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31st out of 104 books
—
153 voters
Knit One Pearl One (Jo Mackenzie #3)
by
Gil McNeil
It's been a busy few years since Jo Mackenzie lost her husband. Life has brought adventure, surprises, unexpected pleasures and, of course, lots of knitting.
Jo's seaside yarn shop, with a brand-new cafe, has taken off, keeping her busier than ever. And being a single mum to two boys and a headstrong toddler, Pearl, is just as exhausting and enchanting as she thought it wo...more
Jo's seaside yarn shop, with a brand-new cafe, has taken off, keeping her busier than ever. And being a single mum to two boys and a headstrong toddler, Pearl, is just as exhausting and enchanting as she thought it wo...more
Paperback, 396 pages
Published
December 27th 2011
by Voice
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This is the third in a series about Jo Mackenzie and her knitting shop in a seaside town in Britain. We all know how I love a knitting-themed story, so I was always going to read this series. I really enjoyed the first book (The Beach Street Knitting and Yarn Club), the second book was alright (Needles and Pearls), the third one, well...just read on.
Let me tell you one important fact about this book. Jo Mackenzie, the protagonist and owner of a successful cafe and wool shop, is always tired. She...more
Let me tell you one important fact about this book. Jo Mackenzie, the protagonist and owner of a successful cafe and wool shop, is always tired. She...more
8 likes · like · see review
In this, the third Jo Mackenzie book, Jo's baby (born on the kitchen floor at the end of the last book) is now nearing 2. Jo is still running her yarn shop, life in the small beach town is as hectic as usual and Annabelle--the PTA President from He** still hates her.
Life in Jo's life is shown in small snippets, with the day-to-day activities of a busy single Mum with 3 very different children. Some funny moments, some sad moments, and of course, there is always the horror of a visit from a craz...more
Life in Jo's life is shown in small snippets, with the day-to-day activities of a busy single Mum with 3 very different children. Some funny moments, some sad moments, and of course, there is always the horror of a visit from a craz...more
From Lilac Wolf and Stuff
Anyone who knows me, knows I have a love affair with yarn. Even if my hands don't cooperate. So the cover filled with so many balls of yarn would catch my eye in the bookstore. Win!
If I'm not mistaken, this is the 3rd book in the continuing saga of Jo Mackenzie's life in the small seaside town of Broadgate. Jo is working on raising her 2 boys and Pearl, her surprise baby from an affair with Daniel when she was in Italy after Nick died. She is still seeing Martin but ther...more
Anyone who knows me, knows I have a love affair with yarn. Even if my hands don't cooperate. So the cover filled with so many balls of yarn would catch my eye in the bookstore. Win!
If I'm not mistaken, this is the 3rd book in the continuing saga of Jo Mackenzie's life in the small seaside town of Broadgate. Jo is working on raising her 2 boys and Pearl, her surprise baby from an affair with Daniel when she was in Italy after Nick died. She is still seeing Martin but ther...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.
This is a follow-on to a previous book [ Needles and Pearls]which I also enjoyed even though it is very lightweight. but makes a a good read when your brain is frazzled - as mine was during my travels in China last month.
This is set in a UK beach/seaside town, clearly modelled on real ones and much improved to the ones I've visited... A gentle story in the chick lit area with much amusement for anyone who has ever looked after a small toddler - like my children and grandchildren. I was assume al...more
This is set in a UK beach/seaside town, clearly modelled on real ones and much improved to the ones I've visited... A gentle story in the chick lit area with much amusement for anyone who has ever looked after a small toddler - like my children and grandchildren. I was assume al...more
This is the third book in the Beach Street knitting society series, which tells the "adventures" of widow Jo McKenzie, her two boys, new daughter and their British seaside knitting shop. Her life, although not terribly exciting, is often full of smaller and sometimes comical conflicts.
I enjoyed this story. I have always loved the characters, and have grown to enjoy the way the story goes. It is not a huge, suspenseful adventure, but really the story of a woman in adverse circumstances learning t...more
I enjoyed this story. I have always loved the characters, and have grown to enjoy the way the story goes. It is not a huge, suspenseful adventure, but really the story of a woman in adverse circumstances learning t...more
As I enjoyed the first 2 books in the series very much, I expected to be just as happy with this one. Sadly, this is not the case. There didn't seem to be any actual plot to this one, and no additional development for any of the very interesting characters in the other books. Connie, Ellen, and Gran were all great characters that were just relegated to bit parts in this book.
Jo takes on an unrealistic amount of work and numerous labor intensive projects, complaining about all of it constantly, u...more
Jo takes on an unrealistic amount of work and numerous labor intensive projects, complaining about all of it constantly, u...more
1 like · like · see review
This book speaks well to all the mommies and mothers to be who are trying to maintain a semblance of a normal existence between tantrums and toys thrown down the toilet. Jo MacKenzie, owns a charming British seaside yarn shop which caters to the "Stictch and Bitch" crowd. Formally entrenched in the television production industry, she knows the value of an attractive window display and hers are the talk of the town - mostly good. She shepherds her three small children solo after the loss of her p...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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We're back with Jo Mackenzie in the Best Seaside Village (Small) in England, with more knitting-based adventures: daughter Pearl is developing a personality, Madonna-like actress friend Grace is pregnant again, Pearl's dad Daniel may be coming back into Jo's life. Gil McNeil writes lots of amusing dialogue - and I enjoyed this - but I am starting to feel like I want a little more PLOT to be happening. Here, I know: can Jo finally tell her dead husband's annoying parents what a complete jerk thei...more
Another good read from Gil McNeil. I could see how some people would discard this as silly chit/knit lit, but I really enjoy the British perspective on motherhood and daily life. I hope there will be another episode coming soon. I love the down-to-earth nature of the main character and how she interacts with her children. It encourages me in my own life as a mother to look for the good things and try not to make a big deal over the little daily trials life has to offer. I found the "walking bus"...more
I enjoyed this book, even though it is a complete repeat of the last one and nothing has really changed by the end of this book. Having said that, it is very funny, particularly the observations on children and parenting. I like the terrible PTA mother especially. I do think she should ditch Martin though - I'm going off him. I enjoyed the moment where she is called in to see her son's teacher and fears they are going to discuss Ways We Can All Help to Make Archie Less Lively.
An enjoyable read. Different, doesn't seem to really have a plot, just a summer in the life of an English working woman, dealing with 3 kids, no husband, and other relatives. Sometimes the books is a bit difficult to follow as the writer is definitely British, but this is not one of the 'cozy' mysteries that have a knitting theme....and there's no knitting patterns or hints at the end of the story, which is a good thing.
this was my least favorite of the series. I think they are cute books and, as opposed to some reviewers, I don't really care that there isn't a big dramatic plot and resolution. My problem with this one is that it seems like Jo is crabby all the time. In the other books, she's tired and frazzled, but just gets on with it - in this one she's seems bitter and angry about her life, and it didn't leave me feeling as good about her as previously.
This thrid installment in the story of Jo and her crazy kids and her small town yarn shop seemed to be missing a little of the charm of the first two, but I may have just read them too close together too fast. That is not to say that I didn't enjoy reading it; I absolutely did enjoy reading about Jo and her friends and family. It just seemed to be a bit more of the same at this point, but I would continue to read more about it if she wrote them.
A somewhat lackluster follow-up to her two earlier Beach Street novels. Although it was nice to see a main character resist the lures of romance for a change, nothing significant happens in the whole story. While I enjoy her minor meanies - the over-protective mother and the PTA President - the conflict they engender is not enough to carry the whole novel.
I liked this one so much more then the last one, Jo seems like a much more relatable character now as a parent. The story, which runs a bit long (and I sort of kept waiting for "the story"), had it's moments of humor that I enjoyed, as well as a bit of romantic suspense. For me, the beginning was good, the middle stalled out, but the end brought it back up a notch.
I've read the first two books, and I'm a knitter, so I was delighted to find that there was a new book in the Jo McKenzie series. I guess I was hoping that the story would progress some, but it seemed like it was more of a "holding pattern" book in which there isn't too much character development and new characters are introduced in the final chapter. Perhaps I was expecting too much, but it seems like it should have been more.
Well-written prose always grabs me right away. Couple good writing with a setting in Great Britain (I love when I can "hear" a British accent in my head as I read dialog!), and you get 5 stars from me! BTW, this is #3 in the series. I'm now reading #1, then will move on to #2. A little bit backwards. But it's still fun.
I don't usually like books with knitting in them, but this series is fun. The main character has a nice sense of humor, even at times when circumstances don't deserve them. I love how she talks to her children but I wish her friend the glamorous film star would tell her how to talk to her mother - her mother is a nightmare!
I thoroughly enjoyed all three books in the series. I don't pick up a book to criticize every tiny little thing in it. I read a book for the pure pleasure of it and these books did that for me. People have complained about Jo always being tired and perhaps if we walked a mile in her shoes we would be too. Thanks Gil for a great book that "took me away" from everyday things for just a little while.
I enjoyed catching up with these characters and absolutely loved the descriptions of Pearls antics, she is taking after her brothers, Jack and Archie. She is a princess and at 2 she knows it. Always nice to catch up with characters but I felt this book lacked any real plot or story line. It seemed everything was lumped at the end of the book and rushed. Hope if this author continues writing with these characters she actually has a strong story line next time.
This actually deserves at least 3-1/2 stars. Jo MacKenzie is like an old friend and I love to read about the latest events in her life.
The author, Gil McNeil, is funny to the point where I laughed out loud several times and she makes you feel as if you personally know each of the characters and like most of them. It's a light, enjoyable read that makes you feel that your life is simple, at least compared to hers.
The author, Gil McNeil, is funny to the point where I laughed out loud several times and she makes you feel as if you personally know each of the characters and like most of them. It's a light, enjoyable read that makes you feel that your life is simple, at least compared to hers.
This was like a book version of one of those quirky small town BBC dramas. Like any good soap you can come in any time and easily get caught up with what is going on. I enjoyed the dialog sprinkled with British expressions, but will not be searching out books one and two.
I do enjoy a yarn-related story. This is the third in a series about Jo Mackenzie, who lives in a small English seaside village where she runs a knitting shop and raises three young children. Pleasant novel that shows the importance of being involved in a local community.
I was looking for a 'beach read' even though I wasn't going to the beach. This was even lighter I didn't see the point of most of it. The setting is lovely -- England -- the characters are many and shallow and the plot -- what plot? But oh well...it got me through a hot day.
I very much enjoyed the first book in this series, but I was a little disappointed with this one. I got to the end of the book not really knowing what the story had been. It's very much a snapshot of a year in the life of the main character where nothing really happens to her. It was a fine look at someone's life, but there wasn't much conflict.
Wonderful, witty, light-hearted look at being single mother juggling motherhood with starting own business. Set in England it is part of the Beach Street Knitting Society(my first introduction to the works of Gil McNeil). Wonderful read.
This is the third book in my favorite "knitting" series. I love the fact the the yarn shop is a central character, and that the stories are funny but not too sweet. Also gratified that the quality of the stories is still on the way up!
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Gil McNeil is the author of the bestselling The Only Boy for Me, Stand By Your Man, In The Wee Small Hours and most recently Divas Don’t Knit. The Only Boy For Me has been made into a major ITV prime-time drama starring Helen Baxendale and was broadcast in 2007. Gil McNeil has edited five collections of stories with Sarah Brown, and is Director of the charity PiggyBankKids, which supports projects...more
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Jun 20, 2012 10:34pm