Knitter in His Natural Habitat (Knitting, #4)

Nov 14, 2012 Heller rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, m-m, mobsters-bad-guys

I wasn't sure going into this if I was going to like Stanley, Craw's bathroom hookup from The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters, but I did...so very much. He is so bitchy and snarky but so extremely loyal and sweet. I loved him and I laughed out loud more than once at the things he said and thought.

Stanley is at loose ends. His hookups with Craw have ended since Ben came into the picture and he's not a club guy anymore. In a fit of wine induced pity he decides to learn how to kni...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Christy Duke rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: on-my-kindle, reviewed, m-m

I'm starting to wonder whether its possible for Amy Lane to write anything that is less than 4 out of 5 stars. This 4th book in the Knitting Series was more than what I thought it would be. First off, the author has continued to have the other characters in the area appear in and out of the successive books and, frankly, I LOVE THAT! It feels like family. You fall in love with these people and when the book is done you still want to know "what happens next"? So, here the author gave us more of t...more

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Mar 09, 2013 Shannon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: not-lendable, challenge-finished, gbc-finished, used-countdown

I liked this book as much, if not more, than the others in the knitting series and that may be because we got to visit everyone we've already met and it made me ball baby. I like to ball baby as long as no one dies. Loved Stanley's manslut ways and Johnny's staid calmness. Really sweet story with a bit more violence than the previous stories.

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May 09, 2013 pbj rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013, violence, undercover-hiding-mistaken-identity, sequel, m-m, mobster

I love this series in a kind of vague squishy way. These aren't my die hard favorite books or characters, but there's something really wonderful about how Amy Lane has turned knitting into an a metaphor for life. These books always make me go looking for knitting needles with the idea that If knitting can fix the MC's, it can fix my life too.
This installment is a little too cliché for me, but still sweet. Mobster in WITSEC meets aging club boy and love ensues. Spoiler Warning: This book does get...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Meep rated it 2 of 5 stars Recommends it for: yarn obsessives!

The relationship is all deep life changing conversations from the first date which goes beyond chick-with-dick and into WTF territory. I liked Stanley but don't see what attracted Johnny except a bubble butt mentioned enough times to qualify for a drinking game and promised sluttyness.

The side characters are a return of past characters and new sidekicks that are interchangeable Ariadne/Alice, both coo at the sweetie and dissect his 'love' life. (view spoiler)...more The relationship is all deep life changing conversations from the first date which goes beyond chick-with-dick and into WTF territory. I liked Stanley but don't see what attracted Johnny except a bubble butt mentioned enough times to qualify for a drinking game and promised sluttyness.

The side characters are a return of past characters and new sidekicks that are interchangeable Ariadne/Alice, both coo at the sweetie and dissect his 'love' life. (view spoiler). I'd have liked a glimpse of why Stanley's darling was so special, maybe a squabble with supposedly phobic Jed, somthing.

The plot seemed thin to me. As with the others it could have been kept to a sweet little story but as an Amy Lane there needs to be a sudden over dramatic ending. It wasn't logical to me and the workings of WITSEC appeared to be convenient to the story rather than plausible. (view spoiler)

The big showdown with Jeremy seemed pointless and even masochositic. Also Stanley seemed to get a lot of fuss made of him and not one person turning and asking why he didn't help, not even Adrien.

Knitting is what holds this series together but I'd love a character who just messes it all up into an ugly tangle instead of being absorbed into the cult. I like wool craft but found it excesssive, all the shanks and skanks and hanks no one simply buys a ball of wool 'cause it's pretty and makes somehting with it, it's all zen.

Stanley makes Johnny a hat. I was actually hoping to get a pattern I'd use at the end, but it's for a big ugly scarf.

Turn your brain off and it's fine for a quick read.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 Rhys Ford rated it 5 of 5 stars

I'm going to be forthright and declare ahead of time that anyone who knows me is aware of my special love for Amy. That being said, I love a lot of people...and even pets. I have a cairn terrorist whom I love very much but sometimes rolls around in owl horf he finds in the backyard. My point? I can love someone or something and still be rather disappointed in their behaviour.

Amy, however, does not disappoint.

I've never been a fan of bitchy, flighty men in my literature but Amy makes Stanley lov...more I'm going to be forthright and declare ahead of time that anyone who knows me is aware of my special love for Amy. That being said, I love a lot of people...and even pets. I have a cairn terrorist whom I love very much but sometimes rolls around in owl horf he finds in the backyard. My point? I can love someone or something and still be rather disappointed in their behaviour.

Amy, however, does not disappoint.

I've never been a fan of bitchy, flighty men in my literature but Amy makes Stanley loveable. He really isn't that much of a princess. I think he is much more of one in his own mind than he truly is. And Johnny...well, I have another special love...that of a rough looking kind of guy with a gentle nature. Johnny delivers that.

Knitter is a tightly woven tale (did you see what I've done there? not intentional) of two men falling in lust, love and alpaca yarn. It's also a good progression of the storylines Amy's established in the previous “knitting” stories featuring Craw’s crew. Jeremy, one of the main characters in How To Raise An Honest Rabbit (#3 of this series), really is a star in this one as well, providing a key element in the final scenes. It’s always good to see Jeremy’s ability to social engineer a situation, falling into a patois to alter his character and fool others. It’s a sly way to reinforce the con-man background he has. Nicely done on that.

Now I don’t knit. Actually, I can’t think of anything more dangerous than to give me a pair of pointy things and a length of springy rope like material to play with. I would imagine a drunken octopus on ‘ludes would produce something better than me on a good day but I like how Amy portrays the zen state a knitter can achieve. I imagine it’s much like me playing Katamari Damacy. Except for the eventual nausea from watching the ball roll around. Still, she captures the visceral pleasure a knitter has in the craft. For those of us who have no hope in hell of ever touching a piece of yarn without it being cat toy, it’s a nice foray into a mystical place where people actually make something out of strands of puffy fuzz.

Stanley and Johnny are a great couple. Despite the sometimes heavy content of the book, their relationship comes across as an easy, lovely joining. The books’ a nice light read with guest appearances from other characters and also introducing a host of Stanley’s support system, each with their own special place in his heart. I also like the hand-off to the next book’s character in the end. I think I’ve owned that sweater. It’s a bitch when you HAVE to wear something you hate solely because someone made it for you.

The less said about a certain turquoise blue and tangerine acrylic yarn poncho, the better.
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Nov 19, 2012 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, glbt, m-m-romance, favorites, series

The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one minute to the next. – Mignon McLaughlin

I don’t know the first thing about knitting other than I’m a fan of my sweaters. I don’t know the first thing about writing other than I’m a fan of my books. What I do know is that knitting and writing seem to have a lot in common, because if an author doesn’t have the finesse and the patience and the dexterity to unravel a skein of words and stitch them together into something that doesn’t ma...more

The only courage that matters is the kind that gets you from one minute to the next. – Mignon McLaughlin

I don’t know the first thing about knitting other than I’m a fan of my sweaters. I don’t know the first thing about writing other than I’m a fan of my books. What I do know is that knitting and writing seem to have a lot in common, because if an author doesn’t have the finesse and the patience and the dexterity to unravel a skein of words and stitch them together into something that doesn’t make your brain itchy, then that story is about as useful as a sweater with three arms and no neck hole.

Amy Lane knows how to knit like nobody’s business, darn it. She doesn’t make my brain itchy. She makes my heart twitchy and I looooove this series like a bunny loves to fu… loves carrots. I was going to say something naughty there, but I decided to keep this a family friendly review. Or not, because next comes more sex.

So what do you do with a guy who has settled for Mr. Whatever his entire life? How do you reform a guy who thinks special sex is the kind of quicky he had with Craw in the bathroom of the store he works in because it’s cleaner than the one-offs he had with strangers in private rooms at night clubs. Here’s what you do: you have a delivery guy walk into that store and you make that guy prove that he’s no Mr. Whatever. That guy proves he’s Mr. Everything, and you have Stanley Shulze wag his fluffy little tail, and you have Johnny Russo grab that fluffy little tail and love it till neither man can see straight. Then, if you’re Amy Lane, you throw in an ass-load of trouble called the mob—yeah, that mob!—just to keep things interesting and to keep you on that invisible thin line between “Awwww” and “God, I may vomit from the anxiety”. Dontcha just love it?! I do.

Then what do you throw in? Stanley’s people. Not his family, his flock, the people he loves and, lo and behold, who love him in return. And what do you do with them if you’re Amy Lane? You make them freaking awesome people you wish were your own family because they’re accepting and loving and they don’t throw you away just because your new boyfriend may or may not have an Etch-a-Sketchy past he’s trying to shake even though someone keeps turning those knobs and has drawn a dangerous line straight to him.

Then what? Well, then Jeremy, that sweet, gentle Jeremy, who is a bunny with the heart of a lion…well, he thinks he has a debt to pay to the cosmic deities; you know, the ones that keep the checks and balances in the ledger of guilty conscience and personal accountability, the ones that keep you from going spiritually bankrupt. Yeah, them. Jeremy feels he owes them a sacrifice for what Johnny did for him years before, so the least he can do to pay off that debt is to keep Stanley safe for Johnny, even if it means gutting Aiden in the process and forcing Aiden to go all whoop-ass in a totally righteous way. And lo, it was good.

But here’s the thing, and I love this quote because it fits:

It is not possible to make a guilty man innocent by suffering in his place. – Carl Lofmark

No, it’s not, so Stanley did what he had to do, and Jeremy did what he had to do, and now Johnny has to go and do the right thing, to reset the checks and balances in his own moral ledger so he can be the man Stanley needs him to be—the man who’s there and who loves him and who has taught him the difference between making love and having sex.

And then what? Well, if you’re Amy Lane, you get on with the business of putting those final few stitches into the word weft, tie it up and pronounce it happiness. And then we get to stand back and look at what she has made, with a critical eye, and see the hue and the shade, the strength and the fiber and the precision with which she has laid every stitch.

And if you’re me, you curl up in it and wrap it around you and call it good.
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Nov 26, 2012 Anyta Sunday rated it 4 of 5 stars

3.5

A sweet, short read.

This short novel, following Stanley and Johnny’s story, was a quick read for me. It is easily ingestible in one sitting, and, for the most part, it settles nicely after you’ve finished. However, I was not as taken with the story as much as I was for the previous two novels in the series.

The Romance:

There are some very tender, sweet scenes between ex-con Johnny and “slutty-bottom” Stanley. Among them, what stuck out for me, was the moment Stanley took in Johnny’s expression...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Kris (KindleRomance) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm

The first 75% of this book was amazing! I loved Stanley (Craw's old lover) and his snarky but adorable ways. He deserved a better life than he was giving himself, and it was nice to see him finally realize it. I loved Johnny!! He was the guy that saved Jeremy in the previous book, and he was an absolute sweetheart. Stanley and him made a great couple. The single sex scene in this book was smoking hot! The other characters in the story from the previous books made it even more enjoyable.

Unfortuna...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Amanda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m-glbt, series-or-connected, angst

I LOVED The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters and I had very high hopes for How to Raise an Honest Rabbit, which BTW was good, but I wasn't as in love as I was with the first book. Then this. I just...I don't know what to say. IMO the storyline was not up to par with her other stories (view spoiler).

I didn't con...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Grammy 1 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Stanley Shulze came to Boulder ten years ago. He had a business degree , a minor in art and a job as a yarn buyer. He spent the good part of that time, going to all the night spots, clubbing, and sexing. Life in Boulder was different from where he came from, Boulder offered a great gay community and he was going to enjoy every minute of it!

Rance Crawford made deliveries to the yarn shop called Ewe’ll Love This, where Stanley worked. Stanley eagerly noted Mr Crawford checking him and his fine but...more Stanley Shulze came to Boulder ten years ago. He had a business degree , a minor in art and a job as a yarn buyer. He spent the good part of that time, going to all the night spots, clubbing, and sexing. Life in Boulder was different from where he came from, Boulder offered a great gay community and he was going to enjoy every minute of it!

Rance Crawford made deliveries to the yarn shop called Ewe’ll Love This, where Stanley worked. Stanley eagerly noted Mr Crawford checking him and his fine butt out on his first visit. That was the day he sorta became exclusive without thinking about it. Five years Stanley and Rance had this adventure in the bathroom or the delivery closet with a condom and a bottle of lube. This all ended when Rance met a nice guy and settled down with Ben.

Stanley looked out the window of the yarn shoppe, wondering how this all happened. He did not want that “ club scene” anymore, and if he was ever going to meet some one, that was where he needed to go back to; as he shuddered. Leaving town was not an option, he had roots here after ten years and loved Alice the owner and his boss. After selling yarn to old and young alike, he decided to become a ‘user’ and learn more about the craft than the seed stitch. It was the day before Thanksgiving….when he bought two skeins of wool and some needles. Now after his first attempt at a scarf, he was a Knitter !

Rance and Ben came to the shop on Black Friday to ask Stanley for a favor. Adriane, very pregnant was being sent to the hospital in Boulder for complete bed rest and they asked if Stanley could stop in on her for company. It was then Stanley realized “Being by yourself meant you weren’t by yourself after all”. He now had a purpose. With Adriane out of Rance’s shop, Aiden and Jeremy would stop delivering and he would have a new delivery guy. Oh my my…enter Johnny.

Too bad Stanley was in such a hurry to get to the hospital, he fussed and berated the “new delivery guy” and actually called him Jethro. The scene is hilarious until he looks up into those beautiful brown eyes when Johnny calls him “cupcake” and he sees the eye candy and his mind says Holygodshootmenow !

Amy you have done it again, brought me to the brink, allowing me into a little world you have created with loving folks that inhabit this little piece of Boulder Colorado. Of course the road you take us on is not always smooth, as in life. The possibility the past can come back to bite a person is always there, the world is not always pretty, it can be a scary place and people sometimes suck. But after you have pulled us over the hot coals of angst and fear, we can always depend on you to also let us feel love and family and hope.

I love your writing Amy Lane, there is no story I do not gain something from. I commend your honor, your skills and your love for writing…Keep it up and that will keep me a reader.

Review by Gloria Lakritz

Sr Reviewer and Review Chair for the Paranormal Romance Review Team

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Nov 15, 2012 Heddie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I am such a fan of Amy Lane's books, but this one was very disappointing. The story felt rushed and the love between the MC was not believable. I kept thinking, Stanley is supposed to be a 35 year old man? Stanley could have been such a great character, but I especially dislike his cowrdly role during a violent scene. There were some cute scenes, but I feel ripped off.

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Dec 29, 2012 Giorgia rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book was just hilarious, my favorite of this series. Stanley just cracked me up and I was giggling every time Ariadne and Stanley started gossiping about Jeremy and Aiden.
I thought that Stanley and Johnny got serious a little too fast to really believe it, but…oh well. It was great to see all the characters from previous books come back and play a big role in this one.

(view spoiler)...more

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Mar 02, 2013 Tonileg rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, m-m, second-chances, romance

The fourth book in the M/M knitting themed romance in Colorado
Stanley takes a look at his life when Rance from The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters breaks off their 'relationship' which is five years of bathroom quickies once every three months. Stanley is alone and has never been in love in his thirty-something years in the world. He does have a sweet social network with his boss and her family who has adopted him. He starts to open himself up to other friendships when he makes...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Pete W rated it 5 of 5 stars

Ms. Lane had masterfully wrote the tale of Stanley, the snarky, bitchy little side dish that Crawford broke off their little arrangement with for Ben in the first book. Stanley did not gave us a good first impression there but here we get to know him a whole lot better and I think most people will agreed that he is endearing and strikingly realistic.

Stanley began to reassess his life after Crawford broke their arrangement to pursue Ben sending him back to club scene and empty romp in the backroo...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Posy Roberts rated it 5 of 5 stars

I read this first even though this is the 3rd book in this series. You know why? I couldn't resist that fricking lamb in a sweater and a hat on the cover! I'm a sucker for lambs! But I plan on going back to read the rest of this series, but I'm happy to share that I don't feel as if I've missed a thing. Sure, I might get a fuller experience and then I'll come back and tweak.

Stanley was about as cuddle worthy as possible. I loved him. I wanted to protect him because he was (dare I say it?) naïve....more

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Nov 15, 2012 Amy *Sussudio* rated it 5 of 5 stars

4.5 stars
Ok thank you baby jebus. Amy Lane nailed it with one, at least for me. The last installment fell kind of flat for me. Stanley and Johnny were great. I love this story line.

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Nov 26, 2012 Cole Riann rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: armchair-reviews, m-m, m-m-art, m-m-contemporary, m-m-crime-mob, m-m-series

Review posted at The Armchair Reader.

I admit, I was a bit worried to read this book. I loved Stanley in the past books (or at least, I knew I would once we got to know him better), but I loved How to Raise an Honest Rabbit so, so, so much, along with Jeremy, that I wasn't sure if this book could live up to my feelings about that one. In a way it did, but in some ways it didn't.

Stanley is an old party boy -- or at least, that's how he feels. Never has he had a real relationship, just quick fucks...more Review posted at The Armchair Reader.

I admit, I was a bit worried to read this book. I loved Stanley in the past books (or at least, I knew I would once we got to know him better), but I loved How to Raise an Honest Rabbit so, so, so much, along with Jeremy, that I wasn't sure if this book could live up to my feelings about that one. In a way it did, but in some ways it didn't.

Stanley is an old party boy -- or at least, that's how he feels. Never has he had a real relationship, just quick fucks in clubs and one night stands. His "relationship" with Craw is a perfect example of this. Just sex, no strings. But when Stanley is shoved aside when Craw meets the love of his life, Ben, something changes in Stanley. He's sad, and suddenly his life doesn't seem so fabulous anymore. Could it be that he really wants something more?

In a style reminiscent of a How To Guide, Stanley decides to make over his life. First, he has to get rid of the men and focus on himself. And what better way to do that than by learning to knit? He knows, technically, how to knit, but not do anything more than garter stitch. And he's worked for years at a knitting store! Plus, knitting is permanent, and as the rhythm and care that goes into his projects starts to translate into his own life, he realizes just what hand-knitted items mean. They're personal, and so by knitting, Stanley finds that he's not quite as settled in his life as he thought. Knitting brings about new friends, a new life, and a new man -- who seems to go against all the rules of his old life.

This story sees the return of Stanley, Craw's past monthly arrangement in town whom we first met in the first Knitting book, The Winter Mating Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters. He's flamboyant and seems carefree, he's outrageously funny and a self-proclaimed slut who will bend over for just about anyone. He likes sex, it's just that until now, in his mid-thirties, he hasn't even considered what life might be like trying to get to know someone before he lets them screw him. It's a novel idea, and one that takes hold in his brief bout of manless depression just when he meets Johnny, the new deliveryman. It is important to read these stories in order, because of the way the characters are intertwined and how events happen in time. Because of that, we (the reader) know Johnny from the past book as Gianni, the man who saved Jeremy's life and allowed him to escape the mob. We also know his backstory, and the events that led to him turning state's evidence and now living in the area under the protection of WITSEC. Stanley, however, is not only blind to "Johnny's" past, but the whole relationship thing is new to him anyway.

I like Stanley in this book, he has real gumption and we get to see him really surprise himself. The change in his life and then his subsequent new relationship with Johnny teaches him a lot about himself, his past, and what is important to him. Watching him stumble through a series of revelations most go through in their twenties (he's a late bloomer!), paired with his humor and lack of filter, makes for an almost slapstick like prose. Stanley is almost always inserting his foot into his mouth, either by words or actions. He's flailing, trying to find solid ground since he jumped in feet first. Not only is that fun to watch, but it is also good because he learns how strong he is, and that was satisfying to read.

The problems I had stemmed mostly from the fact that this book had to be absolutely spectacular to live up to my feelings of the previous book. But, I did find the mob/mafia sub-plot to be somewhat strange. While it all made sense, and didn't bother me by itself, I found it left a lot less room for Stanley and Johnny to really get to know each other on page, and I missed that.

One thing that I love about this series, and this book carried on with this from the previous ones, was all the detail of knitting, yarn and production. I love reading about that, as a knitter, and reading these stories, this one especially, made me itch to pick up the needles. It is all about the joy of knitting, and what knitting really means. And I'm not sure that a non-knitter really understands, or might even find that sentiment hokey in these books. Watching Stanley in particular learn to knit was fun and carefree and I was always looking forward to what he was knitting next :)

Fans of this author and this series will definitely want to read this book, and I found it a really worthy addition to the others in the series. It might just make you want to learn to knit! Plus, if you haven't read any of Amy Lane's knitting novellas, you should check them out and remember that I said you should read them in the correct order.

Now, I'm off to knit!(less)

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Apr 22, 2013 Cassie rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle-lendable

I liked the beginning, but it got weird about 40% through...The instant love between Johnny and Stanley didn't seem realistic (view spoiler). I definitely did not like Stanley in the first book, and he was a more sympathetic character in this book but he still did so many dumb things, I never loved him. Johnny we hardly even get to know, their relationship is literally...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Alex rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, queer, contemporary

Overall
As much as I love Amy Lane's stuff, I had low expectations for this one. Stanley is portrayed as bit of a slut in previous stories, and Johnny's dramatic dark past seemed eye roll worthy. I expected cheesy and shallow with characters I didn't like.

I love being wrong. Stanley is a bit of a slut, but he sort of reforms, and the drama that happens is dark enough to be meaningful and not just drama to further the romance. In fact, the romance is fairly secure by the time the drama happens. An...more Overall
As much as I love Amy Lane's stuff, I had low expectations for this one. Stanley is portrayed as bit of a slut in previous stories, and Johnny's dramatic dark past seemed eye roll worthy. I expected cheesy and shallow with characters I didn't like.

I love being wrong. Stanley is a bit of a slut, but he sort of reforms, and the drama that happens is dark enough to be meaningful and not just drama to further the romance. In fact, the romance is fairly secure by the time the drama happens. And Johnny is a completely sweet gentleman.

Absolutely worth picking up, especially if you like sweet, heart-stopping stories.

Review
This is just charming. Stanley and his makeshift family are charming, Johnny charms the pants off Stanley, and of course, life is knitting. While I think everyone can enjoy Stanley's story (and Jeremy's and Craw's), I think fiber workers (knitters, etc) probably enjoy it a little more—at least I do. It's inspiring. And sweet, and cuddly and some days just plain squee-worthy.

The characters in this Knitting book are kind, helpful, and pleasant to be around. While they may have habits that annoy you, they are still people you'd want to be your friends. They're nice and want to be good to you. They think you deserve something great. It makes the entire story a joy to read, although some may find it not conflicted enough. Honestly, the characters are a little too good to feel realistic, but they don't feel unrealistic either. (I know, that didn’t make sense!)

I was surprised where the plot went and how things turned out. It was a wondrous shock to see how things unfolded. In many ways this is the darkest of the Knitting series, although the purity of the characters never makes it feel too desperate. Even when horrible things are happening, there is still a sense of hope that radiates in the actions and the writing.

Final perk: The entire cast from previous books reappear and play significant roles. We see more of Jeremy and Aiden, we get to see Ariadne have her baby, and more Craw and Ben—plus the Ben-Stanley conversation from Stanley's view, which is very different from how Craw interpreted it. A warm, fuzzy family of knitters who help Stanley and Johnny come together.

Be sure to check out my other reviews on my blog.(less)

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Dec 21, 2012 DaisyGirl rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: december-holidays, genre-romance, i-returned, m-m, other-made_me_cry, romance-contemp

3.5 Stars

In this latest installment of the Knitting series, we revisit with Stanley Shulze who is working as a floor designer for a series of craft stores in Boulder, Colorado. After Craw breaks off their deliveries-with-benefits relationship, Stanley begins to reevaluate his life. As part of this self-assessment process, Stanley takes up knitting. Although he's not living the stuff of his dreams (i.e., to be a big time art dealer), he realizes that he's forged a comfy life for himself. He has (...more

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Nov 29, 2012 Kaje Harper rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

I really liked Stanley and his journey to figure out who he was meant to be, especially because he didn't have to become a hero to be a good guy. He's a self-described "aging slutty bottom" who decides his life isn't working, and takes a look at the parts that are good in search of a way to make it better. He takes up the zen of knitting, and the comfort of friends and the family you choose rather than the one you are born to.

I enjoyed Stanley's realization that he'd imbued a purely sexual relat...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Sunne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Oh...I'm in love...with a "ageing slutty bottom".

This one is definitely my favorite of the three books. I can't tell you why, probably because Stanley is soooo ..... human. He is funny, quirky, sensitive and realistic, he is caring, a bit selfish and honest. I love him. I want to adopt him.

I actually expected a bit more danger and angst but it was good, it was even better because the most important part was Stanley's development and his love with Johnny.

I adore that there are moments when Amy L...more

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Apr 16, 2013 Eli Easton rated it 5 of 5 stars

I just read 3 of Amy Lane's knitting series books (The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters, How to Raise an Honest Rabbit and this one). I enjoyed these books tremendously, and I must say, this is the Amy Lane that I adore! No vampires or alternative universes, no heavy heavy angst, just astonishingly delightful quirky contemporaries with brilliantly-colored characters, beautiful prose and sweetness that can damn well kill you.

As a writer myself, I'm just in awe at Amy's turns of ph...more

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Oct 24, 2012 Lucy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I always hope that this is not the last of the series, because I want it to continue. Then I think, no because how would she make the next one better? A challenge, Ms. Lane. I love this series. Stanley, the gruff and stoic Craw’s former lover (and current yarn buyer), is the focus of this one. I so liked Stanley before, when he was ready and willing to bend over for Craw with a bitchy comment and a “don’t touch the hair plugs”. He came across in previous books as flamboyant, swishy, flighty and...more I always hope that this is not the last of the series, because I want it to continue. Then I think, no because how would she make the next one better? A challenge, Ms. Lane. I love this series. Stanley, the gruff and stoic Craw’s former lover (and current yarn buyer), is the focus of this one. I so liked Stanley before, when he was ready and willing to bend over for Craw with a bitchy comment and a “don’t touch the hair plugs”. He came across in previous books as flamboyant, swishy, flighty and who cares. Yet, you already got the feeling that wasn’t really Stanley.

When Craw lets Stanley know he’s with a “nice guy”, it’s sort of an epiphany for the reformed club kid Stanley, who suddenly realizes Craw has been his be-all end-all of sex. When he hits the club he hasn’t been to in ages, he realizes everyone is very, very pretty and very, very young. He doesn’t want to deal with being that “aging fag”. He wants more.

For Stanley at this point, more comes in the form of knitting. The man has worked at a yarn store for eleven years and is just now learning to knit. Once he begins, however, with a pop-your-cherry red scarf, Stanley understands it means permanence. And then he’s all about it.

As Stanley comes to realize he has people that matter in the world, his knitting becomes even more important. Then he meets “Mr. Melty Eyes Hard Body Eye Candy”. That descriptive phrase just screamed STANLEY to me. I adore Stanley, especially including the fact that we obviously share an inner twelve-year-old. Stanley is unable to make a dirty joke about ladies needing their hanks wound into balls (Hank’s balls) because he comes up with a brilliant comment and then giggles at the word balls and the moment passes. I feel that pain, Stanley. Heh heh heh heh.

For Johnny Melty Eyes, Stanley is willing to take a chance. This is a man who has never cheated because he’s never been with anyone for more than a one or two nighter. Manwhore of the highest degree, a slutty little bottom. Another thing I liked about Stanley is that he is 36 and he acts 36. Yes, he’s dramatic and screamy, bitchy and swoony, but he acts his age even during his first time at things.

There is a difficult aspect of this one because of who Johnny is. He has saved Jeremy and Jeremy wants to repay that by saving Stanley, but my word it was just so hard to read, because Jeremy is so lovely, has been through so much and come so far, and then wham.

This installment is not as light as the others, due to the backdrop of the mob and what happens, but it has characters that make you care about them. The backdrop of yarn and knitting makes me want to, well, learn to knit.
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Mar 07, 2013 Nikyta rated it 2 of 5 stars

Recommended to Nikyta by: Ana

Shelves: dreamspinner-press, gang-bang-q1-picked, bingo-challenge-r6, a-sweet-cute-read, bubbles-safe, contemporary, criminals-mobsters-ex-cons, deception-betrayal-lies-omissions, in-sickness-and-in-health, m-m, pets, separated-for-a-bit, series-serial, undcvr-pretendintobesom1else-spying, xmas-hanukkah-solstice-etc, published-on-amazon

I adore Amy Lane's stories. I always feel a connection with her characters and what they go through to the point that I end up crying over them nonstop. Unfortunately, I struggled with this one.

It was hard for me to connect with Stanley because I felt like his character was forced.... or maybe I should say the story felt forced? Regardless, he wasn't a genuine character to me, if that makes any sense, so it was hard for me to even like him. His personality is shifty - one moment sweet and nice,...more I adore Amy Lane's stories. I always feel a connection with her characters and what they go through to the point that I end up crying over them nonstop. Unfortunately, I struggled with this one.

It was hard for me to connect with Stanley because I felt like his character was forced.... or maybe I should say the story felt forced? Regardless, he wasn't a genuine character to me, if that makes any sense, so it was hard for me to even like him. His personality is shifty - one moment sweet and nice, the next extremely bitchy and catty - I wasn't feeling that at all. Then again, I wasn't too fond of Stanley before this book either and it didn't make me like him more when Stanley felt the need to blab to pretty much everyone that Johnny was in WITSEC and then give his whole story over again. He was in the program for a reason... and that was to keep his identity and his past life hidden... Stanley apparently didn't understand the concept of that, though. Johnny is an enigma, even though you know his situation. For some reason, I couldn't connect with him either, which is weird because I love mobsters - ex or otherwise.

Mostly, I struggled with this story. I've enjoyed this series so far but this one I just couldn't get into. I didn't feel like there was a connection between Stanley and Johnny at all. Even though they went on dates and talked about their lives, there was no spark, IMO, because there was always the underlining feeling that Johnny was only with Stanley because of his "sweet little bubble-butt". The situation regarding Johnny didn't quite make sense to me. How did Johnny's past catch up with him? I didn't understand. Usually, in series, I'm not all that fond of Amy Lane's desire to revisit past couples but in this one I found it a blessing because I enjoyed seeing Aiden and Jeremy again... although I was left scratching my head in how the whole conflict was taken care of and why Jeremy seemed almost eager to get the crap beaten out of him without calling for help or anything.

All in all, not my favorite Lane book. It was very hard to get through, and I think that might have been because there was a lot of telling from Stanley instead of showing, which made it difficult for me. Also, why did everyone feel the need to get Stanley to dump Johnny? Yeah, he was in the mob but I don't remember everyone trying to get Aiden to dump Jeremy cuz he's an ex-con (although I could be wrong) so why did everyone gang up on Stanley? Kudos to Stanley to sticking with him, though.(less)

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Feb 01, 2013 Serena Yates rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: m-m

In the same tradition as the first two books in this series, 'Knitter in his Natural Habitat' is more than a love story between two men who are each trying to deal with their pasts as well as their newfound love. It is also the story of Stanley coming to terms with what he really wants from life, and a partner, and Johnny finally getting what he's always wanted: a man to love who loves him back. And, of course, it is about knitting and the almost miraculous benefits attributed to it. I was immed...more In the same tradition as the first two books in this series, 'Knitter in his Natural Habitat' is more than a love story between two men who are each trying to deal with their pasts as well as their newfound love. It is also the story of Stanley coming to terms with what he really wants from life, and a partner, and Johnny finally getting what he's always wanted: a man to love who loves him back. And, of course, it is about knitting and the almost miraculous benefits attributed to it. I was immediately invested in this story, not just because Stanley's story proved to be particularly interesting after what we saw of him in the second book. I was also really looking forward to finding out what was going on in Granby and everybody's lives there.

Stanley is a man who doesn’t have a lot of self-confidence, doesn’t believe he is worth being loved, and ends up having a string of one-night stands and quick encounters in club bathrooms. It takes a lot out of him, but when his most steady partner (whom he always met in the bathroom over lunch) falls in love and stops seeing him, Stanley decides it is time for a change. He wants something more meaningful, and he finally admits that what he's been doing isn't exactly the way to find Mr. Right. He withdraws from the scene and knitting becomes a symbol of wanting a commitment for him. He's never knitted before, despite working in a craft shop, but once he does, the changes are amazing.

Johnny, the new delivery man, is exactly what Stanley has been dreaming of: he is tender, doesn’t believe in quickies in bathrooms, and actually wants to date Stanley. Johnny has his own secrets, and it became pretty clear to me who he was (based on what happened in the first two books) early on, but Stanley takes a little longer. Johnny's past doesn’t leave them alone, though, and they each need to face some pretty horrible obstacles before they can be together. But both of them are determined to do this right, so they have little choice but to go by the book.

This is a touching love story, and shows some wonderful character growth in Stanley. His hesitant steps into a life where he is lovable and worth someone's attention are initially small, but it was encouraging to see how he gained confidence. His internal dialog, and his thoughts and reflections are written in a vice that is uniquely his, and I loved how real and even desperate he sounded at times. The group of secondary characters is as wonderful as ever. They are as much a part of each of these stories as the main characters, and their support makes a big difference to Stanley.

If you like lots of angst and drama, if you prefer your romances to be about real men with real flaws and issues, and if your looking for a book that will pull you in and make you suffer and cry along with the characters, then you will probably love this book as much as I did.

NOTE: This book was provided by Dreamspinner Press for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
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Feb 27, 2013 Laura Miller rated it 5 of 5 stars

The third story in the knitting series and it is of course wonderful. I do want to tell you Amy if you read this that I was very angry about what you let happen to Jeremy. When I think about it, it still makes me mad and sad. Shame on you for allowing that to happen to sweet Jeremy. You have to write a fourth book now so I know what happens with him and Aiden.

As with all of Amy Lanes books read it you won't be disappointed, but you might be a little mad if you love Jeremy.

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Nov 17, 2012 Lauren rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mm-romance, super-cute

Adorable. I absolutely love this entire series. While I'll admit that Knitter in His Natural Habitat isn't my favourite of the series, I still thoroughly enjoyed reading it and fell in love with Stanley and Johnny. I'd actually expected not to like this one because I hadn't really warmed to Stanley when he was part of Craw's story. But, in the end, I found it really difficult not to fall in love with him. It was nice to see Jeremy and Aiden again, even if it wasn't under the best of circumstance...more

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Nov 22, 2012 Lidia rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love Amy Lane and what she writes because there is much love and she knows to get at the heart and soul of character and reader ;in this series to knit is instrument for do it. This third book is my favorite because I liked very much Stanley, he is adorable so sensible and for the plot articulated between angst,action and love. When I like very much a story, I can only babbling and tell sweet and same words, so read it and enjoy

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