The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is Jennifer Ryan at her best! I’ve been a fan of hers since reading The Chilbury Ladies Choir and I loved the little nod she gave to Chilbury in this book.

The way people came together and worked to help each other during WWII is inspiring. Before reading this book I hadn’t heard of the women of the era sharing their wedding dresses so that young couples might enjoy beautiful weddings to remember. It’s lovely to learn how they all worked together to find joy during difficult times.

As always, Jennifer Ryan has given us a wonderful escape to the times of WWII.

Please keep them coming, Jennifer!

Like Jennifer Ryan's other books, this is a story of the home front in Britain during World War II. The rationing and the regular bombing seems almost unbearable to this reader that has never had to experience either. In this book, the enterprising women of the local sewing circle have the idea to restore their old wedding dresses for the war time brides to borrow. This idea becomes so popular that the idea crosses the Atlantic and receives the endorsement of Eleanor Roosevelt. While this is the basis of the story, we watch as the women in this village grow and change and become stronger in the face of terrible hardship.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle tells the intertwining stories of Violet, Grace, and Cressida, three women whose very different lives all lead them to one town and one group of women who all decide to work together to remake old wedding dresses and lend them out to women who are getting married during World War II. Violet is a spoiled heiress who has had everyone handed to her, but after the death of her father is put to work. Cressida is a gifted clothing designer whose house is bombed in London and must returned to her childhood home. Grace is an engaged woman who has long been restrained by the life she feels destined to lead. In the wedding dress sewing circle, the women find friendship and new futures for themselves. They also find unexpected love.

The good: This book is very well researched and does a good job of integrating historical information into the personal lives of the characters.

The bad: One-dimensional characters, extremely trite and sentimental dialogue and quotes. It was copy-paste stuff.

Cressida Wescott has lost everything in the Blitzkrieg on London, leaving her no choice but to return to the family home she left years before. Luckily her niece seems thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay, thinking that the famous dress designer will brighten up the increasingly dull village life. But things take an unexpected turn when Violet is conscripted, she doesn’t believe she’ll ever find a husband if she has to parade around in a dull, drab uniform. At the same time, Grace Carlisle is desperately trying to restore her mother’s old wedding dress into something that will help give her the wedding she desperately longs for. Luckily, Cressida is more than willing to pitch in and help and before long she convinces not only the members of the local sewing society to donate their old clothes for the cause, but also members of other “make do and mend” groups across the countryside. This is a charming and heartwarming story that we could all learn a thing or two from

Jennifer Ryan has a talent for writing absorbing historical fiction. She began with The Chilbury Ladies Choir, a book that I very much enjoyed. Next came The Spies of Shilling Lane and then The Kitchen Front. I recommend all of these. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is the next, English set, WWII story by this author. I really enjoyed it and recommend it highly.

This is a story that, to me, was about change and transformation. Do people have to stay in their strictly defined (by them or others) roles or can they move toward the lives that they want? Watch the characters to find out.

Readers follow three women whose lives and circumstances have been impacted by loss, the war and a heretofore acceptance of given roles. First is Grace; she is the daughter of a village vicar. When Grace’s mother died she stepped up to support her father. Grace, who puts her own needs last, is a very kind “do-gooder”. She is scheduled to marry another vicar but is she settling? What will happen when she again encounters the son of the squire who was a childhood friend? Readers will want the best for this good and likeable character.

Then there is Violet. She accepts and relishes her place in society. She is a rather self-important snob as the novel opens. When Violet is called up to do war work, how will she change? What talents will she discover? How will her views of people change? Violet has always wanted to marry a title, maybe even more than the man. What will happen when she meets a brash American?

Last, but definitely not least, there is Cressida. She is a successful fashion designer whose life is upended by the Blitz. Cressida is Violet’s aunt and Grace’s father is an old friend. Will Cressida and Grace’s father let go of their past grief enough to perhaps get together? Even if a reader thinks that they know the answers, there is pleasure in reading this title.

The author, in addition to telling her characters’ stories, provides readers with an interesting take on the period. Through fashion, readers learn about the system of clothing coupons and a contest for making do in a fashionable way with less. Cressida enters this contest. She also helps Grace to refashion her mother’s beautiful wedding dress…and, by the way, what is the history of this dress? And, of course, there is the sewing circle.

I truly loved this book. I enjoyed the people, the setting and the historical context. Even if you suffer from WWII historical fiction fatigue, I recommend that you read this one!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House-Ballentine for this title. All opinions are my own.

A fascinating account of what went on behind the scenes for women during World War II. I don’t usually read historical fiction, but I enjoyed this story very much.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is such a feel-good book. I greatly enjoyed reading about Cassida, Violet, and Grace. Highly recommend.

What I love about Jennifer Ryan's books is they give you a different viewpoint on WWII. You get to see how the women on the homefront deal with a life that has changed dramatically. In this story we follow three women, Grace who is the vicar's daughter, Violet who is the village lord's sister and Cressida who is a famous designer and Violet's aunt.

The woman all become involved in the village sewing circle. Here they mend and swap clothing all to make do with what they have. After Grace finds her mother's old wedding gown, the group decides to repair it so that Grace can wear it for her wedding. Grace decides after she has worn it, she will pass it down to the next bride so that she may too have a white wedding. This small sharing turns into a whole project for the group as all the ladies decide to donate their gowns and they recruit other women in the country to donate theirs as well. This wonderful gesture gives the women hope and helps them band together to do their own special bit for the war.

Each of the three women's stories are wonderful to read. They each change and grow so much as the story progresses. While their romances are a little predictable, the story is still a delight. Ms. Ryan's story is a cozy read that lets you see another side of life during wartime.

I absolutely adored this book! Despite set during WWII, I found this book extremely uplifting and cheerful. Based on real events, the story centers around a community of sewers who are inspired by the clothing rationing to mend wedding dresses and start a charity to help brides around England. The novel focuses on three main perspectives: Grace, Cressida, and Violet.

I found the character development extremely strong, I felt tied to the characters and sucked into the story immediately. However, Violet’s storyline was without a doubt my favorite! I really couldn’t stand her mindset at the beginning of the book, but her experiences shaped her to become an entirely different woman who found her purpose and it was just so beautifully crafted. I have read a lot of books of woman stepping up during the war to become VAD nurses, but Violet’s storyline of becoming a military mechanic showcased a different side of possibilities woman had to serve during the war.

The main theme of this book is without a doubt love. Nonetheless, there are underlying themes or hardship, friendship, and personal growth. The three main characters are entirely different woman by the end of the book from influencing each other and learning to prioritize their happiness instead of what society expects.

I’d highly recommend for anyone looking for a more lighthearted historical fiction read.

This story covers three women who are adjusting to wartime life and relationships in Britain. Cressida is a very well known fashion designer, and loses both her home and her business in one night of bombing. She returns back to her family's manor home to reconnect with her niece and nephew after many years away and out of touch. Grace is the local vicar's daughter, and preparing for her future as the supportive wife in the parish. Violet is Cressida's niece and her mind is trying to figure out how she will find a husband of worthy title and status to maintain the family expectations.

Grace brings her mother's moth-eaten wedding dress to the village's Sewing Circle. Cressida offers her help, and the group of women soon bond over design, life, relationships, and so much more. Soon their sewing circle gains attention for their mending and design of refurbished wedding dresses, and each of the women make important realizations and decisions for their future.

Wonderful story of people coming together to help each other out. Individuals finding their way when expectations can hold them back. Really enjoy Jennifer Ryan's books. Will definitely continue to follow her.

Jennifer Ryan has me standing up to cheer for the tenacity and caring of the women in The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle!
WWII changed the world on everyone in England with German bombing.
A London couturier designer lost her h9me and business In London and had to return home to the small village Aldhurst where grew up and her brother’s family now lives.
There she renews friendships and becomes involved with the parish vicar daughter’s Make-Do Sewing Circle.
When local brides wanted a white wedding dress, there were none to be found due to rationing of clothing.
They come up with the idea to rehab old wedding dresses that were sitting in attics.
Together these ladies found that even during the scariest, darkest of times; love and joy can be woven into a wedding dress.
#The WeddingDressSewingCircle
#JenniferRyan

This book gave a fascinating look at friendship, romance and fashion during WWII in Great Britain. I learned a lot about the clothing coupons and making do that the women endured. Cressida, Grace and Violet all grow so much over the course of the book. I love the relationships between the three women and their romances with the men in their lives. The author's writing brought all of the emotions to life. This is a wonderful historical fiction read!

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

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a very good historical fiction novel that takes place in England during WWII. Cressida Westcott, who is a London designer of high society clothes until she loses everything, has to go to live in her family home. Her niece and nephew are living there now. Cressida does not have pleasant memories from this house but has no where else to go. There is a shortage of clothes and the sewing circle refurbishes donated and often worn out clothing to pass on to town people who need them. This is a feel-good story about women who become stronger than they think they are. The setting and characters were described so well that you could picture them in your mind.
Thank you to #NetGalley, #Kathleen Quinlan, and #Random House Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Release date is May 31, 2022.

I loved this book. Do you need to dive into a refreshing view of the struggles of women in WWII Great Briton? I did. I learned more about what it took to love in wartime and much more about the adjustments that everyone had to make in order to survive the horrors and destruction of war. Clothing, food, contributions to the war effort, and wedding dresses are all a part of this warm cozy romance.

And not one romance but many! Each woman had choices to make that changed their life and the lives of the community. As the book progresses, the author helps the reader to want more from each of her characters, more chances for happiness, life, and love.

Read it and smile.

Jennifer Ryan’s The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle weaves a warm and entertaining story around the rationing of clothes in WWII Britain. Set in a small town near Kent, it features three separate narratives featuring the more mature and experienced Cressida Westcott, the selfless Grace Carlisle and the shallow, spoiled daughter of the manor, Violet Westcott. 

Cressida Westcott is an independent career woman, forced by the bombing destruction of both her home and business to return to her ancestral home. War has taken everything from her but she is by no means beaten nor has she given up on life. Cressida is the central of the three characters and the catalyst of change for both Grace and Violet as her independent attitude towards life influences not only the two of them, but other women in their village. Though not labeled a feminist, Cressida certainly is one in all the best ways. Her shining example of independence and as well as her overt support help Grace to question some of her decisions and change the course of her life. Violet is also similarly influenced as she grows from a one dimensional spoiled girl to a capable young woman.
 
I truly enjoyed this book. I found the story line about the rationing of clothes and how the women worked within those confines to clothe themselves as well as others quite interesting. Using a wedding dress brought a personal touch to the story. If I have one criticism, it would be that the romances were very predictable, but this did not detract from my enjoyment of the book.  Four and a half stars.

I was given a free copy of this book by NetGalley and the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions stated are solely my own.

Heartwarming historical fiction! Shortages during WWII caused the British women to scrimp and craft things together both survive and support the war. The cleverness and skill of these women in this story and eagerness to share is commendable. Grace's special love and tenderness for others was encouraging. I love the author's portrayal of Violet as she found her way to become a warm and caring person. Enjoyed all the characters! The story was a little predictable but so worth reading. Recommended!

Cressida Westcott is a designer living in London during January 1942. The bombing of London has now destroyed her home and design studio. She is homeless and returns to her old home. Her brother has died, and the home is occupied by her niece Violet and nephew Hugh. Violet is searching for a husband and wants a title husband. Her father always made it known that she need to married someone important.
Grace Carlisle the vicars daughter has been seeing to the parish since her mother died 10 years ago. Her old friend Hugh left for school and London and never looked back. She is engaged to a gentleman who is older than her and also a vicar.
The local sewing circle meets every Tuesday and Violet take Cressida to the meeting. Grace and the other ladies are always working to refurbish old clothes. Due to shortage and lack of coupons to purchase new clothes it's a real shortage of available clothing for the small town.
Grace finds her mothers old wedding dress and Cressida offers to help her re-do the gown. When visiting the manor she runs into Hugh. He seems to think she is now beneath him. Violet has been called to service in the forces and must report for duty with other ladies in lower class.
It was really interesting to read about the conditions and problems during that timeframe. I really enjoyed seeing Violet, Grace and Cressida coming into their own during the war time.

There was something quite heart-warming about this book, that almost reminded me of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. The characters felt very real and engaging, and I thought the setting was beautifully crafted. Definitely reading more by this author in the future!

I received this from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This was a different story from the usual war time story. I love the strength each of the women and story itself. A great read.