Cancer survivor Lydia Hoffman's shop "A Good Yarn" has thrived since she opened it a year ago. She decides to teach a class on how to knit socks and three people sign up for it.

Elise Beaumont is a retired librarian who has recently suffered a financial setback and was forced to move in with her daughter's family. Elise has been divorced for many years but never stopped loving her ex-husband, "Maverick", whose gambling ruined their marriage. Elise is not pleased when she finds out that Maverick is coming to stay at their daughter's house - she's afraid of getting hurt again.

Bethanne Hamlin is also divorced, although much more recently. The divorce came out of the blue; she had no idea that her marriage was in trouble until her husband told her on Valentine's Day that he was leaving her for a younger woman. The divorce left Bethanne demoralized; she needs to find a job but is convinced she's a failure. Her teenage children, Annie and Andrew, are also affected by the divorce, especially Annie who keeps acting out in her pain.

Courtney Pulanski is also a troubled teenager. Her mother died in a car accident four years ago and Courtney is still mourning her death. With two kids in college and Courtney a senior in high school, her father needs money and takes a well-paying job building bridges in Brazil and Courtney is forced to move in with her grandmother and spend her senior year in a strange high school. Courtney is overweight and self-conscious about her looks and is convinced that her senior year will be miserable.

Lydia has problems of her own; her sister Margaret has financial worries and may lose her house and is miserable to be around. Lydia is in love with UPS driver Brad, but he will soon deliver devastating news that threatens their relationship. Her mother's health is deteriorating and Lydia worries about her well being. All four women will find more comfort than they could possibly believe while learning how to knit socks.

"A Good Yarn" is a great book for someone looking for a sweet, unchallenging read. The characters are all likable and believable, except perhaps for Maverick who is a bit of a cliché. Debbie Macomber is a good writer who makes you care for her characters in such a way that you will want to keep reading the book to find out what happens to each woman, yet you'll be sorry when the book is finally over. I do wish she had shown Courtney at her senior prom, but that's a minor quibble. Macomber ties everything up neatly at the end (and is to be commended for not having each woman find happiness only through a romantic relationship) and I loved the fairy godfather touch at the end.

This is a perfect book for reading at the beach or on a rainy day. ( )

Just shy of 4 stars
2nd in the Blossom Street Series
A Good Yarn is a follow-up to The Shop on Blossom Street and is written very similar. It is based around Lydia Hoffman, owner of A Good Yarn, and one of her knitting classes--this time a socks class. All three of the original class--Carol, Jacqueline, and Alix--make 'guest' appearances throughout the book. Her new class also consists of three women of varying ages--Courtney, 17, Bethanne, middleaged, and Elise, retired. This appears to be Macom...more 2nd in the Blossom Street Series
A Good Yarn is a follow-up to The Shop on Blossom Street and is written very similar. It is based around Lydia Hoffman, owner of A Good Yarn, and one of her knitting classes--this time a socks class. All three of the original class--Carol, Jacqueline, and Alix--make 'guest' appearances throughout the book. Her new class also consists of three women of varying ages--Courtney, 17, Bethanne, middleaged, and Elise, retired. This appears to be Macomber's 'recipe' for these books.

The story started off a little slow. If you missed reading the first book, don't worry--in the first chapter the entire book is recapped. Since it wasn't that long ago that I read it, I almost skipped this part, but plodded on. I'm not sure why, but it took me a while to like any of the new characters other than Courtney. Elise was a little too stiff and Bethanne was wishy-washy. This is how the characters were meant to be, but they just bugged me a little. By the end, though, I really liked all of them.

What I love about Debbie Macomber's books are the 'happy' build-up. They start off with some sad situation the character is dealing with and by the end the character is on the way to a happier life. Sometimes it is a little cheesy, but most are real-life. They are open-ended and you know the character goes on to have other problems, but they are better able to deal with it now. I finish each book with a good feeling. I was smiling when I finished this one--I'm glad I finished it in the morning because now my day is off to a good start. ( )

loved the whole series.

I enjoyed this book, better than the 1st book. Fun and easy read. Can't wait to read the 3rd book. ( )

The second book in the "Blossom Street" knitting series by Debbie Macomber, this one features three new women in addition to linchpin Lydia Hoffman. The story's more cross-generational than the last, with a senior in high school, a newly-divorced mom of two teenagers, and a grandmother in the mix. We also get some more development when it comes to Lydia, her relationship with Brad, and her developing closeness to her sister Margaret. Definitely worth taking a second trip to Blossom Street, and I wouldn't say reading the first book is absolutely necessary to enjoying the second. ( )