Thursday, March 17, 2011

Review and Giveaway: How to Knit a Heart Back Home

How to Knit a Heart Back Home (Cypress Hollow Yarn - Book 2) by Rachel Herron

Giveaway details following the review.

Publication Date: March 2011
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: Paperback, 347 pp
ISBN-13: 9780061841316
ISBN:
0061841315

(Received for review from Harper Collins)

Purchase: Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, IndieBound

Rachel Herron on the WEB: Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter

Excerpt from
How to Knit a Heart Back Home

Book Trailer: This is video of Rachel Herron singing a song she wrote for the ukulele about her new book,
How to Knit a Heart Back Home.



Synopsis (Book Blurb):

Lucy Harrison sells books by day, and by night she volunteers with the fire department of Cypress Hollow. Her life is even-keeled and smooth, just the way she likes it. But when bad-boy ex-cop Owen Bancroft comes back to town, Lucy realizes that while she's never scared helping others, she's terrified of risking her heart.

When the discovery of an archive of Eliza Carpenter's work throws them together, Owen struggles to redefine himself as a man without a badge, while Lucy has to decide how much of herself she's willing to gamble on love.

Thoughts:

Rachel Herron takes readers back to Cypress Hollow, California once again in her second book in the Cyress Hollow Yarn series.
How to Knit a Heart Back Home is a heartwarming story about getting a second chance at love. Readers will love Herron's contemporary style and appreciate her knowledge of knitting. With engaging characters and an interesting plot line this book is great fit for book clubs, knitters and anyone looking for a good romance.

Lucy Harrison isn't afraid of much, except loosing her heart. As a bookstore owner by day and volunteer firefighter by night, Lucy saves time in her everyday life for her other passion; knitting. Lucy's life is turned upside down when someone from her past returns to Cypress Hollow. Owen Brancroft is a former SFPD cop. He's been sidelined by an injury and now must reconstruct his life without his career. After placing his mother, Irene in an assisted living facility, Owen and Lucy are thrown together sorting through her things. When they find unpublished knitting patterns by knitting icon, Eliza Carpenter, Lucy realizes there is more at stake than knitting. As Owen tries to deepen their relationship, Lucy pulls back. Should she take a gamble on loosing her heart to Owen once again?

Herron's second book in the Cypress Hollow series gives readers a glimpse into the very smooth and orderly life of Lucy Harrison. But, readers can tell that an upheaval is about to happen when an old boyfriend, bad-boy Owen Brancroft comes back to town. Lucy is a great character. She's resourceful and determined, owning her own business, though it is struggling. She's compassionate and loving, using her skills to help people in the community as a volunteer fireman. But, she's unlucky in love. Having had a terrible crush on Owen in high school it seemed realistic that she might want to revisit her old feelings. Herron allows us to see Lucy grow throughout the book as she finds confidence in herself and stronger side that can stand up to Owen.

Owen's character is very typical for a man...LOL. At first his major concern it getting Lucy where he wants her, preferably in his bed. He isn't quite as nostalgic as Lucy and doesn't seem to even recognize her when the first meet again, but once he does, it's on. Eventually he realizes his feelings are stronger than he thought and becomes very protective, too protective. He wants her to quit being a fire fighter because of danger and Lucy must really come into her own to stand up to Owen's very strong personality. But, in my opinion that's part of what makes it a good book, Lucy's journey. Owen has that bad-boy edge that lots of women seem to prefer, even though he has turned it around and used it a different way by becoming a cop. I loved the character despite his Neanderthal man attitudes at times.

Knitting is a very central part of this book and readers who are also knitters will love it. It reminds me of saucier, feistier version of the Blossom Street series by Debbie Macomber, which is one of my favorites. Great characters, an interesting plot and knitting as a basis. There is a little bit of language in this one, though not it is not overpowering and doesn't take away from the story. Herron's ability to tell a story for the contemporary reader is exceptional and she understands that today's society isn't as beatific and perfect as some writers would make it. Her characters are realistic and easy to identify with. Who doesn't think about that old flame or the one that got away?

I enjoyed this one a lot and recommend it to readers of contemporary romance and those who love books that combine knitting and romance. This is a great series and I look forward to more Cypress Hollow novels.

How to Knit a Heart Back Home is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!





Rachel Herron received her MFA in writing from Mills College. She writs the popular website: www.yarnagogo.com, which gets more than one hundred thousand readers a month. She has been knitting since she was five years old, and is known among her friends as simply "the Knitter." Rachel lives in Oakland, California.

The publisher has offered the readers of Debbie's Book Bag two copies of
How to Knit a Heart Back Home for giveaway.

Just follow these simple rules to enter:


GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

~ You must be a Google Friend Connect follower to enter.
~ US and Canadian Addresses Only, as these books will be sent out by the publisher.
~ The Deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, March 31st.

1.) Please leave a comment on this post in appreciation of the author.
2.) Fill out the following FORM to be entered.

7 comments:

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great giveaway. I can't wait to read your book. Tore923@aol.com

Johanna R Jochum said...

I read the first book in the series How to Knit a Love Song and I loved it! I would love a chance to win this one! Thanks for the great interveiw today and for sharing with us!

evjochum[AT]aol[DOT]com

Lu said...

This sounds really good! I will have to look for the first in the series too!

Theresa N. said...

I'm really interested in reading this book, I enjoy knitting so I think that makes it even more of a most read for me.
Theresa N
weceno(at)yahoo(dot)com

Mona said...

Thanks for the giveaway. I don't know a lot about knitting but I enjoy books about bookstores.

GFC(MonaG)

monagarg@yahoo.com

Tiffany Drew said...

Thank you for the awesome giveaway! I am looking forward to reading this, it looks great!

I am a GFC follower (tiffany drew)

jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

Anonymous said...

Wonderful name for a book that also sounds wonderful.
wandanamgreb(at)gmail(dot)com