I have read 3 previous books by the author, all stand-alones that are set in WWII Britain. I highly recommend this book to historical fiction fans.

I loved The Chilbury Ladies' Choir by Jennifer Ryan and enjoyed the Wedding Dress Sewing Circle equally as much!

The book is a multi-POV historical fiction novel set in the village of Aldhurst in England. Told in alternating chapters, we meet Violet, Cressida, and Grace navigating the home front during WWII.

The core of the story focuses on the three ladies combating clothes rationing by setting up a wedding dress exchange. Usually in multi-POV books, I favor one storyline over the others, but not with this book. All three ladies, their jobs, and their love lives were equally interesting to me. To top it off, we get a heartwarming story of friendships, resilience, and romance based on true events.

If you enjoy reading multi-POV, heartwarming historical fiction about the home front during WWII, I highly recommend The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.

4.5 rounded up

Slow build with teasers throughout, till a satisfying ending. Though not a true Romance genre, Jennifer Ryan does follow the formula a bit with the three main characters all searching for love. Taking place in England during WWII, the story opens with us meeting each of the women as they negotiate their way during such a difficult time. This historical fiction novel follows Cressida, Violet, and Grace through each of their trials and tribulations, successes and inspirations. Once I got into the story, probably 6 or 7 chapters worth, I wanted to keep reading. As stated earlier, Ryan teases the reader with some of the story arcs, ultimately though, allowing each of the women to shine in her own right. I greatly enjoyed too, the storyline with upcycling wedding dresses, and learning about women's uniforms and the way they were integrated into the military. Ryan introduces some of the atrocities of war too, but in a way that is not overstated or triggering.
Fans of WWII novels and women's friendships will enjoy this book.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley and have written an objective review)

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for an ARC of The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.

I was looking forward to this book and it didn't disappoint my expectations. In fact, I loved it.

Three women from diverse backgrounds:
Grace the dutiful daughter of the vicar.
Cressida the independent fashion designer.
Violet the spoiled daughter of an aristocrat and Cressida's niece.

I recently finished a WWII book that included what happened to the fashion houses in Paris, so this book was great to delve into England's experiences.

Each of the three women are going on a personal journey of growth. I instantly understood Grace and Cressida. Violet not so much—but rest assured since this is all about change, she changed and became one of my favorites. I wish I'd had a little bit more with the changes Hugh went through because he had as big of an arc as Violet.

I would call this historical romance because the backdrop of the wedding dress and WWII was there for the romance. Mind you, I love a good and wholesome romance, so I was delighted. And I think readers who enjoy historical novels will also enjoy this book.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was filled with hope and the greatness of the human spirit. I highly recommend this book!

There are many books which relate the horrors of the “The Blitz”, the relentless bombing of London during Hitler’s attempt to bring bring England to its knees. One of the many reasons that this book stands out is that it is based on a true story that shines a bright light on the strength of so many different women and their every day contributions which have been marginalized or overlooked. This book is rich in history, wrapped around the story of a borrowed wedding dress and how it forges new friendships and a sense of community among the least likely candidates.

A famous fashion designer, a Vicar’s daughter, a spoiled young woman of the upper classes whose only concern it to marry a title - these are the major characters. Each is given the most extraordinary voice that you can’t help but recognize, empathize and understand their situations and the ultimate choices they will be forced to make. There is pathos and humor, sarcasm and longing, but always camaraderie and caring. Women looking after women as it has always been.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for this totally enjoyable and informative book.

Very entertaining read. Set in England during WWII, it centers around rationing….food, clothes, even wedding dresses. A local small village sewing circle comes together ( rich and poor alike) and gathers wedding dress from throughout the country and even America. They repair them for local brides and female war volunteers, as well. Of course, there is a love angle and a happy ending, too.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, Jennifer Ryan (Publish 5/31/22)
For fans of Ryan’s 2021 novel, the Kitchen Front. I have read all of Jennifer Ryan’s historical fiction novels and the Wedding Dress Sewing Circle and the Kitchen Front are tied for my favorite.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is set in the small town of Aldhurst Village in the English countryside in early 1942. Cressida Westcott was a London fashion designer until the war forces her to return to her ancestor home. She connects with her niece and nephew, Grace and Hugh Westcott, who are both trying to find their way in the world after years of being under the thumb of a tyrannical father. She is also introduced to the women of the village’s weekly sewing circle that is reusing and repurposing clothes items as a coping measure against the war’s strict clothing rations. Grace Carlisle is a vicar’s daughter. Cressida and the other woman of the sewing circle help Grace re-design her mother’s daughter for her upcoming wedding.

This book shares great insights into the clothing rations during the WWII and how women worked around and through those restrictions. I also learned a lot about the work of conscripted woman during the war. I love Jennifer Ryan’s books because while the characters go through hard things (it is a war after all), there is redemption and community so the book does not feel overwhelmingly sad. This is definitely a book very much about revisiting your past while finding new beginnings amidst difficult circumstances. Five stars!

Thank you Net Galley and Ballantine Books/Random House for the free copy in exchange for a honest review. The review is currently posted on Goodreads and I will post it on Amazon and the Friends and Fiction Facebook group on or shortly after the release date.

War has many hidden effects. In England during World War II, civilians dealt with bombings, rationing, and uncertainty. Women were knitting socks, reusing clothes, and "making do". Grace, a vicar's daughter, spent her time trying to help the people of the village. Violet, the sister of the local noble, has been conscripted. Cressida, Violet's aunt, lost her home and her business in a bombing. When these three women forge a friendship at the local women's sewing circle, village life improves. Each woman learns about her strengths and herself. The bond leads to the establishment of a wedding dress exchange. Women getting married can borrow a wedding dress instead of having to marry in their daily clothing.

Jennifer Ryan writes with remarkable insight into three very different characters. We see them realize their potential and the benefits of friendship. These are people you would enjoy knowing. There are trials and tribulations but these plucky women rise to the occasion and show how resilient they are. This is a wonderfully uplifting story that has made me a fan of Jennifer Ryan.

This is a charming book for WWII, historical fiction lovers who want a break from heavy, trauma filled storylines. During WWII in England, clothing and fabric was rationed. Women were unable to procure wedding dresses. A fashion designer, vicar’s daughter, and debutante join forces to remake wedding dresses for their village. The three women have diverse characters and motivations. Their unique voices drive the story as they develop friendships and examine their paths for the future. If you’re looking for a book about women’s friendships with a dash of romance, this is a good choice.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan is a historical fiction novel with some romance in it. However, it is much more than that. It’s the story of three women, the changes they go through and their impact on others during World War II. Most of the novel is set in the village of Aldhurst in England.

Cressida Westcott is a well-known fashion designer who loses both her business and her home in the bombing of London. With only the clothes she’s wearing, she has to return to the family home in the country, which she fled when she was 20. She has a passion for her work, is opinionated, and her only friends are casual ones in the fashion industry.

Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to Aldhurst. However, she has just received her conscription letter. Violet is spoiled and very class conscious. Her initial training is a shock to her.

Grace Carlisle is the local vicar’s daughter. She is selfless and has taken on much of her father’s visitations and other duties, in addition to working at the village shop. Her father suffers from PTSD from World War I and the loss of his wife. Grace is repairing her mother’s wedding gown at the Sewing Circle meeting and asks for help. Cressida not only helps with that, but also motivates them to do more for brides across the country. The author shows significant character growth in all three women as the story line progresses.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. The characters were likeable, and the focus was on women, the roles others wanted for them, what the women wanted for themselves, and the challenges they faced in achieving them. Other themes included friendship, family, life choices, wartime danger, shortages, and romance.

Overall, I learned a lot about these women who had a vision and pursued it relentlessly. The excellent characterization made this book special. The author also did significant research on clothing coupons, rationing, and the sharing of wedding dresses during this time in history.

Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books and Jennifer Ryan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for May 31, 2022.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle tells a story during Wartime. It tells us stories of Villages in Britain and a Manor which was occupied by a family consisting of a Lord of the manor, his sister, and an aunt who left before her brother died. Cressida is the aunt of Hugh and Violet. Cressida returned years later. She became a designer. Grace lived with her father Ben who was the head of the Church. Grace found her mother's wedding dress and brought it to the sewing circle in the village for repair. The dress has a history and brings love to many of the girls in the circle. The story tells some of the war details but it is a romantic story and very enjoyable to read during a period of time they lived in which was otherwise a dark time of war with bombings, rations, etc.

This is my favorite historical fiction book I’ve read in a while. All of these characters felt like friends, and this book really was like a warm hug. I can’t wait for more from Jennifer Ryan, having been a fan of The Kitchen Front as well.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle A Historical Novel based on a true story by Jennifer Ryan World War II wartime Britain with hardships, rationing, love and weddings. War with all the loss, grief, despair, cultural shifts and every life changed forever. The women of the village and the manor get together to repair a vintage Paris gown. A feeling of Downton Abbey in the setting and some of the characters. A lovely book about love, weddings and war time life in the 1940’s.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I appreciate the opportunity and thank the author and publisher for allowing me to read, enjoy and review this book. 5 Stars

A charming, well written, and thoroughly researched novel about several women who set up a way for women to access previously worn wedding dresses during World War II. The challenges of clothing ration coupons are carefully explained. The book provides a thoughtful overview of the challenges of clothes rationing in England, during World War II.

The small English village comes to life via vivid descriptions, providing a wonderful sense of place. The main characters are unique, individual, and interesting. Overall, then this is a pleasant novel.

I requested it because I have read “The Kitchen Front” an earlier book by Jennifer Ryan. “The Kitchen Front” is also charming and well written. It also has two main characters and villain who are strikingly similar to the characters In “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.” There is an independent woman who is faced with an unexpected challenge and a struggling, but talented woman who has always lived in the village. In some ways “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle” feels like a rewrite of “The Kitchen Front” with dress designing substituted for cooking.

It took me the first chapter to get into this WWII historical novel. But then it grew on me rather quickly. I was afraid the characters might be a bit stereotypical, or perhaps that was my brain, seeing what I expected to see, but it definitely was not so. Each of the three women proved entirely capable of changing and growing in important ways.
By the second chapter, I was hooked in that “un-put-down-able” way, and started zipping through it (to the detriment of other books I was reading). By a half of the way through, you may have an inkling where each of the story lines might be going, and who belongs with whom. But you won’t care, because you’ll just want to keep reading, and see how all of the characters are going to get where they’re supposed to land.
Thankfully, Ms. Ryan does not over-write her characters. They have both flaws and virtues. I have also learned a considerable amount about what life in Britain was like at the height of WWII. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle turns out to be just what it sounds like, a group of women taking people’s donated wedding dresses and refashioning them for women who would otherwise have to wear street clothes. It’s warm, it’s funny and it’s good-hearted. I was very sorry when it ended. Perhaps Jennifer will write another book following up what happens to the characters after the war.

Jennifer Ryan has done it again with The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. Ms. Ryan has a knack for taking little known facets of homefront life during WWII England and present us an engaging story filled with wonderful characters.

For this latest installment, we meet Cressida Westcott, a fashion designer who looses her home and studio in London during the Blitz. With no where else to go, she retreats to the Kent countryside and the family estate that she turned her back on many years before. What she intends to be a short stay in the village until she can secure new lodgings in London turns into more as she falls back into village life and gets to know her niece and nephew, who happens to be the new Lord. One of the things she gets involved in is the village sewing circle. An upcoming wedding, a rationing system for new clothes, and a moth eaten wedding dress lead to the formation of an idea to remake old wedding dresses for girls getting married. Soon, the circle collects dresses from neighboring villages and begin to lend the dresses out to brides to be and ultimately draw the attention of none other than Elenor Roosevelt.

Of course, there is a romance or two included, and a little family drama to round it out. Violet Wescott, Cressida’s niece gets conscripted soon after her Aunt arrives. We also meet Grace Carlisle, the vicar’s daughter who brought the first dress to the sewing circle. Cressida’s appearance back in the village has a profound affect on Grace.

This is well researched, as always, and was a quick read. I recommend this book to fans to Ms. Ryan, and anyone interested in historical fiction. Thank you to NetGalley,, the publishers, and the author for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This story, set during WWII, is a gem! The three main characters Cressida, Grace, and Violet are so different from each other, but become very close as they learn more about themselves and those around them.

Cressida is a famous fashion designer in London; Grace is a vicar’s daughter in a small English village named Aldhurst; Violet, Cressida’s niece, is a privileged brat (sorry, just sayin’!) who also lives in Aldhurst. After Cressida’s home and business get bombed in London, she comes to live with Violet in Aldhurst. While these three get to know each other, they, and the Ladies’ Sewing Circle, begin to mend Grace’s mother’s wedding dress for Grace’s upcoming wedding, since there is a clothing ration and wedding dresses are in high demand. This incident begins the sewing circle’s foray into taking in used wedding dresses that can be mended and shared with other brides who are in need of a white wedding dress. Of course, each of the three main characters has a romantic involvement that carries the story along nicely.

But learning about the need for white wedding dresses was so interesting. At the end of the book the author tells about her research and where she got her information about the need for wedding dresses that even Eleanor Roosevelt got involved in!

This was such a sweet story of people working together to help each other get through a very difficult time, and in the end, love wins. I highly recommend it.

I'd like to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Ryan, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is based on true events in WW2 in the British countryside and London. This is a different take on many of the other WW2 books that have been written over the past few years. These people are doing what they can for the war effort but they are also helping with the spirit of community in the time of war. With many men going off to war and the real possibility of death, weddings were often quick and with war rationing, fabric was often scarce.

This book is about community, family, friendship, and love. Cressida Westcott was a designer from London who lost her home and studio in London to bombings. Cressida ends up in the countryside with her estranged aristocratic family. Violet is her niece that has some misplaced values and her nephew is following what he was raised to believe from a miserable father. Their lives all come together and they ultimately help each other become better people and find love.

The sewing circle ladies really spoke to me. I involved with several embroidery groups and the mix of people in this book is very similar to sewing circles of today. Making things, sharing knowledge, and in the time of war sharing supplies. These ladies made many people have happy wedding days with the white dresses many little girls dream of wearing. As an aside, I have a friend that makes burial gowns for premature babies that do not get to leave the hospital with their family's. All of these baby dresses and hats are made from donated wedding gowns. Unfortunately, this is needed but a beautiful gesture to help ease some pain.

This is a very heart warming story. I hope you enjoy it and learn more about the horrors of war and coming together as a community. Thank you Jennifer Ryan for sharing this story and NetGalley for sharing an advanced copy of The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. #NetGalley #JenniferRyan #TheWeddingDressSewingCircle.

Jennifer Ryan is absolutely an auto-buy for me and this book was her most amazing, yet. The whole concept and inspiring lifestyle of the 1940's and a bit more romance in this one. How can you not with weddings? Jennifer is positively a kindred spirit of the WWII era and if you want an authentic and inspiring novel, this is it.

Watch my Amazon Live interview with Jennifer Ryan here: https://amazon.com/live/broadcast/9fc5ed9a-581d-49b3-a200-18a4d3ac7a90?tag=erinmbransco-20&linkCode=ilv&ref_=social

Ah another WWII historical fiction novel. However, this novel came as such a pleasant surprise to me that I was hardly able to put this book down. Following the intertwining stories of 3 women as they attempt to support the war effort yet maintain their own identities in war-torn Britain, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is full of family, grit, determination, strength, and love, sprinkled generously with a fashion theme. Violet, Cressida, and Grace are newfound friends that I won’t soon forget. I would happily pick up another Jennifer Ryan novel.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an e-arc of this novel*