The Little French Bridal Shop

January 25, 2021
Dupee’s uneven debut features two protagonists drawn together by their love for a seaside Massachusetts house and shared ambivalence about marriage. As teenagers, Larisa Pearl and Jack Merrill met at Larisa’s Aunt Ursula’s home, Elmhurst, where Jack worked as caretaker. Now nearing 40, Larisa returns to prepare the house for sale following her aunt’s death. Her personal life is in shambles: she recently lost her job and provoked a dramatic breakup with her boyfriend. Upon arriving in town, she impulsively buys a wedding dress from the eponymous shop—despite having no intention to marry. Her purchase inevitably sparks small-town gossip, which snowballs until Larisa is planning a wedding without a groom. Jack, meanwhile, has grown into “a bad husband, a mediocre father.” After getting the boot from his wife, Holly, he moves into Elmhurst and offers to help Larisa with renovations. The story begins with the feel of a romantic comedy, but becomes increasingly heavy in tone and subject matter—with subplots about Larisa coming to terms with her mother’s dementia and Jack’s half-hearted efforts to save his marriage despite his attraction to Larisa—as Dupee expands on the theme that “everyone is hard to live with... even oneself.” This will appeal to readers looking for more sober romance.

February 1, 2021

DEBUT With her mother sinking into increasing dementia, Larisa Pearl's coping skills leave something to be desired. She has lost her job, has fought with her boyfriend, and is engaging in deceptions small and large--including stepping into the Little French Bridal Shop, trying on all the gowns, and pretending that she'll be getting married in June. It's a lie that might work elsewhere, but this is Larisa's hometown. She's returned to the small Massachusetts seaside town to fix up her late great-aunt Ursula's home, Elmhurst, in preparation for selling it. The long-term caretaker of Elmhurst, Jack Merrill, is having problems of his own. His marriage is fraying and he's unsure of how his life will change now that Ursula is gone. Once Jack's wife asks for a separation, forcing him to move into a room in Elmhurst, he and Larisa become reacquainted. VERDICT Dupee's debut novel doesn't have a happy-ever-after ending. It's crisply written, but readers may find the characters a little opaque; the reasons behind their actions aren't always clear. Still the book is strung through with the hope that life's hard times don't last forever. Readers will enjoy seeing Larisa and Jack find that hope.--Jennifer Mills, Shorewood-Troy Lib., IL

Copyright 2021 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2021
Buying a wedding dress with no fianc� is just one of many recent rash decisions Larisa Pearl has made. Coming home after losing her job and her boyfriend, Larisa just wants to renovate her family's estate, Elmhurst, so she can sell it and move on. She steps into the town bridal shop on a whim, and walks out with a dress. All of a sudden she's got flowers confirmed and a wedding date set--but still no groom. Enter Jack Merrill, Elmhurst's caretaker and Larisa's former classmate. His marriage is on the rocks and he grows dangerously close to Larisa while they renovate Elmhurst together. Through it all, Larisa is dealing (or, more like not dealing) with her mother's descent into dementia, grieving the mother she used to have and feeling unmoored by the change. The dress was just a distraction, but it might be the thing that brings her back to her mother. The Little French Bridal Shop is a compelling debut that explores grief, love, and finding yourself.

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