Reviewed by Vicki Carver
Once in a while a book comes along which is an enjoyable read from the
beginning to the end. A new book by Debbie Macomber called The Shop on
Blossom Street is a great story about four women who are in a weekly
knitting group in Seattle.
Lydia Hoffman is the owner of a new yarn shop called “A Good Yarn”. She
has had two battles with cancer in her 30 years and is attempting to
live each day fully. Starting the yarn shop is a leap of faith in her
future. She is wary of emotional attachments because of unsuccessful
relationships in her past. Men do not know how to form a relationship
with a cancer patient.
Carol Girard has been a successful business woman who is desperate to
have a child. Her quest to become pregnant is costing her enormous
amounts of money and ruining her marriage.
Alix Townsend is a young woman working at a local video store. Due to
unfortunate circumstances Alix needs to fulfill a community service
obligation. She decides to knit a baby blanket to donate to a shelter.
Alix has had a rough life so far but begins to change as she
participates in the weekly knitting group.
Jacqueline Donovan is wealthy middle-aged woman disillusioned with her
marriage. She also has an intense dislike for her only son’s Southern
wife, Tammie Lee. Jacqueline also develops an intense dislike towards
Alix Townsend which threatens the initial success of “A Good Yarn”.
However, due to unforeseen circumstances, Jacqueline’s life begins to
change.
As The Shop on Blossom Street moves along, the relationships between the
four women evolve. Although the women are from very different
backgrounds their lives begin to intertwine with each other resulting in
some astounding resolutions at the book’s conclusion.
Any reader who enjoys writers such as Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Berg or
Belva Plain may enjoy reading a book by Debbie Macomber. She has the
ability to develop her characters and their relationships with each
other in a gripping way which pulls the reader into the story. The Shop
on Blossom Street is one of those books which is difficult to put down
once it is begun.