This was my first book by Jennifer Ryan and I really enjoyed it. This book combined historical fiction and women’s fiction and drew me right in with interesting and relatable characters. Cressida Westcott loses her home and design business location in the London Blitz and returns to her family home she had left years ago to stay with her niece and nephew. Through the local Sewing Circle meetings Cressida, her niece Violet, the vicar’s daughter Grace and others this inspiring group of women through wartime bring hope, happiness and love to the village while mending wedding dresses for local brides, and find themselves dedicating their time to helping brides throughout the country. I appreciated the fact that this story taught me about the sewing circles during wartime and the ways women found to work together and be friends. This book was provided to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

A historical war time read bringing 4 women together through the sewing circle.

I enjoyed the storylines of all 4 women even though I didn't connect with any of them that strongly.

Another solid read for Historical Fiction WW2 lovers.

An historical fiction novel set during WWII in Great Britain.
No spoiler here, as the title tells you, it's about a sewing circle in a small town.
There is one very special wedding dress. And then, there are lots of others.
The deprivations of WWII in Great Britain were a centerpiece of the story.
Being an American, I had no idea how bad it was. Yes, there were bombings and destruction.
But also, there seemed to be shortages of so many things (that we take for granted today).
The people of the town worked hard to "make do".
The characters were clearly drawn; you'd want to be their friends.
Yes, a sad period of history, but a warm tale of a town pulling together.

World War II fiction it’s a genre that I slip on like a glove. Most of it involves women and usually is inspired by a specific woman or a group of women. Some however are lighter and fluffier like this one. Not inspired by anyone in particular. It sheds light on how clothing rations during the war in London impacted the women. How even women who weren’t directly helping in the line were doing their part at home.

The wedding dress sewing circle was a group of women who made it their mission to make sure that women had a beautiful wedding dress to wear on their special day. They took in donations, and mended and redid the dresses.

Predictable yet charming. Spoiled little rich girl. Hard-working woman making it in a man’s world. Haughty estate owner living in his dad’s shadow. You can see the end a mile away but that’s OK.

If you like all your I’s dotted, your T’s crossed and happy endings all around this book is for you. It was just what I needed, with the constant bombardment of bad news after bad news on the TV. I received an ARC of the book.

I loved this book! It was such a great story with amazing writing. It was great to read a WWII book not necessarily focused around the war itself!

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was a lovely World War II Britain setting book that was a pleasure to read. I enjoyed following to three characters of Cressida, a fashion designer from London, Violet, Cressida's niece who lives in the countryside and is looking for a titled potential husband, and Grace, the vicar's daughter who has an upcoming marriage. While the events of the book center on Grace's wedding dress, which had been her mother's and later they find was probably originally Violet's mother's dress too, it is also about women's fashion during World War and friends new and old.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

If you think you’re tired of reading novels about World War Two, you are not alone. However, this one is different and I enjoyed it thoroughly, just as I did another of Jennifer Ryan’s books, The Kitchen Front. Once again Ryan has found an interesting aspect of the “home front” in England to explore as the basis for a book. In this one, we find out about clothes rationing during the war and how it impacted everyone’s lives, with a special focus on wedding dresses. We have three women whose POVs carry the book: Cressida, a high-level couturier whose London home and workplace both get bombed out, and so she returns to her home village in Kent; Grace, the daughter of the local vicar; and Violet, the niece of Cressida, who is intent on marrying someone with a title.

It’s a heart-warming tale, filled with personal growth and transformation. There are three women and (unfortunately) I could see the three romances coming a mile away. It didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book, but I wasn’t surprised at how things turned out for each woman. I loved the concept of women getting together and re-working clothing (wedding dresses as well as other items) so that they could be re-used in those hard times, when new fabric was virtually impossible to get (partly due to the war effort itself and partly due to shipping issues due to the war).

Reading this book reminded me that both my mother and her sister wore the same wedding dress in 1945 and 1946 (in the United States). Good ideas go global.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read an advance readers copy of this book, although I’m a bit late to it. While I received the eARC from NetGalley, I wound up mostly listening to the published audiobook by Random House Audio, courtesy of my public library. The narrator, Sophie Roberts, did an excellent job with the many voices and accents. All opinions are my own.

Set in a small village in Kent during WWII, the novel presents a clear picture of the home front in England. Cressida is a well known couturier in London until her home and design building get bombed in the blitz. With nowhere else to go, Cressida travels to her late brother’s estate after years of being estranged. Hugh, her nephew, is now the lord of the manor, and his sister, Violet, were brought up to think they had to uphold the family heritage. Violet evolves as she realizes the societal changes that are occurring, for women in particular. The third main character is Grace, a shy vicar’s daughter who changes the most in the story. The sewing circle starts out with mending Grace’s wedding reds before moving on to more “Make and Mend” projects. I really enjoyed this view of the English home front, reflecting the changes in society as the war continued. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

In general, recently I have been a bit burnt out on historical fiction, but I ended up really enjoying this one. The story is told from the perspectives of three women, Cressida, Violet and Grace, who are all affected by the war.

When famous fashion designer, Cressida Westcott's home and design studio are bombed in an air raid she returns to her ancestral home where she gets to know her niece and nephew. Said niece, Violet has lived a sheltered life focused on finding a wealthy man to take care of her, but she gets conscripted to aid the war effort and learns a lot along the way. Grace is the vicar's daughter and is set to marry a clergyman more so out of duty/security than love.

I appreciated that this one felt different in an oversaturated market/book genre. I loved each of the MCs and appreciated their different journeys! There was something about the story telling that gave me pride and prejudice vibes which is a win in my book. I am not always very good at mentally casting characters, but I could very vividly see Cate Blanchett playing Cressida in a movie adaptation....she's plucky!

I fell absolutely head over heels for The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. I recently started teaching myself how to sew, so my first draw to this novel was the title, as was the lovely cover. I never could have imagined, based on a title and a cover, that this narrative was going to be so immersive! I was captivated from the beginning, immediately invested in Grace, Cressida, and Violet as they try to continue on with a semblance of a normal life as World War II is raging.

Vivid imagery and wonderful world building puts you into the lives of these three women, each dealing with their own personal struggles amid a tense British backdrop, bringing to light personal insecurities and hidden desires. I was enchanted from the first chapter and practically read the entire novel in one sitting, despite its length.

I have read a lot of historical fiction recently, especially since the market has been positively saturated lately, but The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle highlighted something I haven’t really thought about. Violet is from polite English society and during the war the social class lines had started to blur, which she brings up multiple times, as she wants to marry because of a title and not love. Though I’ve read plenty of regency novels I’ve never thought about the transition from regency to modern society, and it’s definitely something I want to explore further.

Being a heavily character-driven novel, I admired the development of each character in their own rights, both the main character and the supporting characters as well. Each have to face their own personal issues, and while they each deal with the hard situations they each find themselves in, none of them are having to deal with these issues alone. There is such grace and personal growth and all the characters find the strength to do things they would’ve never dreamed, both in love and otherwise.

As far as relationships go, Ben and Cressida’s friendship and adoration for one another was one of my favorite parts of this novel. I’m not sure if it’s because I am closer in age to them than I am to the other characters or just the overall vibe they gave, but the scenes of the two of them together were truly touching and absolutely tugged on my heartstrings.

There is a lot of truth in this novel, like the clothing shortage, and other heartbreaking yet resourceful details that were a part of life in England during the war, which I also found utterly fascinating. Even though there is a lot of historical fiction surrounding the second world war I am pleased to still be learning things that I didn’t know before.

As you can see by this incredibly long review I can’t say enough about The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. It is a clean read that doesn’t lack passion, heart, or the strength that can come from love and friendship, and I cannot recommend it enough!

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.

One of the things I adored about ‘The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle’ is that is based on true events. During World War II clothes rationing was mandatory. This rationing not only left all of England in a bind but it certainly left all of England’s young brides in a very challenging situations.

This story focuses on three unique women and their strong sense of helpfulness, community spirit and kindness. These three women characters belong to a sewing circle which exemplified the ‘make do and mend’ spirit. The camaraderie, working toward a common goal creates a sense of friendship, support and a strong sense of belonging to this group of women. These women come up with an idea to start mending and altering wedding dresses. All the wedding dresses are donated and the sewing circle brings new life to them. At it’s completion each dress was worn and then passed forward to the next bride to be. This idea not only lifted the spirits of the women sewing the dresses, they lifted the spirits of future brides and everyone learns resilience during a time when this would all be out of reach.

This book is delightful from cover to cover. Jennifer Ryan has written a masterpiece showing the reader what women can do when they work together. As you will find in her Author’s notes, she has a personal connection to the work that is shared in this book. Come meet Grace, Violet, and Cressida. You may not like all of them at first but by the end you will be rooting them on as if they were your friends. Well Done.

I would like to thank Jennifer Ryan, Random House Publishing – Ballantine and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is not a typical historical fiction story but a story of friendship, love and life. I loved seeing how the fashion industry impacted the war but I enjoyed the stories of the three women even more. They are strong women who through their sewing circle, find love and happiness. I really liked how the wedding dress is almost a character of it's own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the published for an advanced copy of this ebook.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is another wondrous historical fiction book by Jennifer Ryan. As with The Kitchen Front, this also covers rationing in England during WWII, bu this time with fabrics and clothes.

At first, wedding dresses were prohibited because most were made of silk during that time frame, but silk was reserved for parachutes. Even if one found a used and damaged parachute it was illegal to use the fabric and must be returned to the military to use for other parachutes. Makes sense, but most brides were disappointed to get married in an old dress or suit. Military couples were forced to get married in their uniforms!

Jennifer Ryan describes an ingenious program that allowed brides to borrow old wedding gowns, donated by their owners, The Sewing Circles would volunteer to alter the dresses for the new bride. Many in England donated their dresses, including women from the U.S.

Clothes were rationed up to 1951, as England started the long process to recover from the war. Food was rationed up to 1959! The 'Make Due and Mend' program gave tips on how to repurpose old clothes into something 'new.' For example, they would demonstrate how to make a skirt out of men's trousers.

The story follows three women: Sarah, a reverend's daughter, set to marry her father's former assistant, rather than her childhood friend, Hugh, Lord of a nearby Manor. Violet, Hugh's younger sister who starts off as a spoiled and shallow young adult, but eventually matures and finds her own true love. And finally, Cressida, a famous fashion designer and Aunt to Hugh and Violet, is forced to move to the Manor when her home and business are bombed in London. Cressida joins forces with the Sewing Circle to help the brides and others.

It's a fabulous story of women helping women during the War. I loved it. Jennifer Ryan does her research thoroughly and includes an informative, Author's Note.

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballentine Books, for this galley.

4.5/5

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was a book I actually hesitated to read for a couple of months. Neither the title or the cover really drew me in, but with so many great reviews of this book I took the plunge. I am so happy that I decided to read this book! Such a great piece of historical fiction, with a lot of information about the lives of women in England during WWII. Following three main women, Violet, Cressida, and Grace the story gives a look at the lives of women of different classes during the war.

I was really impressed with the character development in this book. Violet was a little hard to stomach at the beginning, but she turned out to be one of my favorite characters. Each woman had their own personalities, flaws, and skills and they came together as friends to create a very unique cast of characters.

Like the title, the three main characters as well as members of their village come together to create, mend, and loan out wedding dresses to women during the war. With cloth being scarce and everyone on clothing coupons, many women could not afford any outfit, let alone a white dress, to wear to their weddings. This "circle" of women come together to support one another and help out their fellow man.

Cressida, Violet, and Grace all have their own love developments and each of the men brought in additional perspectives to the whole story. I am just really happy that I read this book. Full of emotion, romance, and strong female characters. Although I do not think the title or cover do the book the justice it deserves, the writing is definitely strong! For historical fiction lovers, this is a fresh WWII perspective!

Thank you To NetGalley and Ballantine Books for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

I love this author and have read all her previous books and they have all been unputdownable. Have been unable to review due to illness. Review coming soon! This novel looks fantastic and I highly recommend this author to everyone! Can't wait to read this one!

I loved this book!!! When the going gets rough, lean on your friends. It will be amazing what can be accomplished together. That is exactly what this group did.

A sweet work of historical fiction from one of my favorite time periods, encompassing love, loss, war, and the challenge of figuring out who you are and who you choose to be, in spite of where you come from. I love that this story centers around three women who couldn’t be more different, but who all desire the same thing—love, friendships, and connection in their community. The ingenuity that binds them all together is inspiring, and the sweet village and the people within it are absolutely endearing. A lovely book!

This story takes you back to a heartwarming, wholesome time! Just the read I needed right now! We follow two main characters, Violet and Grace as they find and lose love and become strong women making choices for themselves in a time of war. Excellent! Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!

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, from the bestselling author of The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir.

This is a charming historical fiction which focuses on the power of women working together during WWII, of strong friendships that grow and strengthen throughout the years, and of family and romance that struggle and thrive through difficult times of war, rationing, and fear. I loved the characters, but what I loved most was the actual story being told - women who form a sewing group to make and exchange wedding dresses during a time when most wouldn’t have been able to have one due to the clothing rationing. I was already impressed with the book but the author’s note at the end really clinched it for me. It truly added so much more to the story to hear the author’s inspiration and to learn more history about that time period and what was happening. It was the perfect touch and ending to an already wonderful book.

#theweddingdresssewingcircle #netgalley #bookreview

“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.