Unfortunately, I didn’t get on very well with this. I just don’t think I’m an audio book lover, I think I much prefer the absorption a book gets me in. This is the only reason for me, why it has this rating. It just purely isn’t for me and it was a DNF for this reason.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

The story begins with Dee Blackthorn, a highly focused PR executive working in a (I hope not quite realistic) cut-throat company, when she is unexpectedly (and undeservedly) fired. This is a disaster on many levels but it does mean she can more easily step in to help her brother, who badly needs assistance - and along the way she reconnects with some old friends from "back home".
I originally chose this book on the strength of the title, (which seemed to nicely encompass my interests), and also the cover, (which - along with the title - implied it would be a light-hearted story about a club). I had a preconceived idea that it would be like, for example, the <i>Jane Austen Book Club</i>, ie mainly about the meaning of life etc, and which could have centred on any activity.
However, likening it to other works doesn't give it enough credit. I loved it as a romcom, and I cannot praise Poppy enough for a really delightfully fresh and entertaining book.
Poppy's conversational style means it is perfect as an audio book, and Lizzie Wofford gives excellent voice to Dee. The conversations are so natural, they read almost like a script; along with the highly visual descriptive detail, I felt it could translate easily into a live performance.

Surprisingly to me, I identified probably more with Dee than the "lovely craft people" (even though I hope I am one), and new Mothers, (definitely not one); oddly, I found the details about Dee's business and commercial life of more interest than the knitting. After a couple of chapters I did begin to wonder who exactly the book was aimed at as it seemed a bit Mills & Boonish - and I hasten to say I don't necessarily mean that in a derogatory sense since M&B are very skilled in what they do. A bit more reading, and it became much clearer to me that, of course, this <b>is</b> a romantic (comedy) novel and as such, anyone who knows this author's work will know exactly what to expect and thoroughly enjoy it - as I did.
[In addition, I have to mention that, although there is a lot of knitting, we're not too bogged down with it, and congratulations are due that all the technical detail is completely correct - nothing worse than constantly being bugged by inaccuracies in a subject you know well.]

The Woolly Hat knitting Club by Poppy Dolan on NetGalley. The book is based in a family haberdashery shop run by JP who breaks both wrists falling off a ladder and enlists the help of his sister Delilah for... well everything really. It is a heartwarming story of how important family and friendship are when life throws you a curve ball. There's also a pattern for a knitted hat if you want to try your hand at it. A nice easy read and I think a true testiment to an enjoyable book is if you miss the characters when you finish it and I'm missing Delilah and JP already. I haven't read any of Poppy Dolan's books before but I'll definitely seek out another one after this

This was such a lovely book! I fell in love with all of the characters and also adored the storyline. This is a must read.

Oh how I love this book!

First, the characters in the book are interesting and new, I love that there is a male lead who knits and owns a yarn/knitting shop! I love the the female lead is a workaholic business woman looking for that something in life. The whole idea and atmosphere of this book is refreshing and delightful.
The plot is simply hooking from the start and there were definitely times when I empathized with the characters or got totally angry with them. And that’s something you want in a book, feeling and the ability to arise feelings. This has it all and I loved every minute of it!

Although I am giving this audiobook 3 stars, I cannot say that I liked it. There was nothing wrong with the narrator or the writing style. I just did not care for the main character, who was really the only well-developed character in the story. Delilah is a workaholic who was sacked under questionable circumstances. So she channels her energy into building a knitting store/blog/online, etc. business for her brother who has been adrift in life because he would rather knit. I found the brother more intriguing, but did not feel his backstory and personality were well-developed. I simply could not related to Delilah. I cannot relate to people who are obsessed with work and want to do nothing but work 80 hours a week. Yuck. I don't care to read about these people. This is a story about a woman who simply could not turn it off for a minute. And of course, she was vindicated in the end and her slimy boss got his comeuppance. This probably appeals to others, but it's just not my cup of tea.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Dee helps her brother, JP, after he breaks his wrists. After being pushed out of her job, she ends up becoming close to Ben her old work nemesis. Obviously drama occurs but love ends up blossoming and I absolutely loved seeing how all the different relationships in this book developed!

I loved this story more than I thought I would!

The characters work together so well, at the same time they stand out so well individually.

The story was so wholesome and at no point did it drag!

All in all I loved the book!

As a knitter I loved being able to read and fully understand this book. It was so cute with a little bit of romance but my favorite part was the sibling love. I also loved the connection of old friends reuniting and trying to find and refine yourself. Highly recommend as a feel good book!

This book was an absolute delight! As a lover of crafts and reading, I was all too happy to pick up this title.

I wasn't sure if I would find the joy that ensued when I was introduced to Dee and her hectic lifestyle at the beginning. Her life revolved around work, work, and nothing but work; however, the real story begins when a spanner is thrown into the results.

Her brother, JP, owns a haberdashery store, aka the dream, and when he breaks both wrists and requires assistance, she lends a hand, no pun intended, to keep the store afloat. We are introduced to an array of lovely characters, some who tickle the fancy of JP a little more than others; this tight-knit group shows Dee that her previous work life isn't the only possibility in life for her.

The reliability of the characters and the love they all have for each other is what makes me love this story so much. The conversations they share, the settings and the idea that I could see my own life intertwined with his lovely group of individuals is something that brings me an immense amount of joy that I credit the author entirely for.
I give this book 4.5 stars.

I am not a knitter or a very good crafter, but I found this book to be a charming and cozy little read. Dee (Delilah) tells the story from her perspective which allows us to see her big and generous heart. She is full of good intentions while being a strong and compassionate woman who could move mountains if she wanted.

I found Dee to be the most developed character in the book. All the other characters are lovely and sweet, but not as three dimensional as Dee. To be honest, they all felt a bit static to me.

However, this lack of character development didn’t bother me too much since the story did what it intended. It is a gentle read meant for those days when all you want is something light and happy. When the world is too heavy, and all you want to do is escape into a happy place for a while, The Wooly Hat Knitting Club provides the perfect world to slip into. And the narrator of the audiobook is brilliant to listen to as well!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

#NetGalley

A very enjoyable feel-good book (although it made me cry too).
I liked the growth of the main character Dee, her relationship with her brother and there are some great side characters too.
If you want to read about romance there is some but not a lot, but if you want to read about finding balance in your life with a they lived happily ever after this is your book.

The Woolly Hat Knitting Club is a delightful story by British author Poppy Dolan. Delilah (Dee) Blackthorn works in a high pressure business management company with little time for her family let alone a social life. When her younger brother JP takes an unceremonious fall from a ladder breaking both wrists and becoming greatly incapacitated, Dee rushes out of her office to care for him and help operate his knitting shop, Blackthorn Haberdashery in her hometown of Fenwild.

Amidst Dee’s absences, unfounded rumors are started resulting in Dee’s dismissal. Dee suspects coworker Ben Cooper of undermining her and refuses to take his calls. When he appears in Fenwild Dee is convinced by others to allow Ben to demonstrate his innocence and he becomes Beginner Ben on her brother’s knitting blog, A Knitting Boy.

While in Fenwild, Dee also connects with her school friend Becky who has just had a very premature baby boy. With weeks in NICU and emotionally drained, Becky pours her heart out to Dee. Trying to find a way to help, JP goes on his blog asking followers to knit tiny baby hats for this premie boy with astounding results. A new movement is founded!

This is a delightful tale of sisterly love, good deeds, bad apples, and sweet revenge. I laughed aloud and wiped tears in this lovely story. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

I listened to The Woolly Hat Knitting Club over a number of days and was always looking forward to getting back to the next chapter! This is a quite a gentle book but it is very absorbing and has a nice selection of characters. I loved the idea of About a Knitting Boy - having a traditionally female hobby thoroughly embraced by JP was a nice modern twist and made the story much more interesting. It isn't necessarily a book where the story will take you by surprise but it is one where you'll enjoy following each individual as they overcome their challenges and reassess their priorities and relationships. I would recommend this for anyone who wants an easy read with a lot of heart!

I really enjoyed this story. I think anyone who works long hours can relate to D as she struggles to find what makes her happy. The narrator is excellent and the story is full of great relatable characters.

This is one of those nice feelgood tales that you just need sometimes when life gets a bit hairy. I had just picked up my knitting again after over a decade's break, so this just made sense to me. It's nice that the main knitters in the tale are the men ... like in days gone by when the knitting was a task for the fishermen.
Warmly narrated; there's really not a lot not to like.

This is a feel good cozy read, ideal for anyone that enjoys the crafty world or loves to knit! It captures the kindness and spirit of the crafty community which was lovely to be reminded about. I also enjoyed the reconnection of two old friends and the idea of leaving the corporate world for a new life...all with a backdrop of romance of course!

This was an unexpectedly splendid book. As my disclaimer at the end also announces, my review of this is obviously affected by my need to be involved in some personal craft project or the other. That said, this book should appeal to everyone because it provides a window into a world that very few actually get to be a part of. It was an immersive experience, additionally thanks to the brilliant narration of Lizzie Wofford.
When writing reviews, I usually waffle about using words of high praise with abandon because I feel like my personal opinion may not always justify such reactions, but in this case, I feel differently. It is an objectively great book to listen to.
The book has all the elements that make it heartwarming, close family who have minor falling-outs, friends who are almost family and a community who come together for a worthwhile cause. Dee Blackthorne is a woman on a mission or has to be always. She needs to be generating some output at all times and a tangible one at that. One thing her sisterly guilt will not let her do is to ignore her brother in need, even when her professional life is at stake. It is this brother who knits. A manly man who does has a passion for this sort of delicate craft. This image is shown both as expected and unique based on the situation and the people in question in the scene, making it believable in both cases.
I guessed who the culprit behind Dee's sacking was, but that was such a minor point in the bigger picture, I did not begrudge her naivety.
There are multiple romantic plotlines as well, but the knitting community (there's also a pattern at the end!) and how they are described reignited my passion for yarn-related wares - I successfully crocheted two mice this weekend and loved the end product. That is how positive the book in its entirety made me feel.
I read happy books because of the growth arc of the individual character and the happily ever afters, and I got it all in great quantities here. I highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who found my review even remotely appealing or just the blurb. I will be picking up more books by the author whenever I can.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience as well as my personal affinity to crafts.

Review of The Woolly Hat Knitting Club by Poppy Dolan - Audiobook

This is the first book I have read by this author. The storyline was alright, but I did find all of the main characters rather annoying. The main characters actions after the main event early on didn't ring true to the picture the book painted of her to begin with, you were just wishing she would take some action and stop letting people push her around. Then the JP character came across as entitled and selfish. This all lead the story to lack credibility. I had the audio version which was well read and clear to listen to. Overall the story was ok, but I wouldn't recommend to a friend.

I needed something light after my last couple of reads were depressing and this did the trick. Charming, cute, and enjoyable--predictable, sure, but still very good.