Review :: The Dress by E.R. Cullen

I’ve been loving romance novels lately and when E.R. Cullen’s debut novel The Dress came across my radar I just had a feeling that it was going to hit the spot – small town setting and a sewing focus – what’s not to love? Turns out I was right and I loved this book and its characters from cover to cover. Check out the synopsis below, then read on for a bit more info on what I loved about this sweet story.

What is The Dress by E.R. Cullen about?

Charlotte Baker has a shopping problem when it comes to wedding gowns. She just can’t help but rescue them—the tired, the stained, the hopelessly outdated. She’s great at fixing dresses, but her dreams of one day selling her creative designs have yet to take flight. But when her cousin’s wedding gown is a no-show just weeks before the wedding, Charlotte has to solve the bridal emergency, whether she’s ready for her designer debut or not.

Adam MacDonald is out of work and out of ideas for the direction of his life. With his dad facing health issues, Adam has come home to Jennings Township. Temporarily—a heartbreak from his past always keeps him looking forward. Helping at his parents’ dry-cleaning business, he’s supposed to be determining his next big adventure. But the next big adventure isn’t as promising as it used to be, leaving Adam at the biggest crossroads of his life.

When Charlotte comes to pick up her latest rescue, she and Adam are drawn to each other in ways they never expected. With the help of some meddling moms, Charlotte and Adam find themselves working together on her latest project. With each glance and electrifying touch, it becomes harder for them to deny the obvious attraction between them.

Can Adam break free of his patterns of his past? Will Charlotte be able to finish the dress in time for the wedding? Does the perfect lace actually exist?

My review of E.R. Cullen’s The Dress

There was soooo much to love in this book – it really hits right on so many things I like to see in romance books!

To start off with, I really liked the characters we meet in The Dress. Charlotte is unsure of herself, and that comes through in her parts of the story, but in a genuine way that I found easy to get along with. I really loved seeing the growth in her confidence as her story progressed. Adam was also very sweet and seeing him work through his uncertainty about his next move gave him more dimension than I think we sometimes see in male leads of romance novels.

The small-town setting of The Dress is just perfect for giving a great cast of supporting characters. This is something I really enjoy in a cosy book series because it really makes it feel like visiting friends each time you reading. As well as the wonderful inhabitants of Jennings Townships another cosy must-have of mine that was ticked by this book was the bakery! I love a great local bakery and it was fun to read about the many delicious treats the characters indulged in.

Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the book is the way Cullen has written the relationships between the characters. The main romantic relationship felt authentic and sweet, and the pacing of the characters falling for eachother really worked for me. Just as lovely were the relationships and support between Charlotte and her friends, and also the chosen family vibes of her relationships with some of the store owners and people around the town. It was really beautifully done and I’m already looking forward to visiting again!

Overall I think this is a super sweet read that I would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a new cosy romance to pick up. For me the highlights were definitely the characters and the relationships between them, with the delicious treats and amazing sewing details being bonuses for me too. This was a book that had me thinking about the characters when I wasn’t reading it, and I can’t wait to spend more time with them.

xo Bron
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The Dress by E.R. Cullen
Out now
Source: I bought the e-book of this one – it was actually my first read on my new kindle!
Category: Contemporary cosy romance

The Dress on Goodreads.
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