NEW RELEASE
The Shoestring Club - Sarah Webb (2012)
Julia is terribly heartbroken, alone, penniless and drinking too much after her boyfriend of six years, Ed, shamelessly has an affair with her best friend, Lainy. Julia is working for her sister, Pandora, who runs a second-hand designer clothes shop, Shoestring, in Dublin. Day and night, Julia is convincing herself that she is so over Ed but a part of her still loves him. One day Julia gets a wedding invitation from Lainy - the cheek of her! After debating with herself, Julia finally decides to go to the wedding with her head held high, just to show people that she is totally over Ed. She would love to wear this beautiful dark pink chiffon dress which has just arrived in Shoestring but it costs a fortune. As luck would have it she bumps into Arietty who too feels that she can't attend her school reunion without this beautiful pink dress. This mutual love for dress sparks a brilliant idea in Julia's mind and she sets up The Shoestring Club where they time-share the dress and attend the most important days of their lives, looking glamorous. Magical, that's what this book is, with its daily doses of drama. Make sure you keep a box of tissues within reach. (SS)
The Shoestring Club, by Sarah Webb, is about four girls and one remarkable dress. The summary says: "Julia's best friend has always been Ed - they've grown up together. Ed is now engaged to the sophisticated, grown-up Louise. Julia should be happy for them - but she manages to make a complete fool of herself at his engagement dinner. She suddenly realises she doesn't want to lose him, and throws herself at him in front of everyone. When Louise organises a ball with her charity committee, Julia sees this as her last chance to get Ed back. When she spots the most incredible dress in Shoestring, the vintage clothes shop she runs with her sister, she knows she'll only be able to stagger through the evening if she's wrapped in its silky drapes. But the beautiful dress costs an absolute fortune. Arietty Pilgrim can't and won't attend her ghastly 10-year school reunion unless she can arrive wearing exactly that same dress 'funked up' with her favourite cropped leather jacket. But looking after elephants in Dublin Zoo does not a millionaire make. After a chance meeting in the shop, Julia and Arietty set up The Shoestring Club to timeshare the dress - and start a life-altering friendship. There's just one problem. In order to buy the dress, they need more partners." The Shoestring Club is out in February.