Real Men Knit

March 9, 2020
Longtime friends partner in first business then pleasure in this light, refreshing romance from Jackson (the Sugar Lake series, written as K.M. Jackson). Jesse Strong, one of four adopted sons of “Mama Joy” Strong, has lived a fun-filled, irresponsible life, but he’s forced to finally grow up following Mama Joy’s death. Deciding not to sell his mother’s beloved Harlem knitting store, Strong Knits, which doubles as the Strong family home, Jesse turns to family friend and Strong Knits employee Kerry Fuller to teach him the business side of things. Kerry has crushed on Jesse since they were kids, but she hides her feelings, believing that playboy Jesse views her as just a friend. But as they band together to run the shop, a maintenance mishap in Kerry’s apartment leaves her temporarily living with Jesse. Working and living in such close quarters, their chemistry only grows. Jackson eschews manufactured drama and miscommunication, giving her couple a relatively painless path to love. Jesse’s delightful brothers bring an extra helping of light and laughter to the story, and their distinct personalities will have readers excited for them each to find love of their own in future installments. This smooth romance goes down easy. Agent: Evan Marshall, The Evan Marshall Agency.

March 15, 2020
Four brothers must decide whether or not to close the Harlem yarn shop they inherited after the sudden death of their mother, Mama Joy, a neighborhood legend. Jesse Strong would say he's laid back, but his brothers believe he lacks ambition and focus. When the four of them have a hard conversation about the future of the yarn shop, Jesse surprises himself and his brothers by insisting he can be trusted to keep their mother's dream alive. When he decides to reorganize and refresh the store before a grand reopening, Jesse turns to Kerry Fuller, a longtime store employee, to help him learn the ins and outs of the business. Author Jackson reveals the important role the shop plays in the community--especially for one boy who's being bullied--and elaborates on the value of handcrafts. Meanwhile, Kerry is in a professional holding pattern. Although she hopes to finally land a full-time position at the local community center, she agrees to continue working in the shop to help Jesse learn the yarn business. Kerry is stuck emotionally, too--she's had a longtime crush on Jesse but didn't think she had a chance with him after years of being relegated to the friend zone. Jackson makes an unusual choice to delay the development of the romance between Jesse and Kerry for so long; in fact, Jesse is involved in a casual relationship with another woman for more than half the book. Unfortunately, the gamble doesn't pay off. There isn't much tension or chemistry between Kerry and Jesse--just vague feelings of longing--and the pacing of their romance ends up being rushed and incomplete. A heartwarming story about family and community that might disappoint readers looking for a stronger romance.

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April 1, 2020

Strong Knits, a Harlem yarn store, has been a community staple for years. It was Kerry Fuller's safe harbor when she was a kid and her employer when she got older. When Mama Joy, the store's owner and Kerry's surrogate mother, dies suddenly, she is sure Mama Joy's four adoptive sons will sell the business. Jesse Strong knows he has a reputation for his lack of commitment but is determined to not let Mama Joy's legacy be so easily sold. He recruits Kerry to help him get the shop up and running. Kerry knows she needs to be focused on her own future now, but she finds she can't let her longtime crush down. After an issue at her apartment, Jesse and Kerry begin working and living together, which makes it much harder to pretend they aren't attracted to one another. With hearts and the future of Strong Knits in the mix, saving the family yarn store truly becomes a labor of love. VERDICT Jackson, writing for the first time under her new pen name, has created a relationship where sparks fly and a compelling family for her to plumb in future installments of the new series. Put this in the hands of K.M. Jackson (As Good as the First Time) readers, yarn lovers, or anyone who enjoys a contemporary romance series involving a dynamic family. [See Prepub Alert, 11/11/19.]--Kellie Tilton, Univ. of Cincinnati Blue Ash

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2020
Jesse Strong is determined to keep his adoptive mother's Harlem knitting store from closing after her sudden passing. His three older brothers are only convinced to let him try after the shop's quiet and bespectacled part-time assistant offers to help him learn the business. Kerry Fuller has been a semi-invisible fixture at Strong Knits for such a long time that she's treated like family, and she assumes that Jesse, her forever crush, sees her only as an employee at best, nothing like the sexpots who flit in and out of his lackadaisical life. Jesse knows he's been a scoundrel at times, but now he wants to be taken seriously by his skeptical brothers, and he wants to prove to Kerry, whom he's always fantasized about, that he's worth investing her heart in. Jackson crafts a cute friends-to-lovers romance with a diverse cast of characters that emphasizes the importance of community and found family. Jackson presents a promising start to a sweet, multicultural contemporary series that will draw in cozy romance readers and crafters alike(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)