The Wedding Dress Maker

by P.L. Washington

493 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2026

About the author

Patrice L. Washington is from Syracuse NY.
Where she lives with her teenage daughter. She spends time reading romance novels and writing.

Reviews

[Alyssa · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We make plans in God laughs”

I think this perfectly exemplifies the wedding dress maker. Throughout the reading of the book you get to see each character continue to make plans or planning ahead and you see how the universe gets involved to make sure the right people are in the right place at the right time.

One of the best parts about this book is the way it’s written. You get a couple chapters from each of the main characters point of view and then every few chapters you get segments of their thought process almost like you’re watching the conversation as it happens in their mind on a screen.

The way the book is written you’re able to visualize not only scenery, but the feelings in the moment. You can feel the tension when Violet and Leo are across from each other and can’t have a conversation. You can feel the heartbreak when Violet understands the reality of Leo’s life that she didn’t know. You can feel the pain and raw emotion at the very beginning of the book when Violet comes home to something she never could’ve expected before then.

What starts off tragic ends in the most beautiful way. The book isn’t rushed. The dialogue doesn’t feel like filler. Every single moment is crafted for you to truly be in the mind of not just the two lead characters, but everyone circling around them. You see real life, relationships, and how the people who love you most are there not to just tell you everything is OK but to force you to look at the mirror and make the hard decisions.

There’s something beautiful in reading a book that forces you to examine your own interpersonal relationships, and how growth can come out of the most broken parts of your life. Sometimes a glass being smashed is the only way for you to see how broken something truly is and allow yourself to move forward. And you get to see that, and Violet’s arc throughout the book. I tried at least four times to only read a couple of chapters and put it down, but by the last day, I went from chapter 15 straight through the end of the book. I laughed, I got very, very angry at points, and I cried with Violet on the beach. To see her end up in such a beautiful place at the end is nothing short of magical.

Genuinely one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’ve already given it to someone else to read, and I can’t wait to see their feedback. Looking forward to the next one.

[Destany Finney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a sweet, romantic story and I’m a sucker for romance. I loved the way the story unfolded with each twist and turn, and the growing tension between Violet and Leo. I felt myself wanting to sit down and just binge the whole book because I NEEDED to know what happens next. On top of that, I just felt really giddy reading this story. Love love loved it, can’t wait to see what P.L. Washington writes next!

[Charli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow Burn, change in life and love

This was an emotional read, going in to this I had reservations about the potential lines being crossed. But the brutal honesty and the honour and integrity of both main characters was beautiful and made their inevitable slow burn chemistry even more irresistible. And the ending, that final pay day, so so worth it.

[Aamirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such an emotional read. It is so uplifting and reminds you that love if for all but with it comes patience. For anyone going through a recent breakup this is perfect. It’s like a Stella got her groove back slow burn vibe. Loved it.

[Kat 2books_at_a_time · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗣.𝗟. 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 ⠀
⠀"𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘬."⠀
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𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘿𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 is a slow burn romance that I 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐝 in one sitting. There was nothing slow about falling in love with the story and characters. ⠀
Violet is "THE" NYC wedding dress maker. She makes every brides dream come true and it’s finally her turn...except her dream is shattered one night. Violet is a strong FMC thats knows what she deserves and it isn't cheating, lame, lying Malik. Heartbroken and questioning she decides she may be ready for relaxation, a reset and whats better than a honeymoon for one.⠀⠀
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Leo is tall dark and handsome, a great listener, respectfully, a little complicated but not toxic. While on a business trip/clarity trip he lets loose a little when he meets Violet.⠀
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I really enjoyed this love story and could not put it down. Highly recommend curling up by the fire with white wine or by the pool with a an umbrella drink and root for the unexpected second chances.
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📗 338 pages on Kindle ⠀
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[Michael Coviello · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read. It was easy to get through and flowed nicely. I loved the different POV from each character which made it enjoyable. Violet was a great main character and I loved her relationship with her sister and assistant. LEO was not my favorite person but at the end it was worth it. I would definitely recommend this if you like slow burn romance with depth.

[Savasia ruffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book in three days! It was such a great read! Complicated love story that was beautifully paced ! I throughly enjoyed it !