Helen Rolfe

So I will not lie, my need to read something fluffy and warm is what led to me Christmas At The Little Knitting Box. There is a soft spot in my heart for anything that revolves around fiber crafts, and after visiting New York last year I was feeling nostalgic. I hoped for something magical, that would get me into the holiday spirit. Friends, Rolfe absolutely delivered that for me.

I immediately fell in love with Cleo, and her tiny shop. Her passion for yarn, her deep love for the city she show more lived in, and her interactions with people around her just wrapped me up in warmth. Rolfe slowly unrolls Cleo’s past, and allows the reader a deeper glimpse into the why she is the person she is today. When she is dropped smack dab into Dylan’s path, magic happens. In fact, the chemistry between these two is absolutely wonderful from the first moment. I ate it up.

Kudos too to Rolfe for Dylan’s character. Romance novels are one of the only places I often see single dads highlighted, but Dylan is so much more than that. His love for his kids radiates from this story, and the fact that he wants to be even more in their lives than he already is made me a bit teary eyed. This is honestly the first time that I have loved both characters in a romance novel with so much fervor. I wanted them to be happy, and I wanted them to be happy together.

There were a few small things that I had qualms with, but none of them were enough to shatter the magic of this book. If you’re looking for something to take you away for a few hours, to make you remember why the Christmas season is so wonderful, this is your book. Just be prepared to sigh happily quite often. show less

This novel may seem a bit like a soap opera, but really, it is much more. It deals with the plight of the homeless, with family secrets, with prejudices, with murder, and with forgiveness. Jack comes from a well to do and hard working family, but has had tragedy in his life. Evie is homeless, and though she had at one time a happy and stable home life as a child, she, too, experienced tragedy. Nicole works as a housekeeper for Jack’s family, until the patriarch of the family sees her show more helping Evie and fires her. The story goes on there and becomes quite tangled with these characters and more. It’s a well written tale, very well thought out, with characters who seem real. It all comes together at the end, with a very satisfying conclusion. show less

Sisters Jade and Celeste are remodeling their bakery. Etna’s nephew Linc arrives in town to help with the renovations. Linc has been reluctant to set down roots anywhere, and prefers short term jobs. The last thing he expected was to find any hope of romance in the Cove, but then he meets Jade. Jade had a past romance that didn’t work out, but she gets a surprise when her former beau shows up, traveling from his home in Italy. By now, she knows she is attracted to Linc, but a secret she show more harbors stops her from being with him. It’s a complicated time in the Cove, with more than one person harboring secrets! But one thing everyone is looking forward to is the wedding of Barney and Lucy at the annual Wedding Dress Ball. This delightful story wraps up life at the Cove, and I hate to say goodbye to the characters who by this third book almost seem like friends. Author Helen Rolfe has created a lovely setting, filled it with likable characters, and placed them all in a wonderfully told story. show less

Who doesn’t love waffles? Even better, waffles served by a tall, dark, and handsome man determined to make amends for his past transgressions in his home town of Heritage Cove?

Daniel had been the local hoodlum when he left Heritage Cove years ago and now he is back to make amends. However, not all is forgiven. Especially from his brother, Harvey. Daniel’s story is tragic but inspiring. He has a lot to make up for and his courage to open his own waffle shack and face his demons head-on is show more commendable. But people are jumping to conclusions about his life and he has to get ahead of this before the woman he is attracted to totally writes him off. Would she ever give him a chance?

From Lucy’s experience, life is too short to fight with someone you care about. Between a mountain of Christmas orders to fill, an ex-husband who won’t take no for an answer, and an attractive new business owner in town with too many secrets, she is beyond frazzled and disappointed. She can’t be blindsided again.

I like the fact that Lucy is a blacksmith. Her pieces sound incredible and I admire her determination to open her own business in a new town. I also like the idea of Daniel’s waffle shack which sounds delicious. Lucy and Daniel have a rocky start with Daniel’s secrets and Lucy’s mistrust. Their story builds slowly by Lucy confronting her ex-husband, Daniel beginning to resolve his differences with his brother, and the two of them finally sitting down to talk. There are also a lot of important supporting characters in this book such as Daniel’s brother Harvey, his girlfriend Melissa, and Lucy’s friend Tilly.

I recommend this sweet romance with strong characters, a beautiful setting, and realistic situations. It emphasizes that change doesn’t happen overnight so take one step at a time and there are two sides to every story.

Thank you to Ms. Rolfe for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less