The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle: A Novel
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.
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.
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.
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Community Reviews
Interesting read about women doing their best to make life in wartime England bearable. The three main characters grow so much during such a difficult, dangerous time.
I found that the book dragged on too long and the ending was saccharine.
"âClothes do that sometimes. They have the power to make you into someone else. They can make anything seem possible.â
âSometimes we just need someone with a fresh perspective to hold up a mirror and show us who we really are â who we could become, if we put our minds to it.â
This novel is a heartwarming and inspiring novel about the power of friendship, love, and community. The story follows three women, Grace Carlisle, Cressida Westcott, and Violet Westcott, who come together to sew wedding dresses for brides in need. As they work together, they form a strong bond and learn to support each other through good times and bad.
The novel is set in the village of Aldhurst in England, and the characters are all deeply rooted in the community. They are kind, generous, and supportive, and they always have each other's backs. The story is full of heartwarming moments, and it will leave you feeling uplifted and hopeful.
One of the things I love most about The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is the way it celebrates the power of friendship. Each of the ladies are all very different, but they come together to form a strong bond that helps them through difficult times. They learn to trust and rely on each other, and they are always there for each other, no matter what.
I truly enjoyed the arcs of each of the ladies and recommend it highly.
âSometimes we just need someone with a fresh perspective to hold up a mirror and show us who we really are â who we could become, if we put our minds to it.â
This novel is a heartwarming and inspiring novel about the power of friendship, love, and community. The story follows three women, Grace Carlisle, Cressida Westcott, and Violet Westcott, who come together to sew wedding dresses for brides in need. As they work together, they form a strong bond and learn to support each other through good times and bad.
The novel is set in the village of Aldhurst in England, and the characters are all deeply rooted in the community. They are kind, generous, and supportive, and they always have each other's backs. The story is full of heartwarming moments, and it will leave you feeling uplifted and hopeful.
One of the things I love most about The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is the way it celebrates the power of friendship. Each of the ladies are all very different, but they come together to form a strong bond that helps them through difficult times. They learn to trust and rely on each other, and they are always there for each other, no matter what.
I truly enjoyed the arcs of each of the ladies and recommend it highly.
I absolutely adored this book! Despite set during WWII, I found this book extremely uplifting and cheerful. Based on real events, the story centers around a community of sewers who are inspired by the clothing rationing to mend wedding dresses and start a charity to help brides around England. The novel focuses on three main perspectives: Grace, Cressida, and Violet.
I found the character development extremely strong, I felt tied to the characters and sucked into the story immediately. However, Violet’s storyline was without a doubt my favorite! I really couldn’t stand her mindset at the beginning of the book, but her experiences shaped her to become an entirely different woman who found her purpose and it was just so beautifully crafted. I have read a lot of books of woman stepping up during the war to become VAD nurses, but Violet’s storyline of becoming a military mechanic showcased a different side of possibilities woman had to serve during the war.
The main theme of this book is without a doubt love. Nonetheless, there are underlying themes or hardship, friendship, and personal growth. The three main characters are entirely different woman by the end of the book from influencing each other and learning to prioritize their happiness instead of what society expects.
I’d highly recommend for anyone looking for a more lighthearted historical fiction read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Books, and Jennifer Ryan for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I found the character development extremely strong, I felt tied to the characters and sucked into the story immediately. However, Violet’s storyline was without a doubt my favorite! I really couldn’t stand her mindset at the beginning of the book, but her experiences shaped her to become an entirely different woman who found her purpose and it was just so beautifully crafted. I have read a lot of books of woman stepping up during the war to become VAD nurses, but Violet’s storyline of becoming a military mechanic showcased a different side of possibilities woman had to serve during the war.
The main theme of this book is without a doubt love. Nonetheless, there are underlying themes or hardship, friendship, and personal growth. The three main characters are entirely different woman by the end of the book from influencing each other and learning to prioritize their happiness instead of what society expects.
I’d highly recommend for anyone looking for a more lighthearted historical fiction read.
Thank you to NetGalley, Random House/Ballantine Books, and Jennifer Ryan for an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thanks to #netgalley and @randomhouse Ballantine for the #adancedreadercopy.
Jennifer Ryan explores fabric rations, class, gender, love, family, and friendship all during WWII England. Cressida, Violet, and Grace are an unlikely trio that start off squarely in their class with unique expectations and their worlds expand during the novel. Cressida is very independent, but had to move back to the family manor and has a tremendous influence on her niece, nephew, and the community.
Grace finds her mother's wedding dress and has the sewing circle help mend it for her upcoming wedding. Violet and Grace both learn and grow so much during the war and help help make a Wedding Dress Exchange with the sewing circle.
I didn't expect all the romance stories within the WWII novel. It's an interesting historical fiction and has great themes of friendship and community.
This was published in May 2022, so it's available everywhere.
#bookstagram #wwiiromance #warrations #historicalfashion #historicalfictionreader
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