Thursday, April 29, 2021

Friday Focus: The Friday 56 and Book Beginnings

 

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It's Friday . . . time to share book excerpts with:
  • Book Beginnings on Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, where bloggers share the first sentence or more of a current read, as well as initial thoughts about the sentence(s), impressions of the book, or anything else that the opening inspires.  
  • The Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice, where you grab a book and turn to page 56 (or 56% of an eBook), find one or more interesting sentences (no spoilers), and post them.

Today I'm featuring an upcoming read, The Little French Bridal Shop by Jennifer Dupee. The excerpts shared are from a hardcover version borrowed from the library.

 

The Little French Bridal Shop


Beginning: The house, a stately brick Colonial, stood at the peak of a grassy hill, the slope of its great rolling lawn dotted with graceful elms and sycamores, on the easterly side of the tiny seaside town of Kent Crossing, on the North Shore of Massachusetts.

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Page 56: "Mommy, Mommy," he howled, "some lady's giving me the evil eye!"

Horrified, Larisa had hidden her face in her book before the mother could pick her out of the crowd. My God, when had she become that person?

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My thoughts:  The opening lines and 56 excerpt are a nice introduction to the setting and the main character, who experiences an embarrassing moment during her commute. Given the pandemic's effect on weddings, I think this story will provide a nice escape into some virtual wedding planning.

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

Is a lie of omission still a lie? Larisa Pearl didn't think so and it got her into a heap of trouble.

When Larisa Pearl returns to her small seaside hometown in Massachusetts to manage her beloved great aunt's estate, she's a bit of an emotional mess. She's just lost her job and her boyfriend and she's struggling to cope with her mother's failing health. When she passes by the window of The Little French Bridal Shop, a beautiful ivory satin wedding gown catches her eye...

Now, to the delight of everyone in town, Larisa is planning her wedding. She has her dress, made floral arrangements, and set the date. The only thing missing is the groom. How did this happen? All she did was try on a dress and let her fantasy take flight. But word about her upcoming nuptials has reached the ears of Jack Merrill. As teenagers, they spent time together on her great aunt's estate, building a friendship that could have become something more had they chosen different paths.

Lost in a web of her own lies, Larisa must first face some difficult truths, including her mother's fragile future, before she can embrace her family, straighten out her life, and open her heart to finding love.




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This Friday Focus: The Friday 56 & Book Beginnings post was originally composed and/or compiled and published by Catherine for the blog, bookclublibrarian.com.  It cannot be republished without attribution. 

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10 comments:

  1. So the French Bridal Shop is set in Massachusetts? I was hoping for a trip to Paris. My book this week is Saving My Enemy

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    1. A trip to Paris would be such a treat--as would any air travel.

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  2. I agree with Anne. I was hoping it was set in France. Guess we're all having flights of fancy.

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    1. No telling when air travel will become normal again--guess flights of fancy will have to suffice until then.

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  3. Great excerpts! Now I want to keep reading. Here's mine: “FALLOUT”

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  4. Kids say the darndest things!! LOL. Happy weekend!

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  5. This does sound really good, Catherine! I love the premise and want to know how it plays out for dear Larisa. Can you imagine? Love that second excerpt. I had to chuckle as I read it. Have a great weekend!

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