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30 May 2013

The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck Reviewed by Carrie Fancett Pagels

The Wedding Dress | [Rachel Hauck]

This book, The Wedding Dress by Rachel Hauck,  has won so many awards and received so many accolades including the Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer's Conference Selah award for best romance (I was there for that one recently, at Ridgeway conference center in North Carolina!) I have to wonder if Rachel has lost count!  Whenever a book is getting that kind of attention there is a reason.  Solid writing, voice, and unique story deliver a great listening experience for the reader.

I listened to it on audiobook as an audible.com download.  The story jumps around between four different women affected by the dress, including a current day woman.  The book lists as a contemporary but has many historical stories within it.  Rachel primarily writes contemporary fiction.  

This was a really good listen. I think the regular book format might be better (particularly if you don't have any vision problems) because there are so many stories going on it may be easier to keep them straight.  But the narrator did a good job of capturing the different voices. And since finding a great Christian audiobook is difficult I simply recommend that if you purchase in audio then don't plan on doing other things while you are listening. You won't want to miss out on the story.

You'll not find anything else out there quite like Rachel's book--at least not any time lately and I think that is one of the reasons for this books appeal.  It is fresh and unique--you won't be bored or even think about declaring that it is the same old same old often found in Christian fiction, because it is not!  Not that I am prone to say this but I did hear another reader recently make this comment.  

Spoiler alert: My one objection to the story is a scene that while it is very exciting has strong associations for me.  Because I am a history buff (AKA history nerd) and love colonial history in particular there is something that happens that occurred in churches during wartime and is one of the ultimate insults or desecration of the church.  That really bothered me.  But I think someone who primarily enjoys romance wouldn't see it that way at all because they wouldn't realize the connotation and because it is not a wartime event. In fact my husband, when I told him of the scene, commented that most romance readers should find that scene particularly romantic!  My inner nerd won out on that scene, I am afraid.

Giveaway: We are giving away a copy of any of Rachel's books this week, winners choice of format.  You can choose any of her wonderful books as a paperback, ebook, or audio download (like this great book!) if available.


55 comments:

  1. Thank for the review. It's sounds good.
    Linda Finn
    faithfulacres7@gmail.com

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  2. :-) The review was very good, however, because of what you said about the one scene, now I NEED to read it to see what it is !!! :-) see, leaving it to my imagination is good, but you did a great job, as always, making me really want to read it.. such a pretty dress on the cover !!! I know that if you say a book is worth reading, it truly is !! thanks Carrie !!! have a blessed day !!! Rosemary rfoley@salemstate.edu

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    1. Isn't that a gorgeous cover! Yes, you need to read this story, Chicki!

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  3. Loved your interview . This book sounds so good . Would love to win one of your books . Thanks
    Blessings,
    lizd225(at)gmail(dot)com

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    1. Elizabeth, I hope you get a chance to read Rachel's books! Blessings!

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  4. Really loved your review Carrie!! The book sounds really interesting - but it'll be Once Upon a Prince that I'll be reading first lol as it just arrived today, yay! :)

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  5. Hey Carrie! I'm reading The Wedding Dress now and I love it! Please enter me in the drawing write(at)preslaysa(dot)com

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    1. Cool beans, Preslaysa!!! We'll enter you--looks like her new one will be another hit!!!

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  6. CARRIE thanks to your wonderful review I now have two books by Rachel I want to read. I have Once Upon a Prince on my kindle and this one on my need to get right away list!! :)

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    1. I really hope they bring it out on audio, Teresa! Marian's review made me want to read it!

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  7. So many books in my TBR stack, but this one sounds like another good one to add!

    pattymh2000(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  8. I always look forward to reading a great CARRIE review! And this one is very enticing to say the least! Oh, that I had time to read all of these awesome sounding books!

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    1. As you know, I rarely do them! Esp. since I have such amazing reviewers here like you!!! Hugs!

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  9. Carrie's reviews are always something else and refreshing. This book sounds like one I have to read!!

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    1. Haha! Leave it to an editor to say my reviews are "different" in a nice way! Thanks, Marian!

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  10. Linda Dianne StoweMay 30, 2013 at 1:39 PM

    This sounds like a wonderful book.I would truly love to win this or any of her books.Blessings to the one who wins and everyone have a blessed day.

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    1. Linda, come back and leave your email address! Blessings!

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  11. Book sounds great. I would love to read it. Great review. Please enter me in the giveaway. :)
    Blessings
    joeym11@frontier.com

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  12. Great review. Sounds like a great read.

    Katie J.
    johnsonk133(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. Hi Carrie! Would love to win a copy of Rachel's book. I'm really looking forward to reading it.

    Blessings,
    Andrea

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  14. Rachel's books sounds very interesting, but now I am going to be a little crazy until I get it and read the church scene. However, it's just the researcher in me that's curious now. I wouldn't fault her for a mistake. I only have a problem with historical fiction that is obviously poorly researched, and from your review I can tell that's not the case. And LOL, I know how many hours can go into learning about the smallest details! No contest entry necessary. I have a gift card I've been waiting to use on books.
    BTW, saw this blog shared on FB. It's my first visit, but I love all things historical. I tell people I only write to support my research habit :)

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    1. Haha you sound like me, Debbie! Thanks for coming by. Having lived in Charleston where it was a big deal about some stuff that happened during the Am Rev, that is just something that has stuck with me. Thanks so much for coming by!!!

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  15. Love the reviews! I really need to read Rachel's books they sounds amazing! :)

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  16. Thanks once again Carrie for another great review. I too am looking forward to finding out about that church scene now, but I have so many other books lined up before this one. YIKES! What's a girl to do? I was already intrigued by the title, because I had another favorite book with the same title. I would love to win one of Rachel's books.
    Vicki
    vmarney(at)hotmail(dot)com

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    1. She has a lovely voice as an author and as a singer, Vicki!

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  17. Thanks for the review. The book sounds wonderful, but I would prefer to read the book..Thank you for entering me in your giveaway
    Barbara Thompson
    barbmaci61(at)yahoo(dot)com

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    1. I think regular books are awesome if your eyes can take it! Mine can't--so I listen to a lot!

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  18. I'd love the chance to read this book! It sounds really good!
    makeighleekyleigh at yahoo dot com

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  19. I read The Wedding Dress several months ago and loved it. I'm looking forward to re-reading it and discussing it with my book club in July. I don't remember the church scene you referred to. Thanks for the chance to win one of Rachel's books.

    pmk56[at]sbcglobal[dot]net

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    1. Pam, that is good! I'm glad it didn't register with you! A really unusual story full of lots of wonderful characters!

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  20. Thank you for the chance to win one of Rachel's books.

    griperang at embarqmail dot com

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  21. Dear Carrie,
    I would love to win a copy of "The Wedding Dress" in paperback to give to my Church Library.
    Thanks for the opportunity to do so.
    Janet E.
    von1janet(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. I've actually never listed to an audio book - children's books aside. I have seen THE WEDDING DRESS on the Internet & already have it down to read.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

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    1. Last year I listened to an audiobook for the first time. I rather read it myself, but when you're having troubles reading an audiobook is priceless!
      Good luck in the drawing, MARY!

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  23. I looked at this book in Barnes and Noble the other day. I almost bought it. I'm so curious about the scene that bothered you. Was it anything like the scene in North and South? I love that series but that particular scene really bothered me.

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  24. Sounds like a refreshing book! Great review - I hope to read it at some point. :)
    Susan P
    farmygirl at hotmail dot com

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    1. Yes, I also hope to read it someday. Good luck in the contest, SUSAN.

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  25. Carrie, good job. I would love to win Rachel's book. And,, churches are sometimes used for other happenings during war. People do what they have to do. Of course. I've not read the book yet but have read others where they were used like a hospital, and at times used for shelter from the enemy. Please put my name in. Love to my OWG girls. God blessings on each of you.
    MAXIE

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    1. MAXIE, all the best in the contest. Blessings!

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  26. Thank you for the wonderful review. This sounds like a great read.
    I would love to read this book and to share it with others. I would love
    to win please inter me in. Yes it is amazing how churchs have been put to
    other uses. Thank you and God bless.
    Diane
    dian429@yahoo.com

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  27. You have piqued my curiosity with your spoiler alert. And it's nice to know it's not the same old same old :)

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    1. Here's another curious person, ANNE. Guess we'll have to read the book to find out where it's about!

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  28. I also really enjoyed this story. It was unique and I loved the multiple stories in different time periods. shopgirl152nykiki(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  29. I Carrie this is a good review of this book and you have my interest in it. I am curious what you found out of place in the novel and hope to find out. It does get your attention when you know the history during a time and something doesn't fit to let it go. Thanks for the review.
    Helen
    hmmbailey@live.ca

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