Review: The Oysterville Sewing Circle

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At the break of dawn, Caroline Shelby rolls into Oysterville, Washington, a tiny hamlet at the edge of the raging Pacific.

She’s come home.

Home to a place she thought she’d left forever, home of her heart and memories, but not her future. Ten years ago, Caroline launched a career in the glamorous fashion world of Manhattan. But her success in New York imploded on a wave of scandal and tragedy, forcing her to flee to the only safe place she knows.

And in the backseat of Caroline’s car are two children who were orphaned in a single chilling moment—five-year-old Addie and six-year-old Flick. She’s now their legal guardian—a role she’s not sure she’s ready for.

But the Oysterville she left behind has changed. Her siblings have their own complicated lives and her aging parents are hoping to pass on their thriving seafood restaurant to the next generation. And there’s Will Jensen, a decorated Navy SEAL who’s also returned home after being wounded overseas. Will and Caroline were forever friends as children, with the promise of something more . . . until he fell in love with Sierra, Caroline’s best friend and the most beautiful girl in town. With her modeling jobs drying up, Sierra, too, is on the cusp of reinventing herself.

Caroline returns to her favorite place: the sewing shop owned by Mrs. Lindy Bloom, the woman who inspired her and taught her to sew. There she discovers that even in an idyllic beach town, there are women living with the deepest of secrets. Thus begins the Oysterville Sewing Circle—where women can join forces to support each other through the troubles they keep hidden.

Yet just as Caroline regains her creativity and fighting spirit, and the children begin to heal from their loss, an unexpected challenge tests her courage and her heart. This time, though, Caroline is not going to run away. She’s going to stand and fight for everything—and everyone—she loves.

Genre: contemporary romance

Publication date: August 2019

Mature content: yes

Review: I really, really wanted to like this book, especially because there are a lot of important messages being passed on - and I always love books with positive messages. 

But...there was no way I could bring myself to enjoy the story. The plot goes back and forth in time in  way that's confusing, to say the least. There are lots of details that are not followed through (probably precisely because there are just too many of them). 

I kind of liked Will, but never could identify myself with Caroline despite all her good deeds. Their romance is also weird. They were best friends when they were teenagers, Caroline had a crush on Will and, from what they both seem to remember, it was reciprocated. But Will married Caroline's best friend Sierra and to be honest I never really understood why (other than to create a whole other subplot including Sierra's modelling career and their marriage/divorce). 

I read The Oysterville Sewing Circle until the end but it was a struggle, so I can't bring myself to recommend it. I've read some wonderful books by the same author, but this one didn't click in any way. Two stars for the messages about drug abuse, domestic violence and Caroline's love for her adopted children, but no more than that. 

Happy readings!

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