The Wedding Dress ChristmasDecember comes to quaint Hearts Bend, Tennessee, with a blanket of white and the glitter of Christmas lights.For JoJo Castle there is no place like home. Her onetime love of adventure ended when her life in the big city came crashing down. Now that she’s home, she never wants to leave again.Country music sensation Buck Mathews has charmed the world with his smile and … charmed the world with his smile and his music. However, news of his mother’s illness brought him home to Hearts Bend for the holiday season.
Working with her cousin Haley in The Wedding Shop, JoJo has no aspirations of love. But when her high school crush returns to town, her buried feelings surface.
Busy with his career, Buck hasn’t had time for family and friends, much less love. Seeing JoJo in The Wedding Shop reminds him there are things more important than his career.
But JoJo and Buck have opposing life goals, and there’s no middle ground. Can love, especially the kind that touches hearts at Christmas, overcome her fears and his quest for greatness?
With the help of a very special wedding dress, there just might be a Christmas miracle.
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The Wedding Dress Christmas by Rachel Hauck takes us on a journey to Hearts Bend, Tennessee. JoJo Castle works at The Wedding Shop that is owned by her cousin, Haley Danner. JoJo loves Hearts Bend with its special traditions. JoJo, though, does not believe love is for her especially after what happened in Dallas. Buck Mathews, country music star, returns home for Christmas when he hears about his mother’s illness. The last twelve years Buck has spent working on his career and has had little time for his family. JoJo fell in love with Buck when she was in the ninth grade, but he considered her his good friend. Buck now sees JoJo in a different light, and he begins to have thoughts of marriage. While JoJo is happy in Hearts Bend, Buck has tour commitments that would keep him away for months on end. Is there a way for these two to come together and get their happily ever after? With the magic of Christmas along with a very special wedding dress, there might be a special miracle in Hearts Bend this holiday season. I have read every book in The Wedding Collection series and I thought The Wedding Dress Christmas was a lovely addition. It can be read on its own for those new to this charming series. I enjoyed reading this heartwarming holiday novella. It was nice to catch up with Haley and her husband, Cole from The Wedding Shop. JoJo Castle is a woman who loves living in her hometown where she volunteers for several projects. But JoJo has fears that keep her from imagining a love of her own while she helps others find the perfect dress, veil and shoes for when they marry their soulmate. I like the developed characters that were realistic. I like the magical wedding dress that comes in an unassuming trunk with its special history. The descriptions of Hearts Bend bring it alive and make it a place that I want to live. I would avoid Brandi Walsh, though, for fear of being roped into a project. The ending was enchanting. We see how fear can hold a person back if they let it. This is a story that will make you feel happy inside and believe in Christmas miracles. The Wedding Dress Christmas is a magical Christmas tale with a fairy-tale wedding dress, special shoes, a tattered trunk, a custom Christmas carol, concerned citizens, and pageant pandemonium.
Such a richly written Christmas novella. Rachel Hauck is back with a story that will ease you into the season while pulling you into the characters’ lives. I loved every hope-filled page.
“You’re too much.” Haley spread her arms wide. “Let go, Jo. Replace all your fears with love.”
JoJo Castle returned home after being unable to cope even a year after she was brutally attacked in Dallas where she lived and worked in Public Relations. Now working in her cousin’s bridal shop, JoJo is still dealing with crippling fears that have made her reluctant to go very far. And then, Buck returns. He and she had been inseparable during High School but had gone their separate ways. Now, both were back, but for Buck, for how long? And, could they reconnect? We’re they open to reconnecting?
Having read The Wedding Dress many years back, when this one hit my feed, I remembered what a wonderful story it was, and wondered what Rachel Hauck had in store. What a lovely book! Highly Recommended 5/5
This sweet romantic book was almost too short. Although the romance happens very quickly, one could argue it was years in its development.
Neighbors and high school best friends and crushes find themselves later in life meeting again.
She has been through a traumatic experience. He has risen to musical recognition and fame. He is the present home town claim to fame and favored son.
There is a sweet paranormal aspect to the book similar to a popular series involving a pair of blue jeans. Not only does a certain dress fit various sizes but it also promotes and recognizes true love.
I liked the characters and their friends and family.
The Wedding Dress Christmas by Rachel Hauck
JoJo is back in town and helping out at the wedding dress shop. Haley is about to deliver and her husband is nearby but busy with his business.
She got scared in Dallas and had to come home and her mothers especially as her health is not as good as it used to be. Those are the excuses she used.
We learn throughout the book what scared her and her old friend, Buck, cowboy singer about to go international is home for several weeks around Christmas and he’s able to lure it out of her, after proposing.
Things happen fast for them both and each have their own dreams. The dress finds it’s bride and no matter what shape or how tall they are, the dress fits. Too similar to the traveling pants of years ago.
The dress does comfort her…
Ends with excerpt and acknowledgements and about the author.
#TheWeddingDressChristmas #NetGalley
This is another “small town” story that centers around a Bridal Salon. The book is a stand alone, but it will have a lot more meaning if you’ve read the previous book, “The Wedding Dress”. (Rachel has added the first chapter to this book at the back to whet your appetite if you’ve not read it.) In this Christmas novella, the enchanted dress captures another reluctant bride. This story has the components of overcoming a traumatic experience to rediscovering a love that has been long buried. You’ll be rooting for JoJo to be strong and overcome her fears and for Buck to be persistent. The book only had a couple of scenes that made you think, “Oh, come on, really?” But it is fiction and very enjoyable.
A wonderful book that brings us back to Hearts Bend and the Wedding Shop. JoJo and Buck were great friends in high school, but haven’t seen each other in several years. Both taking paths that they dreamed of when they were younger. Is it all that they were hoping for? What happens when they meet again in Hearts Bend? The famous Wedding Dress gets to make a special appearance in this book as well. It was a wonderful return with a Christmas touch and I was sad to have it come to an end.
I received a free digital copy of this book. All thoughts above are my own.
LOVED this from beginning to end. If you are looking for a lovely Christmas read, or have read the others in this series – you will thoroughly enjoy this book. Rachel Hauck has done it again.
I smiled, laughed out loud, and maybe even shed a few tears of joy throughout the reading of this book. This one is definitely going on my top ten Christmas list for this year!
What’s the word? Perfect! But it’s Rachel Hauck, of course. If you’ve read any of her books from The Wedding Dress series, you know. Full of humor, yet will have you weepy eye with the dress that fits every intended bride no matter her size or height. Sigh. Being a Christmas setting, it seemed more magical.
“From every dark moment, from every trial, every happy moment. I’ve been here all along.”
Rachel Hauck writes emotional heartfelt novels with beautiful characters and message of freedom. This novella is no exception. It is a part of The Wedding Collection series but can definitely be read as a stand-alone (and is not a dual-timeline plot). For those who have been following the series, revisiting the characters from previous books through this one will bring all the nostalgic warmth and fuzzy feelings. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance, you don’t want to miss this novella.
JoJo and Buck, high school best friends, return to their hometown of Hearts Bend, TN for different reasons but end up falling for each other. JoJo has a lot of baggage that she needs to let go and Buck has some insecurity issues that he needs to deal with. Their journey is helped by a wonderful cast of characters who will have you falling in love with Hearts Bend. The ambiance of the Wedding Dress Shop (where JoJo works) during Christmas time will have you sighing with the romance of it all. And the mysterious aura of THE wedding dress will bring you into the other-worldliness of love.
I received a copy of the book from the publisher via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive review. All comments and opinions are solely my own.
This was a charming heartwarming novella in the Wedding Collection series. It was full of love, family and a little Christmas miracle.
I really enjoyed reading this story. It was delightful and enchanting. I remember the wedding dress from previous books and loved how the author keeps having it touch different individuals’ lives.
In this story, we find Jo who has had a traumatic experience, and now she’s just trying to cope with life as best as she can. She believes she can’t trust anyone and isn’t worthy to have a relationship or get married.
Many people in society today feel the same and struggle with these emotions. This book was a sweet story of healing and also brought a sparkle of Christmas to the reader.
Rachel Hauck has written a sweet story, full of wonderful moments. I enjoy reading books she writes because they are well written and flow so smoothly. I couldn’t put it down!
This is a wonderful book to read, I highly recommend you pick it up!
This was an easy read, predictable, but pleasant.
I don’t usually seek out Christmas-themed books, but I thought I’d jump on the bandwagon. Plus, I haven’t read a Rachel Hauck book in a while.
If you’re a fan of Hauck’s books, this won’t disappoint. It’s a simple, sweet love story that brings together some of her other characters from previous books, and while some may be excited about the characters from her other ‘wedding dress’ books, I was giddy over the reference to Dining with Joy (my favorite Hauck book ever).
If you’re looking for a sweet, quick love story this season, I think you’ll enjoy this book.
Rated PG for thematic elements.
Enjoyed this book. It was hard to put down. Like the other books in the series as well.
The Wedding Dress Christmas — I keep saying that I’m gonna stop reading Christmas books, and then the blurb looks all shiny and happy and full of squish. So here we are in October with me reading Christmas novels again! So this one is absolutely adorable!!!! Buck and Jo are something out of a Hallmark Country Christmas Channel special! Enjoy this wonderful holiday miracle about how God really is our Immanuel (God with us)! Happy Reading!
Loved all The Wedding Dress books.
From the first page of The Wedding Dress Christmas, I remembered why I love author Rachel Hauck’s books. She draws readers into this romantic, magical story with her lyrical style of writing, well-developed characters, and deep emotional layering. Yes, this is a novella, but the plot is strong and it was fun to read a Christmas story in February.
I love all books by this author!