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Real Men Knit #1
Real Men Knit
When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop, while dealing with life and love in Harlem.
Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.
Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit.
Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.
Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,946 reviews
August 9, 2020
Most romance novels are incredibly unrealistic, for many reasons including “men are usually not nice, let alone extravagantly loving” and “wait, these two people managed to meet without some sort of app” and, last but not least, “this romance manages to start out grand and romantic and continue to be grand and romantic without one or both parties realizing they were actually falling for an idea of a person and not this actual person, as exhibited by the fact that said beloved idea of a person would never do something like have less than satisfactory table manners / leave dishes in the sink for an excessive amount of time / have a backstory?”
In spite of all the things I do not appreciate about this book, I can appreciate that it is at least realistic on that last one.
This romance NEVER feels all that grand and romantic. So. Relatable, I guess. And if I were reading romance novels because I’m passionate about the reinvigoration of failing yarn businesses, I’d be thrilled by this.
Unfortunately, neither myself nor any other living person is doing that, as far as I know.
And so, for this and other reasons, this was a snooze. A bore. A disappointment sundae with...sleeping pills on top?
I’ll admit I lost the thread on that metaphor.
What I’m getting at is that I ended up skimming a LOT of this book. The writing was very repetitive though so I think I probably got everything.
There was also some very 2004-esque girl hate, reminiscent of a romantic comedy following a quirky female lead and her costar, the internalized misogyny that causes her to hate a hot woman who happens to be physically close to the man she has decided to imprint on.
All of which is to say there was a character whose entire personality can be summed up as “slutty, and therefore undeserving of even the most basic happiness or humanity.”
Plus, if that weren’t obvious enough, this actually describes its protagonist as “not like other girls.”
Yikes.
Bottom line: I strayed from my planned TBR to read this book. I was punished accordingly.
---------------
have decided it's illegal for me to dislike books that are supposed to cheer me up. i'm declaring it
review to come / 1.5 stars
---------------
which is more swoon-worthy:
a) a book boyfriend
b) a hand-knit sweater
sound off in the comments below (but it's B)
---
i am spending this month reading books by Black authors. please join me!
book 1: The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
book 2: Homegoing
book 3: Let's Talk about Love
book 4: Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race
book 5: The Sellout
book 6: Queenie
book 7: Red at the Bone
book 8: The Weight of the Stars
book 9: An American Marriage
book 10: Dear Ijeawaele
book 11: Sing, Unburied, Sing
book 12: Real Men Knit
In spite of all the things I do not appreciate about this book, I can appreciate that it is at least realistic on that last one.
This romance NEVER feels all that grand and romantic. So. Relatable, I guess. And if I were reading romance novels because I’m passionate about the reinvigoration of failing yarn businesses, I’d be thrilled by this.
Unfortunately, neither myself nor any other living person is doing that, as far as I know.
And so, for this and other reasons, this was a snooze. A bore. A disappointment sundae with...sleeping pills on top?
I’ll admit I lost the thread on that metaphor.
What I’m getting at is that I ended up skimming a LOT of this book. The writing was very repetitive though so I think I probably got everything.
There was also some very 2004-esque girl hate, reminiscent of a romantic comedy following a quirky female lead and her costar, the internalized misogyny that causes her to hate a hot woman who happens to be physically close to the man she has decided to imprint on.
All of which is to say there was a character whose entire personality can be summed up as “slutty, and therefore undeserving of even the most basic happiness or humanity.”
Plus, if that weren’t obvious enough, this actually describes its protagonist as “not like other girls.”
Yikes.
Bottom line: I strayed from my planned TBR to read this book. I was punished accordingly.
---------------
have decided it's illegal for me to dislike books that are supposed to cheer me up. i'm declaring it
review to come / 1.5 stars
---------------
which is more swoon-worthy:
a) a book boyfriend
b) a hand-knit sweater
sound off in the comments below (but it's B)
---
i am spending this month reading books by Black authors. please join me!
book 1: The Stars and the Blackness Between Them
book 2: Homegoing
book 3: Let's Talk about Love
book 4: Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race
book 5: The Sellout
book 6: Queenie
book 7: Red at the Bone
book 8: The Weight of the Stars
book 9: An American Marriage
book 10: Dear Ijeawaele
book 11: Sing, Unburied, Sing
book 12: Real Men Knit
April 14, 2020
While this definitely falls more under the umbrella of family fiction, the slow burning romance was a nice addition to the mix. If you're looking for a feel good novel that allowed me to visit Harlem in a way that the author has experienced it, please give this one a pre-order!
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
*Many thanks to the publisher for providing my review copy.
July 9, 2020
This book unfortunately was just.. kinda boring? I feel like nothing really happened for the majority of the book, and then when things were actually happening I didn't feel much of any chemistry between the two main characters. This book wasn't bad, it just wasn't for me. Womp :c
May 16, 2020
Real Men Knit is an engaging story full of heart. Four brothers lose their adoptive mother, who happened to own a knitting shop in Harlem. They come together to save the shop.
Oh my gosh, I loved these characters. Mama Joy was once their foster mother and later adopted the brothers. There are sprinkles of love and romance in here, and I was completely smitten with how the men were written in this book.
Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a refreshing story where the characters shine.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Oh my gosh, I loved these characters. Mama Joy was once their foster mother and later adopted the brothers. There are sprinkles of love and romance in here, and I was completely smitten with how the men were written in this book.
Definitely check this one out if you are looking for a refreshing story where the characters shine.
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
May 27, 2020
After digesting this book further, I am dropping my rating to 3 stars. This book just doesn't warrant anything above that rating.
This was marketed as a romance but it, in my opinion, wasn't that. This was more of a contemporary family fiction with heavy themes.
I liked the way the story carried out and I liked the dynamic between Jesse and Kerry.
That said, the pacing was really weird and felt kind of clunky which took away from the overall enjoyment. Overall, this book was sweet and heartfelt although not that romantic.
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3.5 stars. It was sweet but very weirdly paced. Review to come
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I honestly can't remember if I downloaded the eARC of this or not but just in case...
Many thanks to Berkley for the copy in exchange for an honest review
I don't want the FTC to arrest me
-----------------------
[Credit: Josh Bennett]
-----------------------
heck yes to men knitting
i still remember my knitting phase. i could knit a good scarf
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | Reddit | LinkedIn | YouTube |
This was marketed as a romance but it, in my opinion, wasn't that. This was more of a contemporary family fiction with heavy themes.
I liked the way the story carried out and I liked the dynamic between Jesse and Kerry.
That said, the pacing was really weird and felt kind of clunky which took away from the overall enjoyment. Overall, this book was sweet and heartfelt although not that romantic.
--------------
3.5 stars. It was sweet but very weirdly paced. Review to come
--------------
I honestly can't remember if I downloaded the eARC of this or not but just in case...
Many thanks to Berkley for the copy in exchange for an honest review
I don't want the FTC to arrest me
-----------------------
[Credit: Josh Bennett]
-----------------------
heck yes to men knitting
i still remember my knitting phase. i could knit a good scarf
| Goodreads | Blog | Pinterest | Reddit | LinkedIn | YouTube |
November 8, 2020
Real Men Knit is a story about four adoptive brothers struggling to keep their family knitting shop open in the wake of their mother's death. Jesse Strong, the youngest but least ambitious sibling decides that he will reinvent the shop and make it better than ever with the help of his childhood friend, Kerry Fuller, and the story takes off from there.
I have to say that this book really disappointed me, I was unbelievably excited for this one but it just felt incredibly flat. The first half, maybe even the first 65%, of the story nothing is happening. Jesse and Kerry experience some mild mutual attraction but it feels like they barely have any notable interactions. I did not feel any chemistry or relationship development between these two and only in the final 50 pages is anything even mildly interesting happening in regards to them. You could say this is a slow burn but for me, a slow burn would have had more fun and intrigue to keep me engaged but this was just so boring.
A few positives were that I appreciated the complexities of the dynamic with jesse and his brothers. Loved the emphasis on community and family. Also i liked the friendship between Kerry and her best friend, Val.
However, I really don't think the writing style was for me either, it felt a bit clunky and some of the dialogue was awkward. In addition to that fact, the beginning was info-dumpy and repetitive in my opinion. The ending was really abrupt as well. It just felt like a whole lot of nothing and then the author realized she had to wrap her story up somehow and threw everything of note into the last 5o pages. I just really wanted to know more about the knitting shop and the changes they were making. I wanted more fun banter and angsty friends to lover feels, but for most of the book it felt like Kerry was babysitting Jesse rather than being wooed by him. Sadly, all I got was incredibly lukewarm feelings over my most anticipated release.
I have to say that this book really disappointed me, I was unbelievably excited for this one but it just felt incredibly flat. The first half, maybe even the first 65%, of the story nothing is happening. Jesse and Kerry experience some mild mutual attraction but it feels like they barely have any notable interactions. I did not feel any chemistry or relationship development between these two and only in the final 50 pages is anything even mildly interesting happening in regards to them. You could say this is a slow burn but for me, a slow burn would have had more fun and intrigue to keep me engaged but this was just so boring.
A few positives were that I appreciated the complexities of the dynamic with jesse and his brothers. Loved the emphasis on community and family. Also i liked the friendship between Kerry and her best friend, Val.
However, I really don't think the writing style was for me either, it felt a bit clunky and some of the dialogue was awkward. In addition to that fact, the beginning was info-dumpy and repetitive in my opinion. The ending was really abrupt as well. It just felt like a whole lot of nothing and then the author realized she had to wrap her story up somehow and threw everything of note into the last 5o pages. I just really wanted to know more about the knitting shop and the changes they were making. I wanted more fun banter and angsty friends to lover feels, but for most of the book it felt like Kerry was babysitting Jesse rather than being wooed by him. Sadly, all I got was incredibly lukewarm feelings over my most anticipated release.
August 26, 2020
Wow. I'm not sure what happened here. I thought I was going to enjoy this one, but nothing and I mean absolutely nothing worked for me .
Real Men Knit is about four adopted brothers who lose their mother and have to work together with their family friend Kerry to keep her knitting/yarn business open. While reading the beginning of this novel, I thought that I was going to get this amazing romance that may have even introduced a conflict within the four brothers over who loved and would end up dating Kerry. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead readers are provided with a lack luster romance with absolutely no plot development or romance between its characters. Instead of Kerry and Jesse having this unstated attraction to each other, they felt like close friends or even relatives in some parts. By the time that Jackson had the characters get to a steamy scene it felt extremely forced and awkward. Even when other women came into the picture to attempt to distract Jesse's attention away from Kerry, it felt like it was a big brother protecting his little sister from getting her feelings hurt. I just felt extremely awkward and I wasn't into it.
My other point of contention was the fact that NOTHING HAPPENED. This entire book felt like absolutely nothing happened. I understand the brothers were attempting to decide how they were going to save the shop and how Jesse was going to be able to run it, but other than that like nothing happened. And don't get me wrong, I can handle books that focus more on character development than plot development BUT the characters weren't well rounded in my opinion either! Jesse didn't have any redeeming qualities and honestly I was over the entire book when he pulled his "woe is me, I'm such a bad person" characteristics. They all fell flat to be honest. I wish we would have even gotten more on the page time with each of the brothers. So that with the lack of plot development made for an extremely boring and slow novel. I didn't really understand the "conflict" at the end. It felt random and extremely rushed. I think that Jackson wanted to make a statement about toxic masculinity but it wasn't executed well.
I also would not recommend listening to this on audiobook. The narrator was awful and it was clear that even she didn't like the book.
I did like the diversity of the book. There were characters from so many different backgrounds and Jackson also emphasized the importance of small businesses especially those owned by Black individuals. There were even some parts that focused on community specifically in the form of a community center; however, none of this was enough to save this novel.
Real Men Knit is about four adopted brothers who lose their mother and have to work together with their family friend Kerry to keep her knitting/yarn business open. While reading the beginning of this novel, I thought that I was going to get this amazing romance that may have even introduced a conflict within the four brothers over who loved and would end up dating Kerry. I couldn't have been more wrong. Instead readers are provided with a lack luster romance with absolutely no plot development or romance between its characters. Instead of Kerry and Jesse having this unstated attraction to each other, they felt like close friends or even relatives in some parts. By the time that Jackson had the characters get to a steamy scene it felt extremely forced and awkward. Even when other women came into the picture to attempt to distract Jesse's attention away from Kerry, it felt like it was a big brother protecting his little sister from getting her feelings hurt. I just felt extremely awkward and I wasn't into it.
My other point of contention was the fact that NOTHING HAPPENED. This entire book felt like absolutely nothing happened. I understand the brothers were attempting to decide how they were going to save the shop and how Jesse was going to be able to run it, but other than that like nothing happened. And don't get me wrong, I can handle books that focus more on character development than plot development BUT the characters weren't well rounded in my opinion either! Jesse didn't have any redeeming qualities and honestly I was over the entire book when he pulled his "woe is me, I'm such a bad person" characteristics. They all fell flat to be honest. I wish we would have even gotten more on the page time with each of the brothers. So that with the lack of plot development made for an extremely boring and slow novel. I didn't really understand the "conflict" at the end. It felt random and extremely rushed. I think that Jackson wanted to make a statement about toxic masculinity but it wasn't executed well.
I also would not recommend listening to this on audiobook. The narrator was awful and it was clear that even she didn't like the book.
I did like the diversity of the book. There were characters from so many different backgrounds and Jackson also emphasized the importance of small businesses especially those owned by Black individuals. There were even some parts that focused on community specifically in the form of a community center; however, none of this was enough to save this novel.
May 20, 2020
Family, Romance, and yarn. Kwana Jackson’s debut was bursting with hope, heart, and brotherly love. At its core this was a story about a family coming together after the loss of their beloved mother, Mama Joy. Jesse, Noah, Lucas, and Damien may not be related by blood but they all have a deep tied to one another and are grieving the loss of their adoptive mom. The family has owned a knitting shop in Harlem for a long time, but it might not make financial sense to keep the business going. Jesse the youngest brother is determined to keep the business going and recruits long time family friend and knitting expert Kerry to help revive the store. Kerry has been crushing on Jesse forever, but he has always been a player. So what will happen when these two end up working so closely together? And more importantly will the knitting store stay strong?
This was such a charming story! I loved all these characters. The Strong Brothers were quite scrumptious and I love their banter. Kerry was a sweet girl who I would love to be friends with. Jesse and Kerry were cute together and I liked their slow burn romance. My one Kniggle with this book is we never really got to know these characters more than just on a surface level. I knew both Carrie and Jesse were dealing with things from their past, but we really never got into it and they never really discussed it with one another. This book however was the perfect set up for future books, so I’m hoping to get to know these characters better in the future. A sweet story that made me smile and want to learn to knit.
This book in emojis 🧶 🧣 🎨 📸 📻
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This was such a charming story! I loved all these characters. The Strong Brothers were quite scrumptious and I love their banter. Kerry was a sweet girl who I would love to be friends with. Jesse and Kerry were cute together and I liked their slow burn romance. My one Kniggle with this book is we never really got to know these characters more than just on a surface level. I knew both Carrie and Jesse were dealing with things from their past, but we really never got into it and they never really discussed it with one another. This book however was the perfect set up for future books, so I’m hoping to get to know these characters better in the future. A sweet story that made me smile and want to learn to knit.
This book in emojis 🧶 🧣 🎨 📸 📻
*** Big thank you to Berkley for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
September 12, 2020
Real Men Knit by Kwana Jackson
Contemporary romance. Diverse.
After the death of their adopted mother, Jesse, Noah, Lucas and Damian decide to keep the knit shop in Harlem open. The community and neighbors have come to depend on the safe place. Kerry worked at the knitting store and has been a regular at the shop since she was a child. Kerry has been in love with Jesse since they were children. Without Mama Joy keeping the community knitting, will the shop survive? Jesse and Kerry team up to make sure the shop not only survives but thrives.
It took me quite awhile to warm up to the hero in this romance. He didn’t want to commit to much and it took him too long to get rid of the other women. He eventually turned around his attitude and it ended as a happily ever after. The switch from coworkers to lovers seemed forced and came late in the story. It was out of character for Kerry to act as the seductress. I did enjoy her friendships.
I loved the message that came through at the end - yes, real men knit. Firemen, CPA’s and dads. Knitting helps to teach concentration, discipline, coordination, and patience.
I expect future books based on the brothers. I switched between a paperback copy and audio. Preferred the paperback. The narrator did a good job with voice variations.
Contemporary romance. Diverse.
After the death of their adopted mother, Jesse, Noah, Lucas and Damian decide to keep the knit shop in Harlem open. The community and neighbors have come to depend on the safe place. Kerry worked at the knitting store and has been a regular at the shop since she was a child. Kerry has been in love with Jesse since they were children. Without Mama Joy keeping the community knitting, will the shop survive? Jesse and Kerry team up to make sure the shop not only survives but thrives.
It took me quite awhile to warm up to the hero in this romance. He didn’t want to commit to much and it took him too long to get rid of the other women. He eventually turned around his attitude and it ended as a happily ever after. The switch from coworkers to lovers seemed forced and came late in the story. It was out of character for Kerry to act as the seductress. I did enjoy her friendships.
I loved the message that came through at the end - yes, real men knit. Firemen, CPA’s and dads. Knitting helps to teach concentration, discipline, coordination, and patience.
I expect future books based on the brothers. I switched between a paperback copy and audio. Preferred the paperback. The narrator did a good job with voice variations.
June 20, 2020
Such a fun, straightforward, sweet, uncomplicated, lovely read. It's about brothers who inherit their (adoptive) mother's knitting store in Harlem. Charming escapism. We'll be doing a read-along for this book in November. It was exactly what I needed to read with all the chaos going on in the real world. Loved it!
May 19, 2020
Real Men Knit has a very interesting premise. We meet our protagonists on the day after Mama Joy's funeral. This amazing woman, who adopted and raised four boys from the foster care system, passed away following an unexpected heart attack. The community is griefstricken and you can feel how loved and admired Mama Joy Strong was and how much her family and her neighbours are going to miss her. Her yarn shop was a special place full of kindness, peace and calm, so rare nowadays. The four brothers now have to decide whether to keep the shop running or sell it. Damian is a corporate financial analyst, Lucas is a firefighter and Noah is a professional dancer. They are all busy with their careers and do not have much time to dedicate to their mother's business. Only Jesse, who still hasn't found his place and passion in life, feels the shop is Mama Joy's legacy and plays an important role in their community, and therefore they should do everything possible to keep it open.
Kerry Fuller practically grew up in Strong Knits shop and Mama Joy gave her as much love and attention as she did to her sons. Kerry has worked there part-time for almost ten years. This quiet bookish girl knows everything there is to know about running a yarn shop. Kerry volunteers to help the brothers as she feels she owes it to Mama Joy's memory. This means working closely with Jesse, who she's been crushing on for years, but who doesn't see her as anything but a childhood friend. An explosion in a neighbouring building makes her home uninhabitable for up to six weeks. Jesse and her brothers are happy to offer her a temporary home in their flat above the shop, which means spending even more time in close proximity to Jesse. Kerry is a grown-up woman, capable of taking care of herself and deciding what she wants, but what does Jesse, who has a reputation for being a bit of a player, want and is he ready for it?
Kerry is strong and independent and very easy to like and care about, but there was also a bit of 'not like the other girls' vibe, when she is compared with Erika, Jesse's casual bedmate, and also at work with Allison. She is tired of other people deciding what is the best for her, and I totally understand and respect it, although I still have a few niggles about her going for a relationship with Jesse at that particular moment.
Jesse...He is immature and insecure and has to do a lot of growing up, but I loved the way he dedicated himself to his family business, and the way he interacted with Errol, a little boy who was bullied at school.
Whether you classify it as women's fiction or romance, Real Men Knit is about family and community. I loved the location and the diversity aspect of this book. My favourite supporting characters are the OKG, the Old Knitting Gang, Mama Joy's old friends who used to come to her shop for their knitting and gossiping sessions and who have hearts of gold.
This book isn't perfect. The beginning was info-heavy and generally there was a lot of inner monologue. Yet, I found it difficult to put down- I wanted to know more about the brothers and whether they would be able to save their family business. I hope this was the beginning of a new series, as each of the brothers deserves their own book.
'In knitting there's never a problem that can't be fixed'
'When you make something by hand, whatever you make takes time, patience, concentration and your energy. You should value that. So, when you give a gift you should do it with a clear intention and your pure heart'.
'With his love, their love, he'd never give up. He'd just keep on knitting'.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Kerry Fuller practically grew up in Strong Knits shop and Mama Joy gave her as much love and attention as she did to her sons. Kerry has worked there part-time for almost ten years. This quiet bookish girl knows everything there is to know about running a yarn shop. Kerry volunteers to help the brothers as she feels she owes it to Mama Joy's memory. This means working closely with Jesse, who she's been crushing on for years, but who doesn't see her as anything but a childhood friend. An explosion in a neighbouring building makes her home uninhabitable for up to six weeks. Jesse and her brothers are happy to offer her a temporary home in their flat above the shop, which means spending even more time in close proximity to Jesse. Kerry is a grown-up woman, capable of taking care of herself and deciding what she wants, but what does Jesse, who has a reputation for being a bit of a player, want and is he ready for it?
Kerry is strong and independent and very easy to like and care about, but there was also a bit of 'not like the other girls' vibe, when she is compared with Erika, Jesse's casual bedmate, and also at work with Allison. She is tired of other people deciding what is the best for her, and I totally understand and respect it, although I still have a few niggles about her going for a relationship with Jesse at that particular moment.
Jesse...He is immature and insecure and has to do a lot of growing up, but I loved the way he dedicated himself to his family business, and the way he interacted with Errol, a little boy who was bullied at school.
Whether you classify it as women's fiction or romance, Real Men Knit is about family and community. I loved the location and the diversity aspect of this book. My favourite supporting characters are the OKG, the Old Knitting Gang, Mama Joy's old friends who used to come to her shop for their knitting and gossiping sessions and who have hearts of gold.
This book isn't perfect. The beginning was info-heavy and generally there was a lot of inner monologue. Yet, I found it difficult to put down- I wanted to know more about the brothers and whether they would be able to save their family business. I hope this was the beginning of a new series, as each of the brothers deserves their own book.
'In knitting there's never a problem that can't be fixed'
'When you make something by hand, whatever you make takes time, patience, concentration and your energy. You should value that. So, when you give a gift you should do it with a clear intention and your pure heart'.
'With his love, their love, he'd never give up. He'd just keep on knitting'.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Berkley for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
May 17, 2020
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
2.75/5 Stars
Full review HERE
Real Men Knit is a book about family, the importance of legacy and community, and romance. I was hoping to like this book a lot more, but unfortunately this wasn't the case. Even though it wasn't a bad book per se, I found the pacing to be a bit off. The beginning was extremely slow, it was all about the shop and the backstory of the characters, which was interesting enough, but definitely not the reason why I started the book. Then the romance started and it was all very quick, maybe too much for my taste.
I liked the Strong brothers and I enjoyed reading about them and their sibling relationship. Plus, they had some good conversations that made me laugh.
Kerry and Jesse's story was just okay and that's what's mostly influencing my rating for this book. This novel is advertised as a romance and I feel like the romance part was lacking and could be better. Even though they had some nice moments, to me it all felt quite superficial and I would have liked some more in depth conversations and just something better in general.
2.75/5 Stars
Full review HERE
Real Men Knit is a book about family, the importance of legacy and community, and romance. I was hoping to like this book a lot more, but unfortunately this wasn't the case. Even though it wasn't a bad book per se, I found the pacing to be a bit off. The beginning was extremely slow, it was all about the shop and the backstory of the characters, which was interesting enough, but definitely not the reason why I started the book. Then the romance started and it was all very quick, maybe too much for my taste.
I liked the Strong brothers and I enjoyed reading about them and their sibling relationship. Plus, they had some good conversations that made me laugh.
Kerry and Jesse's story was just okay and that's what's mostly influencing my rating for this book. This novel is advertised as a romance and I feel like the romance part was lacking and could be better. Even though they had some nice moments, to me it all felt quite superficial and I would have liked some more in depth conversations and just something better in general.
October 25, 2020
I have no clue what happened in this book except one big nothing...
a beautiful cover though, I just couldn't care about the book..
a beautiful cover though, I just couldn't care about the book..
August 31, 2020
It took me a while to warm up to the hero, and I wish he had grovelled more. I don't want to say that Kerry deserves better, but... Kerry deserves better. I liked Jesse; I just wanted him to prove his love to Kerry more and not treat her like a sibling/maternal figure. The ending felt abrupt because I wasn't satisfied with how their journey ended. It's a cute premise and the author nicely set up the other three brothers' stories.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Disclaimer: I received a free e-ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2022
I adored the premise of the book, men that knit, foster-turned-adoptive mother/family, and it being a romance. I was just so sure I was going to love it but unfortunately I did not. It wasn't terrible but the plot wasn't engaging and the chemistry on the couple wasn't really there. Not my cup of tea
May 18, 2020
Well, this was one of my most anticipated and I’m so disappointed.
Kerry and Jesse were just meh. She’s a Good Girl and he’s A Player and neither of them seem to grow into anything else but those labels. The brothers had potential, but were easily interchangeable and Kerry’s BFF didn’t add the levity I think she was supposed to. The highlight was the older group of women knitters.
Plot wise, it was a struggle. There’s loads of inner monologue, repetitive conversations that don’t go anywhere, and it’s mostly telling, not showing. I didn’t see the connection between two MCs, the grief the brothers were supposed to be feeling, or the warmth I expected this story to have.
Overall, it did have a few sweet spots here and there, but I found myself setting this down on multiple occasions and could have easily left it unfinished.
**Huge thanks to Berkley for providing the arc free of charge**
Kerry and Jesse were just meh. She’s a Good Girl and he’s A Player and neither of them seem to grow into anything else but those labels. The brothers had potential, but were easily interchangeable and Kerry’s BFF didn’t add the levity I think she was supposed to. The highlight was the older group of women knitters.
Plot wise, it was a struggle. There’s loads of inner monologue, repetitive conversations that don’t go anywhere, and it’s mostly telling, not showing. I didn’t see the connection between two MCs, the grief the brothers were supposed to be feeling, or the warmth I expected this story to have.
Overall, it did have a few sweet spots here and there, but I found myself setting this down on multiple occasions and could have easily left it unfinished.
**Huge thanks to Berkley for providing the arc free of charge**
May 16, 2020
3.5 stars
I knew that I wanted to read Real Men Knit from the moment I saw the adorable cover and read the blurb. It ended up being more women's fiction to me than romance, but there are definitely romantic elements and a nice slow burn between our two main characters. Throw in some forced proximity and it was an enjoyable ride.
What I really liked:
- Kerry. She came into her own through the course of the book and I liked that she never gave up her personal goals and dreams. Her friendship with Val was a highlight of the book and I loved how they supported (and pushed) each other.
- The Old Knitting Gang (OKG). This mish mash of women, all with their distinct personalities and quirks, were so much fun. I loved how they came together for the Strong siblings, Kerry, and the neighborhood, and I had a huge smile on my face during the grand reopening scene.
- The diversity and setting. I felt like I was right there in Harlem and the neighborhood itself almost felt like a secondary character. Thanks to google, I also now know what a chopped cheese sandwich is ;) The cast of characters, especially the Strong brothers, felt like a celebration of individuality.
- Family. I loved that family in this book was by choice, not blood. It's an active choice that our characters make every single day. All of them different, not just physically, but united together by love. I would have liked to see a little more about Mama Joy and her time with the boys though.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The pacing. It took me a bit to get invested in the story and then I felt like the end wrapped up very quickly and too conveniently. The author did a great job setting up possible future books for the other Strong brothers (I'd love to find out more about grumpy grump Damian), but it's Kerry's BFF, Val, who I really want to read about.
Overall, this was an enjoyable family story, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
I knew that I wanted to read Real Men Knit from the moment I saw the adorable cover and read the blurb. It ended up being more women's fiction to me than romance, but there are definitely romantic elements and a nice slow burn between our two main characters. Throw in some forced proximity and it was an enjoyable ride.
What I really liked:
- Kerry. She came into her own through the course of the book and I liked that she never gave up her personal goals and dreams. Her friendship with Val was a highlight of the book and I loved how they supported (and pushed) each other.
- The Old Knitting Gang (OKG). This mish mash of women, all with their distinct personalities and quirks, were so much fun. I loved how they came together for the Strong siblings, Kerry, and the neighborhood, and I had a huge smile on my face during the grand reopening scene.
- The diversity and setting. I felt like I was right there in Harlem and the neighborhood itself almost felt like a secondary character. Thanks to google, I also now know what a chopped cheese sandwich is ;) The cast of characters, especially the Strong brothers, felt like a celebration of individuality.
- Family. I loved that family in this book was by choice, not blood. It's an active choice that our characters make every single day. All of them different, not just physically, but united together by love. I would have liked to see a little more about Mama Joy and her time with the boys though.
What didn't quite work for me:
- The pacing. It took me a bit to get invested in the story and then I felt like the end wrapped up very quickly and too conveniently. The author did a great job setting up possible future books for the other Strong brothers (I'd love to find out more about grumpy grump Damian), but it's Kerry's BFF, Val, who I really want to read about.
Overall, this was an enjoyable family story, but I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would.
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
Read
July 16, 2020DNF @ 50%
I was sooo excited for this. When my hold came in, I wanted to drop everything and read it (and I kind of did). So it's really disappointing that this didn't click with me.
I love reading adult romance because the authors are masters at writing really engaging stories. Stories that suck you in, stories that you can devour, bleary-eyed, in three very late hours you should not be awake at.
I was hoping Real Men Knit would be like this too--and although it has the setting and the tropes and the plot all ready for something cute and swoony, I just could not bring myself to finish it.
Something about the narrative style didn't click with me. There was so much exposition--there's a lot of exposition on Mama Joy and how sad everyone is that she's passed. And this is fine, but at a certain point, I wanted more dialogue and action rather then just repetition that people were stressed Mama Joy was gone. I wanted more looking at Mama Joy's things and feeling this pounding grief at your loss.
I'm not sure if this was a mood problem or a me problem, or an actual story problem, but it's safe to say that I need to put this down, because I can't bring myself to read more.
I might pick this up again in the future, but right now, I'm going to try something else.
I was sooo excited for this. When my hold came in, I wanted to drop everything and read it (and I kind of did). So it's really disappointing that this didn't click with me.
I love reading adult romance because the authors are masters at writing really engaging stories. Stories that suck you in, stories that you can devour, bleary-eyed, in three very late hours you should not be awake at.
I was hoping Real Men Knit would be like this too--and although it has the setting and the tropes and the plot all ready for something cute and swoony, I just could not bring myself to finish it.
Something about the narrative style didn't click with me. There was so much exposition--there's a lot of exposition on Mama Joy and how sad everyone is that she's passed. And this is fine, but at a certain point, I wanted more dialogue and action rather then just repetition that people were stressed Mama Joy was gone. I wanted more looking at Mama Joy's things and feeling this pounding grief at your loss.
I'm not sure if this was a mood problem or a me problem, or an actual story problem, but it's safe to say that I need to put this down, because I can't bring myself to read more.
I might pick this up again in the future, but right now, I'm going to try something else.
November 27, 2022
Overall this series has a lot of potential and this book definitely set up the next few books for the Strong brothers but I don't feel like it dove deep enough into Jesse's story or Kerry's story or their relationship for my liking. I don't mind a good slow burn but this one was almost glacial and then rapidly sped up. It was the hints of chemistry between them that kept me turning the pages. And even then it felt more friends than lovers.
And there was not enough knitting! Why was there not more of this real man knitting? There was alot of talk about what needed to be done with the shop but it took half the book for him to get his ass in gear and follow through.
See more on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
And there was not enough knitting! Why was there not more of this real man knitting? There was alot of talk about what needed to be done with the shop but it took half the book for him to get his ass in gear and follow through.
See more on my blog
https://womenofcolorreadtoo.blogspot....
May 1, 2020
This is tough, because had I been expecting more of a story about family with a splash of romance, this would be closer to 4 stars. However, as a romance, I didn't find this wholly satisfying. Some of this is that the male lead was an interesting character, but didn't work for me as a hero in a romance very well. He does learn/grow, but the grovel ultimately didn't match the crime for me. I did really enjoy the writing, and the characters were engaging, so I would try something else from the author
July 4, 2020
3.5 stars
Watch me discuss this book: https://youtu.be/-8K7xy440XQ
Watch me discuss this book: https://youtu.be/-8K7xy440XQ
February 5, 2021
Well it's my own fault really. I couldn't get this book at my local library (the holds were ridiculous) so I bought it. And I usually have a do not buy an author you are not familiar with rule that I hold fast to. That's because life is too short to be kicking over dollars to a book that can end up irking your very soul. But yep, that's what I did. Bought this book and I can't even donate it (Kindle Edition) so I can't even find some good after wasting my time on this. So high level summary, the characters are not developed well at all, the whole knitting shop plot takes a backseat to the saddest book romance I have read in quite some time, the flow was awful. I kept forgetting this was supposedly taking place in New York (the only setting we seem to be at is the knitting shop where Kerry is making food). The ending was beyond abrupt. I have zero intention of seeking out the next books in this series which I am sure are going to follow the remaining Strong brothers.
"Real Men Knit" follows Jesse Strong and Kerry Fuller. Jesse and his three other brothers are reeling after their mother, Mama Joy, passes away. The four brothers have different hopes and dreams (Damian, Lucas, and Noah). Jesse is the heartbreaker of the family and is not taken seriously by his brothers. When Jesse decides he wants to reopen their mother's shop, the brothers are all against it. Until Kerry agrees to help out Jesse until he finds his feet (she used to work part-time at the shop).
So the book is supposed to be a slow burn romance/friends to lovers I assume, but it just takes forever to get going. It doesn't help that neither Jesse or Kerry are very developed. Jesse also seems to be a high key jerk and I say that after we find out how he usually just ghosts women he doesn't want to be with anymore. Ugh. I honestly never got a sense of him at all and it didn't help that we don't even see anything happen between him and Kerry until the 75 percent mark and it came out of the blue (from her). Kerry...nope. She's just there. She's making food, cleaning, and just fighting with Jesse and calling him Jesse Strong all the time and then judging him for daring to have a sex life. I just hated the whole dynamic. I honestly think that if Jackson was going to do this maybe the series should have just been told via Jesse's point of view because adding Kerry did nothing.
The writing I found painful in a lot of places. I think it's just the dialogue was killing me for the most part. It didn't help that there's also Jesse and Damien's animosity (which made zero sense) and the other brothers coming and going and I honestly lost track of the other two except one of them was really upset about his sheets getting messed up. Ultimately the book just bounces back and forth between Jesse and Kerry.
I also thought it was weird besides a few scenes here and there, most of the action so to speak takes place at the knitting shop. And I still can't picture it in my head. I know it had a lot of dark wood around and apparently they were going to pain to lighten it up. Did they do anything else? It was just so bizarre.
It took a lot for me to finish this one, but glad I did, and am definitely glad to be starting something new today.
"Real Men Knit" follows Jesse Strong and Kerry Fuller. Jesse and his three other brothers are reeling after their mother, Mama Joy, passes away. The four brothers have different hopes and dreams (Damian, Lucas, and Noah). Jesse is the heartbreaker of the family and is not taken seriously by his brothers. When Jesse decides he wants to reopen their mother's shop, the brothers are all against it. Until Kerry agrees to help out Jesse until he finds his feet (she used to work part-time at the shop).
So the book is supposed to be a slow burn romance/friends to lovers I assume, but it just takes forever to get going. It doesn't help that neither Jesse or Kerry are very developed. Jesse also seems to be a high key jerk and I say that after we find out how he usually just ghosts women he doesn't want to be with anymore. Ugh. I honestly never got a sense of him at all and it didn't help that we don't even see anything happen between him and Kerry until the 75 percent mark and it came out of the blue (from her). Kerry...nope. She's just there. She's making food, cleaning, and just fighting with Jesse and calling him Jesse Strong all the time and then judging him for daring to have a sex life. I just hated the whole dynamic. I honestly think that if Jackson was going to do this maybe the series should have just been told via Jesse's point of view because adding Kerry did nothing.
The writing I found painful in a lot of places. I think it's just the dialogue was killing me for the most part. It didn't help that there's also Jesse and Damien's animosity (which made zero sense) and the other brothers coming and going and I honestly lost track of the other two except one of them was really upset about his sheets getting messed up. Ultimately the book just bounces back and forth between Jesse and Kerry.
I also thought it was weird besides a few scenes here and there, most of the action so to speak takes place at the knitting shop. And I still can't picture it in my head. I know it had a lot of dark wood around and apparently they were going to pain to lighten it up. Did they do anything else? It was just so bizarre.
It took a lot for me to finish this one, but glad I did, and am definitely glad to be starting something new today.
Read
February 5, 2020Dear Publishing: More books like this, please.
February 2, 2020
I contributed this review to Really Into This
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Kwana Jackson & Berkley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
Real Men Knit is a sweet & tender novel about family, community & hope.
From the very first page, I am rooting for Kerry and Damian. They are childhood friends that are really more like chosen family. In the wake of Mama Joy's death, Kerry, the Strong Brothers & the community share the grief of the insurmountable loss of Mama Joy.
Jackson fills the pages of Real Men Knit. There is so much here. Each of the Strong men has a history of foster care. Meanwhile, Kerry has her own issues with her mother & is trying to navigate new opportunities in her career.
Kwana Jackson does a great job tackling some touch & deep issues without making the story too melancholy. While I love nothing more than a great binge read, I highly encourage you to take your time with this one.
I love the fights and conflicts between the brothers. Each are navigating the world without their mother figure. Through her writing, Jackson addresses the very real feeling of grief, loss, and heartache. The conflicts are believable & authentic. As a reader, I so appreciate that!
My fingers & toes are crossed for a sequel and/or a series. Jackson does a great job introducing readers to each of the Strong men. I have enough information about each of them that I truly hope we get more. Also, Kerry's friend Val definitely deserves a HEA too!
I want more of the OKG too! Give me all the lowdown on the knitting ladies who Kerry loves so much.
Read Real Men Knit if you're in the mood for a tender love story peppered with real and authentic heartache. This novel is a good reminder for us all to see hope in the future even when it seems all may be lost.
Check out all of our reviews at https://reallyintothis.com
Happy Reading, friends!
Special thanks to Kwana Jackson & Berkley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.
Real Men Knit is a sweet & tender novel about family, community & hope.
From the very first page, I am rooting for Kerry and Damian. They are childhood friends that are really more like chosen family. In the wake of Mama Joy's death, Kerry, the Strong Brothers & the community share the grief of the insurmountable loss of Mama Joy.
Jackson fills the pages of Real Men Knit. There is so much here. Each of the Strong men has a history of foster care. Meanwhile, Kerry has her own issues with her mother & is trying to navigate new opportunities in her career.
Kwana Jackson does a great job tackling some touch & deep issues without making the story too melancholy. While I love nothing more than a great binge read, I highly encourage you to take your time with this one.
I love the fights and conflicts between the brothers. Each are navigating the world without their mother figure. Through her writing, Jackson addresses the very real feeling of grief, loss, and heartache. The conflicts are believable & authentic. As a reader, I so appreciate that!
My fingers & toes are crossed for a sequel and/or a series. Jackson does a great job introducing readers to each of the Strong men. I have enough information about each of them that I truly hope we get more. Also, Kerry's friend Val definitely deserves a HEA too!
I want more of the OKG too! Give me all the lowdown on the knitting ladies who Kerry loves so much.
Read Real Men Knit if you're in the mood for a tender love story peppered with real and authentic heartache. This novel is a good reminder for us all to see hope in the future even when it seems all may be lost.
May 11, 2020
I received a copy of this title via NetGalley. It does not impact my review.
I have to admit that I wanted to like this book much more than I actually liked it. The synopsis sounded cute and I liked that there was a diverse cast. I was looking forward to some fun family dynamics between the brothers, too. Unfortunately, I found everything that happened really lackluster.
I wasn’t very impressed with the writing, though it did get better as it went on. The first couple chapters were extremely heavy on the internal monologues that set up the story was a massive info dump of characters and circumstances. I would have liked to have seen things start out a little more naturally and get to know the characters in a more authentic way. After two chapters I almost decided to DNF it since I knew I couldn’t take a whole book written in this way. However, I kept reading and it got a little better. There were still some parts where I skimmed when things got a little dense, but it became much easier to read.
While I liked Jesse and Kelly well enough, all the other characters were pretty one-dimensional. I was really looking forward to seeing the relationship between the brothers, but it was pretty underwhelming. I had a hard time even telling some of them apart. I expected to see them bond and come together as they grieved the passing of their mother, but that didn’t really happen. I felt like there was so much potential there and it just didn’t live up to it.
Overall, Real Men Knit left me underwhelmed. I really wanted to like it, but poor character development and a writing style I didn’t connect with kept me from really enjoying it. There were a few funny or cute moments, but they were too few and far between to make up for the rest of the story. While the book wasn’t for me, I’m sure there will be some others than can overlook the issues I had with it and enjoy the romance.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 2.5 Stars
I have to admit that I wanted to like this book much more than I actually liked it. The synopsis sounded cute and I liked that there was a diverse cast. I was looking forward to some fun family dynamics between the brothers, too. Unfortunately, I found everything that happened really lackluster.
I wasn’t very impressed with the writing, though it did get better as it went on. The first couple chapters were extremely heavy on the internal monologues that set up the story was a massive info dump of characters and circumstances. I would have liked to have seen things start out a little more naturally and get to know the characters in a more authentic way. After two chapters I almost decided to DNF it since I knew I couldn’t take a whole book written in this way. However, I kept reading and it got a little better. There were still some parts where I skimmed when things got a little dense, but it became much easier to read.
While I liked Jesse and Kelly well enough, all the other characters were pretty one-dimensional. I was really looking forward to seeing the relationship between the brothers, but it was pretty underwhelming. I had a hard time even telling some of them apart. I expected to see them bond and come together as they grieved the passing of their mother, but that didn’t really happen. I felt like there was so much potential there and it just didn’t live up to it.
Overall, Real Men Knit left me underwhelmed. I really wanted to like it, but poor character development and a writing style I didn’t connect with kept me from really enjoying it. There were a few funny or cute moments, but they were too few and far between to make up for the rest of the story. While the book wasn’t for me, I’m sure there will be some others than can overlook the issues I had with it and enjoy the romance.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 2.5 Stars
July 21, 2020
I was really excited to read Kwana Jackson's Real Men Knit; I was super intrigued by the unique premise (And give! me! that! sibling! drama!), not to the mention the very gorgeous cover.
Unfortunately, this novel fell a bit short for me on a few fronts. First and foremost, the old saying goes that writers should "show, don't tell," but this book was pretty much all telling. There were a lot more musings and random asides than actual dialogue, and all of it was super repetitive. While I loved some of the brothers' interactions and many of the supporting characters, I especially had trouble fully embracing Jesse and Kerry as a romantic couple.
Second, unfortunately not much happens in this story; it got to a point where I'd skim a few pages, start reading more intensely again, and realize I hadn't missed anything in that time; in many cases, the characters were still having the same conversation. I mean, the entire first quarter of this book essentially takes place over a single morning discussion.
I had high hopes and I'm sorry I did like Real Men Knit more, but you win some and you lose some.
Unfortunately, this novel fell a bit short for me on a few fronts. First and foremost, the old saying goes that writers should "show, don't tell," but this book was pretty much all telling. There were a lot more musings and random asides than actual dialogue, and all of it was super repetitive. While I loved some of the brothers' interactions and many of the supporting characters, I especially had trouble fully embracing Jesse and Kerry as a romantic couple.
Second, unfortunately not much happens in this story; it got to a point where I'd skim a few pages, start reading more intensely again, and realize I hadn't missed anything in that time; in many cases, the characters were still having the same conversation. I mean, the entire first quarter of this book essentially takes place over a single morning discussion.
I had high hopes and I'm sorry I did like Real Men Knit more, but you win some and you lose some.
July 26, 2020
One star for the book cover, this book is so poorly written is was very hard to understand what was going on. Very repetitive and worded so weirdly I hated every second of it. Total disappointment!
June 4, 2020
4.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Four boys from different makeups and ethnic backgrounds, brought together by their shared need of, first and foremost, a home, but probably more so the love that that the seemingly irreverent single Black woman had given them.
Instead of romance or women's fiction, I think this story falls under what I'm going to call community fiction; what a perfect time to read this. Jesse, along with his adoptive brothers, Lucas, Noah, and Damien came from different experiences and walks of life but found family in each other when their foster mother, Mama Joy, adopts them. As families are want to do, they love hard but also stretch, tear, and need mending. When Mama Joy suddenly passes away, the four brothers have to decide what to do with her shop, Strong Knits. Jesse is considered the wastrel of the group but he's the only one who doesn't want to sell, he wants to run the shop.
The tan knight and the used-to-be-man of her dreams, and there he was walking out his last night’s stand while she was cleaning his kitchen like a broke-down Cinderella.
Kerry grew-up around the Strong family as she found peace and comfort with Mama Joy at her knit shop. Jesse was always the brother that caught her eye the most but his womanizing and frittering ways kept her away. Kerry's recently obtained her degree in children's counseling and art therapy but not having a full time job yet, she still worked and helped out at Strong Knits. When Jesse announces he wants to try and keep Strong Knits going, she volunteers to help him out. Their relationship starts out rocky as both have strong protective instincts but their shared love of Mama Joy and Strong Knits connects them on a deep emotional level and heated glances have them wanting to connect in other ways.
She knew his strengths, but worse, she knew his weaknesses.
The natural flow of the writing welcomed me into this story and if you told me Strong Knits and all these characters where actually real places and people I'd believe you, there was a realness to this that will pull you in emotionally. There is a part of me that wishes we could have gotten a flashback or opening scene with Mama Joy and the boys. I missed “seeing” her with them but the author does a really good job of having the reader “feel” her through the brothers, which in turn I suppose also helps the reader feel Mama Joy's stark absence. I also would have liked more background on Jesse to help me get a feel for him too. I think it was around the mid-point when we learn some about what led to him entering the foster care system. Jesse just didn't feel as tangible to me as Kerry's character, she was more filled or flushed out. Kerry takes the lead in the story more than Jesse, even though I would still say the community is the overreaching star. Kerry struggling with what she wants to do, work with children and keep Strong Knits open but also make money, was a conflict I think a lot could relate to. There was also the clash of Kerry's feelings for the “bad boy” Jesse and not wanting to end up feeling stupid and hurt, which I know a lot can relate to.
Decisions must be made, and it was time for him to finally step up and take his place once and for all to be the type of Strong brother that Mama Joy always wanted him to be.
There was conflict, emotion, and turmoil swirling around and in Kerry and Jesse's relationship but, for the most part, it's in the underling of the story fabric; this story is subtle depth. Their falling in love, especially from Kerry's side, seemed to mostly be already in place from their childhood and I missed going through some of that emotional heft with them. I also felt like it wasn't until around the 70% mark that there was significant movement towards each other and the romance part of the story. However, because of the background these two had with each other and their chemistry and friendship, I really did believe in their relationship and that they would have a happily ever after.
Jesse felt his heart slam against the wall of his chest as everything in him and every part of him seemed to move forward at once to meet her.
What made this story special to me was the way the author integrated not just secondary characters but a whole community. The author didn't “tell” me how Jesse and Kerry felt about Strong Knits, she made me feel it through the after school program importance to a boy in the neighborhood, the Old Knitting Gang, and various other seemingly innocuous moments and characters that were woven throughout. I wouldn't call this a heavy or light story, just one made up of all those moments. There's talk of gentrification but also amazing lines like this when Kerry contemplates the man her friend Val seems to be thinking about taking home for the night: The way he’d gone in on those wings had her skeptical about his technique. It could be either very good for Val or an altogether disaster.
I'm still laughing about this line. The ending was very abrupt but as this is obviously going to be a series, I guess a down the line or epilogue could infringe on the series timeline. This writer's style, tone, and depth will have me looking up other books by her and I can't wait to snatch up Jesse's brother's books when they come out (there's a firefighter brother!). If current events have you down, this is the book you need to pick up to restore the love.
Noah stepped in, his smile bright as he admonished the crowd for their tears. Sounding every bit like a little Mama Joy, he told them, “Drink up, stitch well,” and then he looked at his brothers when he said, “Love hard and live in the moment, not in the past.”
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Four boys from different makeups and ethnic backgrounds, brought together by their shared need of, first and foremost, a home, but probably more so the love that that the seemingly irreverent single Black woman had given them.
Instead of romance or women's fiction, I think this story falls under what I'm going to call community fiction; what a perfect time to read this. Jesse, along with his adoptive brothers, Lucas, Noah, and Damien came from different experiences and walks of life but found family in each other when their foster mother, Mama Joy, adopts them. As families are want to do, they love hard but also stretch, tear, and need mending. When Mama Joy suddenly passes away, the four brothers have to decide what to do with her shop, Strong Knits. Jesse is considered the wastrel of the group but he's the only one who doesn't want to sell, he wants to run the shop.
The tan knight and the used-to-be-man of her dreams, and there he was walking out his last night’s stand while she was cleaning his kitchen like a broke-down Cinderella.
Kerry grew-up around the Strong family as she found peace and comfort with Mama Joy at her knit shop. Jesse was always the brother that caught her eye the most but his womanizing and frittering ways kept her away. Kerry's recently obtained her degree in children's counseling and art therapy but not having a full time job yet, she still worked and helped out at Strong Knits. When Jesse announces he wants to try and keep Strong Knits going, she volunteers to help him out. Their relationship starts out rocky as both have strong protective instincts but their shared love of Mama Joy and Strong Knits connects them on a deep emotional level and heated glances have them wanting to connect in other ways.
She knew his strengths, but worse, she knew his weaknesses.
The natural flow of the writing welcomed me into this story and if you told me Strong Knits and all these characters where actually real places and people I'd believe you, there was a realness to this that will pull you in emotionally. There is a part of me that wishes we could have gotten a flashback or opening scene with Mama Joy and the boys. I missed “seeing” her with them but the author does a really good job of having the reader “feel” her through the brothers, which in turn I suppose also helps the reader feel Mama Joy's stark absence. I also would have liked more background on Jesse to help me get a feel for him too. I think it was around the mid-point when we learn some about what led to him entering the foster care system. Jesse just didn't feel as tangible to me as Kerry's character, she was more filled or flushed out. Kerry takes the lead in the story more than Jesse, even though I would still say the community is the overreaching star. Kerry struggling with what she wants to do, work with children and keep Strong Knits open but also make money, was a conflict I think a lot could relate to. There was also the clash of Kerry's feelings for the “bad boy” Jesse and not wanting to end up feeling stupid and hurt, which I know a lot can relate to.
Decisions must be made, and it was time for him to finally step up and take his place once and for all to be the type of Strong brother that Mama Joy always wanted him to be.
There was conflict, emotion, and turmoil swirling around and in Kerry and Jesse's relationship but, for the most part, it's in the underling of the story fabric; this story is subtle depth. Their falling in love, especially from Kerry's side, seemed to mostly be already in place from their childhood and I missed going through some of that emotional heft with them. I also felt like it wasn't until around the 70% mark that there was significant movement towards each other and the romance part of the story. However, because of the background these two had with each other and their chemistry and friendship, I really did believe in their relationship and that they would have a happily ever after.
Jesse felt his heart slam against the wall of his chest as everything in him and every part of him seemed to move forward at once to meet her.
What made this story special to me was the way the author integrated not just secondary characters but a whole community. The author didn't “tell” me how Jesse and Kerry felt about Strong Knits, she made me feel it through the after school program importance to a boy in the neighborhood, the Old Knitting Gang, and various other seemingly innocuous moments and characters that were woven throughout. I wouldn't call this a heavy or light story, just one made up of all those moments. There's talk of gentrification but also amazing lines like this when Kerry contemplates the man her friend Val seems to be thinking about taking home for the night: The way he’d gone in on those wings had her skeptical about his technique. It could be either very good for Val or an altogether disaster.
I'm still laughing about this line. The ending was very abrupt but as this is obviously going to be a series, I guess a down the line or epilogue could infringe on the series timeline. This writer's style, tone, and depth will have me looking up other books by her and I can't wait to snatch up Jesse's brother's books when they come out (there's a firefighter brother!). If current events have you down, this is the book you need to pick up to restore the love.
Noah stepped in, his smile bright as he admonished the crowd for their tears. Sounding every bit like a little Mama Joy, he told them, “Drink up, stitch well,” and then he looked at his brothers when he said, “Love hard and live in the moment, not in the past.”
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April 26, 2025I really wanted to love this one and while there are some great things here, it ultimately fell a bit flat for me. I might try future books in the series to see how things go because the premise is a cool one. In a nutshell, this first book had too much telling rather than showing, and had a hero that I just wasn't rooting for. I thought the heroine deserved better and unfortunately the point of this sort of romance is to convince me that the couple should be together.
As I said, the concept is a really fun one. Four brothers inherit a knitting shop in Harlem when their adoptive mother dies. Only two of them are biologically related, but they are all attractive and racially diverse, so I imagine the rest of the series could focus on each of them. This book follows Jesse, the lazy playboy who never sticks with anything, be it a job or a woman. And then there is Kerry, who grew up basically alongside the brothers, helped their mom in the shop, and has been nursing a secret crush on Jesse for years.
I think what's great about this book beyond the idea is the community and the commentary on the value of small, locally owned businesses especially in communities with many people of color. And Kerry is smart, kind, and determined. Definitely a heroine I can root for.
Unfortunately Jesse is incredibly immature and insecure, hooks up with another woman during the course of the book, and is terrible at communicating. Yeah, sure they have physical chemistry, but I just never bought into him as a good long term love interest for Kerry. He fears her taking him as just a short-term physical thing, and honestly I couldn't help thinking that might have been the best choice for her. Good for her trying things out, but she definitely could move onto a better long term choice.
Also, Mama Joy, the boys mom, sounds like an amazing woman, but we spend the first several chapters hearing ABOUT her, but she is never on the page. I think using something like flashbacks could have really helped. Instead these chapters drag and we lack the emotional connection to the grief these characters may be experiencing because of the distance between the reader and this recently passed character.
Again, I kind of hate that this had such big issues because I love what it's trying to do. I would try the next book and see if it improves. I receive and advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
As I said, the concept is a really fun one. Four brothers inherit a knitting shop in Harlem when their adoptive mother dies. Only two of them are biologically related, but they are all attractive and racially diverse, so I imagine the rest of the series could focus on each of them. This book follows Jesse, the lazy playboy who never sticks with anything, be it a job or a woman. And then there is Kerry, who grew up basically alongside the brothers, helped their mom in the shop, and has been nursing a secret crush on Jesse for years.
I think what's great about this book beyond the idea is the community and the commentary on the value of small, locally owned businesses especially in communities with many people of color. And Kerry is smart, kind, and determined. Definitely a heroine I can root for.
Unfortunately Jesse is incredibly immature and insecure, hooks up with another woman during the course of the book, and is terrible at communicating. Yeah, sure they have physical chemistry, but I just never bought into him as a good long term love interest for Kerry. He fears her taking him as just a short-term physical thing, and honestly I couldn't help thinking that might have been the best choice for her. Good for her trying things out, but she definitely could move onto a better long term choice.
Also, Mama Joy, the boys mom, sounds like an amazing woman, but we spend the first several chapters hearing ABOUT her, but she is never on the page. I think using something like flashbacks could have really helped. Instead these chapters drag and we lack the emotional connection to the grief these characters may be experiencing because of the distance between the reader and this recently passed character.
Again, I kind of hate that this had such big issues because I love what it's trying to do. I would try the next book and see if it improves. I receive and advance copy of this book for review via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 28, 2020
A book about men knitting? Yes, please!
In Real Men Knit, the Strong brothers are all super attractive, muscular, successful men… and they knit. These four adult brothers were all adopted as children by Mama Joy, who rescued them from the foster system and turned them into a family. Mama Joy ran a small Harlem knitting shop that was more than just a play to buy yarn — Strong Knits was a community home away from home, a place to gather, interact, and improve lives.
But when Mama Joy dies, her sons are devastated, and the fate of the shop is up in the air. Perhaps as devastated as the Strong brothers is Kerry, the neighborhood girl who grew up in Mama Joy’s shadow, always present and helping out, and devoted completely to Mama Joy (while totally crushing on Jesse). Now an adult with a degree in art therapy, Kerry works at the community center with neighborhood kids, but agrees to stay on at the shop to help Jesse reinvigorate it and make sure it has a future.
I love any scene where the brothers casually knit. It’s such an “in your face” to stereotypes about male and female hobbies. There’s nothing gender-specific about knitting! And I really enjoyed the brothers’ complicated relationships, their resentments, their sibling squabbles, and their clear and abiding love and respect for Mama Joy.
I also really appreciated reading about the positive change a single dedicated woman can make. Mama Joy used her yarn store as a jumping off point for changing lives, and it’s beautiful to see how many different people were affected by her influence and contribution, in so many different ways.
In fact, it’s only the romance parts of this story that left me feeling a little blah. I really liked all the characters and thought the premise was unique and original, but Jesse and Kerry as a couple didn’t really seem all that special to me. I mean, they were fine, but I wasn’t actually cheering for them or particularly invested in whether they got an HEA.
That said, I did feel invested in the overall story, and wished that it had continued long enough to see how everything turned out with the shop! Of course, there are four Strong brothers, all single, and only one featured in a relationship in this book… might there be more Strong Knits stories still to come? One per brother, perhaps? Because I’d definitely read those!
If you’re looking for a summer beach read with romance, heart, and a diverse set of characters, Real Men Knit would be a great choice.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
In Real Men Knit, the Strong brothers are all super attractive, muscular, successful men… and they knit. These four adult brothers were all adopted as children by Mama Joy, who rescued them from the foster system and turned them into a family. Mama Joy ran a small Harlem knitting shop that was more than just a play to buy yarn — Strong Knits was a community home away from home, a place to gather, interact, and improve lives.
But when Mama Joy dies, her sons are devastated, and the fate of the shop is up in the air. Perhaps as devastated as the Strong brothers is Kerry, the neighborhood girl who grew up in Mama Joy’s shadow, always present and helping out, and devoted completely to Mama Joy (while totally crushing on Jesse). Now an adult with a degree in art therapy, Kerry works at the community center with neighborhood kids, but agrees to stay on at the shop to help Jesse reinvigorate it and make sure it has a future.
I love any scene where the brothers casually knit. It’s such an “in your face” to stereotypes about male and female hobbies. There’s nothing gender-specific about knitting! And I really enjoyed the brothers’ complicated relationships, their resentments, their sibling squabbles, and their clear and abiding love and respect for Mama Joy.
I also really appreciated reading about the positive change a single dedicated woman can make. Mama Joy used her yarn store as a jumping off point for changing lives, and it’s beautiful to see how many different people were affected by her influence and contribution, in so many different ways.
In fact, it’s only the romance parts of this story that left me feeling a little blah. I really liked all the characters and thought the premise was unique and original, but Jesse and Kerry as a couple didn’t really seem all that special to me. I mean, they were fine, but I wasn’t actually cheering for them or particularly invested in whether they got an HEA.
That said, I did feel invested in the overall story, and wished that it had continued long enough to see how everything turned out with the shop! Of course, there are four Strong brothers, all single, and only one featured in a relationship in this book… might there be more Strong Knits stories still to come? One per brother, perhaps? Because I’d definitely read those!
If you’re looking for a summer beach read with romance, heart, and a diverse set of characters, Real Men Knit would be a great choice.
Review copy courtesy of the publisher via NetGalley. Full review at Bookshelf Fantasies.
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