The NerdHerd Reads: Vintage {by Susan Gloss}

Title: Vintage

Author: Susan Gloss

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

At Hourglass Vintage in Madison, Wisconsin, every item in the boutique has a story to tell . . . and so do the women who are drawn there.
Yellow Samsonite suitcase with ivory, quilted lining, 1950s...Violet Turner had always dreamed of owning a shop like Hourglass Vintage. Though she knows the personal history behind each precious item she sells, Violet refuses to acknowledge her own past. When she is faced with the possibility of losing the store, she realizes that, as much as she wants to, she cannot save it alone.
Taffeta tea length wedding gown with scooped neckline and cap sleeves, 1952...Eighteen-year-old April Morgan is nearly five months along in an unplanned pregnancy when her hasty engagement is broken. When she returns the perfect 1950s wedding dress, she discovers unexpected possibilities and friends who won't let her give up on her dreams.
Orange sari made from silk dupioni with gold paisley design, 1968...Betrayed by her husband, Amithi Singh begins selling off her old clothes, remnants of her past life. After decades of housekeeping and parenting a daughter who rejects her traditional ways, she fears she has nothing more ahead for her.
An engaging story that beautifully captures the essence of women's friendship and love, Vintage is a charming tale of possibility, of finding renewal and hope when we least expect it.

I loved this book. I don't read a lot of adult fiction, but I enjoyed this one. It was a sweet and easy read, and the vintage element added a lot more fun. I loved getting to know the three characters, and how their lives intertwined because of this store.

Violet owns a vintage store. After escaping a bad marriage, Violet has finally gotten to do what she always wanted. But, she is getting older, and she can't stop her wistful thinking for a family, a child. April is 18-years-old, and pregnant. She buys her wedding dress from Violet's store, only for her engagement to be broken, leaving her to return her perfect dress. Amithi has been married for over 40 years, when she discovers her husband's betrayal. With a grown daughter, no work experience, and all her family back in India, Amithi is stuck. She begins cleaning out her closet, bringing things to Violet's store to be sold off.

Each of the characters were in different stages of life, and also marriage. Yet they were able to come together for each other. Each voice was written uniquely, as to really showcase the differences between the women. The story was written in the present, but with flashbacks. This could have become really confusing, but it wasn't. It was well-done, and really characterized each of the women.

Okay, I might have especially loved that there was an Indian woman in here, and I think Gloss did an exceptional job of relaying the struggles that come with being an Indian woman who leaves her family behind to come here with her husband, as well as the struggles that come with raising a daughter in two cultures. Everything rang true, and I loved the showcase of diversity.

The story may have been considered predictable, but I didn't care, because it was very well done. It was equally full of emotions and humor (drag queens, anyone?). This was an excellent debut, and I will definitely be picking up whatever Susan Gloss writes next.

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