The Wedding Dress: Book Review

Four brides. One Dress.

A tale of faith, redemption, and timeless love.

Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique. Dressing brides for their big day is her gift . . . and her passion. But with her own wedding day approaching, why can’t she find the perfect dress…or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte discovers a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale. It looks brand-new―shimmering with pearls and satin, hand-stitched and  timeless in its design. But where did it come from? Who wore it? Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet? Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl? And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been “redeemed.”

Charlotte’s search for the gown’s history―and its new bride―begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress. Emily from 1912. Mary Grace from 1939. Hillary from 1968. Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny. And each with something unique to share. For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte’s heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the timeless beauty of finding true love.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s a great mixture of contemporary and historical romance, and the best part is, the narratives between the past and present are interconnected, so it’s quite cohesive.

Sometimes, the best books begin with the characters at their worst. In this story, that’s exactly the case. Both Charlotte and Tim, who are engaged, are struggling to deal with their own insecurities, and they’re both not quite ready to be engaged and married. But can they admit that to each other? Can they even admit it to themselves? Will they be able to work things out, or are they not quite meant to be together?

I’m not gonna lie, I teared up like five times throughout the first half of this book. The story transitions back and forth between the present story of Charlotte and Tim, and the story of Emily and Daniel from 1912. The Wedding Dress itself is quite illusive in the fact that you don’t really get the details about the ‘dress’ in question for some time.

There are four women altogether who wear this mystical kind of dress. Overall, the narratives of these women are well written; however, the third story is in my opinion, quite lacking in depth. Though the book is already long (which I LOVE long stories btw if they’re well done), I wish the author had added to that particular story. Can’t really provide any further details without spoiling the plot.

Overall, a beautiful, well written story of finding romance, overcoming inner insecurities, forgiveness, and standing up for what is right, regardless of how incredibly challenging it might be.