Fiction Book Reviews

Book Review: Miss Scarlet's School of Patternless Sewing

By Sandy Amazeen Mar 7, 2011, 1:11 GMT

Talented clothing designer and seamstress Scarlet Santana decided to give up a promising engineering career in favor of following her dream of success in haute couture. It was a move her family strongly disapproved of, especially as Scarlet’s demanding boss refused to recognize her hard work. Undeterred, Scarlet hits upon the idea of teaching a series of sewing classes to fund her tuition into New York’s prestigious Johnny Scissor’s Emerging Designers Program only to have her classroom space taken away at the last minute. Record shop owner Marco Vega adores Scarlet but has carefully kept his feelings to himself. When he learned of Scarlet’s classroom predicament Marco offers the empty space adjacent to his shop setting the stage for a budding romance.

As Scarlet continues to face challenges and push herself beyond endurance, her students begin to bond, even control-freak Mary Theresa who is dealing with a separation and two young boys, begins unbend and let loose enough to begin enjoying the classes. What Scarlet doesn’t know, is that one of her students holds the key that could forever change her life.

Book two of the Crafty Chica novels is a warm, sweet celebration of the power of friendship and the ability to change for the better. It is a treat watching the finely developed characters discover themselves and one can only wonder at Scarlet’s patience with her derisive family who fail to appreciate her abilities. Liberally laced with humor, sewing tips including how to construct a duct tape body double and more, this light chic-lit sparkles.