Goodreads synopsis:
Because of her father’s belief that he was always “this close” to striking it rich, Megan Morgan grew up moving every few years, following her father’s bliss. In a moment of her own recklessness, Megan puts her foot down in senior year of high school-accepting a marriage proposal rather than move again.
Now, twenty years later, stability hasn’t given Megan all she imagined it would. Comfort, North Carolina is a tight-knit community, but Megan has never felt like she truly fit in. Sure, she does all the knitting and lace-making that the other ladies do, but she’s always felt a step apart. It takes the arrival of a new tenant to open Megan’s eyes to the true possibilities of a life in Comfort. But now that she knows what she could have, is she too late?
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My thoughts:
I really enjoyed this book. Southern atmosphere, a knitting group of women in their 30s who’ve known each other most of their lives, and a stranger who stirs things up while searching for a few answers in her own life all make for a good story.
Change is in the humid, fragrant air and I felt like I was right there watching it all start to play out. Isabel Sharpe wrote wonderful dialogue for her characters. I loved the fable that she worked into the novel. It’s a story Megan’s mother told her when Megan was going through a rough time in her teens. Her life, in a way, is a bit like the story – but which character is she? Five years into her marriage Megan discovered a secret but because she so desired stability, she decided to keep the secret. She decided to act as if it didn’t exist. Little by little that secret has taken something, her joy, from her life.
Elizabeth is the stranger who comes to Comfort after dreaming about her grandmother who told her to look for comfort. Elizabeth is looking for answers in her life so she grabs that dream and runs with it. She rents Megan’s garage apartment which also includes dinner each evening with the family. Little by little she is drawn into Megan’s life. One part of her life is the Purls – the knitting group comprised of Megan’s high school friends. Elizabeth is accepted as a new member and, ready or not, she asks questions that they never would have asked – and they answer. She moves them out of their comfort zone. She learns from them as well. Yes, change is in the air.
At the end I was happy to find an informative Q&A with the author.
Review copy from HarperCollins
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