"The Wedding Dress" by Rachel Hauck

Charlotte is two months away from her wedding but hasn't found the perfect dress yet, which is odd considering she's the owner of a bridal boutique. Feeling the need to get away for a day and refresh her spirit, Charlotte happens upon an auction where she is mysteriously drawn to an old trunk which has been welded shut. Not knowing what is inside but feeling compelled by a force beyond herself, Charlotte purchases the trunk and eventually opens it to discover a beautiful and perfectly preserved wedding dress. Charlotte begins pursuing clues to help track down the previous owner and uncover the story of such a unique dress.

Alongside Charlotte's tale is the story of Emily, a 1912 bride who was the first to wear the dress. Emily's first love shows up unexpectedly just as she's about to become engaged to a man of high society who can give her and her family every privilege they have ever desired. On top of her mixed emotions about who to marry, Emily is caught in racial tensions at a time when it is still against the law for people with different colored skin to do business together. I'm so thankful that the world has changed so that this ridiculousness is no longer a factor!

As the novel unfolds, readers eventually see the story of the three previous brides who have worn the unusual wedding dress. Each has a different opinion on what the wedding dress means and a different story of how it came to them. As Charlotte unravels the mysteries, could it be that the dress will bring healing and comfort in the present to each who has had it be part of their story? Will Charlotte be the fourth bride to wear it, or will her gift of matching brides to gowns lead her to another woman in need of a miracle?

The storyline of this novel was interesting, and it already doesn't fit into a single genre of fiction, being both historical and contemporary. It borders on speculative, too, with its high use of symbolism. I did enjoy it, but I would have more so had it been a little more straightforward as either a standard or speculative novel. I'm a fan of both, just not so much this odd mixture.

That said, Rachel Hauck is still one fantastic author and I'll be posting my review of her latest release in the next day or two.