“Yates weaves surprises and vivid descriptions into this moving tale about strong and nurturing female family bonds.”—Booklist on Confessions from the Quilting Circle The Ashwood women don’t have much in common…except their ability to keep secrets.When Lark Ashwood’s beloved grandmother dies, she and her sisters discover an unfinished quilt. Finishing it could be the reason Lark’s been looking … unfinished quilt. Finishing it could be the reason Lark’s been looking for to stop running from the past, but is she ever going to be brave enough to share her biggest secret with the people she ought to be closest to?
Hannah can’t believe she’s back in Bear Creek, the tiny town she sacrificed everything to escape from. The plan? Help her sisters renovate her grandmother’s house and leave as fast as humanly possible. Until she comes face-to-face with a man from her past. But getting close to him again might mean confessing what really drove her away…
Stay-at-home mom Avery has built a perfect life, but at a cost. She’ll need all her family around her, and all her strength, to decide if the price of perfection is one she can afford to keep paying.
This summer, the Ashwood women must lean on each other like never before, if they are to stitch their family back together, one truth at a time…
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I’m used to flat out romances from Maisey Yates, but was very excited to dig into this women’s fiction from her. It’s about a mom and her three grown daughters coming back together after the older woman’s mother dies. As they go through her things, they discovered an unfinished quilt that they decide to finish. The material for each woman seems to be specifically suited for them. They also discover diaries to go with each box of material and the stories of women passed are also shared (I’ll have to admit this confused me a bit until the end).
Each of the main female characters also has a story of their own which usually include some kind of secret or something they believe they have failed at. There are also old flames for a couple of them.
Overall, I really enjoyed this audiobook. The story was very good once it really got going and the narration by Samantha Cook was excellent.
Poorly written with choppy sentences and breaks in the linkage between ideas.
I would just like to state for the record that I. Need. A. Hug. *sighs* How is it possible for one book to make you feel a million and one things. At. The. Same. Time?!
Nu-uh-uh… *wags finger*
I’m far too emotional for you to come at me about my sentence structure. It feels like I have too many emotions for my body to contain at the moment.
Exhale *blows out breath* and inhale *breathes in slowly*.
Losing a loved one is never easy. For sisters Avery, Hannah, and Lark, dealing with their late grandmother’s estate will take them on a voyage of discovery.
I was touched by each of the sisters’ stories and of their mother, Mary, and how they intertwined with that of their grandmother. I had the wind knocked out of me on several occasions as secrets were revealed (must turn pages quicker!).
Even the closest of families can be riddled with secrets. Sometimes more harm than good can be done when trying to protect the feelings of those we love.
I’m going to end up blubbing all over this review if I’m not careful and that is something you do not want to see *snorts*.
I loved the symbolism when it came to the quilt making. You can’t undo events of the past, but you unpick and remake your future one stitch at a time.
Past and present collide in a heartfelt, heart-rending, heart-warming, uplifting, and romantic story that kept me on the verge of tears throughout. (Who am I kidding? Cue all the tears. Coz let’s face it, I cry whether it’s happy or sad *shrugs*).
Just do me a favour, will you please? Read it. You (hopefully) won’t regret it – I pinky promise.
Her best novel ever!
The Ashwood sister’s have been called home to Bear Creek, Oregon to help settle their late grandmother’s affairs and ready her home to be put on the market. Each one has their reservations about coming home as the secrets they’ve been keeping from one another will possibly come to light, and facing their demons is something not all of them are prepared for.
Little do they realize finding one unfinished quilt and some old diaries will change everything… and also mend them in ways they never expected.
Confessions from the Quilting Circle is a beautifully penned reunion story that brings us into the lives of the Ashwood sister’s. It has been some time since they have seen one another, and all have secrets they are keeping, and reuniting is bound to bring some of them to the surface. As these women join forces to finish a quilt left by their grandmother, they discover things they never knew, share their secrets, and mend all that was broken between them. It’s a heartwarming journey with many ups and downs, and also a great reminder in the importance of forgiveness and sisterhood. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with these women, their story captivated from the first page until the last… it made for the perfect weekend escape! Highly recommend!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
Talk about a Book Title that’s just perfect, well THIS IS ONE OF THOSE!! Whatever image or ideas you get in your head after seeing this title , be rest assured that the book is living up to its implied words . So many secrets are all tied up in a series of journaling that the Ashwood family begins to dissect slowly while quilting & crafting together . Once you combine some ex lovers , you then feel the whole circle of secrets begin to implode which leads to our MULTIPLE HEA storylines finishing up in a big beautiful way….with that multigenerational feel that world can certainly use more of now. Highly recommend this read to include some delicate subject matter handled
Notoriously well by this author !
Oh man grab some Kleenex before you open this incredible book. How do I even try to describe the utter joy of reading this book? Or describe the sadness when reading? Omg the emotions pulled out from this incredible and amazing book. Just grab your favorite drink and settle in because your not going to put it down until the very last page. When you get to the last page your not going to like all that much because then you have to be done with the new friends you’d just met.
Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates has Mary Ashwood and her three daughters reuniting in Bear Creek after the death of Addie, Mary’s mother. The four women jointly inherited two properties along with the contents from Addie and now they need to decide what to do with the homes. While in the attic of one of the homes, Lark Ashwood finds a quilt swatch book along with the pattern for a special quilt. Lark suggests that the four women finish Addie’s creation. The four women go on a journey of self-discovery that will bring long buried emotions and secrets out in the open. These ladies can bring their family back together one stitch and revelation at a time. I thought Confessions from the Quilting Circle was well-written with developed, realistic characters. The story it told from Mary, Hannah, Avery, and Lark’s point-of-view plus there are diary entries from two of their ancestors. It did take me a little while to get into the story with the changing viewpoints. This book touches on some difficult topics. The author handles them very well. We see what happens when emotions and secrets are kept suppressed. It is important for each person to discover their own path and follow it–To be your own person. It was interesting learning about a craft café. I thought it was a clever idea. Confessions from the Quilting Circle has family, relationships, misunderstandings, secrets, communication issues, love, depression, and so much more. Confessions from the Quilting Circle is an emotional novel with sister squabbles, creative crafts, surprising secrets, unfinished issues, teenage to-do’s, and a gregarious grandma.
This was certainly a multi-layered book in which each character had her own story and then the stories gradually meshed together. It was the story of Mary, a mom who doesn’t feel that she has a close relationship with her own daughters and knows that she feels abandoned by her own mother. It is also the story of each of her daughters: Avery, a proud stay-at-home-mom; Hannah, an accomplished violinist on break from the Boston Symphony; and Lark, an artist with a real spark of creativity. Each girl and her mother has a secret that is the central focus of the story, unraveling the secrets as they make a quilt together from the scraps that Mary’s mom left behind. Some of the story was heartbreaking to me because of my own past experiences. Other parts were interesting but not in a personal way. I think this story will appeal of all because of its characters that are so varied and yet so much alike in the way that a family is. I like the saying that kept getting repeated, “You can never go so far that you can’t go home again.” This was a powerful theme that lent itself to the focus of self-discovery, revelations and forgiveness. I loved the way the author crafted the story around sewing a quilt, with its many pieces that are totally different. I especially liked the slow reveals of what was in each ladies’ heart. The characters and theme made this story and I highly recommend it to those looking for a good contemporary fiction or romance. Yes, there is romance, but it is not the main idea of the book. The real theme is discovering each other and accepting one’s past. Amazing book with so many life lessons! Deep and yet so simple…loved it!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
The Review
This was a powerful women’s fiction read. The author beautifully sets up a dramatic and emotional family dynamic between the three sisters and their mother in the face of losing their beloved grandmother. The rift between the sisters is felt early on, showing the complex balance of tension and emotion between them all.
Character growth was essential in this read. The author not only does a great job of showcasing each sister’s individual struggles and how they feel in this tension-filled dynamic with the other two sisters, but the author also fills out the narrative with backstory as diary entries from two different women from different eras give insight into the family’s history as a whole. The author showcases a wide range of talent in this writing, as the author’s normal romance-style narratives shift easily into the women’s fiction genre, highlighting the strong bonds between family and in this instance, sisterhood.
The Verdict
A memorable, emotional, and engaging read, author Maisey Yates’s “Confessions From the Quilting Circle” is a must-read women’s fiction narrative. The book flows smoothly and engages the reader on multiple levels. The gripping tale of these sisters will resonate with so many of us out there, and in a story about leaving things unfinished in our lives and feeling a piece of ourselves missing, the author found a wonderful way to explore the journey to making ourselves whole again. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!
I’m a huge fan of Maisey Yates and her romance books. This is the first time I tried one of her women’s fiction stories, this being her second such story. Her first, Secrets from a Happy Marriage, I have acquired but not yet read. I’ll admit, I was hesitant to try her in a different genre. When I was invited to participate in the blog tour for Confessions from the Quilting Circle I figured it was time to give her other side a shot. (CW: physical and sexual abuse, women’s health issues)
I wouldn’t say I’m disappointed, because I’m not. Yet I also wouldn’t say I’m all in on this genre for this author. One of the things Ms. Yates does beautifully in the many romance genre books I’ve read by her is fill her stories with emotions. She really knows how to get to the heart of the matter and have me feeling pain, anger, love, lust, happiness, joy right along with her characters. She knows how to show and not just tell a story. I didn’t feel that was something that was consistent in this story.
As much as I love a great romance, I also love a story about women holding each other up. Friends, sisters, coworkers, etc. Reading about women knocking down their walls and being real with each other always helps me to feel empowered. That was something I enjoyed with this story. Not only did the three sisters rebuild their relationship with each other, but they also came to understand their mom in a much deeper way. Lark, Hannah, Avery, and their mom Mary all had a journey to take in order to embrace their true selves, and they all did that. That’s exactly why I think many people will love this story and I will still be recommending it to those I think will really feel this story in the way it was intended.
While I’d love to leave it at that, I feel that there are some issues I should address. I know you may be sick of hearing me say it, but I’m a timeline stickler. Because this story follows many characters, more than the sisters and their mom because of old diaries found, there is a lot to keep track of. It’s not a chore, I never felt lost. But because I notice the passage of time in books, I did realize that the stories didn’t always mesh correctly to the passage of time and it annoyed me. As I always say, this may not be an issue for anyone but me. But it happened often enough for it to rankle.
When it came to the part of the story that dealt with physical abuse, I felt the author did a great job of laying out the thoughts the abused party would be having as to why she stayed, how things would be if she left, etc. I know more than not having a place to go or not having the means or support to go are not the only issues that keep people in abusive relationships. And I would assume there are people who were able to leave such relationships with no repercussions. Yet, I felt the character got out of the relationship a bit too easily. Not emotionally, of course it was difficult emotionally for all involved. It just seems like so many steps were missing in between. And maybe I shouldn’t even be speaking on this matter since I’ve not been in those shoes. I just felt it was such an important story to tell, yet seemed to be overshadowed by so many other things. Not quite tied up with a pretty bow, but almost.
This was still a wonderful read, it just wasn’t a story in which I felt I was fully immersed. I’ll still eventually try this author’s previous women’s fiction book. And I’ll definitely continue reading about her sexy cowboys and strong-willed cowgirls. Plus, as I mentioned earlier, I know some people who will find this book to be right up their alley. So I’ll be recommending this book even if it fell a bit off the mark for me.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
Maisey Yates is a new-to-me author. I’m always on the hunt for my next favorite author, so when a book’s cover and blurb are intriguing enough to pull me in, I’m always willing to give a new author a chance. I have my own confession to make, though: The first quarter of the book had me doubting whether I was going to be able to finish the book. I understand that there was a lot of history to unpack in this story, but it seemed almost too dry up until that point. However, beyond that, the story’s tempo seemed to pick up, as did the mystery surrounding who these women were to these sisters and mother and why their histories were essential to the stories. Told from four different perspectives and letters from the past, it felt a bit disconnected at times.
Despite the slow tempo of the book’s first quarter or so, the intrigue had built enough to keep me invested in the story. And once we got to the true confessions part of the story, the words that fell from these women’s lips were so very heartbreaking. However, watching these sisters and their mom pull together to make their relationships stronger moving forward and healing past hurts the best they could went a long way toward repairing my broken heart. All in all, this book was a very entertaining read that evoked a lot of emotion yet left me feeling uplifted and satisfied at the end. And I will definitely be picking up more books by this author in the future.
Beyond a good women’s fiction/chick-lit book, Confessions from the Quilting Circle is about the strength to get up when your world falls apart, pick up the pieces, and turn them into a beautiful work of art that would never have been possible without the triumph over the tragedy.
NICUnurse’s Rating: I give Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates 4 out of 5 stars!
I hardly know where to begin in this review, partly because I started off wanting to slap every self-absorbed, snarky and spiteful, female character in Maisey’s Yates’ Confessions from the Quilting Circle, plus, it took me about 30% of this novel to really get into it and start to care about these women, but Ms. Yates has never let me down so far, and once I started to understand their issues, what drove them, what caused them to be the way they were, this novel ended up being one deep, tragic, profound and amazingly good read, and it certainly earned this 5-star rating.
This is one complicated novel, but, in short, this novel is about a family of Ashford women, 3 sisters, Avery, Hannah and Lark, and their mother, Mary. Aside from years of brief, obligatory visits home to their small town of Bear Creek, they have lived most of their adult lives separate and apart from one another. Lark, the youngest, has been a wanderer, moving from place to place for the past 16 years. Hannah’s identity and focus has led to her career as a conceert violinist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Avery, the eldest, stayed local, marrying a doctor and raising their two children. Mary, has also stayed in town, but each of these women has been carrying secrets, harboring animosity, guilt and private grief, as we soon learn.
The Ashford sisters and their mother are brought back together in Bear Creek, after their grandmother’s death, to settle her estate. She bequeathed her home and her candy store to the three sisters, but left nothing for her own daughter, Mary. When Mary was a small child, one day Gram just up and left her husband and daughter and was gone for years without explanation. When Gram finally returned, she and Mary never talked, never reconciled. It’s the same with the sisters, who loved and connected with their grandmother in a way they never connected to their own mother, and who also held everything they felt inside, never really connecting with each other either.
Lark, the flighty, artistic, youngest, and seemingly happiest sister, has decided to turn Gram’s candy store into a Craft Cafe, and when she discovers her Gram’s fabric scraps and plans for a heritage quilt in the attic, she decides that they will all choose some of the many stored fabric swatches, and each work on quilt squares to complete the quilt Gram didn’t. It’s these weekly get-togethers at the cafe that begin to bring these women together, give them the time for conversation, something very difficult for each of them at the start, but it’s the catalyst for them to finally open up to one another, deal honestly with each other and themselves, air their secrets and their pain, and come to terms with the decisions and choices they’ve made.
This novel takes the reader and the characters on a complicated journey, made even more moving by intermittent diary entries from two women in the past, a literary device used brilliantly by Ms. Yates, who weaves these bits and pieces of the past into a whole, just as her characters weave their own lives, secrets, pain and self-realization into the quilt their Gram planned. By the time I finished reading this novel, staying up all night to do so, I came to love, understand, empathize, and care deeply for these women, their angst, their heartbreak, their growth, and their futures. Confessions from the Quilting Circle is a tour de force of a novel, and is, perhaps, one of the best and most moving of Ms. Yates novels, and I cannot recommend it highly enough.
I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.
Thoroughly engrossing story
Sisters Lark, Hannah, and Avery, along with their mother, Mary, are back in their hometown to sort through the home and business left to the four of them when Mary’s mother passed. There has been a lot of secrets and heartbreak throughout the decades in this family, and completing their grandmother’s quilting project proves to be the perfect opportunity for all the secrets to come spilling out.
More women’s fiction than romance, a couple of the women are able to rekindle romances with their lost loves. We’re treated to flashbacks in the form of diary entries from the women who have gone before, leading to tremendous healing for all concerned as they learn the reasons behind some of the decisions that shaped their lives.
I love this author’s writing style. The characters are beautifully developed, so much that you really feel as if you knew these women by the time you’re done. It was a joy to watch the mending of their lives as the quilt comes together. By the end, everyone’s lives are richer, fuller, and more peaceful than at the beginning, which is as close to an HEA as one can expect from women’s fiction. The featured romances are given a satisfying, HEA conclusion for both couples.
If you like small town stories that unpack a plethora of family history, you don’t want to miss this one. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
I very much enjoyed this story that wove the history of three generations of women from the same family into one coherent narrative. Although, I guess with quilting I should maybe say “patched” instead of “wove?” I liked how the author used one word repeatedly to tie both the sisters’ lives and the quilt together. I also thought that each of the sisters’ personal journeys were realistic and believable but also tailored to each sister. One of the only things that kind of bothered me throughout the book was the heavy use of the pronoun “she.” I know that seems nitpicky, and I usually do not mention grammar in my reviews. However, when the three main characters are female and talking to each other, repeatedly using “she” sometimes confused me as I couldn’t figure out exactly who was speaking. Otherwise, I thought it was well-done and would recommend it. For a full review, please visit Fireflies and Free Kicks. Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for a digital ARC of the book.
A story of sisterhood, secrets, heartbreak, love, loss, and learning to heal is what this book is all about. When three sisters come together after the death of their grandma they not only rediscover their sisterly bond but also years of heartbreak and dark secrets that go back generations.
This story really caught my attention as someone who has grown up in a house full of secrets Maisey really touched my heart with this story.
You have Mary the mother of the Ashwood sisters who has lived with secrets and heartbreak for years caused by her mom. The beloved grandmother to her daughters and is the reason her girls return home.
Lark the youngest of the sisters has been running for years trying to outrun her heartbreak and who she believes she should be. When she returns and decides to finish the quilt her grandmother started she starts to uncover her true self. The woman she is meant to be. Along the way, she must face her past and the boy who changed her world forever.
Hannah the middle sister is strong-willed and focus. She has set eyes on a goal and will stop at nothing to gain it. When she returns she tries hard not to let her past drag her back in but as time goes by and her goal gets further away she must face the darkest moment in her life to move forward. With the help of her sisters, she can find a new passion in life and for life including rediscovering her, one true love.
Avery the oldest sister has spent years building the perfect life. TO everyone around her she appears to have it all. The perfect husband, great kids, and a beautiful home. However just because things look pretty on and outside doesn’t mean they are perfect on the inside. Avery must learn to let go of perfection and admit just because something is perfect on the outside doesn’t mean it isn’t cracked or damaged on the inside.
This story held me from the first page. There was a little f me in each character that Maisey brought to life. Through reading this story I was able to find some healing and was in love with the story. This is definitely one of those books I can see myself reading again ad again because the characters are timeless.
Confessions from the Quilting Circle by Maisey Yates is an amazing, moving, emotional tale of the Ashwood women and their strong and nurturing connections. When Lark Ashwood’s beloved grandmother dies, she and her sisters discover an unfinished quilt. Finishing it just might be the reason she needs to stop running from the past and share her biggest secret with those closest to her. Hannah can’t believe she’s back in Bear Creek, the small town where she sacrificed everything in order to escape. Her plan is to help her sisters renovate their grandmother’s house and return to her life in Boston, as quickly as she can. At least that was the plan until she is faced with a man from her past. Hannah fears re-connecting with him might have her confessing the real reason she fled home; and him. Avery is a stay-at-home mom who has the perfect life, or is it all a façade. Avery will need her strength and the support of her family as she decides if the price of her perfection is worth the price she’s been paying. Though on the surface these sisters have little in common, other their ability to keep secrets, this summer, along with their mother, they will learn how to rely on each other, like never before. Especially if they are to stitch their family, and themselves, back together, one truth at a time.
Ms. Yates wrote a story that reaches the soul; the soul of her characters as well the soul of her readers. I loved how the stories of these four women are woven together so beautifully; including the diaries each woman discovered. Utilizing alternating POVs in order to tell this wonderful and amazing, multi-generational story; a tale that was emotional, moving, tear inducing, filled with wonderful dialogue, and endearing characters is a must read. I highly recommend Confessions from the Quilting Circle to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
This read quickly became a page turner, I had to know how what was going to happen to these woman.
A Grandmother has passed and the three Granddaughters are now home, they are deciding what to do with the house and the candy store.
Great ideas are put out and action is taken, and soon the house is being renovated and the Candy store turned into a Craft/Bar, but what happens is they finally decide to make their Grandmother’s sketched out design and hidden gems into a quilt. Now along with the drapes, wedding gown, etc. comes diaries. We are off on several adventures, and updating on lives that have been on hold.
Wow! Secrets sure do fall, and surprises abound,
This is one read you won’t want to put down, so get cozy and be prepared for a long sit.
Enjoy!
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Harlequin, and was not required to give a positive review.
I don’t think I’ve read a book by this author before. After reading this book I’m definitely looking for more of her books. It’s about family, secrets kept and coming back together. There was parts of this book that made me tear up and that hardly ever happens.
I really enjoyed this book!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the early copy
I absolutely enjoyed this story, the characters were great! I love how it all turn out, I’m looking forward to the next one in this series. I highly recommend reading this series