Purl One, Yarn Over, Purl Two Together, Knit One: May 2021

Thursday, May 27, 2021

Two New Books and All the Crafts!

ooks! Two new releases!

But first, I forgot to link to this post a while ago, which featured some more crafting: IWSG Day, Words I've Invented, and Yet More Snow!

Safe From Harm by Leah Mercer

She will do anything to protect her child.

When Ali Lawton flees her broken marriage to spend the last months of her pregnancy in her late grandmother’s seaside cottage, all she wants is to be alone. Then she meets Michael and Meg, the couple next door, and she’s drawn into their idyllic family life – a vision of what she could have had if things were different.

When Michael suddenly leaves for a work trip, Meg invites Ali to move in. The women form a close bond, but the more time Ali spends with Meg and her baby daughter, the more she notices her friend’s erratic behaviour. As time passes and Meg spins further out of control, Ali begins to wonder where Michael actually is and why he hasn’t returned. Is it possible he’s not on a work trip at all?

When Ali gives Meg a beloved childhood toy as a peace offering, she hopes it will give the friends a chance to heal. But Meg becomes distressed when she sees the toy and it’s clear that something far darker lies behind Michael’s disappearance.

Ali had always thought returning to her childhood safe haven would be the start of a hopeful future for her and her baby. But is she about to expose a past secret which will threaten everything she has ever known?

Amazon UK; Amazon US

Wow, this story -- set in one location and featuring a handful of characters -- had so many twists and turns!

I love stories that take you really deeply into the hearts and minds of the characters, yet feature a bit of unreliable-ness in the narrators, amping up the excitement when secrets start to be revealed. I had some theories about what I thought was going on, and they were all wrong!

If you're looking for (yet another) book that's going to keep you up late at night, this is it.

Return to the Vineyards by Laura Bradbury, part 3 of the Winemakers Trilogy

Image from Laura's instagram!

They married for all the wrong reasons...can they ever make it right?

Amandine needs to get married within days to save the family vineyards from her incompetent brother. Headstrong and obsessed with winemaking, the only possible candidate is Gaspard, the ex-fiancé she dumped in an explosive fight mere months before.

Gaspard has vowed never to give Amandine a second chance to humiliate him. Every bit as domineering and stubborn as her, he’s still outraged at how she rejected him over a trivial winemaking matter. At the same time, he cannot simply stand by while Amandine loses the winery she fought for so fiercely.

With their fake marriage Amandine and Gaspard have met their match—a match that has already proved disastrous. When old feelings resurface and the past is revisited, can two equally fiery people find a way to rewrite their future?

Find out in Return to the Vineyards, a joyous romance set in the French countryside about love, legacy, family, and second chances.

Amazon CA

Ooh, here's another type of story that I love -- a forced situation and characters determined to stand up for themselves. Add in family drama and some yummy food and drink, and I'm there!

I wish I could say literally, since I live only a few hours' drive from where this series is set. Really hoping to visit someday; exploring the world of a story setting is always exciting.

I also really enjoy stories that give a glimpse of characters from previous tales in the series. It gives you hope for the happily ever after of the current characters, even when they seem to be at their lowest ebb. An inspiring story, and a great way to travel vicariously through a beautiful part of France!

And now... This spring's knitting! baking! everything else!