HF Virtual Book Tours Review: Astor Place Vintage by Stephanie Lehmann

Title: Astor Place Vintage
Author: Stephanie Lehmann
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Touchstone
Publish Date: June 11, 2013
Source: HF Virtual Book Tours

Why You're Reading This Book:

• You're a historical fiction fan.
• You have an interest in vintage clothing.
• You like strong characters.

What's the Story?:

From Goodreads.com: "When a vintage clothing store owner in New York City discovers a journal from 1907, she finds her destiny at stake as the past and present collide. The past has a seductive allure to Amanda Rosenbloom, especially when it comes to vintage clothing. She’s devoted to running her shop, Astor Place Vintage, but with Manhattan’s rising rents and a troubled economy, it’s tough to keep the business alive. Meanwhile, she can’t bring herself to end an affair with a man who really should be history. When Amanda finds a journal sewn into a fur muff she’s recently acquired for the shop, she’s happy to escape into the world of Olive Westcott, a young lady who lived in New York City one hundred years ago.

As Amanda becomes immersed in the journal, she learns the future appeals to Olive. Olive looks forward to a time when repressive Victorian ideas have been replaced by more modern ways of thinking. But the financial panic of 1907 thrusts her from a stable, comfortable life into an uncertain and insecure existence. She’s resourceful and soon finds employment, but as she’s drawn into the social circle of shopgirls living on the edge of poverty, Olive is tempted to take risks that could bring her to ruin. Reading Olive’s woes, Amanda discovers a secret that could save her future and keep her from dwelling in the past.

It’s Olive, however, who ends up helping Amanda, through revelations that come in the final entries of the journal. As the lives of these two women merge, Amanda is inspired to stop living in the past and take control of her future."

My Two Cents:

"Astor Place Vintage" about two women living during very different times. In 2007, Amanda is a down on her luck vintage clothing store owner whose life seems to be falling apart. In 1907, Olive is a driven young woman who is trying to build up her life after losing her beloved father. Both women are living in New York City and both are striving to create something out of their lives. Amanda finds Olive's diary and begins to piece together the mystery of her life.

As with so many books that take place during two times, I enjoyed Olive's story set in the past a little bit more. That being said, I still enjoyed Amanda's story as well even though she kept making a lot of really bad choices when it came to her love life. Olive's story was so engaging. I really felt for her because she lived during a time where her dreams of working in a department store and being a buyer were really not seen as being something that women should do.

I also really enjoyed the setting. I absolutely love reading about New York City. I really enjoyed being able to see both Amanda and Olive's New Yorks. I really liked that the author included pictures of NYC from Olive's time. It was so cool to see how different things were then and really allowed me to picture the things that Olive felt and saw. It was definitely a nice touch.

I would recommend this book to historical fiction lovers who love great characters and New York City!  

Follow the Rest of the Tour:

Monday, July 8
Review at Confessions of an Avid Reader
Tuesday, July 9
Review at Ageless Pages Reviews
Wednesday, July 10
Review at Turning the Pages
Interview at Let Them Read Books
Thursday, July 11
Review at So Many Books, So Little Time
Friday, July 12
Review at The Lit Bitch
Review at Peeking Between the Pages
Monday, July 15
Review at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!
Tuesday, July 16
Review at A Bookish Affair
Wednesday, July 17
Guest Post at A Bookish Affair
Thursday, July 18
Review at A Bookish Libraria
Friday, July 19
Interview at Oh, for the Hook of a Book!