Real men knit by kwana jackson

Forty-nineth book of 2020

Reading period: Jun 18th 2020 – June 22nd 2020

Summary

When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop, while dealing with life and love in Harlem.

Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.

Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit.

Rating

Review

I like more the setting and the characters than the romance in itself.

Most of the book takes place in a knit shop, “Strong Knit” which is a safe place for everyone living in Harlem. This place feels so real and homely. I was afraid of the future of this shop.
The surrounding of the shop is also so details that it feels tangible. I want to go there and be a part of this community.

The character that I liked the most was Mama Joy. Even if she is dead, she is the character who was the most impactful in everyone lives. Moreover, she has more legacy than just her shop, especially toward her sons.
These boys came from different background and had a diverse story, but they are linked by Mama Joy and make a great family. Even if they sometimes struggle to get along, they will always be there for one another. And I loved it.

This book isn’t only a romance; it’s celebrate love in all its form.

Liz.