Review: The Grace Kelly Dress by Brenda Janowitz

Two years after Grace Kelly’s royal wedding, her iconic dress is still all the rage in Paris--and one replica, and the secrets it carries, will inspire three generations of women to forge their own paths in life and in love.

Paris, 1958: Rose, a seamstress at a fashionable atelier, has been entrusted with sewing a Grace Kelly--look-alike gown for a wealthy bride-to-be. But when, against better judgment, she finds herself falling in love with the bride’s handsome brother, Rose must make an impossible choice, one that could put all she’s worked for at risk: love, security and of course, the dress.

Sixty years later, tech CEO Rachel, who goes by the childhood nickname “Rocky,” has inherited the dress for her upcoming wedding in New York City. But there’s just one problem: Rocky doesn’t want to wear it. A family heirloom dating back to the 1950s, the dress just isn’t her. Rocky knows this admission will break her mother Joan’s heart. But what she doesn’t know is why Joan insists on the dress--or the heartbreaking secret that changed her mother’s life decades before, as she herself prepared to wear it.

As the lives of these three women come together in surprising ways, the revelation of the dress’s history collides with long-buried family heartaches. And in the lead-up to Rocky’s wedding, they’ll have to confront the past before they can embrace the beautiful possibilities of the future. 

My Review: 

This book was beautifully written.  The story revolves around three generations of women in the same family and the wedding dress that is passed down with each generation.  I was completely swept away by each of their stories, which alternate throughout the book.    

Rose originally designed the dress while working for a top wedding dress designer in Paris.   It was passed down to her daughter, Joan and eventually to Rocky, bringing the story up to current date.  Each woman had a unique story about the love of their life and it was fun to see each one play out all the way to Rocky’s big day. 

I enjoyed every minute of this book.  The author’s writing style made the book feel very real.  The way Joan and Rocky changed the design of the dress to fit their personalities was interesting.  Personally, I don’t know if I could have done that to a family heirloom, but I do understand each person is different and making the dress uniquely their own was important for their big day.  I would recommend this book to anyone who likes reading women’s fiction and romance.  

Thank you to Harlequin-Graydon House Books and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.