The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison
Author: Meredith Jaffe
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Genre: Modern & Contemporary Fiction
Year of release: 2021
Release Date: 5TH May 2021
Rating 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Synopsis
Derek’s daughter Debbie is getting married. He’s desperate to be there, but he’s banged up in Yarrandarrah Correctional Centre for embezzling funds from the golf club, and, thanks to his ex-wife, Lorraine, he hasn’t spoken to Debbie in years. He wants to make a grand gesture – to show her how much he loves her. But what? Inspiration strikes while he’s embroidering a cushion at his weekly prison sewing circle – he’ll make her a wedding dress. His fellow stitchers rally around and soon this motley gang of crims is immersed in a joyous whirl of silks, satins and covered buttons. But as time runs out and tensions rise both inside and outside the prison, the wedding dress project takes on greater significance. With lives at stake, Derek feels his chance to reconcile with Debbie is slipping through his fingers …A funny, dark and moving novel about finding humanity, friendship and redemption in unexpected places.
Review
Debbie Brown is getting married. Ticking items off the to do list before her big day arrives; only one big ticket item is left…. Perhaps two but don’t tell Debbie’s mum that.
Derek Brown finds out his only child and daughter is getting married in 7 months’ time, he’s not to sold on the groom and the fact he’s daughter is the bride is impossible to believe! She’s too young! He wishes she’d wait; he wishes he was the one to walk her down the aisle, but there’s a slight obstacle standing in Derek’s way…. Derek Brown is an inmate inside Yarrandarrah Correctional centre.
Sure, Derek and Debbie haven’t had communication in years but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t written her every week for 5 years. Derek still loves his daughter and wants to be part of her big day if only he knew how?
An idea begins to knit together in his head whilst he’s embroidering his latest project at the prison’s weekly sewing circle, if only he could see how to bring this idea to life and maybe, just maybe he’ll stop feeling like a failure in his own life? And in the eyes of the person who matters most to him, his daughter Debbie.
Reading the synopsis had me eager to discover just how this story would work but the minute I met the other inmates and staff of the correctional centre I knew I was on to a winner with a character-based story; the element I look for most in a book.
I took a liking to the friendship between Derek and Parker which I realised outside of the sewing circle was all these men had to pass the time, I wasn’t expecting to take on board the rights and the freedoms when it comes to some of the inmates and their crimes.
You’d be forgiven thinking this was a just another fluffy read based on the cover, but thanks to Meredith Jaffe’s skilled writing the moments of humour, heart, redemption and humans’ flaws are woven effortlessly throughout this book. The detail that stood out the most for me was The Dressmakers of Yarrandarrah Prison has a sharp edge; that in the beginning I wasn’t sure I would enjoy as much but, in the end, I found that sharp edge was what will make this read standout to readers of this genre.
Some may find this book a little slow on releasing information when it comes to the characters and conflict resolutions, but I enjoyed this fact as the story has other continuous moving parts that keep the plotline in motion whilst waiting to discover these facts and the reader eager to reach the conclusion.
Reaching the end, I realised I wanted more, I believe an epilogue would have suited this book I would love a sequel even more, add this to your bookshelf.
With continued thanks to HarperCollins Australia and Author Meredith Jaffe for sending this copy to read and review.
