Another great historical fiction from Jennifer Ryan

I've read and loved all of Jennifer Ryan's previous books, and this one is just as good. She has something of a formula: take some true details of life during WWII, add a village, some loveable and not-so-loveable characters, and plenty of drama, and press play; but it works really well. Her novels are always charming, heartwarming and realistic without being too stark.

In this one we follow Grace, the vicar's daughter, Violet, the upper class girl whose family owns the nearby estate, and Cressida, Violet's aunt who left her family home as a young girl to become a famous London fashion designer. When Cressida's house and studio are bombed she's forced back to the village to stay, and when Grace needs help repairing her wedding dress the two become friends.

I loved the dynamic between these three. Often there are more characters to follow in Ryan's novels, but here you really get to know all the women properly. My personal favourite was Cressida, I really enjoyed her storyline. The historical detail was so good, it was really interesting reading about the fashions and I like how Ryan weaves in real events.

I highly recommend this novel, especially if you enjoy historical fiction, and even if you aren't really a fan of war fiction.

I'd like to thank the publishers, Pan Macmillan, and Netgalley for kindly providing me with an advance release copy, I really appreciate it.

story of 3 women n WWII can recommend will put more on amazon when my broken wrist is out of plaster

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Jennifer Ryan for the chance to read this ARC in return for a review which is totally my own opinion.

I had read Jennifer Rynas previous book The Kitchen Front - and thoroughly enjoyed it so it was an easy option to request this book.

And I was not at all disappointed - based on true facts this book described the 'make do and mend' ethos brought about by War and clothing coupons in great detail and was obviously researched very well.

I have had some more reading time than I often would have whilst sat beside my Fathers hospital bed - and this was a book that was easy to read but really informative - and in fact I also read at other times as I was so keen to find out what happened next.

The characters are well written and in the main likeable - though, of course, with many novels there is always a bad apple and people that one doesn't like or who really irritate - much like life really

I do recommend this book and hope that the author finds another wartime topic to research and write another novel for us

Thank you again to all involved

Thank you for letting me read The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle by Jennifer Ryan. I have now finished it and thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The research that went into the writing of this book is both fascinating and informative, and the psychological progression of the main characters’ personalities during the course of the story was interesting too, as they found their true selves and subsequent happiness.

I’ve enjoyed Jennifer Ryan’s previous books and this one didn’t disappoint either.It’s also set during the Second World War and tells the story of a group of women who are part of a sewing circle and who decide to recycle old wedding dresses to get round the clothing ration which severely limited how many clothes could be bought in a year.Each of the main characters has her own story which progresses throughout the book and as always,it concentrates more on the way the war affected everyday life for the people at home ,which is very interesting.
This is based on true events, which I knew nothing about before reading it.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review which reflects my own opinion.

I really enjoyed this read. Some fiction based on war can be fighting-heavy and quite depressing and scary. But this one was focussed on those back home and it was really quite joyful even amongst their troubles and hardships.

I much preferred the female characters to the men. For me, the men were background people, surplus to requirements, but the women were where the story lies, where the power is. It’s so refreshing to read about strong women in the 1940s, a time where women were not seen as equal to men.

We live in a world of one-use, fast fashion and mass markets. It’s getting better - thanks in part I think to the pandemic - but it’s a real eye-opener to read about a community whose only way of living is through second hand, reuse, the epitome of make do and mend, but it wasn’t moapy or sad, it was rejuvenating, giving new live to things as well as people.

I loved the exquisite detail of dressmaking and tailoring. It isn’t too complicated to follow, but equally does not presume the reader to be completely naive. You can feel the fabrics described and see the garments made. Fashion is often seen as frivolous, especially during time of war, but this book shows just how much it means to have a little joy, a little something just for you when the world around you is crumbling.

As morbid as it may seem, I really enjoy books set in the war. This tugged at my heartstrings in a different way to others. We usually read about soldiers on the frontline or those in concentration camps, but rarely do we read about the sacrifices made and the torment experienced by the everyday folk and I think that makes it more real for the average reader.

This was the first book by Jennifer Ryan that I have read...and I thoroughly enjoyed it... in some ways her writing style reminds me of Erica James...one of my favourite escapism authors!

Set in Kent and London during WWII , Cressida is estranged from her family, which after the death of her brother consists of a niece Violet and a nephew Hugh.

Violet and Hugh's characters grow on the reader...initially they are portrayed as two young upper class upstarts with no real knowledge or understanding of how the real works lives.

During the blitz, Cressida a very successful dress designer loses not only her home but her business in the same evening... with nothing other than a coat, handbag and a silk nightie... she spends the first night in a shelter before phoning her nephew to ask for refuge at the family's manor in Kent .

Lots of twists and tales... village ladies doing their best for the war effort... making clothes out of old ones... mending them etc...and then quite by chance they start recycling wedding dresses.

We have a lot to learn from the hardships suffered during WWII, and while I would never want to have suffered as our grandparents and parents did, I think this book should encourage us to recycle our clothes... mend, sew change whatever... however I doubt todays youngsters would ever consider doing that!

This is the third of Jennifer Ryan’s books I have read, and I enjoyed it, but it didn’t hold any surprises, as it was structured in the same way as the other two (The Chilbury Ladies Choir and The Kitchen Front).

Three very different women’s stories, set in a small village during WW2, with the theme of make do and mend, in this case traditional white wedding dresses. I found the detail of the Sewing Circle very interesting. I knew such a thing existed, but I hadn’t realised that in the later part of the war Eleanor Roosevelt became involved. However, whilst the individual women’s stores were enjoyable (particularly that of Violet, the daughter of the big house who is conscripted into the ATS and discovers a talent for mechanics), I did actually work out what was going to happen.

If you are a fan of “The Great British Sewing Bee” (particularly the transformation challenge) and the home front in WW2, particularly the way in which women were affected, you will enjoy this book.

Thanks to Macmillan and Netgalley for the opprtunity to read this book.

1942 Britain is on clothing coupons when couturier Cressida Westcott's business and home are destroyed in the

London. blitz.. She relocates to Aldhurst, giving her skills to the local sewing circle, thereby helping so many

people do more than just muddle through. - a bride can marry in a beautiful wedding dress..

This book is about looking after one's community and contributing. giving genuine glimpses into life during WW2

A very stylish, philosophical, and inspirational story.. An uplifting read.

Having read The Chilbury Ladies Choir I was excited to be allowed to read this one. It is a wonderful heart pleasing story describing a terrible time during WW2. There was so many interesting facts interwoven within the fiction of the story that I could not stop telling my friends all about it. I adored the characters that were so refreshingly described and showed so clearly the class society and it ensuing cultural expectations that existed at this time. The story is loosely based upon real events and throughout the story each of the main characters have their weaknesses identified and by the end resolved. It is a beautiful warm book to read.
The authors note which take the last few pages bring the book to life and how this may be fiction but very much based upon real events and facts. From this I now have other books to read and other places to visit to continue reading about wedding dress exchanges and the full details of the rationing and the Inc Soc utility Fashion Show.
An inspiring story that i highly recommend

I loved this story set on the home front of WW2. It reminded me of the (sadly cancelled) TV series "Home Fires", but this time centred around a sewing circle rather than the WI. There is a good central group of women - Grace, Cressida and Violet - whose friendship grows throughout the book. The women have different characters and backgrounds, but that doesn't stop them working together for the general good, and doing their bit to support the war effort. An evocative story,well written and moving.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this book.

I really enjoyed this heartwarming World War Two story based on a group of women determined to meet the challenges of the day with aplomb!

Cressida Westcott loses both her home and business in the Blitz and is forced to return to her childhood home where she rebuilds relationships with her niece and nephew and learns about being part of a community again. Grace - daughter of the local vicar - is forced to parent her father on the death of her mother and support him in his parochial duties. She comes to Cressida with the task of revamping her mother’s wedding dress - a new focus is provided for the local sewing group and the Wedding Dress Exchange is born.

Violet - her niece - is conscripted. She is forced to face her own insecurities and social conditioning and decide what is important for her future.

Each woman learns more about themselves and finds love.

A lovely story.

A feel-good read.
How the British class system was affected by the Second World War, woven into a charming tale about a group of women who come together and create a wedding-dress sharing system for wartime brides.
With this backdrop, there's room for plenty of love stories.
A perfect, effortless holiday read.

A beautiful story of 3 women thrown together by war who forge an unbreakable bond.
Cressida Westcott is a top London fashion designer. When her home and business are destroyed in the blitz, she has no option but to go to Aldhurst near Canterbury to live with her Niece and Nephew in the home she fled many years ago.
Violet Westcott lives with her brother Hugh in Aldhurst Manor; she had been hoping to marry a Duke or a Lord but the war has put paid to all of that. Conscripted into the Army she is given a job driving an American lieutenant.
Grace is a Vicars daughter, engaged to a man she doesn't really love. But doing what she sees as her duty is vitally important to her.
The ladies of the Aldhurst sewing circle are thrilled to have Cressida join them and her flair and ambition spur them on to help the war effort by redesigning old wedding dresses so women can still be married in a beautiful traditional dress despite the strict rationing. The arrival of Cressida in the village stirs things up and Violet and Grace soon both find themselves re-evaluating what they really want from life.
A story of friendship, sacrifice and love set against a backdrop of the second world war. It’s heartwarming, beautiful, funny and poignant. I loved Jennifer Ryan’s previous books and this one is just as good. I love the blending of fact and fiction that she weaves so seamlessly. Every one I read I learn a little more about the war and what happened to the "ordinary" people who were left behind on the home front to keep things going until the war was over.

I requested this book as I run a book club for quilters and I always pick quilting or sewing related novels for us. I was expecting this to be very much about the sewing circle members working on various projects and sharing their life stories.

But, there is not much of that, instead this book is so much more; it's about strong, independent women, breaking the norms and expectations of society, and creating their own independent lives during the second world war.

Cressida, a famous fashion designer supplying the rich and famous in London, has her whole world turned upside down when both her home and work buildings are bombed in the same raid. After spending a night in a shelter with other survivors she contacts Hugh, her nephew, who's in charge of the old ancestral home in Aldhurst, Kent. He offers her to come and stay, so she catches the train with only the clothes she's wearing and a tiny handbag which she managed to grab when running from her home in the middle of the night.

When Cressida arrives at the old manor, she gets to know her niece Violet who's set on finding herself a titled husband so she can continue the lifestyle she's used to and ensure the family name remains at the top of society; as drummed into her by her late father. Violet helps Cressida out with some clothes, takes her shopping and also introduces her to the local Sewing Circle.

At the Sewing Circle are a real mixture of personalities, as is often the case, and after a brief introduction of each the focus is moved to how the group can ensure best use of second hand clothes, and supporting the war effort. Cressida's skills as a fashion designer is much appreciated and strong bonds are formed especially with Grace, the vicar's daughter.

Grace is typically too busy pleasing everyone else, including her father and most of the parish. She's also in the final weeks leading up to her wedding. She's found her mother's old wedding dress and is looking forward to wearing. Unfortunately the dress is well moth eaten. With the help from the others in the Sewing Circle she starts to mend and alter it for her big day. Realising her luck to have access to a white dress in a time of rationing, she offers it to anyone else who may need it. The word quickly spreads and this starts the hunt for more wedding dresses to lend to brides to be; thus the Sewing Circle becomes the Wedding Dress Sewing Circle.

Throughout the story, Jennifer Ryan sensitively allows her characters to grow, to be more self conscious, stronger and more independent. The language is beautifully engaging and it feels like one is back during the horrors of the second world war, but with lovely friendships and strong support from the other women in the Sewing Circle. I thoroughly recommend this book.

Huge Thank You to NetGalley and PanMacmillan for approving me and allowing me to read this heartwarming and inspiring eARC.

The Chilbury Ladies' Choir author Jennifer Ryan latest WW2 novel is a well researched blend of fact and fiction in an era of clothes rationing where military needs are the priority. It documents the cost of war, with its bombings, hard times and sacrifices in a country where the make do and mend spirit is a necessity that can lead to creative responses. After losing the love of her life in WW1, 40 year old Cressida Westcott poured her entire energies in ensuring that her clothing design business became well known and successful in London, featuring in Vogue, with clients in the highest social circles. After her home and business is bombed, Cressida is left with nothing and forced to return to the Kent village of Aldhurst, and the manor home of her estranged family, nephew Hugh and niece, Violet.

She finds herself introduced to the sewing circle doing its best to use any material they can lay their hands on and revamping old clothes. Here Cressida meets the drab, meek, selfless Vicar's daughter, Grace Carlisle, planning her wedding, and wanting to wear her disintegrating mother's wedding dress. Both women work on the beautiful dress, managing to rescue it, it turns out to be the beginning of what turns out to be the Wedding Dress Exchange, a wildly successful scheme to loan women getting married during the war the possibility of attaining their dream of a white wedding dress. The narrative follows the challenges facing Cressida, Violet, initially desperate to marry a wealthy aristocrat and mortified when she is conscripted into the military, and Grace, finding the courage and resilience to forge new lives that are true to who they are.

Ryan celebrates the women and their strong sense of community spirit and solidarity that formed the vital response of trying to counter the inescapable bleak darkness of the death and destruction of the war. The sewing circle generates much needed care, friendship, belonging and support, collecting donated wedding dresses and breathing new life into them, providing a woman with a touch of romance, light and joy on their big day, that would otherwise be out of reach. This is replicated in the efforts designers made, epitomised by Cressida, and her new design assistant, Grace, creating morale boosting wartime chic, bringing colour and style to military uniforms and ordinary everyday clothing. This is a heartwarming immersive historical read, full of hope, capturing the turbulent and changing times with reference to social norms and expectations regarding women and class, as illustrated by the three main protagonists. This is for fans of the author and those who love their historical fiction. Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The wedding dress sewing circle follows Violet, Grace and Cressida as they each do they part during the second world war. Cressida a well-known designer has always achieved everything on her own, when she looses her properties during a bombing in London, she decides to move in with her niece and nephew in a little village in Kent till she recuperates, but when she arrives there she meets the sewing circle of the village. Together with her niece Violet and the vicar's daughter Grace, they start their own project of mending old wedding dresses to lend it to brides without one.

This story was so wholesome. It focussed on women empowering other women, which we definitely need more of. The protagonists all had their individual, fleshed out personalities, which enriched the story immensely. I'm always impressed by the way the author makes you forget that her books take place during the second world war by showing us the protagonists' day-to-day life. The only thing I missed was the actual sewing circle meetings, I wish there would have been more conversations between the women, since we barely got to know the other members of the club. But besides that, I had the best time reading about these individual women facing on the war and finding love on the way.

A great read about a small group of ladies coming together and redesigning wedding dresses as well as other clothes during WW2.
The story deals with beliefs of the gentry, humble village dwellers, lost family and friends.
Loosely based on actual facts of couture companies coming together and supporting the Governments ethos of Make do and Mend.

What a charming, delightful read. Yes it's based during the war but it was just so heartwarming. A really fantastic read that had me reaching for the tissues. Another great book by this author.

Lovely story. Really enjoyed reading about the relationships between the characters and I'm a sucker for a war themed novel.