Book Description:
Can three sisters stitch their family back together?
Loretta loves running the little village sewing shop in Butterbury. Some of her most precious memories are sitting with her three daughters Daisy, Ginny and Fern, stitching together pieces of material – and their hopes and dreams.
But this Christmas the family is coming apart at the seams: Fern feels like she’s failing at motherhood and marriage, Ginny’s passion for her job as a midwife is fading, Daisy is desperate to prove she ‘ s changed since her wild younger years – and most of all, Loretta seems to be hiding something…
As they come together to create a new festive quilt, the bond between the sisters begins to heal. But when Loretta reveals the real reason she’s brought them all home, can the sisters mend the quilt, and their family, in time for Christmas?
Full of kindness, community and festive magic, this is a treat to curl up with this Christmas! Perfect for fans of Cathy Bramley, Jenny Colgan and Ali McNamara
My Thoughts:
Set in a quaint little village, this is a story that has alternating chapters between mum, Loretta, and her three daughters, Daisy, Ginny and Fern. All the three daughters are different in character and since their dad’s death, they have not been as close. Christmas is a time when they all get together to spend it as a family. You get a sense of Christmas throughout the novel which I especially loved and it had me starting to feel festive.
Loretta and Daisy run the family shop which sells everything to do with sewing that is possible. It sounded like an Aladdin’s cave for anyone who is quite arty and likes to knit and sew. I like that the central hub of the village felt like it was the shop as it’s not often the case and was lovely to have it be somewhere different. Throughout the story, we get to know this family better and what their hopes and dreams are. If anything, it is a reminder that at times it is good to take a step back and re-evaluate where you are in life.
The making of the festive quilt was something I especially enjoyed. I loved how creating something brings people together. At times I felt like Loretta, filled with love for these women who all stole a piece of my heart. Along with the sense of family, there are a couple of love interests just to get the readers heart fluttering with the promise of romance. It was everything I would have hoped for from this genre of novel.
Christmas at the Village Sewing Shop is a heart-warming and wonderful read set at the festive time of the year. It’s definitely the perfect read to snuggle up on the sofa with and lose yourself into. For me it shows the true meaning of family and whilst all families hit some bumps along the way, it’s the strong bond that ties everyone altogether and the being there for each other that made this an uplifting read that left me with a smile on my face and bursting with joy!
My thanks to Anne Cater for an invite to be part of the blog tour. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
About the author:
Helen Rolfe writes contemporary women’s fiction and enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and community. Characters often face challenges and must fight to overcome them, but above all, Helen’s stories always have a happy ending.
To learn more about Helen visit her on Twitter @HJRolfe or at www.helenjrolfe.com
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