I enjoy reading books about women who find themselves and who make good decisions about their lives. I do not tend to enjoy reading Christian literature as it frequently is off-putting to me in that it feels preachy instead of uplifting and there is a very real difference to me. I enjoy being uplifted. I do not enjoy being harangued. I enjoy feeling like there is a commonality among believers and that they can take joy in that. It pains me when someone must be browbeaten into listening when they may not have expected to do so or may not have wanted to do so. I was offered The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck by Booksneeze as a freebie to read and then to offer my honest review. Booksneeze books are of the Christian nature so I knew what I was heading into when I took the book and expected to feel a bit put out by the novel.

Instead, I was uplifted and felt gratified in that the novel, while touching on the better aspects of being a believer, did not beat me over the head with why certain characters were overtly right or wrong. It had a Christian tone, a lack of foul language or inappropriate tones and it made me feel like it struck the right balance in what current Christian literature could represent. The Wedding Dress is a novel that focuses on a Wedding gown that mysteriously appears for the “right bride at the right time.” The backstory behind the dress fascinates each bride and draws them all together so the final story of the gown can be told. The courage of each woman in her story is beautifully done and I think that rather than feeling heavy, the book had a light cadence that kept me with it and wanting to read it to find out what would happen.

The Wedding Dress is a book that could potentially cross the gap and draw in readers who would not otherwise consider Christian based literature. I enjoyed this novel and while it may not be for everyone, I did not feel that the Christian tones would be off-putting for those that are non-believers or who are not inclined to read this type of novel. The story was compelling and the author was thoughtful. A great read. I’d give it a 4 out of 5.