Jennifer Ryan writes WWII novels but hers focus on the women that sustained the local communities throughout England during that time. She has written about choirs and cooking contests, now it is about a sewing circle. England went through extreme rationing both during and after the war and one of the items rationed was clothes. Women has to figure out how to extend their clothes longer as well as dress their children as they grew on minimal ration coupons a year. In a town outside of Canterbury in Kent, some of the local women have a sewing circle in order to coordinate jumble sales and mending project.

One of the rationed items is that new wedding dresses are not allowed, so when the local vicars daughter, Grace, is to get married she needs help repairing her mother's wedding dress so she can where white. When a local woman who became a famous fashion designer, Cressida, comes back to town after loosing her home and design studio in the Blitz, the sewing circle gets some help. Cressida agrees to help Grace fix the dress and Grace's idea to share the dress with other local women who need a wedding dress sparks an idea that goes nation wide. This local sewing circle creates a collection of wedding dresses that have been repaired and updated so they can be loaned out to women across the country.

This is a beautiful story about love, finding oneself, friendship, and duty. The women Ryan has created are all unique and on different paths that someone need the assistance of each other to complete. I highly recommend this novel to fans of women's lit.

Thanks to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. I really enjoyed this historical fiction novel set in a small town. In which the women start a wedding dress exchange for all women. Of course there are more twists and turns in the plot. Pick it up you’ll be glad you do, it’s different take on WW2.

This was such a wonderful, well written book. There are so many books in this genre, WWII, women facing adversity, communities etc. This one certainly falls neatly into that mold but was also just a sweet story with interesting characters. The historical context was interesting and I did learn a bit more about the challenges the small villages faced during WWII. I received an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley and appreciate the opportunity to read this great book.

Review will be posted on 10/18/22

Clothing designer Cressida Westcott is famous for her designs, but she now finds herself in a tough spot. It's WWII and during the London Blitz, she loses not only her home, but also her studio. So, she has no choice, but to return to her family's country manor. This is less than ideal as she left for good reasons and doesn't feel like dealing with her haughty brother again. Her only hope is that her niece and nephew will accept her. Enter Violet Westcott, Cressida's niece. Her aunt coming to her quiet country village is news unlike any other. She can't wait to connect with her famous aunt and just as she starts to, her conscription letter comes saying she must serve. Also in the village is Grace Carlisle, who is getting married soon, but doesn't have a dress. There's a clothing rationing going on, so this was a common concern. Her only chance at a white wedding is to repair her mother's old dress. In the village, there's a sewing circle and when world-famous Cressida enters, things really start to change for not only the sewing circle, but for the village, and the women, too. They plan to help all the brides and honor their dreams of a white wedding dress by setting up a Wedding Dress Exchange that becomes widely successful. Jennifer Ryan's The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a quiet novel, even though it takes place during WWII, and it was utterly charming.

Cressida is such a delightful character in The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. She is definitely a fish-out-of-water in the quaint town of Aldhurt as she is probably the very definition of chic. Even though Cressida grew up there, she has changed, is now a major fashion designer, and has left the quiet country life behind. However, while she is there, she learns so much about herself, about people, and her outlook on life.

At first when readers encounter Violet, they may think she is merely an aristocratic socialite without a deep thought in her head; however, she learns a lot as the story progresses. Cressida's entrance into the village, and Violet's life, changes Violet's world for the better. Violet also is forced to look at the dark sides of war. Then there's Grace, who is stuck marrying a vicar and has plans to mend her mother's old wedding dress so she can wear it. This gives Cressida an idea that starts a revolutionary act. The local sewing circle has big plans and these plans even make their way to Eleanor Roosevelt.

My favorite part of The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was the English village of Aldhurst. I didn't want to leave! It was like visiting a place straight out of a Masterpiece show on PBS and I loved it. Ryan also brought the time period to life very well, but in a way that was cozy. It wasn't overly focused on the horrors of WWII, which I appreciated, because sometimes you need a charming read that will make you smile and this was it! I also learned a lot about the rationing of sewing supplies and cloth during the war, which I knew nothing about. I could appreciate this aspect of the novel as well as the fact it is based on a true story.

If you enjoy historical novels that will give you a comfy, cozy feeling, look no further. Jennifer Ryan's The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was just that and I didn't want to leave Aldhurst behind.

Are you a fan of Ryan's novels? Have you read The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Three plucky women lift the spirits of home-front 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.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was an enjoyable book about friendship and personal growth. I would categorize this as historical fiction light - it is set in England during WWII and focuses on women's wartime efforts on the home front. Even though it is set during the war, it has a more upbeat tone with a focus on how the women grow individually and come together collectively to lift up the spirits of others during the war.

Where it fell a little flat was its predictability and the obviousness of the lessons sprinkled throughout the book. The writing and storylines were more simplistic so I recommend for readers who enjoy lighter novels with happy endings.

I loved the author's note, it was evident she put a lot of time into researching what it was like to live in England during WWII and specifically how the clothes rationing worked and how fashion was impacted. It was a fun and unique spin on typical historical fiction plotlines.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was just the book I needed. I love the story and the easy flow of the writing. The story was a enjoyable read from start to finish. Thank you Jennifer Ryan for a book that I was waiting for.

Three ladies who long for true and lasting love forced together from by the circumstances of war. A gaggle of ladies from the local sewing circle drawn together around a wedding dress. Cressida Westcott left her hometown years ago and hadn't returned since she and her brother had parted ways poorly. Her house in ruins from a bomb, Cressida is forced to seek a place to live with her surviving niece and nephew. Her niece, Violet Westcott, is delighted to have her strong-willed, independent aunt sharing their roof at least for a while. Cressida meets Grace at the local sewing circle and they are drawn together over their love of fashion... and the project of repairing Grace's mother's wedding dress. What more will happen because these three lives were brought together in this time and at this place?

I loved this book. Set in a small village in the English countryside during WWII, I fell in love with the main characters... even Violet who took a little longer to love. In addition to Grace, Cressida, Violet, and those who ended up smitten with them, the motley crew of characters that make up the local sewing circle were endearing and their personal quirks and histories that added flavor and fun to the novel. It certainly didn't hurt that each lady found true love. I definitely love a happy ending. I also love historical novels that draw from people's real life experiences, and the unique historical details surrounding the wedding dress exchange that the author builds the story around add richness and authenticity. I definitely recommend this novel!

Thank you to Ballentine Books and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book for review. All opinions are my own.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a slice of life from a country parish in Britain during World War II. The war itself is a background hum, the focus is really the friendships and love lives of our three narrators. Cressida Westcott is a noted designer forced to return to her family's estate when her London residence and design house are destroyed in the Blitz. The only reason this is even marginally acceptable is that her traditionalist and status-obsessed brother is no longer alive, and instead the manor occupants are the young adult niece and nephew she hasn't seen in years. The niece, Violet, starts as a vapid social climber who gets drafted into the ATS. Grace is our third narrator, and is the unfailingly kind and helpful vicar's daughter. Ever since her mother's death, she has dedicated herself to being the best parish helper she can be and taking care of her father.

I enjoyed reading the book, but it was sometimes a little too sickly sweet for me. Every character seems to radiate the spirit of British Homefront propaganda, spouting slogans like "Make do and mend," and the patriotic value of frugal femininity. The messy business of war itself doesn't seem to intrude into the day-to-day rhythms of the village. Yes, clothing rationing is the catalyst for the novel, and there are two bombing episodes in the book. But don't go looking for mourning
families, or young men about to ship off to the continent to fight for their country, you won't find them here. Overall, a gentle blend of romance and relationship fiction, set against a period backdrop.
I received this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

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!