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A review by kbranfield
The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs
5.0
The Oysterville Sewing Circle by Susan Wiggs is a poignant, heartwarming novel that features a meaningful and topical storyline.
Caroline Shelby is on the cusp of attaining her dream of becoming a successful fashion designer when her hopes and dreams are soon dashed by her boss Mick Taylor. She is still reeling from her professional loss when her best friend Angelique Baptiste unexpectedly dies. Caroline is now the guardian of Angelique's two young children, six year Flick and his five year old sister Addie. Soon after, she packs up the children and leaves New York to return to Oysterville, her hometown on the Washington coast. Living with her parents, Caroline hopes to salvage her tattered career but getting used to instant motherhood takes some adjustment. Determined to understand what happened to Angelique, Caroline puts together a domestic violence support group for the women in her area. Growing into her new life, Caroline finds unexpected success with her fledgling design line. But will the opportunity for success slip through her fingers when she decides to confront her past in New York?
Growing up, Caroline is the only one in her family whose future plans did not include working in her family's wildly popular restaurant. She has spent the past several years working hard and barely scraping as she pursues her career goals. Powerless when she is betrayed by someone she trusts, Caroline is frustrated at being forced to start over again. She is also very concerned by her suspicions that Angelique is being abused. After her friend's death, Caroline has no choice but to return home. She is grateful for her family's support but Caroline is troubled by the uncertainty about their future.
Caroline's happiness over reconnecting with Will and Sierra is tempered by her unresolved feelings about her childhood friends. The high point of her childhood summers revolve around Will's yearly visits with his grandparents. They spend every waking minute together and their easy camaraderie results in shared secrets and a deep emotional bond. Fast forward a few years, and Caroline is now best friends with Sierra. But the addition of Sierra to her summers with Will causes unforeseen complications for Caroline. Deciding the best course of action is moving to New York after high school graduation, Caroline tries to forget how she feels about Will. After he and Sierra marry, her friendship with the couple gradually fades away. Which is why Caroline is so stunned to discover she still has feelings for Will. What impact will Sierra's decision to chase her own dreams have on Will and Caroline?
The Oysterville Sewing Circle is a captivating novel of family, redemption and ultimately, love. The narration weaves back and forth in time and provides a touching portrait of Caroline's and Will's magical summers and close friendship. The characters are richly developed with relatable strengths and all too human foibles. The coastal setting is idyllic and quite healing as Caroline, Addie and Flick settle into their new life together. The domestic abuse aspect of the storyline is heart-wrenching and realistically portrayed. Caroline's struggles with her former boss shine a much needed light on how easy it is for powerful men to take advantage of the women who work for them. With a realistic storyline and endearing characters, Susan Wiggs has deftly woven together a multi-layered and deeply affecting novel that will touch readers hearts and linger in their minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely adored and highly recommend this charming yet sometimes bittersweet novel.
Caroline Shelby is on the cusp of attaining her dream of becoming a successful fashion designer when her hopes and dreams are soon dashed by her boss Mick Taylor. She is still reeling from her professional loss when her best friend Angelique Baptiste unexpectedly dies. Caroline is now the guardian of Angelique's two young children, six year Flick and his five year old sister Addie. Soon after, she packs up the children and leaves New York to return to Oysterville, her hometown on the Washington coast. Living with her parents, Caroline hopes to salvage her tattered career but getting used to instant motherhood takes some adjustment. Determined to understand what happened to Angelique, Caroline puts together a domestic violence support group for the women in her area. Growing into her new life, Caroline finds unexpected success with her fledgling design line. But will the opportunity for success slip through her fingers when she decides to confront her past in New York?
Growing up, Caroline is the only one in her family whose future plans did not include working in her family's wildly popular restaurant. She has spent the past several years working hard and barely scraping as she pursues her career goals. Powerless when she is betrayed by someone she trusts, Caroline is frustrated at being forced to start over again. She is also very concerned by her suspicions that Angelique is being abused. After her friend's death, Caroline has no choice but to return home. She is grateful for her family's support but Caroline is troubled by the uncertainty about their future.
Caroline's happiness over reconnecting with Will and Sierra is tempered by her unresolved feelings about her childhood friends. The high point of her childhood summers revolve around Will's yearly visits with his grandparents. They spend every waking minute together and their easy camaraderie results in shared secrets and a deep emotional bond. Fast forward a few years, and Caroline is now best friends with Sierra. But the addition of Sierra to her summers with Will causes unforeseen complications for Caroline. Deciding the best course of action is moving to New York after high school graduation, Caroline tries to forget how she feels about Will. After he and Sierra marry, her friendship with the couple gradually fades away. Which is why Caroline is so stunned to discover she still has feelings for Will. What impact will Sierra's decision to chase her own dreams have on Will and Caroline?
The Oysterville Sewing Circle is a captivating novel of family, redemption and ultimately, love. The narration weaves back and forth in time and provides a touching portrait of Caroline's and Will's magical summers and close friendship. The characters are richly developed with relatable strengths and all too human foibles. The coastal setting is idyllic and quite healing as Caroline, Addie and Flick settle into their new life together. The domestic abuse aspect of the storyline is heart-wrenching and realistically portrayed. Caroline's struggles with her former boss shine a much needed light on how easy it is for powerful men to take advantage of the women who work for them. With a realistic storyline and endearing characters, Susan Wiggs has deftly woven together a multi-layered and deeply affecting novel that will touch readers hearts and linger in their minds long after the last page is turned. I absolutely adored and highly recommend this charming yet sometimes bittersweet novel.