Book Reviews & Giveaway: Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing

Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing

Author: Kathy Cano-Murillo

A Crafty Chica novel

Kathy’s Cano-Murillo’s previous debut novel, “Waking Up in the Land of Glitter” proved she has the spirit and the ability to create raucous fun and titillate with us enthusiasm within the pages of her Craft Chica novels. Ms. Murillo has a crafts blog named CraftyChica.com that reflects the colorful characters in her novels, and her world is all about life, and creativity.

While “Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing” did not match her debut, she does a wonderful job with a bouncy bunch of Mexican and Latino creation of characters, with lots of whimsy, audacity and hot mama-hood racing down the page. Emotional turmoil, girlie girl friendships, love interests, Latino music – they all palpitate between the pages of this delight of a novel. A great read for a group of soul sisters, chica crafty sisters or a book group, this Latin mama sizzles with laughter and sharp one-liners that make us sit up and pant for more.

Scarlet Santana is an original, from her bouncy red Lucy curls to her mamba loving feet. From her website, DaisyForever.com, to her original fashion designs, to her solid belief in going for her dreams, Scarlet rules the roost of her own world. Her family, however, is confused. With two engineering degrees, they simply cannot understand why Scarlet, at thirty, is still playing with her sewing machine. What’s a girl to do?

Scarlet sees it all in a different light. She has put everything on hold to capture the essence of her heroines, Daisy de la Flora, a famous and outrageous fashion designer who created lush dresses for stars like Gina Lollabrigida and Sophia Loren, and then disappeared. And Daisy did it all because of her love for everything Carmen Miranda. Scarlet blends the two ladies and their inspiring stories into her fashions and her head. Scarlet loves their verve, their flamingo covered purses, their beaded and sequined gowns. Scarlet too is in love with their dreams – and wants to make them her own.

Accepted into a prestigious summer design program called Johnny Scissors, run by Daisy’s nephew John, Scarlet warps into overdrive to earn the tuition. She starts a class on pattern less sewing and meets Marco, who owns a vintage LP music store. And it is in her class where she meets and befriends five extraordinary women: Elderly Rosa, high schoolers Jennifer and her sister Stephanie, career woman Mary Therese, and flamboyant Olivia. As Scarlet runs her class, quits her job with a famous but snarky Arizona designer, heats it up with Marco, and creates momentum and motivation in the lives of her friends, she runs into the boundaries of pattern less sewing. It is a metaphor she knows too well: her family wants her to live their pattern of lives, while she only wants to live her own. But she keeps one thing in mind – what would Daisy do?

When her dreams meet and she realizes that New York City and Johnny Scissors are her not for her, Scarlet runs home to start over. With the help of her friends, her family and Marco, Scarlet turns her life into the bountiful feast that she knows she deserves.

Light, fun, and vivacious, this is a great novel to read and enjoy. Cano-Murillo has another good book to hand to her fan club and her readers.

This review is part of the Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing blog tour.

Miss Scarlet’s School of Patternless Sewing is available at bookstores everywhere.

Ratings are based on a 5-star scale

Overall:3

Review by Broad “A” – Ava

We received a copy of this title for our book review. All opinions are our own.

GIVEAWAY

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