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

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle
Jennifer Ryan
Ballantine Books
2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cressida Westcott is a well known fashion designer operating out of London during WWII. When her home and her design house are bombed, she has nothing but the clothes on her back, and those are nightclothes. She has no choice but to contact her family, her nephew who now owns the family manor house, Aldhurst Manor. She is welcomed and plans to remain in the quaint country village until she can find somewhere to rebuild her business. Violet Wescott is thrilled to have her fashionable aunt come and live with them, until she receives her conscription notice and has to leave to train for wartime duties. Hugh Wescott is not quite as bad as his father, but is getting there. He is a bit uppity and has no idea what is going on in the village. The Aldhurst Sewing Circle is a group of women that alter and repurpose clothes as there's a huge demand for second-hand clothing and especially for growing children. Cressida meets Grace, the vicar's daughter, who is trying to mend her mother's moth eaten wedding gown, so she can have a "White Wedding". Cressida steps up to help her and works with the village sewing circle. It isn't long before they are working on a project to redesign and repair wedding gowns to loan to brides in the village and beyond. As these women work together, friendship and camaraderie blossoms, along with hope and dreams.

I enjoy historical fiction that deals with wartime, but not the frontlines. This book shares what is happening back on the homefront, while trying to survive with rationing, bombing and loss of family and friends. The story is told from multiple viewpoints, and I enjoyed getting to know Violet, Cressida and Grace. Each had their own unique issues and difficulties to deal with and they supported one another in making decisions for their future. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is am enjoyable, uplifting, story highlighting the power of friendship, specifically during wartime. The story also includes themes of standing up for yourself, following your dreams, family, love, new beginnings and moving on. There are a couple of sweet, slow moving romances that round out this wonderful story. Near the end of the book, there is an interview with Vogue Magazine and this quote summed up the way these women lived their lives:

“The Wedding Dress Exchange is our way to show that we might be losing our homes, our families, and our normal way of life, but there are some traditions that live on in spite of the Nazis–that romance and hope and love can flourish, no matter what our ememies do. It is a reminder that the most important parts of us…our hearts–will always be free.”

I recommend The Wedding Dress Circle to those who enjoy Historical Fiction, Women's Fiction, as well as stories of friendship. This is the third book I have read by Jennifer Ryan (Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and The Kitchen Front) and she is now on my list of must read authors.

Loved this community feel. At a time where hardship was the norm, the men and boys were being sent off to war, and the shortages of all materials, a group of women found a way to make a difference. White fabric was impossible to come by so old wedding dresses were remodeled to serve as a special gift on those special days. The women all came together to make each other feel special which provided the female support from those around and the assistance when things were tough both financially and emotionally.The characters were a delight to know.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this most delightful read.
#Netgallet # BallentineBooks

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is the story of three women, living in wartime Britain in the village of Aldurst. Grace Carlisle, the vicar’s daughter, is planning her wedding and wishes to wear her mother’s wedding gown. The gown is damaged by moths and needs mending. She enlists the help of the Sewing Circle. Cressida Westcott is a well-known fashion designer who loses her home and business in a London bombing. With nowhere else to go, she reluctantly returns to Aldurst and moves into the manor house where she grew up. It is now the home of her niece and nephew, the children of her late brother with whom she had been estranged. Violet Westcott, Cressida’s niece, is a spoiled aristocrat whose goal in life is to find a rich husband. Much to her dismay, Violet gets a conscription notice for the military. This is the story of how these three women evolve, grow, and change. It is the story of how these women, along with the women in the Sewing Circle, alter and repurpose clothes when there is a shortage of material. They start refurbishing wedding gowns and before they know it, they are supplying wedding gowns to brides all over England.

This is the second novel by Jennifer Ryan that I have read. (The first one was the Kitchen Front.) Both of these novels take the reader into the villages of England during World War II and give us a glimpse of how ordinary people were affected by the war and how they coped with rations and shortages. The storyline blends fiction and fact together seamlessly, giving the reader a true sense of what it was like to live in that time and place. Ryan’s characters are well-developed. Both of these novels demonstrate the strength that these women had in order to survive in difficult times and the importance of friendship and love.

I highly recommend The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle! You will not be disappointed. I look forward to reading more novels by Jennifer Ryan.

Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House – Ballantine Books for providing me with an advanced review copy in exchange for an honest review.

To say I loved this book is an understatement!!!!!!! The way these women took charge in this story is inspiring!!!!!!!

A big thank you to the author Jennifer Ryan, the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for my candid review.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! It is an amazing fictional story of actual events that occurred during World War II. Everything was rationed in WWII England--food, leather, clothing, material, yarn, everything you can think of.....either it was going to the military or it was unavailable due to the war. Enterprising women in England started to gather wedding dresses, both new and old, and remaking them into something that women could use for their own weddings. They loaned them to any women who were in need so that they could get married in something special. It is also the story of small village life and how people can really pull together in a crisis. It is a lovely story and I really enjoyed it.

First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the eArc of this book in exchange for a fair and unbiased review.

Jennifer Ryan dives back in to WWII and village life in England. All of the drama and the love that goes into this life is there for all to see. Her characters are vibrant and believable. She gives us details into their lives so we can understand why they act as they do. And, as always, we learn about some of the ups and downs of life during the war. Little did I know about the fabric rations that were going on. But, other things I have read now make more sense.
I loved how the women came together to support each other. Even to welcome back the black sheep of the village's Lords family. We watch these ladies grow as they go to the hardships together and buoy each other up. Friendships are made where there was animosity, and love even blooms for some of these delightful women.

I just absolutely loved Jennifer Ryan’s The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir and this book gave me so many of those same delightful vibes! There’s just something so endearing about this author’s characters and stories. I’m not even surprised to say that The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle found its way right to my heart!

The characters were the highlight for me here. Oh, how I truly felt like I found friends in them. We hear multiple POV’s in this story through three women and their efforts on the home front during the war. I can say each perspective was equally compelling and enjoyable to delve into. I just loved these ladies and was left inspired by each of their courageous contributions to their community through their wedding dress exchange.

This is a heartwarming historical fiction story of friendship, love, and strength. It was such a cozy read to tuck into! I highly recommend this delightful, well-written read.

Many thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the gifted e-copy!

The story of Grace, Violet, and Cressida is based on the WW II rations in England of material and the creativeness of the women. This is also a tale of community and friends.
Grace is getting married. Her father, the civar, finds her mom's wedding dress in the attic, but storage has been hard on the material [and moths, too]. Now Grace wants to find a way to mend it...that is where the sewing circle comes in.
Cressida is a fashion designer in London when German bombs destorys her apartment and her business place. She departs to her home village of Aldhurst as she has nothing. Cressida has not been htere in years as she is estranged from her family She, too, becomes involved in the sewing circle.
Violet is a blond beauty with a desire to marry a duke or lord in order to keep the Westcott blookline pure as her deceased father wished. She is titular head of the sewing circle and Cressida's niece. The war has other demands of her when she is conscripted to the service.
Jennifer Ryan puts some basic facts together and develops a story of rations, community, romance, and changes.

Set in WWII rural England. A varied group of women form a wedding dress sewing circle to share during a time of scarcity.
A feel-good read.

A lovely book showing the strength of women that bond together. During the war many women were called to service whether formally or amongst the community with many of their own personal desires being put on the back burner. This book shows how women were starting to gain more rights within society rather than being subservient to men once married. 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. 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.

Thanks to Ballantine Books/Random House, Netgalley and the author.

THE WEDDING DRESS SEWING CIRCLE tells yet another way the women of Great Britain "made do" and "did without" for the war effort during the 1940s. While WWII fiction often includes references to black outs, gas and food rationing, and even the movement of children for safety, Jennifer Ryan's book is the first I've read that focused on the very strict clothes coupon system. Each person was allotted a certain number of coupons based on their age. Children were allowed a few more coupons, mostly to cover the growth in feet over a year's time. Most imported fabrics were totally unavailable due to blockades and silk was used solely for parachutes. Resourceful beyond belief to our modern throw away society, the women of Great Britain held rummage sales, clothing exchanges and formed sewing groups to alter and reconstruct clothing to meet people's needs. The government had restrictions on how much fabric could be in a skirt (possibly reconstructed from curtains) in an attempt to make resources stretch as far as possible. Ryan relied on all this historically accurate information, including the fact that used wedding dresses were collected, remade, and shared, as the backdrop for her newest book. Her fiction story centers on three women - Cressida, a fashion designer who returns to her childhood village after being bombed out of London; Grace, a vicar's daughter who plans to wed soon and finds her mother's tattered wedding dress and needs the help of the local sewing group to mend it; and Cressida's niece, a spirited twenty-something who faces her upcoming conscription an unwanted inconvenience. Of course, there is some war-time romance and a whole lot of self-discovery. This is one book that I hated to see end as I would have loved to follow each of the women throughout the whole war and the ensuing years as they helped in the country's rebuilding. (Perhaps, there could be a second book??) I am a sewer myself and in recent years have been a fan of the refashioning trend (Making new clothes from existing items). And 5o odd years ago I made my own wedding dress, and I also possess my mother's wedding dress, one she wore in 1943, during the United States' war years. While she did not have to borrow a dress to get married, it was still a time of rationing here in the US. She married in a double wedding with her younger sister and the two couples pooled all their gas rations so they could travel a mere 100 miles for a short honeymoon. Perhaps that is why I felt so connected to this story and why I highly recommend it. I received an e-copy from NetGalley; all opinions are mine.

I can't believe I didn't come back and give feedback on this title. What a charming book. After reading so many WWII Britain novels, I worried a little that it might not hold my interest, but the characters and their story were just perfect.

Grace Carlisle is engaged to a man who we all know instantly isn't the right man for her. A young woman of duty and responsibility, she remembers too fondly her youthful days with her best friend, Hugh before he was sent away to school. Now, he's inherited the family estate and is overcome with his own sense of duty and responsbility to his late (overbearing) father, including an pre-arranged engagement of his own.

Cressida Westcott is a famous fasion designer in London whose clientle are escaping to the country. Before she can choose what to do, her home and fasion house is bombed in the Blitz and she must return to her childhood home, now owned by a nephew she doesn't know at all. Here, she meets her niece, Violet, a silly spoiled girl whose only thought of the future is to marry very well. But War changes societal norms and VIolet is about to embark on her own personal growth journey.

These three women intereact with each other in ways that forces them to face their current selves and become something someone different. Even though it's just a TAD predictable, that does not take away from the pleasure of joining them on the journey.

Prior to reading this book, I knew very little about England's WWII clothes rationing. How ingenious and generous to come together in a sewing circle and create a solution to the great need for wedding dresses.

Jennifer Ryan creates a setting not unlike Kate Quinn's Rose Code, but she adorns it with a softer bit of romance and love. I'm interested in reading other books by this author.