43. The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle. Jennifer Ryan. 2022. [May] 432 pages. [Source: Review copy]

First sentence: "I found it!" the Reverend Ben Carlisle's voice called from the attic. Grace felt her breath catch as she dashed across the vicarage landing to see him come down, a long, flat box ceremoniously in his arms, a bittersweet smile on his face. 

Premise/plot: The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle is like the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants only with wedding dress(es). I jest mostly. Set in 1942, The Wedding Dressing Sewing Circle is set in a small village, Aldhurst, and stars three women. Grace Carlisle, whom readers meet first, is engaged to be married. But it isn't a love match--not really--and she's more excited about the wedding than the wedding night or the marriage itself. Perhaps because of her social class, perhaps because of her mother's death, she suffers from low self-esteem, the idea that ANY man would actually ask her to marry him boggles her mind. But she has her mother's white wedding dress and that's a start. Cressida Westcott is a London fashion designer that seeks refuge in her brother's home--her former home--after a bomb destroys her apartment and shop. Violet Westcott, Cressida's niece, is thrilled that her fashion savvy aunt has come to stay. But devastated at the idea that she'll be forced into doing war work. How can she find a super-wealthy TITLED man to marry if she's off working? These three unlikely heroines star in this historical romance.

My thoughts: This one is based loosely, loosely on true-ish events. A village did start collecting wedding dresses to lend out to war brides during the Second World War. So the concept of women donating their wedding dresses--from all ages past, all styles, all conditions--to be mended, tailored, and redesigned is true enough. 

If you are able to go with the flow without putting much critical thought into what you are reading, this one is pure delight. It is a satisfying read offering readers three love stories. 

I was able to enjoy this one--mostly. I was. Part of me wants to sweep all other little doubts and observances aside. But. I also want to be honest. The characters transition--particularly Violet and Cressida from HORRIBLE characters to sweet-as-pie angels with absolutely no catalyst or motivating factors. How do you go from narcissistic, vain, snobbish, rude to considerate, compassionate, selfless...in just a dozen pages...with no TEXT evidence supporting such a change. WHY does character A go from behaving this way to that way? What happened internally or externally to change her character??? Readers are left clueless. The first 30% of the novel, two-thirds of the heroines are HORRIBLE human beings that you'd never want to be around to saints and angels. 

Grace transitions as well. But we're at least given reasons for that change. As her friendship blossoms with Cressida, she discovers that she's BEAUTIFUL and WORTHY and destined to be either a a) model b) fashion designer or c) shop owner. Definitely she does not want to be a vicar's wife stuck in a loveless marriage with someone who only values her if she's a selfless shadow of a human being.

 

© 2022 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews