walks into their life as a surprise believing that Lou holds the key to her family secret.
I'm biased as I love Libby Paige's books but this is brilliant. I couldn't wait to read it, savoured every sentence and felt every emotion.
I'm biased as I love Libby Paige's books but this is brilliant. I couldn't wait to read it, savoured every sentence and felt every emotion.
July 31, 2024
Oh, to own a vintage shop full of beautiful 50s, 60s, etc. fashion! Just imagine the stories and secrets those clothes could tell...
This book was right up my street. An uplifting tale of long lost family and the power of friendship.
We should all do our best to 'Live life colourfully'
This book was right up my street. An uplifting tale of long lost family and the power of friendship.
We should all do our best to 'Live life colourfully'
May 12, 2024
A sweet book with enjoyable characters.
February 16, 2023
I love this author, she just knows how to make you part of the book, you really feel like you are there. Such a beautiful story, one filled with love and heartbreak. A wonderful storyline that grabs you from the start and you won’t want to put it down. The characters in this book were brilliant, they all just played such a great part to the storyline and played their parts well. Honestly this book will having you feel all of the feels, I recommend you start it with tissues to hand.
It’s amazing how much joy an article of clothing can bring you, and this single yellow dress connects 3 ladies across different generations. The author shared the street that this book was based on, you should go see it as it’s lovely to be able to picture the actual street in Frome.
Great read, I absolutely recommend it.
Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book, all thoughts are my own.
Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother, she takes a deep breath into the unknown and is opening her own vintage clothes shop.
In upstate New York, Donna has just found out some news about her family which has called into question her whole upbringing. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress, and the fact it is currently on display in a shop in England.
For Maggy, she is facing life as a 70-something divorcee and while she got the house, she's not sure what to fill it with now her family have moved out. The new vintage shop in town sparks memories of her past and reignites a passion she's been missing...
Together, can these three women find the answers they are searching for and unlock a second chance at a new life?
It's never too late to start again...
It’s amazing how much joy an article of clothing can bring you, and this single yellow dress connects 3 ladies across different generations. The author shared the street that this book was based on, you should go see it as it’s lovely to be able to picture the actual street in Frome.
Great read, I absolutely recommend it.
Thank you so much to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book, all thoughts are my own.
Among the cobbled streets of the Somerset town of Frome, Lou is embarking on the start of something new. After the death of her beloved mother, she takes a deep breath into the unknown and is opening her own vintage clothes shop.
In upstate New York, Donna has just found out some news about her family which has called into question her whole upbringing. The only clue she has to unlock her past is a picture of a yellow dress, and the fact it is currently on display in a shop in England.
For Maggy, she is facing life as a 70-something divorcee and while she got the house, she's not sure what to fill it with now her family have moved out. The new vintage shop in town sparks memories of her past and reignites a passion she's been missing...
Together, can these three women find the answers they are searching for and unlock a second chance at a new life?
It's never too late to start again...
August 16, 2023
A cosy uplifting story with a gorgeous hint of glamour ⭐️🌟⭐️🌟
Lou is recovering from the death of her beloved mother by opening a vintage shop in the quiet English town of Frome.
Maggy is a newly divorced 70 something searching for a new beginning.
Donna’s life in a small town in Upstate New York is shattered by a family secret the only clue to her origins a faded photo of a girl in a yellow dress.
The stories of the three women ✿ all of whom were likeable, vulnerable and filled with inner strength ✿ are carefully interwoven and bound to the legend of a handmade yellow dress.
I loved the idea that a dress could hold so much promise and also so many secrets and I will also admit I have a few dresses I have clung onto because of the memories they hold.
It was beautiful to see this idea bound up into the stories of generations of women.
And it was refreshing to read about the new chapters we can begin later in life and the way grief can be transformed into the realisation of along held dream.
Told from multiple third person POVs there were also undiscovered letters threaded into this story of sisterhood friendship and love.
The deeper message it is never too late ☆ to right a wrong, to pursue a dream, to find love, to start again ☆
A message finding me at exactly the right time. This was my first Libby Page novel but it definitely will not be my last.
Lou is recovering from the death of her beloved mother by opening a vintage shop in the quiet English town of Frome.
Maggy is a newly divorced 70 something searching for a new beginning.
Donna’s life in a small town in Upstate New York is shattered by a family secret the only clue to her origins a faded photo of a girl in a yellow dress.
The stories of the three women ✿ all of whom were likeable, vulnerable and filled with inner strength ✿ are carefully interwoven and bound to the legend of a handmade yellow dress.
I loved the idea that a dress could hold so much promise and also so many secrets and I will also admit I have a few dresses I have clung onto because of the memories they hold.
It was beautiful to see this idea bound up into the stories of generations of women.
And it was refreshing to read about the new chapters we can begin later in life and the way grief can be transformed into the realisation of along held dream.
Told from multiple third person POVs there were also undiscovered letters threaded into this story of sisterhood friendship and love.
The deeper message it is never too late ☆ to right a wrong, to pursue a dream, to find love, to start again ☆
A message finding me at exactly the right time. This was my first Libby Page novel but it definitely will not be my last.
March 12, 2023
This was such a lovely little read, which explores friendship and found family in the most colourful and comforting way.
After the death of her Mother, fashion-loving Lou opens the vintage clothing shop of her dreams. In which, hanging pride of place, for all to see, is her Mum's beloved yellow dress. Lou has always wondered about the story behind each of the vintage pieces she sells but she would never of guessed the story, her Mum's dress has yet to reveal...
Enter Maggy, who has lost her way after her recent divorce and Donna, who is struggling to come to terms with the news that she was adopted. Lou's yellow dress, sparks a journey of self-discovery and second chances when it connects the three women in the most unexpected way. Bringing a little bit of sunshine into their lives, just when they needed it the most!
Wonderfully engaging, with an emotional and heartfelt story at it's core, The Vintage Shop of Second Chances was a real joy to read. Warmth and love radiated effortlessly through it's characters and from it's pages. It's an absolute gem of a novel, a real feel-good read.
💕🛍️👗
After the death of her Mother, fashion-loving Lou opens the vintage clothing shop of her dreams. In which, hanging pride of place, for all to see, is her Mum's beloved yellow dress. Lou has always wondered about the story behind each of the vintage pieces she sells but she would never of guessed the story, her Mum's dress has yet to reveal...
Enter Maggy, who has lost her way after her recent divorce and Donna, who is struggling to come to terms with the news that she was adopted. Lou's yellow dress, sparks a journey of self-discovery and second chances when it connects the three women in the most unexpected way. Bringing a little bit of sunshine into their lives, just when they needed it the most!
Wonderfully engaging, with an emotional and heartfelt story at it's core, The Vintage Shop of Second Chances was a real joy to read. Warmth and love radiated effortlessly through it's characters and from it's pages. It's an absolute gem of a novel, a real feel-good read.
💕🛍️👗
April 26, 2024
The novel was so overloaded with positivity that it just felt overall boring and dull. Instead of delving into deep emotions, the author merely skims the surface, depriving the novel of any depth.
The protagonists lack distinctive characteristics (aside from their clothing) and here, wearing dark clothes always means you have an unhappy life (instead, one should dress like a 4-year-old in their unicorn-phase).
The entire story was extremely predictable, and every conflict was based purely on chance. At the end of each conflict, everyone ends up crying in each other's arms, completely satisfied that everything turned out exactly as it did.
As a result, the interpersonal interactions are an absolute disaster; no one talks like that, seriously. In every other sentence, the women are professing their love for each other, and the book ends just as you'd anticipate from the start. Everyone forgives everyone, as it was all just a colossal misunderstanding. Life is always sunshine and butterflies.
The writing style is barely mediocre, the story is boring and uninspired and I regret that I read the whole thing. I would not recommend it.
The protagonists lack distinctive characteristics (aside from their clothing) and here, wearing dark clothes always means you have an unhappy life (instead, one should dress like a 4-year-old in their unicorn-phase).
The entire story was extremely predictable, and every conflict was based purely on chance. At the end of each conflict, everyone ends up crying in each other's arms, completely satisfied that everything turned out exactly as it did.
As a result, the interpersonal interactions are an absolute disaster; no one talks like that, seriously. In every other sentence, the women are professing their love for each other, and the book ends just as you'd anticipate from the start. Everyone forgives everyone, as it was all just a colossal misunderstanding. Life is always sunshine and butterflies.
The writing style is barely mediocre, the story is boring and uninspired and I regret that I read the whole thing. I would not recommend it.
October 22, 2022
What a truly delightful read this was. Absorbing, sentimental and engaging. I fell in love with Lou and Maggy straight away. It brought such joy and was incredibly well thought out. I thought nothing would beat my love for The Lido, but this may just edge it. I felt like I was in the shop trying the clothes on with the ladies.
An absolute no brainer must read.
An absolute no brainer must read.
October 16, 2023
The Vintage Shop. A lovely emotive book. Lou opening her shop after her mum dies. Maggi recovering since her husband left her after 40 years. Donna in America finding out she was adopted. All 3 stories intertwine. Emotion bid. Some happy ending bits are predictable but I think we’d all have been disappointed if that hadn’t happened!!
April 7, 2024
Reads as described by The Times ‘Hot Buttered-toast-and-tea fiction’. This book felt like a hug. It was very moving and I particularly enjoyed Maggy’s story, I found her journey of gaining independence and a sense of who she was as a person inspiring
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
November 10, 2023
So sweet it may have given me a cavity. Predictable and easy read. 3 stars
September 7, 2023
I read this for bookclub and it was an ideal beach read. It was definitely an easy read with a predictably pleasant storyline. Each chapter is named for the main character in it and the story unfolds with flashbacks to the past interspersed. The story follows the lives of three women linked by a yellow dress and secrets from the past. Probably the most annoying thing I could say about the book is that one character is called Maggy. Intensely irritating! Who spells it like that?!
I’m not one who always guesses twists and outcomes, but it’d be hard not to see what would happen to the main characters. Having said that, I do like a happy ending and this book delivers. All in all, a story about friendship, family and fashion.
I’m not one who always guesses twists and outcomes, but it’d be hard not to see what would happen to the main characters. Having said that, I do like a happy ending and this book delivers. All in all, a story about friendship, family and fashion.
November 18, 2024
4.5 ⭐
What a lovely wholesome read.
A story about friendship and family which uses imagery of clothing to tell the story.
Writing flowed well and kept me invested.
Mixture of past and present which I love in a book.
Great characters and felt part of the story which is always fab.
Would recommend 💕
What a lovely wholesome read.
A story about friendship and family which uses imagery of clothing to tell the story.
Writing flowed well and kept me invested.
Mixture of past and present which I love in a book.
Great characters and felt part of the story which is always fab.
Would recommend 💕
August 2, 2024
This book was an easy feel good read. You do have to suspend your belief on some things though. For example, Maggie found Simon with a matter of seconds on Facebook, but Dotty and Eleanor couldn’t find each other in the 2000s using the Internet?
It was all very predictable, but I still enjoyed it and the female friendship aspect.
It was all very predictable, but I still enjoyed it and the female friendship aspect.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 5, 2025
Very touching but it made me sad and I am now afraid of getting old and my life slipping through my fingers. Not sure if I really wanted to be confronted with that today.
October 27, 2025
I loved this book, a great story that you instantly feel caught up in, following the story definitely got some tears flowing!
September 4, 2024
At a loss of what to read next this showed up on my Kindle, this turned out to be a great in between read. A good story of past and present, vintage dresses, family friends and second chances.
December 17, 2023
*3.5
Warning of an emotional scene surrounding a character with dementia. I lost my grandad to the horrible disease in 2020 and the scene was written so well I got emotional reading as if reminder me of my last few moments with my grandad.
I enjoyed this book but the first half definitely felt stronger than the second. I never felt really connected to the characters or their story. Even though I was always intrigued to see how the 3 separate perspectives interacted. It was cute, heart warming story but nothing special 😢
Warning of an emotional scene surrounding a character with dementia. I lost my grandad to the horrible disease in 2020 and the scene was written so well I got emotional reading as if reminder me of my last few moments with my grandad.
I enjoyed this book but the first half definitely felt stronger than the second. I never felt really connected to the characters or their story. Even though I was always intrigued to see how the 3 separate perspectives interacted. It was cute, heart warming story but nothing special 😢
June 16, 2025
I didn’t expect The Vintage Shop by Libby Page to touch me quite this much—but it did. Gently, deeply, and unexpectedly.
What drew me in first was the premise: three women connected by a single yellow vintage dress. But what kept me turning the pages was the way their stories slowly stitched themselves together—layer by layer, memory by memory. Lou, Donna, and Maggie all come from different places, generations, and emotional spaces, but the moment that yellow dress enters the scene, their lives begin to intertwine in the most beautiful and bittersweet way.
I especially loved Lou’s storyline—maybe because I also have an attachment to small things that carry big memories. Her relationship with her mother, the grief she’s quietly carrying, and her decision to open a vintage shop as a way of honouring the past really hit home for me.
Donna’s search for her biological mother reminded me how powerful a single photograph or object can be in shaping our sense of identity. And Maggie… her storyline made me think about the dreams we pack away as we grow older, and how they sometimes resurface when we least expect it.
Libby Page writes with such warmth and empathy. It’s not flashy writing—it’s honest, cozy, and real. The kind of book that makes you want to sit with a cup of tea and just feel.
By the end, I felt like I had met three women I actually knew—and I didn’t want to say goodbye to them.
This book is about more than a dress. It’s about memory, womanhood, connection, and the quiet strength that lives inside us even when we feel lost.
💛 A gentle, healing read. Perfect for fans of stories about found families, late-in-life new beginnings, and the invisible threads that connect us.
What drew me in first was the premise: three women connected by a single yellow vintage dress. But what kept me turning the pages was the way their stories slowly stitched themselves together—layer by layer, memory by memory. Lou, Donna, and Maggie all come from different places, generations, and emotional spaces, but the moment that yellow dress enters the scene, their lives begin to intertwine in the most beautiful and bittersweet way.
I especially loved Lou’s storyline—maybe because I also have an attachment to small things that carry big memories. Her relationship with her mother, the grief she’s quietly carrying, and her decision to open a vintage shop as a way of honouring the past really hit home for me.
Donna’s search for her biological mother reminded me how powerful a single photograph or object can be in shaping our sense of identity. And Maggie… her storyline made me think about the dreams we pack away as we grow older, and how they sometimes resurface when we least expect it.
Libby Page writes with such warmth and empathy. It’s not flashy writing—it’s honest, cozy, and real. The kind of book that makes you want to sit with a cup of tea and just feel.
By the end, I felt like I had met three women I actually knew—and I didn’t want to say goodbye to them.
This book is about more than a dress. It’s about memory, womanhood, connection, and the quiet strength that lives inside us even when we feel lost.
💛 A gentle, healing read. Perfect for fans of stories about found families, late-in-life new beginnings, and the invisible threads that connect us.
January 22, 2023
A feel-good, uplifting story about supportive female friendships.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
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