“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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You just need to read this. Hard to accept that this is going on but I was there.
Nicely incorporates serious issues in a traditional chick-lit read.
Susan Wiggs is another of my favorite authors and she didn’t disappoint with this story. The plot is original and I was interested in the characters from the beginning. I highly recommend this one.
Not as good as her usual
I really loved this book, Susan Wiggs has a way of writing novels with the past and present going on in the same book but at no time do you feel lost or disjointed. I love the way her novels make you nod you head and shake you head at the same time, she writes stories that will touch your hearts and are so real. We all know people who have been abused (I can say I know at least 4, 2 of them very close to me), we all say it could not happen to us, then we tend to look closer to what is going on around us and realize how common it really is in it’s many forms. This is such a great book and it has such a great story!
I’m an avid Susan Wiggs fan. Her books are always a good read with some serious themes. Oysterville Sewing Circle certainly does–abuse in the highly competitive fashion world and divorce among three friends. Susan portrays both with great sensitivity. And, as always, the characters and their situations will squeeze at your heartstrings. Because of the themes and setting there is language you don’t usually find in her books, but she gave an accurate portrayal of the characters’ world.
Though I wouldn’t choose it as my favorite book of hers, overall, I enjoyed it.
Not one of my favorites from this author
I didn’t want it to end.
This book centers around Caroline Shelby, who desires to be a fashion designer in New York. When she gets her “chance”, something happens and she is blacklisted. When one of her best friends (whom Caroline suspected of being a victim of domestic violence) dies, Caroline takes her friend’s two kids and returns home to Oysterville Washington. She moves back in with her parents and tries to start her life over while being a “mom” to 2 kids. She runs into Will, whom she fell in love with when they were kids and is now married to her best friend.
When she realizes that domestic violence is more prevalent than she thought in Oysterville, she creates the Oysterville Sewing Circle – a place where woman can go to talk and just get support. She starts designing and making clothes for the kids and that business starts to take off.
The story is told in alternating time-frames. Current time and when Caroline, Will and Sierra were kids. This is a well-written book and the stories (and characters) are believable. When a group of women come together to right a wrong, it shows there is strength in numbers.
Very moving
This is the first book I’ve read by Susan Wiggs. I liked this book — can’t say I loved it. I did like her writing and the story line. I felt that some parts could have been more descriptive. It’s the story of Caroline Shelby, would be designer who lives in NYC. Through a series of events, she retreats to her hometown of Oysterville, Washington. She has become the guardian of two small children and life in NYC just isn’t possible anymore. The book then takes you back to when Caroline was a pre-teen and meets Will. Then back to present day and Caroline is starting her design business in her home town and also starting up a group for abused women. I don’t want to give a lot away — it’s like beach reading but a little bit more. I did like it and I will try another book by this author.
a good relaxing read
I couldn’t get past the 3rd page because of language. I choose to put down a book and not read it because of the use of the “f” word ever. What a shame to possibly miss a good book because the author chose to use language that, in my opinion is totally gratuitous.
The central theme of this story is domestic abuse. It is just as ugly and real in this book as it is in the world. The author approaches abuse with the heart of someone who really wants to understand and to help. Caroline, the female protagonist, is a victim, not of abuse, but of bullying that robs her of her rightful place in the fashion world. When her good friend Angelique, a model, dies and Caroline is left to take care of her small children, Caroline has to re-invent herself in the small coastal town where she was raised. The beauty of the scenery as described by the author put me right there. Awesome descriptions! In fact, there was little about this book that I did not like. Fans of romance and books with heart and a story to tell will thoroughly enjoy this book!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I won a Kindle copy of this book from the publisher via a Goodreads giveaway. 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.”
This was not the typical Susan Wiggs novel. This one had a purpose – a story to draw attention to domestic violence and the importance of empowering women.
This is a story of an up and coming fashion designer, Caroline, whose world is turned upside down when her best friend dies and she is suddenly the legal guardian for her friend’s two young children. She moves back home where the support of her family and friends help her reinvent her life. As Caroline struggles with the guilt of not being able to help her friend who was in an abusive and toxic relationship, she establishes the Oysterville Sewing Circle. This group is not focused on sewing but on being a safe place for survivors and those in or near domestic violence to find support and help.
This story is well written with believable characters. There was even a surprising plot twist at the end. My only complaint is that the big problem got resolved a little too conveniently. All in all this was a solid read that drew me in
Beautifully written, thought-provoking story of domestic abuse and women banding together to say Enough! The story covers all aspects of domestic abuse, both physical and mental yet the story itself is a love story. So glad I read this book. Susan Wiggs is a fantastic author.
Wonderful story as are all of Susan Wiggs books!
Fantastic read a lot of information to help women in need a book everyone should read
I enjoyed this story and the messages about domestic abuse and our need to face it as a society, it’s current to our times and well-done.
I enjoyed learning how she started this circle of women and how important that circle became to them all.