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The Cairo Bridal Shop
  • Published: 1 September 2026
  • ISBN: 9781761350887
  • Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia Audio
  • Format: Audio Download

The Cairo Bridal Shop




Find the dress of your dreams, then run for your life.


Nestled at the bustling foothills of the pyramids lies the iconic Albi Bridal Boutique, where three sisters are about to break the shackles of tradition to fight for their futures.

When Mariam Albi was tragically killed, the responsibility of running the business was thrust upon eldest daughter, Sarah. Bound to the dress shop and to the demands of her husband and his spiteful mother, Sarah finds herself trapped with nowhere to turn.

Political journalist Aya is writing the story of her career while on the cusp of a thrilling new relationship with Australian-raised journalist, Gamal. When Gamal is arrested on suspicion of treason, Aya risks her life to follow her heart.

University student Lola, the youngest of the Albi girls, is finding her place in the world while masking her true identity. But her secret is exposed, putting her life in grave danger as she faces losing everything and everyone she loves.

Inspired by the stories of the ancient pharaoh queens before them, the Albi sisters must harness their inner strength to survive – for in Egypt, history runs deep but blood runs deeper.

‘Tess is an artist, she creates pictures with her words.’ – Australian Women’s Weekly

‘Woods is a natural storyteller…Her characters are as well drawn as Melina Marchetta’s and Maeve Binchy’s.’ Writing WA

  • Published: 1 September 2026
  • ISBN: 9781761350887
  • Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia Audio
  • Format: Audio Download

About the author

Tess Woods

Tess Woods once had a simple life until her compulsion to write made-up stories complicated everything. She’s now an award-winning and Australian Top 10 bestselling author of contemporary fiction.
Tess also works as a physiotherapist in private practice, and she shares a clinic and a home on the stunning Western Australian coast
with her husband. She’s the mother of two brilliant grown-up children who she loves to travel with, and a fluffy cat who keeps her company while she writes. Tess was born in Alexandria to an Egyptian family and has drawn from her heritage to write this novel, the book of her heart. You can contact Tess on Instagram, Facebook or at tess@tesswoods.com.au

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