A rare five star review from me. If you enjoy historical fiction set during WWII, you will love this. It is everything the genre was meant to be, well written and researched. Three women reconnect in Aldhurst Village, England, during WWII and begin a friendship that will change their lives and bring a refreshing change to the village. Cressida is a renowned fashion designer from London who loses everything during the Blitz. Violet is her niece, aristocratic and spoiled, who is unexpectedly conscripted into the British women's Army service. Grace is the vicor's daughter, preparing for her wedding by repairing her mother's wedding gown. Clothes are rationed at the time and each family is only allowed a limited number of coupons per year. She is helped along by the local sewing cirle and so their story begins. The women grow, learn from each other and learn about themselves. They find out what they want and need and take the steps to make all that happen. Jennifer Ryan is the author of other well-known books set in this era, The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and Home Front. This is the best one yet! I received this ARC from Random House in exchange for my honest review. This charming book will be published 5/31/22. I loved it and you will, too.

I just really like Jennifer Ryan's stories, and this is no exception. Set during WWII England, and based on true events, this is the story of various members of a family and their friends, and how they all grow and change during the war. It's the story of women making do and still trying to live their best lives during the war. It's the story of a group of women in a sewing circle in a small town who start sharing wedding dresses so brides can have a white wedding during the war years when not just food is rationed, but fabric. But it most of all this is the story of friendship, deep and enduring friendship, and how friendships can support you at all times. Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine Books for the e-arc. I thoroughly enjoyed every page.

WWII brings tremendous change to three women in this emotional novel that is above all about friendship. Cressida, who left home years and years ago and hasn't been back because of her hateful brother, finds herself once again at Aldhurst when her home and her design business are destroyed in a single night by German bombers. Violet, her niece, an incredibly vapid character (good grief some of the things she says!) at the start finds rewarding work as a driver and mechanic for the Army. And then there's Grace. the self effacing vicar's daughter who is set to marry Lawrence, also a vicar. It's Grace's wedding dress that brings them together- it's in tatters when she finds it and the group works to made it whole. But is Lawrence her future? What about Hugh, Cressida's nephew and Violet's brother. who was her childhood friend. Each woman has an epiphany about life and love. But don't forget about the sewing! Cressida and Grace discover the latter's latent talent not only as a seamstress but also as a designer. And, these women, as well as the others in the village sewing circle, create a wedding dress exchange so that brides can have a white dress. It's a good emotional read and there are a few surprises. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Ryan's fans will be pleased and new readers will find themselves engaged and, like me, looking forward to more.

Thank you to the publishers for sending me this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!

This book is about three women whose lives become entwined through the village sewing circle. Cressida is a fashion designer who loses her home and her fashion house to a bombing, so she must move back into her old family home. Cressida moves in with her niece at the old family home, Violet, meeting each other for the first time. Violet is a woman who values looks and status until she is sent to do war work that changes her life forever. Grace is a woman who needs reparations on her mother's old wedding gown, so she turns to Cressida and the sewing circle for help.

This novel is told through the perspectives of Cressida, Violet, and Grace. Each woman has a romance story that is full-fledged and unique. I love how this novel contains so much within its pages. Along with the three romances are war struggles, community togetherness, female empowerment, pushing boundaries, and meaningful relationships. Most of all, I love how the women take control of their lives instead of settling for less than perfect.

This book is well-researched and important. I learned a lot about how World War II impacted Britain and the lives of individuals. I definitely recommend this historical fiction as it is a beautiful story and is beautifully executed.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle
by Jennifer Ryan

In a country village near London, during WWII, Grace Carlisle's vicar father finds her late mother's wedding dress and presents it to her for her own wedding. The once beautiful dress is moth eaten and in tatters so the local sewing club, doing everything for the war effort to provide clothing for soldiers and citizens, get to work repairing the dress with donated cloth. Doing so leads the women to create a wedding dress lending service, allowing women to get married in borrowed wedding dresses that can then go on to the next woman.

Violet Westcott's family is the owner of the village's manor and her brother Hugh oversees the manor properties and the village. Both have had it pounded into their heads that they must marry someone who will enhance the family reputation and finances. Until Huge and Grace were fifteen they were best friends but once Hugh was sent to boarding school, they rarely saw each other. Now Violet is having her world shaken by being forced to do war work.

Famous fashion designer, Cressida Westcott, has lost her lavish London home and fashion house when both places are bombed during the air raids. All she can do is drag herself back to her family home, a place she left long ago. Now that her brother is dead, the family home belongs to Hugh and she's hoping she can get along with him much better than she got along with her brutish late brother.

These three women and the women of the village, come together in the interest of repairing a tattered wedding dress but out of that endeavor comes so much more. I enjoyed seeing the changes in each woman and the men in their lives. I've learned so much about wartime London and the surrounding areas from this book and the two others I've read by this author. Now I understand how even clothing and material was rationed during wartime and afterwards. Women were getting married in their nicest worn clothes or their war uniforms. That is, until women came together and shared what they had, pieced together dresses from parts of other dresses, and used their sewing skills to make useable items out of discards and scraps. I love to learn from historical fiction and I learned so much with this one.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for this ARC.

This is a Historical Fiction. I love the characters, and the characters change so much during this book which I really loved. The characters made this book so great. I loved the drama and that this book took place during war, but we are following normal UK people. I loved seeing how the war changed the regular people. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Ballantine Books) or author (Jennifer Ryan) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

I found this book to be delightful! I loved living within its pages.

Set in .England during WWII, the story is largely about the friendships among a group of women who meet together to sew and mend clothing due to the war’s clothing shortages. Eventually the group’s main emphasis becomes wedding dresses as a writer from Vogue magazine publishes their story and wedding gowns are continually donated.

There are several romances within the pages as well! I found this to be a well-researched, well-written book and I’d like to read more by this author!

I received this book from the publisher via net galley in exchange for an honest review. Five stars!

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