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The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

A heartwarming nostalgic World War Two novel inspired by real events

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The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle

By: Jennifer Ryan
Narrated by: Sophie Roberts
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About this listen

After renowned London fashion designer Cressida Westcott loses both her home and her design house in the Blitz, she has nowhere to go but the family manor house she fled decades ago. She arrives with nothing but the clothes she stands in, at a loss as to how to rebuild her business from a quaint country village.

Her niece, Violet, is thrilled that her famous aunt is coming to stay - the village has been interminably dull with all the men off fighting. 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 galvanises 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…

From the acclaimed author of The Chilbury Ladies' Choir and The Kitchen Front, The Wedding Dress Sewing Circle was inspired by true events in World War Two.

 20th Century Historical Historical Fiction

Critic Reviews

Jennifer Ryan’s wonderful ability to weave an atmospheric, wise and warm story makes The Kitchen Front entirely comforting and unputdownable. Like The Great British Bake Off set in World War Two, with redoubtable heroines you’ll cheer for, The Kitchen Front is an enchanting hug of a novel written with Jennifer Ryan’s usual skill (Cathy Kelly on The Kitchen Front)
What a dream of a book! Absolute perfection! Nostalgia, rivalry, friendship and fun - a real treat. Beautifully detailed - you will be right there with a cast of vivid characters, cooking their way to a new life. You will love it. (Veronica Henry on The Kitchen Front)
A gorgeous novel about making the best of things during difficult times, whilst celebrating the importance of sisterhood and friendship (Jill Mansell on The Kitchen Front)
A delight! Jennifer Ryan cooks up a fresh take on the popularity of World War Two fiction and brings the battle into the heart of the wartime home. A charming blend of intriguing characters and a high-stakes cookery competition, served with the perfect amount of pathos and humour. Deserving of a historical Hollywood handshake! (Hazel Gaynor, bestselling author of The Bird in the Bamboo Cage on The Kitchen Front)
Evocative, nostalgic and comforting with a wonderful story of female friendship. A delight. (Alex Brown, author of The Secret of Orchard Cottage on The Kitchen Front)
Delightful
Delightful . . . it manages to be sad and funny, exciting and heartwarming, all at the same time. Quite an achievement (Barbara Erskine on The Chilbury Ladies’ Choir)
The writing glows with emotional intelligence. This atmospheric debut, based on the author’s own family history, had me sniffing copiously
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel . . . both fascinating and informative (Jill Mansell, author of Should I Tell You?)
Robert delivers superb descriptions of wartime life and changing perspectives as disparate people commingle despite their previous class distinctions. It’s a captivating listen
All stars
Most relevant
This was a light read perhaps, but a good read ... throwing light on the way things changed for women, for the class system; but also demonstrating the resilience of the british women! I would certainly recommend it!

Great Portrayal of the time

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It didn't take long to begin cheering for these people, their lives are diverse, but their goals are aligned

I comfortably fitted into the genre and relaxed into the compelling story

This work had me wanting more, I grew to love the characters, and enjoyed the truth of the WW2 scenario they navigated

More than usual, I was hoping for positive outcomes, this author is masterful

You'll be involved

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