Divine Vintage

Divine Vintage #1

by Sandra L. Young

Tess Burton is always up for an adventure. She's risked her inheritance to open Divine Vintage, a clothing boutique. While modeling an elegant gown from an Edwardian era trousseau, her mind is opened to a century-old murder. Visions--seen through the eyes of the murdered bride--dispute local lore that claims the bridegroom committed the crime. Trey Dunmore doesn't share Tess' enthusiasm for mind-blowing visions, yet the appeal to clear his family's tainted legacy compels him to join her in exploring the past. Aided by the dead woman's clothing and diary, Tess and Trey discover that pursuing love in 1913 was just as thorny as modern day. As the list of murder suspects grows, the couple fears past emotions are influencing, and may ultimately derail, their own blossoming intimacy.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Fiction, Womens Fiction, Historical, Ghosts

292 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2022

About the author

Sandra L. Young's love of vintage fashion inspired her to write her debut novel, Divine Vintage, followed by Divinely Dramatic in February 2024 and The Ghostly Diva in May '24. She’s gathered an impressive collection spanning the late 1800s to 1980s, wearing pieces onstage through years of performing in community theater. She also sports it out on the town for special occasions. To round out her love of the arts, Sandra sings with a trio, a praise band, and at karaoke nights. She draws from these experiences in her writing, as well as her work focus in communications and nonprofit management.

Reviews

[Fran]

"I can't resist a garment when its history speaks to me..." A chiffon prom dress, circa 1950, conjured up a nervous teen with a beehive hairdo-for a few pulsing seconds, 'an unexplainable empathy'. A heartfelt feeling, visions of a 1920s debutante, dressed in a flapper gown of beaded aqua. Tess almost became these women.

"You sure can't beat shopping in the name of business." Tess Burton attended auctions and estate sales to amass inventory for Divine Vintage, her first business venture, a boutique, set to open in Michigan City, Indiana. As she readied for the initial opening, seventy year old Esther DeLeon, accompanied by her cousin's son, Trey Dunmore, entered the shop armed with flyers announcing a special Tea and Style Show to celebrate the Centennial of Carver House, Esther's ancestral home. Might Tess be willing to model the trousseau gown? All models would be adorned in vintage garments worn by former inhabitants of Carver House. Meeting and greeting Esther's guests could help create a loyal customer base for the fledgling business.

At the style show Tess, dressed in the satin trousseau gown, accompanied by Trey, wearing the groom's wedding tux, created the image of Phoebe and Edward Carver as they entered their newly built home one hundred years ago. Despite holding Trey's arm, "...a wave of unsteadiness swept her...immerging from a filmy veil of unconsciousness Tess cries out, 'My husband didn't kill me!' "
"[Tess's] emotional reactions to some vintage garments had hinted of a greater capacity reaching beyond the physical realm."

Carver House was tainted by a century-old tragedy. Newly married, Edward and Phoebe's trunks were packed for an extended honeymoon to Paris. An argument...Edward strangled Phoebe...turned the gun on himself. Why? Perhaps Phoebe's diary contained clues. Tess had been "having flashes...of people who I think are Edward and Phoebe...kind of like...we've slipped away. And they're here instead."

"Divine Vintage" by debut author Sandra L. Young was a foray into the world of vintage clothing, crossing between dream and reality, to rewrite the narrative of a family tragedy. Neither Tess nor Trey was looking for romance. A handshake sizzled with energy, soon followed by a steamy, magnetic undercurrent of longing. Was it real or a "charged energy" created, in part, by visions of the Sweetheart Ball of February 14, 1913? Attempts would be made by Tess and Trey to clear Edward of any wrongdoing and set him free from the murder of his beloved. A unique, captivating read I highly recommend.

Thank you The Wild Rose Press and Net Galley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Janie Emaus]

Sandra Young has written an enchanting novel which will appeal to readers who love both historical and contemporary stories. While dressed in vintage clothing (elegantly described) the heroine has visions of the past. When she is with the hero, he too begins to have the same vision. Together they solve a murder from centuries ago, while falling in love in the present. The characters come to life in beautifully described settings. By the time I finished the book, I was ready to go shopping for some vintage clothing! I can’t wait for Sandra’s next book.

[Corinne LaBalme]

Tess Burton, the heroine of Divine Vintage, calls up visions of the past when she touches the second-hand gowns she sells at her shop. Right now, some of these visions are pushing her to investigate the murder-suicide that scandalized her lakefront town 100 years ago. On the plus side, there's a remarkably sane (and exceptionally handsome) man in the wings... but he's starting to see visions too. Have a pair of thwarted lovers chosen to be reincarnated in the 21st century? Or are they just looking for closure at any cost... 100 years after the fact? A thrillingly imaginative read.

[Elaine Stock]

I highly recommend Divine Vintage by Sandra L. Young!! What a fun, delightful and quite different (positively so) story that is not the same-old-same-old retold story. Mature three-dimensional characters, a fun but not fluffy plot, romance, and mystery all help to make this a fast-paced read. It's so charming... and the big plus for me, upon finishing the novel, I wanted to meet Tess over a cup of coffee! It's been a long time since I've had this kind of interest in a fictional character!

[Cheryl]

This was an interesting read with engaging characters. I loved all the descriptions of the vintage clothes. Tess and Trey, both have a troubled background where romance is concerned and are understandable wary about a new relationship. Added to this is the solving of a century old murder mystery. Both Tess and Trey experienced visions of the past when touching various items from the past. In addition to this is the present day problems that face the homeless and how to help them. There are a number of interesting secondary characters as well. This story moved along at a good pace and kept my interest until the end and the mystery is solved. I will look out for more books by this author. I received and have voluntarily reviewed it. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Heather]

Wow! This was something to read. Normally a 1 star means I couldn’t finish the book, which is how I feel about this one. In this case, it was a book club read so I finished it on mere principle and to participate in Fable comments. :-). Our book club is generally open minded and kind in our review and discussion of books. This one was definitely a unanimous flunk, although I appreciate that we all tried to find some thread of hope for the writer since this was her debut.

I am no writer myself, so I will stick to my day job. For this reason, I truly commend anyone who is brave enough to put their stories down on paper. The same goes for this author. However, in light of the many 5 star reviews (that I somehow feel were written by friends of the author or paid by the publisher) that we read prior to choosing this book, we were definitely mislead when we chose this book.

The storyline is creative enough, and if written well might make a cute movie. The writing, however lacks luster. It reads like a junior high play where the students wrote it themselves and are now acting it out by reading their lines instead of memorizing them and concentrating on being a relatable character. It feels like the story board lines were thrown in a blender and then tossed on the page with no sentences to string them together, invoke emotion, develop the characters or finesse the plot. It’s Harlequin cheesy romance meets Ghostbusters on their worst day.

Hopefully the author will season over time but I doubt I will read any further in the series.

[Cheryl Whybrew]

Really loved the book! What was more fun, trying to figure out the landmarks in her book.
This is the a local author for me,

I hope there is more to come from this author.

[Lucinda]

In this romantic supernatural murder mystery, Tess starts afresh in a new town and uses an inheritance to start a vintage clothing boutique, Divine Vintage. One of her customers, Esther invites her to model an elegant gown from an Edwardian ancestor at a special Tea & Style Show at the family's historical home, Carver House.
Tess has previously shown an affinity to being shown glimpses of the life of the former owners of garments. Still, nothing prepared her for the full-on emersion in the life of Phoebe and Edward Carter when she wore the Edwardian gown. Phoebe and Edward's trunks were packed to go on their honeymoon to Paris, when tragedy struck and 100 years on, no one is really sure what happened. Was it a murder-suicide or was there another explanation?
Tess finds herself compelled to investigate the mystery along with Trey, Esther's grandson. Their growing romance is complicated when Trey gets visions of Edward's point of view and is confused about whether their emotions are real or a side effect of the intense visions they share.
It is a wonderfully engaging story with delightful descriptions of the vintage clothing, and romance that grows organically into a relationship. The main characters are well-rounded and the secondary characters add extra depth and interest.

[Elisabeth]

Sandra L. Young adroitly mixes genres here: a present-day romance, a 1913 murder with the wrong man accused, a possible ghost story. As today's young couple edges forward toward romance, they are caught up in investigating an old family scandal, in which a young bridegroom supposedly killed his bride and then himself. An old diary and a trunk containing a trousseau from another generation evoke images (dreams? visions? hauntings?) that reveal what really happened in the past.

Young's real-life love of vintage clothing comes across in the novel, enlivening her deft handling of plot and dialogue. Tension rises as the links between the present and the past multiply. This is a lively, fast-moving read, one that fans of each of these genres can thoroughly enjoy.

[Rob Samborn]

What a wonderful, enjoyable read! Debut author Sandra Young whisks readers away on a journey filled with romance, style and murder. Divine Vintage is a timeless love story (in a dual timeline) entwined with a whodunnit that has haunted a family for centuries.

From Michigan City to Paris, in both past and present, Young hooks and dazzles the reader with compelling characters navigating new love while grappling with an intriguing family mystery, and more importantly - how they solve it. I'm trying not to include any spoilers here, so just read it for yourself!

[InD'tale Magazine]

What an amazingly transcendent historical romance that is beautifully written and so remarkably authentically different!

Read full review in the 2022 June issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Daryian]

This was my first read by this author and it was so well written. The details in this book are so descriptive I felt transported to the time period. It’s a historical, romance, mystery all in one and it’s done very well. This book does a great job at making the time period relatable and not feel like forever ago. I love the love between Tess and Trey and can’t wait to read more from this author!

[Catherine Bellmore]

2.5* round down.

I think this author has potential, but this needed to be flushed out a lot more.

[Jennifer Warriner]

I enjoyed reading this. I found it hard to put down because I found myself keeping reading in order to "confirm my theory" about what had happened to Edward and Pheobe. Towards the end, as the reader is given more information about what happened in the past, the more you learn about the current timeline's players. Which helps in keeping the reader's theory moving forward

I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Sandra Young]

Divine Vintage is my debut novel, and the first book I ever wrote. Though it's been reworked many times - and set aside for other ideas - it's remained the story of my heart. I hope readers fall in love with the characters and the tale, which weaves some of my favorite reading genres with my passion for vintage fashion. Romance, history, ghostly aspects, and mystery light me up as a reader, along with women's fiction and social justice issues. You'll find all those elements in this story, which offers a dual-timeline spanning a century in an artsy lakefront town. (A real town in my home county!)

Besides indulging some vintage clothing descriptions, I especially enjoyed portraying Phoebe in 1913 as a confident young woman who isn't afraid to push the social norms or be a little mischievous.

A century later, Tess is rebuilding her confidence, but she's courageous enough to open Divine Vintage, plus open herself to romance and psychic sleuthing.

And what would a romance be without handsome heroes who are smitten with the ladies? Though one of them plunges headlong into love, while the other treads much more carefully...

[Karen Guzman]

Sandra Young’s debut novel Divine Vintage invites readers into a world of intrigue and love—both torn asunder and blooming anew. Heroine Tess Burton doesn’t expect to get drawn into solving a century old murder/suicide when she opens her clothing boutique, Divine Vintage. But there’s power in those aged garments, and one elegant gown bestows a visionary hindsight on Tess that helps her uncover a long-buried mystery, as well as a new love interest of her own, the handsome Trey Dunmore.

Vintage fashion pieces help drive the narrative, revealing clues to Tess and adding a genteel sense of bygone sophistication. Young lovingly describes the styles, their details and timeless appeal, as only a true fashion lover can. Fashion is so center stage in this story, Young keeps exploring the vintage styles mentioned on her website, and there are pictures!

I was provided an ARC copy of this book, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whodunit aspect, along with the graceful writing and sensibility that infuse the narrative. Sandra Young has given readers a satisfying and promising debut novel.

--Karen Guzman, award-winning author of "Arborview" and "Homing Instincts."

[Cara Bertoia]

I was born in Charleston, S.C. where my grandmother lived in a Victorian mansion, and though it’s not Michigan City reading Divine Vintage took me back there. When you are playing in an old home, visions of ghosts and balls are never far away. The novel spans generations to solve a 100 year old crime in an ingenious way. But the novel captures the rigid social structure of the past and mixes it with a modern woman running a vintage store, facing modern social issues such as homelessness. There is romance, trips to Paris, beautiful descriptions of vintage clothing, and more than one handsome stranger. A great read.

[Lucy Vincent]

So this was a debut by this author, and I was excited to see what she had in store. I am a HUGE history buff, so this being a historical fiction book really piqued my interests. While it doesn’t have a whole lot of detailed history, it is still a wonderful book. I really like how it ties in with the modern age, with the flashes to the past. While I would have love to have more background and more perspective from the historical characters in the book, I really enjoyed this novel, and plan to read more by this author.

[Vet4Christ]

I absolutely ADORED Divine Vintage!! This is a modern romance with a historical, paranormal twist. The main romance is a slow burn but oh what a burn! Genuine sparks fly as these two unravel mysteries and fine each other in the process. Throw in an age-old murder mystery and you are hooked! Definitely a page-turner perfect for any reader!

[Debbie S]

This tale straddles slow-burn romance and suspense incredibly well. I loved that not everyone was on board like 'oh yeah, ghosts' and Tess had to coax them into believing and helping her. The descriptions of the clothes were fantastic - detailed without being overly so or detracting from the story. And the parallel love story made my day. Looking forward to more from this author!

[Jessica Pritt]

This book was very refreshing! Very different then what I have read recently. I enjoyed the mix of the present and the past. It had a wonderful steamy romance. The storyline had a great mystery that kept you curious.

[Nakyshia Leger]

This book was so intriguing and imaginative in a way that fascinated me from the first page. Being from South Louisiana, the lore of old mansions and homes has always been a love of mine. Tess loves adventure and used everything she had to open a shop where she sells vintage clothes. While modeling some of her clothes, Tess has visions of the original owner and her murder. When she meets Trey, she discovers he is a descendant of the accused murderer who wants nothing more than to clear his family’s name. Although he is skeptical, Trey agrees to join Tess in trying to use the visions and an old diary to discover the truth behind the murder.

I loved the way this book was written! The transitions between Tess’ world and the memories transitioned beautifully and were so easy to follow. Tess is spunky and up for anything, which has her diving right into the visions. Trey is her opposite and weary, but his pull to Tess has him agreeing to help her. Their connection is enthralling and kept me turning page after page! I loved joining them on the journey to discover the real story behind the murder connected to Tess’ magical dress.

[Rachel Moss]

This was a really good read! This book was interesting in a way because I've never read one quite like this before. I really enjoyed the fact that the main character, Tess, is almost basically transported back in time when she touches period piece clothing. I have never read that aspect in a story before that I can recall. I really like that this is a paranormal, historical mystery. It added a bunch of layers to this novel that it made it more entertaining and enthralling. The air of mystery makes this novel enjoyable as well. This is the first I've read from this author and I'm hoping it won't be the last!

[Cheryl]

I liked this book. The premise of the story with Tess receiving visions of the past when she puts on a gown is intriguing. The way the story mixed the present with the past was nice. However, I found myself really wanting more of the past. The little snippets I understand was to help draw more intrigue, but I would have liked the passages to be longer.

They did become more prominent the further I got into the story and that is what I found myself most interested in this story. In the beginning, Trey may not have believed Tess and what she was experiencing but he came around. He did support her. The romance between them was a bit spicy.

The last hundred pages of the book is where the story really picked up speed and all came together very nicely. Readers of historical mystery books may want to check out this one.

[Charlotte Dune]

Loved, loved, loved this wholesome, paranormal, contemporary/historical romance set around vintage clothing! As a female small business owner myself, I always appreciate books featuring heroines who own their own businesses! I also loved the dreamy architect! Liked this book so much that I passed it onto my mom!

[Jill Hall]

In Sandra L. Young’s debut novel Divine Vintage, a gorgeous guy, historic mansion, and century-old unsolved murder lead Tess on an electrifying adventure. Attic trunks stuffed with vintage clothes spark psychic sightings that might lead to solving the case. This is a unique page-turner filled with intrigue, mystery, and romancejust what every reader desires.

[Kat Dale]

Started a little choppy and rushed at the beginning but by the middle I was hooked. Predictable, fun and very fast read with a cookie cutter ending. My only complaint was for the mention of murder, I felt no suspense.

[Tara Johnson]

Tess has risked everything she has to open her vintage clothing store called Divine Vintage. She has always had a love for fine clothing from past eras and chooses to put her love for vintage clothing into something that she can pursue full time as more than a hobby. With the opening of her boutique, she is introduced to Trey and his elderly aunt when they come into the store during Divine Vintage’s grand opening. Trey’s Aunt offers Tess the opportunity to attend a fashion show wearing a beautiful gown from the Edwardian era that had once belonged to one of her ancestors. During the fashion show Tess is overcome with visions of the young girl Phoebe who had last worn the gown. Tess is struck with visions of the young girl’s murder and is determined to solve the crime that occurred centuries ago. Seeing the murder through Phoebe's eyes makes Tess realize that there was maybe more to the old stories about Phoebe's husband who was accused of committing the murder.

Trey is a descendant of the young bride Phoebe who was murdered a century or so ago. The brutal murder of Phoebe by her new husband has tainted the family's legacy. Trey does not necessarily believe in visions or the spirit world but with a little bit of coaching from his mother and his aunt, Trey reluctantly agrees to help young Tess. He too wants to clear up his family's legacy. Tess and Trey start reading Phoebe's diary in the hopes that they can find clues as to who her true murderer could possibly be. As they read through the diary, they find several people that could be suspects. With their growing time together Tess and Trey start to feel their own connection to one another but become confused by this connection. They do not know if it is because of their connection to the couple whose lives they've been able to see through visions, or if it's their own feelings for each other.

I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed this book. I read it from cover to cover and found it impossible to put down. I was immediately drawn in by Tess's love of vintage clothing. I was even more drawn in by the diary entries and by Tess being able to see through the eyes of Phoebe as though she were there herself. I loved the feelings and the brief visions that Tess was able to pick up from the vintage clothing when she touched them. I was fascinated by how she was able to get a sense of who each person was that had previously worn the clothing. I love history and I've always loved old buildings and wondered what the story was of the people that live there. Naturally, I found the concept of Tess seeing past lives of those who had worn the clothing very intriguing. I would love to be able to do the same by touching an old building or an old piece of clothing. What a unique and special ability to have.

I'm really hoping that they author has plans to pursue the adventures of Tess and her bond to the vintage clothing. I would love to read more stories where Tess is presented with visions of the past owners of the clothing, and she is able to solve past mysteries. I think if Trey were to come along for the ride it wouldn't be so bad either. Trey was a likable character and despite his wealth was a down-to-earth guy with a good heart and good values. Perhaps the two of them could team up and see what new adventures the spirit guides of the vintage clothing take them on. A must read for anyone who loves history, vintage clothing, and a good old-fashioned murder mystery.

[Randy Overbeck]

An Intriguing Mixture of Romance, Mystery and Fashion

Divine Vintage by Sandra Young is an interesting read with multiple threads to pull readers in. The author has created a tale of romance and mystery which feels authentic and accessible even with the paranormal touch. Tess Burton is a young woman with a past fractured love life who is determined to start anew with something old. She moves to quaint town of Michigan City to open a vintage clothing store—think 1900-1960’s. Quite soon, she encounters a local family who have a special interest in her vintage venture. Theirs is an old, established family in the town who have their own share of classic pieces of clothing, a drop dead handsome heir named Trey Dunmore and an intriguing family mystery which goes back a hundred years.
The novel is equal parts romance and historical mystery—thought the mystery is a little thin—with a thread of paranormal woven into the fabric. The whoo-hoo does not overwhelm the other elements but rather adds a mystical quality to the storytelling. Also, Young’s descriptions are a particular strength, especially when she is describing the interesting dresses, sweaters, tuxes and tops. Interestingly enough, she uses these same vintage pieces of clothing as entree into the paranormal experience and eventually to the mystery itself. The historical excursions add another interesting layer to the narrative and I found the romance sweet with just the right amount of sensuality to get readers’ imaginations humming.
The author also uses the narrative to highlight the struggles of homeless and humanizes the problem in a way that will inform many readers. I was impressed. Told from the twin POV’s of Tess and Trey, Divine Vintage is a fun read with two interesting protagonists whom readers will root for.

[Rach3l]

This was a great read! I loved how the author mixed in the current time with flashbacks to the early 1900s. It was interesting to see Phoebe and Edward relationship in comparison to Tess and Trey.

Side note: I received a copy of this book in exchange for a honest review