The Wedding Dress

Book description: 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 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: There were parts about this book that I loved and parts that I didn't like. I loved the idea of a wedding dress that was worn by four different brides over the span of one hundred years. I enjoyed reading about the journey the dress had taken. Rachel Hauck did a great job weaving the story of the dress, as well as entertwining the lives of the women that wore the dress. I don't want to give away too much, but I will say that the imagery Ms. Hauck intended was not clear enough throughout the story. The spiritual aspects were not strong enough. This is where I get to the part I did not like. The man in the purple vest did not fit in with the story line. He made things seem too weird. I believe Ms. Hauck intended for him to be part of the spiritual aspect along with the dress, but in my eyes it was not successful. I did not care much for Tim either. His character should have been stronger to fit with the rest of the story. Even though there were parts I did not like about the story, I did enjoy reading it. I received a complimentary e-copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their Booksneeze blogger program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.