The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

by Jennifer Ryan

"Three plucky women lift the spirits of homefront brides in wartime Britain, where clothes rationing leaves little opportunity for pomp or celebration-even at weddings-in this heartwarming novel based on true events, from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir. After renowned fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. Praying that her niece and nephew will be more hospitable than her brother had been, she arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business from a quaint country village. Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay-the village has been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. But just as Cressida arrives, so does Violet's conscription letter. It couldn't have come at a worse time; how will she ever find a suitably aristocratic husband if she has to spend her days wearing a frumpy uniform and doing war work? Meanwhile, the local vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, is trying in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. When Cressida Westcott appears at the local Sewing Circle meeting, Grace asks for her help-but Cressida has much more to teach the ladies than just simple sewing skills. Before long, Cressida's spirit and ambition galvanizes the village group into action, and they find themselves mending wedding dresses not only for local brides, but for brides across the country. And as the women dedicate themselves to helping others celebrate love, they might even manage to find it for themselves..."--

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Romance, World War II, Historical, Audiobook, Book Club

411 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 31, 2022

About the author

Jennifer grew up in the British countryside with a penchant for climbing trees and a wonderful grandmother who told her hilarious stories about the Second World War.

As an adult, she became a nonfiction book editor, first editing politics and economics at The Economist Books, and then moving on to the BBC, DK, and other publishers, editing books on health, cooking, wine, and history.

All this time, though, she harbored a longing to share her grandmother's stories about the war, and so she embarked on an MA in fiction at Johns Hopkins University. The novel that she wrote while there--The Chilbury Ladies' Choir--became a National Bestseller.

Please visit Jennifer's website for more information and free giveaways.
www.JenniferRyanAuthor.com

Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle
by Jennifer Ryan

In a country village near London, during WWII, Grace Carlisle's vicar father finds her late mother's wedding dress and presents it to her for her own wedding. The once beautiful dress is moth eaten and in tatters so the local sewing club, doing everything for the war effort to provide clothing for soldiers and citizens, get to work repairing the dress with donated cloth. Doing so leads the women to create a wedding dress lending service, allowing women to get married in borrowed wedding dresses that can then go on to the next woman.

Violet Westcott's family is the owner of the village's manor and her brother Hugh oversees the manor properties and the village. Both have had it pounded into their heads that they must marry someone who will enhance the family reputation and finances. Until Huge and Grace were fifteen they were best friends but once Hugh was sent to boarding school, they rarely saw each other. Now Violet is having her world shaken by being forced to do war work.

Famous fashion designer, Cressida Westcott, has lost her lavish London home and fashion house when both places are bombed during the air raids. All she can do is drag herself back to her family home, a place she left long ago. Now that her brother is dead, the family home belongs to Hugh and she's hoping she can get along with him much better than she got along with her brutish late brother.

These three women and the women of the village, come together in the interest of repairing a tattered wedding dress but out of that endeavor comes so much more. I enjoyed seeing the changes in each woman and the men in their lives. I've learned so much about wartime London and the surrounding areas from this book and the two others I've read by this author. Now I understand how even clothing and material was rationed during wartime and afterwards. Women were getting married in their nicest worn clothes or their war uniforms. That is, until women came together and shared what they had, pieced together dresses from parts of other dresses, and used their sewing skills to make useable items out of discards and scraps. I love to learn from historical fiction and I learned so much with this one.

Publication: May 31st 2022

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

[Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be a pleasant read and rate it 4 bright stars. It is set in WWII Britain. There 3 narrators in the book.
Cressida Westcott is a successful dress designer to high fashion, wealthy women in London, England. Then bombs from the Germans destroy her home and her dress store/workshop. She is lucky to be alive, escaping minutes before the bomb destroys her house.She is forced to ask her nephew, Hugh, for permission to move into the family home in Aldhurst village. She left home 2o years ago after an argument with her father, now deceased. She never married, concentrating on her work.
Grace Carlisle is the daughter of the Aldhurst village vicar. She is engaged to another church minister, Lawrence.
Violet Westcott is Hugh's sister and something of an immature woman set on marrying a lord with a title.
How these 3 women find true love and break out of the roles that that others had set upon them, makes for an enchanting read of love and loneliness in a time of war. The title is about a group of women who set about mending a used wedding dress for Grace and then decide to lend it out to other brides. Clothes are rationed in WWII Britain.
Violet quote: "Completely oblivious to how offensive it might sound, Violet declared, 'Who would want to borrow a wedding gown? I shall be ordering a new one, have no doubt about that."
Spring scene: "Outside, late spring was at its very finest, the scent of freshly cut grass seeping inside, reminding her of her childhood, the freedom, the escape."
The characters are enjoyable to read about, as they deal with wartime shortages, including using brown gravy as a stocking substitute .
I have read 3 previous books by the author, all stand alones, all set in WWII Britain. Both my wife and I strongly recommend this book to historical fiction fans. My wife also says 4 stars. I read it in 3 days. The book is based upon stories of wedding dresses being lent to brides across Britain during WWII.
#TheWeddingDressSewingCircle #NetGalley
Thanks to Morgan Hoit at Ballantine Books/Random House for sending me this eARC through NetGalley

[Lisa of Troy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Dreadfully Boring

Set in Britain in World War II, a group of women come together to transform old wedding dresses into beautiful creations for brides during the era of clothing rations. Ryan engages a changing POV based on three women: Cressida, Grace, and Violet.

Cressida lives in London as a gloriously famous fashion designer until her home is leveled by bombs, and she must return to her childhood home that she escaped long ago.

Grace is the vicar’s daughter, desperate to serve others, and engaged to an unimaginative, dull, and old clergyman. Oh, did I mention that she had a childhood crush on the Lord of the Manor, Hugh?

Violet is a privileged girl seeking to marry any man who has a title. Except the bizarre phenomenon of war keeps getting in her way. What will Violet do when she ends up conscripted?

The romances were painfully apparent from the start. Jennifer Ryan evidently treats the reader as though he/she is dumber than a box of rocks by stating the obvious with much repetition.

Regrettably, the utterly predictable romances overshadowed the plot, which was about the sewing circle, women helping each other.

The three POV’s were a bit too much. Cressida’s section could have been condensed into Violet’s.

Jennifer Ryan uses a tone which is meant to be charming but is so sugary that it becomes nauseating. Extraordinary circumstances would need to occur before I read anything else by this author.

The Green Light at the End of the Dock (How much I spent):
Electronic Text – Free through Libby
Audiobook – Free through Libby

Connect With Me!
Blog Twitter BookTube Facebook Insta

[PamG · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan is a historical fiction novel with some romance in it. However, it is much more than that. It’s the story of three women, the changes they go through and their impact on others during World War II. Most of the novel is set in the village of Aldhurst in England.

Cressida Westcott is a well-known fashion designer who loses both her business and her home in the bombing of London. With only the clothes she’s wearing, she has to return to the family home in the country, which she fled when she was 20. She has a passion for her work, is opinionated, and her only friends are casual ones in the fashion industry.

Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to Aldhurst. However, she has just received her conscription letter. Violet is spoiled and very class conscious. Her initial training is a shock to her.

Grace Carlisle is the local vicar’s daughter. She is selfless and has taken on much of her father’s visitations and other duties, in addition to working at the village shop. Her father suffers from PTSD from World War I and the loss of his wife. Grace is repairing her mother’s wedding gown at the Sewing Circle meeting and asks for help. Cressida not only helps with that, but also motivates them to do more for brides across the country. The author shows significant character growth in all three women as the story line progresses.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed this novel. The characters were likeable, and the focus was on women, the roles others wanted for them, what the women wanted for themselves, and the challenges they faced in achieving them. Other themes included friendship, family, life choices, wartime danger, shortages, and romance.

Overall, I learned a lot about these women who had a vision and pursued it relentlessly. The excellent characterization made this book special. The author also did significant research on clothing coupons, rationing, and the sharing of wedding dresses during this time in history.

Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine Books and Jennifer Ryan provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. This is my honest review. Opinions are mine alone and are not biased in any way. Publication date is currently set for May 31, 2022.

[Sujoya - theoverbookedbibliophile · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Sometimes we just need someone with a fresh perspective to hold up a mirror and show us who we really are—who we could become, if we put our minds to it,”

In 1942, as WWII rages on, forty-six-year-old Cressida Westcott, a famous fashion designer based in London, loses her home and business in a bombing and is forced to return to her home in Aldhurst Village. Cressida, a rebel by nature, had left her home after losing her fiancé in WWI and her refusal to marry someone matching her family’s status created tensions at home. Venturing out alone, she managed to create a name for herself in the field of fashion design and has never looked back. Her nephew, Hugh and niece Violet are her only remaining family. Hugh appears to take after his aristocratic father and is overly conscious of their family status, serving in the War Office in London and disconnected from the people in his community back home. He is mostly indifferent toward his Aunt. Cressida, though initially reluctant, is drawn into the local sewing circle and becomes a part of the community- finding friends and family and a sense of belongingness after living alone and being absorbed in her career for the past few decades.

Violet Westcott, is a proud, shallow and entitled young woman. Having spent most of her life defined by the norms set by her father and brother she is class conscious and is intent on marrying within her status and is on the lookout for a suitable match. She is thrilled that her famous Aunt is coming to live with them. Violet’s outlook changes once she is conscripted and Cressida’s influence also plays an important part in helping her emerge from her family's shadow and reinvent herself as a woman of substance who knows how to hold her own.

Grace Carlisle, the local vicar’s daughter, is preparing for her upcoming wedding and approaches the local sewing circle ( the author has referenced the Make Do and Mend program the British government supported for balancing the shortfall of clothes and the rationing of fabric during the War years) for help in repairing her late mother’s wedding dress which she hopes to wear. She is dutiful, involved in her community and shoulders part of her father's responsibilities. Her father, Reverend Ben Carlisle, having fought in WWI still suffers from nightmares and also still grieves the loss of his wife. Cressida befriends Grace and takes her under her wing, recognizing her potential. Under Cressida’s guidance, Grace blooms and not only learns about fashion and design but also feels empowered to look at life differently and explore choices that she thought she had once left behind.

These are difficult times-air raids and bombings, food shortages and clothes rationing, but in their own way and in their community these women come together and contribute to the war effort as much as they possibly can. Their sewing circle soon extends to repairing wedding dresses. creating the Wedding Dress Exchange so that brides could have dresses on loan for their special day. As these three women befriend one another and the other women in their sewing circle, they are encouraged to reevaluate their lives- their dreams and aspirations, their life choices and the paths they envision for their respective futures.

With beautiful prose, and an endearing cast of characters, author Jennifer Ryan brilliantly blends fact and fiction to create a beautiful story of love, friendship and community set in of one the darkest eras in the history of the world. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a beautifully written, uplifting novel. – a light and enjoyable read which is rare for novels set in this era. I enjoyed reading the Author’s Note at the end of the book which details the historical context based upon which this story has been framed.

"We are part of a circle of women, sharing the same dreams, holding hands through the centuries. They are all there, if you look hard enough, if you untangle the threadwork, peeling away the layers of stitching to find the fragments of lives, of hopes, and of love woven throughout."

[Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is based on true events – when clothes rationing during WWII leaves young brides in challenging situations, a group of women comes up with an idea to start a charity to give out white wedding dresses. In the process, they lift spirits and learn resilience.

England, 1942. In the village of Aldhurst, as Grace is preparing for her wedding, she finds her mother’s wedding dress visibly damaged by moths, and in need of mending. Thus, she seeks help with the Sewing Circle.

In London, Cressida Westcott, a noted couturier, has just lost her home and her design house in the London Blitz. She is forced to seek shelter with her estranged family in Aldhurst. Estrange from her family, because she is a woman of strong character, who broke from conventions and that put a rift between her and her brother, the late owner of Aldhurst Manor.

Violet Westcott is ecstatic to have her famous aunt at the manor, but at the same time she receives conscription letter, which is very problematic for her. She is of aristocratic blood and doesn’t like to mingle with lower class people. But the army conscription opens her eyes to her own hypocrisy. How can she hate being told what to do by her superiors, while also be willing to abide by her aristocratic husband?

The backbone of the story is the challenging shortages of clothes during the war, but it is also about one woman helping other women find their voice, not to follow the path they were put on. As Cressida supports the Sewing Circle with her ideas how to mend dresses, she also gives some women much needed boost in confidence. And as she does all the supporting work, she encourages women to take chances in their lives, but will she take her chance?

The story weaves a wonderful atmosphere of both the place and its people: the circle of women supporting each other and learning resilience and in an enchanting way presents the village community. The story also intertwines fascinating historical facts. For example, of how unpatriotic it was to simply sit idle. Hands were supposed to be busy with knitting or sewing and supporting either your family or the troops by creating necessary clothing.

Despite the dark side of the war, the warm writing spins a magnificent tale of home-front camaraderie, women coming together and supporting each other, showing that by joining forces you can achieve great things. They also grow on an individual level, forge their own paths, and despite all odds find love.

Source: ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Review originally posted at mysteryandsuspense.com

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Historical Fiction. I love the characters, and the characters change so much during this book which I really loved. The characters made this book so great. I loved the drama and that this book took place during war, but we are following normal UK people. I loved seeing how the war changed the regular people. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Ballantine Books) or author (Jennifer Ryan) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Paromjit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir author Jennifer Ryan latest WW2 novel is a well researched blend of fact and fiction in an era of clothes rationing where military needs are the priority. It documents the cost of war, with its bombings, hard times and sacrifices in a country where the make do and mend spirit is a necessity that can lead to creative responses. After losing the love of her life in WW1, 40 year old Cressida Westcott poured her entire energies in ensuring that her clothing design business became well known and successful in London, featuring in Vogue, with clients in the highest social circles. After her home and business is bombed, Cressida is left with nothing and forced to return to the Kent village of Aldhurst, and the manor home of her estranged family, nephew Hugh and niece, Violet.

She finds herself introduced to the sewing circle doing its best to use any material they can lay their hands on and revamping old clothes. Here Cressida meets the drab, meek, selfless Vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, planning her wedding, and wanting to wear her disintegrating mother's wedding dress. Both women work on the beautiful dress, managing to rescue it, it turns out to be the beginning of what turns out to be the Wedding Dress Exchange, a wildly successful scheme to loan women getting married during the war the possibility of attaining their dream of a white wedding dress. The narrative follows the challenges facing Cressida, Violet, initially desperate to marry a wealthy aristocrat and mortified when she is conscripted into the military, and Grace, finding the courage and resilience to forge new lives that are true to who they are.

Ryan celebrates the women and their strong sense of community spirit and solidarity that formed the vital response of trying to counter the inescapable bleak darkness of the death and destruction of the war. The sewing circle generates much needed care, friendship, belonging and support, collecting donated wedding dresses and breathing new life into them, providing a woman with a touch of romance, light and joy on their big day, that would otherwise be out of reach. This is replicated in the efforts designers made, epitomised by Cressida, and her new design assistant, Grace, creating morale boosting wartime chic, bringing colour and style to military uniforms and ordinary everyday clothing. This is a heartwarming immersive historical read, full of hope, capturing the turbulent and changing times with reference to social norms and expectations regarding women and class, as illustrated by the three main protagonists. This is for fans of the author and those who love their historical fiction. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

[Kerrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a character driven novel about how three women are changed by World War II. Through unexpected means, each grows into a stronger, happier person. Along the way, their sewing circle starts a program to provide Wedding gowns free of charge. From a historical point of view, it was interesting to learn of clothes rationing and fabric shortages during the war.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are part of a circle of women, sharing the same dreams, holding hands through the centuries. They are all there, if you look hard enough, if you untangle the threadwork, peeling away the layers of stitching to find the fragments of lives, of hopes, and of love woven throughout.

This book is a delight from cover to cover. Jennifer Ryan has written a masterpiece showing us the camaraderie and pluck of the women during the war. As you will find in her notes, she has a personal connection to the work that is shared in this book. It is the secret sauce that makes this book great. Come meet Grace, and Violet, and Cressida. You may not fall in love with them at first sight, but trust me, you will all be fast friends at the end. Woven throughout is the vision of "Make Do and Mend," recycling and restoring. And with a title containing "Wedding Dress" in it, there will be a wedding or two or more to enjoy in the midst of the serious war goings on. One of my favorites this year!

Thank you to Ballantine Books and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Rosh ~catching up slowly~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a Nutshell: Quite unlike any WWII fiction I have read. Never knew the fashion industry had such a role to play during the war. Lovely characters, good old-fashioned story-telling. Feels like a romance than a war story.

Story:

1942, Aldhurst Village, England.
Grace Carlisle, the vicar’s daughter. Engaged to a navy chaplain many years her senior. Believes it is her bounden duty to be a dutiful wife and serve the parish where her husband serves.
Hugh Westcott, Grace’s childhood friend and now Lord of the local manor. Holds a high position in the war office. Believes it is his bounden duty to follow his late father’s instructions and do his best to carry the title ahead.
Violet Westcott, Hugh’s younger sister. Interested only in finding a rich titled husband so that she can fulfil her end of the family tradition.
Cressida Westcott, Hugh and Violet’s aunt. Owner of successful design house in London and believes that nothing will take her back to her brother’s house again.
After a round of intense bombing in London destroys Cressida’s home and design house. She has no choice but to return to Aldhurst to her late brother’s house. This sets off a chain of events that changes the lives of the above characters forever. Along the way, you will meet some gutsy characters and encounter some brilliant ideas of how wedding dresses were made/shared/reused.
The story comes to us in the third person perspectives of the three leading ladies.

I must confess, I was on a self-imposed break from WWII fiction because the genre had begun saturating me. But after seeing many wonderful reviews for this book from friends here, I succumbed to the temptation and requested a copy from NetGalley. So glad I did so or else I would have missed out on this wonderful story!


Where the book worked for me:
❤ Well, it didn’t follow the typical format of recent WWII fiction: no dual timelines, no first person narratives, no single-minded focus on dreary war-related topics such as survival or death (these are included but the narrative doesn’t limit itself to these). I enjoyed the fresh content within the familiar topic.

❤ I liked the main characters. Violet, Grace and Cressida are very interesting and their arcs allow them to experience a range of emotions. (Some part of their character transition is a bit unbelievable but I liked the change.) A couple of the male characters aren’t far behind, unlike most other historical women’s fiction. Hugh and Landon have a great role to play and are carved well enough for you to know them and their thinking.

❤ The whole writing had such an old-worldly charm to it. Nothing OTT. Good characters facing tough situations and learning to change with the changing situations. It is a survival story in many ways, but not in the typical way.

❤ While I had read about coupons and clothes rationing in England during the war, I had assumed that the fashion houses would have been closed either due to shortage of material or because of the war circumstances. Reading about how these houses operated with the limited resources available was an enlightening experience. Ditto for the titular ‘Wedding Dress Sewing Circle’ which bonds all the characters together. The author’s research is evident.

❤ The author’s note was nice to read and it reveals the extent to which a part of the story is based on facts.


Where the book could have worked better for me:
💔 It is somewhat clichéd despite the novel topics it contains. There is no suspense, no character conflict. Almost everything is guessable. All character behaviour is predictable. The romances are easy to figure out the minute the character steps on the page. I don’t mind straightforward storytelling but maybe this was a bit too much so.

💔 In many ways, it hardly feels like a WWII story except for the mention of certain ideas as rationing and the blitz.


Despite the few reservations I had with the simplistic storytelling, I mostly enjoyed the story. It is a feel-good kind of read and if you read it without over-analysing it or expecting something earth-shattering, you will have a wonderful experience. Recommended to historical war fiction fans who aren’t looking for a grim read.

4 stars.

My thanks to Pan Macmillan and NetGalley for the DRC of “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.



***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Stitch in Time.

I was on track from the beginning for an enjoyable reading experience and I wasn’t disappointed. This was a lovely book of friendship, working together, and a bit of romance with a war effort backdrop.

I loved reading this for not only the story, but for the connection to relatives who’ve since passed. I have an interest in the era because of their experiences and the stories they’ve relayed to me.

Adding my passion for fabric and sewing, I felt like I was in possession of a story tailor made for me. No pun intended.

The note at the front of the book detailing war coupons for individual clothing pieces was of special interest. Although a tiny fraction of the book, I was appreciative because I remember my Grandma speaking of this and how imitations on purchasing severely curtailed their desire to dress nicely.

Thank you to NetGalley, Jennifer Ryan, and Ballantine Books for my electronic review copy.

Published on May 31, 2022.

Updated: I re-read this because I wanted to connect with the resilient women and friendship stories. Above everything else, the characters here are challenged to find their passion and be their true selves.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my fourth Jennifer Ryan read and her WWII fiction is top notch. The female characters are always ones that I wish could be friends and by the end of the reading that is what they have become. Seriously, there has to be a streaming service producer somewhere that could turn these novels into fantastic mini-series.

In this novel, Ryan takes us to a small English village where a women's sewing circle band together to help each other during a time of war. The novel is narrated by three main characters0 dressmaker Cressida Westcott, the black sheep of a local family that is forced to end her exile and return home, her niece Violet who desires to get married to uphold the family name and just wishes the war would go away, and Grace Carlisle, the daughter of the local vicar who is readying to get married. The novel touches on the topics of female friendships, duty, love, and finding oneself.

This will certainly be among my favorite reads of 2022!


Expected publication 31/05/22
Goodreads review 08/05/22
#TheWeddingDressSewingCircle #NetGalley.

[Taury · Rating 5 out of 5]

I rated this a 5 because it is a sweet romance based on Historical Fiction from WW2. Goes through the lives of 3 single ladies as they maneuver through romance and love during very uncertain times. 2/3 were from wealthy families of class and status. They were joined together by a sewing club that sewed wedding dresses to brides to borrow. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more books by Jennifer Ryan

[*TUDOR^QUEEN* · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The book started off with a bang with London being bombarded during WWII. I was drawn in immediately by the fear and horror the character of Cressida Westcott experienced watching her block being obliterated under fire. She was a successful clothing designer with a fashion house and an apartment, both destroyed and leaving her homeless. She wanders the streets with the other evacuees with not much more than a nightgown on her back, and we live this surreal nightmare right along with her. Luckily she hails from a gentrified family with an estate in a quaint village in Kent. It's just that she hasn't been there in ages and never expected to have to go back. She defied her father by not marrying within the titled system and escaping to London for a career. With nowhere to go, she called the estate in advance of her arrival requesting temporary refuge. With her father and brother already passed on, nephew and niece Hugh and Violet politely receive her.

One of the things I love reading about during this era is the rationing and making due with what you have. There is a shortage of clothing so garments must be repurposed, repaired and built more simply. A particular problem that crops up is the availability of formal white wedding gowns. A vicar's daughter unearths a very beautiful satin wedding gown with lacy roses worn by her late mother which she hopes to wear for her own upcoming wedding. However, the moths have gotten to it. She brings it to her sewing circle group to see if they have any ideas about how to rehabilitate it. Fortunately, with Cressida in town to lend her considerable designing talents to this group, the project is on a spirited trajectory to rehab the treasured gown, which turned out to be from a famous Parisian designer. It was very interesting to read of the ingenuity of incorporating certain fabrics (such as curtains) in lieu of lace to rehab this gown. Also, this gown was generously offered to be used by any other bride in town that needed it. It spearheaded a vigorous campaign to donate previously used wedding gowns, no matter how old, to help so many other brides. Some brides were so desperate that they utilized white silk parachutes found during the war to serve as material for wedding gowns, which was actually illegal.

I am embarrassed to say I got a bit bored around the 50% mark, but pressed on...and I'm glad I did. I was drawn in by the absolutely riveting bombing attack that occurred during a village party event, sending droves of people into shelters, packed shoulder to shoulder into subterranean concrete. It was so realistic I felt I was there, watching the lanterns bob back and forth and wondering if the brick ceiling would split apart and cave in, burying them under rubble. I am not much for WWII themed books, but this one really brought the experience home to me.

There were a few romantic conflicts to navigate in the book, and the sense that life is too short to not find actual real love and satisfaction in life, both in romance and women's careers. Overall this was a lovely book, albeit a little longish for me (over 400 pages).

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for providing an advance reader copy via NetGalley.

[Karren Sandercock · Rating 5 out of 5]

When fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses her home, design house and all her possessions in one night during the Blitz she returns home to Aldhurst Manor. She left twenty years ago and she hopes her nephew Hugh and niece Violet will be more welcoming than their late father Eustace. She plans on staying long enough to find another place in London to live and a building for her fashion design business.

Violet Westcott is Cressida’s niece, she’s excited to see her aunt and life has been rather boring with all the men off fighting in the war. It’s also getting in the way of her finding a suitable husband, when Violet’s conscription letter arrives, she’s mortified, she has to do six weeks of basic training and after she passes her brother Hugh gets her a position close to home as a driver at Darley Grange.

Grace Carlisle is the local vicars daughter, her mother died when she was ten and she’s been helping her father with his parish work ever since. Grace is engaged to steadfast Lawrence, she wants to wear her mother’s moth damaged wedding gown and it might be past saving?

At the village hall, the local ladies hold the Aldhurst Sewing Circle and mend and make do classes. The women alter and repurpose clothes, there's a huge demand for second-hand clothing and especially for growing children. The dress is almost beyond repair, Cressida agrees to help and she starts attending meetings at the hall. The ladies want to boost morale in England and a way of doing this is to refurbish wedding gowns for brides to borrow for their big day and have the wedding they have always dreamed of. Everyone wishes to experience joy and love and especially during the dark days of WW II in England.

Cressida, Grace and Violet become close friends, it changes their outlook and expectations and for the other members of the sewing circle as well. Before they know it, they are being sent and repurposing gowns for brides from all over England, they have a waiting list and Vogue magazine wants to interview them.

I received a copy of The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle from NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. It’s an uplifting and absolutely delightful story about the power of friendship, women helping other women and finding love when they least expect it. Jennifer Ryan used real details about clothing coupons and rationing at the time and the sharing of wedding dresses in her impeccably researched and well written book and five big stars from me.
https://karrenreadsbooks.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/KarrenReadsH...

[Lori Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes we just need someone with a fresh perspective to hold up a mirror and show us who we really are-” - Jennifer Ryan, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.

This story reminded me a lot of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Except “This story began with a wedding dress” in Britain during WWII. It was nice to witness the transformation of these characters & the bonds that they developed.

I did find the ending a bit too ‘neat’, but, overall I enjoyed it. I, also, really appreciate when authors include in the AUTHOR’S NOTE what motivated the writing of the novel. This is always an added treat for this reader. This should appeal to all WWII fiction lovers. 4.5 stars.

***ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[DeAnn · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 white wedding dress stars

This one is set during the war in the countryside village of Aldhurst and features three memorable women. This one really brings home the impact of the war as clothing was rationed and everyone had to mend old clothes and trade children’s clothes to get through. Finding a wedding dress could be a challenge!

We meet Cressida Wescott, fashion designer, as her London home and fashion house are bombed one evening and she’s left with nothing. Forced to flee to her childhood home in Aldhurst, she’s anxious to return to London to start over.

Cressida’s niece, Violett Westcott, is beautiful and searching for a husband. That plan is soon put on hold when she is conscripted! She’s sent off for training and finds quite a different world!

The daughter of the village vicar, Grace Carlisle, is preparing for her upcoming wedding. Her father finds her mother’s old wedding dress, but it’s been damaged by moths and time.

The village Sewing Circle comes to the rescue with repairing the gown and Cressida is drawn into village life and finds her talents most welcome. It doesn’t take long until an organized effort springs up around providing wedding dresses for women across England, including those in the armed forces.

This sweet tale has a bit of everything – history, characters to root for, and romance. I applaud the author for taking the time to tell each character’s story and to develop them into strong characters. They really grew over the course of book, and I was reluctant to finish this one and say goodbye to them.

Thank you to Random House/Ballantine for the chance to read and honestly review this one.

[Amina · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It’s the small kindnesses that make devastation bearable.”

Based on true events, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a pleasantly endearing story of friendship, love, loss, and coming together based on a common thread (pun intended).

The story is narrated by three women. Cressida Westcott, a famous fashion designer has lost her home and her store after a raid during WWII. Forced out of her lavish lifestyle, she goes back to the family home now run by her niece Violet Westcott.

Violet is elated that her posh aunt is coming to live with her. Maybe she can design the perfect dress, while Violet focusing on finding the perfect aristocratic husband.

Grace Carlisle, the vicar's daughter, is trying to repair her mothers' wedding dress in time for her own wedding. She joins a sewing circle where she meets the ever elusive Cressida. Cressida experience and passion for fashion gives a new perspective to all the women. Cressida and her cultured life opens Grace's eyes to independence and the idea of carving your own path. Grace begins to see her own world from an entirely different view.

This book opened my eyes to the struggles post WWII London and its surrounding cities. It is unimaginable to think basic necessities such as clothes were rationed in times of hardship. Its a reminder that the struggles and hardships of the past paved the way for the comforts of our present world. The coming together of the women in the circle is heartwarming, a testament that women can always champion for women.

Jennifer Ryan has done an excellent job detailing events and fictionalizing them in an interesting story. Each narrator explores their romantic lives, adding intrigue to the novel's overall premise.

Overall, I was impressed with the writing and storytelling. My only gripe was the changing of narrations.

4.5/5 stars.

[Donna Davis · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Joan Happel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three women from different backgrounds, with different hopes and dreams, find a way to forge their own paths amidst the deprivations caused by England’s rationing. A charming story about friendship, resilience and learning to be true to yourself.

Cressida Westcott is a London fashion designer who loses both her home and her business during one of the German bombing attacks on London. Finding herself homeless she has no where to go except the childhood home she escaped from years ago, now occupied by a niece and nephew she barely knows. Her niece, Violet Westcott, is excited to have her aunt come to live with them, hoping to alleviate the boredom of life in the small village, but her plans are thwarted when she receives her conscription letter. The local vicar’s daughter, Grace Carlisle, is the backbone of the village and her father’s right hand; always putting others needs ahead of her own.

Grace is engaged and wants to wear her mother’s wedding dress, but finds that it needs repair. She brings it to the sewing circle, a group of women who meet to repair and repurpose clothes for the local citizenry. When Cressida and Violet join the other women the soon develop a plan to create a wedding dress exchange for brides who otherwise would not have the white weddings of their dreams. Drawing strength from each other and discovering their true purpose, the three women’s lives are changed dramatically and they soon find that there is more to life than they previously thought.

This is the author’s 4th novel set during WWII and the third about England’s home-front. Ryan creates an authentic sense of time and place, along with strong female characters. This is a heartwarming story of the importance of friendships and how women bond together to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds. She masterfully blends fiction and fact; immersing the reader into the world of these remarkable women. Richly detailed with a pleasurable plot and just the right amount of romance, I highly recommend this novel for fans of historical fiction and stories about women’s lives.

Thank you to Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC

[Marilyn (not getting notifications) · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Elsie Birnbaum · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate giving books one star reviews but man did this book annoy me.

There's no conflict in this novel. Characters get rid of their romantic false leads off screen, one of the main characters decides to sit the officers exam and passes in a throw away line, and by far the most annoying a missing Nazi is arrested without off screen without any effect on the plot. There's no stakes, no satisfaction at seeing the character's arcs (especially given how absolutely predictable they were), no emotional pathos to keep you reading.

Now this sort of thing can be excused under some circumstances. I'm not going to say every book has to be dramatic or about trauma. I've watched ten seasons of Call the Midwife which save for a handful of episodes is a feel good show where babies get born every episode. One of things that's appealing about Call the Midwife is aesthetics, the costume and set design is top notch even when it's depicting impoverished Londoners in the 1950's. For a book about sewing and pretty dresses, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle skimps on depicting any 40's glamour or even really what the dresses look like other than like having lace.

Another way this sort of writing can be excused is by having fun characters and/or banter. Unfortunately every character in this novel is a cliché (partly how it's so predictable). And the dialogue is more often than not a character reciting the author's research without any subtlety.

This book is incredibly boring even for its genre.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan

Synopsis /

After renowned fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the London Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. Praying that her niece and nephew will be more hospitable than her brother had been, she arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business while staying in a quaint country village.

Her niece, Violet Westcott, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay—the village has been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. But just as Cressida arrives, so does Violet's conscription letter. It couldn't have come at a worse time; how will she ever find a suitably aristocratic husband if she has to spend her days wearing a frumpy uniform and doing war work?

Meanwhile, the local vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, is trying in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. When Cressida Westcott appears at the local Sewing Circle meeting, Grace asks for her help—but Cressida has much more to teach the ladies than just simple sewing skills.

Before long, Cressida's spirit and ambition galvanizes the village group into action, and they find themselves mending wedding dresses not only for local brides, but for brides across the country. And as the women dedicate themselves to helping others celebrate love, they might even manage to find it for themselves.

My Thoughts /

London, 1942.

During the six years Britain was at war, 1939–45, life was frequently hard for Londoners. Food and clothing were rationed and in short supply. Bombing caused fear, injury, death, and destruction. Families were often separated due to evacuation and fathers going away to fight. Londoners learned to live with uncertainty and hardship.

For eight months the Luftwaffe dropped bombs on London and other strategic cities across Britain. The attacks were authorized by Germany's chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a night-time air raid on Berlin. The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word, blitzkrieg, which when translated means lightning war.

Londoners possessed a truly great community spirit. Living with the risk of death every day, they remained calm in the face of danger, showed great courage and a determination to succeed whatever the risk and above all, remained positive. With the advent of war, the Government introduced rationing, as many materials once in plentiful supply were now beyond scarce, with most materials being reserved for the war effort. Clothing coupon books were issued by the government to all Londoners. Rationing should have imposed a ‘fair share for all’ but this was not always the case. Due to rationing, boys had to wait until they were 12 years old before being allowed to wear long trousers.

Clothes Rations, Britain 1942
(40 coupons per person per year)

Women’s skirt suit or long coat – 18 points
Dress – 11 points for wool, 7 if not wool
Skirt – 7 points
Blouse or jumper – 5 points
Women’s underwear or apron – 3 points
Stockings, if available – 2 points per pair
Shoes – 7 points
Men’s suit or coat – 20 points
Trousers – 8 points
Shirt – 5 points
Men’s underwear – 4 points
Men’s socks – 2 points per pair
A yard of fabric – 2-3 points

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan reminded me of pavlova 😊 because it’s sweet and light, and deliciously comforting.

Cressida Westcott (Chelsea, London) – January 1942

When Cressida Westcott fled her childhood home, some twenty years ago, she vowed never to return. After her parents passed away, it was just Cressida and her brother, Eustace. But Eustace ruled the manor with an iron hand and outdated views, so Cressida moved to London where she established her now highly successful fashion business. Twenty years on, and amid the blitz, one single bomb threatens to take away all she has worked so hard to build. In one night, Cressida loses both her stylish townhouse and her fashionable design studio. Although she isn’t the only one who suffered loss that night, Cressida finds herself with nowhere to go. She has no close friends in London and the hotels (even if they are still up and trading) are full. With Eustace now gone, Cressida swallows her pride and contacts her nephew Hugh, who is the current Lord of Aldhurst Manor. Arriving at the Manor with only the clothes on her back and her handbag, Cressida is determined to rebuild her business and her life.

Violet Westcott (Aldhurst Manor, Aldhurst) – January 1942

Violet Westcott has never met her aunt, but she has heard stories about Cressida being the ‘black sheep’ of the family. She is thrilled to hear that her aunt will be coming to stay at the manor, as wartime fashions are so boring and dull. She hopes that her fashion-conscious aunt will be able to resurrect her wardrobe sufficiently enough to help Violet nab a husband.

A utility dress or skirt suit must be made within the following guidelines
— It must use a piece of fabric no more than 2 yards long.
— It may have no more than 2 pockets, 5 buttons and no metal fastenings.
— There may be no more than 6 seams in the skirt.
— A max of 2 box pleats or 4 knife pleats may be used.
— In total there must be no more than 160 inches of stitching.
— No superfluous decoration is allowed.
It should be simple and inexpensive to make, practical and agreeable to wear, and made of a good quality material that will last.
[Source: Ministry of Trade Materials]

Just days after Cressida arrives, Violet receives a conscription letter in the mail. She is required to do her bit for the war effort and will have to leave for training in the FANYs.

Grace Carlisle (The Vicarage, Aldhurst Village, England – January 1942)

In the village of Aldhurst, the vicar’s 24-year-old daughter, Grace, is soon to be married. In preparation for the upcoming nuptials, Grace finds her mother’s wedding dress stored away up in the attic, but the years have not been kind to the once-beautiful gown. A lot of the dress has been eaten away by moths and Grace has no idea how to repair the damage. She takes the dress to a Sewing Circle meeting with the hope that the group’s ladies will have some inkling of how to save it.

Sewing Circle

As the women spend time together, they become a tightly knitted group, and with Cressida’s help and encouragement find creative inspiration in their sewing projects, coming up with the idea of organizing what is essentially a wedding dress lending library. Soon, women from all round Britain are donating wedding dresses, so that wartime brides can have the beautiful weddings of their dreams.

A perfect blend of history and storytelling. The writing is articulate and engaging and Ryan’s characters are wonderfully written. Especially the development of Violet Westcott, from a self-centred, self-absorbed aristocrat into a confident, mature woman who has a totally different outlook on life since joining the FANYs.

Highly recommend.

[Bkwmlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third of Jennifer Ryan’s novels that I’ve read and I enjoyed it just as much as I did her previous works. One of the things I appreciated about this book is that, despite the similar background and setting (the home front in the British countryside during WWII) to both The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Kitchen Front , Ryan still managed to make this a very different story. With most of the men off fighting in the war, the women at the home front do what they can to support the war effort. But with all the rationing taking place and the severe limitations on necessities from food to clothing, challenges abound for those trying to keep things going at home. It is against this backdrop that we meet 3 spirited women from different walks of life who are brought together through a joint effort of wanting to help other women celebrate love by mending wedding dresses for brides across the country.

Cressida Wescott grew up in Aldhurst village, but left when she was in her twenties due to a falling out with her brother. After fleeing to London, she makes a name for herself as one of the country’s top fashion designers — not an easy feat, especially for a single woman given the sentiments of the time and the traditions that confined most women to a life of marriage and motherhood. All goes well until both Cressida’s London home and her design house are bombed to ashes in the London Blitz and instantly, she loses everything that she worked so hard to establish. With no other recourse, Cressida has no choice but to return to Aldhurst and stay with her niece and nephew while she rebuilds her business, all the while hoping that the two of them are kinder and more hospitable than their late father was. While her niece Violet is thrilled that the famous aunt she never knew will be staying with them, she has her own “trouble” to worry about in the form of the conscription letter for war work that she receives, which effectively dashes her lifelong dream of marrying an aristocratic husband. Meanwhile, Grace Carlisle, the local vicar’s daughter, is engaged to be married and wants desperately to be able to wear her mother’s wedding gown for the ceremony. For Grace, it’s a special way to remember her beloved mother, who died 10 years ago, and also her only hope for a traditional white wedding given the mandatory wartime clothes rationing, which has made wedding gowns a scarce commodity. Unfortunately, her mother’s wedding gown is too damaged to wear without repairing, so Grace brings it to her sewing club in the hopes that, together with the other ladies in the club, they are able to salvage it. It is there that she meets Cressida, who decides to accompany Violet to one of the meetings, and as they come up with a plan to repair the wedding gown, the women also form an unexpected, close friendship. Soon, the “project” of repairing Grace’s wedding dress expands into the broader idea of a wedding dress exchange program where the ladies from the sewing circle mend donated wedding dresses and lend them out to other brides so they can get the chance to have a white wedding of their own.

I loved the concept of this story and felt that Jennifer Ryan did a great job writing about the time period in a way that made me feel like I was there sharing the characters’ experiences. Speaking of the characters — I also loved how, once again, Ryan’s main female protagonists were all strong, admirable women who had no problem standing up against the conventions of the time. The narrative alternates between Cressida’s, Violet’s and Grace’s perspectives, and together, we get the entirety of their shared story and experiences. While there was a little more romance in this one than I expected, especially when compared to the previous two books of hers that I had read, it didn’t overshadow the rest of the story, so I was fine with it.

Overall, this was in the same vein of Ryan’s previous two “home front” themed novels in that the tone was lighthearted and uplifting, though it also dealt with serious issues in a respectful, non- heavy handed way. Having said that, I did feel that the story as a whole was a tad longer than it needed to be, especially around the midway mark, where some of the scenes felt repetitive and I felt like I was losing interest, but I kept with it and am glad I did, as the story turned out well in the end.

I enjoyed this one and definitely recommend it, especially for fans of Jennifer Ryan’s previous works about women’s wartime effort on the home front. Also if you’re looking for a WWII-themed read that’s resonant and poignant but not too heavy, this one fits the bill quite nicely.

Received ARC from Ballantine Books via NetGalley.

[Jonann loves book talk❤♥️❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan will make readers feel warm and cozy all over. It is historical fiction based on true events. You will absolutely fall in love with the brave women in this delightful story. Jennifer Ryan, writes in the perfect amount of romance without graphic sex scenes. The talented author visually transports you into the heart of her books.


1942- During the London Blitz:
Cressida Westcott is a famous fashion designer. Her clothes are sought after designs often featured in Vogue magazine. She is ultra successful until her home and business are destroyed during a bomb raid. Cressida survives the attack, but is forced to go back to the family home where she was raised. There she is reacquainted with her nephew Hugh, niece Violet, and a delightful group of women in a sewing circle.

With the help of a incredible young woman named Grace Carlisle, Cressida and the spirited women in the sewing circle soon begin redesigning used wedding dresses into beautiful works of art. These gorgeous dresses are used by brides of that era to help create the wedding of their dreams.

I am a historical fiction lover. This book is the perfect example of brave people during war stepping up in hardship to make a silk purse out of a sows ear. That is what love, hope, and strength are all about. Jenner Warner nailed it in her outstanding new book. It will be published May31st.

Thank you #NetGalley and #RandomHousePublishingGroup, #Ballantine, for the honor of reviewing this inspiring look back at history. It motivated me to reach out and grab life! Chin up and eyes forward!

[Elizabeth of Silver's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three women connected by love, war, family, and sewing.

We meet Cressida who owns a fashion design house but has to go back to her family home since her shop was bombed, Violet who is her niece and who was conscripted, and Grace who is engaged to a vicar.

We follow the lives of these three women.

All three join a wartime sewing circle. Grace is in need of someone to help her repair her mother's wedding dress and is thrilled to hopefully have someone to help.

Since clothing rations are limited to what types of cloth they can use for clothing, Cressida agrees to fix Grace's dress since she loves doing that and has the talent with any fabric. All the women join in and start a "share your wedding dress with others" campaign.

So enjoyed learning about this...the "sharing" did happen during the war.

THE WEDDING DRESS SEWING CIRCLE is as cozy as the cover and has characters that you will love and characters that will show you how to have compassion, how to not give up on what you want, and how women gather together for support and to help one another and others.

A lovely read and another historical fact I was not aware of...enjoy!! 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

[☮Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

I adored this author's The Kitchen Front and was offered a comp copy of this her latest from Penguin Random House through NetGalley.

For me, this was a feel good story, as many WWII books attempt to be. When silk and other fabrics grew scarce in Britain, the government asked the people to "Make Do and Mend" clothing. There came a wedding dress shortage, so women were asked to wear their uniforms or street clothes instead. This sewing circle in a small English village would have none of that so began advertising for used bridal gown donations, of which they would loan out the original dress intact, or reconfigure it if damaged.

Here the circle grew very close while working to create happiness for others. The gown that started the entire idea was remade and used for three weddings and counting. With all the talk about weddings, of course there is some love and (gasp) romance, but this didn't bother me since it came with so much history, strong women, and displays of kindness.

As with The Kitchen Front, I'm left with a much needed warm and fuzzy feeling. Maybe it will make you feel it too.

[Karen R · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my third Jennifer Ryan book. She is such a talented writer and breathes life into her characters. As with her previous books, The Chillbury Ladies’ Choir and The Kitchen Front, I immediately fell in love with her characters, inspired by their bravery and their support for each other during desperate times. Great relationships and distinct POV’s. A fascinating story based on true events. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is like warm comfort food on a cold wet Sunday afternoon.

Historical fiction – WWII – Britain, 1942 - three very different main characters.

Cressida Westcott, famed fashion designer has lost her home and fashion house in London to the Blitz. With no other option she is forced to return to her village home from which she fled several years ago to escape her insufferable brother. Now that her brother has passed away the manor house is in the hands of her niece and nephew.

Violet Westcott, Cressida’s niece is a snooty young lady with the idea that life is about finding, at the very least, a Lord for a husband. Violet made me laugh with her snobbish attitude until she is faced with conscription and must do her part for the war effort.

Grace Carlisle, the vicar’s daughter is a shy, mousy young lady engaged to the first man who asked her simply because she believed it was the only proposal she would ever get.

Clothes rationing has caused ladies to have to “Make Do and Mend” (as per a pamphlet issued by the British Ministry of Information) so when Grace asks Cressida for help to alter her mother’s moth eaten wedding dress for her wedding Cressida is only too happy to help.

The ladies of the village already have a sewing circle but it is Cressida who expands their vision leading to the creation of “The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle”.

See: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/make-d...

Enjoyable read.