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The Wedding Dress
In Danielle Steel's epic new novel, the lives of four generations of women in one family span fortune and loss, motherhood, tragedy and victories.
From the glamorous San Francisco social scene of the 1920s, through war and the social changes of the '60s, to the rise of Silicon Valley today, this extraordinary novel takes us on a family odyssey that is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as each generation faces the challenges of their day.
The Parisian design houses in 1928, the crash of 1929, the losses of war, the drug culture of the 1960s--history holds many surprises, and lives are changed forever. For richer or for poorer, in cramped apartments and grand mansions, the treasured wedding dress made in Paris in 1928 follows each generation into their new lives, and represents different hopes for each of them, as they marry very different men.
From inherited fortunes at the outset to self-made men and women, the wedding dress remains a cherished constant for the women who wear it in each generation and forge a destiny of their own. It is a symbol of their remaining traditions and the bond of family they share in an ever-changing world.
From the glamorous San Francisco social scene of the 1920s, through war and the social changes of the '60s, to the rise of Silicon Valley today, this extraordinary novel takes us on a family odyssey that is both heartbreaking and inspiring, as each generation faces the challenges of their day.
The Parisian design houses in 1928, the crash of 1929, the losses of war, the drug culture of the 1960s--history holds many surprises, and lives are changed forever. For richer or for poorer, in cramped apartments and grand mansions, the treasured wedding dress made in Paris in 1928 follows each generation into their new lives, and represents different hopes for each of them, as they marry very different men.
From inherited fortunes at the outset to self-made men and women, the wedding dress remains a cherished constant for the women who wear it in each generation and forge a destiny of their own. It is a symbol of their remaining traditions and the bond of family they share in an ever-changing world.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published April 28, 2020
4346 people are currently reading
3738 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Steel
922 books17.1k followersDanielle Steel has been hailed as one of the world's bestselling authors, with almost a billion copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include All That Glitters, Royal, Daddy's Girls, The Wedding Dress, The Numbers Game, Moral Compass, Spy, and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of His Bright Light, the story of her son Nick Traina's life and death; A Gift of Hope, a memoir of her work with the homeless; Expect a Miracle, a book of her favorite quotations for inspiration and comfort; Pure Joy, about the dogs she and her family have loved; and the children's books Pretty Minnie in Paris and Pretty Minnie in Hollywood.
Facebook.com/DanielleSteelOfficial
Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel
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Instagram: @officialdaniellesteel
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 819 reviews
May 16, 2020
I'm a little baffled by the high reviews of this book and the fact that this woman has sold hundreds of millions of books. From the start, this book reminded me of a generic children's biography book from the old days in the writing style. Steel tells an 80 year story full of multiple characters like she's just listing history in a bland tone. Everything is told like a really long timeline. This fancy party happened and it was over the top luxurious, then this tragic thing happened, then 10 years passed and this happened, and then by the way this person died, and then this wonderful thing happened, and then this handsome, wonderful guy instantly fell in love with this female character because she was beautiful and interesting, and so on. Bad guys are rare and they are not terribly bad, just people with bad character flaws and they stop mattering soon.
The cliches are so over-the-top it was cringe-worthy. Every female main character was beautiful, slender and good, but in a very generic way. They had no flaws. At the start, they are obscenely rich, in an enormous mansion with a ballroom and the funds to spend a month in Paris to find the right coming out gown. The heroine is a sweet teenager and falls in love with a good looking, kind widower in his 30's who falls deeply in love with her, pretty much on sight. While it's basically a G-rated book, the wedding night sex is the cliche of she was afraid it would be painful and then he entered her and she arched her back and they both exploded together and then made love twice more. Any time sex is mentioned in this book, it's like that, but it's only mentioned a few times and without detail -- just the general "it was perfect and they did it constantly" kind of thing.
I am a notorious crier and I didn't cry over this book, which shows how much it is lacking in typical emotion. Main characters died (it covers 80 years so this is not really a spoiler) but it's practically mentioned in passing and then we move on to some trivial thing that is happening with another character. It just didn't do it for me. If I escape in a novel, I want to experience the characters' fears, joys, laughs, passion, rage and heartbreak, not to read it like a dry history book. I also really want three dimensional characters, not Disney princesses and noble heroes. I have realized now that Steel basically writes fairy tales for adults, and they read like the mass produced children's kind, for the good or bad.
Shrug. From the many 4 star reviews, I seem to be alone in this, but this book left me strangely blase. Two stars for "it was okay."
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
The cliches are so over-the-top it was cringe-worthy. Every female main character was beautiful, slender and good, but in a very generic way. They had no flaws. At the start, they are obscenely rich, in an enormous mansion with a ballroom and the funds to spend a month in Paris to find the right coming out gown. The heroine is a sweet teenager and falls in love with a good looking, kind widower in his 30's who falls deeply in love with her, pretty much on sight. While it's basically a G-rated book, the wedding night sex is the cliche of she was afraid it would be painful and then he entered her and she arched her back and they both exploded together and then made love twice more. Any time sex is mentioned in this book, it's like that, but it's only mentioned a few times and without detail -- just the general "it was perfect and they did it constantly" kind of thing.
I am a notorious crier and I didn't cry over this book, which shows how much it is lacking in typical emotion. Main characters died (it covers 80 years so this is not really a spoiler) but it's practically mentioned in passing and then we move on to some trivial thing that is happening with another character. It just didn't do it for me. If I escape in a novel, I want to experience the characters' fears, joys, laughs, passion, rage and heartbreak, not to read it like a dry history book. I also really want three dimensional characters, not Disney princesses and noble heroes. I have realized now that Steel basically writes fairy tales for adults, and they read like the mass produced children's kind, for the good or bad.
Shrug. From the many 4 star reviews, I seem to be alone in this, but this book left me strangely blase. Two stars for "it was okay."
I read a digital ARC of this book for the purpose of review.
July 7, 2022
I really loved this storyline. Four generations of women and each have their own story. But the writing on this one was so repetitive. The same sentences over and over. It forces a reader to instantly lose focus. I pressed on as I really wanted to see how it ended (which was good).
April 10, 2020
What a marvelous story but then again what do you expect from Danielle Steel. I truly enjoyed the story that crossed several decades following a wedding dress from one generation to the next. The characters felt so real and relatable. Ms. Steel has a way of touching a part of your soul with her books and this one was no different. You will definitely go through a range of emotions reading this book and by the end you feel extremely satisfied with the experience. I highly recommend this book to all those folks that want to take a little trip through history.
October 11, 2020
Note: I received an advanced reader copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There’s a decent story in here but as I was reading all I could think was how poorly written it was. No beauty in the words. Phrases repeated over and over. No flow or emotion. What could have been an epic, sweeping family saga read more like a book report. This is by Danielle Steele so it will get read widely but had this been the effort of a debut author it would sit somewhere at the bottom of an literary agent’s slush pile.
There’s a decent story in here but as I was reading all I could think was how poorly written it was. No beauty in the words. Phrases repeated over and over. No flow or emotion. What could have been an epic, sweeping family saga read more like a book report. This is by Danielle Steele so it will get read widely but had this been the effort of a debut author it would sit somewhere at the bottom of an literary agent’s slush pile.
May 7, 2021
We have a wedding dress
Worn every generation
The 3 girls seem to be
Models of perfection
The girls are portrayed as
Naive and beautiful
Corpses with no ambition
Reading this was painful
They are soo submissive
And the one who rebelled
Immediately became bad
And got killed
Who in reality
Is so perfect, so flawless?
Interesting and intelligent
And oh how gorgeous!
Also, this was way too
Cheery and happy
Literally no conflicts
Romance so sappy
I felt that the book
Lacked emotion
The skeleton of a plot
Put into motion
Don't see why people
Think it's so great
I hated this book
1-star I shall rate
Ok these verses do not portray my anger for this book. I HATED it so much. If I actually owned it I'd be throwing it out the window. I do not understand the high ratings for this book.
Why are all the female characters so submissive? And the one girl who tried to be independent and follow her dreams gets killed. It's like the author is forcing us to believe the old traditions are the only way we can be happy.
Also, they're all described as beautiful and thin, they do nothing, and have absolutely no personality whatsoever. I prefer the characters I read to be flawed, to have a personality and goals and ambition!! I'm not even going to talk about the representation in this book, because THERE WAS NONE!
And what was this writing?
And the misogyny and anti-feminism throughout this book made me soo angry (and I don't think I've ever been this angry at a book before).
DO NOT READ THIS!!!
Worn every generation
The 3 girls seem to be
Models of perfection
The girls are portrayed as
Naive and beautiful
Corpses with no ambition
Reading this was painful
They are soo submissive
And the one who rebelled
Immediately became bad
And got killed
Who in reality
Is so perfect, so flawless?
Interesting and intelligent
And oh how gorgeous!
Also, this was way too
Cheery and happy
Literally no conflicts
Romance so sappy
I felt that the book
Lacked emotion
The skeleton of a plot
Put into motion
Don't see why people
Think it's so great
I hated this book
1-star I shall rate
Ok these verses do not portray my anger for this book. I HATED it so much. If I actually owned it I'd be throwing it out the window. I do not understand the high ratings for this book.
Why are all the female characters so submissive? And the one girl who tried to be independent and follow her dreams gets killed. It's like the author is forcing us to believe the old traditions are the only way we can be happy.
Also, they're all described as beautiful and thin, they do nothing, and have absolutely no personality whatsoever. I prefer the characters I read to be flawed, to have a personality and goals and ambition!! I'm not even going to talk about the representation in this book, because THERE WAS NONE!
And what was this writing?
And the misogyny and anti-feminism throughout this book made me soo angry (and I don't think I've ever been this angry at a book before).
DO NOT READ THIS!!!
March 8, 2022
Quite a bland generational family story where we see a lovely wedding dress go from generation to generation, I think this was the only nice thing about the book!
It lacked oomph. I don't even know if I liked any of it. Characters were shallow, made bad choices, and of course this happens in life, but when these choices are ridiculous, it just becomes silly. I refer here to a woman that puts up with poor treatment from her husband. Eek. I think from past reviews of other novels from this author, there is a recurring theme of women putting up with bad treatment from their men!
The only redeeming portion of this book was right at the end where this woman bids her billionare husband adios! Finally.
I read this on summer holidays, it suits my crappy covid filled holiday that didn't even go ahead. That said, I will probably listen to another one this holiday period, it's just part of what I do!
It lacked oomph. I don't even know if I liked any of it. Characters were shallow, made bad choices, and of course this happens in life, but when these choices are ridiculous, it just becomes silly. I refer here to a woman that puts up with poor treatment from her husband. Eek. I think from past reviews of other novels from this author, there is a recurring theme of women putting up with bad treatment from their men!
The only redeeming portion of this book was right at the end where this woman bids her billionare husband adios! Finally.
I read this on summer holidays, it suits my crappy covid filled holiday that didn't even go ahead. That said, I will probably listen to another one this holiday period, it's just part of what I do!
April 26, 2021
Danielle Steel's latest book reminded me of the books she wrote several years ago. I had attempted a few previous to this but had not been happy with them. This is the author I remember.
There are several reasons for this. I love her glamorous characters! I love books that take place in San Francisco (I used to live there). In this book, the title intrigued me. Who doesn't love a story about a wedding dress, particularly is it is designer and super expensive? I started reading the book for that, but soon became enchanted by the family and the characters. It definitely hit some high historic notes for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and re-establish my love of Danielle Steel's books. I received this book in return for an honest review.
There are several reasons for this. I love her glamorous characters! I love books that take place in San Francisco (I used to live there). In this book, the title intrigued me. Who doesn't love a story about a wedding dress, particularly is it is designer and super expensive? I started reading the book for that, but soon became enchanted by the family and the characters. It definitely hit some high historic notes for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read and re-establish my love of Danielle Steel's books. I received this book in return for an honest review.
May 10, 2020
Meh. Forced myself to finish for the story line. Depressing. Reminds me again why I haven’t read DS since I was a teenager.
April 27, 2020
The Wedding Dress is a lovely, multi-generational story. It starts in 1928 in the opulent world of a wealthy San Francisco banking family. The Nob Hill mansion of the Devereaux’s is the scene of daughter Eleanor’s presentation to society as a debutante. Soon, the family is preparing for her wedding. Eleanor and her mother head to Paris for a custom-designed, couture wedding dress. Her wedding to the equally wealthy Alex is planned to take place in October, 1929. The Stock Market Crash and the Great Depression are about to follow. Fortunes are lost. World War II is next. Well, you know U.S. history.
This fast-paced book covers five generations taking us through the early days of Silicon Valley as Eleanor and her family experience life’s ups and downs with its share of happiness and tragedy.
The Wedding Dress was a nice break from recent, heavier reads. It moves so quickly that even after something sad has happened, a happy occasion is around the corner and another wedding is taking place with another bride in that fabulous dress.
Fans of Danielle Steel surely have this one on their list but if you haven't read one of her books lately, this might just be the right one to entice you back.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House – Ballantine / Delacorte Press and Ms. Steel for an advance copy of this enjoyable book (with a perfect cover).
Rated 3.75
Review posted at MicheleReader.com
This fast-paced book covers five generations taking us through the early days of Silicon Valley as Eleanor and her family experience life’s ups and downs with its share of happiness and tragedy.
The Wedding Dress was a nice break from recent, heavier reads. It moves so quickly that even after something sad has happened, a happy occasion is around the corner and another wedding is taking place with another bride in that fabulous dress.
Fans of Danielle Steel surely have this one on their list but if you haven't read one of her books lately, this might just be the right one to entice you back.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Random House – Ballantine / Delacorte Press and Ms. Steel for an advance copy of this enjoyable book (with a perfect cover).
Rated 3.75
Review posted at MicheleReader.com
May 7, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘This was her moment, when she was finally going to wear The Dress! And in a few hours she was going to be a bride.’
I’m sure in these trying times of a world pandemic, escapist reads such as those offered by number one bestseller Danielle Steel have the ability to provide some solace in a time of uncertainty. The Wedding Dress features a stunning cover and the story inside is pleasant. It covers over four generations of a family and their link to a beautiful French couture wedding dress.
Danielle Steel returns with a new family saga, covering decades of change. Travelling through social, economic and political changes, Steel covers a great deal of historical ground. Steel’s focus family is the Deveraux clan, a wealthy and influential set of the San Francisco area. The story begins with the high society wedding of Eleanor Deveraux to Alex Allen, a man with strong connections to the banking world. This wedding of the year is based at the stunning Deveraux mansion and the pinnacle of this event is Eleanor’s amazing dress, which comes straight from an exclusive French fashion house. With their dreamy wedding behind them and an unforgettable honeymoon to celebrate their nuptials, the newlyweds soon find they are tested to their limits. The big stock market crash in 1929 puts this couple’s family wealth at risk, as they grapple with uncertain times. This is the first storm among many Eleanor and Alex must weather, along with their descendants. Despite these trials and tribulations, Eleanor’s treasured dress remains a prized piece, passed down to each new generation. This signature dress represents hope, love, endurance and beauty, across the ages.
The Wedding Dress is international bestselling author Danielle Steel’s latest release. It is a historical family saga, delving into decades of change, upheaval, economic downturns and political movements. The constant fixture through all these transitions is an exquisite one of a kind wedding dress, first adorned by Eleanor Deveraux, a young woman who comes from wealthy stock. What follows is a story that spans many years, covering plenty of historical events and expansions to the Deveraux name. The Wedding Dress was a quick and easy read that I found to be a good distraction piece.
Steel fills The Wedding Dress with a handful of good and bad characters. There are heroes, heroines, villains and black sheep in this novel and all are characterised well by Steel. Eleanor and Alex, the principal couple of the tale, were a genuinely nice twosome to follow. I also enjoyed the romance aspect between Alex and Eleanor. As Alex and Eleanor’s family tree grows, it was nice to follow along with their offspring. I also took a liking to Eleanor’s beloved granddaughter Ruby, who occupies a fair chunk of this novel with her trials and tribulations. Steel ends this family’s story with a glimpse into the life of Eleanor’s great granddaughter Kendall, who finds her family loyalty tested when unexpected events surface. The Deveraux family fortunes are dramatic, heartbreaking and emotional.
Steel sprinkles plenty of surrounding world history around this family saga. Touching on the impact of the Spanish Flu, both wars, the Great Depression, the Wall Street Crash, Pearl Harbour and the rise of technology. The Wedding Dress bears witness to many significant events. I felt these were all very important, but many were surface glances only. While some areas Steel goes into quite in-depth and she seems to take an almost repetitive tone where she spills out many facts, while other aspects are glossed over. There were gaps felt in this novel and I had questions about the characters during some intermittent times. The bones were there, it just wasn’t executed to its highest degree.
Carrying this novel is the strength and symbolic power of the wedding dress. I loved the cover and synopsis The Wedding Dress. I was keen to see how a beautiful wedding dress could span time, place and family generations. I loved how the dress hailed from an exclusive fashion house in France. I tried to conjure an image in my mind of what this exquisite set piece would look like. It was nice to dream about this magical dress!
Steel’s novels always tend to have a touch of glamour, glitz, luxury and a cosmopolitan feel to them. The Wedding Dress is no exception to the rule. Expect to be whisked away on private boats, jets and fast cars to picturesque locales. While the stunning Deveraux mansion looms over many of the key events of this book, it is a symbol of wealth and status. Steel wraps everything up in three hundred pages, closing her story off with an expected happy ending, despite the anguish experienced by her cast.
The Wedding Dress is a book that provides a light getaway for readers. It is a story of family heirlooms, legacies, love, bonds, loyalty and endurance. Women’s fiction readers, romance fans and those who enjoy family sagas with a touch of history may gravitate to Steel’s latest.
*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
‘This was her moment, when she was finally going to wear The Dress! And in a few hours she was going to be a bride.’
I’m sure in these trying times of a world pandemic, escapist reads such as those offered by number one bestseller Danielle Steel have the ability to provide some solace in a time of uncertainty. The Wedding Dress features a stunning cover and the story inside is pleasant. It covers over four generations of a family and their link to a beautiful French couture wedding dress.
Danielle Steel returns with a new family saga, covering decades of change. Travelling through social, economic and political changes, Steel covers a great deal of historical ground. Steel’s focus family is the Deveraux clan, a wealthy and influential set of the San Francisco area. The story begins with the high society wedding of Eleanor Deveraux to Alex Allen, a man with strong connections to the banking world. This wedding of the year is based at the stunning Deveraux mansion and the pinnacle of this event is Eleanor’s amazing dress, which comes straight from an exclusive French fashion house. With their dreamy wedding behind them and an unforgettable honeymoon to celebrate their nuptials, the newlyweds soon find they are tested to their limits. The big stock market crash in 1929 puts this couple’s family wealth at risk, as they grapple with uncertain times. This is the first storm among many Eleanor and Alex must weather, along with their descendants. Despite these trials and tribulations, Eleanor’s treasured dress remains a prized piece, passed down to each new generation. This signature dress represents hope, love, endurance and beauty, across the ages.
The Wedding Dress is international bestselling author Danielle Steel’s latest release. It is a historical family saga, delving into decades of change, upheaval, economic downturns and political movements. The constant fixture through all these transitions is an exquisite one of a kind wedding dress, first adorned by Eleanor Deveraux, a young woman who comes from wealthy stock. What follows is a story that spans many years, covering plenty of historical events and expansions to the Deveraux name. The Wedding Dress was a quick and easy read that I found to be a good distraction piece.
Steel fills The Wedding Dress with a handful of good and bad characters. There are heroes, heroines, villains and black sheep in this novel and all are characterised well by Steel. Eleanor and Alex, the principal couple of the tale, were a genuinely nice twosome to follow. I also enjoyed the romance aspect between Alex and Eleanor. As Alex and Eleanor’s family tree grows, it was nice to follow along with their offspring. I also took a liking to Eleanor’s beloved granddaughter Ruby, who occupies a fair chunk of this novel with her trials and tribulations. Steel ends this family’s story with a glimpse into the life of Eleanor’s great granddaughter Kendall, who finds her family loyalty tested when unexpected events surface. The Deveraux family fortunes are dramatic, heartbreaking and emotional.
Steel sprinkles plenty of surrounding world history around this family saga. Touching on the impact of the Spanish Flu, both wars, the Great Depression, the Wall Street Crash, Pearl Harbour and the rise of technology. The Wedding Dress bears witness to many significant events. I felt these were all very important, but many were surface glances only. While some areas Steel goes into quite in-depth and she seems to take an almost repetitive tone where she spills out many facts, while other aspects are glossed over. There were gaps felt in this novel and I had questions about the characters during some intermittent times. The bones were there, it just wasn’t executed to its highest degree.
Carrying this novel is the strength and symbolic power of the wedding dress. I loved the cover and synopsis The Wedding Dress. I was keen to see how a beautiful wedding dress could span time, place and family generations. I loved how the dress hailed from an exclusive fashion house in France. I tried to conjure an image in my mind of what this exquisite set piece would look like. It was nice to dream about this magical dress!
Steel’s novels always tend to have a touch of glamour, glitz, luxury and a cosmopolitan feel to them. The Wedding Dress is no exception to the rule. Expect to be whisked away on private boats, jets and fast cars to picturesque locales. While the stunning Deveraux mansion looms over many of the key events of this book, it is a symbol of wealth and status. Steel wraps everything up in three hundred pages, closing her story off with an expected happy ending, despite the anguish experienced by her cast.
The Wedding Dress is a book that provides a light getaway for readers. It is a story of family heirlooms, legacies, love, bonds, loyalty and endurance. Women’s fiction readers, romance fans and those who enjoy family sagas with a touch of history may gravitate to Steel’s latest.
*Thanks extended to Pan Macmillan for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
April 7, 2025
I loved this audiobook. The story of 3 generations: shaped by the great depression, war, the impact of the new technology and the changing role of women in society. The inner dialogue of clearly defined characters really brought the impact of these events home to me. Terrific reading.
May 27, 2020
This could have ~ and should have ~ been a lot better. I'm not a huge DS reader but have read enough to want to read this one.
Eleanor & Alex's story seemed to take the first half of the book then the others just seemed to skip on by. This seemed more like glimpses of different points in time rather than a cohesive story. The only thing holding it together was the wedding gown.
I'm a visual reader in that I like to get enough information to completely envision what is going, what the characters look like, etc. That didn't happen the entire time I read this - not even with this spectacular wedding gown.
Eleanor & Alex's story seemed to take the first half of the book then the others just seemed to skip on by. This seemed more like glimpses of different points in time rather than a cohesive story. The only thing holding it together was the wedding gown.
I'm a visual reader in that I like to get enough information to completely envision what is going, what the characters look like, etc. That didn't happen the entire time I read this - not even with this spectacular wedding gown.
June 7, 2020
This read like her older books, which are my favorites. You start out in the 1920's to current. Spanning a family of generations. Set in San Francisco. People that went from Rich to Poor in a short time and how they rebuilt their lives.
We follow a wedding dress in the family during this time and who will wear it and who won't. How many generations it will go through. Relationships that stay and go. SO much emotion all into one book.
I received this from NetGalley for review.
We follow a wedding dress in the family during this time and who will wear it and who won't. How many generations it will go through. Relationships that stay and go. SO much emotion all into one book.
I received this from NetGalley for review.
April 16, 2021
Slow start but it picked up its pace about a quarter into the book. After the pace picked up it became an interesting read that followed four generations of family members, all in different socioeconomic standings and different types of relationships. It was interesting to read about (after it picked up) and the dress plays a slight role in the book but enough that it is important in its own way. Overall, a good book for an evening at home.
April 10, 2020
It’s nice to take a break from all of the psychological thrillers I tend to read. This latest book by Danielle Steel (which is my 30th book by D. Steele) was very entertaining - spanning from when the Spanish Flu pandemic to the 1970’s. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.
May 21, 2020
The Wedding Dress by Danielle Steel is one of those stories that lingers with you long after you finish it. Danielle Steel is a wonderful storyteller and I was not disappointed with this novel. We go from 1928 which is the beginning of our tale and taken down through the generations. We see how each generation lives and how the wedding dress fits into their story. Each character goes on a journey and we see how they turn out as well as how their decisions impact the family. I thought the characters were realistic and relatable. The authors vivid descriptions brought the scenes alive. I especially enjoyed reading about the gorgeous wedding dress. It all begins when Eleanor Deveraux meets Alex Allen at her coming out ball in San Francisco. After they become engaged, Eleanor and her mother travel to Paris to commission her couture wedding dress. Unfortunately, the stock market crashes in October of 1929 while they are on their honeymoon. They must weather the changes and find a way to move forward. The special wedding dress, though, is kept protected so it will be available for the next generation. This special gown represents love and hope. Alex and Eleanor face different challenges in their life as do their descendants. We get to join them on their journey to see how they handle life’s tribulations. I found The Wedding Dress to be a touching story. I was transported into the book and reluctantly left when the story ended. The Wedding Dress is a wonderful escapist novel which is what we need during these uncertain times.
May 30, 2020
I have a bunch of books on hold at the library, so I was looking for something to read until one because available. As I was perusing the "available now" books in my library, I came across this. I know Danielle Steel has sold about a bajillion books, so I figured why not. I enjoy fluff now and then.
This book is awful. It honestly sounds like a third grader wrote it. It is repetitive and the vocabulary used is very amateurish. The only reason I finished this thing is because I was waiting to see what everyone loves about the author's books. (And I was still waiting for a book on my hold list to become available, lol.) I don't get it. It was awful. It makes E.L. James sound literary award worthy in comparison.
I am not even going to get started on the historical inaccuracies.
This book is awful. It honestly sounds like a third grader wrote it. It is repetitive and the vocabulary used is very amateurish. The only reason I finished this thing is because I was waiting to see what everyone loves about the author's books. (And I was still waiting for a book on my hold list to become available, lol.) I don't get it. It was awful. It makes E.L. James sound literary award worthy in comparison.
I am not even going to get started on the historical inaccuracies.
June 20, 2020
A beautifully written story about a wedding dress and the people who wore
It that spans several decades. It covers the period in history from 1928 and
the depression years to now and goes from riches to rags of the wealthy.
It deals with a family and their challenges of the day and era. The characters
were strong on dealing with the times and finding happiness and success.
I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting.
It that spans several decades. It covers the period in history from 1928 and
the depression years to now and goes from riches to rags of the wealthy.
It deals with a family and their challenges of the day and era. The characters
were strong on dealing with the times and finding happiness and success.
I enjoyed this book and read it in one sitting.
May 25, 2020
Enjoyed the story in this book but I could not stand the writing style? At times I felt like something was wrong with the book and then I was re-reading pages but I was not she would repeat the same details multiple times by multiple characters in the book and I felt like it was just a lot of fluff and filler to make a complete novel
September 19, 2021
4.25/5
bardzo dobra książka, która przedstawia losy jednej rodziny na przestrzeni wielu lat. każda bohaterka była inna i podejmowała dobre albo złe decyzje. miłosne zawirowania dodawały tej książce uroku i czytało się ją naprawdę dobrze i przyjemnie
bardzo dobra książka, która przedstawia losy jednej rodziny na przestrzeni wielu lat. każda bohaterka była inna i podejmowała dobre albo złe decyzje. miłosne zawirowania dodawały tej książce uroku i czytało się ją naprawdę dobrze i przyjemnie
September 11, 2022
I have some things to say. And I'm going to attempt to be gracious because I know books take a lot of effort, time and commitment to write. But this one was shit. A steaming pile of it. I picked it up at one of those take a book, leave a book mini library things. And when I saw the author's name, I was curious. I'd never read Steel's work before. And I never will again after reading this load of garbage. Let me start with the writing. It is so freaking repetitive. That's one of my biggest pet peeves in books. Find another way to say that phrase. Or just don't repeat it 16 times. We get it, he's a cheater. We get it, she looks pretty. We get it. Another thing, every single character was all good or all bad. And the few who were supposed to have more depth ended up being assholes that the author and the character defended. Like "Oh he's a cheater but he's so rich and women throw themselves at him and he has mommy issues so he's troubled. Feel bad for him even though he screwed up big time." No. I am a big fan of having no mercy on cheaters. They deserve misery and bad endings and never forgiveness after the second chance. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Anyway I have more to say about this book but I don't want to waste even more time thinking about it. Get an editor Ms. Steel.
April 18, 2020
The Wedding Dress starts out in the 1920's. The ultra rich and the stock market crash are just the beginning. Life is altered and the aftermath has an repercussions for generations to come. I wish each following generation had more details about the characters and their lives. Overall a good book but not one of my favorites.
Thanks to netgalley, Danielle Steel and the publisher for the ARC
Thanks to netgalley, Danielle Steel and the publisher for the ARC
May 26, 2020
AUTHOR Steel, Danielle
TITLE The Wedding Dress
DATE READ 05/25/20
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Fiction/2020/libby-ebook/291 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 101/120;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE Late 1920's to present
CHARACTERS Eleanor, Camille, Ruby Moon, Kendall -- 4 generations
COMMENTS Four generations of Deveraux women from the late 1920's to the present. The original dress is bought custom made in Paris pre-depression for Eleanor 's marriage to Alex. The focus is really on them and they go through many transitions. They start out both very wealthy, living in mansions in San Francisco from banking families. After Black Friday -- both families have to start anew. The wedding dress is saved even though almost all is sold so they can survive after losing everything. The next 3 generations have different lives/different times and different perspectives on this dress. Camille, Ruby Moon and Kendall's stories seemed more compact and a little rushed but overall a pleasant typical DS read.
TITLE The Wedding Dress
DATE READ 05/25/20
RATING 4/B
FIRST SENTENCE
GENRE/ PUB DATE/PUBLISHER / # OF Fiction/2020/libby-ebook/291 pgs
SERIES/STAND-ALONE SA
CHALLENGE Good Reads 2020 Reading Goal 101/120;
GROUP READ
TIME/PLACE Late 1920's to present
CHARACTERS Eleanor, Camille, Ruby Moon, Kendall -- 4 generations
COMMENTS Four generations of Deveraux women from the late 1920's to the present. The original dress is bought custom made in Paris pre-depression for Eleanor 's marriage to Alex. The focus is really on them and they go through many transitions. They start out both very wealthy, living in mansions in San Francisco from banking families. After Black Friday -- both families have to start anew. The wedding dress is saved even though almost all is sold so they can survive after losing everything. The next 3 generations have different lives/different times and different perspectives on this dress. Camille, Ruby Moon and Kendall's stories seemed more compact and a little rushed but overall a pleasant typical DS read.
April 19, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, Random House and Danielle Steel for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
What a Heartwarming beautiful bittersweet read.
I absolutely loved this book and it's characters.
Also loved the history in the book.
A wonderful story about love, loss, family and traditions.
Bravo Danielle! another great read.
What a Heartwarming beautiful bittersweet read.
I absolutely loved this book and it's characters.
Also loved the history in the book.
A wonderful story about love, loss, family and traditions.
Bravo Danielle! another great read.
May 5, 2020
I always enjoy Danielle Steel's books and this was no different !!
I loved the journey across the generations along with their trials and joys along the way. Each story will connect with you in a different way.
A heartfelt book which will keep making you think of it even after you have finished reading :)
I loved the journey across the generations along with their trials and joys along the way. Each story will connect with you in a different way.
A heartfelt book which will keep making you think of it even after you have finished reading :)
July 13, 2020
I borrowed this book to read it alongside my grandmother, who used to sell wedding gowns to new brides. I found this book inconsistent; some chapters were overly detailed and then, some chapters flew through a death or other life-changing event. This is not what I normally read and now I remember why.
Read
December 27, 2020Continuing my tradition of reading one of her books each Christmas, as gifted by a friend who knows my reading tastes😉 An enjoyable read, and certainly brings the impact of The Great Depression and World War II on normal people to life. Pure escapism for a few hours, and I may even have shed a tear or two 😔
September 27, 2020
This story covers 4 generations, starting in 1928 and continuing for 82 years. The first generation covered the first half of the book, and dealt with the blows to 2 very wealthy San Francisco families during the stock market crash and Great depression. The pace picks up with the remaining generations to build a story filled with love, heartbreak, opportunity, and The Wedding Dress. 8 out of 10.
December 16, 2020
Loved this book & the story of the 3 women in the family that wore the dress. I was glad to see the change in Kendall & glad she didn’t end up like her dad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2020
The Wedding Dress by Danielle Steel is an entertaining, delightful summer beach read. The majority of the book was interesting, especially the section written around the Great Depression. Later in the novel, around a baby’s birth ( will not spoil this with lots of detail) I had great trouble believing the outcome. From that point, the novel was unbelievable. 3.5 stars
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