“Stitched together with love, this is a story just waiting for your favorite reading chair. With her signature style and skill, Susan Wiggs delivers an intricate patchwork of old wounds and new beginnings, romance and the healing power of friendship, wrapped in a lovely little community that’s hiding a few secrets of its own.” — Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were … author of Before We Were Yours
The #1 New York Times bestselling author brings us her most ambitious and provocative work yet—a searing and timely novel that explores the most volatile issue of our time—domestic violence.
At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.
She’s come home.
Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.
And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.
But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.
Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.
Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.
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Caroline Shelby is an aspiring designer in New York whose life is shaken upside down when she takes guardianship over two children. Leaving the big city behind, she moves back to her hometown of Oysterville on the coast in Washington state. There she uncovers a reality she never knew. This book is a gripping story of women helping women.
The Oysterville Sewing Circle is sure to be a book club favorite! You will be swept into Caroline’s world, as secrets are revealed and she reinvents her life after loss. This is a rich, satisfying story of a lifelong friendship, forgiveness and the power of love. The great Susan Wiggs writes with grace, insight and wisdom about the things that matter.
Stitched together with love, this is a story just waiting for your favorite reading chair. With her signature style and skill, Susan Wiggs delivers an intricate patchwork of old wounds and new beginnings, romance and the healing power of friendship, wrapped in a lovely little community that’s hiding a few secrets of its own.” — Lisa Wingate, New York Times Bestselling author of Before We Were Yours
Infused with Susan Wiggs’s signature warmth and poignancy, The Oysterville Sewing Circle is a moving, romantic, unforgettable story of accidental families, rediscovered love, and the strength of sisterhood.
I have read most of Susan Wiggs’ books and her new book is definitely my favorite. It’s got everything you need for a great novel – well written characters, a fantastic plot and a beautiful setting. There’s some romance, lots of family love along with learning to overcome defeat. It’s also about domestic violence that occurs in every level of society and is often hidden from other people.
As Caroline returns to Oysterville after 10 years in New York City, she’s a different person than the girl who couldn’t wait to get out of the small town and live in the big city. She left with big dreams of being a fashion designer but has come home in defeat. She’s also different because she has two young children under her care. She never wanted children growing up and is not sure of how to parent the two children whose mother died in her apartment in New York. The first person she runs into is Matt, who she loved as a teenager and is now married to her best friend. The more she settles into town, she learns that there are several women who are hiding their secret of violence in their lives. This problem makes her start the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden. The two main questions that are answered throughout the novel are: Will Caroline be able to learn to parent the two small children in her care and quit questioning herself and will she able to be successful as a clothing designer and overcome her past defeats.
This was a wonderful heart-warming story with fantastic characters that addressed several major problems that exist in our world now – domestic violence and drug usage. I highly recommend it!
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own
The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs
Starts out with listings of other works by the author which I think I’ve read them all and enjoyed.
Dedication which I have no idea why but will find out by the time I’ve read this and a table of contents.
Caroline arrives back in town and sees her old boyfriend with a bunch of guys running…..Love new words I’m learning and I know they won’t be overused.
She rushes to get the young boy, not her kids and then rushes back to young girl. Coach Jensen had held onto the young boy for her…
Then we get to the story about when Caroline is in NY and she’s in the middle of a fashion show-for Mick…
Love hearing of the design world and the sewing parts of it, so interesting and recyclable using things others would’ve tossed away.
Had tears come to my eyes when she learns on the runway that Mick’s stolen her designs and used them for himself….
So realistic, up to date with undocumented pregnant model…
Blacklisted and then her best friend who’s pregnant moves in with her and the children
There is so much to this story about love romance sewing helping others, handling anger, making it through difficult times, surviving and finding out the truth.
Wow hits her when she finds out who really killed her friend, didn’t see that coming but now the dedication makes sense to me.
Proceeds from the sale of the book will go towards domestic abuse.
Learned so many cool things reading this one-Krav Maga for one-maybe it’ll help my grandson with his disease/illness.
Note from the author, acknowledgements, about the author and publisher are also included at the end.
Received this review copy from HarperCollins Publishers via William Morrow at NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.
A great story that delves into abuse, both physical and drug, but not so heavily that it mires you down. It proves what women can do if they come together and stand strong. I love a book with strong family ties (including pets,) and close and valued friends, and this did not disappoint. The end did seem a little rushed, but overall, satisfying. I won this ARC from a Goodreads giveaway.
I would love to see a sequel. Such a lovely book.
Susan’s writing always draws me in. I learned a lot about the fashion industry reading this book. And I loved the theme of women coming together and helping each other.
“Their world is so different here.It’s the world where I grew up. It was *safe*. I never had to think about being safe, growing up. I just *was*. That’s what I want to give them, Angelique.A childhood where safety is not just a goal, but a given.”
[N.B. This book has triggers around abuse]
Caroline Shelby ran to New York City from the tiny town of Oysterville Washington, sure she couldn’t have her dreams in the town she grew up in. From NYC, FIT, and the beginning of a career in fashion, she is forced to return after a series of unbelievable implosions, and brings with her a heart full of hurt and mistrust, and her best friend’s 2 children who lost their model-mother to an overdose. The question is if she can build a life of peace for all of them? And what about her two childhood best friends? Can trust be reform-ed? Can the reformation be trusted?
I always know when I open a Susan Wiggs’ book that I’m going to get swept up in a world entirely different from my own. I haven’t yet been disappointed. This book is gloriously dog eared and full of underlines. I learn so much in Wiggs’ books. I hope you will as well. Highly recommended 5/5
[ disclaimer: I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I chose to read and review it]
This book held my attention during its entirety. I know so many times when things have gone wrong in our lives and we wonder if it is just time to give up but this story shows that it is never ok to give up…you can always do something good for others around you. You are never to old to start something new in your life and to share that dream and ambition with those around you. Such an inspirational story.
I expected something different with this book, and it turned out not to be my usual type of story. Caroline Shelby earned my respect as a kind, polite, and just all around good person for several decisions she made throughout this book. For example, I doubt I would have called up my friend and told her I was dating her ex-husband. Ha! Caroline’s dear friend has passed away from an overdose, and she is suddenly in charge of her friend’s five and six year old children. This new responsibility takes her from the hustle and bustle of New York City back to her home town of Oysterville, way on the other side of the nation. She finds new passions here, both professionally and personally. The ending was purely predictable, but it was a fun read getting there.
Wow, what a wonderful story. It leaves you with a good feeling. I liked Caroline, the main character. She was focused and knew what she wanted. She had trials and for a while it looked like the trials would win. Not meaning to be trite, but she made lemonade out of lemons. She had a kind heart and tried to help others. The story moved quickly and kept me turning the page to see what would happen next. It was easy to read and a nice escape, even though it dealt with a serious topic.
The only thing I didn’t like was some of the language. In fact, at first that turned me off. As the story progress, there seemed to be less salty language. I don’t know many people that swear like that and it does bother me.
Thanks to GoodRerads Giveaway for giving me the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review.
“The Oysterville Sewing Circle” by Susan Wiggs
Harper Audio downloaded from my New Hampshire State Library
It was worth the wait for my turn to read/listen to this story. This read was an emotional adventure with chuckles, tears, romance, and suspense. I downloaded this on Saturday and couldn’t stop reading (except for essentials) thus I didn’t finish until about 2AM Sunday morning.. a marathon read for sure. It might be best to space it out a bit more than I did.. just to make the story last longer. But I just had to keep reading to know what happened next. Happy Reading !!
Due to the content, this story was sometimes difficult to read, but it was so satisfying. The story of Caroline, Shelby and Will has to be told so readers understand all that they went through in the past to bring them to the present, and I loved the stories being told on 2 planes. I even had the opportunity to meet Ms Wiggs and have her sign my copy of the book, and hear her speak about what inspired her to write this book. This only deepened my admiration of her work & it did not disappoint.
This is one of Susan Wigg’s best books.
Awesome Awesome book
I love how Susan was able to bring in full circle a healing process to more than one person and how you can find healing in the random places.
Carolyn Shelby is a fashion designer in New York waiting for her big break to be famous. Her favorite model and friend shows up on her door and after a tragedy occurs Carolyn heads back to he home with 2 children who she is guardian for. She runs into Will Jensen who used to be her best friend but is now married to another best friend Sierra. She returns to the sewing shop where she first learned to love sewing and fashion design and learns that women everywhere have secrets and she starts the Oysterville Sewing Circle to help support women as they deal with their troubles and secrets. This mission may lead her to either achieve her goals or take away everything that is important to her!
I loved this book and could not put it down! I am now anxious to read other books by this author!
As always, beautiful writing. Very important topic but a little preachy.