Spinning Forward

This book isn't the type that I usually choose to read, but I'm glad I got to read it. The story was about a newly widowed 50-something year old woman who moves to a new town to start over. Being good at knitting, she opens a yarn shop, but that's not a major part of the story. The book is mostly about mother-daughter relationships, finding yourself, and how it's never too late for anything. The ending was a bit sad but also heart-warming and hopeful.

Sydney Webster finds herself having to start her life over again at the age of fifty-two due to the unexpected death of her husband.....and the aftermath of his gambling problem.

Her best friend from college, Alison, offers her sancutary at the bed and breakfast she owns in Cedar Keys, Florida. Sydney is an avid knitter and spinner and one night, while being observed spinning with some pretty unusual fiber, by one of the other guests, she is offered an opportunity to do something that she is already passionate about: knitting and spinning. With the help of the motley group of resident of Cedar Key, she finds renewed hope, love and is able to find a piece of herself that she never knew existed.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and show more am grateful for the opportunity to read it. I felt that the characters were well rounded and easy to relate to. The story had a good flow to it and was very hard, at times, to put down! It's my understanding that this is a first in a series. I can't wait to visit with Sydney and Cedar Key again!

Those that enjoyed other books of this genre, such as "The Friday Night Knitting Club" and "The Knitting Circle", I believe would like this book as well. show less

A cozy story with a number of characters to enjoy. I selected the book for the knitting angle, but it was not all that central to the story. OK for a relaxing read. I would say it was moderately well written with beautiful descriptions of the scenery on the island. Perhaps it was just the formatting in the kindle version, but the transitions between events were often without warning. Themes of birth, death, love and commitment are explored.

I came upon the Cedar Key series by Terri Dulong due to finishing another novel about knitting and this book was suggested to me afterwards.

The main character, Sydney Webster, finds herself starting all over again in her early fifties on Cedar Key, an island off the coast of Florida. Moving in with her college best friend Alison, Sydney starts to work on herself and her relationship with her adult daughter, Monica.

This was a very fast read and I ended up liking Sydney though at times she was very frustrating. There were several times in the novel that I thought she was being very childish.

I did like the descriptions of the island and the other residents like Saren, Miss Dora, and Alison. Everyone in the novel felt like a fully fleshed show more out character.

There were really just two things that I had a hard time with which is why I lowered my rating by a star and a half.

First, the resolution of Sydney's background was far-fetched. Having the author's characters say over and over again this is like something that would happen in a movie and saying that it was very hard to believe did not make it more palatable to me as a reader.

Second, I really wanted to hear more about Sydney spinning the cat and dog hair into wool to make sweaters/scarves, etc. for the pet owners. The sentences would just read that Sydney spun on her wheel but other than that I didn't get a sense of what she was doing exactly besides spinning. I wanted more details since I was so fascinated by her spinning and her idea for a job sounded really interesting.

I would definitely recommend this novel to others! show less

Spinning Forward transforms Sydney Webster from a fifty something woman who has been observing her life from a detached prospective to a person actively alive. In the past Sydney seems to have been peripheral to herself. The death of a husband she really didn't know and the loss of all her creature comforts forces her into self discovery. As I watched Sydney flounder, suffer and stive to become comfortable with herself, I found myself questioning how many choices in my life have been active ones. Sydney Webster reminds us that living in the now is an ongoing challenge.

Spinning Forward makes me want to move right down to Cedar Key. With a warm, small town cast of characters interested in helping each other, the novel makes the reader think, "What would I do if I had to start my life over?" Sydney Webster, the main character, is relatable in her process of beginning anew in middle age. While bits of the plot are improbable, that's what makes it fiction. Based on the title and cover, I was expecting a heavy emphasis on knitting (ala Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street series). Much to my surprise, that emphasis was not there, making this novel appeal to the non-knitting readers as well. It's a fun read, and I look forward to seeing more from this author.

Spinning Forward is a debut novel written by Terri Dulong. Her writing is reminiscent of Debbie Macomber but she definitely spins her own style within this novel. I enjoy women's fiction and books about knitting and that cover with the pink yarn definitely drew me in. This isn't a cotton candy fluffy novel, it is a wonderful tale of friendship, new beginnings and connections of the heart. Sydney is from New England and finds herself starting over in her 50's on the island of Cedar Key in Florida. Her husband died suddenly revealing secrets that she had never known as she tended to take a passive, behind the scenes role in her life and marriage. She stays with her college friend Ali who owns a Bed & Breakfast and must find a way to go show more forward. Sidney turns her passion for spinning and knitting into a specialty shop and must find her way within the community of Cedar Key. There is love, friendship, secrets, challenges and reaching forward to a new life. Spinning Forward is full of wonderful characters and the charm of small community life. I did enjoy the story as it's not too heavy or romancy but has a good balance of charm and wit. Some of the story was predictable but that didn't sway my enjoyment of this novel. show less