The Shop on Blossom Street (A Blossom Street Novel)

From Publishers Weekly A Seattle knitting store brings together four very different women in this earnest tale about friendship and love. Lydia Hoffman, a two-time cancer survivor, opens the shop A Good Yarn as a symbol of the new life she plans to lead. She starts a weekly knitting class, hoping to improve business and make friends in the area. The initial class project is a baby blanket, and Macomber ( Changing Habits ), a knitter herself who offers tips about the craft and pithy observations from knitting professionals throughout the novel, includes the knitting pattern at the start of the book. Well-heeled Jacqueline Donovan, who chooses to ignore her empty marriage, disguises her disdain for her pregnant daughter-in-law by knitting a baby blanket. Carol Girard joins the group as an affirmation of her hopes to finally have a successful in vitro pregnancy. Alix Townsend, a high school dropout with an absentee father and a mother incarcerated for forging checks, uses the class to satisfy a court-ordered community service sentence for a drug-possession conviction for which her roommate is really responsible. Unfortunately, Macomber doesn't get much below the surface of her characters, and, although they all have interesting back stories, the arc of each individual happy ending is too predictable. The only surprise involves Alix's hapless, overweight roommate, Laurel, and even this smacks of plot-driven manipulation. Macomber is an adept storyteller overall, however, and many will be entertained by this well-paced story about four women finding happiness and fulfillment through their growing friendships. Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Review ''Debbie Macomber is a skilled storyteller and a sure-buy with readers.'' -- Publishers Weekly ''Debbie Macomber tells women's stories in a way no one else does.'' -- BookPage "The yarn forms the stitches, the knitting forges the friendships, the craft links the generations."

—Karen Alfke, "Unpattern" designer and knitting instructor

LYDIA HOFFMAN

The first time I saw the empty store on Blossom Street I thought of my father. It reminded me so much of the bicycle shop he had when I was a kid. Even the large display windows, shaded by a colorful striped awning, were the same. Outside my dad's shop, there were flower boxes full of red blossoms—impatiens—that spilled over beneath the large windows. That was Mom's contribution: impatiens in the spring and summer, chrysanthemums in the fall and shiny green mistletoe at Christmas. I plan to have flowers, too.

Dad's business grew steadily and he moved into increasingly larger premises, but I always loved his first store best.

I must have astounded the rental agent who was showing me the property. She'd barely unlocked the front door when I announced, "I'll take it."

She turned to face me, her expression blank as if she wasn't sure she'd heard me correctly. "Wouldn't you like to see the place? You do realize there's a small apartment above the shop that comes with it, don't you?"

"Yes, you mentioned that earlier." The apartment worked perfectly for me. My cat, Whiskers, and I were in need of a home.

"You would like to see the place before you sign the papers, wouldn't you?" she persisted.

I smiled and nodded. But it wasn't really necessary; instinctively I knew this was the ideal location for my yarn shop. And for me.

The one drawback was that this Seattle neighborhood was undergoing extensive renovations and, because of the construction mess, Blossom Street was closed at one end, with only local traffic allowed. The brick building across the street, which had once been a three-story bank, was being transformed into high-end condos. Several other buildings, including an old warehouse, were also in the process of becoming condos. The architect had somehow managed to maintain the traditional feel of the original places, and that delighted me. Construction would continue for months, but it did mean that my rent was reasonable, at least for now.

I knew the first six months would be difficult. They are for any small business. The constant construction might create more obstacles than there otherwise would have been; nevertheless, I loved the space. It was everything I wanted.

Early Friday morning, a week after viewing the property, I signed my name, Lydia Hoffman, to the two-year lease. I was handed the keys and a copy of the rental agreement. I moved into my new home that very day as excited as I can remember being about anything. I felt as if I was just starting my life and in more ways than I care to count, I actually was.

I opened A Good Yarn on the last Tuesday in April. I felt a sense of pride and anticipation as I stood in the middle of my store, surveying the colors that surrounded me. I could only imagine what my sister would say when she learned I'd gone through with this. I hadn't asked her advice because I already knew what Margaret's response would be. She isn't—to put it mildly—the encouraging type.

I'd found a carpenter who'd built some cubicles for me, three rows of them, painted a pristine white. Most of the yarn had arrived on Friday and I'd spent the weekend sorting it by weight and color and arranging it neatly in the cubicles. I'd bought a secondhand cash register, refin-ished the counter and set up racks of knitting supplies. I was ready for business.

This should have been a happy moment for me but instead, I found myself struggling to hold back tears. Dad would've been so pleased if he could have seen what I'd done. He'd been my support and my source of strength, my guiding light. I was so shocked when he died.

You see, I'd always assumed I would die before my father.

Most people find talk of death unsettling, but I've lived with the threat of it for so long, it doesn't have that effect on me.The possibility of death has been my reality forthe last fourteen years, and I'm as comfortable talking about it as I am the weather.

Continues...
Excerpted from The Shop on Blossom Street by Debbie Macomber Copyright © 2010 by Debbie Macomber. Excerpted by permission.
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four Lives Knit Together ...

there's A Little Shop On Blossom Street In Seattle Called A Good Yarn. You Go There To Buy Knitting Supplies And Patterns — And Now It's Offering A Knitting Class. The First Lesson: How To Knit A Baby Blanket.

for Owner Lydia Hoffman, The Shop Represents Her Dream Of Beginning A New Life Free From The Cancer That Has Ravaged Her Twice. A Life That Offers A Chance At Love ... And Maybe Marriage.

jacqueline Donovan Is Stuck In A Marriage That Has Dwindled Into An Arrangement Of Separate Rooms And Separate Lives. She Disapproves Of The Woman Married To Her Only Son, But If She Knits A Baby Blanket, She Can At Least Pretend To Like Her Pregnant Daughter-in-law.

for Carol Girard, The Baby Blanket Brings A Message Of Hope As She And Her Husband Make A Final Attempt At In Vitro Pregnancy.

and Tense-looking Alix Townsend — That's Alix With An I — Is Learning To Knit Her Blanket For Her Court-ordered Community Service Project.

brought Together By An Age-old Craft, These Four Women Make Unexpected Discoveries — About Themselves And Each Other. Discoveries That Lead To Love, To Friendship And Acceptance, To Laughter And Dreams.

performed By Linda Emond

publishers Weekly

a Seattle Knitting Store Brings Together Four Very Different Women In This Earnest Tale About Friendship And Love. Lydia Hoffman, A Two-time Cancer Survivor, Opens The Shop A Good Yarn As A Symbol Of The New Life She Plans To Lead. She Starts A Weekly Knitting Class, Hoping To Improve Business And Make Friends In The Area. The Initial Class Project Is A Baby Blanket, And Macomber (changing Habits), A Knitter Herself Who Offers Tips About The Craft And Pithy Observations From Knitting Professionals Throughout The Novel, Includes The Knitting Pattern At The Start Of The Book. Well-heeled Jacqueline Donovan, Who Chooses To Ignore Her Empty Marriage, Disguises Her Disdain For Her Pregnant Daughter-in-law By Knitting A Baby Blanket. Carol Girard Joins The Group As An Affirmation Of Her Hopes To Finally Have A Successful In Vitro Pregnancy. Alix Townsend, A High School Dropout With An Absentee Father And A Mother Incarcerated For Forging Checks, Uses The Class To Satisfy A Court-ordered Community Service Sentence For A Drug-possession Conviction For Which Her Roommate Is Really Responsible. Unfortunately, Macomber Doesn't Get Much Below The Surface Of Her Characters, And, Although They All Have Interesting Back Stories, The Arc Of Each Individual Happy Ending Is Too Predictable. The Only Surprise Involves Alix's Hapless, Overweight Roommate, Laurel, And Even This Smacks Of Plot-driven Manipulation. Macomber Is An Adept Storyteller Overall, However, And Many Will Be Entertained By This Well-paced Story About Four Women Finding Happiness And Fulfillment Through Their Growing Friendships. Agent, Irene Goodman. (may) Forecast: The Religious Overtones Of Macomber's Novel May Throw Some Readers, But The Author Should Attract Her Usual Sizeable Readership And Pick Up Some Fans Of Chiaverini's Elm Creek Quilts Series. Author Tour. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Four lives knit together: There's a little yarn store in Seattle called A Good Yarn. It's owned by Lydia Hoffman, and it represents her dream of a new beginning, a life free from cancer. A life that offers a chance at lovеі Lydia teaches knitting to beginners, and the first class is How to Make a Baby Blanket. Three women join. Jacqueline Donovan disapproves of the woman married to her only son, but knitting a baby blanket would be a gesture of reconciliation. For Carol Girard, the baby blanket brings a message of hope as she and her husband make a final attempt to conceive. And tough-looking Alix Townsend (that's Alix with an i) is learning to knit her blanket for a court-ordered community service project. These four very different women, brought together by the age-old craft of knitting, make unexpected discoveries about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to friendship and acceptance, to laughter and dreams. Discoveries only women can sharеі There's a little yarn shop on Blossom Street in Seattle. It's owned by Lydia Hoffman, and it represents her dream of a new life free from cancer. A life that offers a chance at love... Lydia teaches knitting to beginners, and the first class is "How To Make a Baby Blanket." Three women join. Jacqueline Donovan wants to knit something for her grandchild as a gesture of reconciliation with her daughter-in-law. Carol Girard feels that the baby blanket is a message of hope as she makes a final attempt to conceive. And Alix Townsend is knitting her blanket for a court-ordered community service project. These four very different women, brought together by an age-old craft, make unexpected discoveries --- about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to friendship and more... There's a little yarn store in Seattle.It's owned by Lydia Hoffman, and it represents her dream of a new life free from cancer. A life that offers a chance at love...Lydia teaches knitting to beginners, and the first class is "How to Make a Baby Blanket." Three women join. Jacqueline Donovan wants to knit something for her grandchild as a gesture of reconciliation with her daughter-in-law. Carol Girard feels that the baby blanket is a message of hope as she makes a final attempt to conceive. And Alix Townsend is knitting her blanket for a court-ordered community service project.These four very different women, brought together by an age-old craft, make unexpected discoveries—about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to friendship and more... Four lives knit together ... There's a little shop on Blossom Street in Seattle. You go there to buy yarn, knitting supplies and patterns - and now you can join a knitting class. Lydia Hoffman owns the shop, which she calls A Good Yarn. It represents her dream of a new beginning, a life free from the cancer that has ravaged her twice. A life that offers a chance at love ... and maybe marriage. Jacquline Donovan, Carol Girard, Alix Townsend and Lydia Hoffman are brought together by the age-old craft of knitting, and make unexpected discoveries about themselves and each other. Discoveries that lead to love, to friendship and acceptance, to laughter and dreams. Discoveries only women can share