Jamieson Wolf
Number-one bestselling author
The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown – A Book Review
After being jilted at the altar when her husband to be failed to show for the ceremony, Sybil has been in a bit of a downward spiral. She has been messing up at work and is depressed and lonely, sure that her life as she knew it is over.
The only thing that has brought her any kind of joy is her knitting. There’s nothing more satisfying or comforting than the click clack of knitting, of being able to create something from nothing. She’s always been crazy about all kinds of knit craft. It brings her to a happy place when nothing else can.
When Sybil makes a disastrous mistake at work that could cost Sybil her job, she takes off to visit her best friend Cher. She’s just taken on the position of bar maid at the Duck and Puddle in the picturesque postcard town of Tinledale. It’s the perfect place to escape all of her problems.
What she doesn’t expect to find in such a small village is a shop that caters to all of her knitting desires! Except that Hettie’s House of Habberdahsery is in need of a spruce up! It’s run by Hettie who is having her own woes to deal with: she’s facing the possible closure of her beloved store. Customers have dropped off and sales are almost non-existent!
When the two of them meet, Hettie is inspired by Sybil’s wacky Christmas jumper to try something different. With a bit of yarn and some knitting needles, maybe a Christmas miracle is possible…
I am constantly wowed by Alexandra Brown’s books and this one is my favourite of her books to date. It’s a warm hearted novel full of characters you will grow to love as the book progresses. There’s Lawrence, the owner of the B and B, Cher and her boyfriend Sonny who run the pub, Hetie and Sybil and many more. What I love about Alexandra’s characters is that, by the end of the novel, they’re your friends.
Sybil is a winning protagonist who is on a journey of self-discovery and I cheered for her the whole novel through. It was a delight to watch her shed her insecurities and emerge as the woman she was always meant to be.
What I loved most about this book was the depth and heart that it was written with. It never comes across as saccharine and the characters are dealing with real issues and problems that others will recognize. There is no duex ex machina to save the day, but instead the miracle occurs within the characters themselves.
Also a delight is the fact that you don’t have to know anything about knitting to enjoy the novel, but Alexandra somehow makes the act of knitting exciting. So exciting in fact that I’ve pulled out the scarf I started years ago and have resumed knitting it. I feel like I’m taking part in the Knit and Natter at Hetties, so wonderful is the spell that Alexandra weaves with The Great Christmas Knit Off!
With The Great Christmas Knit Off, Alexandra has really out done herself. You instantly feel as if you’re reading a Christmas classic. It’s got everything you could want in a Christmas read: great characters, heartache turned to joy, a miracle or two plus enough knitted jumpers to make even the biggest Christmas grinch happy! It’s an absolute joy from start to finish and I can’t wait to read it again!
Do yourself a favour this Christmas and read The Great Christmas Knit Off! Knit one, pearl two….
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Jamieson Wolf has written a compelling story about navigating multiple sclerosis and cerebral palsy. His story will touch your heart, make you cry, then laugh, and inspire you. A touching memoir with a bit of magic…and tarot! ~ Theresa Reed, author of The Tarot Coloring Book
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