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25th out of 104 books
—
153 voters
How to Knit a Love Song (Cypress Hollow Yarn #1)
by
Rachael Herron (Goodreads Author)
Abigail is more than ready for a change when she inherits a cottage from her beloved mentor, knitting guru Eliza Carpenter. Leaving the oppressive city for the greener pastures of a small California beach town, she intends to turn her cozy little windfall into a knitting shop and spend her days spinning, designing, and purling. But she's not going to be welcomed with open...more
Paperback, 336 pages
Published
March 2nd 2010
by William Morrow Paperbacks
(first published January 1st 2010)
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Feb 01, 2012
Scarlet
rated it
1 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
audiobooks,
abandoned
Can you say formulaic? From page 1, I could tell where this book was going. I was hoping for a little more knitting content, but after listening to more than half of the book, I finally gave up.
Where to start? Abigail is an impulsive idiot. Moves up to the cottage on a whim, buys alpacas and adopts a dog on a whim, decides to start a yarn shop on a whim. Most people who are this stupid in real life have to deal with natural consequences, but she just gets to blithely skate through it. As someone...more
Where to start? Abigail is an impulsive idiot. Moves up to the cottage on a whim, buys alpacas and adopts a dog on a whim, decides to start a yarn shop on a whim. Most people who are this stupid in real life have to deal with natural consequences, but she just gets to blithely skate through it. As someone...more
Recap: When Abigail inherits a cottage and all its contents from her beloved mentor, Eliza, she sees it as the perfect chance for a new start, safe from her ex-boyfriend and stalker. But she doesn’t count on Eliza’s hunky nephew, Cade, a gorgeous rancher who is not at all happy she’s there. Cade sees nothing but a usurper who has taken what belongs to him. It takes the lewd comments from his fellow ranchers to open his eyes to the beauty who just happens to be living in his house. Her plans for...more
This was a comfortable, easy-to-read love story with an element of suspense and a high level of intelligence and humor. It's much more sophisticated than what I tend to think of when I think "romance novel".
The main character (Abigail) and love interest (Cade) ring true; they are multi-dimensional and believable. Ms. Herron obviously fell in love with her characters and their stories. As a knitter and horsewoman myself, the fact that the novel centers around a sheep ranching cowboy and a knitwea...more
The main character (Abigail) and love interest (Cade) ring true; they are multi-dimensional and believable. Ms. Herron obviously fell in love with her characters and their stories. As a knitter and horsewoman myself, the fact that the novel centers around a sheep ranching cowboy and a knitwea...more
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Abigail Durant has discovered a light at the end of the tunnel and might just be starting to appreciate the silver lining. Her dear best friend and knitting partner, Eliza, has passed away . . . but left a cottage and a parcel of ranch land for Abigail in her will. This is just the turn-about that Abigail needs, after a disastrous break-up and no place to call her own.
Things are decidedly less peachy for Eliza’s nephew, Cade MacArthur. He thought Eliza’s land would be entitled to him following h...more
Things are decidedly less peachy for Eliza’s nephew, Cade MacArthur. He thought Eliza’s land would be entitled to him following h...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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First things first: Rachael Herron is a romance writer. (Go read this blog post http://www.yarnagogo.com/blog/2008/08... -- I'll wait for you to come back.) A smart, happy, proud romance writer. This is important to know because do romance novels have conventions? Yes, yes, they do. Do you know, more or less, how this is all going to sort itself out? You do. But boy is it a lot of fun getting to the end of the ride.
This is not merely a knitting-themed romance. It's one that's incredibly accurate...more
This is not merely a knitting-themed romance. It's one that's incredibly accurate...more
I'm fairly new to knitting so I don't possess the expertise needed to knit much more than a scarf but I love to read about knitting. How To Knit A Love Song is a romance about Abigail Durant, an accomplished knitter, and Cade MacArthur who owns a sheep ranch. She inherits a cottage (from her mentor Eliza) that happens to be in the middle of the sheep ranch run by the handsome Cade (nephew of Eliza). It's the set-up of all set-ups and you can almost hear Eliza laughing as Cade and Abigail begin t...more
1 like · like · see review
rated R for racy. the plot sounded interesting and I probably would have rated it 3 stars (that is a good rating from me) if there weren't sex scenes and swear words. it was hard stop reading cause I wanted to find out what was going to happen. I rationalized that it may be improving my intimacy. but the strong deciding factor was that I would never want to jeopardize the ability for the Holy Spirit to be with me and for me to be able to recognize it's influence. so, although I didn't receive sp...more
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Nov 01, 2011
Nichole
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
fans of Nicholas Sparks, chick lit readers
I didn't realize this was a romance book until about midway in. I'm not usually a reader of romance or "yarn lit" novels, but this was recommended to me on amazon.com after I finished a different book and thought I'd give it a chance. I liked the story and the characters were ok. A few to many sex scenes, but overall the right amount of knitting and farming mentioned in the book. I also really liked the tips at the beginning of each chapter. I placed a hold on book 2 at the library and am curiou...more
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I wasn’t a huge fan of the characters. I didn’t like Cade (the male leading character). I thought he was a jerk. I did like the female character but I thought that she needed to stand up for herself more. I thought the ending was too neat. There was really no talking or explaining or apologizing done and I think it needed it, especially the apologizing. Also, I couldn’t close my eyes and picture the people in the book or the town where it is supposed to take place which I like to be able to do....more
When knitting queen Eliza Carpenter passed away she left most of her ranch to her nephew Cade. She left a small parcel of land (and the cottage on it) in the middle of the ranch to her young friend Abigail. Abigail is excited to move from San Diego to the small community of Cypress Hollow, so she can get away from her ex-boyfriend and get a fresh start on life. Cade, on the other hand is not so happy because he thinks he’s entitled to all the land.
When Abigail first arrives, she is forced to sta...more
When Abigail first arrives, she is forced to sta...more
Even though I don't knit I love reading books that center around people who love to knit. I loved the idea of Abigail setting up the knitting store/retreat on a ranch and Eliza setting them up how she did was really sweet. There was a lot of really fast changings in how Abigail and Cade felt about each other. One minute they would be arguing, then they'd suddenly start kissing. The next morning Cade would go to get muffins and hear something that would make him mad and they'd go a few weeks with...more
I made the mistake of reading others’ reviews of this book before I read the book..but, in spite of that, I still really enjoyed this book. I have read several “knitting” series before, and this one did have some similarities for sure. It had more steamy romance and a little more suspense with a stalker involved. It was a nice read and I will probably read the next book in this series just to see where she takes the characters! The premise of this book is that a woman inherits a cottage and some...more
I saw this book at B&N more than once over the last few weeks but wasn’t sure whether to give this new romance writer a try. Let me just say that I am so glad I picked up this book. This is honestly one of the best romance books I’ve read in a very long time. I know absolutely nothing about knitting but that was OK; this sweet romance is for everyone.
There’s the strong, determined heroine looking for a new start (Abigail), the handsome stubborn hero (Cade), interesting secondary characters,...more
There’s the strong, determined heroine looking for a new start (Abigail), the handsome stubborn hero (Cade), interesting secondary characters,...more
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Since I have read the author's blog for many years, I was really interested in reading her book. I do love light fluffy romance novels to "escape," so to speak, so I wasn't reading anything out of the ordinary for me. Even so, this is one of the best books I've read in a long time. The knitting and spinning bits fit well into the story rather than just add ons, as has been the case with other authors trying to mix the two, and non fiber people I think would enjoy this just as much as us fibery f...more
I started reading this book at 5 pm. I finished it around 11 pm. In between, I also made dinner, cleaned the bathroom, and watched an episode of "The Big Bang Theory." All in all, it's a cute little story, with absolutely no mental heavy lifting. It was a pleasant way to spend the evening.
My main quibble, and this is so common with the romance genre, is that the title doesn't really connect with the book. Yes, there is knitting. Lots of it. But there is no mention of love songs at all. Really, "...more
My main quibble, and this is so common with the romance genre, is that the title doesn't really connect with the book. Yes, there is knitting. Lots of it. But there is no mention of love songs at all. Really, "...more
I saw this book advertised in one of my knitting magazines, so I picked it up at the library. I had no idea it was going to be one of those steamy, explicit romance books! The author is obviously a knitter though, because she used all of the terms and lingo of a true knitter and yarn lover. The story was actually pretty good, and of course the sex scenes were written the way a woman *wishes* sex would be like! HA! A very quick read, but I don't see myself reading any more by this author, only be...more
WOW I should have done my research before starting this book - in audio no less. Romance novel, yes. Smutty love scene with WAY too much detail, yes. DANG! By the title (and the cover) I was not expecting a knitting story to go down the path it went; guess you really can't judge a book by it's cover. I had to stop reading it when he "rescued" her...can we say prince charming on a horse?!? So needless to say I will not be picking up this book again, nor any others like it. I like my novels with a...more
From the very first couple of pages, I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I fully expected to give it a 4-star rating, until the last third. The love of knitting and the way that knitting and fiber arts weave all parts of your life together is a big undertone to the novel, which I enjoyed. Eliza Carpenter is a huge character for someone who's never actually in the pages of the book and I enjoyed her a lot. However, I found some of the actions of Abby and Cade towards the end of the book to be ov...more
I thoroughly enjoyed the first 2/3 of the book. The characters were relatable and like-able. Unfortunately, the ending wasn't on par with the rest of the book. Perhaps I'm just tired of some of general conventions of many romance novels.
Why are the men allowed to be complete jerks? Then, suddenly, they "see the light" and all is well. The women accept them without question.... Does that really happen? Loving someone doesn't excuse their poor behavior. Also, the demise of the "bad guy" didn't sit...more
Why are the men allowed to be complete jerks? Then, suddenly, they "see the light" and all is well. The women accept them without question.... Does that really happen? Loving someone doesn't excuse their poor behavior. Also, the demise of the "bad guy" didn't sit...more
This is the first book that I have read by Rachael Herron and found it entertaining and a bit unrealistic but at the same time always wishing the couple in the book would in the end be together. Of course throughout the entire book they can't keep their hands off each other but can't stand each other. There are times I want her to leave the guy alone but then you want them to get together. I will be interested in reading Herron's books to see how the story continues with their friends who will o...more
A colorful read filled with descriptive scenes & vivid emotions. I read the book in one evening & enjoyed it! I'm the type of person who enjoys suspending disbelief & as such did not find error after error as some other readers did. I did feel the ending a bit rushed & once or twice found myself wondering who in their mind would engage in sex after being treated as such, but it's a fiction book people! The sweet setting was easy for me to picture & the book was engaging enoug...more
Even my husband liked this book! The scenes are vivid and engaging, the characters very real, and the suspense adds another dimension to what is predominantly a charming romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the knitting and spinning aspects, but there is way more to the story than textiles. Rachael's portrayal of a small ranching town is spot on. I love the way she works so much interesting detail and splendid humor into the story while maintaining the pace and flow of the plot. I can't wait to read th...more
Mar 31, 2010
Dru
added it
If you like to knit, or not, you will enjoy this book. Great characters all linked to Great Aunt Eliza who has recently passed away and is acting as a match-maker beyond the grave. Great characters, washboard abs and all, even the animals are fun to get to know. Fun read, and great bonus sweater pattern for knitting readers. Good story, except for Clara getting left out of the ending, but check the author's blog for the resolution of that issue. http://www.amazon.com/How-Knit-Love-S...
So. Freaking. Good! I couldn't put it down! The knitting and spinning elements were very natural in the flow of the story. The suspense kept me hanging on to every last word. Of course, the chemistry between Abigail and Cade was undeniable.
The end seemed a tad rushed to me, but I can honestly say that it may have just been me reading quickly to find out what happens next. That said, this is a must-read for knitting and romance fans combined. I think this is a wonderful debut novel, and I can't w...more
The end seemed a tad rushed to me, but I can honestly say that it may have just been me reading quickly to find out what happens next. That said, this is a must-read for knitting and romance fans combined. I think this is a wonderful debut novel, and I can't w...more
3.25 stars.
(Listened to audiobook version).
A nice, easy-to-fall-into love story. Formulaic, but not in a terrible way (after all, most of us reading romance are expecting a certain formula), and the author managed to keep it reasonably fresh and interesting.
Overall - enjoyed it. (It was rather - ahem - "spicy" in parts. Got a little embarrassing since I was listening in the car with 2 of my munchkins watching movies in the back. I kept my finger on the volume button!)
(Listened to audiobook version).
A nice, easy-to-fall-into love story. Formulaic, but not in a terrible way (after all, most of us reading romance are expecting a certain formula), and the author managed to keep it reasonably fresh and interesting.
Overall - enjoyed it. (It was rather - ahem - "spicy" in parts. Got a little embarrassing since I was listening in the car with 2 of my munchkins watching movies in the back. I kept my finger on the volume button!)
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Rachael Herron received her MFA in writing from Mills College, and has been knitting since she was five years old. It's more than a hobby; it's a way of life. Rachael lives with her better half in Oakland, California, where they have four cats, three dogs, three spinning wheels, and more instruments than they can count. She is a proud member of the San Francisco Area Romance Writers of America and...more
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Mar 12, 2010 01:17pm