The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown | Book Review

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In the tradition of Trisha Ashley and Jenny Colgan, this first book in a new series by Alexandra Brown—author of the popular Cupcakes at Carrington’s series—tells the hilarious, heartwarming story of a jilted bride who anticipates a lonely Christmas but instead finds herself in the tiny village of Tindledale, where the residents share her obsession with knitting.
When life unravels, it’s time to knit…
Sybil has always taken comfort in her passion for knitting, creating beautiful knits stitch by stitch. But her world suddenly unravels when her fiancé ditches her for her identical twin sister at her Star Wars-themed wedding, leaving her sporting a Princess Leia do. Then things go from bad to worse when an incident at work jeopardizes her job.
Hoping to escape her woes and forget that she’ll be alone for Christmas this year, she visits her friend in Tindledale—a winter wonderland of quaint shops and snowy rooftops. When she arrives in the idyllic town, she can’t help feeling like she’s in a Hallmark greeting card. She’s embraced by welcoming—if eccentric—locals wearing handmade knits that remind Sybil of her own creations as well as her unrealized ambitions of selling them. So when the vintage boutique asks her to make an assortment of knits for their display window, she’s thrilled. The hot town doctor has even taken an interest in Sybil, hoping to heal her broken heart.
But just when Sybil thinks she’s going to have her fairytale Christmas after all, an unexpected turn of events threatens to unspool her happily ever after.

The Great Christmas Knit-Off by Alexandra Brown was balm to my soul. This book is like a warm cup of tea (if I was more of a tea person). It was cozy and sweet and exactly what I’ve needed to read during a sort of stressful time of the year.

Sybil has had a terrible year. On the day of her wedding, which was Star Wars themed for her fiance, her fiance left her for her twin sister, Sasha. Then, a woman absconds with $42,000 in public housing benefits and Sybil is pretty sure it is her fault because her concentration just isn’t what it used to be. So, when Sybil receives an open invitation from her best friend Cher to come visit her in the small village of Tindledale, Sybil packs up her pup Basil and is on her way from London.

While in Tindledale, Sybil’s heart starts to heal and she starts to feel right at home in Tindledale. The village is populated by an eccentric but caring variety of residents. Sybil also just so happens to catch the eye of the local doctor. Things are going great, except, a turn of events may undo all of Sybil’s progress. Also, as it turns out, the residents of the town appreciate knitting just as much as Sybil does.

I kind of regret putting The Great Christmas Knit-Off off every year until this one. I really gelled with this book. The residents of Tindledale and the village itself wormed its way into my heart. Sybil is someone I could really relate to, down to having to leave town to get over a heartbreak. Sybil is kind hearted and overall, wonderful. Her friendship with Cher was a treat to read about as well. And y’all, I am not a knitter or crafter in the least, but this book made me want to be.

On A Scale Of One To Buddy The Elf, How Much Christmas Spirit Does The Great Christmas Knit-Off Have?

You know the scene at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life where everyone gets together money to save the old building and loan from Potter? I had that same fuzzy feeling reading The Great Christmas Knit-Off. There are bailiffs who are trying to collect money from Hettie, an eighty year old woman who runs the local Haberdashery shop. The villagers of Tindledale, with the help of Sybil come together to help Hettie pay the money owed. I think that was the sweetest, most wonderful part. This book embodies the spirit of kindness, giving and acceptance. While it’s not full of the traditional activities of the holidays, it certainly hits on the morals and I loved that.

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April (Books&Wine)

April is in her 30s and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and toddler, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

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