Book Review: A Vintage Affair

By Melissa Amster

When I first received and read a summary of "A Vintage Affair," I didn't know if it was a story that would interest me. Maybe I was just distracted at the time because I picked it up again last week and it sounded incredibly interesting. As soon as I opened the book, I was completely drawn in to the world of Phoebe Swift and all the people who became a part of her life.

After working auctions for Sotheby's, Phoebe Swift decides to open her own vintage clothing shop following a tragic incident with her best friend. In doing so, she inadvertently makes good things happen for the people who come into her store and buy the clothing. She also meets an elderly woman with a story that affects her deeply. To top things off, she even has two suitors vying for her affections.

With "A Vintage Affair," Isabel Wolff has written a beautiful and touching story. I fell in love with it after a couple of chapters and was recommending it to my friends and fellow chick lit lovers early on, not knowing that it would get even better. It reminded me of "Winter Garden" (by Kristin Hannah) in a way, which is a good thing, but it also had its own life outside of the historical references and flashbacks to the past. I have only one completely minor criticism, which is that Ms. Wolff should translate any statements made in a foreign language, as I felt I was missing out on bits and pieces of the story by not knowing French. However, the way the French was incorporated in the story added to its overall genuine feel and didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a wonderful and memorable novel to read and I look forward to reading other novels from Ms. Wolff in the future.