When a close friend married a few years back, late in life, he was amazed, nayy shocked, that the main focus of the event was “the dress.” And as any bride will tell you, it’s all about the dress.

“The dress” in the novel is one dress that spans three generations, but not “the dress” the American movie superstar Grace Kelly wore to marry her Prince Rainer of Monacco. That dress is the inspiration for this novel, which begins in 1956, when Grace abandons Hollywood to become Her Royal Highness, Princess Grace to Monacco. Grace was living every girl’s fantasy. Grace’s dress is beautiful, and every bride in the world wants to imitate it.

This story is told in three alternating timelines with from a daughter’s, mother’s and grandmother’s point of view. In begins in 2010 in Brooklyn. Rachel, who goes by Rocky, owns a gaming company and is more comfortable in jeans and combat boots. When she becomes engage, her mother, Joan, is certain that she’ll wear her dress. Lacy with Princess Diana sleeves, it screams NOT ROCKY! But how does she not accept a family heirloom without hurting her mother and their relationship.

The second story is Joan’s story. After her sister died, it’s up to her to be the best…be good enough for both of them. This section was my favorite as it has the most suspense. I don’t want to say anything more for fear of spoiling the plot. Still when Joan’s mother brings out the dress, Joan would rather get married in her underwear. But once she makes some changes to it, it becomes the most beautiful gown in the world!

The third story is Joan’s mother’s story. Rose is a seamstress in 1958 in Paris. A young bride has come to the highly regarded bridal boutique where Rose works. The bride wants a Grace Kelly dress, and as the work begins, the plot takes several twists that keeps the reader on edge.

Rocky’s story is the weakest of the three and that weakness is why I am compelled to give “The Grace Kelly” 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Paris, 1958; Rose is a young lady from a simple background who works as a seamstress at the famous wedding gown atelier of Madame Laurent.
When Madame Laurent suddenly passes away, the manager of the atelier, Julien, asks Rose to take over Madame Laurent's role as head of design, because Madame Laurent was fond of the design and work by Rose. But they have to keep the fact that Madame Laurent passed away silent, so they come up with the idea that she is on a long business travel to do up new inspiration. Just at that time, a wealthy client named Diana orders a Grace Kelly lookalike wedding dress designed by Rose, which is a real succes. But then Rose and the brother of the bride secretly fall in love, which puts her whole live at risk..

Sixty years later, Rocky has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there's just one problem: Rocky doesn't want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn't her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan's heart. But what she doesn't know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother's life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

The Grace Kelly Dress is a beautiful story. It is written from three different POV's; Rose, Rocky and Joanie, Rocky's mother in her younger years. From this three POV's Rose's where the most captivating and entertaining, because there was so much going on in her life At first it was a bit difficult to see the connection between the three of them, that was the only little missing thing in the book, that it would be even more entertaining if there where more links between the three ladies. I really liked though how in the end everything came together and how it was wrapped up. So overall this is a book that I truly recommend reading, it is a perfect mix of historic and contemporary fiction!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this multi-generational story. I liked how the author wove the three stories and drew the parallels between the women. I also thought the settings were unique but still tied together. I did think that there were a few loose ends and unanswered questions, and one was pretty major. But there were also a few surprises, lots of emotion, and even a few tears. It should be easy for anyone to find something to like about this book. For a full review, please visit my blog at Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Books for a digital, pre-release ARC of the book.

Three generations of women, from different periods of time and their connection to an heirloom wedding dress that was inspired by Princess Grace of Monaco. As each woman tries to be her true self, there are struggles of the heart and the family. We have a dressmaker, Rose in 1958 Paris, daughter Joanie in 1982 and granddaughter, Rachel (Rocky) in 2020 who all alternate chapters in telling the story from their perspectives.

I felt that each of the three characters had a strong voice that made their storylines interesting and I honestly didn't feel one time period was better than the other.


Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN-Graydon House Books (the US and Canada) for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.


Goodreads review published 03/03/20
Publication Date 03/03/20

This is my favorite Janowitz book yet. This is for the dual timeline lovers out there. Told in THREE narratives, this lovely story covers three generations, three women tied to one dress. There’s the lonely seamstress, the 80’s college bride-to-be, and the present day young woman who takes no sh*t. But how are they all connected?

Most of us know the Princess of Monaco’s wedding dress. Grace Kelly. The dress on her was absolutely stunning and at the time, all brides wanted a dress just like it. This is where our very talented seamstress comes in. She puts her heart and soul into a dress for a special customer.

The 80’s bride-to-be has been in love with this dress since she was a little girl. She is engaged to the most sought after man on campus and is so excited to wear the dress. If only her sister could be there…

And then there is our present day bride. She is the daughter of the girl from the 80’s and actually...isn’t thrilled with the dress. She’s in tech, she likes new things. She’s not big on the old, on antiques, regardless of importance.

The story of how these three women are connected comes together beautifully and at the perfect pace. It’s one of those books where you finish, take a breath, a slowly let it out while thinking, “yea..that was good”. So do yourself a favor. Grab this book. It’s lovely and heartwarming and you won’t want to miss out.

The publisher and Netgalley provided me with an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.

The Grace Kelly inspired wedding gown will soon be worn by three generations of a family. Each woman's experience is unique to her era, and the challenges she faces.

The original owner of the dress, Rose, was the most interesting character of the three. Her position as a seamstress in post WWII Paris was fascinating, and I loved all of the references to Hollywood's Golden Age, the rise of haute couture, and the consequences of fame.

Joan is in love with the fairytale story of Princess Diana, and alters the dress to include the puffed sleeves featured on the iconic royal dress. Joan's dreams of an enchanted life are built on an illusory foundation, and she is confronted by hard choices she isn't prepared to make.

Rocky wants to show off her tattoos and wear her motorcycle boots to her wedding. The dress is the complete antithesis to her personality. But the dress becomes a symbol of the facets of her personality she has often been reticent to embrace, and offers a chance at re-invention.

There was a seamless transition amongst the three very different narrators, and readers will identify with all of them. This richly imagined and well-executed family saga will engage and captivate readers.

A delightful treat of a book about about three generations of women who are connected by their wedding gowns. Draws you in and keeps you reading right up to The End.

You GUYS.

Not to gush but I have to say that 'The Grace Kelly Dress' is not only my favorite book on the Spring blog tour so far but it might be my favorite book of the year so far.

Following three generations of women in the same family and their relationship with the wedding dress first worn by the matriarch of the family in the 50s, through the mysteries of how they met and fell in love with the men they married, I was hooked from the moment I picked it up until the beautifully crafted end.

What hooked me most was these women's relationships with each other; how mothers and daughters hurt each other, pine for each other, and need each other resonated with me in a way that many perfect familial relationships in books do not.

Rocky's funky personal style didn't hurt, either; I loved her bold fashion choices and her unapologetic soul.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.5 Hearts I am a bit on the fence about this story. The reason for that is I really loved the stories told of Rose and liked the story of Joan but was just ok with Rocky’s story. As I read the story I wished the author had made it into a trilogy series telling each person’s time with the dress is more detail.

The story of Rose in the 1950’s when the dress was a copied design of Grace Kelly’s (wedding 1956) was so magical to me. I have been a fan of Grace Kelly’s for decades so hearing this part was wonderful.

Joan’s story is set in the 1980’s which also I can relate to since that was “my” generation. And imagining the dress being passed down was great.

And then there was Rocky who is st in modern day and who doesn’t want to wear a dress that is 70 years old but I really didn’t feel the emotions that I hoped Rocky would have as she heard the stories of the dresses past.

I hoped for more but got a good amount.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Happy pub day to this new book, The Grace Kelly Dress.

Tiny Synopsis: A replica of the Grace Kelly dress connects 3 generations of women who all are associated with wearing this same dress for their own wedding. You start off at the atelier where Rose the seamstress works on the dress then to Rocky, a tech CEO (insert millennial stereotype) who would rather not wear the dress at all for her nuptials. Her mother, Joan’s story is revealed eventually why it is so important for her daughter to wear it.

Thanks to #netgalley and #graydonhouse for the advanced copy for my honest review. The book is out today, March 3!

My Review:⭐️⭐️⭐ / 5 stars

First off, I have always loved this dress so I was excited to read about it. The story breaks down in 3 different timelines - modern times, the 1950s, and the 1980s. The origin story starts with Rose at the Madame Michel Atelier in Paris and I loved reading about her and her rise from being a seamstress. Then that’s where the interest waned off. Rocky was annoying and selfish - just like how millennials are usually portrayed. Her mother Joan’s story was mildly more interesting but I wanted to breeze over it and read more about Rose.

The Grace Kelly Dress
Brenda Janowitz
Graydon House, Mar 2020
336 pages
Historical Romance
Provided by NetGalley
3.5 Stars
I chose to request this book because I thought I would love it. Most of the time I was reading it I was waiting to fall in love with it. I've been putting off writing a review because I never did fall in love with it. There were just too many things that didn't quite settle with me. Not necessarily concrete things, but more the ambiance of some things, though there were some specific things. Initially, I thought I was going to enjoy the story in the French atelier when Madam was designing the gown for her customer. Then when she died and her brother asked the young seamstress to step up and do the design, I felt it was either going to blow up in their faces or they would be a huge success. Well, it really didn't go either way. It just sort of limped along. No one really got in trouble for the dishonesty. Being an artist, to me, putting an artist's name on your work is about as low-down as you can get. So it really didn't sit well with me. But then the next bride put Princess Di sleeves on it, so I guess at least the dress got what it deserved. But it was all sort of mother-of-the-bride after that for her. Her daughter just had to wear her dress. Thank heavens the girl finally got up the gumption to say that she really didn't like the dress the way it was and that she wanted to make severe alterations to it! Roxy rocks.

The Grace Kelly Dress is a charming story about three generations of one women in one family all connected not only by family ties but by a beautiful wedding dress. Each women's story is told concurrently in alternating chapters and each women's story is equally interesting and will keep your attention. There is not as much romance in the story as you would think, however so if you are looking for a triple romance you will be disappointed. Only one section of the book is really romantic. Surprisingly, it is the only section of the book that does not begin with the main character getting or being engaged. All three sections of the book are about the how the characters lives are shaped by love, loss and expectations. Two sections of the book are more about the relations between mothers and daughters and the other is not because the main character is an orphan. It is interesting to read about how each woman's live is shaped by her time and her circumstances and how things change in a family from one generation to the next.

Princess Grace Kelly's iconic wedding dress was one of those beauties that had brides clamoring for the exact same look on their special day. This is a story told through three generations of women.

In the late 1950's, Rose, a seamstress for a highly respected atelier, is tasked with making a wedding gown similar to Grace Kelly's. Rose is a talented and dedicated seamstress, but when she starts to befriend her client and fall in love with her client's brother, can she stay focused on her project?

In the 80's, Joanie is so excited to be wearing her mother's dress-made with inspiration from Grace Kelly's, it's fit for a princess, and Joanie can't wait for her special day with the special dress. While she does appreciate the gown's original beauty, she wants to make it her own and adds sleeves much like the dress Princess Diana wore. But when she finds out the truth about her sister, she begins to question if she really knows anything!

In the present day, Rocky is dreading wearing the esteemed wedding dress that has been passed down from generation to generation. She's a successful entrepreneur who never really saw eye to eye with her mother. She knows this dress isn't her style, but doesn't want to hurt her mother.

With each woman, we see glimpses into their family life and romances,  how they are connected to the dress, and what it means to them. This was such a wonderful book. I loved how the story and the dress spanned through time and I enjoyed learning more about the women who were tied to it. A charming story of love, hope, and second chances, this is definitely one to read.

Thank you to Harlequin/Harper Collins & Netgalley for my advance copy and letting me take part in this blog tour. The Grace Kelly Dress is out today!

Traditions and love!

A story of traditions, of precious things passed down. In this instance a wedding dress modeled on Grace Kelly's.
As the story weaves between the woman who designed the dress, the French
grandmere, the current mother of the bride, and the bride, strands of what it is to love, loss, standing your ground, knowing when to say no, familia relations, the fifties, the seventies and the now are braided to get her with loving care.
There's Rose, the seamstress in the Parisian Couture House, Joanie her daughter and Rocky her granddaughter. As each face their particular fears and demons, the indecisions and strengths, the writing becomes more focused and telling.
I was unsure at first as to whether I would engage sufficiently but as the story progressed, as I became used to it's rhythms, I was well and truly beguiled.
But then, how could anything associated with Grace Kelly and her fabulous wedding dress not fail to please.
I loved the way the wedding dress took on a life of its own that reflected the person of the time. The original design is a dream, the descriptions of Rose solving the problems the design presented, her amazing finishing touches reveal a master at work. On the other hand I had trouble with Joanie's version with those Princess Di sleeves which always seemed somewhat grumpy to me, but was in awe of Rocky's version that so truly reflected her. In my mind's eye that looks sensational. Rocky, the techno's a avant garde expression would be amazing, with those loving nods to those important to her.

A HARLEQUIN - Graydon House ARC via NetGalley

A historical novel seeded in traditions, family, love and the history of one particular dress that brings them all together.

I'm not quite sure I'm the exact right reader for this novel as we don't have a lot of traditions within my family and I've never been married. A lot of this didn't really resonate with me. But what I can relate to is the trying on of a dress and the intricacies of the mother/daughter dynamic. My mother and I took a long time for us to understand each other and my favorite thing about this book is Joan. Seeing her two timelines of when she was a young woman to the mother she is today really evokes the feel of how we, as daughters, need to understand they were once like us before we knew them. And I applaud the hard decision she had to make as I had to make that same decision once upon a time.

There are definitely a lot of cliches within this novel but it's what I needed in my reading journey at this time. Just a feel good story that feels human and something most can relate to.

Title: The Grace Kelly Dress
Author: Brenda Janowitz
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 5 out of 5

Two years after Grace Kelly’s royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris—and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.
Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly—look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride’s handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she’s worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.

Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky,” has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there’s just one problem: Rocky doesn’t want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn’t her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan’s heart. But what she doesn’t know is why Joan insists on the dress—or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress’s history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky’s wedding, they’ll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future.

I enjoyed every page of this novel! Usually, when reading a book with alternating points-of-view like this, I have a favorite viewpoint character, but not this time. Rose’s story was absolutely fascinating, and I loved her strength and determination to do the right thing, no matter how painful. Joan’s story was also interesting, set amidst the contrasting worlds of doing what everyone expects you to do and doing what you want to do. And Rocky was an awesome character! She’s so sure of herself and who she is—until faced with planning a wedding and the dress. I loved how these three women grew in the course of the novel, and their stories laced together to form the history of the dress and their family.

Brenda Janowitz is an author and the Books Correspondent for PopSugar. The Grace Kelly Dress is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Harlequin/Graydon House in exchange for an honest review.)

I have a confession. This isn’t my type of book. Sometimes we have to take risks as a reader and branch out of our usual genre to find new titles that may not seem like our type of book, but turn out to be a magical reading experience. Brenda Janowitz is able to weave together a fascinating and compelling story of love, family, and the secrets that define our lives. I love how the story revolves around three generations of women, grandmother, mother, and daughter and how similar those women are, and yet they are still so very different. The Grace Kelly Dress also had me thinking about the secrets that are never told. How many families have stories similar to this novel-those stories that define who we are and changed the course of our lives- and yet are never revealed and those stories never told. It also makes you realize that parents will always view their children as just that, their children. As parents we protect our children as best we can from anything that can hurt them and we never stop wanting to protect them.

Brenda Janowitz has crafted a beautiful and touching story about love, loss, and family.
Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin-Graydon House Books for the opportunity to read and review this title. All opinions and mistakes are my own.

From the stunning cover to the beautiful story inside, I devoured this book! The Grace Kelly Dress is about so much more than a dress...the love of family that is passed from generation to generation. Love, love this book!

3.5 Stars

I love reading historical fiction, in particular from the 30's through the 70's there is just something about that time period that just makes my heart happy. This book was my first foray into Brenda Janowitz's writing and I have to say that her actual writing was lovely. There story was beautifully crafted and I would definitely read other works by her. However, I felt that there wasn't much of an emotional connection to the book for me. While I enjoyed the characters and the multi-perspective timeline I am not sure what exactly I was supposed to be feeling the whole time. I was also hoping upon seeing the title of this book that it would have been similar to The Gown which was about the making of Queen Elizabeth II's wedding dress So there may have been a little disappointment there. I thought there might have been more about the actual dress as well as her marriage to the Prince of Monaco.. Though this was more so a book about someone who made a Grace Kelly replica dress and the women who wore it. Overall it was a light, entertaining, and quick read.

Brenda Janowitz has crafted a heartfelt story about 3 generations of women and their stories leading up to their weddings, each wearing the same handcrafted gown. Each story is unique and could be a stand alone novel. I really liked the way this book was put together and liked all three stories, I would have loved to hear more about Rose's life with her true love. These characters were all from the same family but had different styles and personalities. A really enjoyable romantic read!