Close Knit

MacIntyre #2

by Jenny Colgan

Follow Gertie MacIntyre from knitting circle to air stewardess in this glorious and romantic summer novel set in Scotland’s windswept Northern isles, by beloved New York Times bestselling author Jenny Colgan.

In the northernmost reaches of Scotland, where a string of little islands in the North Sea stretches towards Norway, lives Gertie MacIntyre, a proud island girl by birth. Her social circle is small but tight: family and friends, particularly the women in her knitting circle. In the whitewashed cottages of their hometown, everyone knows everyone, and the ladies of the knitting circle know more than most. In a place of long dark winters and geographic isolation, the knitting circle is a precious source of gossip, home, laughter, and comfort for them all. And while she knits, Gertie’s busily plotting what to do with the rest of her life.

When Gertie develops a crush on Callum Frost, who owns the local airline, she dares herself to take a job as an air stewardess on the little plane that serves the local islands. Terrifying at first, the sixteen-seat puddle jumper also offers the first taste of real freedom she’s ever known. Will Gertie’s future lie in the skies? Or will she need to go further afield to find the adventure she craves?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Scotland, Contemporary, Audiobook, Knitting

336 pages, Hardcover

Published August 6, 2024

About the author

Jenny Colgan is the author of numerous bestselling novels, including 'The Little Shop of Happy Ever After' and 'Summer at the Little Beach Street Bakery', which are also published by Sphere.' Meet Me at the Cupcake Café' won the 2012 Melissa Nathan Award for Comedy Romance and was a Sunday Times Top Ten bestseller, as was 'Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams', which won the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award 2013.

For more about Jenny, visit her website and her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.

Jenny Colgan has also been published under the name Jenny T. Colgan.

Reviews

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really sweet book, great addition to the series. This book follows last year's The Summer Skies and we return to the small town in the Scottish Highlands.

This time, we follow Gertie, a thirty-year-old young woman who lives with her mother and grandmother, spending her free time daydreaming and knitting as part of the town knitting (and gossip) circle. Morag is looking for a maternity replacement for her best friend who works at the airport, and they set their sights on Gertie, who works at the local grocery store. Can Gertie come out of her shell and embrace all she is meant to be?

This book took a while to gain its momentum, and I think the uneven pacing might be frustrating for some readers. I hope they do stick with it because the ending sections are filled with adventure, heartwarming situations, and exactly what readers have come to expect from Jenny Colgan's books. Gertie's endless daydreaming and making up romantic situations in her mind were my least favorite parts of the book. She seemed more like a moony teenager than a full grown adult, so I think those sections really drew me out of the story.

Overall though, I did enjoy this tale and loved how both Scotland and the people of the town are portrayed. There's so much laugh out loud humor and also very tender, sweet situations. Although this book does stand alone, if you are ever going to read Summer Skies, you should definitely read it first, because Close Knit gives a lot of spoilers about Morag and her relationship from that book.

Can't wait to see who we get to know next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Andrea]

DNF
This book never had any momentum. I hate that I’ve been disappointed by Colgan’s recent books. Her usual charm feels missing

[Ingrid]

Sweet, predictable and not for me, so no rating.

[Kelsey Rich · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thanks you NetGalley for the ARC.

I had a really hard time with the chapter transitions. They were hard to follow. I also disliked the very long day dreaming dialogues of Gertie.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t know if I’ve just outgrown Jenny Colgan’s books or if this was not her best work but either way, I didn’t particularly enjoy it. I will say that the writing style really annoyed me and I don’t remember being bothered in past books. This might be trivial but she has the longest sentences full of entirely too much irrelevant information. I had to reread a few times because the grammar felt off, and several times it was. I remember noticing in past Jenny Colgan books that there were a ton of editing mistakes and the same was true with this one.

[Caroline]

DNF at 45 pages. She’s 10 years out of high school and won’t shut up about it. MOVE ON LADY.

Also why isn’t there a DNF category so these don’t show in my book total for the year?

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, Close Knit, by Jenny Colgan, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Gertie MacIntyre lives in Scotland. Gertie loves to knit, and is quite good at it. Gertie does not realize how strong a women she is. I really enjoyed this read.

[Toni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morag MacIntyre, our fearless pilot, returns in this new book by Jenny Colgan. We met Morag and her grandfather in the book, Summer Skies from 2023.
No need to read that one before this one, but definitely read it at some point.

Morag hires quiet, shy Gertie Mooney to work at MacIntyre Airlines checkin desk. Gertie proves she’s smart, calm and tactful during tense situations with the passengers.

The most exciting portion of the book is when young students and their teachers get stranded on a mountain during a blizzard. They weren’t prepared for snow, high winds and freezing temperatures in May. Gertie plays an important role in rescuing the children and their teacher. Morag flies them to safety.

It’s Gertie’s story which you’ll love.

Thanks to Edelweiss and Avon.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming book about a small village in the Highlands, and the knitters therein, especially the sweet but self-conscious Gertie. Also the sexy guitarist/primary school music teacher. And the sexy lady pilot.

Also, descriptions of knitwear that sound alternately beautifully cozy and ugly and scratchy as hell, which is excellent. When knitting books pretend that everything everyone is knitting is just lovely and soft and beautiful, I give that book a hard side eye.

[Kristīne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kolgana un viņas komforta šarms. Skotijas mazpilsētiņa pašos ziemeļos pie jūras, adītāju pulciņš un dzīvē mazliet iestigusi jauna sieviete.
Kolgana varētu rakstīt tūrisma tekstiņus, es jau esmu gatava pirkt biļeti un lidot uz mazajām salām, kuras apmeklē tikai 12gietīgs divplāksnis, un biežākie ceļotāji ir vaislas aitas.
Bet! Grāmata visū pagriezās par 180 grādien un pēkšņi pārtapa par it kā (jo baigi spraigi jau nesanāca) spriedzes piedzīvojumu stāstu, kā vietējie glābj bērnus no ieputinātas klints. Kāpēc? Un kāpēc uz 150lpp????

[Abby Chiles · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ This was so close to being 5 stars! I love Jenny Colgan for her romance! She always delivers a relatable, quirky heroine and equally interesting side characters and love interests. The setting is, as always, a 10/10, and I loved the small town and the knitting group that fueled the gossip. Gertie was such a great FMC, and I loved her development as the story progressed. I highly recommend Jenny's stuff to anyone looking for something cozy on a rainy day.

[Barbara Powell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh Scotland sweet Scotland, how I do love a book set in your lovely country. And then you add knitting in and it amps up my love another level. Then the fact that the author is none other than Jenny Colgan, and you have the makings of a lovely afternoon spent. And while it did take more than an afternoon to read this, it was a lovely revisit to the characters from Summer Skies so it was worth it.
Gertie is 30 and living with her mother and grandmother and spends her free time as part of the local knitting circle which doubles as the towns gossip club. Morag needs a replacement at the airport and decides Gertie is right for the job, but with Gertie being so quiet and awkward, can she come out if her shell and live up to the potential the others see in her?
While the story did have some uneven pacing and Gertie's excessive daydreaming made her seem more like a teenager than a woman in her 30's at some points, there is so much more that outweighs this that brings all that you come to expect from a Jenny Colgan book I cant wait to see which character gets a book next
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for this eArc in exchange for my review.

[Jo Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, I didn’t realise that this title was part of a series - more for the tbr pile then. It made no real difference to be honest as I thought it was a standalone and it worked perfectly.

Jenny Colgan beautifully paints small town Scotland to life, the KC club soon felt like old friends, and I loved lovely day dreamy Gertie so much. Absolute feel good cozy vibes.

Really sweet, lovely characters, beautiful setting and a brilliant narration!

Thank you to Hodder and Stoughton audio via NetGalley for this ELC

[Lisa Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely story of life and love in a small Scottish town, with a daydreaming main character who takes a chance and changes her life. Just wonderful.

[Kim Needs · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am a huge fan of Colgan, but this book was a dud. Don’t have a book called close knit and make it be about a knitter if you aren’t going to focus the story on that. Why did she have to fall victim to all of the knitter stereotypes. Knitting doesn’t have to be lame and a spinster activity and yet that’s how it sounded. Also it’s hard to love Gertie when the whole book is her being obsessive over stupid crushes. There was no plot and she did nothing to build chemistry between her and straun. So disappointing.

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I generally love this author but this one was a miss for me. The writing was disjointed and the book did not flow well at all. I was bored with the characters and not invested in their story. I finished the book, but it was a slog to get there.

[Leonie · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Maybe I've just read enough Jenny Colgans to last me a lifetime. This one didn't interest me in the least. 

[Salom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Géniaaaaaaaal 🧶

[Judith van Wijk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Nice, relaxing read. All the daydreaming Gertie did was a bit much for me, but the rest of the story was okay

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this not realizing it was a sequel, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything, so worked fine as a stand-alone.

A little slow to start, some repetition, and a few too many references to the pandemic.

However, it is entertaining enough to read (even if a little predictable as to who ends up together).

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a very sweet story set in the Scottish highlands. I met Jenny a few days ago and she was so nice. Her books are easy to take in. And who doesn’t love the Scottish highlands?!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for a complimentary copy of this novel! This is a heartfelt, summer romance novel set in Scotland perfect for a summer beach read! Gertie enjoys her knitting circle and her close group of family and friends. But she longs for something more. So when a spot opens up for her to fill in for a local airline, Gertie jumps at the opportunity. While working there, she develops a crush on Callum Frost, owner of the airline. But does he share the same feelings? Or is there someone else out there for Gertie? I enjoyed this novel for the most part, but it was very slow going. The last quarter of the book has a lot more going on! This was a cozy summer read and overall, I recommend it!

[Marte Haga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've always enjoyed Jenny Colgans books, especially the Mure-series and the one about the boarding school, but I struggled to engage in the first book in this newest series, and unfortunately it was the same for number two, this one. and I don't really know why! The characters carry her usual trademark of being both sweet and quirky, the language is good, playful and humorous. I think maybe the problem, for me, is the story, or lack of story. Things do happen, and there is a plot and a development, but it just didn't capture my attention and I think maybe the story is just a bit thin compared to the length of the book, there's just a bit too much of cuteness and sillyness that doesn't go anywhere.

That said, I never considered DNF-ing, and whilst I did experience some boredom, I also enjoyed parts of it. So if you're a fan of Jenny Colgan, this is probably worth checking out.

[Marjo · Rating 5 out of 5]

the cosy vibes, the small town, the rainy weather, the crafts. oh i am in love. reading about this whole town falling for gertie was such a treasure.

[The Library Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gertie annoyed me, and I would give this a 3.75 if I could, but will give it the 4. for the reference to one of my all time favorite shows, Northern Exposure. And Colgan's books do have a little bit of the flavor of that show .

[Angie Nicol · Rating 4 out of 5]

More of a 3.5

[Cathrine Knøs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Er blevet bekræfter i at en bogklub er federe end en strikkeklub

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jenny Colgans books are like comfort reads to me. They are cozy, and light but always have substance. This one was so enjoyable. Gertie lives in a small Scottish town with her mother and grandmother. At 30 years old she has been keeping her life on the quiet side! She has a small group of friends within her knitting circle that she's close to, but she feels like she wants more, and decides to take a job as a stewardess at the airport when she is offered the job. I love the cast of characters in this book. Gertie learns to come out of her shell, and she finds romance. I loved all the side characters as well. Such a cozy, beautiful read. 

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Normally, Jenny Colgan's books read such that I finish them in about 2 days. They are small town life, but the pace keeps moving and the dialogue is snappy. Not in Close Knit. The title and description make it sound like this is about a knitting group, but they are on the periphery of the plot. This book also takes a long time to get moving and catch your attention. I almost set it aside at about the 50% mark and then the pace started picking up. I think the characters in this series are just not as memorable as those in the Mure series. This was a decent second book in the series, but definitely did not live up to my usual reading experience with a Jenny Colgan book.

I would also add that it seemed like this book needed a bit more editing. There were places, especially early in the book where the paragraphs were just a jumble of words. On more than one occasion, I had to go back and re-read. It almost seemed like extra adjectives and adverbs were added to meet a word count.

I received an advanced reader copy from the publisher via NetGalley

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I decided to read this book because it was advertised as a book fans of Debbie Macomber would enjoy. As she is one of my favorite authors I thought I would give this book a try.

I'm not quite sure where the comparison comes in because the only thing similar between this book and those by Debbie Macomber is characters who knit. I found this book to be too full of descriptions and a story that was not interesting until the last 25%.

It was easy to figure out the plot of this book. It was just a matter of it getting there. I was borderline bored while reading this book.

I may or may not give this author another chance. This was the first book of hers I had read and maybe my expecting were a bit too high because of the author comparison.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion which I have given.