The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love : A Novel

Review Praise for _The Sweetgum Ladies Knit for Love _ “You’ll fall in love with the ladies of Sweetgum! Beth Pattillo knits an engaging novel where so many lives are woven together seamlessly.” –Leanna Ellis, award winning author of_ Ruby’s Slippers_ “I love the ladies of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society! Beth Pattillo has created characters so real I want to join their group and a setting so charming I want to visit on my next vacation. Thankfully, I can get away and do that without leaving my cozy reading corner just by opening the pages of The Sweetgum Ladies Knit For Love . Warm and sweetly southern, Pattillo delivers everything you want in a story and then some.” –Annie Jones, award-winning southern author Praise for _The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society _ “Jan Karon meets Jodi Piccoult. The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society is an intriguing look into the minds and hearts of a diverse group of women. This is a compelling and heartwarming story full of love and grace you don’t want to miss!” –Julie L. Cannon, author of _The Romance Readers' Book Club _ “Like Debbie Macomber, Beth Pattillo spins warm, compelling stories out of the lives of everyday people. Five women and a girl gather regularly at the Sweetgum Christian Church to knit, read, and talk, and in the process they confront their own secrets, dreams and challenges. I hope this is the first of a series so I can revisit the Knit Lit Society again and again!” –Mary Jo Putney, author of _A Distant Magic _ “Thank you, Beth Pattillo, for ‘casting on’ characters who so vividly reveal our human failing to render and receive love, which, as you so artfully depict, we too often withhold, delay, rush, misdirect, or hide from. But thank you most of all for showing us how the smallest of tentative steps we take toward each other can help us to find our true selves, and therefore lead us closer to God’s perfect love.” –Charlene Ann Baumbich, speaker, humorist, author of the Welcome to Partonville series “I could almost hear the clack of knitting needles as I read through the pages of The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society . Beth Pattillo’s motley group of true-to-life characters deal with life’s struggles and share a camaraderie that few take the time to discover in this heartwarming yarn of true friendship. A must read!” –Diann Hunt, author of For Better or For Worse Product Description “[Pattillo] creates a sweet story of redemption that will go down well with knitters as well as the knitting-challenged.” — PUBLISHERS WEEKLY “_The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society_ cries for a sequel.” — BOOKPAGE Once a month, the six women of the Sweetgum Knit Lit Society gather to discuss books and share their knitting projects. Inspired by her recently-wedded bliss, group leader Eugenie chooses “Great Love Stories in Literature” as the theme for the year’s reading list–a risky selection for a group whose members span the spectrum of age and relationship status. As the Knit Lit ladies read and discus classic romances like Romeo and Juliet , Wuthering Heights , and Pride and Prejudice , each member is confronted with her own perception about love. Camille’s unexpected reunion with an old crush forces her to confront conflicting desires. Newly widowed Esther finds her role in Sweetgum changing and is surprised by two unlikely friends. Hannah isn’t sure she’s ready for the trials of first love. Newcomer Maria finds her life turned upside-down by increasing family obligations and a handsome, arrogant lawyer, and Eugenie and Merry are both asked to make sacrifices for their husbands that challenge their principles. Even in a sleepy, southern town like Sweetgum, Tennesee, love isn’t easy. The Knit Lit ladies learn they can find strength and guidance in the novels they read, the love of their family, their community–and especially in each other. Beth Pattillo learned to knit in the second grade. She is the author of the book, Heavens to Betsy , the recipient of the Romance Writers of America Best Inspirational Romance Novel in 2006, and its sequel, Earth to Betsy . Beth lives with her husband and children in Tennessee. On the third Friday of each month, six women meet at the Sweetgum Christian Church to enjoy the two things that connect them: a love of knitting and a passion for books. The Sweetgum ladies face the challenges of love in all its forms as the Knit Lit Society begins a new year and a new reading list. Eugenie's newlywed bliss falters as she learns to balance her roles as foster mother, town librarian, and pastor's wife. New member Maria, must come to terms with the loss of her father and her home while Camille resists a romance that would tie her to Sweetgum forever. Freshman outsider Hannah can't believe she's being pursued by the star quarterback of the football team, and Merry faces the challenge of becoming a working mother. Esther's financial difficulties mean that her position as the social leader of Sweetgum might be coming to a bitter end. On the third Friday of each month, six women meet at the Sweetgum Christian Church to enjoy the two things that connect them: a love of knitting and a passion for books. The Sweetgum ladies face the challenges of love inall its forms as the Knit Lit Society begins a new year and a new reading list. Eugenie's newlywed bliss falters as she learns to balance her roles as foster mother, town librarian, and pastor's wife. New member Maria must come to terms with the loff of her father and her home while Camille resists a romance that would tie her to Sweetgum forever. Freshman outsider Hannah can't believe she's being pursued by the star quarterback of the football team, and Merry faces the challenge of becoming a working mother. Esther's fiancial difficulties mean that her position as the social leader of Sweetgum might be coming to a bitter end Six Southern Women Are About To Discover That Nothing Knits Women Together Like Matters Of The Heart, In This Charming Follow-up To The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society. Beth Pattillo. Includes Readers Group Guide.