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Title: Real Men Knit
Author: Kwana Jackson
Sub-genre: Contemporary
Trope(s): childhood friends to lovers; forced proximity
First, this book came along at just the right time for me. The world is burning, and I needed nothing more than a soft, sweet read to carry me through. Real Men Knit definitely provided me with a much needed distraction, and for that, it holds a place in my heart.
Jesse is the underachiever amongst his group of adopted brothers. He’s the flirt, the one who can’t hold a steady job, and the classic screw up. When the brothers’ mom passes away, leaving them to decide the fate of her beloved yarn shop, Jesse is the only one who wants to try to save the store. None of his family believes he has it in him to rejuvenate the shop and actually turn a profit, but Jesse is determined to prove them wrong. And luckily he’ll have the help of the store’s longtime employee Kerry. Kerry grew up with the brothers and is basically their little sister. Except for the fact that she has always had a crush on Jesse. Money and job problems threaten to pull her away from the store, but when she is displaced from her apartment, Jesse offers her a room above the shop. The two embark on a mission to save the yarn shop and of course, end up falling for each other along the way.
There is so much to love about this book, starting with the characters. Jesse is my absolute favorite kind of hero: the broken down guy who thinks he doesn’t deserve love. I don’t know why I love this type so much, but I can’t resist. Also, then add to it that he knits and I’m sold. In addition to Jesse, the other brothers (who I would imagine are getting their own books) are also compelling and lovable in their own ways. I’m definitely interested to see where their stories take them. I also really liked Kerry, relating a lot to her struggles with finding her place. The relationship between the two is both steamy and sweet and I loved watching them find their feelings for each other.
My only real issue with the book is the pacing. The first half is a lot of backstory and exposition, a lot of which I think could have been left out, because it left the actual falling in love part a little short for my liking. I wanted to spend more time with Jesse and Kerry exploring their love story. The first half dragged a little, and then the second half felt rushed.
Overall, this is a perfect read if you want to escape for a little bit and draw on the warmth and coziness of a romance set in a yarn shop.
Overall Rating: 4 stars
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