Oh my goodness, Jennifer Ryan never disappoints me with her heart-warming stories about women's lives on the World War II homefront. This was a story about the importance of friendship and being part of something bigger than yourself and finding hope in the midst of challenging times. Throw in 3 sweet romance stories, and the result is perfection! What a charming, sweet novel!

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan is a wonderful WWII-era historical fiction that tells the heartwarming story of a little village in England and all of the amazing inhabitants within and their involvement surrounding the local Sewing group. I just loved it!

I have enjoyed several books by Ms. Ryan in the past, and this book is a great addition. It is told in alternating chapters/viewpoints between Grace, Violet, and Cressinda. All three women are tied together by the same small village and some also by relation. All have gone their separate ways and have distanced themselves from their shared past. All are brought together again during the unique circumstances of the war, and through their new and initially “forced” interactions, they begin to bond, form friendships, and join forces within their own Sewing Circle and it ends up becoming so much more.

Yes, this book does contain lost loves, romance, and luckily amongst such times of devastation and distress, some happily ever afters. But this story is also about community, helping others, finding your purpose in life, and the strong friendships that are forged between this group of women. I loved reading about the changes, progression, and self-awakenings of the three women. I also truly loved seeing all of the activities and plans that the group participated in to help with mending, designing, donating, and helping others in these times of rationing and scarcity. It was beautiful to see the plans with the central wedding dress as well as the creation of the “pay it forward” in regards to helping other women as well. It was creative, beautiful, and touching.

What I love the most is the Author’s note to help let us know how much of these ideas were real, and actually happened. So wonderful!

I highly recommend this book.

5/5 stars

Thank you NG and Ballantine Books/Random House for this wonderful arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion. I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 5/31/22.

Jennifer Ryan does it again! This book, like her other Historical Fiction books, is set in England during World War II. This time the book centers around wartime shortages and clothing coupons. With the majority of materials going to the war effort, clothing and material are rationed. The War Office is requesting that the English "Make Do and Mend." The village women have a sewing circle where they do just that. Old clothes, donated clothes make their way to the sewing circle where they are mended and re-used. Old clothes that are too tattered are used to patch other clothes. The story has wonderful characters, dialogue and is wonderfully researched.Unlike her other stories, there is no mystery to solve. I believe it will appeal to all Jennifer Ryan's fans. I give it 5 stars because this will appeal to fans of Historical Fiction. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the Kindle version of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Preparing for a wedding during a war when clothing rations are tight means you have to get extremely creative. Is it possible that a displaced fashion designer, her society niece, and a vicar's daughter can find a solution?

This story follows three women who pull together the skills and resources of their village and outside connections to create and re-create wedding dresses for local brides. In the process they build friendships and learn to encourage one another in difficult circumstances.

When the story began I found none of the main characters likeable, but they did grow over time as they encouraged and sacrificed for one another. Unfortunately the romances they experienced were presented as shallow and underdeveloped. The story's redeeming quality was ultimately in the friendships between the women and how they learned to trust and encourage one another.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.