Reading The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was like taking a mental vacation for me. Transported to England during WWII you'll meet Cressida Westcott, a famous fashion designer in London. During the bombings Cressida loses everything and is forced to flee to the family manor house in the country. Her nasty brother has passed leaving Cressida to rely on the grace of her niece and nephew to allow her to stay in the family manor. Cressida's niece is Violet Westcott, a kind but flighty young woman at a loss for what to do with her life. She's conscripted soon after Cressida's arrival and finds herself wearing an uncomfortable uniform and driving dignitaries and officials around. Grace Carlisle is the daughter of the local vicar, engaged to a stuffy older man and desperate to wear her mother's wedding gown. Sadly its in horrible shap and needs repairs beyond her skill. When Cressida attends the village Sewing Circle, Grace and the other ladies are delighted with her skill and talent and soon have the dress mended. Then they mend one for another local girl and are soon fixing wedding dresses for women to borrow throughout England, bringing love and light into trying times. As is usually the case, when the three main characters are focused on helping others, their own lives soon right themselves and all three find a chance for happiness and love. I really enjoyed this book. I was delighted to learn it was based on a true story. Jennifer Ryan is an excellent writer - well-developed characters and a well-plotted novel. Fans of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society as well as those who enjoy historical fiction will love this novel. Many thanks to Net Galley for the chance to read an ARC.

A wartime tale of women doing all they can to help the war effort. Still they dream of a beautiful wedding dress to mark the day. What starts as a good deed , the lending of a beautiful dress for a special day, snowballs into a circle of caring and invention that solves the clothes rationing in the war effort. It also cements bonds that a common goal inspires.

My review for "The Kitchen Front," can be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Publication Date: May 31, 2022

Thank you to Net Galley, Jennifer Ryan and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Ballantine Books for providing me with my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#TheWeddingDressSewingCircle #JenniferRyan #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantineBallantineBooks #NetGalley

When it's not wartime, it can be hard to imagine what it's like. The shortage of food and clothes, the lines to even acquire those things. Ration booklets that limite what you can buy. The constant dread of the alarms going off and having to seek the safety of a bombshelter.

I like that this story wasn't all about the war. It was about three women who have to find out who they are. They are pushed in to helping others - either for the war for for compassion - in ways that utilize their personal skills. But first, they have to remember what they can offer.

I enjoyed that this one was also about raising spirits during war, not just surviving. Sure, pretty dresses may seem silly but it was a time when women had been told and raised to wear stockings and white gloves and suddenly, those aren't available anymore or are impossible to clean. I love how they banded together to give others a beautiful wedding day but also new styles, colors and clothes for the ever-growing kids.

This story was about finding what was important and about love. It was lighter than a usual wartime book and I really liked it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

World War II is tearing apart Britain, and fashion seems to be going out of fashion with all the rations on fabrics and everyone is making sacrifices. Three women come together on a mission to fix up an old wedding dress. The mission turns into so much more as the women become friends and learn about love and life. It also grows into a larger effort to make sure every bride gets to wear a white dress on their special day. I loved the women in this story! The character progression throughout the story is amazing as well! During the first couple chapters I kind of thought this was going to be a DNF for me but I got hooked on their stories and could not put it down. Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine Books for the egalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was a fascinating read and very interesting. I enjoyed the historical aspects. It provided an interesting peak into the lives of women living in England during WWII. Some of the challenges they faced along with the mind set of the wealthy women back then are difficult for us to comprehend in the current age. But that is what made this book so fascinating.
The book shares the lives of three women who learned life is not always predictable. They faced a lot of self-examination in life turns that contradicted they personal bias. It was difficult for me to tolerate the mindset of one of the characters. However, it was a mindset common for that time era. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle provides lots of topics for discussion. The plot moved at a decent pace and kept my attention. It did take a while to wrap up. But overall it was an enjoyable read.
I received a complimentary copy from netgalley with no obligations. All opinions expressed are my personal thoughts.

Jennifer Ryan has created a niche for herself as a novelist that writes stories for and about women during World War II, set in England. In this one, a group of villagers form a club for the purpose of recycling and reusing wedding gowns, which are otherwise impossible to procure due to war rationing. We have three main characters and a manageable number of side characters. My thanks go to Net Galley and Random House Ballantine for the invitation to read and review. This book is for sale now.

I experienced an odd mix of reactions to this novel, at various points. At the outset, it’s an information dump tied together by story components. That’s okay; I’ve seen it before. We get it over with so that we can go forward knowing the relevant facts.

Our main characters are Cressida Wescott, a London fashion designer driven back to the manse of her birth when both her home and business are struck by Nazi bombs; Grace Carlisle, an underconfident vicar’s daughter who’s about to enter a marriage of convenience to a much older man of the cloth; and Violet Wescott, niece of Cressida, who is desperately in search of an appropriate Royal peer to marry, because she deserves nothing less. Through circumstances, the three become close friends. Using Cressida’s professional experience and the generous donations of women in the village, and eventually beyond it, they are able to create lovely dresses for themselves and others, with the understanding that each dress must be passed on to another bride once the first user’s nuptials are over.

By the 40% mark, my notes say that although this story is becoming a bit predictable, I am so in love with these three women that I don’t mind at all. There are some bumps along the way, to be sure. For example, Violet is aghast when she is called up by the British government to serve her time doing war work. On the one hand, I had never known that (many) British women were drafted during this conflict to serve in noncombatant roles, so this is interesting; on the other hand, it takes about ten pages for Violet to transition from the world’s most obnoxious snob, to a positively egalitarian one-of-the-girls. There’s no process, no development; it’s as if Houdini has appeared suddenly, drawn his cape over her, whisked it away, and presto, she’s a different person. At this stage, however, I make a note to myself and then resolve to enjoy the rest of the story.

At the same time, I am becoming uncomfortably aware, having read three of Ryan’s four novels, that these books follow the same formula: different women are thrown together during the war in order to solve a problem of some sort; we have a character from the lower income bracket; another character is a wealthy woman; and there’s a complete brat that will nevertheless be transformed and redeemed by the story’s end. Group hug.

There’s another concern here, too; Violet is assigned to drive a brash American officer around London. Every time she does so, the guy hits on her, and not subtly, either. He stalks her, he harasses her, and so she falls for him. Better make her a dress.

Have we not progressed beyond this hazardous trope?

The story has a hurried quality to it. At first, as I note that every time someone is happy, they grin—never smiling, smirking, chuckling, guffawing, or giggling, they grin, grin, and grin some more—I chastise myself for picking at a perfectly lovely story and I move on. But it gets worse, and by the end, I run a quick search, thanks to my digital galley and my reading app’s features—and discover the word has been used 51 times.

Editor?

By the time we reach the conclusion, everything seems so obvious that I wonder if someone’s AI did most of the work here. And yes, of course that is hyperbole, but it’s also a disappointment.

Those that haven’t read anything by this author and that love historical romances may enjoy this book, but by the merciful end, I confess that I no longer did.

Another winner by Jennifer Ryan! This is a charming and uplifting tale of love and friendship. Ms. Ryan does a wonderful job of depicting British village life during World War 2. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I had read Jennifer Ryan's other work and this one was no different. Following Cressida, Violet and Grace through a year of World War II was a delight. They all were on their journeys through life but when brought together they grew even more. It was a fun look into WWII life for women and the difficulties rationing brought. A great read!

As we’ve seen this year, wars can pose unexpected challenges for people around the world. While some find themselves in the middle of the action, others are forced to sacrifice, too, as everyday items become harder to afford. In The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by author Jennifer Ryan, a group of women work together to alleviate some of the wartime stress—and find love and friendship in the process...

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com - and aired on Shelf Discovery

A WII story without tragedy as a story point and let me tell you, it was a breath of fresh air. WWII fiction has taken over the book world and Ryan somehow managed to write a unique novel I did not want to put down. Her characters find a place in your heart and stay there long after the book is done.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

👍🏼 Thumbs Up:

I loved this book! Fits into one of my favorite categories of historical fiction, which I like to call "uplifting WW2". This was such a sweet story. It did feel similar to her other book, The Kitchen Front, but was different enough that it didn't feel repetitive. I loved the stories of each of the women and the village side characters made this book a treat!

👎🏻 Thumbs Down:

Nothing I can really think of.

🤓 For Readers WHO:

Are fans of World War 2 Historical Fiction, or enjoy books about unexpected friendships and wartime love.

👉🏼 This is what’s WHAT:

This book follows four women who end up in the same small village during world war 2, each of them contributing uniquely to the war effort. They are joined by their mission in the wedding dress sewing circle as they help recreate wedding gowns for wartime brides.

⏳WHEN I read this book:

It reminded me so much of The Gown - another book about sewing wedding dresses.

🚨WHERE you should watch out:

War related content

📍WHY you should read this book:

It is an uplifting story about women coming together for a common cause.

📚 HOW I read this book:

eARC from Netgalley!

A wonderful story about sisterhood, during time of war. The women coming together was inspiring and the plot of the book flowed nicely. Would definitely recommend.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle
Jennifer Ryan
Ballantine Books
2022

The book has three narrators: Grace Carlisle, Cressida Westcott, and Violet Westcott are the narrators. It is set during wartime in Britain.

Cressida Westcott is the couturier of a fashionable boutique in London. She won’t leave just because of the Nazi blitzes. But, one day the bombs destroyed her home and her boutique and almost took her life. Perhaps she should try to reconcile with her family? She does and Mr. Hugh Westcott invites her to stay at the family’s manor, in Aldhurst, a small village outside London.

Violet Westcott is Hugh’s younger sister who also lives in Aldhurst Manor. Violet is an Vogue Magazine reader, meaning she loves fashion and adores looking good. After all, her father influenced her to be beautiful and secure a wealthy husband with a title. She is angry that the raging war means shortages of materials for gowns and that the government wants everyone to stick to a standard, ugly uniform. She is head of the village Sewing Circle. When Cressida moves into the manor she is thrilled because Cressida is famous for her gowns. Violet invites Cressida to the Sewing Circle and quickly blends in with the ladies of the village. But, then Violet is called to the conscription office to report for war duties.

Grace is the daughter of Ben Carlisle (parish vicar) and is engaged to Reverend Lawrence Fairgrave. She hopes to repair her mother’s wedding gown for her wedding day and brings the moth-eaten dress to the Aldhurst Sewing Circle. She meets Cressida there who invites her to the manor to further repair the gown. As their friendship grows, Cressida tries to influence Grace to enjoy life more and to not spend all of her time in service to others. (She was childhood friends with Hugh Westcott, but they haven’t reconnected since he left for schooling.)

This is the background for the book as each woman blooms in unexpected ways. The Sewing Circle takes on the task of ensuring brides will have a white wedding gown to wear on their special day. So, they start collecting, mending, and renting them to women, especially those serving in the war. So begins the Wedding Dress Exchange.

In the book, the ladies learn that trust, faith, and friendship is what life is all about and that by joining forces they could overcome the difficulties of war and do their part for the war effort. Life is about other people, about community, and that sense of belonging, love. Grace’s wedding dress is a symbol of their unity in wartime.

“Love is the finest goal of any life worth living.”

I highly recommend this lovely story to historical fiction fans. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to #Netgalley and #BallantineBooks for the electronic advanced reader copy. The opinions are my own.

This is the story of three women intertwined by a town, but also so different. As the war is booming they form a friendship and also help other during the war. This is based on true stories, in a wartime where clothes were rationed. These women got together and created beauty through old clothes, parahutes and any other material they could find.
It was a great story and I really enjoyed it

I saw this book on Netgalley I was sooooo excited, I hoped that I would be chosen to read this book. I had read and reviewed the last several books that this author wrote and I loved the books. I was so excited when I got the email that said I could read it.

Violet, Cressida, and Grace are all women who are just trying their best with what the war and life has given them. Some are attempting to do their part more than others. Cressida lives in London and runs a successful design house. One night her house and design house are bombed. She is forced to go to her nephew’s house in the Kent countryside. There she meets her niece Violet and the vicar’s daughter Grace. Once they all meet their lives are thrust together in ways they didn’t know they could do. They are doing their part in the war. I devoured this book. It was so good. The book is broken into chapters that are each of the characters stories but the story is written in such a way that each of these three women’s stories is woven through each other’s chapters. So you never get upset that the chapters are changing. You do however have to pay attention to whose chapter is who otherwise you may lose the individual storylines.

I think Grace was my top favorite character. She developed so much over the book that it was fun to see it. She went from a mousy vicar’s daughter to someone who had confidence in herself even if she needed some push to get there. The writing is subliminal it flows well from storyline to storyline. It kept me saying just a few more pages every single night. It is a well-researched book. It is loosely based on what British women actually did for the war effort. They really did have a program that recycled and reused wedding dresses for women since fabric was being rationed. It’s amazing what they did under the circumstances they were put through. I honestly think that this author is one of the better historical fiction authors that I have read. She is an automatic book purchase when she puts out new things. I loved this book so much that I believe the only book I haven’t read by this author is moving to the top of my TBR pile from my bookshelf soon!!

absolutely loved this book! it was such a fun read, i would highly recommend this books to my friends and family if they wanted a delightful time,

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was another enjoyable read from Jennifer Ryan. Set in World War II England, it weaves together the lives of women who are connected through sewing, the challenge of clothing themselves and their families and friends during rationing, fashion, and wedding dresses.

It's a feel-good novel where the shallow learn what really matters, the good-hearted get rewarded, second-chance romances abound, and where things wrap up with weddings and happily-ever-after. Not too sweet, but if you like immersing yourself darkness and despair, this one probably won't be for you.

This novel is a good escape read, and will doubtless be enjoyed by lovers of WWII romances and all things English.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

Delightful story of three women and the way each found to make a difference on the homefront during the war. These three women forged a deep friendship through their involvement in a village sewing circle. I love how the author took the story of women sharing an old wedding dress to meet a need during the war with others and used it as a backdrop that united the stories of Cressida, Grace and Violet. It is these fascinating overlooked facts of life for those at home during the war that make stories like this realistic and memorable. As these women came together in a united effort to repair an old wedding dress, they grew in many unexpected ways, breaking out of pre-established roles and expectations for finding love in an ever-changing world.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through Netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ecopy for my Kindle.
Normally I wouldn't read a book that is more of a romance genre, but this one was more than romance. The strength of women who endured and helped during WW II was uplifting and encouraging.