Close Knit is a charming story set in Scotland about a woman named Gertie, whose passions include knitting and daydreaming. This book had all the makings of a cosy light-hearted read with some quirky and fun characters in this small town. However, in the beginning, it did feel a little slow to get going and I was waiting for things to happen. The second half of the book really picked up, but I didn't feel quite as invested in the story as I should have been. An enjoyable lighthearted listen though!

I have not read a Jenny Colgan book in a good few years and was excited to see this one available on audio. This was a cute and cosy listen as expected & was easy to listen to and I rated is 3.5 stars. If your a fan already of the author I'm sure you will enjoy this one. I didn't find it amazing but still an easy listen all the same.

Thanks to netgalley & the publisher for this audio arc.

I just love Jenny Colgans books and this one is a lovely heartwarming story set in Scotland and follows our main protagonist Gertie who is thirty and shy, quiet, still single and living at home with her mum. She knits the most dreamy sounding knitwear in the most gorgeous muted shades. First of all I listened to the audiobook - absolutely brilliant and secondly I hadn’t realised this was part two of a series (the first being The summer Skies).Now this didn’t really matter as Close Knit was great as a stand alone. Without giving too much away the story is about Gertie stepping out of her comfort zone and dreaming and hoping for more than she has now and what happens from then on. The narrator, Eilidh Beaton does an adorable job of bringing Close Knit to life I thought this was a charming and feel good audio book perfect for a cosy read and I would love Gertie to knit me one of her beautiful scarves! Many thanks to NetGalley

This book was as cosy and cute as you would expect. There was nothing surprising about this read, you got what you expect, comfort and happy endings. That said it was well written and thoroughly enjoyable.

Adore this authors work. Really sweet, lovely characters, beautiful setting and a brilliant narration!
Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton audio via NetGalley for this ELC

Jenny Colgan's Close Knit is a heartwarming tale of a Scottish island community. While not as impactful as her previous books, it's still a delightful read for those seeking a lighthearted escape. Gertie, the unlucky-in-love protagonist, faces challenges living in a small, insular town. Despite her setbacks, she proves her worth and brings joy to those around her. Close Knit is perfect for cosying up with on a rainy day.

To be back in the far north peninsula of Scotland is a joy! Learning how Morag is doing and her little twin-otter plane and of course hearing about her grandfather too.

In this close-knit community we meet Gertie, she has always been a dreamer, daydreaming at school, dreaming about leaving and living a totally different live than her mother and grandmother who have always lived this far north. But she has never had the courage to pick up her live and move as she is, on the other hand, really enjoying the community too. As part of the Knitting Circle, she is always knitting in her spare time and has knitted so many items since she learned to knit.

When Morag needs a replacement to do the check-ins on the airport Gertie is being offered that job, with her gentle and friendly, but also firm, nature she is handling this great. She has always had a crush on Struan, now a local teacher by day and a musician by night, only a couple years older than Gertie, since they were in school together. Struan’s girlfriend Saskia has a more interesting career path in mind for him than being the local teacher, she sees a great musician in him, but is that really what he wants?

During a school outing in April, the month known to have very changeable weather, and this far up north it can even contain snow, everybody shows what this close-knit community is about! As this is a feelgood novel it has of course a feelgood ending. I can see room for more books about Morag, Gertie and the rest of the gang.

Narrated very well by Eilidh Beaton, she knows how to pronounce these Scottish names and she gives voice to the various characters very pleasantly. Being not familiar with Irn Bru, Jaffa cakes and Shortbread I want to fly over to Scotland and taste those all myself.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stroughton Audio for this advanced copy.

A feel good Jenny Colgan book set on a Scottish Island one spring.

This is my first time listening to, as opposed to reading a Jenny Colgan book and I'm not sure if that caused the difference or if its just my personal headspace currently as, while I enjoyed the story, the beautifully detailed characters and the idyllic setting, I don't recall this book having the same effect on me as previous ones.

That being said though, this is a perfect read if you're looking for a light hearted read with lots of lovely character writing. It's also a book to check out if you like books set in small communities, if you like a little bit of drama and if you like everything to end happily.

Unlucky in love (and some may say life), Gertie provides a perfect main character through which we can experience the isolation and challenge which comes from living in a small, rural community where everyone knows everyone and the only way to progress seems to be to leave those you love behind.

Proving that even those who others have written off can surprise you, and even prove themselves heroes when the occasion calls for it. Close Knit would make a cosy read on cold, wet days although its been an appreciated escape in the summery heat.

Gertie may be one of Scotland's fastest knitters, however she herself is very much a work in progress. Close Knit is a cosy, witty story that takes us to the far north of Scotland for some much-needed escapism and explores what day-dreamy Gertie is truly capable of. It's cast of quirky characters, and descriptions of island life are the perfect tonic.
Just to warn you, this novel also features knitting aplenty so you may feel the need to dust off your knitting needles and have a go!

Gertie, in her mid-twenties, is still living at home in a remote Scottish town. Life revolves around her job in the local shop and the knitting group. A chance encounter gives Gertie the opportunity to broaden her horizons.

Jenny Colgan can always be relied on to give you a gentle tale of pure escapism. Close Knit, set in a small community on a Scottish island offers it all; self-discovery, romance, friendship and gossip.

Gertie has never left home, the home she shares with her mother and grandmother. In her mid-twenties, she's content with life but that is really down to her low self-esteem. Her mother and grandmother are keen for her to do something more but Gertie is happy to let life drift gently by.

A chance encounter with some people she went to school with is the catalyst that Gertie needs to try something different. Two of the "popular" girls from school visit the shop she works in. Gertie is embarrassed that they will discover she's done nothing with her life. What Gertie doesn't realise is that the two women barely remember her.

When Gertie deals with a difficult customer in the shop, Morag, one of the women, has the inspiration that Gertie has all the skills required to fill the temporary vacancy they have with the small airline she works for.

A new job widens Gertie's horizons, and these are increased when she also moves out of home into a flat share. One big problem though is that her new landlord is the same boy she had a major crush on at school. This won't be a problem though as he's engaged, besides which, Gertie now has a crush on the aviation magnet who owns the tiny airline.

Thanks to the lovely lilting narration of Eilidh Beaton we are gently transported through Gertie's indecision, memories of school, unrequited love and a near disaster that forces her to overcome her fear.

This is perfection!

How could I pass this audiobook by, it has my 2 favourite things in the world.....literature and knitting.

The descriptions of the yarn and garments were beautiful.

The story itself was like a hug in a book. I really wanted to give Gertie a big hug and be her friend. The scenery description transported me immediately. I really loved this book.

The narrator added to the experience too.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for gifting me this arc in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

This was such a cute enjoyable story. I loved the narrator, who was brilliant at all the characters and accents. I loved the cosy small town setting and all the excitement that ended up occurring. A very enjoyable tale!

A really enjoyable auduibook with a fantastic narrator. This follows on from Summer Skies, but can easily be read alone. A lovely story of a Scottish Community.
Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy

In Close Knit, Jenny Colgan tells a wonderful story about friendship, love, and finding yourself. Taking place in the beautiful Scottish islands, we follow Gertie as she tries new things. Colgan's vivid descriptions make the seaside come alive, and the fun knitting group adds lots of humour. The characters are easy to relate to, and there are many touching moments that make this book a delight. Like a warm, cosy sweater, Close Knit feels comforting and full of love. It's a lovely addition to Colgan's collection of heart-warming stories.

I really enjoyed the narrator, whom I think was the perfect choice for this novel. Her voice is warm and comforting, and I am so glad to have her for the Scottish pronunciations. She differentiated voices properly, but not to the extreme or jarringly.

What a wonderful, uplifting and sweet book, I loved the characters, the place, the family and the history! I loved Girtie, the story about how she finally grew into herself! I listened to the audible version and it was was made more magical with Eildh Beaton’s beautiful Scottish lilt,

As a knitter and a Jenny Colgan book fan I knew I was going to enjoy this book. Gertie is a 30 year old living at home with her mum and grandma surrounded by yarn. She is mostly content but her job at the local supermarket isn't what she intended to still be doing 10 years on. She would also like a place of her own but local house prices make this impossible. Along comes Morag and things start to change.

Struan is a local teacher and musician,his girlfriend thinks he should be more ambitious pushes him out of his comfort zone.

This is a gentle story and an entertaining read. I enjoyed listening to the descriptions of the scenery and how the weather can change so quickly and dramatically.

As always Eilidh Beaton narrates perfectly.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton audio for this DRC.

Not typically the type of book I read/listen to and my first one by this author.

This is a sweet, feel good read/listen, beautifully narrated with lots of characters that you can root for, a certain amount of jeopardy and lots of humour. It centres around the character of Gertie, a quiet, romantic soul of 30, immersed in her Scottish village and the knitting Circle that she shares with her mother and grandmother and their friends. Love, romance and knitting, what’s not to love?

With thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for an ark of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Close Knit sees Jenny Colgan return to the Scottish island archipelago we visited in The Summer Skies. In that book, Morag was the main character, a pilot who rediscovered her love for flying. In this book, Morag is still one of the main players but we also meet Gertie who is about as opposite from Morag as you can get. She is thirty, single, living with her mother and seemingly quite content with her quiet life working in a supermarket. But Gertie has dreams and perhaps hopes for more from life.

As you might gather from the title, knitting is an important part of the story. Gertie loves to knit and I so enjoyed Jenny Colgan’s descriptions of the beautiful colours of wool she used in her creations. In fact I was inspired to pick up my own needles again and am working on a scarf and hat set. I don’t expect it will be as delicate and accomplished as Gertie’s knitting though. Gertie’s Knitting Circle was fabulous and illustrated another meaning of close knit, with these women being the backbone of a close knit community. Of course, they were terrible gossips and always interfering but they were always there for whoever needed their moral or practical support.

Local teacher Struan is another of the three main voices in this book and was someone Gertie had had a crush on at school. He’s now engaged to Saskia who has bigger ambitions for him than he has for himself. I enjoyed the classroom scenes when we got to know some of the children in his class. As is often the case with Jenny Colgan’s books, children provide many of the funniest moments in book. Wee Shugs was so funny and a real favourite and of course I had a soft spot for quiet refugee Oksana. She didn’t speak often but when she did it was so poignant.

Although this may seem like a gentle story about a woman stepping out of her comfort zone and finding her way in life, there is actually quite a bit of tension in the latter stages of the book. Morag shows her strength of character again and much to her own surprise, so does Gertie who plays a pivotal role in a dramatic rescue.

Eilidh Beaton was a fabulous narrator as always. She really captured the gentleness of Gertie and well as the feistiness of Morag.

I had said after I read The Summer Skies that I would be happy to read more about Morag or other residents of the islands and I really did enjoy this book and meeting gentle, good-natured Gertie. Close Knit is a warm and charming story from one of my favourite feel-good authors!

Currently recovering from chronic burnout and listened to this wonderful book on the hottest day of the year so far, thoroughly enjoying the snow blizzard! This was a balm to a frazzled soul and Jenny yet again has woven a wonderful story with loveable characters, reaching into the other previous stories for background characters, which felt like an inside nod to be in on. Thoroughly enjoyed this with the tremendous narration- thank you for the review copy! Such a treat

So after listening to this audiobook, I have to say the voice actor and narrator Eilidh Beaton, makes this story come alive!!! She’s so talented, and I loved every minute!! She creates a great atmosphere, and holds your attention to the very end of the story!!.
The story follows Gertie, the main character in this story. She wants more out of her life, but wonders if she has the courage, being the shy young woman she is! She still lives at home for goodness sake!
Struan, the local music teacher and band member, lives with his girlfriend in his flat in the middle of town. He’s not sure that he wants to follow his girlfriend’s plans for them. He’s happy as he is, but love leads you in all directions.
This story is wonderful, and gives the reader adventure, love and friendship. As always, you finish the book with a warm fuzzy feeling inside!!!
Thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio for giving me the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #HodderStoughtonAudio, #JennyColganBooks.