The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle: A Novel

by Jennifer Ryan

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.

• ISBN10: 0593158830
• ISBN13: 9780593158838
• Publish Date: 31 May 2022
• Publish Status: Remaindered
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: Random House USA Inc
• Imprint: Ballantine Books Inc.
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 432
• Language: English
• URL: https://penguinrandomhouse.com/books/isbn/9780593158838

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is a gentle and nostalgic home-front WW2 historical slice of life romance by Jennifer Ryan. Released 31st May 2022 by Penguin Random House on their Ballantine imprint, it's 432 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out in summer 2022. It's worth noting that the e-book format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of e-books with interactive formats lately.

This is a delightful fictionalized story based loosely on actual events. It's told through three alternating third person narratives: famous haute couture London designer Cressida Westcott, her niece Violet, and a village vicar's daughter named Grace. The book revolves around the privations of war, the creativity and camaraderie of the women in wartime, and their sacrifices and resilience trying to build lives amidst chaos.

The author does a good job of recalling the stringent conditions of wartime Britain as well as the terror and uncertainty of the blitz in London, even for the wealthy and well connected. Forced together by circumstances, the three women find an important rapport and use their considerable creativity and emotional strength to grow and help one another and their families.

It's very much a nostalgic read, and will no doubt be popular with fans of the genre. Folks who enjoyed Bloomsbury Girls, Call the Midwife, and Lilac Girls will find a lot to love here. The romance subplots don't overshadow the well told story in my opinion.

Four stars. It's a very well told and engaging story.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.