Published 31st May 2022 by Boldwood Books.
From the cover of the book:
The Little Knitting Box has been in Cleo’s family for nearly four decades, and Cleo’s to manage for four years - ever since she arrived in New York, fresh off the plane from the Cotswolds. But instead of an early Christmas card in the mail this year, she gets a letter that tips her world on its axis. New York was supposed to be her second chance, do people get third chances?Dylan has had a tumultuous few years. His marriage broke down, his mother passed away and he’s been trying to pick up the pieces as a stay-at-home dad. All he wants this Christmas is to give his kids the home and stability they need. But when he meets Cleo, he begins to see it’s not always so easy to move on, especially when his ex seems determined to win him back.
When the snow starts to fall, both Cleo and Dylan realise life is rarely black and white, and both have choices to make. Will Dylan follow his heart or his head? And will Cleo ever allow herself to be a part of another family when her own fell apart at the seams?
Full of snow, love and the true meaning of Christmas, this novel will have you hooked until the final page.
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Cleo has run her grandparents' store The Little Knitting Box in New York for four years, after escaping the heartache of a failed marriage in the UK. She loves the life she has made here, but the arrival of an unexpected letter has suddenly thrown all her plans into disarray. Where does her future lie now, and what should she do about the attraction she feels for Dylan, the man she has just met, who comes with complications of his own?
Dylan is a divorced single father, caring for his two small children after his wife walked out on them. Just when he thinks their lives are on an even keel, his ex-wife says she wants to try to pick up the pieces of their failed marriage and start again. But can they still be a family after all that has happened, and while he feels a strong attraction to Cleo? Should he follow his heart, or his head?
This is such a lovely little story about second (or even third) chances, and facing your fears to find a way to move on with the curved balls that life can throw at you. The story is told through the eyes of Cleo and Dylan as they try to deal with the very real dilemmas they face, with the added charm of a delightful meet-cute that unexpectedly strikes them both with Cupid's arrow. In true rom-com style, this meeting tips them headlong into a romantic adventure that is filled with the potential for something very special, if they are brave enough, but there are, of course, knotty situations and misunderstandings to be worked through before there can be a chance of a happy ending.
The setting of New York is a goldmine for a love story, and this has all the festive magic you could want - with a gorgeous nod to You've Got Mail. I loved the setting of a knitting shop, with so much detail about the wonderful yarns available, which really set my fingers twitching - this book needs yarn stockists listed in an appendix!
If you are after great multi-generational characters too, then there are more than enough to poke a stitch-holder at in these pages. I particularly loved how the relationship between Cleo and her step-mother Teresa develops over the course of the story, and how this changes Cleo's perspective on the direction she sees her own life taking. Tears were shed!
There is something very interesting about the wealth of relatable depth that Rolfe brings to the soul-searching decisions that Cleo and Dylan must face when considering their future, which makes it more than your average rom-com tale. It is not always easy to know the right choice to make, especially if emotion and logic are pulling you in different directions, and Rolfe nicely explores how the weight of grief, marital breakdown, and heavy responsibilities come into play. I was struck with how she goes to great lengths to make this a story with shades of grey, showing many sides of the characters rather than resorting to caricatures, just like real life. It was a nice touch, and it makes the joyful ending all the better.
This is the perfect book to settle down with a cuppa and a mince pie in the run up to Christmas, and I lapped it up in one satisfying sitting. What a treat!
Christmas At the Little Knitting Box is available to buy now in paperback, ebook and audio formats now.
Thank you to Boldwood Books for sending me an ecopy of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of the festive readalong.
About the author:
Helen Rolfe is the author of many bestselling contemporary women's fiction titles, set in different locations from the Cotswolds to New York. Most recently published by Orion, she is bringing sixteen titles to Boldwood - a mixture of new series and well- established backlist. Her first new title will continue her Heritage Cove series and be published in May 2022. She lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and children.
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