Published By: Orion
Released On: 14/10/2021
Loretta loves running the little village sewing shop in Butterbury. Some of her most previous memories are sitting with her three daughters Daisy, Ginny and Fern, stitching together pieces of material – and their hopes and dreams.
But this Christmas, the family is coming apart at the seams: Fern feels like she is failing at motherhood and marriage, Ginny’s passion for her job as a midwife is fading, Daisy is desperate to prove she has changed since her wild younger years – and most of all, Loretta seems to be hiding something.
As they come together to create a new festive quilt, the bond between the sisters begins to heal. But when Loretta reveals the real reason she has brought them all home, can the sisters mend the quilt, and their family, in time for Christmas?
*****
*Contains minor spoilers*
Thanks to Orion for the gifted copy of this title in return for an honest review.
This is such a sweet little festive book. With so many characters, this could have been confusing trying to get your head round who was who and what their connection was, but Helen has made it very concise that it is clear what’s going on. The three sisters, Daisy, Ginny and Fern, are so different, but have enough shared history and characteristics that it’s clear they’re sisters, even if they have had their differences. The other characters of Loretta, Ivor, Lucas, Joshua, Carrie, Harry, Everett, Jacob and Cooper all bring their own individual personalities to the book to make the sisters’ lives in Butterbury just that little bit more interesting.
As someone who lost her father young, and just before Christmas, I know how difficult those days, weeks, months, even years of grief can be, especially when the remaining family members are all together for big occasions, such as the festivities. It’s hard to accept they’re gone and that you’re new future is the new normal. And whilst, the family in this book through slightly different circumstances than myself, I think Helen has got a really good grasp on how to depict different ways to cope with grief without being over the top or insensitive.
I love the setting of a haberdashery! I have always loved sewing machines and fabric and playing around with the idea of making my own soft furnishings and clothing. And then I remember I can barely use a sewing machine to sew a straight line let alone anything else. But I can really appreciate the magic that comes with browsing a sewing shop, touching all the fabrics and losing yourself in the wonder of it all. That combined with the inevitable feeling of magic and wonder of Christmas time, I think this is a beautiful book that, whilst touching on some difficult subjects, shows that underneath everything, family really is the most important gift of all.
Books By Your Bedside 