$The Knitting Diaries: The Twenty-First Wish\Coming Unraveled\Return to Summer Island$

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The Knitting Diaries: The Twenty-First Wish\Coming Unraveled\Return to Summer Island (Summer Island)

by Debbie Macomber (Goodreads Author), Susan Mallery (Goodreads Author), Christina Skye

3.78 of 5 stars 3.78 · rating details · 950 ratings · 138 reviews

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie MacomberAnne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter, ten-year-old Ellen, have each written a list of twenty wishes—on which they included learning to knit. But Ellen has quietly added a twenty-first wish: that her mom will fall in love with Tim, Ellen's birth father, who's recently entered their lives.

Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery

When Rob...more

Paperback, 347 pages

Published March 29th 2011 by Mira (first published January 1st 2011)

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Lists with This Book

The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

Summer on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber

Favorite Blossom Street Book

8th out of 10 books — 16 voters

The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacobs

Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

Fiction for the Fiber Artist

13th out of 26 books — 13 voters

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Community Reviews

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Apr 11, 2011 Leah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Leah by: NetGalley

Shelves: arcs, author-susan-mallery, netgalley, 4-stars, scars-and-tats-and-piercings-oh-my, happy-slapsgiving, anthology, horrible-heroine-alert, half-star-ratings

THE KNITTING DIARIES - 3.5 STARS

"The Twenty-First Wish" by Debbie Macomber - 3 stars

This is the first thing that I've ever read by Debbie Macomber. I've never really been too interested in reading her books so it was nice to get a little feel of her writing from this novella. I would say that this one is definitely a nice story, but it wasn't really for me. Everything just felt too...neat.

"Coming Unraveled" by Susan Mallery - 5 stars

"Coming Unraveled" is the story of Robyn and T.J., and if sort...more

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Jan 25, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

What could an anthology of three short romances by these authors be but sweet? All feature knitters, and all three stories are preceded by knitting patterns. The Twenty-First Wish is the continuation of Macomber's Twenty Wishes (my review) and like Macomber's recent work, it is squeaky clean. With its short length, I didn't really get a feel for the characters, but since I "knew" them from Twenty Questions, it wasn't a problem. Without that background, it is simply a predictable story with an ov...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Robin Brennan rated it 2 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jun 07, 2012 Julie Barrett rated it 5 of 5 stars

Knitting Diaries by Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and Chritina Skye
Knitting is a comfort to all and you can always strike up a conversation with one who knits.
Love that this book is actually 3 different stories from 3 different authors, who also happen to knit.

The Twenty First Wish by Debbie Macomber
After the book 'Twenty Wishes' this follows along the same lines, like a bucket list of sorts.
Helen has her own 20 wishes book and shares it with her mother: Ann Marie knows Tim is still recovering...more

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May 19, 2012 Nancy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I am not a big fan of half books or in-between books or whatever it is that authors are calling them nowadays. Those annoying books that either follow up where the last one left off or a taste of what is to come next in the series. I just do not understand them. Why not include the information, if it is at all necessary, in the book where it belongs and not tempt the reader to buy yet another book that turns into a waste of money.

I read the Twenty Wishes and I read and I read Summer on Blossom S...more I am not a big fan of half books or in-between books or whatever it is that authors are calling them nowadays. Those annoying books that either follow up where the last one left off or a taste of what is to come next in the series. I just do not understand them. Why not include the information, if it is at all necessary, in the book where it belongs and not tempt the reader to buy yet another book that turns into a waste of money.

I read the Twenty Wishes and I read and I read Summer on Blossom Street and I really do not know how this book, enhances either story. I was not a fan of Twenty Wishes in the fist place and only liked Summer on Blossom Street slightly better. Being a series reader, I cannot help myself to finish what I had started in hopes that I will find the book that made me glad that I did not give up too soon.

Knitting Diaries is actually three short stories; bringing together three separate authors, Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery and Christina Skye. Since I am unfamiliar with the other two authors, I only read Macomber’s contribution so I can say that I have kept the series together. I know, a lame excuse, but if I did not I might have missed that gem.

If only it were that easy.

The Twenty First Wish brings us back to Anne Marie, a widow and Ellen her recently adopted daughter; Anne Marie has purchased a home and as she and Ellen are planning their move, Mel (Anne Marie’s new boyfriend) and Tim (Ellen’s biological father) start doing that he-man dance and Anne Marie has very little patience for such tomfoolery.

For a short story that is only 123 pages long, this review is going longer than I thought and if you know Macomber's writing, you can guess where this storyline goes and who has their Twenty-First Wish granted. You will have to read Twenty Wishes to understand the importance of the original list. Suffice it to say that it is a bucket list of sorts. A list that will help bring closure to some and open new worlds for others.
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Dec 01, 2011 Marian rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

To my knowledge, I've never read anything by any of these authors, but I was sitting in the car waiting for someone to make it out of the grocery store and I needed something to read. Normally I start books that way and never finish them because they aren't my kind of book, but these stories were fluffy and sweet and had enough tension to keep things moving. I have no idea if they add anything to the series they're set in, but each story is very easily read and understood without having previous...more

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Aug 13, 2011 April Suter rated it 4 of 5 stars

Returning to Blossom Street and the twenty wishes the girls have had in earlier novels: Now Anne Marie and her daughter Ellen are moving to their own home. All the knitters are helping and two guys, Tim (Ellen's father) and Mel are really wanting to help also. Read to find out what Ellen's new 21st wish is.

Robyn returns home to her grandmother in Texas after struggling in New York. An overprotective (and handsome!) Texan is not too sure Robyn's intentions are where they should be. TJ wants to sh...more

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May 03, 2011 Marcia Berg Haskell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

"The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber

Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter, ten-year-old Ellen, have each written a list of twenty wishes—on which they included learning to knit. But Ellen has quietly added a twenty-first wish: that her mom will fall in love with Tim, Ellen's birth father, who's recently entered their lives….

Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery

When Robyn Mulligan's dreams of becoming a Broadway star give way to longing for her childhood home, she returns to Texas, running h...more

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Mar 22, 2011 Norma rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was a wonderful set of short stories all brought together under one common theme – the love of knitting. I never learned to knit or crochet because I just wasn’t coordinated to do it. My mom, however, would sit for hours on end with needle and yarn in hands.

At the start of each story, there is a knitting pattern provided that ties in with the story. I can’t judge if they are simple or not because I don’t knit. But they did sound very interesting.

Twenty-One Wishes by Debbie Macomber

I have...more

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Mar 18, 2011 Tam Herra rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, down-on-their-luck, pets, small-town

I don't read Debbie Macomber so I would have normally skipped right over this book. But I was reading "Already Home" by Susan Mallery (gave it 4 stars, great book) and noticed that Coming Unraveled is set in the same town, so I found my way to this book.

I skipped right over the Debbie Macomber story.

Coming Unraveled was short, sweet and to the point. The story starts off with a little bit of tension due to a misunderstanding. This just sort of fizzles pretty quickly when the hero realizes and ad...more I don't read Debbie Macomber so I would have normally skipped right over this book. But I was reading "Already Home" by Susan Mallery (gave it 4 stars, great book) and noticed that Coming Unraveled is set in the same town, so I found my way to this book.

I skipped right over the Debbie Macomber story.

Coming Unraveled was short, sweet and to the point. The story starts off with a little bit of tension due to a misunderstanding. This just sort of fizzles pretty quickly when the hero realizes and admits to being wrong. That is the problem with this story. It's great, but there wasn't a satisfactory tension release, even with the big gesture ending. The story had a good basis, but I think too much was going on to be contained in a short story, and as a result it felt hallow and I didn't really get out of it what I thought I would. So I am sort of torn. I wish wish wish we could have known more about his accident and how he over came it and changed, or her lifestyle in New York and how she has readjusted her dreams, or the grandmother/friends and what they were really about. We got to see glimpses of all of this but there was just not enough space to go through it all.

Interestingly, this short story doesn't contribute anything to Already Home. Sometimes there would be more insight into the town or shared characters but the two stories are very distinctly separate.

Home to Summer Island was the third contribution to this anthology. It was an OK story and I am sure that people who like clean, super idealistic war-based stories would love it. For me, I felt like the romance was under-developed. The heroine had an interesting story going on with her accident and recovery, but towards the end of the story that stuff didn't seem to matter anymore, so it was a bit redundant reading it to begin with. The romance started off really well, but then the long-distance email-flirting made me cringe. Also, if he dropped my email, I'd think he did it on purpose. But I really do feel like my opinion is tainted by the fact that this wasn't my type of story, but other could appreciate it much more.

Bottom line: Comin Unraveled was OK. The other stories, I didn't care too much about. Perhaps knitting lovers will love these stories all the more because they centre on the craft and even provide patterns. But for the casual, non-knitting reader, this book won't get a prime spot on your book shelf.
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Feb 17, 2011 Janga rated it 4 of 5 stars

The Knitting Diaries includes three novellas: “The Twenty-First Wish” by Debbie Macomber, “Coming Unravelled” by Susan Mallery, and “Return to Summer Island” by Christina Skye. The authors, all knitters themselves, have crafted stories in which knitting is a thread in the plot. Like most anthologies, this one is uneven with some stories stronger than others.

Macomber‘s “The Twenty-First Wish” picks up the story of Anne Marie Roche, her adopted daughter, Ellen, and Ellen’s father, a major thread i...more The Knitting Diaries includes three novellas: “The Twenty-First Wish” by Debbie Macomber, “Coming Unravelled” by Susan Mallery, and “Return to Summer Island” by Christina Skye. The authors, all knitters themselves, have crafted stories in which knitting is a thread in the plot. Like most anthologies, this one is uneven with some stories stronger than others.

Macomber‘s “The Twenty-First Wish” picks up the story of Anne Marie Roche, her adopted daughter, Ellen, and Ellen’s father, a major thread in Summer on Blossom Street. Anne Marie and Ellen move into a new home, and Tim is very much a part of their lives. But having been wounded by his deception once, Anne Marie fights her attraction to him. Ellen, however, never gives up on her hope to see the three of them together as a family. This is a typical Macomber story—sweet and heartwarming. If you are a fan of Macomber’s Blossom Street books, you will be pleased with this addition to the series.

Susan Mallery’s “Coming Unraveled” is the story of Robyn Mulligan, a failed actress who returns to her hometown and begins a new life working in Only Ewe, the knitting shop owned by her grandmother and two of her grandmother’s friends. T. J. Passman, a mystery man with a tragic past, who has been befriended by the elderly women, is initially suspicious of Robyn, but soon the two are falling for each other. However, both of them must overcome baggage from their pasts before they can share the future. Mallery’s usual gift for characterization is on display in this story. Robyn and T. J. are interesting likeable characters, and the grandmother and her friends are delightful. This is the strongest story in the collection.

Christine Skye’s “Return to Summer Island” is the story of Caro McNeal, victim of an automobile accident and accomplished knitter, and Lieutenant Gage Grayson, a marine on his way to Afghanistan. The two feel a strong connection that brings them both healing and hope. There’s also an appealing secondary romance and great animal characters. I liked the characters in this one, but the story felt truncated. It seemed too large for the novella format.
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Feb 05, 2011 Lisa rated it 5 of 5 stars

Sometimes I love these anthologies! This one was great. The authors all have similar yet different styles and each story made to want there to be more! Now while I don't knit, I have zero patience, I like that this is what links the stories.

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber

I was most excited about this section of the book. I have read all of the other books about the women on
Blossom Street
and have fallen in love with their story. This book start with Anne Marie Roche signing papers on he...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Marianne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: borrowed-copy-returned

The Knitting Diaries is an anthology of three stories with a knitting theme. And, of course, there are knitting patterns included with each story.
The Twenty-First Wish, by Debbie Macomber, is a short story in the Blossom Street series, and centres around Blossom Street Books proprietor Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter Ellen. The title refers to an earlier book in the series, Twenty Wishes; Ellen has added a secret twenty-first wish to her list: that her adopted mother will fall in love...more The Knitting Diaries is an anthology of three stories with a knitting theme. And, of course, there are knitting patterns included with each story.
The Twenty-First Wish, by Debbie Macomber, is a short story in the Blossom Street series, and centres around Blossom Street Books proprietor Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter Ellen. The title refers to an earlier book in the series, Twenty Wishes; Ellen has added a secret twenty-first wish to her list: that her adopted mother will fall in love with her father Tim. But Anne Marie caught Tim in a lie, and is now going out with Mel. Does Ellen’s wish have a chance? Another sweet Macomber romance.
Coming Unravelled, by Susan Mallery is a short story set in the small town of Georgetown, Texas. Robyn Mulligan has come back to Georgetown to help out her grandmother, Eleanor, with her yarn shop, Only Ewe, when Eleanor needs to have knee surgery. Robyn’s acting career in New York has stalled, and she wants to make a fresh start in Texas. But T.J. Passman, handsome and hot-tempered, doesn’t trust her to not take advantage of Eleanor. T.J. has a tragic past to overcome and has found succour with Eleanor and her friends. Will Robyn and T.J. eventually stop being enemies? A passionate romance from Susan Mallery
Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye is a short story set in Summer Island, Oregon. Caro McNeal returns to her childhood home on Summer Island when she has a devastating car accident in Chicago which causes her to lose the use of her right hand and arm. As well as being unable to do her victim advocate work, she cannot knit, and find this the most heart-breaking of all. At the home of her grandmother, Morgan, she encounters a handsome Marine, Lieutenant Gage Grayson, about to return to duty in Afghanistan. Somehow, she finds herself looking after his pets, drawing them and sending him emails, all of which seems to help her rehabilitate. But when the pets seem to sense something is amiss, she begins to worry if Gage will make it home. A heart-warming tale.
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Sep 03, 2011 Denise rated it 4 of 5 stars

I loved this book. I picked it up because of Debbie Macomber's name on the book. I love Debbie's books and wanted to see what was happening on Blossom Street. The story was typical Macomber and I thoroughly enjoyed it but as it turned out I don't think it was the strongest of the three stories. I had never read any books by Susan Mallery or Christina Skye but definitely will add them to author's to read. I liked both of the stories and Return to Summer Island by Skye actually had me crying a lot...more

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Aug 07, 2011 Deb rated it 4 of 5 stars

I bought this anthology for Christina Skye's story. She is one of my favorite authors, and her story didn't disappoint. A wonderful read about starting over, overcoming obstacles and love at first sight. Throw in a sexy and sweet Marine hero and this story is a winner.

I've never read anything by Susan Mallery, but have read good things about her books here on Goodreads. Her story was really warm and sweet as well and I enjoyed it a lot.

Debbie Macombers story was just so-so for me. The story conn...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Ruth rated it 3 of 5 stars

Although Debbie Macomber's name was in large print on the front cover this is actually a book with three novellas in it by three different authors.

Story 1 is by Debbie Macomber. This was a follow-up to a story that she wrote called Twenty Wishes. We now find Ann Marie and her adopted daughter Ellen moving into a house that Ann Marie just purchased. Ellen is concerned because she doesn't want to leave her friends on Blossom Street. Things seem to be falling into place for Ann Marie. After falling...more Although Debbie Macomber's name was in large print on the front cover this is actually a book with three novellas in it by three different authors.

Story 1 is by Debbie Macomber. This was a follow-up to a story that she wrote called Twenty Wishes. We now find Ann Marie and her adopted daughter Ellen moving into a house that Ann Marie just purchased. Ellen is concerned because she doesn't want to leave her friends on Blossom Street. Things seem to be falling into place for Ann Marie. After falling for Tim, Ellen's father and then finding out that he was already engaged she is now dating Mel, who is kind, caring, and safe. Tim is no longer engaged and seems to be showing up at Ann Marie's house pretty frequently and Mel makes it clear that he is not happy. Will things ever work out for Ann Marie and will a 21st wish that Ellen made come true?

Story 2 is by Susan Mallery. Robyn has spent 6 years living in NYC chasing her dream of becoming an actress. When her grandma asks her to come back home to help in the knitting shop while she recuperates from knee surgery Robyn is relieved. At last, she has a reason to go home and end her unsuccessful dream chase. Her grandma and her friends Marion and Adeline are happy to have her back home. A newcomer to the shop and one of the rare males, TJ is concerned when Robyn shows up. He is vey protective of the three older women and he has read Robyn as being someone who has come to take from them. Has he read her correctly? And is he everything that he appears to be?

Story 3 is by Christina Skye After finishing school, Caro has moved to Chicago where she is serving as a victim advocate. While rushing to her final appointment one day, she is hit by a car that has lost its brakes. Once again, her grandmother comes to her rescue, as she did when Caro's mom and dad died in a car accident. She takes Caro home to Summer Island to recuperate and continue her physical therapy. When a man unexpectedly appears at the door, her world is turned upside down.

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Apr 11, 2011 Jodie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011, net-galley

The Twenty-first Wish by Debbie Macomber: Anne Marie adopted a little girl named Ellen and not long after the adoption, Ellen's father, Tim, showed up. Ellen was delighted her father was in her life, it was one of her wishes. Anne Marie enjoyed his companionship and soon developed feelings for Tim only to discover he was seeing someone else. Since Tim was Ellen's father, he was still around and to help ease the awkwardness, Anne Marie began dating Mel, a man 20 years older. After a few months an...more The Twenty-first Wish by Debbie Macomber: Anne Marie adopted a little girl named Ellen and not long after the adoption, Ellen's father, Tim, showed up. Ellen was delighted her father was in her life, it was one of her wishes. Anne Marie enjoyed his companionship and soon developed feelings for Tim only to discover he was seeing someone else. Since Tim was Ellen's father, he was still around and to help ease the awkwardness, Anne Marie began dating Mel, a man 20 years older. After a few months and after spending a lot of time with Tim again because of Ellen, those old feelings start coming back. Can Anne Marie trust Tim again, who is no longer seeing anyone, or should she just be with "nice guy" Mel?

I really enjoyed the love between Anne Marie and Ellen. The love they both shared for knitting was a great way for them not only to spend time together, but also communicate with one another. A very nice romantic short story.

Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery: After finally admitting to herself she's not going to be a broadway star, Robyn moves back to her hometown to help care for her grandmother who is about to have a knee replacement. When she arrives at her grandmother's store, she notices a man, TJ, glaring at her in an unfriendly way. TJ confronts Robyn and tells her he is quite aware of the facade she has put on for her grandmother and her grandmother's friends. TJ accuses her of returning to Texas just to take advantage of her grandmother and he would see to it that she did not hurt any of them. But, something begins to happen and both TJ and Robyn begin feeling things for each other that neither of them have felt in a long time.

Wow, what a great romantic short story. I was so touched by TJ's story and the feelings he was facing trying to move on after such a tragic loss. I also could understand Robyn's struggle in trying to come to terms with her dream not turning out exactly like she thought it would. Such a sweet story of letting go of the past and moving on to find happiness in the future.

Home to Summer Island by Christina Skye:

Caro left Oregon to make it on her own in Chicago. But, after a near death accident, she is forced to move back with her grandmother in Oregon. The healing process is long and Caro is afraid she'll never be able to knit again. When a stranger, Gran, comes to pick an art painting up from Caro's grandmother, her world is quickly turned upside down. And in the very same instance, she finds a new determination to heal.

"Never ignore the feelings that don't seem to make sense." I loved the instant connection Gran and Caro felt. I was easily wrapped up in this story and the struggle it is to heal after such an accident. One of my coworkers broke both her wrists about 3 years ago and she still struggles with pain to this day. There are some things she still can't do, like turn her own black pepper from the grinder.

I would have to say Coming Unraveled was by far my favorite. However, they were all very enjoyable short romance stories that had a common hobby of knitting. Nicely done!(less)

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Apr 07, 2011 Aislynn (Stitch Read Cook) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, netgalley-read, arc-s-to-review, read-in-2011, anthology, contemporary-romance

My Thoughts:

The Twenty First Wish is about Anne Marie and her daughter Ellen. We have met these characters before in the Blossom Street stories.

This was a cute story, which centres around Anne and her relationship with Ellen's father Tim. They like any couple have their ups and downs, they are trying to figure out where they stand. Anne Marie is happy in her relationship until Tim shows up and throws her for a loop!

I really enjoyed this story, it was heart warming and fun to read. I haven't read...more

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Jul 22, 2011 ɑƨħŵɑɡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 52-books-in-2011, chick-lit, romance, 2011-reads

The Knitting Diaries, Three writers coming together to write about three separate beautiful stories that give a glimpse into the lives of three different women with nothing in common but their love for knitting.

I really enjoyed The Twenty-First Wish, I find it the closest to 'real' from all the other stories. The characters are lovely but they sadly fell under the cliche type when they could be different. The second story, Coming Unravel, is about this aspiring actress Robyn Mulligan, who travel...more

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Aug 02, 2011 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars

Title: THE KNITTING DIARIES
Authors: Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Christina Skye
Publisher: Mira Books
April 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2937-4
Genre: contemporary romance / knitting

Knitting is many things to many people…

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber: Anna Marie Roche has adopted ten-year-old Ellen when Ellen’s guardian grandmother dies. Both Anna Marie and Ellen have written a list of twenty wishes they want to see come true. One of Ellen’s wishes is that she’ll meet her biological father. T...more Title: THE KNITTING DIARIES
Authors: Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, Christina Skye
Publisher: Mira Books
April 2011
ISBN: 978-0-7783-2937-4
Genre: contemporary romance / knitting

Knitting is many things to many people…

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber: Anna Marie Roche has adopted ten-year-old Ellen when Ellen’s guardian grandmother dies. Both Anna Marie and Ellen have written a list of twenty wishes they want to see come true. One of Ellen’s wishes is that she’ll meet her biological father. Tim (her father) seeks her out, and wants to be a part of her life. But then Ellen adds a twenty-first wish—that Tim and Anna Marie will fall in love.

Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery: Robyn Mulligan has gone to Texas to help her grandmother recover from a knee replacement surgery. She’s also helping out by managing her grandmother’s yarn shop and leading the knitting group. T.J. is recovering from an accident that cost him the use of his hands. He’s trying to get the full use back by knitting, something his doctors felt would help. He doesn’t trust Robyn and wants her to leave…but can Robyn help him overcome his tragic past?

Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye: Caro McNeal was in a serious car accident on the way to a meeting, and then to pick up her grandmother. Now she wakes up in the hospital, unable to use one of her hands. Returning home to Summer Island with her grandmother to rehabilitate, Caro meets a marine serving in Afghanistan. But then life takes another unexpected turn…

THE KNITTING DIARIES is a contemporary romance anthology written by three authors, among them best-seller Debbie Macomber. I’ve never read any of Ms. Macomber’s books before and thought I’d give it a try.

Each story is prefaced with a complete pattern for a knitted project, such as a “wedding purse”, a “puppet knitting pattern”, and “twisted wrist riblets”. Then each story is a romance centered around knitting. The stories weren’t really engaging and some were kind of tawdy. I usually find with anthologies there is one really good story and the others aren’t so good. That was the case with this one. If you like to knit, then the three patterns alone are worth the price of the book. If you like Harlequin type romances and brightly colored yarn woven through it then you’ll love THE KNITTING DIARIES. $7.99. 347 pages.

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Mar 30, 2011 Sebe Abolafia rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Knitting Diaries

This book is a collection of short stories about three women that love to knit and how it impacts their lives.

The Twenty First Wish by Debbie Macomber

Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter Ellen from Debbie Macomber's previous book Twenty Wishes are in this short story. I love this story about Anne Marie coming to terms with her feelings about Ellen's biological father Tim.

Reading about all of the people on Blossom Street brings me back to all the wonderful previous storie...more

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May 10, 2011 svm rated it 1 of 5 stars

beggars can't be choosers when there are an extremely limited selection of books en anglais available but still... of course, this book jumped out at me from the shelf for obvious reasons but i can't decide if it would've been worse to have nothing to read (note: knitting project was at minor standstill) or having only this to read during my nearly 10 hours on a bus!

i know macomber is hugely popular but i can't understand why! the writing was just lame and seemed quite poorly edited, very chopp...more

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May 04, 2011 Jodi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

I'm not usually a big fan of short stories but I did really enjoy this anthology, probably because I love the Blossom Street books and had just finished reading Already Home by Susan Mallory, which had brief appearances by Robyn and TJ in it. I think having read those books previously I felt like I already knew the characters and liked them so the story lines didn't feel rushed. I haven't ever read anything by Christina Skye before so her portion of the book did seem more rushed and I felt skept...more

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Feb 22, 2011 Katie (It's Time to Read) Leversuch rated it 4 of 5 stars

REVIEWS CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Addition: Review e-book from netGalley

Genre: Female fiction, romance

Rating: 4 out of 5

This is a collection of short stories, written by prolific chick-lit authors Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery and Christina Skye.

Debbie Macomber

Knitting is a way of life: The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber

Anne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter, ten-year-old Ellen, have each written a list of twenty wishes - on which they included learning to knit. But Ellen has quietly added a tw...more

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Dec 01, 2012 Sarah Eiseman rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been on a kick recently to read new authors and I came across Christina Skye. I’m really enjoying her Summer Island books, and one of the stories in this book was from that series. In The Knitting Diaries, we get short stories from Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and Christina Skye–all writers that I’m a fan of. These were easy readin’ and nice and short. The Skye story was, by far, my favorite. Sometimes it’s nice to not have an alpha hero, but someone who’s nice and the circumstances just...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a great combination of stories. I really enjoyed each of the three stories and while their individual stories did have a closing, I was so drawn to the characters that I didn't want them to end. I will definitely keep my eye open for books from each of these authors. And I secretly hope they will maybe elaborate on these short stories in future books. An added bonus, is that my mom used to knit and reading these stories make me want to start & finish afghans for my son & niece that...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Rebecca Huston rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 21st-century, america, knitting, nook

Three stories that intertwine keeping a diary, knitting and cats. The first two stories I didn't find very interesting, The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber and Coming Unravelled by Susan Mallery, but the third, Return to Summer Island by Christina Skye wasn't bad at all. These won't be for everyone, but those who don't mind something light and fluffy shouldn't mind these much. All of the stories have knitting patterns included.

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May 07, 2011 ஐ Briansgirl (Book Sale Queen)ஐ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-macomber-debbie, own, romance-contemporary

Anthology of three romances that revolve, at least in part, around knitting.

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie Macomber 3 ***
It's been awhile since I read Twenty Wishes. I had trouble remembering some of the characters. Quite frankly, I don't think this story will make sense to anyone unless they've recently read Twenty Wishes. It's like an extended ending you wished the first book had, as it ends with Anne Marie finding romance. I don't recommend it as a stand-alone story because it's written as i...more

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Apr 27, 2011 Mayda rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

Debbie Macomber, Susan Mallery, and Christina Skye each contributed a story to The Knitting Diaries, the common link being knitting. The best story by far is Macomber’s. If you are looking for a summer beach-read that won’t interfere with your afternoon snooze, this is the book for you. The stories are shorter than the average novel, and perhaps that is why they lack character development and a more involved plot. But if all you want is a bit of a problem along the way to a happy ending, you may...more

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Mar 30, 2013 Eddy Allen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-and-poetry, cook-crafts-places

The Twenty-First Wish by Debbie MacomberAnne Marie Roche and her adopted daughter, ten-year-old Ellen, have each written a list of twenty wishes—on which they included learning to knit. But Ellen has quietly added a twenty-first wish: that her mom will fall in love with Tim, Ellen's birth father, who's recently entered their lives.

Coming Unraveled by Susan Mallery

When Robyn Mulligan's dreams of becoming a Broadway star give way to longing for her childhood home, she returns to Texas, running he...more

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About Debbie Macomber

With more than 140 million copies of her books in print, Debbie Macomber is one of today's most popular authors.

The #1 New York Times bestselling author is best known for her ability to create compelling characters and bring their stories to life in her books. Drawing on her own experiences and observations, Debbie writes heartwarming tales about small-town life, home and family, enduring friends...more

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Books by Debbie Macomber

The Shop on Blossom Street (Blossom Street, #1 )

Back on Blossom Street (Blossom Street, #4)

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