A Good Yarn (Blossom Street, No. 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Debbie Macomber (Author) "Knitting saved my life..." (more)
Key Phrases: sock class, two circular needles, heel flap, Debbie Macomber, Blossom Street, Warm Up America (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Macomber revisits the cozy Seattle yarn store of 2004's The Shop on Blossom Street in another heartfelt tale of crafts and camaraderie. After a slow beginning, this sequel clips along satisfyingly, as shop owner Lydia, a cancer survivor, and her no-nonsense sister, Margaret, meet three new and conveniently quite different friends and bond over the complications of life. Overweight, depressed teenager Courtney Pulanski has found herself plopped into a new town for her senior year, living with her grandma while her dad works in Brazil. Bethanne Hamlin, a recent divorcée, and Elise Beaumont, who's been single for years, are both still suffering from their broken marriages. Serving as sounding boards and sources of endless support for each other, the women find friendship and, of course, resolution for their problems (the latter a little too easily). Readers will miss The Shop on Blossom Street's spirited Jacqueline, who plays a minor role here, and a few things—like the character of Elise's ex-husband, Maverick—strain credibility. But the author's trademark warm treatment of the lives of women will satisfy her readers. Despite occasional draughts of treacle and a too-easy denouement, this should be another Macomber bestseller. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist
Following on the success of The Shop on Blossom Street (2005), Macomber offers another tale of women meeting and becoming good friends in a knitting class. When Lydia Hoffman, owner of A Good Yarn, offers a class in knitting socks, Elise Beaumont, a self--contained and efficient divorced woman in her sixties, appears. Embroiled in a lawsuit, she has little patience with the foibles of others. Meanwhile, Bethanne Hamlin's husband left her for another woman on Valentine's Day. Bethanne's spent her life making a good home for her family, and now, bereft of self-esteem and support, she has to find a job. And, finally, there's Courtney Pulanski, who's come to live with her grandmother for her senior year of high school. After her mother's death four years ago, Courtney went a little wild and stuffed all her emotions down with food; now she's alone, overweight, and unhappy. But soon an unbreakable bond is formed among the knitters in this sweet and poignant story of real women with real problems becoming real friends. Maria Hatton
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 400 pages
• Publisher: Mira (May 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0778322955
• ISBN-13: 978-0778322955
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (74 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,832 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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• This is item 2 in The Blossom Street Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure! Very heartwarming!, April 29, 2005

By	Sharon Galligar Chance (Wichita Falls, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Yarn (Blossom Street, No. 2) (Hardcover)

There's something so soothing about knitting - the sweet clicking of needles weaving yarn into items made with love. It's a very calming hobby and it's no wonder that the beloved craft has made a resurgence in popularity. So it makes perfect sense for best selling author Debbie Macomber to combine her love of knitting and writing as she takes her readers on a trip back to revisit the lovely little yarn shop on Blossom Street in her latest novel, "A Good Yarn."

Lydia Hoffman opened her shop, A Good Yarn, a year ago as a celebration in her life of overcoming cancer twice in her young life. The shop was met with great success, and Lydia had found contentment in her life as she taught her beloved knitting classes and renewed her friendship with her sister Margaret who came to work with her. She also found love with deliveryman Brad Goetz and they planned to be married one day soon.

But life has a way of throwing monkey-wrenches into the best lives, and Lydia soon finds herself dealing with heartache as Brad announces that he is back on speaking terms with his ex-wife. As Lydia reels from this crisis-of-the-heart, her sister Margaret is also dealing with problems in her own homelife, and their mother is beginning to experience declining health problems that keep both sisters busy dealing with her care. But as always, her optimism for life, her love for and of family and friends, and her knitting carry Lydia through this rough bump in her life.

Customers of Lydia's shop flock to her store to find the best yarns and advice on knitting, but they also find warmth and friendship among the threads. In interweaving stories, three new ladies join Lydia's sock knitting class, and although they are all from diverse backgrounds and ages, they soon find a connection to each other as they click their needles away.

Elise Beaumont has recently retired as a school librarian, but
finds her dreams of owning her own home dashed as a con-artist makes off with her investment money. Forced to move in with her daughter, Elise is dismayed when it is announced that her ex-husband, a gambler who had been out of her life for many years, would be paying the family an extended visit. Would their former affection for each other resurface, or would old wounds still be tender? Elise finds an escape in her knitting and joins the sock class as a way of avoiding the tense situations at home.

Bethanne Hamlin thought she had a perfect life - a wonderful husband, nice home, and great kids. Then her world was turned upside down when her husband leaves her for a younger woman, and the stay-at-home mom must learn to make ends meet. As her daughter rebels and the financial situation declines, Bethanne splurges on a knitting class as a way of saving a little of her sanity. As she becomes acquainted with the class, she finds not only friendship but encouragement to pursue her dreams.

It seemed unusual for a teenager to be enrolled in knitting classes, but Courtney Pulanski's grandmother thought it would be good for Courtney to try this new activity, in addition to the swimming classes with her senior citizens class. The young girl has come to live with her grandmother while her father is working out of the country, and is somewhat depressed and overweight. Courtney soon finds a sense of accomplishment in her knitting and is surprised to find that the swimming and a new hobby of bike-riding is actually helping her physical appearance as well. When she befriends Bethanne's daughter and son, life takes on a new dynamic that makes it more bearable than the teen could have imagined.

The ladies from Macomber's book, "The Shop on Blossom Street," make appearances at the shop, interacting with the new ladies and bringing a sense of continuity to the story that I personally hope will continue in future books. (hint, hint!)

"A Good Yarn" is a heart-warming book that evokes laughter and tears. Macomber is a wonderful storyteller with legions of fans both in the reading world and now in the knitting world. This book includes patterns for knitting socks and sage advice from knitting experts sprinkled throughout, tying the story together as neatly as knit one, purl one. Knitters and lovers of women's fiction will find a treasure in among the stitches of this tale.

Sharon Galligar Chance
Wichita Falls Times Record News

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars She's done it again!, July 22, 2005

By	Tonya Speelman "Hoarder of books" (Goldendale WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Yarn (Blossom Street, No. 2) (Hardcover)

This book just left right off and I couldn't have been more pleased. Truly money well spent on such a wonderful story about friendships, love, and family. Although once again you can guess for the most part what is going to happen, there are a few surprises.

This book tells us what is going on with Lydia and Brad, a little bit about our first three friends and of course Margaret. This book deals quite a bit more about Margaret in fact. The sisterly bond strengthens and parents get older.

We also meet three new people, whom of course become the best of friends, all the while dealing with life's curve balls.

Enjoy!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet, May 23, 2005

By	Sanabella "Bella" - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Good Yarn (Blossom Street, No. 2) (Hardcover)

What a sweet and delightful novel this one is. Very romantic, full of love and generosity....as well as the women in the knitting class. Debbie Macomber has given us a delightful read. One in which i did not want to put down
also read: Full Bloom by Janet Evanovich and the hot-Fire In The Ice by Katlyn Stewart