Ever wonder what the deal is about knitting? More people are knitting than ever, including teenage girls. A good book to peek into the mysterious world of knitting and all its trailing complications and joys is Debbie Macomber’s , A Good Yarn, the second in her knitting series.

Lydia Hoffman’s shop, A Good Yarn, is a great place for women to learn knitting and the intricacies of life. Elise Beaumont wants to reconnect with knitting and the joy of living. Bethanne Hamlin is an unexpected divorcee who turns to knitting as a distraction. Then there’s Courtney Pulanksi, a troubled teen who finds herself transplanted in her senior year. All three women struggle to knit socks and how to live the lives they want.

Courtney Pulanski loves her grandmother, but isn’t looking forward to spending the year with her. There’s not much of a choice with her father in Brazil, her older siblings gone and her mother dead. It’s odd how she keeps forgetting her mother’s dead. Four years of grief-related overeating should be enough to remind her of that fact. Add to that she’s an overweight teen in a strange city without a friend, it will be a great senior year of high school. Everything is going downhill until she meets Bethanne’s children, Annie and Andrew.

Bethanne Hamlin is the model wife and mother. She keeps the house spotless, her husband’s clothes pressed and throws marvelous parties. There is never a hint things weren’t okay until her husband dumps her on Valentine’s Day. Now, she is without a job and without a clue how to obtain one. Her daughter, Annie, is going crazy with grief, while her son, Andrew, is sullen. Her ex-husband, Grant, blames her for the children’s attitude. On top of all this chaos, the other woman’s ex husband wants to be her friend. Could things get any more bizarre?

Elise Beaumont is looking forward to a nice home on her own land. Not too much to ask for, considering the rest of life didn’t go the way she planned. Her brief, spectacular marriage to gambler Maverick Beaumont produced one daughter, a host of memories and regrets. Due to an incompetent real estate speculator, Elise is broke and living in her daughter’s home, like the proverbial penniless spinster. Worse yet, her daughter, Aurora, just announced that Maverick is coming for a nice long visit. Elise isn’t sure her heart can take it.

Lydia Hoffman is dealing with issues of her own. Her relationship with Brad, while romantic and sweet, scares her half to death. She’s never been good with commitment since she never expected to survive her cancer. Her sister, Margaret, is no help after encouraging the relationship. Instead, she is closemouthed, stomping through the shop with a chip on a shoulder the size of a mountain and refusing to talk about it. Lydia is afraid she might be scaring off customers with her attitude. Lydia doesn’t know if she can knit her life back together before it totally unravels.

The women at A Good Yarn are a group who manage to connect to reach across age and social boundaries to help each other out. Elise is older woman guarding a broken heart with a haughty air fooling almost everyone. Courtney is an insightful dynamic character who grows with the novel. Courtney’s spirited grandmother is a nice touch. Bethanne embodies every woman who has ever been dropped for the younger, flashier woman—and offers hope. Lydia manages to pull together all the women along with her sister, Margaret.

A Good Yarn is my favorite knitting series book. I’ve gobbled down three so far. The mix of characters and the interactions is what makes Debbie Macomber a best-selling author. This is another must-read, don’t miss it.

Reviewed by Morgan Wyatt
© July 2007