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

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This book is one of my favorite books of 2022. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle hooked and reeled me in from start to finish. Despite its length of over 400 pages, I finished it in less than 2 days. What made this book stand apart for me from other WWII historical fiction books was that it focused mostly on the homefront efforts of ordinary women during the war. I loved reading how Jennifer Ryan wove in true historical facts about how women repurposed old wedding dresses all over England during the war. At the same time, I was entranced with intriguing characters and more than one love story. (However, Violet Westcott's love story was my favorite!) This book deserves 5 plus stars. I will definitely be looking for more books to read by this author. Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the opportunity to read this book. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinions of the book.

During WWII food wasn’t the only commodity rationed in England. Buying clothing or fabric was also limited by unavailability and government rationing. That put a strain on women who wanted to update their wardrobes, simply tried to look presentable as clothes wore out or even hoped to wear something pretty as they planned their marriage. Like the women in Ryan’s earlier novel, Kitchen Front, women were forced to be creative in managing life under strict rationing regulations. In this instance, the women of a small town near Canterbury banded together to try to re-design or re-invent wedding dresses for the young women anxious to tie the knot. Instead of waiting for the war to end, many women were ready to grasp a chance at happiness, even if only for a very short time.

Three women are the focus of the book. Grace is the daughter of a vicar and engaged to marry. She will use her mother’s wedding gown but it needs work because of significant damage it sustained from moths. Her sewing group bands together to revitalize the gown. Cressida is the sister of the deceased owner of the manor house. She fled home many years earlier and ended up a successful fashion designer in London. But when a bomb destroys her factory and her house, she returns to her childhood home which now belongs to her nephew and is the home of her niece. Violet is her niece and she has one goal - to marry a titled man (but they are in short supply.) Overwhelmed with frustration, Violet follows her brother Hugh’s suggestion to volunteer in the war effort. This leads to her training as a driver for officers and is a real education for the pampered young woman.

Ultimately, Grace, Cressida and Violet are all part of the sewing circle and they all work on Grace’s mother’s dress and many others. The book focuses on the united efforts of women to bring a little brightness to others during a time of deprivation. Each of the characters undergoes a transformation and their personal stories are the highlight of the book. This is an enjoyable novel that addresses issues such as women’s rights, following your heart and being true to who you really are. We root for the women and for the creative, collegial spirit that enabled a small group of women to work together to make special dresses during a dark time.

This is a book set during WWII. It is about how ladies in a community make and share wedding dresses. I thought it was extremely well done. It focused on a different sides of the war. I absolutely adored the book and gave it 5 stars.

Eustace Westcott was dead, to begin with. And it seems to be a relief for all concerned, especially his family. His deceased presence turns out to be a bigger blight on the lives of everyone who knew him than the war. Even the local pub still boasts “a certain ditty written in the men’s lavatory” proclaiming that “Eustace Westcott should stick his precious checkbook up a certain part of his anatomy.”

His estranged sister, the famous – or infamous in the late Eustace’s mind – fashion designer Cressida Westcott would certainly agree. She only attended his funeral to make absolutely certain the blighter was dead.

But speaking of that war, when the London Blitz takes out both her house and her design house in the same night, Cressida’s not sure where to go or what to do. She’s lost everything except the clothes on her back, the designs in her head, and a reputation in the fashion industry that she’s spent the last 20 years building. Those will see her through – but first she needs a place to live and regroup.

She never thought she’d go back home to Aldhurst. In fact, she’d sworn she wouldn’t. But Eustace is dead and she can at least hope that his two children, now adults themselves, haven’t turned into carbon copies of their not-so-dear old dad. Or that there’s still time for her to help them become functional human beings now that his oppressive influence over their lives has been removed.

What she finds in the old family pile is a second chance. A chance to get to know the village and its people – and become one of them. A chance to find family again by helping her niece and nephew see that their father’s ideas and influence are holding them back from living their own lives instead of repeating all the restrictions of his.

All the restrictions he tried to impose on Cressida and utterly failed at.

Cressida has a chance to explore a bit of the road not taken and let herself have as much of it all as could ever be possible – not in spite of the war but because of it.

Escape Rating A: I was looking for, not exactly a comfort read as most of my comfort reads start with murder, but rather a comfortable read for the end of this week. It’s kind of surprising that led me to World War II, not exactly a comfortable time for ANYONE, but this actually fit the bill quite nicely. I adored one of the author’s previous books, The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir, and was expecting more of the same – interesting characters who grow and change in a heartwarming story of the British homefront during World War II. And I was expecting a female-centric story because, well, the war.

And all of that is exactly what I got. With bells on!

The story revolves around three women, Cressida Westcott, her niece Violet Westcott, and the woman cressida mentors in Aldhurst, Grace Carlisle. All of their lives have been knocked off their original courses by World War II, but the war also gives each of them a chance to change a course that they thought was set. Hopefully for the better.

Cressida’s change is a driving force in what happens, which is fitting because Cressida herself has always been a driving force in her own life. While her return to Aldhurst allows her to see the place with fresh eyes, her trip back home doesn’t change who she has become in all the years between.

She’s still a driven woman, determined to be in the top echelon of fashion design – and succeeding on her own terms. What her return to Aldhurst allows her to do is to open herself up to new experiences and new friendships. She is still who she has always been, but becoming part of the village – something she was not allowed to do when she was growing up – reminds her that in addition to making a living she also needs to make a life.

Violet and Grace are both in their 20s, and each has planned a certain life for themselves based on what they’ve been taught, what they’ve been told, what they’ve always believed in the “right thing to do.” Violet is honestly a selfish, self-involved little bitch, an upper class twit who believes that marrying a title is her due and that she’s entitled to all the privileges that come with her family’s wealth and status without ever working for them.

Grace is her opposite, the daughter of the local vicar, selflessly devoting herself to the village and parish work, never asking a thing for herself. She’s been shouldering much of her father’s caretaking of the village in the years since her mother died, and everyone else’s need for her has become her life. To the point that she’s planning to marry a clergyman herself, believing that it’s her best chance of recreating the happy family that raised her before her mother’s death.

Violet just needs to grow up – and for that to happen she needs to break out of a role that is designed to keep her childlike and uneducation. Conscription into war work forced Violet to see herself and the world around her with her own eyes, and it’s the making of her.

But it’s Grace’s transformation from colorless drudge to fashion design apprentice that gives the story its heart and its heartbreak. Her involvement with Cressida begins with her engagement, and her desire to wear her mother’s rather moth-eaten wedding gown on her own ‘special’ day.

It’s not just a wish out of love and nostalgia, it’s a necessity. Under wartime clothing rationing, there is no material available for new wedding dresses. There’s little available for repairing old ones, either. But with Cressida’s vast design experience and Grace’s eye for the best ways of ‘making mend and making do’ there’s a chance to make it happen.

Even though the process of design and exploration finally makes Grace wake up and realize that it shouldn’t happen for her – or at least it shouldn’t happen for her with the man she’s currently engaged to marry.

Whether Grace gets to wear the dress herself or not, out of her mother’s old dress both a new dress and a grand idea, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle of the title, are born. The dress that Violet’s mother gave to Grace’s mother eventually becomes THE dress for many young women of Aldhurst and beyond, in an act of sisterhood that is carried not just around the country, but all the way back home to where it began.

The dress is beautiful on every woman who wears it. And the story of how it came to be is every single bit as lovely.

This book is so good! It is full of heart, moving, emotional, powerful, heartbreaking, hopeful, and so much more. Whenever I picked up "The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle", I was whisked back in time, and went on such an emotional journey with this novel.

This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Ryan, and it certainly will not be my last. Ms. Ryan's writing is detailed, visceral, vivid, and her passion for writing is so incredibly clear. I can only imagine the amount of research Ms. Ryan must have done for this book, as I often felt so immersed in the stories being told that I forgot I was reading, and it seemed like I was right there with the characters. History truly jumps off of the page, and I was pulled in from the first page to the last.

This book surrounds three women during World War II: Grace, a young vicar's daughter, Cressida, a famous fashion designer, and Violet, a young woman from an aristocratic family (and she is also Cressida's niece). Though the three women seem different, they are alike in many ways, and are brought together through the village sewing circle. I do not want to say too much about the plot due to spoilers, but, I will say, this book is a MUST-READ! What the sewing circle does with creating wedding dresses that can be worn by many women is absolutely beautiful, and this story truly has so much in it: strong friendships, growth, love, and so, so much heart.

I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction. I look forward to reading what Ms. Ryan writes next.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the ARC of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I LOVED this book. I love how Jennifer Ryan can take little known stories from history and create such a wonderful emotional heartfelt novel. I loved the characters and how the book ended. I can’t wait to read her next one! I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this title. It was a most charming read.
Historical Fiction author Jennifer Ryan takes us back to when clothes rationing occurred during WWII ---who remembers when Queen Elizabeth purchased the material for her wedding dress with ration coupons--many young brides weren't near as lucky as the Queen and had to make due.

We meet three amazing young women in this novel who made a real difference in World War II. Each woman has her own set of obstacles and setbacks, but together and in a sewing circle they create---they begin to offer wedding gowns to young brides who are not as fortunate as Queen Elizabeth.

I would also recommend the historical fiction tale of Queen Elizabeth's wedding dress-The Gown by Jennifer Robson.

I thought this story was really sweet and well written! The author clearly did her research and the story was touching.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a fabulous, heartwarming book set in WWII England. The accounts of the war and what everyone needed to do to survive and support the forces was extremely poignant and detailed - this kind of historical fiction helps other generations gain a deeper understanding of the hardships endured in a way that history books and history class never could.
The story follows Cressida from a fabulous life as an independent fashion designer in the city to the countryside after a terrible bombing by the Axis that destroyed her residence and her workshop. She reluctantly returns to her family home and encounters old issues, troubles and loves.
Excellent book that is engrossing, entertaining and educational.

Really good book. The plot was well-written and engrossing. I look forward to reading more from this author.

A renowned fashion designer returns to the family manor house she fled decades ago with nothing but the clothes she stands in. A spoiled rich girl in search of a suitably aristocratic husband is conscripted into war work. The local vicar's daughter tries in vain to repair her mother's gown, her only chance of a white wedding. Three different women, three love stories, and a village group rising to the challenge of making brides’ dreams come true.

This was my first book by this author, and I enjoyed it immensely! The story has some surprises, but even though I guessed at the outcome for each of our three main leads, each of their journeys was interesting. It did take some time to warm up to the spoiled rich girl, but I did like her development as a character.

The entire cast of characters were enjoyable, and I found the details of the time more interesting than I expected. I especially liked where the fictional story intersected with historical fact. It was well written and well researched.

Readers who enjoy World War II fiction will definitely enjoy this one.

LOVED this!!! Jennifer Ryan has skyrocketed up to one of my favorite authors despite me not being madly in love with WWII historical fiction like so many are. She is my favorite author to anticipate and I find myself so impatient for her new releases. This is partly because she is a great storyteller, centering women in a part of history that feels very dominated by the bravery of our male service members. I also adore her work because it is somehow lighthearted and fun, with quirky characters and charming settings.

This book felt most like Ryan's The Kitchen Front which is my favorite of hers to date. The group of ladies in the story aren't rationing food-they're rationing clothing and fabric!! I honestly had never given any thought to rationing fabric before reading this book, but what a tough thing that must have been. And so interesting! The women in the Sewing Circle come together in friendship so beautifully, with a common purpose, and the villagers are just lovely. Yes, there is war going on in the background, but it never overtakes the story. This book warmed my heart, just like all of Ms. Ryan's others have.

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.