Synopsis

There are three things you need to know about Ashley Winston: 1) She has six brothers and they all have beards, 2) She is a reader, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Former beauty queen, Ashley Winston’s preferred coping strategy is escapism. She escaped her Tennessee small town, loathsome father, and six brothers eight years ago. Now she escapes life daily via her Amazon kindle one-click addiction. However, when a family tragedy forces her to return home, Ashley can’t escape the notice of Drew Runous— local Game Warden, bear wrestler, philosopher, and everyone’s favorite guy. Drew’s irksome philosophizing in particular makes Ashley want to run for the skyscrapers, especially since he can’t seem to keep his exasperating opinions— or his soulful poetry, steadfast support, and delightful hands— to himself. Pretty soon the girl who wanted nothing more than the escape of the big city finds she’s lost her heart in small town Tennessee.

This is a full-length novel, can be read as a standalone, and is the fourth book in the 'Knitting in the City' series.

About Penny Reid

Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

This is book 4 in the Knitting in the City series and while the previous books are more of contemporary romantic comedies, this is definitely not a comedy though it has its funny moments. It much more serious, sadder and more melancholic than the previous ones. This is not a bad thing, on the contrary, I enjoyed reading every word of it, even in the moments when it made me cry.

The heroine here is Ashley and she meets the love of her life in the worst possible moment for her. She is a reader, a knitter and has six brothers and I liked her from the start. The story, as in the other books in the series, is told mostly from her POV (except the Epilogue, where we hear Drew's voice). She was real and easy to relate. There was some vulnerability and delicateness about her which I really liked and they didn't come just from the fact that she was facing a very painful moment in her life. At the same time, she showed strength and resilience which just made me like her even more and ultimately all these qualities mixed together made it impossible for Dr. Drew Runous to resist falling for her. 

Now, Drew was unlike any romance hero I've read - he was both apha male, possessive and protective and the same time he was a poet and a philosopher (and a game warden). He was just amazing. I might even love him more than Alex (Love Hacked) who is my favourite male characters in this series.  At the least, he shares the first place of my affections with him. There is something irresistible about a big, rough-looking guy who writes poems, plays music and loves you with all his heart. He was a man of few words but when he spoke, everybody listened. 

The romance between Ashley and Drew was slow, interlaced with Ashley's suffering and pain and Drew's desire to offer comfort and consolation. In the end, it was an epic kind of love that brought them together despite the circumstances. 

I wish there were more funny moments, but the plot doesn't really allow it. The knitting club ladies and their husbands were great, amusing and supportive as we have come to expect of them. 

One of the best things in the story were Ashley's brothers. Ms Reid has created six unique character, so different and unusual, yet perfectly fitting in the story. I can't pick a favourite of them and I'm excited that each one will be getting his story told in upcoming books (the first one is expected to be released next summer).

Overall, despite having a different feel than the other books in the series, this story is definitely one of my favourite. It's a deeply emotional tale  of love and loss, of family and friendship and it's told in a witty and engaging manner. A recommended read to anyone (it can be read as a standalone, though reading the previous books will only make your enjoyment of this one even better).

I will leave you with three teaser pictures made by Penny herself. Enjoy!