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L.S. Kilroy is an irreverent sort of person who likes to write about things. Growing up an asthmatic only child in a neighborhood of geriatrics, she made friends with books at a young age, both out of necessity and genuine enjoyment.
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Merrimack College and a Master of Arts degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing from Emerson College. Her debut novel, The Vitruvian Heir, was named a first place category winner in the Cygnus Awards for Science and Speculative Fiction by Chanticleer Book Reviews and Media in 2015, as well as receiving a first place award in the 2016 New England Book Show. The Clothes That Make You was inspired by her hometown of Wakefield, Mass., and a loss experienced by her mother as a teen.
L.S. Kilroy lives in a rural community in Massachusetts - not too far from Boston - with her husband, stepson, and a little black cat named Lola. When she's not a senior copywriter by day or spinning stories by night, she loves being creative in the kitchen, belting out show tunes, traveling, entertaining friends, reading, and scouting out vintage finds at consignment shops.
Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite
The Clothes That Make You by L.S. Kilroy is the story of Sally, a young woman in the late 1960s navigating through high school in a rural Massachusetts suburb outside of Boston. This turbulent time in history is compounded by the unexpected loss of her father, throwing a once comfortable little family into financial difficulty and creating conflict where it hadn't reared its head before. At school, Sally is bullied, but for her this is just a part of her normal routine. Change blows in from multiple directions, bringing with it an unconventional friend and a constructive outlet of expression - sewing - which aids Sally as she learns to adapt to and navigate the times to come.
The Clothes That Make You by L.S. Kilroy reads in almost lyrical format reminiscent of classic fiction. Kilroy has a gift for prose and shares it in this latest release. The book raises some poignant issues that are timely even today, particularly Sally's friend, Sam, in a story line that frequently parallels between now and then, often with devastating consequences (including a scene outside of a dance that had me on the verge of tears). This is a beautiful, timeless story written by a skilled hand. It seems like every time Sally comes close to clearing a hurdle, the bar is raised to an impossible new height...but we keep cheering her on, a fully developed character that feels so tangible you might touch her. This development transcends into descriptions of Sally's creations in a narrative that has all the makings of book better defined as literary fiction over standard YA or New Adult.
