Knotted

by Quenby Olson

When seventeen-year-old Olivia Davies receives a phone call from her estranged father in the middle of the night, she’s in for a huge shock. Her father is getting married - again - and he wants her to be at the wedding. So over summer break, Olivia packs her bags and makes the trip back to England to meet her future stepmother. But instead of the middle-aged woman she expected, Olivia finds herself introduced to Emmy Balfour, a stunning blonde young enough to be her sister. And if that wasn’t enough, she also finds herself dealing with the disapproval of Emmy’s older brother, Ian, a man for whom “polite” and “respect” seem to be four-letter words.

With only three weeks until the wedding, Olivia struggles to stay afloat while navigating the treacherous waters of wedding planners, aristocracy, and bridesmaid’s dresses - not to mention the bridesmaids in the dresses. But just when she thinks everything is finally settling down, a few well-timed lies threaten to destroy her father’s chance at happiness. As a last resort, Olivia must work with Ian in an attempt to set things right, a partnership that forces her to decide if keeping him at a distance or disregarding her first impressions of him will cause her to step up and make a few changes in her own life.

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult, Romance, Coming Of Age, Contemporary Romance

268 pages, Paperback

First published June 10, 2013

About the author

Quenby Olson lives in Central Pennsylvania where she spends most of her time writing, glaring at baskets of unfolded laundry, and chasing the cat off the kitchen counters. She lives with her husband and five children, who do nothing to dampen her love of classical ballet, geeky crochet, and staying up late to watch old episodes of Doctor Who.

Reviews

[B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can all me biased (until you pick it up and experience it for yourself) but all I can think to describe Knotted is brain candy! It styles a modern and quirky Pride and Prejudice with a Mr. Darcy-esque love interest and a look into the extremes of social class with a new flavor of self-discovery and growing up thrown in.

Knotted is one of those books that you only dislike because of the fact that you can't put it down and get the eight hours of sleep you were hoping for until you finish this chapter...and one more after that.

I'll definitely be getting this one autographed by the talented author and recommending it to others.

[Angel Leya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've had this in my wheelhouse of to-reads for a while and finally got around to it. I found it rather enjoyable, shirking my duties once or twice to race to the end.

Livi is an awkward almost 18 year old who spends most of her time in Pennsylvania with her mom, and some of her time across the pond in England with her father. When a summer visit with her father coincides with a wedding, to a woman her father has never mentioned, who just happens to be a few years older than she is, Livi's sense of awkwardness skyrockets.

Her dad's girlfriend, Emmy, is adorable, and takes right to Livi, subjecting her to all the feminine rituals Livi has spent her life avoiding. To make matters worse, Emmy's brother, Ian, keeps popping up, and he's as frustrating as he is handsome.

With the wedding winding down and a lie that threatens to spoil her father's happiness, Livi must make a bold move to find the truth in herself and in those around her.

I have to say, despite a good setup and believable reactions on Livi's part, I found it easy to see past the false impressions. Livi and her dad are both beautifully awkward, and Ian sure presents a tantalizing character. I loved the story, really, and only knocked it a star because the ending was just a shade shy of satisfying and you can't give 3/4 stars. *sigh* Don't get me wrong, the ending was good, but it felt like a hanging chad - you know what they're going for, but they didn't quite complete the selection. Other than that, a very entertaining read that I would gladly recommend to young adult readers who'd like to see a contemporary version of Pride and Prejudice.

[Lou LaJeunesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recieved a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The story begins with a young girl that is undecided as to her future after high school graduation. She is totally unsure what she wants to do with er life. She recieves a call fro her father wanting her to travel to England to visit. He breaks the news that he is getting remarried. He also tells her the wedding is in 3 weeks.
Upon her arrival, she is shocked to find that the bride to be is only a few years older than herself. Having come from modest means and a edian lifestyle, she is dropped into a world of the uppercrust and all oof the trappings. She begins to assess people that are coming into her life but may be trusting in the wrong ones.
This is a novel that will keep you ensconced in the story line until the very end. It is well written and a very enjoyable read.
My comment to the author is this. Quenby, you really need to make this Book #1 in a series. It needs to have at least one sequel. You leave the reader wanting to know more. We need to follow Olivia and find out what she decides to do from hereon.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knotted is the perfect title for this superbly well-written, modern story with shades of Pride & Prejudice. Seventeen-year old Olivia's trip across the pond for her father's remarriage demonstrates that sometimes first, second, and even third impressions may not be what they seem.

Confronted by her father's bubbly, beautiful, and YOUNG finance, Olivia is forced to examine her relationship to both Emmy and her father. In the process, she'll have to contend with Emmy's refined family, who may not be what they seem, especially Emmy's prickly, brooding brother Ian who, despite his evil machinations, still commands Olivia's attention.

With a perfect blend of self-deprecating humor and introspection, the author creates a likable, relatable protagonist whose depth is perceived more readily by those who care for her than by Olivia herself.

Along with the well-drawn characters, a touch of mystery will keep you turning pages until you reach the satisfying conclusion sure to leave you with a smile on your heart.

(I received a complimentary review copy of Knotted from the author, a fellow member of 10 Minute Novelists.)

[Michelle Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

**I received a copy of the is in exchange for my honest opinions.**

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. This book was a cute and easy read. It often made me giggle and wonder what would happen next. The character, Olivia, is visiting her Dad in England for a few weeks in the summer and being there for his wedding...to a much younger woman. I loved all of the characters in the book and loved the way the plot played out. I enjoyed that this book was a good length, but was a light and easy read. It didn't have my mind over thinking everything. This was the perfect book for my late night reading because I was able to put it down without driving myself crazy wondering what would happen next...even though I didn't want to put the book down. I would definitely recommend this book to someone looking for a light romance to read.

***Review has been written in conjunction with Nerd Girl Official***
For more information regarding our reviews please visit our fansite at: www.facebook.com/NerdGirl.ng

[Jennifer Senhaji · Rating 5 out of 5]

Knotted had me tied to my Kindle from the beginning. I started the story, impressed by the author’s writing style, development of the main character Olivia, and her back story.

As I read on, I was expecting a typical Cinderella story line, evil step mother and all. I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. The characters and story line are not typical and yet extremely relatable.

Without giving too much away, because I hate spoilers, I found the story of this young woman, visiting her father and his new fiancé extremely refreshing.

Anyone looking for an extremely well written YA novel set abroad, will enjoy this lovely story.

[Ruthanne Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful debut, covering a topic we all have to face sooner or later: major life-change, including big and scary decisions that aren't in our control.

I found Knotted to be a quick, funny read. Olivia has a lot more to give than she knows, and I really hope there will be a sequel. My only complaint: it would have been a smoother read without each "Um" and stutter written out, but let me emphasize that this does NOT make the story an unpleasant read at all.

Read the book! Support this author. I want to see Ms. Olson writes next.

[Cassandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I am probably a bit biased, but this was a really lovely read. It begs to be read in one sitting, and just leaves you with a nice feeling afterwards! Looking forward to seeing what comes next (either for Olivia, or just from Quenby generally).

[Kay Blake · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Olivia reminded me so much of myself with the sarcasm I had as a teen. She is thrown into an unknown situation and handles it with poise as well as teenage awkwardness that made her character well rounded to me. This was a great book and I recommend it.

[Enid Cavallaro · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this without any expectations as this is my first encounter with this author. I am sorry to say that it will also be my last.
To say that I was underwhelmed is to be kind.
The heroine Olivia spent most of the book umming and hmmming and generally stumbling blind through every situation. She was portrayed as being 18 but honestly if I had an 18 year old as clueless as that I would never put her on a plane and send her overseas.
Yes I realise that this book was probably meant as Young Adult material but I have read many of that type and found them well written and engaging.
This was neither of those things.

[Deb Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully, realistic and fun

Olivia Davies is as cute as can be and she is very different from any other girl Ian has ever met. “Livi” travels to the London area from Pennsylvania to meet her Dad’s new fiancee. Her dad is from Great Britain, her mom was from the states. They divorced when Livi was 5 years old. The new fiancee, Emmy, is a few years older than Livi. It is fun watching the dynamics between Livi, Emmy, Livi’s dad and Emmy’s brother, Ian. I would love a continuation of this story line. Everything that happens after the wedding

[Alex Khlopenko · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smart and quick

For a riff on the Brontë and Austen classics, Knitted offers a relatable protagonists and an occasional insight into class-conscious critique of western society, while being fun and romantic when it needs to be so.

[Olivia Ard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Sigh. Swoon.

Knotted contains a delightful story wrapped in every emotion you can imagine. It's the ultimate feel-good read, the kind you can put down with a smile on your face, and manages to be so without being superficial, which is quite a feat. Several serious issues appear here, including divorce, parenting, family drama, and of course, pride and prejudice.

Ms. Olson obviously drew a great deal of inspiration from Jane Austen, but she did so subtly. Instead of merely repackaging the exact plot of Pride & Prejudice into a modern story, which must have been tempting, she created an original story quite different from that of P&P and included only partial elements and tidbits, really a tribute woven in so carefully that only Austen aficionados will catch it. The characters in Knotted are fully-formed and fabulous, and completely stand on their own apart from whatever P&P role(s) they fill.

For example, our protagonist Olivia Davies is a far cry from well-composed, self-assured Lizzie Bennet. To put it bluntly, Olivia is a hot mess. That's what I love about her. So often in YA novels, our main characters are so put together and well-adjusted, and while that's all well and good, that's not at all how I was as a teenager. In fact, aside from being "willowy" and having a father who lives on the other side of the pond, Olivia could have very well been me. She wears ratty clothes and slaps on old gas station makeup she barely knows how to use, and she's clumsy and really down on herself a lot. She hates being on the receiving end of nice gestures because she doesn't like the attention. I so identify with that, and am only recently coming out of my own similar phase, so it was nice to see her start to come to terms with her own self-worth at the end of the novel. I'm crossing my fingers for a sequel, and soon! :)

If you can't already tell, I definitely recommend Knotted to fans of YA lit and/or Jane Austen. Let's get real, in an ideal world, that covers everyone. So: everyone should read this book.

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, charming and delightfully witty, Quenby Olson delivers a winner with "Knotted."

I'm a huge fan of YA and because I'm a fan, I've also become more picky (maybe it's old age) about the YA that I choose to read. I'd already read Olson's "The Half Killed" (a wonderfully wicked paranormal novel) and her romantic novella "First Position," so I'll confess it—I'm a fan of author Quenby Olson, her writing style and "Knotted" didn't disappoint, keeping me entertained from the first page to the last.

"Knotted" takes the age-old tale of teen getting a new step-mother and completely flips it around into a fresh, funny and unique story. After 17 year old Olivia Davies receives a call from her dad telling her he's getting married, she finds herself headed to England to meet her future stepmother and spend time with the dad she's not seen in a long time. Olivia is stunned to discover her stepmom-to-be, Emmy, is young enough to be her sister! Has her dad lost his mind?

I loved the honesty in Olivia's reactions and Olson writes fabulous inner monologues for her characters. Throw in Emmy's brooding older brother, the flurry of wedding prep and a stately English manor home complete with a gaggle of servants plus a Lord and Lady, it's all a bit much for Olivia. But, she's the type of character to step up and help, putting her dad's happiness before her own. I liked Olivia. She was real and I could relate to her, something I consider important when I'm reading.

I'm not going to give any spoilers. There are a lot of ups and downs in "Knotted" as well as witty dialogue and a bit of romance. I really liked Olson's details, she has a knack for painting the scene so it's zero effort to become immersed. "Knotted" was a fast read for me—I finished it in two sittings. I highly recommended "Knotted" by Quenby Olson for anyone who enjoys YA and if you've never picked up a YA novel, this would be a good first. You won't be disappointed.

[Beverly Diehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

British-born, American-raised Olivia is on the cusp of 18, visiting her dad - and her dad's barely-older-than-her fiancee on the eve of their wedding in England. There's a bit of a Pride and Prejudice theme, and a gloriously fun, no-expenses-barred, wedding. A hint of a romance for Olivia and a rambunctious Dalmatian is also in the mix.

There are some wonderfully humorous bits: "Immediately, I find myself in the middle of a war zone. Silk Flowers. Strings of decorative pearls. Little lace doilies. Crystal. China. Everything... everywhere. I walk through the midst of it, feeling like I've stumbled into the first fifteen minutes of Saving Private Ryan, except with gauzy craft supplies in place of all the blood and body parts." and "...I'm left with the fear that the next word out of my mouth will be synonymous with poop. Or that I'll simply abandon human speech entirely for an unconnected string of baboon noises."

That said, Olivia the character feels a little underformed (like most teenagers, so it's realistic), and though there are flashes of that wicked humor, it was hard for me to hook into her until near the end of the book. I found Emmy, the bride-to-be, delightfully warm and naive, much like the Cameron Diaz character in My Best Friend's Wedding. The pacing was a bit slow. But not everyone WANTS a book that races. This one is more a stroll through an English garden, with occasional peeps at London and grand manors. Overall, I liked it, even though YA is not my usual read.

[Meg Cowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This genre wasn't my normal reading fodder, but I really enjoyed it and thought it was exceptionally well written.

As most romance books go, the love interest was pretty clear, and that it would also work out between the two characters was assumed. So the book as a romance story delivers a good, solid, clean romance plot. I really liked the plot twists thrown in throughout the story to keep the reader guessing as to who was manipulating what and I found that to be the most interesting plot device. Some of it was quite unpredictable which was refreshing!

The characters were very well written. Each had their own distinctive voice, mannerisms, and style and all were developed in a very 3 dimensional way (which again, I found refreshing, given the annoying trope/popularity for clumsy damsels and deep brooding hunks). Possibly a downside to the characters was that the main character and love interest do follow this trend in character qualities, but as I say they're well developed enough for it to be readable. I liked that there were such a range of characters too; different backgrounds and personalities made for a great melting pot

The most disappointing part of the book is to be totally honest its cover. I don't feel it particularly draws the eye or gives a clue as to this particular story's context, so I feel it lets down the book which is otherwise great.

Overall, when I found time to read, this was the 'go to' book on my kindle. I would love to read a sequel! :-)

*I received a free review copy in exchange for an honest review.*

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can't tell you how much this book surprised me. From the outset I had assumed the way the story would go once introduced to the step mother to be but the story did not pan out that way at all. Olivia was a great character, an awkward 17 year old, finding it difficult to fit in anywhere and trying to maintain the relationship with her father.

The story itself was a page turner, within the first couple of chapters I was gripped. The wedding and the drama with Emmy's family was compulsive reading. I loved the way that Olivia was trying her best to remain positive about the whole marriage situation even though her own relationships were impacted.

The only thing I disliked about the book was that it ended. I hope there is a follow up, I'd love to know what happened to Olivia next.

[Suzie Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet coming of age story

The story was set around 17 year old olivia's trip to England for her dads wedding. The story is a little slow and Olivia is a bit negative but she is extremely bright and mature. She works to overcome the judgemental attitudes of the bride's family and finds that sometimes you just need to let people in. Overall a nice easy read with an interesting storyline.

[KStar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just so much fun to read. Cute, sweet, funny, quirky little romance story. Nice change of pace, just something totally different. I really enjoyed reading this so much just absolutely loved it. :)

[Phyllis Hamby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book. It was funny & heart warming. I really didn't care for the ending though.

[Veronica Franco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is super sweet story and i liked it a lot, i`m not super happy with the end and i hope for another book if someone tell me that is a sequel out there then i`m changing this into 5 stars