A Tailor-Made Bride Book Review

Book Description

Jericho “J.T.” Tucker wants nothing to do with Coventry, Texas’s new dressmaker. He’s all too familiar with her kind–shallow women more devoted to fashion than true beauty. Yet, except for her well-tailored clothing, this seamstress is not at all what he expected.

Hannah Richards is confounded by the man who runs the livery. The unsmiling fellow riles her with his arrogant assumptions and gruff manner while at the same time stirring her heart with unexpected acts of kindness. Which side of Jericho Tucker reflects the real man?

When Hannah decides to help Jericho’s sister catch a beau–leading to uproarious consequences for the whole town–will Jericho and Hannah find a way to bridge the gap between them?

My Thoughts

If a book cover as beautiful as this one doesn’t make you want to read it immediately, then something must be wrong with your eyesight! Even without seeing Hannah or J.T.’s face, the connection between the two of them is evident with the frustration showing in her right hand.

This story was more than a sweet romance (although I loved that aspect more than anything). There was a depth to each person’s character which grew with every page. J.T. believes that everything should be practical, and there’s no room for extra finery. Hannah knows that she’s been blessed with a gift from God to make women feel beautiful in the clothes she sews, but trying to convince J.T. of that is more than she bargained for.

There were so many topics mentioned in this book that could have gone horribly wrong, but this author has a skillful way with words that endeared me more to the story. I think this just might be the first time I’ve ever read of a character that wanted to lose weight to get a gentleman’s attention. This alone could’ve been disastrous from a reader’s perspective, but it wasn’t! Never did I get the impression the Delia felt “less than” because of her size; she simply wanted to look and feel better about herself, yet catch herself a beau in the process. Hannah’s past health experiences gave her the tools to encourage Delia and with their growing friendship, Hannah was an ideal person to help her achieve this goal.

And I haven’t even mentioned the chemistry between Hannah and J.T. yet… sweet mercy! From the moment Hannah fell through the broken stair step into J.T.’s arms, there was no mistaking their connection to one another – no matter how much J.T. wanted to deny it.

There are so many wonderful segments of the book that deserve to be enjoyed without any spoilers. However, I will admit that my favorite part of the book was when J.T. took the time to read Proverbs 31. I feel like that one chapter has been overused in Christian circles in the past few decades so I was dreading to see how it would be handled here. Let me eliminate any preconceived notions you, too, may have about it – it was perfectly written and not a minute sooner than it needed to be mentioned in Hannah and J.T.’s budding relationship.

I had never read a book by Karen Witemeyer until this one, and it will not be my last. A Tailor-Made Bride is her debut novel, and with a tale as good as this one, I have no doubt that future books will be just as good, if not better.

My Favorite Segments

“Boldness is exactly what you need to run your own business, girl. Boldness, skill, and a lot of hard work. When you get that shop of yours, hardships are sure to find their way to your doorstep. Confidence is the only way to combat them–confidence in yourself and in the God who equips you to overcome. Never forget that.”

“I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. The psalm seeped into her soul, bringing a measure of assurance with it. God had led her here. He would provide.”

“She couldn’t possibly fall in love with Jericho Tucker. The man never smiled. And judging by the number of scowls he sent her way, he probably didn’t even like her much.”

“She’d worn that pretty blue dress, the same one she’d had on the day he’d met her at the depot, the one that made her eyes look like moonlit ponds.”

Jewelry Inspired by This Book

Very early in the book, there is mention of a key that J.T. retrieves for Hannah. I wanted to incorporate an exquisite key because Hannah views her dress shop as a place where women can come to look and feel beautiful in the clothes she designs. She also has an eye for color, knowing that God didn’t give his creation all the beautiful colors around us if he didn’t want us to use them!

*This post contains affiliate links, and I may be compensated upon your purchase of any products through those links. Review copy of A Tailor-Made Bride provided by publisher. All thoughts are my own.