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.

This novel is set in WWII England and features 3 primary female characters. After fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses her home and business in the London Blitz, she is forced to move back to her childhood estate with her niece, Violet and nephew. Violet is a society girl whose main concern at the beginning of the novel is finding a rich, titled husband but whose conscription into military service changes her priorities and outlook. The third character is vicar’s daughter Grace Carlisle, who is about to be married and desperate to salvage her mother’s wedding dress. The three ladies all participate in the formation of a wedding dress sewing circle to re-design old wedding dresses for wartime brides.

I loved all of these characters. While it was a somewhat predictable plot, the characters were well-developed and interesting. I enjoyed all of their stories as they moved to help other women while also finding love themselves. I’m so glad to have read this story.

Sweet and an easy read. I wanted something that I could settle into without too much effort and this book met that. I loved the differing perspectives of each of the women. Though it was overall somewhat predictable, it felt like catching up with an old romcom. Just because you may figure out the ending doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

Wonderful story about friendship, community and following your dreams. None of the three main characters were the same at the end of the book as they were in the beginning, and in a good way!

Thank you to netgalley.com for this ARC.

This was a great book. Even though it dealt with WWII and the bombings in the England, it was such a heartfelt, feel good book.

The story of three women from a small town outside of London and the community they form during the war to provide wedding dresses during the time of severe clothing rations. Their lives interact with each other and they each have a significant impact on each other.

I have read a lot of WWII fiction and this was a new, positive viewpoint of a horrific event.

This book was so lovely! 🥰 Though it’s set in WWII, and the war plays a big part in the story, this wasn’t so much a story of war but of friendship, love, and finding yourself. The three main characters were all very different, interesting, and I loved to see each of the characters’ development throughout the book.

It did get a little cheesy at the end and it was so totally predictable, but honestly, the book was such a delight, I didn’t care.

Thanks to Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the gifted book that I read along with the library audio.

Cressida Westcott is a clothes designer, forced back to her family manor she hasn't been to in years after her home and design house are lost in the London Blitz.

Violet Westcott is a socialite who is thrilled her aunt is coming to stay in this dreary village. Things have gotten quite dull with all the men gone and the parties cancelled.

Grace Carlisle is the vicar's daughter and is engaged to a man of the cloth. Her whole identity is wrapped up in the work she does to support the men in her life.

These three women's stories become interconnected as they each face what clothes rationing means for their lives and they interact through a wedding dress sewing circle which repurposes old garments to those worthy of celebration.

I loved this book. It fits into what my friend @FortWords has dubbed "uplifting WWII fiction." Despite being set in a horrible time period, it celebrates the tenacity and resilience of humanity and the good that can be found when you have to dig a little deeper. Each of these three main characters is loveable in their own way while not being without fault. And the side characters add such vibrance to the plot that they should be celebrated as well. What a delight of a reading experience.

After the initial pages, I found myself not connecting with the story or characters, so I decided to pass on this book. Did not finish

Having recently finished the previously published “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle'' by Jennifer Ryan, I am happy to have had the chance for the Advanced Reader’s Edition e-copy; thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine Books!

This was a different kind of World War II story, that focused on friendships discovered through mending and sharing of wedding dresses as a different kind of contribution to the war effort. By salvaging donated gowns the women of the sewing circle formed a community of compassion during the hard times and rationing that was occurring throughout Great Britain. It was also a novel about discovering your own path, and finding your place in the world. Considering the time frame of the story, the ladies' paths included love and a HEA outcome for all three of the women, but that didn’t take away from the spirit of this story.

“It takes a great deal of bravery to defy the label people try to give you, forge ahead on a different path, becoming something new.”

This is a very entertaining read. I especially love the resillance that these women must endure in a horrific time.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Random House - Ballentine Books for this advanced readers copy.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan is my first by this author, and I enjoyed it. I takes a slightly different perspective on WWII by focusing on the domestic war efforts at home as told through the stories of three women from different worlds who find their lives intersecting.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

Over the past several years I have become quite a fan of Jennifer Ryan’s books. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was the third book I have had the pleasure of reading by her and I enjoyed it very much. It took place during World War II in London and in a quaint village called Aldhurst that was located near Kent. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle, like Jennifer Ryan’s previous books, portrayed strong, innovative and determined women during World War II. It was definitely a character driven book that was well plotted. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle examined the concepts of clothes rationing, the motto of “ Make do and mend” and the introduction of utility clothes in England during the 1940’s. It was based on women’s accomplishments during World War II in England. I had not been aware that a coupon system existed for clothes during the Second World War until I read this book. The number of coupons needed for a particular item of clothing was based on how much fabric was needed to produce the garment. I also never thought about how difficult and how disappointing it must have been for brides not to be able to walk down the aisle in a new white wedding gowns. What bride does not want to wear white on their wedding day?

Cressida Westcott grew up at the Manor in the quaint village of Aldhurst. The love of her life was killed shortly after World War I began. Then both of her parents had died. Her older and domineering brother took charge of her life. When he married and he and his young wife started a family, he thought that it was a fine idea for his spinster sister to help his wife with the day to day responsibilities of running the manor and helping her with the children. Cressida could not tolerate the insensitive actions and pompous attitude of her brother. She escaped her brother’s wrath and now twenty years later found herself living in London. Cressida had become a famous and respected fashion designer. She never got over loosing the love of her life so she never married. Cressida emerged herself in her business. She built it up and she became quite successful. All she needed was her business to fulfill her. Both her home and design studio were in the heart of London. One night during The Blitz, all was destroyed. The German bombs destroyed both her home and her place of business. She had nothing left. Cressida had nowhere else to go but back to the manor in Aldhurst. She swallowed her pride and called her nephew, Hugh, who was now in charge of the manor with her brother’s death. Cressida arrived at the manor with only the clothes on her back and her purse. She swallowed her pride and hoped for the best. At least this arrangement would be temporary she thought and it would allow her to get reacquainted with her niece, Violet, and her nephew, Hugh.

Grace Carlisle lived in the village of Aldhurst. Her father was the vicar for the village and Grace lived with him and helped him with his duties at the church. Her father had served in World War I and had come back haunted by it. Nothing was as devastating, though, for both Grace and her father as losing her mother and his wife. Grace assumed all the responsibilities of running the house for her father and helping him with his duties as vicar. Grace saw herself as plain and had given into the notion that she would never marry. Who would want to be her husband? One day, Lawrence, another member of the clergy serving in the war, overheard Grace say her thoughts out loud and asked her if she would marry him. Thrilled to have someone want her she agreed to marry Lawrence. With her wedding approaching, Grace’s father presented Grace with her mother’s wedding dress. It was lovely but it had been in the attic for years and moths had gotten the best of it. The dress needed some repairs. Her father suggested that The Women’s Sewing Circle might be able to help restore it. Grace wasn’t sure but she was willing to try.

Violet Westcott was the young debutante of the manor. She was Cressida’s niece and Hugh’s younger and very spoiled, privileged and opinionated sister. Her late father had schooled her to expect only the best. Therefore, it was no wonder that Violet found herself only willing to marry someone with a title and money. Violet was excited to learn that her aunt, who she had never met, would be staying with them for a while. She was quite impressed with Cressida’s talents and success as a fashion designer. Just as Violet’s aunt Cressida arrived, Violet received her conscription letter. Violet saw herself above having to serve her country in the war but even with Hugh’s help she could not get out of it.

All three women, Cressida, Grace and Violet, attended a meeting of the Women’s Sewing Circle. The women in the group were immersed in turning old clothing into new ones as part of the “make do and mend project”. Some of the women were occupied knitting scarves or socks from wool they had unraveled from other items of clothing. Grace approached the group and asked if they would help her repair her mother’s wedding dress. Cressida offered her her expertise and Grace was overcome by Cressida’s kindness and resourcefulness. Grace generously offered the dress to anyone in the village that wanted to borrow it after it was fixed and she had worn it. Thus, the idea for The Wedding Dress Exchange was born and blossomed.

Jennifer Ryan is a masterful storyteller. She seems to keep discovering new historical facts about things women accomplished during World War II that few had ever known about. Her research was impeccable and parts of The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle were based on real occurrences. I appreciated how Jennifer Ryan added a touch of romance to the plot as well. The characters, both primary and secondary, were well developed and most believable. Her use of vividly descriptive prose made it easy to visualize the landscape, bombings and devastation they caused, and the camaraderie the women in the wedding dress sewing circle shared. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was about friendship, believing in oneself, loss, love, class distinctions, discovery, community and unselfish acts. It was a beautiful heartwarming story that I recommend very highly.

Thank you to Ballantine Books for allowing me to read The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

THE WEDDING DRESS SEWING CIRCLE

Three women from different backgrounds come together in 1942 in the small town of Aldhurst Village, England in attempt to survive and cope with life changes during WWII. Vicar Carlisle’s recently engaged daughter Grace, independent and successful couturier Cressida Westcott, and pampered young aristocratic Violet Westcott each learn much about themselves and grow in different but important ways.

This is a pleasant, light and enjoyable romantic story. With strict clothing allowances and rations because of the war, a group of local women help to renovate old wedding dresses helping to boost the spirits of brides by providing a “White Wedding.” By combining their varied skills in sewing, mending, recycling, and designing, the ladies do their best to contribute to the war effort.

In addition to using those valued skills of that era, the war was also providing many opportunities for women in worlds of business, military, the high fashion industry, media and magazine publishing. Design Competitions for practical and military dress also presented an avenue for women to participate in creative endeavors. These expanding roles for women are woven nicely throughout this book.

A little sweet, a bit predictable and happy, but I still found it very enjoyable to read.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Jennifer Ryan, and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Set in WW2 England, three women find friendship through their sewing circle. Supplies are short and clothing rations will only go so far. Certain fabrics may only be used for military operations but there is still a demand for wedding gowns. Based on true events, the women coordinate available materials along with donations to give every bride a dream-worthy dress. Through their regular gatherings, each woman learns to let go of old mind-sets and to follow their ambitions.. This story is heartwarming and shines a light on the dark days of war. I recommend reading the author’s note which gives a beautiful insight on the author’s connection and the global effort that went into this program.

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