price：$7.53
Berkley Trade
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Ok but Not Great) 『The story was ok, but not very exciting or attention grabbing. The development of the friendship between all the people was great. The romance between Emma and Jack was all right but not as developed as the previous book and not what I come to expect from Nora Roberts. I will purchase the other books because of the friendship development.』
(Worth waiting for!!!) 『I am a huge fan of Nora Roberts, and especially enjoy reading any of her series. After reading Visons In White, I pre-ordered Bed of Roses as soon as it was available, and read it the day it arrived! It a wonderful, feel good story, and I will now axiously await the next in the series.』
(Love it!) 『I love, love, LOVE this series! Can't wait to see what happens next. . . Thank you, Nora Roberts!』
(Disappointing) 『I loved Visions in White and had great expectations for the second book in NB's Bride Quartet, Bed of Roses. But I'm afraid I have to agree with the reviewers who said that Emma is annoying and the conflict between the two main characters was not enough to sustain the reader's interest in the story. The hero and heroine, Jack and Emma, actually bored me. The plot, what there was of it, bored me. I found their fight at the end ridiculous and if I felt any sympathy, it was for the much maligned Jack. Emma definitely over-stepped her boundaries and behaved like a spoiled toddler when he reacted in a way that seemed totally justified to me. In the end, I just didn't understand why he would want to marry her.』
(ho hum) 『I waited seven months for Bed of Roses after loving Vision in White. Lacks the umph of the first book. If Bed of Roses had been the first book, I probably wouldn't have continued with the series. The biggest conflict 2/3 of the way into the story is family friend Del's problem with his best friend and his sister's best friend dating. His issue with their dating is disturbing ... he's got stalker tendencies but I can't tell for sure if it's for Jack or for Emma or maybe both.』 『Love blooms in the second novel in Nora Roberts's celebrated Bride Quartet series.
As little girls MacKensie, Emma, Laurel, and Parker spent hours acting out their perfect make believe "I do" moments. Years later their fantasies become reality when they start their own wedding planning company to make every woman's dream day come true. With perfect flowers, delicious desserts, and joyful moments captured on film, Nora Roberts's Bride Quartet shares each woman's emotionally magical journey to romance.
In Bed of Roses, florist Emma Grant is finding career success with her friends at Vows wedding planning company, and her love life appears to be thriving. Though men swarm around her, she still hasn't found Mr. Right. And the last place she's looking is right under her nose.
But that's just where Jack Cooke is. He's so close to the women of Vows that he's practically family, but the architect has begun to admit to himself that his feelings for Emma have developed into much more than friendship. When Emma returns his passion—kiss for blistering kiss—they must trust in their history…and in their hearts.
price：$3.92
Brava
Not yet published Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Page Turner) 『This book has a fast moving plot and kept me turning the pages. The characters keep revealing more and more about themselves throughout the book. The plot does get a little slow toward the middle of the book, but still a worthwhile read.』
(Romantic Excellence - again!) 『Kingdom Trahan could not have imagined in his wildest dreams that his cousin Simon's marriage would affect his own life so dramatically. After giving in to Micky Ferrer-Baptiste's coaxing and agreeing to do a commercial photo shoot for Ferrer Fragrances, he's thrown together with Cady Kowalski, the only make up artist on the shoot who will put up with his bad attitude. Relieved when the shoot wraps up, King is happy to jump in his truck and head back to the Louisiana bayou. When Cady jumps in too he's determined to get rid of her, going so far as to physically remove her and her belongings. As soon as he gets a good look at her battered face and realizes that she's in serious need of protection, he gathers her and her bags back into the truck and they hit the road. When Cady's pursuers and then the feds attach themselves to the couple, Cady's more than just a little thankful for King's resourcefulness and his determination to keep her safe. It's been a long, lonely time since anyone has shown genuine concern for her. Their relationship quickly heats up making it even more difficult for King when he realizes there's little chance of catching the bad guys unless Cady is used as bait. King isn't shy when it comes to seduction and pleasure, but the unfamiliar emotions that have reared up since he's been with Cady are making him more than just a little uncomfortable. At the same time, Cady's feeling guilty about King taking so many risks on her behalf. Her increasing affection for him has her questioning whether she should take off on her own. She hasn't trusted anyone for so long that his kindness and attention are confusing and have her inherently on guard. Once again Alison Kent has crafted a story that is uniquely original and possesses qualities that readers have come to expect from her. The action gathers momentum from the very beginning and the suspense escalates as the story continues. King and Cady are not your typical hero or heroine - while he is extremely protective of her, his passion for her is almost fierce; gritty and raw. Cady may appear delicate and fragile with her near-broken body and jagged emotions, but she gives as good as she gets from King, making his seduction, and his heart, her very own. I highly recommend WITH EXTREME PLEASURE to all readers who enjoy heated, satisfying romance wrapped in action and adventure. 』 『After three weeks in Manhattan, Kingdom Trahan is ready to get back to bayous, crawfish boils, and afternoons fishing on the Gulf. But before he can pull out of the parking garage, he meets a curvy detour. King noticed Cady Kowalski on the photo shoot he just endured - sexy and confident, with a waifish look that belies the way she corralled him into submission using only a can of hairspray. Yet Cady isn't confident now. She's bruised, edgy, and desperate to get out of town...For years, Cady has been looking over her shoulder, wondering when the gang of drug-running criminals who killed her brother would make their move on her. She's grown used to having no one to turn to, no one to trust. But King isn't walking away - not even when their lives are threatened, again and again. Drawing Cady's pursuers out of hiding is the only way to end this, and it's also the most reckless thing they can do...short of diving into a red-hot affair from which there's no turning back...』
price：$17.06
Thorndike Press
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Disappointing) 『I have never read a Brenda Jackson offering before and this one did not lure me to try another. Predictable and boring. The story lacked depth and was just not believeable. The sex starved might like it, but anyone looking for a more than that should stay away from this one.』
(LOVED it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) 『This book was soooooo good! i was so wrapped up in it i couldn't put it down the characters pull you in and the sex involved WOW!!!!!!!!!! i want a Dominic of my own and a week on an island just for sex!!!!! HOT HOT HOT!!!!!!!!!!!』
(Too Expensive At $0) 『I was driven to finish this book by the same impulse that drives people to rubberneck at horrific traffic accidents.
Many romance novels lack an interesting plot but the characters in this story were so one-dimensional as to be nearly transparent and the plot as flimsy as wet tissue. The author's mishandling of biology is overshadowed only by her mishandling of the English language. I still can't quite figure out how this book became published in paperback, but the scariest thing of all is that it appears to be one of a series.
A word to the wise: Never read a book that contains the sentence, "His tongue was a weapon of mass seduction."』
(What??) 『At least it was a free download... eeek really trite and boring. It seems like the writer had a lot of sex scenes in a file and thew them all together to make a book. Romace moments are great but I need some plot to them and like them spaced out more. Constant climax sences are redundant. Also, baby making excuse for a plot seems a bit far fetched in regards to the situation presented with the personalities characters.. Bleh.
Intersting premece though. Could be a decent idea if executed better.』
(nauseating) 『This book should be triple X rated because it's little more than porn tied together with the thinnest of plot. The characters were flat and uninteresting and I don't recommend to anyone unless you like a book that is just a series of sex scenes.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Need a 3 1/2 star rating!) 『I liked this book, but not enough for 4 stars. It was light, fun and free. It did have some suspense which was enjoyable enough for me to buy the other 2 books in the series. Unless you LOVE this one, don't do that. They are all the same, just different sisters. Talk about having a formula! This series is nearly identical book to book. One would have been enough.』
(Good enough for a freebie, but I wouldn't pay for it) 『This was not a bad story, kind of a light romance/light mystery with a little Christianity thrown in. The setting is great, the plot kind of stale, the characters mediocre and not really exciting. I am not a huge fan of religion in my books, but she doesn't hammer it to death too much and you can quickly cruise over those parts if they bug you. It's okay for a freebie and a nice enough way to spend a boring, rainy afternoon.』
(Great read!) 『If you want a synopsis of the book, read other reviews or the purchase page. I simply want to tell you my reaction to the book. The mystery story line is very good with lots of twists and turns. The underlying romance is sweet and unlike so many books doesn't hammer you with sex and bad language. The references to faith are inspiring also. I liked it so much that I bought the other two books in this series so I could find out what happened to the main characters' two sisters. Fun, fast exhilerating reading.』
(Boring Romance, low suspense, nice setting) 『As romance goes, it wasn't that great. I downloaded it since it was free and I was trying out the Kindle app on my IPhone. The app works great, but everything else about the story was very formula driven. The "inspired" means Christian, which I didn't know and was not inspiring to me. Now I know to avoid the "inspired" genre. The stuff about the Amish was interesting, a little shallow. The settings were nicely written.』
(Light and uplifting) 『I enjoyed this book because I am fascinated with the simple life, and it was free. It was a good sample to see if I wanted to order the other books in the series. I did purchase the others, but by the time I got to the third, although it contained some surprises, the underlying theme was so repetitive, that I decided to go on to another author next time.
For a clean, light read, I can recommend this series.』 『
She couldn't turn her back on her family in their time of need. So when her sister was injured, financial expert Andrea Hampton traded the big city for Amish country to help turn her grandmother's house into an inn.
But life with the Plain People took a treacherous turn when a string of accidents and pranks threatened her family. Someone didn't want the secrets the old house harbored to come to light. Trusting anyone-- even the handsome carpenter who seemed so genuine--was a battle for Andrea, but her life depended on her ability to find the truth.
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (A wonderful little story) 『A beautiful little love story, about a young teacher and her high school students getting lost in the middle of a snow storm and finding a cozy lodge, run by a war veteran, who also has post-traumatic disorder.The story is cute and an easy read, there is romance, teenagers and a nicely described winter scene. If you are looking for an easy read you will enjoy this book.』
(Overanalyzed to death....) 『The price was right -- $.00, but the read was torturous. Every look or thought or comment by each character was a dreary stream of consciousness that destroyed the flow of an otherwise interesting, though predictable story.』
(Clean it up!) 『I haven't read a lot of romance novels, so maybe this is a common thing, but I thought there were way too many curse words. There must have been a curse word in almost every paragraph. I've read some other romance, and there wasn't this much cursing. It was a pretty good story, but I don't plan on reading this author again. I did give it three stars because I liked the characters and the theme of the story. I just wish the author would have cleaned up the language a little bit. I'm glad it was a freebie.』
(When your not expecting more...) 『This book is great for when you are between other books, waiting at the doctors office and things of that nature. If you want an easy light read than this is for you. It is predictable yet gently entertaining. Very simple and relaxed. Sometimes your in the mood for a light weight love story and not to heavy or complicated story line and this fits the bill.』
(Snowbound) 『Good description of a teacher's concerns, responsibilities, and desires as she juggles her professional and private lives. I enjoyed this book and it's realistic depiction of making a romance work in the face of adversity. A good read!』 『Living through the winter months often means being at the mercy of the elements. In these three cozy novels, three reluctant heroines find themselves in a blizzard, stranded together with three irresistible heroes. But our heroines soon discover that the coldest weather can sometimes spark the warmest heat of passion. Republished titles.』
price：$10.20
Random House Audio
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Do not buy or borrow...) 『I'm a fan of Linda Howard, but I gotta say, this book is a complete joke. Don't even waste your time or money. Not only is it too short (finished it in under an hour), it's completely unrealistic. You literally need to check logic at the door if you read this book.
』
(Was really looking forward to a good read but was let down) 『Linda Howard is one of my favorite authors so I was really looking forward to spending a nice evening with a great read. When I picked up the book I was disappointed that it was a short story masquerading as a hard-back novel but bought it anyway because I have always enjoyed her books.
I guess I should have read the reviews first... The characters were flat, the story was formulatic, and after finishing the book I felt like I had just wasted an hour (it is really short!) and $16. Now I still have the evening wide open and am wishing I had tried out a new author instead of going with a story that felt like a twenty-year old first draft that was found in the bottom of a desk drawer and freshened up for quick publication.』
(Sad little book from a great author) 『I am sad that Linda Howard released such a lacking book. I usually love her books and eagerly await the next. The characters were unsympathetic, the plot skimpy, and the cost was too high for such a short and disappointing book. C'mon, Linda! You can do better!』
(Such a disappointment) 『 I have always enjoyed Linda Howard's books and looked forward to Ice coming out, but like the other reviewers' I finished it in a couple of hours, couldn't figure how the couple fell in love, the plot seemed unlikely, and there was no suspense of any kind. It was such a disappointment.』
(undeveloped) 『Seemed more like a bad Lifetime movie than a book,disappointed I shelled out the money.』 『’Tis the season for mistletoe and holly, Santa . . . and suspense. And the gift that keeps on giving isIce: premier thriller author Linda Howard’s breathless tale of a man, a woman, and a battle for survival against an unforgiving winter–and an unrelenting killer. Oh what fun it is to read.
Gabriel McQueen has only just arrived home on holiday leave from the service when his county-sheriff father sends him back out again with new marching orders. A brewing ice storm, and a distant neighbor who’s fallen out of contact, have the local lawman concerned. So he enlists Gabriel to make the long haul to the middle of nowhere, and make sure Lolly Helton is safe and sound. It’s a trip the younger McQueen would rather not make given the bitter winter weather–and the icy conditions that havealways existed between him and Lolly.
But there’s no talking back when your dad is the town’s top cop. And there’ s no turning back when night falls just as Gabriel arrives–and discovers that the weather outside isn’t the only thing that’s frightful. Spotting strangers in Lolly’ s home–one of them packing a weapon–is all it takes to kick Gabriel into combat mode. And his stealth training is all he needs to extract Lolly from the house without alerting her captors. But when the escape is discovered, the heat–and the hunt–are on. And the winter woods are nowhere to be once the ice storm touches down, dropping trees, blocking roads, and trapping the fleeing pair in the freezing dark.』
Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (great) 『I'm not a huge romance reader but it was free for the kindle. It suprised me how much I like the story. I am excited to read the next one.』
(Romantic, yet toooo touchy.) 『Wonderful romance. This book has romance that you can actually imagine. For example the end is very memorable and true love was found. Even though things got wayyyy too touchy,the romance was awesome :)』
(super steamy but lacks substance) 『I've read several of the books that were offered for free, and was pleasantly surprised by how good they were. However, I was very disappointed with this one. First, I thought the initial introduction to Janice and Penny in the first chapter was excellent and I looked forward to further development of these characters. However, they never showed up again in the book! I will have to give the author credit in the massive vocabulary category because I've never read so many pages of intimate scenes with such a wide variety of words used to describe body parts, without actually stating the body part by its actual name. Her intimate scenes were steamy for certain and well-written. I just wish there had actually been some semblance of a plot in between them. The character development was extremely shallow which was a very big disappointment after the interesting first chapter, or perhaps I should say that the actual characters were incredibly shallow. Whether or not the heroine actually learned anything about true love through her family history and personal experience is debatable because her relationship with Jake was based purely on mutual passion, satisfying her selfish desires and not much else. Maddie was right to doubt whether or not she could have a lasting relationship with Jake, because there was no foundation to base a lasting relationship on. At first I thought that this book was probably written by a man, because what man wouldn't want a hot babe that jumped him every chance she got, but there has to be more than that to make a relationship last. Personally, I prefer reading about women who catch their men through friendship and commitment before hopping in the sack with them.』
(Slow Hands) 『Nice ending for a case of mistaken identity.Especially if you end up with a hunk..Nice and steamy. A++』
(Wholly enjoyable) 『While not breaking any new ground, this is a nice little book with some steamy scenes that are above average.』 『His price? Pure pleasure...This is Maddy Turner's lucky day. The civilized society girl just bid on sexy rogue Jake Wallace at a charity bachelor auction and won! But Maddy knows Jake's dirty little secret. And it should keep her from trying out her new boy toy. Too bad she can't stop herself from indulging in raw, quite uncivilized sex all the same....
Jake Wallace is utterly bewitched by Maddy and utterly bewildered. How can this tantalizing woman melt so rapturously under his ministrations one moment, then turn into a haughty queen the next? He's determined to get to the bottom of Maddy's agenda. One slow, delicious inch at a time...
price：$92.97
Brilliance Audio on CD Unabridged Lib Ed
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Vision in White) 『Another good series by Nora Roberts, romantic, dreamy, possible. Looking forward to reading the next three.』
(sweet and back to basics) 『I thought this book was a sweet, simple romance with a really sweet guy as the hero of the novel and a nice friendship going between the four girlfriends. I am not sure why people gave the book such poor reviews. I'm at least glad Nora Roberts is focusing on the romance rather than something paranormal.』
(Love Nora Roberts but...) 『I love Nora Roberts. I haven't read her books in awhile and while searching my kindle, I found this book. I have to say for me, it was a bit of a let down. This was a fun and easy read but very predictable. That being said it was a quick read with a ton of detail. The detail Nora Roberts uses makes you feel as though you are there. If you are looking for a quick read or a happy book, this is for you. I do look forward to reading the rest.』
(my first Nora Roberts book, but definitely not my last!) 『This was the first book by Nora Roberts I've read and I have to say that I will probably read more by her. Mackenzie Elliot is a partner in a wedding planning business with her 3 best friends. They all live on the same estate where the weddings are hosted and each partner has a different job (Mac's is the photographer). She ends up running into a high school friend, who had a huge crush on her back then, during his sister's wedding planning. Basically, it is a light, quick, fun romantic read :) I enjoyed this book, although the parts where Mac's selfish, careless, spoiled mother came in really bothered me!』
(A comfortable and humorous contemporary ramonce) 『Vision in White was a very pleasant change for me. I have been reading and reviewing a number of novels recently that are filled with stressful situations, violent murders, and gratuitous offensive language. This was a nice breath of fresh air. As others have noted, the story - and the series - revolves around Vows, an upscale wedding planning company run by four women who have been practicing wedding planning since they were pre-teens. Mac Elliot is the photographer in the group, and she meets Carter, the male protagonist when he literally knocks himself out at the door to her studio. Roberts' characters seem real, and the situations reflect that reality. Some situations stress them, some are quite humorous, and occasionally there are the superb word pictures that Roberts' does so well. For example, Carter's description of high school as "...a war of politics and personalities set off by the cannon fire of hormones" took me back almost 60 years to my own high school days, as well as reminding me of my children's teen years. This is a great book to read while you sit on a deck overlooking the beach and relax.』 『#1 New York Times bestselling author Nora Roberts cordially invites you to meet childhood friends Parker, Emma, Laurel, and Mac– the founders of Vows, one of Connecticut’s premier wedding planning companies.
After years of throwing make-believe weddings in the backyard, flowers, photography, desserts, and details are what these women do best: a guaranteed perfect, beautiful day full of memories to last the rest of your life.
With bridal magazine covers to her credit, Mackensie“Mac” Elliot is most at home behind the camera – ready to capture the happy moments she never experienced while growing up. Her father replaced his first family with a second, and now her mother, moving on to yet another man, begs Mac for attention and money. Mac’s foundation is jostled again moments before an important wedding planning meeting when she bumps into the bride-to-be’s brother…an encounter that has them both seeing stars.
Carter Maguire is definitely not her type: he’s stable, and he’s safe. He’s even an English teacher at their high school alma mater. There’s something about him that makes Mac think a casual fling is just what she needs to take her mind off dealing with bride-zillas and screening her mother’s phone calls. But a casual fling can turninto something more when you least expect it. And with the help of her three best friends – and business partners – Mac must learn how to make her own happy memories…』
price：$6.99
Thorndike Press
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Disappointing book) 『I had a newsletter from Debbie Macomber assuring me that I would love this book, that she laughed and cried when writing it. I didn't crack a smile thru the whole book, and certainly didn't tear up. I found the entire book to be silly and disappointing. I like a lot of what Macomber writes- her house number series is interesting and I like the continuing characters in it. I liked the Dakota series also. But the Christmas books never do it for me. I read a whole lot of books every year, and Macomber's Christmas books just don't seem like she puts the effort into them. I'm so glad I got the book out of the library, rather than investing in it.
Holly in south jersey』
(The Perfect Christmas) 『 I haven't read the complete book at this time as I'm sving it for Christmas reading. MS Macomber's books are always good reading.』
(predictable fluff) 『This isn't up to the standards of most of Macomber's Blossom Street series. Mildly enjoyable for a quick read, but very predictable, and as someone else mentioned, Harlequin-ish. I hope her next one has more to it.』
(Excellent Macomber Read) 『Classic Macomber Christmas story, but very good nonetheless! A quick easy read, very enjoyable.』
(Nothings perfect. . . but) 『Nothing is perfect, but this book is the perfect way to spend an afternoon. A quick read, the ending is completely predictable, but I still loved this book. Sweet, funny, touching and delightful.』 『What would makeyourChristmas perfect?
For Cassie Beaumont, it's meeting her perfect match. Cassie, at thirty-three, wants a husband and kids, and so far, nothing's worked. Not blind dates, not the Internet and certainly not leaving love to chance.
What's left? A professional matchmaker. He's Simon Dodson, and he'sverychoosy about the clients he takes on. Cassie finds Simon a di[fb03] cult, acerbic know-it-all, and she's astonished when he accepts her as a client.
Claiming he has her perfect mate in mind, Simon assigns her three tasks to complete before she meets him. Three tasks that are all about Christmas: being a charity bell ringer, dressing up as Santa's elf at a children's party and preparing a traditional turkey dinner for her neighbors (whom she happens to dislike). Despite a number of comical mishaps, Cassie does it all—and she's finally ready to meet her match.
But just like the perfect Christmas gift, he turns out to be a wonderful surprise!』
price：$59.99
Playaway
Usually ships in 24 hours Core2Duoノートレビュー 's review (Knit 2.5) 『This book is a great little story for the holiday season. I enjoy Kate Jacob's books enormously. Everyone knows that any slim volume with a shiny red cover appearing in the stores around Halloween is going to be a cute, fluttery holiday tale. So with the expectations set, I looked forward to reading it to find out what the Friday Night Knitting Club had been up to lately.
This book captures the warmth and spirit of the holiday season and what it means to Dakota to share time with family and friends. This third book is also a great segue to future installments which I look forward to. It also gives more history and background for each of the characters so that Jacobs can develop her base of fans for the next book in the series. I love the flashbacks from each of the characters. They permit the reader to rediscover each player. Every character is different, but they each share the love of friendship. This story is a warm and wonderful light read for this time of the year. Eggnog, anyone?』
(Enjoyable, But Not as Good as the First Two (Slight spoilers, but no big plot reveals)) 『I really enjoyed TFKNC and I liked Knit Two, but admittedly a little less than the original. The third book seems to be a little more "phoned in." I agree with the reviewer who said that the characters are more two-dimensional here, and have lost some of their spark, particularly Anita. I found the entire plot with her son Nathan - just a plot device to provide conflict -- entirely unbelievable. I thought Jacobs did a better job trying to humanize Nathan (a very little bit) in Knit Two than in this book, where his actions are entirely unbelievable, and Anita's lack of backbone makes no sense. Part of the appeal of TFKNC is that readers can see themselves in some, or even all, of the characters. Of course I know people who had trouble with their parents remarrying, but I know no one who acts like Nathan or has a son like him. It was jarring.
Not trying to give spoilers here, but it's clear from the book description that a component of this novel are "memories" of Georgia. I found them contrived and not very compelling -- personally, I prefer my own memories of the Georgia I "met" in TFKNC over these little over-simplified, slightly schmaltzy vignettes. I also dislike some of the hackneyed narrative techniques she uses in this book and Knit Two, such as characters slipping into reveries (aka our insight into their memories, feelings, etc.) and then being interrupted with the way overused novel line, "Earth to So-and-so! Where were you?" If a character is going to give us info via a daydream, just do it already! You don't need to create a fake conversation around it.
On the positive side, although I didn't exactly believe it, I like the focus Jacobs places on Catherine and the growth of her character through the second and third books.
Overall, it was a light read and a fun, warm holiday catch-up with old friends, but a bit like visiting people you haven't seen in a while, and then you're not exactly sure why you were drawn to them to begin with. 』
(Underwhelming ...) 『I actually pre-ordered this book ... that's how much I enjoyed Kate Jacobs' first two installments in the "Friday Night Knitting Club" series, as well as her book "Comfort Food". However, unlike the other readers who have thus far reviewed "Knit the Season" here, I was somewhat disappointed in the end product this time.
Knit the Season is not a *bad* book, but it's also not a terrific one. Some of the plot elements were contrived and overly-predictable, and the author's use of flashback scenes/dialogue (snippets from various points in Georgia's life) was - to me - an irritating, extraneous interruption. For all of the characters' zeal about telling Dakota unvarnished stories about her mother, these flashbacks still paint a picture of Georgia as largely saint-like; the first book did a much better job at fleshing out her character and providing insights into the woman she was. Presumably, since Dakota was not a young child when her mother died, her memories of her mother would have provided her with a much more realistic snapshot of the woman than the vignettes that the flashback segments produce.
If I hadn't read the first two books, I would have pegged the characters here as two-dimensional. Dakota's "passion" for baking and her desire to ultimately pursue a career as a pastry chef - which was quirky, charming, and just one facet of her personality in the previous books - reaches nearly obsessive proportions throughout most of the book. Dakota also tends to stay "in her own head" a great deal. It would have been interesting (and more illuminating) to see her interact with her classmates or her teachers, but her interactions in the book are virtually limited to those that involve her family and the "knitters" although she is purportedly a full-time student. Anita is a spineless simp who allows her son to dictate her life. The spirit and "spark" that characterized her in the previous books is missing here. Catherine waffles back and forth about committing to her long-distance paramour, due to her inability to reconcile retaining her independence with being in a relationship. Professor-and-mom-to-twins Darwin and producer-and-single-mom Lucie - two of the more-interesting characters in the previous books - are, here, reduced to looking on from the periphery as their families share a duplex and each wonders how to let the other know that sometimes there's such a thing as too much togetherness.
You get the idea.
Kudos do go to Jacobs for including a brief but pivotal scene set at a Chanukah party given by Anita and her beau; it was nice to see the holiday included as more than an afterthought. However, I think I'd have preferred a better-conceived plot that wasn't shaped around the holiday season.
In sum, an unremarkable albeit quick read, with predictable outcomes. I wouldn't mind revisiting the Club, but I hope that next time there is a more compelling story to tell. Based upon her other books, Kate Jacobs seems to be a talented author, and this is not a bad book - it's just not a terrific one. I recommend reading the first two books in the series before heading into this one. And I recommend Jacobs' "Comfort Food" as a superior alternative that better showcases her talent.』
(Bursting at the Seams with Feel-Good Stories) 『Knitters often have conflicted feelings when it comes to the winter holidays. Sure, it's fun to knit handmade gifts for family and friends, but it's also all too easy to bite off more than you can chew, making up an overly ambitious gift list that results in a lot of late-night secretive knitting to get those items finished in time for gift giving. At times, Kate Jacobs's third novel, KNIT THE SEASON, can feel a bit frantic, too, as she ambitiously tries to keep up with the dozen or so characters whose lives she chronicles. However, in the spirit of the holidays, readers will probably count themselves lucky to have a book that's bursting at the seams with feel-good stories --- kind of like having a house full of holiday merrymakers.
KNIT THE SEASON starts about a year after the events of KNIT TWO, the sequel to THE FRIDAY NIGHT KNITTING CLUB. At the center of the novel is Dakota Walker. Dakota's mother, Georgia, was the heroine of Jacobs's debut and the founding member of the knitting club in question. In many ways --- even though she died at the close of the first novel --- Georgia is still at the center of the club as its members and their friends and family recall Georgia's influence in numerous vignettes scattered throughout the book. Dakota, who was a precocious preteen baker at the series' open, is now an increasingly ambitious young woman.
Dakota's dreams of becoming a professional pastry chef (and of renovating the Walker&Daughter knitting shop into a knitting café featuring her homemade goodies) are in sight thanks to her enrollment at culinary school and an upcoming internship in a hotel kitchen. She is also committed to working on the book of knitting patterns her mom left behind in the hopes of publishing it someday. But Dakota's ambitions are complicated by business partner Peri's decision to make a big career move of her own --- not to mention by her dad's new romance and her own conflict between family devotion and career aspirations.
As Dakota finds her way, she is surrounded by women --- KC, Anita, Darwin, Lucie, Peri and Catherine --- who are unfailingly supportive but also deeply involved in their own lives' journeys. It's clear that Georgia's spirit is what continues to keep these diverse women together (the touching vignettes about Georgia take up an increasingly large portion of the narrative), but they also have their own lives to lead, lives that were often sent in different directions thanks to Georgia's influence.
It's unclear at the end of the novel if Jacobs will continue to follow the wildly changing fortunes of the original Friday Night Knitting Club, but readers will certainly hope to check in on their lives from time to time, even though they may soon be spread across two continents and several time zones. No matter what, Jacobs's fans will be sure to find time for KNIT THE SEASON this holiday season, regardless of how many gifts-in-waiting they have on their needles.
--- Reviewed by Norah Piehl』
(A Warming holiday read) 『This was a great read for the holiday season. I know that a lot of people are like me, and enjoy the break from our normal reads at this time of the year. This book captures the warmth and spirit of the holiday season to share with family and friends. This is the third book in the series and I had to go read the first two books before reading this. It's not necessary, but it gives you more history and background for each of the characters. I love the flashbacks from each of the characters and it helps with the reasons of their choices in life. Every character is different, but they each share a meaning and love of friendship. A truly warm and wonderful read for this time of the year.』 『Unabridged CDs, 8 CDs, 9 hours
Read by TBA
A warm holiday story about knitting, friendship, and family,Knit the Seasonfeatures flashback stories about Georgia, the beloved founder of the Walker and Daughter shop. It's a must-have for anyone who loves knitting, the holidays, andThe Friday Night Knitting Club.
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