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The Valentine Wedding Dress
Let New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods sweep you away with this acclaimed novella about uncovering long-hidden secrets.
Drawn to an old trunk in the attic, Lara Calhoun is unable to resist finding out what treasure her late, beloved mother had kept hidden away for all these years. Her unexpected discovery soon turns her world upside down and makes her second-guess everything she's ever believed about her mother and about love. Will it lead her straight into Dave Lafferty's arms—or make her turn away from the love of a lifetime?
Drawn to an old trunk in the attic, Lara Calhoun is unable to resist finding out what treasure her late, beloved mother had kept hidden away for all these years. Her unexpected discovery soon turns her world upside down and makes her second-guess everything she's ever believed about her mother and about love. Will it lead her straight into Dave Lafferty's arms—or make her turn away from the love of a lifetime?
40 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2007
104 people are currently reading
305 people want to read
About the author
Sherryl Woods
558 books4,547 followersWith two other careers to her credit before becoming a novelist and four states in which she's lived for extended periods of time, Sherryl Woods has collected friends and memories, along with way too much unnecessary junk.
"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."
The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.
A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.
In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.
When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.
"The friends are the only things I've brought with me through the years that really matter," she says. "I could probably live without one more chintz teacup, another tin-litho sandpail or another snowglobe, but I need those friends."
The theme of enduring friendships and families is always central to Sherryl's books, including her latest Chesapeake Shores series — THE INN AT EAGLE POINT, FLOWERS ON MAIN and HARBOR LIGHTS.
Author of more than 100 romance and mystery novels, Sherryl Woods grew up in Virginia. Over the years she had lived in Ohio and Florida, as well as California. Currently she divides her time between Key Biscayne, Florida and Colonial Beach, Virginia, the small, river-front town where she spent her childhood summers.
A graduate of Ohio State University School of Journalism, Sherryl spent more than ten years as a journalist, most of them as a television critic for newspapers in Ohio and Florida. For several years she also coordinated a motivational program for the more than 8,000 employees at the University of Miami-Jackson Memorial Medical Center.
Her first book, RESTORING LOVE, was published in 1982 by Dell Candlelight Ecstasy under the pseudonym of Suzanne Sherrill. Her second book, SAND CASTLES, under the pseudonym of Alexandra Kirk, was published later that same year by Bantam. She began using her own name when she moved to the Second Chance at Love line at Berkley Publishing. In 1986, she began writing full-time and also began her long career at Silhouette Books with the Desire title NOT AT EIGHT, DARLING, set in the world of television which she covered for so many years.
In addition to her more than 75 romances for Silhouette Desire and Special Edition, she has written thirteen mysteries — nine in the Amanda Roberts series and four in the Molly DeWitt series.
When she's not writing or reading, Sherryl loves to garden, though she's not at her best on a riding lawn mower. She also loves tennis, theater, and ballet, even though her top spin has long since vanished, she's never set foot on a stage, and she's way too uncoordinated to dance. She also loves baseball and claims anyone who's ever seen Kevin Costner in "Bull Durham" can understand why.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
July 27, 2012
"The Valentine Wedding Dress" is a very brief, cute short story about a woman, Lara, who finds her mother's wedding dress in a trunk in her attic. It opens up a mystery surrounding its origins, considering it doesn't match the wedding dress her mother wore with her father. In the same vein, Dave Lafferty comes to fix the stairs in her house as part of a fixing job, and the two meet in a rather unlikely encounter. From there, it's a tale of how they come together.
This isn't the kind of short story that's really all that developed or realistic, but it goes down easy. It's fairly lighthearted. I liked it a little more than I thought I would, though to be honest, it ended fairly quickly. I almost wish it'd been just a tiny bit longer. Still, for an Audible.com freebie, this wasn't a bad read, and the narrator Elenna Stauffer, is decent. For 38 minutes and a quick read, it's worth trying if you like light contemporary romance.
Overall: 2.5/5
This isn't the kind of short story that's really all that developed or realistic, but it goes down easy. It's fairly lighthearted. I liked it a little more than I thought I would, though to be honest, it ended fairly quickly. I almost wish it'd been just a tiny bit longer. Still, for an Audible.com freebie, this wasn't a bad read, and the narrator Elenna Stauffer, is decent. For 38 minutes and a quick read, it's worth trying if you like light contemporary romance.
Overall: 2.5/5
June 4, 2018
Wedding Surprise
This was a short but amazingly sweet short story. I figured out who the wedding dress was for by chapter two & had to laugh about the circumstances. Lara Calhoun had found an old trunk in her attic that her mother had left the key to Lara before she passed a year ago.This was the first she had heard of the trunk & even her father didn’t know it was there. The second character, David Lafferty, was sent over to Lara’s house to repair her steps by his father (construction company owner ). After ringing the bell several times he was very surprised when the door opened. Good job Sherryl Woods. Would recommend to sweet romance readers.
This was a short but amazingly sweet short story. I figured out who the wedding dress was for by chapter two & had to laugh about the circumstances. Lara Calhoun had found an old trunk in her attic that her mother had left the key to Lara before she passed a year ago.This was the first she had heard of the trunk & even her father didn’t know it was there. The second character, David Lafferty, was sent over to Lara’s house to repair her steps by his father (construction company owner ). After ringing the bell several times he was very surprised when the door opened. Good job Sherryl Woods. Would recommend to sweet romance readers.
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September 27, 2020I got this book for free on audible and loved it. This is a short story about Lara Calhoun discovering hidden secrets in an old trunk her mother left the key to after her passing one year ago. Never before hearing about this trunk Lara was curious what could be inside that no one, ever her father, knew about. After opening the old trunk, Lara discovers an old wedding dress inside when there is a knock on the door from David Lafferty. He was sent there to repair the stairs in her father's house and when she opens up the door there is a surprise. This is the beginning of a very romantic story years in the making.
March 17, 2018
I picked up the audiobook which was free on audible. It's short and figured why not. Dave's girlfriend Chelsea wants him to propose, but he doesn't feel the "magic" with her. Instead, he asks out Lara, the first hot girl he sees, then breaks it off with his girlfriend. Poor Lara will probably get the same treatment when their spark fades too. Not exactly what I'd call romantic, since I don't like the male protagonist at all.
October 28, 2021
Lara has recently lost her mother. For years her mom has spent time in the attic on Valentine's Day. So in her memory Lara goes up to find out her secrets. What happens next is magic. She meets David who was sent there to do some repair work on the home's attic stairs. Who is he and why does he have possible answers to the mystery in the attic? This is a very fast read and well worth the narration.
June 12, 2018
Interesting
The Valentine Wedding dress is an interesting story written in kind of a formal old fashioned manner. Whereas, Willowbrook Road caught my attention and made me want to read past Chapter One.
The Valentine Wedding dress is an interesting story written in kind of a formal old fashioned manner. Whereas, Willowbrook Road caught my attention and made me want to read past Chapter One.
December 16, 2020
An interesting, and short read about a lost love, and finding your destiny. I loved all of the keepsakes that Lara's mother had kept in the trunk. This book did keep me wondering what exactly happened between Lara's mother and Peter.
December 29, 2024
I really like these short stories. It’s hard to have a real big character build. But it’s sweet and short and fun. The true romance book. No spice but it didn’t need it. It’s the start of a love story.
January 9, 2018
lovely short story
March 26, 2018
A sweet short story. A little sparkle, a little romance, a little para-normal, a little trust, this story has it all. Totally delightful.
July 20, 2018
cute story.
August 31, 2018
Cute clean short story romance
October 22, 2018
It was cute but very short with little detail.
August 9, 2019
This is the shortest story I think I’ve ever enjoyed! It seems unfinished, but it was captivating!
The narrator was easy to understand and she did great with the different characters!
The narrator was easy to understand and she did great with the different characters!
August 5, 2020
Quick and adorable!
March 21, 2016
I purchased the audio book years ago, so this is a re-read. It is a short love story, no
Lara's mom passed away a year ago, but wants to keep the tradition of wearing a wedding dress inherited by her mother. Currently unattached she only wants to find love. When a man, Dave, is hired to fix her stairs to the attic, she lands right on top of him, literally.
A secret love from the past comes to light, something that we as children, did not accept our parents to go through. When a wedding dress, that her mother has hidden in the attic leads to a love letters to her mother from a mysterious man named Peter. it leads to a love story that did not have a happy ending.
There are no consequences, this book is more about the 6 degree, everything comes to a full circle. I was surprised this was a short book, it has such great potential to become a longer novel, but she did a great job. The book doesn't has a long relationship with the emotions of the characters, but it worked for this book.
Lara's mom passed away a year ago, but wants to keep the tradition of wearing a wedding dress inherited by her mother. Currently unattached she only wants to find love. When a man, Dave, is hired to fix her stairs to the attic, she lands right on top of him, literally.
A secret love from the past comes to light, something that we as children, did not accept our parents to go through. When a wedding dress, that her mother has hidden in the attic leads to a love letters to her mother from a mysterious man named Peter. it leads to a love story that did not have a happy ending.
There are no consequences, this book is more about the 6 degree, everything comes to a full circle. I was surprised this was a short book, it has such great potential to become a longer novel, but she did a great job. The book doesn't has a long relationship with the emotions of the characters, but it worked for this book.
January 10, 2013
Lara finds a wedding dress inside a locked trunk after her mother passes away, and soon realizes it is not the one she wore when she married her father. There is also a Valentine card with a heart-felt message which is signed by a 'Peter'. Her father's name is 'Mitch'!
Dave, who is having mixed feelings about his current girlfriend since she seems determined he give her an engagement ring for Valentines day, is sent to the Calhoun house by his father to do repairs on steps. His last conversation with his father involve his father and a woman from the past he reminisces about.When he arrives, he 'catches' a wedding dress clad Lara as she tumbles down the steps to answer the doorbell.
Immediately, both feel the moment is something special and decide to see where things lead.
I enjoyed the story, and would love to see a follow-up involving these two! Twin sisters were mentioned on Lara's side, and it would be fun to see Lara and Dave appear in their stories.
Dave, who is having mixed feelings about his current girlfriend since she seems determined he give her an engagement ring for Valentines day, is sent to the Calhoun house by his father to do repairs on steps. His last conversation with his father involve his father and a woman from the past he reminisces about.When he arrives, he 'catches' a wedding dress clad Lara as she tumbles down the steps to answer the doorbell.
Immediately, both feel the moment is something special and decide to see where things lead.
I enjoyed the story, and would love to see a follow-up involving these two! Twin sisters were mentioned on Lara's side, and it would be fun to see Lara and Dave appear in their stories.
March 3, 2016
I listened to the free audio version on Audible, and I don't think I would have read it otherwise. I knew it was a romantic tale and the cover gave me the impression that a little mystery might be involved. I was disappointed. I would not call this a romance, it's too cheesy to be believable and too rushed to get you emotionally involved. Even the supposedly mysterious detail in the plot was so expectable that it just didn't surprise me at all by the time it was reveal. What bugged me most is that there was absolutely no climax because there was no problem or struggle of any sort to start with. It was as simplistic as boy meets girl, they instantly fall in love, they plan to get married. I gave it 2 stars because I didn't hate it with a passion, it didn’t make me cringe. If anything I just found it meh.
January 16, 2015
This was my first listen from Audible, a free audiobook about Lara, who finds a wedding dress and a Valentine in a trunk in the attic at her mother's place. The dress is not the one her mother wore at her wedding, and Peter (the signature on the card) is not who her mother married.
Enter Dave, who is there to fix the stairs. Lara falls for him, instantly and literally. They agree to a date, but he runs out on her after she tells him about the dress and the card.
Turns out, that their parents were engaged to be married long ago, but that his father broke the engagement. Now, these 2 are hell-bent on continuing what their parents once had by having a relationship themselves. Not much of a surprise, and not much of an ending.
Not really impressed.
Enter Dave, who is there to fix the stairs. Lara falls for him, instantly and literally. They agree to a date, but he runs out on her after she tells him about the dress and the card.
Turns out, that their parents were engaged to be married long ago, but that his father broke the engagement. Now, these 2 are hell-bent on continuing what their parents once had by having a relationship themselves. Not much of a surprise, and not much of an ending.
Not really impressed.
August 30, 2015
I downloaded this book free on audible. I was expecting a romance of some sort based on the title. the entire book rubbed me wrong, falling in love literally within seconds of meeting somebody, to the point of saying they've already ran off with your heart. they had maybe said 50 words to each other. I just don't understand books where there's no backstory or depth into the story. I think the author could have really gone somewhere with the storyline if it had been developed properly and not rushed. I was not a big fan of the narrator, it seemed more is a comedy when listening to it based on how she did the male's voice.
February 13, 2017
This is the second time that I've read this book, mainly because it's Valentine's day and I own the audible version. I did remember how short this story was, it's more of a novella. The story has likable characters and the plot is smart, clever and different from other romances. But, I would have liked to know if Lara's father Matt, knew the secret her mother kept from her children. Lara Calhoun finds a treasure in the attic on valentine's day which involves a secret her late mother kept from her and her sisters. Cute story but very short and kind of left me hanging, wanted more details.
July 30, 2011
Short, sweet, and simple but totally ridiculous and unbelievable. It's a short story that is supposed to be romantic and all about this new love and a mystery behind the two new lovers. It has a different twist, but it isn't anything spectacular. And since it's so short there is no time to slow down with the "romance" and make it more believable. Anyway, it's a cute story. Not necessarily recommended.
August 22, 2019
Overall 4 out of 5 stars
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 4 out of 5 stars
I don't have a lot to say. This was very quick listen to one moment in a day. It was sweet, simple, and endearing. The narration was pretty much the same. Simple, sweet, and endearing.
Fate has its own way of making thing work out in the end. For these two young people, they had a past that neither of them knew about but the connection was there anyway.
Performance 4 out of 5 stars
Story 4 out of 5 stars
I don't have a lot to say. This was very quick listen to one moment in a day. It was sweet, simple, and endearing. The narration was pretty much the same. Simple, sweet, and endearing.
Fate has its own way of making thing work out in the end. For these two young people, they had a past that neither of them knew about but the connection was there anyway.
February 15, 2013
Very quick and free read from Audible.
The story was a little predictable but of course there was not a lot of time to really do a lot of character or plot development. It would be fun for this idea to be created into a full novel.
Overall a fun book but you get what you pay for and for the price it wasn't a bad book.
The story was a little predictable but of course there was not a lot of time to really do a lot of character or plot development. It would be fun for this idea to be created into a full novel.
Overall a fun book but you get what you pay for and for the price it wasn't a bad book.
July 10, 2013
I got this as a free download from audible.com. I enjoyed the short story. However, I saw the potential for a good novella. Since, it's a short story 38 minutes on audible, I will not spoil it for others. Overall, I liked it. Worth a free listen from audible, as we all know they don't give out too many freebies.
November 12, 2014
I was looking for some audio books to listen to during my commute, and I came across this one because it was free on Audible. It was also only 38 minutes long, so I figured, why not?
Dear god, the pain. If you haven't read or listened to this "book" (I cringe just having to call it that), run. Run while you still can. Never look back. Save yourself; it's too late for me.
Dear god, the pain. If you haven't read or listened to this "book" (I cringe just having to call it that), run. Run while you still can. Never look back. Save yourself; it's too late for me.
September 6, 2011
Downloaded as a freebie on Audible.com. It was only 30 minutes or so - perfect for my morning commute. The story was rather implausible but the narrator was good and the characters were likeable enough to pull it through. Glad it was free.
May 3, 2020
This is a short story that I got for free at audible. I dislike the narrator.
The story is just like those hallmark movies you see when there's nothing else on tv. This book is a cute story, if you can read it for free, go ahead. If not, skip it.
The story is just like those hallmark movies you see when there's nothing else on tv. This book is a cute story, if you can read it for free, go ahead. If not, skip it.
February 4, 2016
Short story
Way to short a story, left too many unanswered questions. It was not worth the price of the download. I'm very disappointed as Sherryl Woods is one of my favorite authors.
Way to short a story, left too many unanswered questions. It was not worth the price of the download. I'm very disappointed as Sherryl Woods is one of my favorite authors.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews