Rating: 
Summary: Lyrical Historical Novel
Review: Reminiscent of a nineteenth-century journal, Ms. Ellis' tale of three sisters in 1865 Virginia is a nostalgic novel of war's devastation and triumphs. Young war widows Julia Atwater Lovejoy and Victoria Atwater Whitmore are determined to elevate the spirits of their seventeen-year-old sister Claire. They decide to spend their fall and winter days at Oak Creek Plantation piecing together a wedding dress for Claire with the hope that by spring, she will find a beau. The arrival of Sergeant Monroe Tacy, wartime friend of Julia's deceased husband, William, elevates the spirits of the elder Atwater women as they see in Monroe a potential husband for Claire or an escort to the women's Savannah cousins. But Monroe is more than the deliverer of a message from William as he helps the women of Oak Creek survive the winter with his hunting and repairing skills. As the approach of spring brings new surprises, the Atwater women prove that they are no simpering southern belles. This lyrical first person account of Julia's post Civil War life is enlightening of the emotional and physical repercussions of war without subduing the read with gory details.
Ghostly images give an ethereal quality to this novel highlighting the value of family and friendships, proving that love can survive even amidst the most difficult of circumstances.
Rating:
Summary: I gave this one a "thumbs up"!
Review: The 2 older sisters- Victoria Atwater Whitmore and Julia Atwater Lovejoy, who hadn't been married very long before losing their husbands in battles of the Civil War are now widows living in the family home along with their youngest sister Claire. The war has ended, the area is depressed, and everyone is trying to put their lives back together. But the future is looking bleak for these sister who live in a small community. Feeling dispair, Julia decides they need to get their minds off their problems and decides they need a goal to work towards. Like finding the husband that Claire is afraid she will never have since all of the single young men in the community were lost in the war! And what better way to be serious about the goal than to make a wedding dress for the big day- that's having faith. Claire is thrilled and feels she might actually have a future to look forward to. The sisters spend their winter evenings piecing together this dress- it is fun seeing how the community helps them with their adventure without even knowing it. Then Sergeant Monroe Tacy arrives. He is the wartime friend of Julia's deceased husband, her beloved William. He promised William to deliver his last gift of love to Julia when William was on his death bed. He turns out to be more than just a messenger. Feeling at home with the sisters and seeing the work that needs to be down around the plantation, Monroe stays and helps the sisters survive the winter with his hunting and repairing skills. And as spring arrives so does new surprises. The sisters are tested by events but they rely on faith, love, and friendships to see them through. It is a GREAT STORY!!!! that I will highly recommend. The author does a great job with the authenticity of the Southern dialect. She doesn't "butcher" it. There is great humor. I just love Monroe and his humor with the stubborn mule. I really liked all of the characters- even though Claire was silly and immature but I could see her being that way and how about James' pain and anxiety. I normally don't care for "ghost" being used in stories. But this is one time that I did not mind it. I guess I have seen so many shows on ghost still roaming the southern plantation homes and battle scenes since the Civil War that I didn't dwelling on their showing up in the story off and on. Any, Virginia, you did a great job. I look forward to your next book. Thumbs up!!
Rating:
Summary: Beautiful & haunting with a message of hope.
Review: The Wedding Dress is one of those books you read more than once and never forget. It's about loss and hope and the strength of women bound together by both. Ms. Ellis -- a war widow herself --has captured something very special here. She's shown the reader how in the wake of pain, life goes on. And healing happens.
This is not a book you want to miss.
Rating:
Summary: Good summer reading for a light novel.
Review: This is a wonderful book. This was my introduction to this author and I found her to be very good. Her story line was good and it kept the readers interest. Her writing style just flows and once in awhile she would come up with sentences that just "float". I highly recommend this book for light reading, yet informativ reading.
Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Book
Review: This is one of those books you'll tell everyone you know about. I've given away probably a dozen copies to friends and family. Everyone loves it, both men and women. But the best testament I've heard so far was from my sister, who after reading it herself, read it allowed to her husband on their honeymoon. He enjoyed it so much, they've started a tradition of reading aloud to each other. The story, the characters, the rhythm of language all blend together in a beautiful message of hope. This is a wonderful book, which I highly recommend. For myself, I know I'll end up reading it over and over again.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderfully pictorial
Review: Virginia Ellis has touched her novel with grace, that unforeseen gift that doesn't have to be deserved. The beauty of the coming together of victims of war is their ability to survive, forgive, and look for happiness once more. This novel would make a terrific movie.
Rating:
Summary: The Rhythm of "The Wedding Dress"
Review: Virginia Renfro Ellis has written this novel the best way possible: she balances her prose with poetry to provide an underlining rhythm to the book. With such wording as "surprised into silence", "an embarrassment of riches", and "a different kind of war--one that must be fought after the losses of the other", this story engraves itself upon the reader's heart.
A great subtitle for this novel would be "The Wedding Dress: Don't Miss the Dance", based on the lyrics of "The Dance" by CW star Garth Brooks.
Treat yourself to the wealth of love this story provides.
Rating:
Summary: The Rhythm of "The Wedding Dress"
Review: Virginia Renfro Ellis has written this novel the best way possible: she balances her prose with poetry to provide an underlining rhythm to the book. With such wording as "surprised into silence", "an embarrassment of riches", and "a different kind of war--one that must be fought after the losses of the other", this story engraves itself upon the reader's heart.
A great subtitle for this novel would be "The Wedding Dress: Don't Miss the Dance", based on the lyrics of "The Dance" by CW star Garth Brooks.
Treat yourself to the wealth of love this story provides.
Rating:
Summary: The Rhythm of "The Wedding Dress"
Review: Virginia Renfro Ellis has written this novel the best way possible: she balances her prose with poetry to provide an underlining rhythm to the book. With such wording as "surprised into silence", "an embarrassment of riches", and "a different kind of war--one that must be fought after the losses of the other", this story engraves itself upon the reader's heart.
A great subtitle for this novel would be "The Wedding Dress: Don't Miss the Dance", based on the lyrics of "The Dance" by CW star Garth Brooks.
Treat yourself to the wealth of love this story provides.
Rating: 
Summary: I just picked it up by mistake thinking it was another book!
Review: When I was at the library, I thought this was a different book. When I started to read it, the pages drew me in immediately. This book is about three sisters who live on a plantation in
Virginia during and after the Civil War. Two of the three sisters were married and their husbands died for the "cause"
They have this idea to make a wedding dress for their younger sister who has no propects of getting married. During this
effort, they involved other people who have no idea what is happening to them. In a twist of the story, the one unsuspecting
soldier who helps them out, falls in love with the oldest sister and not the one who they are making the dress for. The story is interesting and is just a nice read for those who love historical fiction. Ellen
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