The Wedding Dress

The Wedding Album #1

by Marian Wells

Two Beloved Novels in One Special Edition! Encounter the Bittersweet Story of a Young Woman Seeking Both Hope and Love Historical fiction at its finest, The Wedding Album captivates both the mind and the emotions as it brings to life an important time in America's developoment. Orphaned while a young girl, Rebecca Wolstone's only tangible heritage is a trunk that contains her mother's wedding dress and a small black book. Her mother's final words, cautioning her to guard the trunk as her only hope, seem to refer to the future marriage the dress symbolizes, and Rebecca begins a search for the one man who will make her dreams come true. When Andrew Jacobson sweeps her off her feet, Rebecca believes she has finally found the man her mother had in mind, as well as a community to call home. Their honeymoon and life in their first little log cabin are everything Rebecca has ever dreamed of. But when Andrew brings her to her new home in Fort Harmony, she is overwhelmed by the life awaiting her.

Genres: Christian, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Adult

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

Marian Wells was born in Utah. She is the well-known author of eleven books, including two novels based on thorough historical research into the beginnings of Mormonism. Marian and her husband live in Boulder, Colorado.

Reviews

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been looking for years for a book I read as a youth on a young pioneer girl that married a Mormon. I do not remember if she was or not but she made an agreement with her new husband that she would be his only wife. She becomes a second wife and is devastated. I thought I found this story as I do not know the name or the author. It would be in the early 60's it was in a Book Club of the Month that my mother subscribed. I do not know that name either. Doubleday or Book of the Month Club or something.
Well I stared this book thinking I was reading a later edition but it is totally different. I enjoyed it a lot and Wells weaves in the real teachings of the LDS religion in the early days very well. Also Rebecca's personality is done well and all her torment in finding she is exactly what she held out to avoid. I can appreciate how well she did the teachings and the turmoil in her heart as she was trying to find truth and finally finds it is not in the New Covenant of the LDS church but in the New Covenant of the Bible. Well done.
She did well in weaving the historical facts of the grand piano that came over the plains (actually from England) & the Mt Meadows massacre etc..., church doctrines and characters to make a nice pioneer story from what was actually even worse than this depicted.
I was raised a LDS and know first hand the religion as it was in the 60's and it has changed greatly since then. I am also a Christian (since 1971) and know some of the struggle Rebecca had to find Christ. I was 16 when I left and have never turned back. Christ and what He did for me is sufficient. And I thank and love Him for all He has done to redeem this fleshly soul back to Him. Thank You.
Good Read if you want to learn some of what the LDS people suffered to start yet another man made religion.

[Shelly]

Not worth the paper it's written on and if Wells did any other "research" besides what she heard on the street corner I would be VERY suprised.

[Jjean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Historical Fiction - love, romance -Problems with the "bare" land and Indians - understanding the Mormon faith at a time when the Mormons were just forming their temple in UT.... interesting, with different ideas & twist......Forgiving - Christian faith is also shared.

[Marjorie Helmuth · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting learning more about how the Mormons started, but the deception and abuse that the leaders used to control people was so maddening that it was hard to enjoy the book. Fortunately it ends pretty well.

[ANNETTE · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend gave me this book .
I did learn a few things about the Mormon faith and lifestyle. There some different rules and a long with twist & turns . I also liked the main character Rebecca and was glad she was studying her Bible.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story takes place in Utah in the 1800s. The Church of the Latter-day Saints is very young and trying to find a place to call home and be governed by its own rules. They are constantly struggling with the federal government. An orphan girl, Rebecca, joins the group and is gradually drawn into the religion. During the hard years that follow, Rebecca begins to question what she is being taught and begins to study the Bible that her mother had left her, together with a wedding dress. She becomes aware of many discrepancies between what the Bible teaches and what the Mormons are teaching. She is going to have to make a decision which way to turn and it will put her life in danger. What I didn't like about the book is that, until the end, it is difficult to know that it is indeed a Christian novel.

[Glenn Colby · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an OK book. I enjoyed her writing style. It is very much written like a western in many ways, which many women probably are NOT used to. It reveals secrets of Mormonism, which one will only find out from this sort of book, or after one has probably delved into the religion - such as if you read the Book Of Mormon and at the end - your reject it - you face eternal damnation. I have not read the Book of Mormon. She is a very good writer. I also read the next book, but again... to women this book is written more like a western than a romance - so may not be a typical woman's romance-style book. My grade three stars - or a C+

[Leslie-Anne Hnosko · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent example of historical fiction; the historical facts and names were spot on. The fictional characters were believable and the True gospel of the Bible was neatly woven into the story.

[Glenn Colby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book mainly because it was set in the Wild West 1800s. There is a lot of information in here that (if true) the Mormon church would not want out - and maybe some Mormons don't know or believe - because one would have to be in the church to know these things - or have done in-depth research into the LDS. Anyway, the author is a good writer - and while I can't say everything she says is factual - there's little reason not to believe some of the stuff in this book, which mainly focuses on a romance.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did not like it at all. The story line was good, but the writer has an awkward writing style. I honestly didn't complete the book, I had maybe 50 or so pages left. I wasn't interested enough to finish it, and that usually doesn't happen to me! It just kept dragging on and on. Maybe you say that I don't need to write a negative review because I didn't read it all, but I just couldn't help it. Just my opinion. Have a great day (:

[Linn Beall · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very interesting book. I love historical fiction because I feel like I am learning more about history while I am enjoying the book. I never expected this one to be about Mormon history. I really knew very little about everything that was happening in this book. Quite shocking. I went back and read some historical accounts of the things in the book and it appears to be very accurate. It is hard to believe this all happened here in the USA.

[Sarah Dane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book in a book sale. I find it interesting. I've read some articles about LDS on it's early years and I can tell it different now since I have relatives who attends LDS church.

The story line it good. Rebecca married Andrew in the hopes of fulfilling her mother's will ( her mother only left her with a wedding dress and a Bible).

Jesus , I love you. You are my Lord and Savior.

[Sasha (bahareads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more had I read it faster.
The characters were OKAY. I didn't feel attached to any of them. Rebecca was just there. I wasn't particularly partial to any of them. The one thing I really enjoyed about in this book was learning more about the Mormon religion and their beginnings.

[Holly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was interesting, and I got attached enough to want to read the squeal. However I did not think it was well written; the author has a very awkward writing style I feel. I did learn a lot about Mormons though and appreciated the research she put into it.

[Stephanie Hurd · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this book was interesting on one level, it was quite lacking on another. Something was missing, yet I can't quite put my finger on it. I also thought the ending was weak. It had great potential and moments of interest.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so different than any other historical, Christian, loving fiction. I'm glad I stuck with it after feeling a little distant from the characters and story in the first couple of chapters- I was hooked! Into the second book now, and love it, too!

[Captmashpea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books. I read it before I had Goodreads but I just finished rereading it (which is way I'm adding it now) and I still love it. It's a fabulous historical fiction about the founding of the Mormon church and one woman's journey into it and back out of it.
(hard copy)

[Heidi Whitman · Rating 1 out of 5]

A somewhat palatable way to learn about Mormon doctrines and history, but the characters and plot are trite and rather unbelievable. Rebecca was extremely naive at times. Joshua is too good to be true. I felt like it’s written for middle school girls.

[Partridge Public]

Wells, Marian PB

[Lynda E.H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

About Mormons

[Sharon]

Great fiction telling the story of Joseph Smith, founder of the Morman church.