A Vintage Affair: A Novel [Paperback]

Isabel Wolff (Author)

Book Description

Release date: April 5, 2011

Every dress has a history. And so does every woman.
 
Phoebe Swift’s friends are stunned when she abruptly leaves a plum job to open her own vintage clothing shop in London—but to Phoebe, it’s the fulfillment of a dream, and her passion. Digging for finds in attics and wardrobes, Phoebe knows that when you buy a piece of vintage clothing, you’re not just buying fabric and thread—you’re buying a piece of someone’s past. But one particular article of clothing will soon unexpectedly change her life.

Thérèse Bell, an elderly Frenchwoman, has an impressive clothing collection. But among the array of elegant suits and couture gowns, Phoebe finds a child’s sky-blue coat—an item with which Mrs. Bell is stubbornly reluctant to part. As the two women become friends, Phoebe will learn the poignant tale of that little blue coat. And she will discover an astonishing connection between herself and Thérèse Bell—one that will help her heal the pain of her own past and allow her to love again.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

When vintage clothing expert Phoebe Swift decides to abandon her career as a Sotheby’s auctioneer, she opens London’s Village Vintage, selling only the best recycled designer duds. However, it isn’t long before we discover that the cupcake dresses and alligator clutches that populate her quaint neighborhood shop aren’t Phoebe’s only baggage. Reeling from the death of a close friend and the subsequent collapse of her wedding engagement, Phoebe is in need of a change. She certainly loves the clothing she sells for its history, but it takes a new and profound friendship with the elderly client Mrs. Bell to show Phoebe to care for herself in the same way. Although the novel is sometimes predictable, UK best-seller Wolff keeps us entertained by sending a few courtiers Phoebe’s way and threading intriguing wartime historical fiction into Mrs. Bell’s backstory. Readers with a passion for couture fashion will appreciate (and feel vindicated by!) Wolff’s well-researched and intricate descriptions of beautiful, significant vintage pieces. While the dialogue is occasionally a bit bloated, this book is a smooth read with enough flair and fun for the beach or the pool. --Annie Bostrom --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

“A captivating story about the power of friendship . . . More than a novel, it is a recipe for happiness.”—Anne Fortier, New York Times bestselling author of Juliet

“Romantic and sumptuous, this is a must for fans of vintage dresses and vintage romance.”—Hester Browne, author of The Little Lady Agency
 
“This colorful new novel has something for everyone. There is mystery, romance, great characters, as well as London and France.”—Naples Daily News
 
“Deftly blends past and present, romance and mystery, and a theme of forgiveness and redemption.”—Mary Kincaid, The Huffington Post

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Bantam (April 5, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 055338662X
• ISBN-13: 978-0553386622
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.8 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (191 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #18,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Literature & Fiction > British > Contemporary

More About the Author

Isabel Wolff read English at Cambridge and was a journalist and BBC broadcaster before becoming a full time writer. A Sunday Times best-seller, her nine poignant romantic comedies have been published in 29 languages and include 'Making Minty Malone', 'Behaving Badly' 'Out of the Blue' and 'Rescuing Rose'. 'A Vintage Affair' was an Amazon.co.uk 'Best of the Year' title, 2009, and in 2011 was shortlisted for the American Libraries Association Reading List award. Isabel's latest novel, 'The Very Picture of You' was published by Random House Inc in October 2011. Isabel lives in London's Notting Hill with her partner, their children and her stepchildren and in her spare time enjoys playing table football. For more information please visit www.IsabelWolff.com or go to 'Isabel Wolff, Author' on Facebook, or follow her on Twitter. Thank you...

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

89 of 91 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars NOT just chick lit! April 21, 2010

By Kokopelli VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Most of the other reviews have gone over the plot of this charming book, so I won't belabor that. What I will do is tell you that I absolutely LOVED A Vintage Affair and didn't put it down until I finished it in one day. Now, for me, that is NOT just chick lit. This book has a wonderful main character, Phoebe Swift, who narrates the story and captured my heart early on, in the Prologue. She's definitely not perfect, and we feel her confusion, her disappointment, and most of all, her regrets. But she's also filled with passion and enthusiasm and hope, and we, the readers, are taken along for the ride. Phoebe is not afraid to risk in love or in business, but she is unable to get beyond regrets about what she sees as her own failings. There's also a bittersweet story of World War II friendship and tragedy that parallels in many ways a complex friendship in Phoebe's own immediate past. Both stories of betrayal and friendship touched me deeply, and I have to admit that tears were flowing freely as I read.

What makes this book a can't-put-it-down page-turner is the fact that mystery lurks around every corner, as does coincidence (or fate?), and this combination, while it may strain credulity at times, also keeps the reader guessing and hoping, right along with Phoebe. In addition to mystery, there's romance that includes just about all the various shades of romantic entanglements, including lost love, found love with complications, and budding romance with great potential. Somehow the author manages to keep it believable enough that the reader is swept along with the story, unable to put the book down or forget about what's going to happen next.

To make the novel even more interesting, there are fascinating details about vintage fashion, classic films, vineyards, and World War II in Europe. The story is set in England, and the British setting provides interest without becoming off-putting to American readers. Somehow this author pulls all the above together beautifully, even though this review may make it sound like a hodgepodge of plots. The successfully unifying elements are friendship, parent-child relationships, romance, and regrets, and who can't identify with most all those facets of life? I adored A Vintage Affair, and I highly recommend it. I definitely intend to investigate other novels by Isabel Wolff.

44 of 44 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I want to give this book 6 stars! May 29, 2010

By Susan Bleiweiss VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I wish I could give this book 6 stars because 5 doesn't seem like enough. I'm not going to bore you with another recap of the plot in this review but I will say this about it: it's the first book I've read in a long time where the plot unfolded for me as a surprise rather than an expectation. I loved every second of reading this book because the author did such a great job of not giving away too much at once. Phoebe, the main character is incredibly charming and likable. All the characters in the book are so well written that by the time you turn the last page you can't help but feel a connection with all of them. The descriptions of the garments are described in such a way that you have no trouble seeing in your mind what they look like. Don't pass this book by if you're not into vintage clothing or couture because there's so much more here than that. This book will make you laugh and cry but most of all it will make you glad to have read it. I will definitely seek out other books written by this author!

41 of 49 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Lovely Story April 16, 2010

By Adriana

Format:Paperback

I love fashion so when I read the summary I knew I must read this book so I was really excited when I won. It was a light romantic novel with some heavier stories told within the main plot of the book.

Phoebe Swift's love for all things vintage leads to her opening her own shop, Village Vintage. She meets many different and unique people with many wonderful stories. One of these people is Mrs. Therese Bell who grew up during the war in the 1940's. She tells her story of growing up during the war and the person she felt she betrayed and has kept a part of it, the beautiful blue coat, to herself all these years. Which is something Phoebe could relate to all to well.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The descriptions of the vintage clothing was wonderfully detailed, I could picture every outfit perfectly. I enjoyed the story of Mrs. Bell somewhat more than I did the main storyline with Phoebe, but Phoebe's was just as interesting to read about.

There were so many characters each with their own individual personalities. Phoebe's two or well three, I suppose, love interests Miles the older man with the snobbish daughter, Dan a sweet and quirky journalist/ film aficionado, and of course the ex-fiance she left behind. One of my favorite characters was her mother who was obsessed with wanting to stay young and learning about all these different procedures she was thinking of doing. I enjoyed all of the characters even the not so nice ones.

A Vintage Affair was a really fun and at times sad book to read. It makes me want to open up my own vintage shop in hopes of meeting a wonderful person like Mrs. Bell and being surrounded by all the beautiful clothing.