The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck Review

Posted by abakersp in Contemporary / 0 Comments

I mentioned on my #FirstLineFriday post that I was enjoying the Wedding Dress. That may have been an understatement! Let’s just say by Saturday I was putting life on hold until I made it to the last page….I couldn’t take another moment going by without seeing how it all ended. And while my heart was a little sad because it was over, I was truly happy with how it all came together. This book, without a doubt, is my favorite book by Rachel Hauck, and so far one of my favorites reads for this year. Correction. It IS my favorite read so far this year.

I kept asking myself, where was this book when I was engaged? Or better yet, where was this book when I was lost? I highly encourage you to check it out!

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck

Purchase your copy here!

About the Book

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.

My Perspective

This book is simply amazing. It held my interest the entire time, brought the characters to life, and slowly pointed out the underlying theme. At the end it all came together in the absolute perfect way and had me crying. This book will tug at your emotions and by the end you will be examining yourself to make sure that you’ve received the message. I don’t want to ruin it, so let me just say that this book is so much more than about a wedding dress. As you’re reading, think about what the dress represents and how you can apply that to your life. And trust me, there are funny moments, moments of weakness, happy moments, and even a-ha moments. A good combination!

Rachel Hauck has an extraordinary way with words. She carefully weaves them together, much like the wedding dress was sewn, in such a fashion that come out beautifully and perfectly. The words seem to dance off the page and enter my mind so vividly that I feel as if I am right there with the characters. I loved the jump in time periods and did not find it confusing at all. In fact, I found it rather welcoming to see how the past was similar to today. Emily and Charlotte seemed to have so much in common when you look carefully.

It was Tim, believe it or not, who really captured my attention. Although it didn’t start happening until later on in the story, the way he presented himself and did different things really spoke to my heart. I started crying a little when he had a revelation of sorts because I felt as if I was emotionally connected to the storyline! We all go through things in life and make decision sometimes in haste. I felt Ms. Hauck did a wonderful job in writing Tim realistically – even if he did some silly things I didn’t agree with, but hey that’s what happens in the real word!

I said it before and I’ll say it again. This book was amazing! I cannot wait to share it with my newly engaged friend, as well as others. I hope it will speak directly to their hearts and yours. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the Fiction Guild. I was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.