A Dangerous Dress [Paperback]

Julia Holden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 27, 2006

If there’s one dress that could make Jane Stuart think that anything is possible, it’s her late grandmother’s vintage 1920s Parisian dress. And when the dress becomes her ticket out of Kirland, Indiana, Jane takes her first tentative steps on her own reckless, passionate, and oh-so-dangerous adventure....

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Julia Holden is addictive . . . infectiously so.”
––Meg Cabot, Author of The Princess Diaries and Queen of Babble

About the Author

Julia Holden is the pseudonym for a Hollywood-based executive in the entertainment business. This is her first novel.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: NAL Trade (June 27, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451218647
• ISBN-13: 978-0451218643
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 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 (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #915,898 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Even Grandmothers have Adventures, October 19, 2007

By 

Wyvernfriend (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Dangerous Dress (Paperback)

Jane loved her Grandmother. When her grandmother died Jane inherited a dress. It was dark blue, embroidered with millions of beads and beautiful. A dress that would stop crowds, but why did Jane's Grandmother have it sitting in an old suitcase with a menu for Le Tour d'Argent, a fancy restaurant in Paris?

When she's in college she finds that it's a Parisian dress from 1928 and considered a classic. So she bases a paper on it, calls it "A Dangerous Dress" and her lecturer likes it, enough to send it to an competition, where it wins 3rd place.

This leads Hollywood to her door and a chance to be involved in a film in Paris, which she embraces (even if she has to get an emergency passport!). She finds herself embroiled in adventures and love, as well as the mystery of why her grandmother had that dress. However she also finds herself embroidled in hate and some very low moments.

It's chicklit, it's a romance but it's fun. It's also written in the first person by a character who's a bit of an innocent abroad so those who dislike that will dislike the book, I enjoyed it and found it quite fun, if light.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun, Witty and Magical., March 15, 2009

By 

Ambrosia Jefferson (IN, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Dangerous Dress (Paperback)

First person books can be hard to get into if you're not used to that style. But that is not the case with A Dangerous dress; it's a fun flirty romp of chic lit fun. Jane is from a small town in Indiana, but she has found that life offers a lot more excitement than just small town gossip.

When Jane inherits the 1920's Parisian dress from her grandmother she finds herself swept up into a whirl wind. A woman who believes in Cinderella stories she finds herself swept up into one because of this dress. Soon the small town girl has Hollywood and love affairs at her feet. This is not a book that will make you think hard, so if you're looking for that this is not the book for you. But if you're looking for a book that offers some fun that will make you laugh, I recommend this one.

A witty, well written piece it will keep you fully enthralled. I sat down and ended up reading this book in one day, I just couldn't put it down. If you like chic lit you will really enjoy this book, and you might find yourself feeling a little whimsical about a special dress in your closet. Jane shows you that weather you're in a small town, or a large city there is always something going on. It is not all fun and games for Jane though, like any person she does have her low points and you will follow her through them. But things perk up again for Jane, and the dress seems to work its special magic.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful!, August 21, 2007

By 

Butterscotch (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Dangerous Dress (Paperback)

I am so happy to have come upon this jewel of a book. Jane is an art/college student who writes a paper about a dress that has some rather 'dangerous' properties. The dress, which once belonged to her grandmother is the catalyst for the rest of the book - Jane is spirited off to Paris and NYC as a result of the dress, and her life takes some interesting turns as well. Because of the dress? Maybe so. The entire concept of the dangerous dress is quite unique, and the story was very entertaining, funny, and involving. The narration is first-person, and Jane is the commentator throughout; in fact, she speaks directly to the reader at times, and her commentary is fun. The book is witty and entertaining and is better than your average 'chick-lit' offering. In fact, I wouldn't even call this chick-lit, just an entertaining story. One of the best parts of the book are the settings too; Holden definitely captures the essence of Paris and does a great job of making you feel like you are right there with the characters. Holden's next book is a definite must for me, and this should be a definite must for you!