Grace Carlisle, the vicar’s daughter, was a sensible young woman, the kind that everyone relies on. Grace stepped into the role after her mother’s passing, recognizing that her father Ben was grieving, she was determined to do all she could to relieve his burden. She was engaged to be married, to a serious young man, a vicar in a neighboring town, who thought Grace would be an asset to his career.

With all the talk of war, and the various shortages and rations, Violet Westcott was bored and restless, with no handsome young men around to distract her. She was laser focused on marrying someone with a title, as a proper young lady brought up at Aldhurst was expected to do, but her upcoming assignment to assist with the war effort was not part of her plan. Still, she expected her brother Hugh would be able to pull strings and get her out of it.

After yet another bombing in London, Cressida Westcott was devastated to lose not only her home, but her design studio as well. Cressida had become very well-known for her exceptional clothing designs, and going home to Aldhurst was not at all what she wanted to do. With nowhere else to go, she reluctantly returned to the village.

Grace’s mother’s wedding dress is the catalyst that brings the local sewing circle together. The ladies have become quite skilled at remaking and reusing fabric, and with Cressida’s eye for design, the dress is reworked into something spectacular. Word gets out about the dresses, and the ladies suddenly find themselves with several beautiful gowns that they then redesign and lend to brides in the area. I really enjoyed this book, and especially appreciated how all the women came together in support of each other. I liked how Grace, Violet, and Cressida all became stronger and surer of themselves. Primarily set in the English countryside, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle gives the reader a glimpse into World War II’s effects on average people and their own personal courage in support of their country.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House to the advanced reader's copy. Jennifer Ryan explores fabric rations, class, gender, love, family, and friendship all during WWII England. Cressida, Violet, and Grace are an unlikely trio that start off squarely in their class with unique expectations and their worlds expand during the novel. Cressida is very independent, but had to move back to the family manor and has a tremendous influence on her niece, nephew, and the community. Grace finds her mother's wedding dress and has the sewing circle help mend it for her upcoming wedding. Violet and Grace both learn and grow so much during the war and help the sewing circle.
I didn't expect all the romance stories within the WWII novel. It's an interesting historical fiction and has great themes of friendship and community.

Thank you Netgalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and Jennifer Ryan for free e-ARC in return of my honest review.

While the female characters in the historical fiction book were amazingly written, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the plot. Despite the rich historical setting and the potential for an intriguing story, the plot felt boring and predictable, lacking the tension and excitement that I was hoping for. The author's attention to detail and vivid descriptions of the time period were impressive, but they were not enough to hold my interest. However, the female characters were a standout feature of the book. They were complex, nuanced, and fully realized, with their own hopes, dreams, and struggles. The author's portrayal of their experiences was both authentic and empathetic, making them feel like real people rather than just characters in a book. Overall, while the book had its strengths, the lackluster plot prevented me from fully enjoying it.

I liked this authentic WWII historical fiction story about women who band together during wartime rationing to make a wedding dress. Each of them faces different scenarios because of the war. I love this kind of historical fiction!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I love reading historical fiction books. But this one was more of a historical romance. To be honest, I just did not connect well with the characters. I did, however, learn a few tidbits of which I was unaware. For example, I did not know that many British women were drafted during WWII. The three main characters, Violet, Cressida, and Grace make startling personality changes, and for Violet and Cressida, it appears unrealistic and unfounded. This was a meh read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

For more reviews, please visit my blog at: https://www.msladybugsbookreviews.com/. Over 1000 reviews posted!

I'm always a sucker for a WW2 novel, and The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was no exception. Rather than the typical battlefield or Holocaust setting, the novel takes place on the homefront in Britain, featuring a community of women leaning into each other as the war rages on.

Cressida, a fashion designer, is back in her hometown after the bombings in London force her out. Violet, her niece, is excited to receive her aunt, but quickly receives a letter requesting her service. Grace, the daughter of the local vicar, makes the third member of their group, when she enlists their assistance at the local sewing circle, repairing a wedding dress for her own wedding.

The novel, based on a true story, shows the resilience of women during the war and how communities came together in the struggle. Ryan, as usual, shares a well researched and well written novel. that draws the reader into the story and makes you want to keep reading, even long past your bedtime.

beautiful story that will have book clubs up late talking. Well paced and researched, and a very good read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers and for an E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was such a great book. Once I got started it was hard to put down. I loved the three different points of view of the story. Cressida, Grace, and Violet. I thought each character was very well written and I love how their stories intertwined together. This book is set during WWII and is about these three women with different stories to tell in the beginning. Cressida is a fashion designers in London and both Grace and Violet live in a small village in the country. After Cressida is forced to move out to the country and live with her nephew Hugh and niece Violet in the childhood manor she grew up in but left to chase her dreams years ago. Grace is the daughter of the local vicar. Their paths meet at the community sewing circle so the women can do a small part during the war. I loved the plot and how this is based on true events of women helping each other. I think the Jennifer Ryan did a great job writing about these women and what happened during WWII. I can not wait to read more from her.

What a lovely book! I am a huge fan of Jennifer Ryan’s The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, and this was also fantastic. I loved the three women and their points of view. I was unsure of Violet in the beginning, but she won me over. World War 2 historical fiction is one of my favorite genres, so no surprise this was such a hit. Highly recommend!

There is a special place in my heart for books set in England. :)
This was a great read about friendship and resiliency. I loved that it was based on true events and that the storytelling was warm despite it being wartime.
A great read and I’d highly recommend!

Thank you to #NetGalley, the author, the publisher for this ARC.

I don't judge books by the cover but I loved this one.

I enjoy books about weddings, wedding dresses, and WW II books so it's a great fit (pun intended of course). This book is not just about a wedding dress but about how 3 women in London who don't know each other end up becoming friends and how some are rekindling friendships years later both mostly female and male relationships.

Of course, the ending was happy in all of the relationships with Cressida, Violet and Grace.

Excellent story about a group of friends, how they support and help each other by joining forces. Working together they can achieve great things. Focusing on one main family and the father and daughter from the Vicarage, it's the story of a small village and town where the people came together during the war. One woman comes back from London where she was a famous and successful fashion designer, lending her skills to the local sewing group. When the vicar's daughter is engaged to be married, she gets out her mother's wedding dress from the attic, bringing it to the group for intense mending, and learning more of its history as the story goes along. She then decides to lend it to anyone in the group to wear for their wedding and the idea expands from there until they have many donations of wedding dresses and brides waiting to borrow them. The lack of fabric makes it necessary to make clothes with less or mend and rework existing clothes. The English government had very strict guidelines for it.

My Grandmother was a master at reworking clothes. She worked at church rummage sales, bringing home clothes and remaking them into what she liked. She had a great eye for it and did beautiful work. I inherited many of her creative talents, but never remade clothes. I find it fascinating and am thinking about trying it out now that I'm retired and on a budget.

I really got lost in this and hated to see it end. Romance, warm hearts, misunderstandings and people reflecting on their lives and who they are as a person. Because of the war women stepped up to fill jobs that they never would have had otherwise. They learned new skills and excelled in ways that would not have been allowed before. Loved this story, it's beautifully told.

I received this book free from the author, publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
#NetGalley #TheWeddingDressSewingCircle #JenniferRyan #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #FiveStarNovel #RandomHouse

In Aldhurst, a tiny village in Kent, Grace Carlisle wants to wear her mother's wedding dress in her upcoming wedding. Unfortunately, she discovers it's been wrecked by moths. She decides to take it the the local sewing circle, hoping it can be mended. This small beginning leads into the lives of three women- Grace, who is engaged to the only man who ever asked her, Violet, the young debutante who's only ambition is to marry a duke, and Cressida, the famous London designer who is forced to move back home when her home and business are destroyed in the Blitz. This story is centered on the clothing rationing that occurred in wartime England and how the women came together to mend and recreate clothing and share it with others. Jennifer Ryan masterfully weaves a story of ordinary women with historical accuracy and a great deal of heart. I couldn't put it down. I loved how the focus remains on the women as they follow paths in their lives that weren't planned but learn to rely on each other as they become the women they were always meant to be.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced E-Arc of this title. I really enjoyed it and the three characters - Cressida, Violet and Grace. It is a lovely WWII historical fiction set from the female POV. I recommend this to my fellow historical fiction fans!

The book tells the story of three very different women during WWII in London. Cressida is a big time fashion designer who loses her house and design studio in the Blitz. She has nowhere to go and is forced to more back to her childhood home in Kent with her estranged niece and nephew. The niece is Violet, a spoiled brat who is looking for wealthy husband to take care of her. She doesn’t care about anyone else and is more interested in clothing and social events. Lastly, is Grace, the daughter of the local vicar and the complete opposite of Violet. She’s passionate about helping others and sews and mends clothes in a local women’s group. Clothing is scarce and all the women help each other. Grace is due to be married and she finds her mother’s wedding dress, but it is in dire need of some help.

Cressida, Grace, and Violet are such different women but they pull together. Violet is conscripted into war work and her brother gets her a job as a driver for the American military. It’s tough work and they don’t treat her special despite her high class upbringing. The growth in Violet’s character was especially nice to see. Cressida is dead set on returning to London ASAP to restart her business, but she sticks around once she sees how valuable her work and knowledge is in Kent. And Grace is inspired by Cressida’s work as a designer and even does some modeling. She rethinks a lot about her future. The 3 women and the other ladies of the sewing circle inspire other women to donate their old wedding dresses to be refurbished for new brides.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s definitely on the lighter side of WWII fiction, but I think that’s an asset to the story. I love the idea of reusing the wedding dresses and turning them into something fresh and new. Each of the three women also have a little romance which I enjoyed and I appreciated it wasn’t the focal part of the story.

I highly recommend this book! Thank you so much to @penguinrandomhouse and @jennifer_ryan_author for my eARC.

The writing style is charming and engaging, and readers will be drawn in by the relatable and diverse cast of characters. The themes of the book are timeless and universal, making it a touching and thought-provoking read for anyone who has ever experienced the ups and downs of relationships and personal growth.

The use of sewing as a metaphor for the various threads of life is particularly effective, and adds depth to the narrative. The descriptions of the wedding dresses and the care and attention put into creating them are also beautifully written, and serve to highlight the joy and beauty of creative pursuits.

Overall, "The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle" is a warm and uplifting novel that will delight fans of women's fiction and those looking for a feel-good read. It is recommended for anyone who loves stories about the power of friendship and the importance of following one's dreams.

This book was well-written and enjoyable. It took me a while to get into it but once I did, I found the characters delightful and the message powerful. Jennifer Ryan is an excellent writer and this book did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed this WWII novel. I liked that it wasn't the typical WWII novel, it was very refreshing. I loved the story and characters, it was very easy to follow unlike Jennifer Ryan's previous novel.

This is a historical fiction book that takes place during WWII in Britain. It focuses on three women, Cressida, Violet and Grace.

I liked the message about empowerment and living life to the fullest. But I felt like the characters were very simplified. There was some real trauma experienced by the women and it was very glossed over and they just continued on with no apparent ill effects.

I did enjoy the time and place and learning about the sewing circle. This was a little slice of history I didn't know about before and I found it really interesting. At the same time, the constant emphasis on clothing and talking about clothing seemed unrealistic.

One of the other major sore spots for me was the dialogue. It just seemed so fake.

Overall, it's not a terrible book and I did enjoy the story. I felt it could have used some more depth and editing.

It’s not often that one can read a story set during the time period of WWII and considered it heart warming, but Jennifer Ryan’s The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is just that.

With a shortage of material, buying new clothes was rationed in Britain. Handmade and hand- repaired clothing became became an essential part of wartime life. ‘Make Do and Mend’ was a government campaign urging people to do whatever they could to extend the life of their clothes. Pretty decorative patches were created to cover holes in worn garments, old jumpers were pulled apart and re-knit into more stylish alternatives, and mens clothes were transformed into women’s. Repair, reuse and reimagine was the mantra.

The women of the village of Aldhurst England come together weekly to do their part, altering clothing for exchange, and their circle becomes so much more as it provided a much needed channel of support for these women as they coped with the bleakness of war that surrounded them.

Grace Carlisle, the Vicars daughter, is preparing for her upcoming wedding. With most material being used for the war effort, there was a desperate shortage of wedding dresses. She finds her deceased mothers moth eaten wedding dress in disrepair and asks the sewing circle for assistance in trying to repair it. For their help, Grace offers to share her dress with any bride to be. A new sense of enthusiasm and hope sparks as the women come together. I loved watching the camaraderie these women shared as they worked together supporting and encouraging one another. Their enthusiasm was infectious and I longed to be friends with these ladies.

As word spread, the excitement grew, and the woman began collecting donated old wedding dresses breathing the life back into them. And so began a wedding dress exchange of shared wedding dresses passes from women to women.

Such a heartwarming story about friendship, love, and community coming together to bring brightness during a very dark time.

I would like to thank Random House Group Publishing - Ballantine and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this title. It is my pleasure to leave an honest review and all opinions are my own.