Book Review: The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck
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Synopsis of the book:
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 purchases 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 beauty of finding true love.
My review:
This was an interesting look at the history of a wedding gown and the stories of each bride who wore it. Each story is unique and touching in its own way. I enjoyed the premise for this story and the journey that Charlotte took to find the owner of this unique wedding gown.
This story was a slow start for me and I would have given up on it after a chapter or two if I wasn’t so curious about how the gown would tie Emily and Charlotte together. There were multiple points of view, even from some of the men in the story. I found it somewhat distracting. I also had a little trouble with the order of the story telling for the brides since there was a lot of bouncing around time frames. But I did get invested in Charlotte’s journey and was glad for the happy ending as well as the tie in of Emily’s story.
Audio note: I listened to this story in audio format. Even though the characters were southern, I did find the narrator’s southern accent distracting and the multiple points of view made it difficult to distinguish the characters at times.
What I enjoyed most about this book:
The historical stories and the premise of the wedding dress being special for each bride wearing it.
What I didn’t like about this book:
Too many points of view and out of sequence storytelling for the brides.
My rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Would I recommend this book to others? Maybe. It was a nice story. I’m not from the south and so the southern accent of the narrator really stood out for me. I think I might have enjoyed the story more if I had read the book instead of listening to the audio version.
Where can I learn more about this author and their books?
-Loraine Nunley
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