"Gertie had never, in her whole life, thought of herself as brave. She had always felt quite the opposite: cowardly, overlooked. Not an important person in anyone's eyes - barely in the eyes of her own mother. She kept herself safe and lived in her daydreams, which were so much nicer than her real life.
From the moment Morag and Nalitha had burst into her shop, though, nothing had been like that. She'd tried being brave, she thought...Then it occurred to her that perhaps being brave was something you had to practise. Something, maybe, you got better at it."

On a beautiful, north-western Scottish island, Gertie is feeling stuck in life. Part of Carso's Knitting Circle, including her mum and grandma, AKA the KC's, they always have her back but want more for her. A new job opportunity working at the tiny, local airport brings new opportunities and challenges.

Another wonderfully funny and uplifting tale of life in this small Scottish community. Gertie is brilliant and it's great to read about her taking chances and finding a better life for herself right where she is. I enjoyed reading about her flying adventures with Morag, her knitting adventures with the KCs and those of Primary 6 and their teacher, Struan (Gertie's unrequited school crush) - particularly their dramatic school trip. The vivid descriptions of the wild landscape and it's wildlife were beautiful. Witty, joyous and poignant, Close Knit is perfect reading escapism.

I read this on holiday in Scotland, not in the islands, but still lovely to read with lilting Scottish accents around me.

Jenny Colgan is one of my favourite authors, and I was thrilled to receive an ARC via Netgalley. 'Close Knit' is set on the same Scottish island as 'The Summer Skies'. Although some of the characters are also featured in 'Close Knit', it is not a sequel and could easily be read as a standalone. The main character, Morag, feels stuck - whilst she loves her home she is has been in the same job for 10 years and is still living at home. She takes a chance on a new job in her local airline, covering the maternity leave of the air hostess/receptionist/check-in clerk. Whilst nervous of the change, Morag's customer service skills (learned in her job at the local supermarket) stand her in good stead until she needs to accompany the flight crew on an emergency. This book is a warm, comforting read and the tension Jenny Colgan creates kept me hooked until the final page. An amazing read for knitters, anyone who has ever worked in education or a small business, lovers of romance, supermarket staff - in fact everyone. I will be buying numerous copies to give as gifts this Christmas. Thank you to Hachette and Netgalley for my copy, this has not affected my review!

Jenny Colgan is one of my favourite cosy feel good authors and after reading a lot of fantasy recently I needed something light that provides pure escapism and that was just what I got with her new release Close Knit.

Our main character is the loveable day dreamer Gertie who has a pure heart of gold but she has led a very sheltered life never quite fitting in anywhere other than her mum Jeans knitting friends. When an opportunity arises to take a leap and work at the local little airport Gertie finds herself out of her comfort zone and her romantic daydreaming almost getting her in trouble.
The book feels very atmospheric set in Scotland with the harsh weather conditions and small sometimes too close knit community that makes such a cosy and luring setting for the storyline.

If you read Summer Skies last year then you will be thrilled to be reunited with Morag once again and if someone can bring Gertie out of her shell then it is Morag. I still feel like you could read this book as a stand alone so don’t be put off if you haven’t read Summer Skies.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was certainly the right book at the right time but for me it did lack a little of the excitement I usually feel when reading Jenny’s books and I am usually left desperately clinging onto the characters not wanting to let them go but at the end of this book I felt ready to leave these characters behind. The part of the book that was a highlight for me was when the school trip took an unexpected turn of events and I was eager to see how things would pan out.

Oh, truly another brilliant and feel - good story from Jenny Colgan.
Was it a love story? I'm not sure. Yes and no. Love story when talk about the setting and the characters with their passions, because they loved what they did and they loved their island. Love story as in love story? Hmmm. When at 64% I realised that actually it was a lovely, poignant and funny story about LIFE on an island. The rest of the book was the rescue action. There was almost no time for THE love story. But it didn't bother me, to be honest, this kind of love story was refreshing and new.

As usual, Jenny Colgan beautifully describes and paints the setting, the characters, the dynamics between them and I loved how straight - forward they all were. There was so much more between the pages as you could expect and the book was like a warm hug on a cold day. And it's much better than the synopsis tells us, really.

Another great book from Jenny Colgan, it was nice to see some previous characters back in this book from Jennys previous books

Close Knit by Jenny Colgan a NetGalley review. Gertie is a bit of a day dreamer, plodding along in a life that she’s dreams she had the courage to change. However she was born on the remote Scottish Island, a place where everyone knows everybody and gossip is second nature. However Gertie is braver than she could ever imagine and this remote Scottish island won’t hold her bravery back she’s just got to find it and then maybe she might just get what she’s been dreaming of!
This is a cozy Scottish read, a hug in book, with more than you expect between its pages than you could ever expect. A book that you shouldn’t judge by its cover but a perfect read for those winter and cosier months ahead snuggled under a duvet and a hot chocolate to hand! It’s a book full of surprises, love, romance, great characters and a little suspense and obviously a little bit of predictability. Along with the great writing expected from this author @jennycolganbooks this has a cast of well written, warm, realistic characters and just not the main character Gertie, there’s a whole village, with a great sense of community, a great sense that this fictional community have each others back, despite a love of gossip from some. Yet that’s not to say that some characters won’t annoy you and I felt some characters weren’t necessarily needed in the story as they didn’t particularly add anything to the story, I felt that certain parts of the plot would have still had the same outcome regardless of certain characters involvements. I loved the Carso’s Knitting Circle (The KC’s), essentially a group of woman that tend to interfere and gossip but just like a big extended family for Gertie, her mum and Nan; and I kind of got that dynamic coming from a big family of aunties and uncles, again no secret safe but they’ve always got your back. For me though the greatest thing was the unexpected turn this book took, which really brings this story alive. However overall this book is an enjoyable and nice read, its what you would expect from this author, so a great read for fans of the author. So for me it’s a ⭐️⭐️⭐️.

A delightful love story, Close Knit focuses on introvert daydreamer and knitter Gertie, who lives with her mother and grandmother on a fictional Scottish island. We follow Gertie as she spreads her wings by leaving home and taking a new job at the local airport. Will she find love and adventure? You’ll have to read it to find out, but I will say that Jenny Colgan beautifully describes the locations and creates sympathetic characters that you want to root for. An enjoyable cozy read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read and enjoyed most of Jenny Colgan’s novels and this follows on from last year’s Summer Skies but could easily be read as a standalone book. The warm warm and supportive community of Carso in the Scottish Highlands is in evidence and some great new characters are introduced in particular, Gertie, the main protagonist. This is a tale of finding your way and the courage that sometimes takes. I enjoyed and recommend it.

Gertie is 30, shy, awkward and a knitting supremo. She lives at home with mother and works in the local supermarket. She lives in her own little world and knits items in muted, gentle colours. Living on a little Scottish Islland means everyone knows everyone.. An interest cast of characters including the local knitting mafia. A fun summer read with a great ending. A must for Jenny Colgan fans.

The gorgeous new novel from Jenny Colgan follows the Summer Skies story from last year, set in the highlands of Scotland on the archipelago of islands there.
Gertie has only ever known a life in the islands with her mum and grandmother, in a tiny cottage full of wool, she is one of life’s dreamers and a talented and prolific knitter!! Now approaching her thirties she feels it’s time to leave the sanctuary of women and wool and discover more.
Morag the pilot of the little plane servicing the islands is back!
Beautifully inspired and depicted, great characters, this is some happy warm hearted escapism for the perfect holiday read or for just a treat! Loved all the knitting and creativity.
Totally enjoyed this latest from Jenny Colgan, as always a joy to read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for the fabulous opportunity to read early!

A knitting-filled return to Colgan's Highlands and Islands

Ah, the summer Jenny Colgan romance! Like Christmas and Easter and Halloween, what would life be like without a Colgan romance twice-yearly? In a follow-up to last year's The Summer Skies, and lightly tied-in to her Mure series, Close Knit expands on Morag's home community of Carso, bringing a whole new cohort of loveable villagers around gentle, retiring Gertie: thirties, long-term single, and hung up on the romantic heroes of television and film, and with a circle of older women who knit, knit, knit. Meanwhile, musician and primary school teacher Struan has a lovely flat that he has to rent out in order to keep his ambitious girlfriend happy. Could these two stalled souls find something to draw them together?

You bet your sweet ass they do! And it's so not what you expect. Colgan brings her characteristic invention and joy to a whole new cast, while giving us more of Morag and Gregory, Ranald and Piegi, and of course, the landscape of the Highlands and Islands. More, Jenny, more!

Four well-deserved stars.

"Close Knit" is a charming and heartwarming novel, particularly appealing to knitting enthusiasts or those with fond memories of learning the craft from loved ones. Set against the stunning backdrop of Scotland's Northern Isles, the story offers a cosy escape into a world where tradition and community are woven together. While it follows "The Summer Skies," it stands alone perfectly, allowing new readers to jump right in. Gertie is wonderfully relatable, making it easy to connect with her from the very beginning. Though a gentle read, it’s thoroughly enjoyable and a perfect companion for a quiet afternoon.

Another lovely story from Jenny Colgan, with great characters, Scottish scenery and nature and, of course, romance.
Gertie lives in a daydream, surrounded by the knitting circle, and yearns for something more. A chance encounter with Morag, changes her life direction, with a new job, Morag's handsome boss and a reunion with her teenage crush.
As always, the characters are loveable and this is a really enjoyable story.

Firstly, thank you so much for letting me read close knit early.
I absolutely adored the style of writing of multiple pov during each chapter, how the book kept me on my toes and made me laugh and finished with a happy feeling

I absolutely love Jenny Colgans style of writing. I have read all but two of her latest books and have been reading through her back catalogue too. I am a huge fan, so much so that back in 2014 I set up a Facebook group, which started with friends and family to share my love of her books, this is now a group of over 5.5k members and I am amazed every day. This group has kept me smiling through lockdowns and health concerns and there is no drama.

We grew and grew and now we chat about all kinds of books but Jenny will always be at the forefront because she's where it all began.

So to be accepted to read an ARC of Close Knit was a momentous occasion for me and I actually squeaked when I find out. I am so so happy I was accepted and thrilled to have read this brilliant book. Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder and Stoughton and of course Jenny Colgan for allowing me to read this early copy.

On to the story, well what can I say, I am over the moon with this book. I knew it was going to be up my street being a knitter/crocheter, and I had a feeling there might be another meaning to the title as well as a possible knitting theme. I wasn't wrong (but no spoilers).

I loved Gertie, she was so relatable but actually all of the characters are really well written. There is so much drama, romance, excitement and intrigue in this story and I am here for it all. I was on the edge of my seat at the end of the book.

Thank you again to Jenny for writing such fabulous books and to your publisher and Netgalley, for sharing it early and allowing me the chance to read it.

This book follows on from last years The Summer Skies, although I do think it can be read as a standalone.
It follows Gertie, who works in a local supermarket and knits in her spare time with the knitting circle. She takes an opportunity to work for Morag at the airline (who we met in book 1).
I did struggle to connect with Gertie’s character personally therefore the story was quite hard for me to get into. Gertie’s heroics seemed in character however given her strengths she displayed which got Morags attention in the first place. It did all come together in the end but I had hoped for more.
Thank you NetGalley, Jenny Colgan and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

3.5 stars
Witty. Warm. Wonderful.

Perfect for those who enjoy:
- Slow burn that picks up pace
- Dream chasing storylines
- Inspiring characters
- Happy endings

With thanks to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for an ARC copy in return for an honest review.

Always know you’re going to love a Jenny Colgan book before you even start it. We go back to the island of Carso where Morag is still flying from island to island and is still madly in love, Gertrude however spends a lot of her life daydreaming but her small life working at the supermarket and knitting with her mother and grandmother is about to change. Maybe Gertrude is ready to take on new challenges and find she’s a lot stronger than anyone thought. Makes me want to pick up my knitting needles for the umpteenth time to try and knit properly.

Jenny Colgan delivers another captivating story. Building on 'The Summer Skies', it allows us to reconnect with beloved characters and introduces us to intriguing new ones. While it stands alone, the beginning may seem gradual, yet it unfolds into an enjoyable read.

I love the community element of a Jenny Colgan book and this one is great. I loved the way this book was written, you felt like you were actually living there - one of her best.