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The Vintage Dress Shop #5
A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop
Cressida Collins is the queen of makeovers. With a well-placed stitch, button or seam, she can transform any frock in The Vintage Dress Shop and give customers their Cinderella moment.
Like her beautifully organised workroom under the eaves, Cress's life away from the shop is just as orderly and mapped out. But when her boyfriend of fifteen years drops a bombshell, it explodes all the carefully laid plans Cress had for her future.
It's going to take more than needle and thread to put Cress's own life back together. Will she ever be brave enough to say goodbye to her old dreams and start over?
But after designing a dress for a customer and transforming her into the woman she always wanted to be, Cress realises that it can be fun not to follow a pattern. Then there's her blossoming friendship with Miles, a very handsome and very sexy film director...
Cress is about to discover that leaving a few loose threads might be the best way to mend her broken heart...
Like her beautifully organised workroom under the eaves, Cress's life away from the shop is just as orderly and mapped out. But when her boyfriend of fifteen years drops a bombshell, it explodes all the carefully laid plans Cress had for her future.
It's going to take more than needle and thread to put Cress's own life back together. Will she ever be brave enough to say goodbye to her old dreams and start over?
But after designing a dress for a customer and transforming her into the woman she always wanted to be, Cress realises that it can be fun not to follow a pattern. Then there's her blossoming friendship with Miles, a very handsome and very sexy film director...
Cress is about to discover that leaving a few loose threads might be the best way to mend her broken heart...
320 pages, Paperback
Published October 29, 2024
116 people are currently reading
318 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
July 14, 2024
This is the second book of the Vintage Dress Shop series, but can easily be read as a standalone book. We meet Cress who is a seamstress at a vintage clothes shop. She usually works on vintage wedding dresses, but longs to design her own clothes. She's been with Colin since school and they've been saving for their own place as they both still live with their parents. When Cress finds out Colin has been lying to her and hasn't saved any money, it prompts her to rethink her life and what she really wants.
This was a lovely read. I really liked Cress's character and fell into her storyline so easily. The vintage dress shop sounded wonderful and I could just imagine the wedding dresses and clothes that were for sale there. The storyline was fun and the other characters were all likeable (yes, even Colin in the end!) and I loved Coco Chanel! When we are introduced to director Miles, I guessed where the storyline was heading, but I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow and all the hand-holding and little touches made my heart go pitter-patter!
This was an absolutely perfect read. It was full of love and laughter, with lots of friends and family to carry the story along it's way. The storyline flowed well and I was hooked into Cress and Miles' stories right to the last page. Ideal for those lazy summer days where you just want to get lost in a cosy romantic story! Would recommend!
This was a lovely read. I really liked Cress's character and fell into her storyline so easily. The vintage dress shop sounded wonderful and I could just imagine the wedding dresses and clothes that were for sale there. The storyline was fun and the other characters were all likeable (yes, even Colin in the end!) and I loved Coco Chanel! When we are introduced to director Miles, I guessed where the storyline was heading, but I really enjoyed watching their relationship grow and all the hand-holding and little touches made my heart go pitter-patter!
This was an absolutely perfect read. It was full of love and laughter, with lots of friends and family to carry the story along it's way. The storyline flowed well and I was hooked into Cress and Miles' stories right to the last page. Ideal for those lazy summer days where you just want to get lost in a cosy romantic story! Would recommend!
October 1, 2025
Love everything Annie Darling writes, but this book was especially charming .
September 14, 2024
Annie Darling has been one of my go to authors when I crave something light and romantic to read, ever since I started the Lonely Hearts Bookshop series. I was thrilled when I saw she'd started a new series and devoured "The Vintage Dress Shop in Primrose Hill", quickly followed by this, the second installment. I think I enjoyed this even more than Sophy's story and loved Cress's development. I can't wait to see more of these characters in what I'm assuming will be Phoebe's book, it will certainly be interesting to learn more about her!
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a free digital copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 29, 2025
3.5 stars
Short and sweet
Short and sweet
February 23, 2025
Lekker nonsens boek weer 🩷
February 20, 2025
I don't know how I managed to miss out on the first book in this Vintage Dress Shop series, but I'm very glad I have joined the series at book two, as this was so enjoyable. And it can definitely be read as a standalone novel.
I loved this shop in Primrose Hill, and the group of people who work there, who are all totally mad about vintage clothing, and vintage dresses in particular. And Cressida is the seamstress, who typically deals with alterations and repairs.
But when a customer comes into the shop having a body image crisis, Cressida feels for her and offers to make her a bespoke dress. And that starts to give Cressida some ambition and ideas of other things she can do.
At the same time she is having doubts over her 15 year relationship with her boyfriend. They were school day sweethearts and both still live with their parents, and seem to spend very little time together by themselves. I really didn't take to him at all.
I enjoyed getting to know all the girls in the shop, and their various dynamics. And this was just a really gentle and highly entertaining book. I'm already looking up to catching up with the The Vintage Dress Shop crew in their next book.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
I loved this shop in Primrose Hill, and the group of people who work there, who are all totally mad about vintage clothing, and vintage dresses in particular. And Cressida is the seamstress, who typically deals with alterations and repairs.
But when a customer comes into the shop having a body image crisis, Cressida feels for her and offers to make her a bespoke dress. And that starts to give Cressida some ambition and ideas of other things she can do.
At the same time she is having doubts over her 15 year relationship with her boyfriend. They were school day sweethearts and both still live with their parents, and seem to spend very little time together by themselves. I really didn't take to him at all.
I enjoyed getting to know all the girls in the shop, and their various dynamics. And this was just a really gentle and highly entertaining book. I'm already looking up to catching up with the The Vintage Dress Shop crew in their next book.
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
June 30, 2024
Sparkling and crisp - delicious storytelling 💖
Cress mends and alters the dresses sold in the Vintage Dress Shop in London. She’s meticulous and focused and clever at her work. She’s been dating Colin for 15 years, while she lives at home and saves up for them to get a house together. Her boyfriend Colin is a vintage record buff and lives at home too - but he’s not the hero 😉. Colin makes a big mistake and unfortunately for him, it’s a deal breaker for Cress. As she manages the fall out in their relationship, in swans Miles in sunglasses. He’s an assistant film director and is working on a film which is sourcing dresses from the shop.
It’s a (very) slow burn and focuses on the growing romance between Cress and Miles. These two are fully formed, in their thirties, with a good idea of what they want, even if Cress has to change it up. Their arc is all about being brave enough to find each other - and then make it happen. It's all about Cress, Miles is gorgeous and very cool, but Cress is much more fully realised.
The third key character is London itself - the underground, the coffee shops and delis, the parks and the traffic and the weather over a sweltering summer. How easy it is to forget what life is like without air conditioning 😮 There’s so much affection for the city which is as messy and gorgeous and wonderful as this love affair. There’s even more - classic records and music, vintage dresses, how to sew, a fashion fair and all the shenanigans of the shop staff and the film crew - not forgetting British Bulldog Coco Chanel!
My only peeve is that the fluffy cover does not do this justice. It’s all so very funny and closely observed - so many ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moments and snippets (The Clash - ‘London Calling’) ('… a literal minute, not an estate agent’s minute …'). Read it over a lazy weekend but it’s also a book that will reward you for paying close attention. Can you tell that I absolutely loved this?
Thank you so much NetGalley, Annie Darling and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
Cress mends and alters the dresses sold in the Vintage Dress Shop in London. She’s meticulous and focused and clever at her work. She’s been dating Colin for 15 years, while she lives at home and saves up for them to get a house together. Her boyfriend Colin is a vintage record buff and lives at home too - but he’s not the hero 😉. Colin makes a big mistake and unfortunately for him, it’s a deal breaker for Cress. As she manages the fall out in their relationship, in swans Miles in sunglasses. He’s an assistant film director and is working on a film which is sourcing dresses from the shop.
It’s a (very) slow burn and focuses on the growing romance between Cress and Miles. These two are fully formed, in their thirties, with a good idea of what they want, even if Cress has to change it up. Their arc is all about being brave enough to find each other - and then make it happen. It's all about Cress, Miles is gorgeous and very cool, but Cress is much more fully realised.
The third key character is London itself - the underground, the coffee shops and delis, the parks and the traffic and the weather over a sweltering summer. How easy it is to forget what life is like without air conditioning 😮 There’s so much affection for the city which is as messy and gorgeous and wonderful as this love affair. There’s even more - classic records and music, vintage dresses, how to sew, a fashion fair and all the shenanigans of the shop staff and the film crew - not forgetting British Bulldog Coco Chanel!
My only peeve is that the fluffy cover does not do this justice. It’s all so very funny and closely observed - so many ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ moments and snippets (The Clash - ‘London Calling’) ('… a literal minute, not an estate agent’s minute …'). Read it over a lazy weekend but it’s also a book that will reward you for paying close attention. Can you tell that I absolutely loved this?
Thank you so much NetGalley, Annie Darling and Hodder & Stoughton for the ARC. Opinions are my own.
May 25, 2024
A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop, the second book in the series but I went in to it having not read the first and works as a stand alone book too!
Cress and her boyfriend Colin are childhood sweethearts, been together for 15 years, but when Cress is ready to take the step to buy a property together things don't go quite to plan.
After a big argument they avoid each other, Cress wondering if they have broken up, on a break or just not talking a film director (Miles) steps in to the shop giving her all the feels that she misses when she's with Colin.
As the story develops Cress builds a friendship with Miles, she starts to think about her career moving on from repairing the vintage dresses to discover her love as a dressmaker.
I enjoyed this book and the relationship of Cress and Miles. Colin just annoyed me as did his mother! Lol. The other characters also balanced the story well. Lovely read to get me out of a book slump!
Thanks to NetGalley download
Cress and her boyfriend Colin are childhood sweethearts, been together for 15 years, but when Cress is ready to take the step to buy a property together things don't go quite to plan.
After a big argument they avoid each other, Cress wondering if they have broken up, on a break or just not talking a film director (Miles) steps in to the shop giving her all the feels that she misses when she's with Colin.
As the story develops Cress builds a friendship with Miles, she starts to think about her career moving on from repairing the vintage dresses to discover her love as a dressmaker.
I enjoyed this book and the relationship of Cress and Miles. Colin just annoyed me as did his mother! Lol. The other characters also balanced the story well. Lovely read to get me out of a book slump!
Thanks to NetGalley download
June 19, 2024
Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eCopy to review
A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop was a lovely feel good read. It has beautiful vintage dresses, a coming into self-confidence and the finding of love. Don't stay stuck in a rut at work or with a partner who doesn't appreciate you, it is never too late for a new adventure. Cress is happy doing alterations in the backroom of a Vintage Dress shop, and looking forward to moving in with her long-term boyfriend of 15 years. However, Colin drops a huge bombshell and upsets all Cress' plans.
Forced to look at herself and her life Cress sees that she has just been plodding along, what follows is a whirlwind adventure where she finds a new purpose and a new man - I absolutely love Miles - he is the perfect book boyfriend!
A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop was a lovely feel good read. It has beautiful vintage dresses, a coming into self-confidence and the finding of love. Don't stay stuck in a rut at work or with a partner who doesn't appreciate you, it is never too late for a new adventure. Cress is happy doing alterations in the backroom of a Vintage Dress shop, and looking forward to moving in with her long-term boyfriend of 15 years. However, Colin drops a huge bombshell and upsets all Cress' plans.
Forced to look at herself and her life Cress sees that she has just been plodding along, what follows is a whirlwind adventure where she finds a new purpose and a new man - I absolutely love Miles - he is the perfect book boyfriend!
June 26, 2024
It felt so good to be at The Vintage Dress Shop. Cress knows what she wants and how she is going to do just those things. She does wonderful work with vintage clothing. I could close my eyes and picture the work she does and the clothes she works with every day.
The life she imagined was abruptly changed and her boyfriend of 15 years is no longer in her life.
The characters just all mesh together and make the story so perfect.
This is a perfect book to grab and get lost in the pages as you read.
Thank you NetGalley, Annie Darling and Hodder & Stoughton for the copy of A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop. This is my personal review.
The life she imagined was abruptly changed and her boyfriend of 15 years is no longer in her life.
The characters just all mesh together and make the story so perfect.
This is a perfect book to grab and get lost in the pages as you read.
Thank you NetGalley, Annie Darling and Hodder & Stoughton for the copy of A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop. This is my personal review.
July 1, 2024
The second in a series about the vintage dress shop. I thoroughly enjoyed the first and was looking forward to reading this second installment. Great characters and an altogether lovely novel. Cress is a woman totally on top of her game, altering vintage wedding dresses for the shops clients. There isn’t anything that she cannot cannot work her magic on. Unfortunately the same cannot be said for her romantic life. I just adore CC, the store’s dog. Although this is a sequel, it can still be read and enjoyed without having read the first installment. A great summer read.
July 9, 2024
Cress is at a crossroads in her life- realising her childhood sweetheart isn't going to be her forever romance and dreams of having her own business working with vintage clothing seeming hard to achieve.
I loved the vintage dress shop and could imagine Cress' workshop in the eaves and Saturdays spent with brides whilst dreaming of creating her own ranges. Every character brought something to the mix and added interest. A new love interest for Cress, helping make her dream career a reality.
S really lovely cosy read.
I loved the vintage dress shop and could imagine Cress' workshop in the eaves and Saturdays spent with brides whilst dreaming of creating her own ranges. Every character brought something to the mix and added interest. A new love interest for Cress, helping make her dream career a reality.
S really lovely cosy read.
February 11, 2025
I liked this book even more than the previous one in the series. For several reasons: Cress and Miles were much more likable and down to earth than Sophy and Charles. Cress has better reasons for not being able to be with Miles for a while, namely just having broken up with a guy that she was with since they were teens. Sophy's reason she couldn't be with Charles was because she said she was going to move to Australia so it wouldn't "be fair" to Charles to get involved. And Cress was an exceptional seamstress where as Sophy was just good with people in the dress shop.
January 22, 2025
this is a 5 star book my lack of fashion knowledge makes it 4 stars despite this I felt absorbed in beautiful dresses and the skill of those in clothes restoration it is a wonderful gift that Cress has and i loved her story and character, the story is so lovely set in sunny london with the star a sassy Frenchie! No the star is Cress who finds herself and what makes her happy. I loved it and will find Annie Darling’s other books to enjoy !!!
June 21, 2024
I love love love this story, the characters are so good and the story is really sweet. I could picture the vintage dress shop and all the staff that worked there, the dresses that Cress was making I could picture, it helps that I am a Breakfast at Tiffany’s type of person. The relationships between the main characters and the love story that developed.
September 13, 2024
This is the second in a series, I hadn’t read the first but I didn’t need to.
Cressida is an immensely talented dress maker, she and Colin are saving for a settled future.
But will the temptations of her new film making customers turn their head.
This book has its heroes and villains, and we cheer Cressida on.
Cressida is an immensely talented dress maker, she and Colin are saving for a settled future.
But will the temptations of her new film making customers turn their head.
This book has its heroes and villains, and we cheer Cressida on.
August 14, 2025
I really loved this, it was cute and hard-hitting at the same time. I like the found family vibes that the shop staff gave off and the fact that there was no friction added in between Cressida's two families, her mum and dad had their own partners and she loved spending time with everyone kind of thing!
June 24, 2024
This was my first book by Annie Darling, I really enjoyed this story it was straight into the lives of these characters, it was quite a page turner for me, I really wanted to know what was going to happen, I am looking forward to reading some more of this authors books.
August 3, 2024
Oh I really enjoyed this. What a lovely story!
The characters are very likeable and there is a lot of warmth and humour with a fair dash of romance which is cute without being cloying or sickly.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to read and review.
The characters are very likeable and there is a lot of warmth and humour with a fair dash of romance which is cute without being cloying or sickly.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book to read and review.
January 1, 2025
Swoons for days!
Found this as a KU recommendation and it’s amazing! Swoons, laughs and characters will keep you entranced. The beautiful writing and self discovery speaks to your heart.
Found this as a KU recommendation and it’s amazing! Swoons, laughs and characters will keep you entranced. The beautiful writing and self discovery speaks to your heart.
August 20, 2025
Cress point of view…. Cute story and was fun having more of sophy and the others at the shop. Enjoyed seeing her parents and her relationship with Colin.. they have always been together since high school. And big changes are happening in cresss’s life. Finished in a day!
Happy 📖 Reading
Happy 📖 Reading
September 9, 2024
Rather predictable - but part of the charm I guess.
October 6, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
A lovely book that felt very sweet. An enjoyable read, however did not enjoy the romance.
A lovely book that felt very sweet. An enjoyable read, however did not enjoy the romance.
October 25, 2024
Love this book! I feel content reading this
Read
November 28, 2024Growth
Fabulous book could not stop reading until it ended, truly recommend this good book for all people. This can teach quite a few lessons on life,,,
Fabulous book could not stop reading until it ended, truly recommend this good book for all people. This can teach quite a few lessons on life,,,
November 28, 2024
Very Enjoyable light read. Enjoyed the British culture and references and the lessons on fashion design and culture.
January 31, 2025
Okay for a lunch time read
June 18, 2025
Kanske är inte boken en 4a. Men för mig, just nu, just här, var den precis vad jag behövde.
July 24, 2025
Cute and heartwarming. Good, strong female characters, good friendships.
February 11, 2025
Set in London, A Change of Heart at the Vintage Dress Shop had me rooting for Cress as she came into her own both personally and professionally. Enjoyed my time in the dress shop and all the characters that entered its doors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews