Blurb: The old ladies love him, the town loves him, the universe loves him… could yarn shop owner Drew have the magical touch she needs?Audrey has been given more than she deserves, like the now-failing bookstore passed on from her quirky aunt. Buried beneath the heavy cloud of expectations, she hasn’t yet decided who she is. Does she even want the life she has?
Drew was his grandma’s favorite and inherited her extensive yarn collection. He’s excited to begin a yarn shop in her honor, but never could’ve anticipated the spark he’d feel with the bookstore owner next door.
When Audrey becomes entangled with Drew, the new outgoing yarn shop owner, change is bound to happen… Can this guy who knits help Audrey untangle her hot mess of a life?
Review: This book was just what I needed during this tumultuous time (re: election time in America). It was a short, sweet, and sexy read featuring a struggling bookstore owner and the owner a new knitting store next door.
Audrey was a relatable heroine: in over her head a little bit and trying desperately to keep it all together. Haven't we all been there? But, of course, she's suffering from the whole 'my hobby has become my work' situation that is known for making things you used to love decidedly unfun. I loved that she wasn't perfect and that she wasn't necessarily successful in her professional life, but that, as a character, she didn't stray too far into "manic pixie dream girl" status. She's pretty down for most of the book, so if you love your heroines bubbly and unflappable she probably won't be one of your favorites, but she sparks in other ways!
Drew, our handsome hero, is following the recent trend of males turning to knitting as a hobby (this is like...the third book in two weeks I've read where the hero knits, but I've also read forty books where the heroine reads romance novels, so... go for it!). He was the perfect opposite for the more anxiety-ridden Audrey with his more relaxed, easy-going attitude. Really balanced the doom and gloom well.
In novellas you obviously have to suspend some disbelief in terms of how quickly the whole relationship clips along. It's like an insta-love on crack. But, that said, One Magical Place manages to move along at a nice, believable pace (for the most part, not the entire book) which I found I really enjoyed. Plus, I totally respected that even while they were making questionable business decisions they made sure to be smart and realistic about it (rather than just following their hearts).
Anyways, this is definitely a feel-good read and perfect for those who just want to speed through a delightful pick-me-up between their darker-themed books.
Check it out on Goodreads.