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Hooked on You
Anna’s life’s in a bit of a rut. As a teacher with two great kids and a boyfriend, she seems to have it all. Except…she’s bored as hell. Perhaps a new hobby’s in order? Something…crafty?
Divorced mother and veteran Ollie has been through the wars, emotionally and physically. To relax, she runs a quirky crochet class in her London craft shop. She can’t help but notice the attractive, feisty new student. A shame Anna’s straight as an arrow.
But somewhere between the chain stitches, doubles and trebles, Ollie and Anna form a powerful connection they never expected.
A quirky lesbian romance about love never being quite where you expect.
Tags: crochet · England · London · quirky lesbian romance · teacher · veteran
98,000 words
Divorced mother and veteran Ollie has been through the wars, emotionally and physically. To relax, she runs a quirky crochet class in her London craft shop. She can’t help but notice the attractive, feisty new student. A shame Anna’s straight as an arrow.
But somewhere between the chain stitches, doubles and trebles, Ollie and Anna form a powerful connection they never expected.
A quirky lesbian romance about love never being quite where you expect.
Tags: crochet · England · London · quirky lesbian romance · teacher · veteran
98,000 words
281 pages, Paperback
First published February 6, 2019
39 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
About the author
Jenn Matthews
14 books55 followersJenn Matthews lives in England’s South West with her wife, two dogs, and cat. When not working full-time as a health-care assistant at a mental health rehab unit, she can be found avidly gardening, crocheting, writing, or visiting National Trust properties.
Inspired by life’s lessons and experiences, Jenn is a passionate advocate of people on the fringe of society. She hopes to explore and represent other “invisible people” with her upcoming novels.
Inspired by life’s lessons and experiences, Jenn is a passionate advocate of people on the fringe of society. She hopes to explore and represent other “invisible people” with her upcoming novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 141 reviews
January 28, 2019
This was a really sweet romance. I have to admit with a few of the earlier mixed reviews I went into reading this book with some caution. I’m happy to say that I really enjoyed this. It is a slow paced romance, which I don’t always care for, but it was just so lovely that I liked every minute of it.
The story is about two women in their early 50’s, both divorced with children. I liked the fact this starred two women older than we normally see. Women of all ages read lesfic so it’s nice to be seeing books not just about people in their 20’s and 30’s. This book is about their families, hobbies (crochet) and mostly the romance.
While I enjoyed every minute of this book, even the crochet parts, the romance is where this book really shined. The chemistry was great. Maybe I’m being a little ageist, but I honestly didn’t expect the chemistry to be so good in this traditional romance setting. And while I would not call the sex scene steamy, the real honest intimacy between the mains was just wonderful. All the little kisses and touches, that didn’t lead to sex, were done because two people really cared about each other. If felt authentic, incredibly sweet, and it just made my heart feel good.
The writing was well done and for a long book with such a slow pace, I was never bored once. Which was a real pleasant surprised. I voraciously read every page and had a big smile on my face for most of the book.
If you are looking for a very sweet, feel good romance, give this book a chance. It was a real pleasant surprise and I would absolutely read this author again. In fact I’m anxious to read her next book. When new authors can put out a debut this enjoyable, it sure puts them on my radar.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.
The story is about two women in their early 50’s, both divorced with children. I liked the fact this starred two women older than we normally see. Women of all ages read lesfic so it’s nice to be seeing books not just about people in their 20’s and 30’s. This book is about their families, hobbies (crochet) and mostly the romance.
While I enjoyed every minute of this book, even the crochet parts, the romance is where this book really shined. The chemistry was great. Maybe I’m being a little ageist, but I honestly didn’t expect the chemistry to be so good in this traditional romance setting. And while I would not call the sex scene steamy, the real honest intimacy between the mains was just wonderful. All the little kisses and touches, that didn’t lead to sex, were done because two people really cared about each other. If felt authentic, incredibly sweet, and it just made my heart feel good.
The writing was well done and for a long book with such a slow pace, I was never bored once. Which was a real pleasant surprised. I voraciously read every page and had a big smile on my face for most of the book.
If you are looking for a very sweet, feel good romance, give this book a chance. It was a real pleasant surprise and I would absolutely read this author again. In fact I’m anxious to read her next book. When new authors can put out a debut this enjoyable, it sure puts them on my radar.
An ARC was given to me by YLVA for a honest review.
April 2, 2019
'ARC generously provided by Ylva-Publishing in exchanged for an unbiased review'
**'Writing has to seduce the readers,it has to suspend disbelief and earn the reader's trust only if it's good...Know the story before you as a writer fall in love with your first sentence...'
In this Jenn Matthews's mordantly tedious,sometimes tender,cliche-ish and somewhat readable debut, two tempestuous independent women are forced to come to terms with whatever developing attraction is taking place between them even though one was straight and the other was halfway in the closet.
Ollie has always met adversity with quiet faith and inner strength but as her emotional well being is stagnant so goes her doubts of ever finding that true love. But in the midst of her conflicting doubts,in walked Anna, a divorcee herself who emerges as a kindhearted and likeable friend who intern felt very drawn to Ollie -- trying to learn about both her sexuality and falling in love.
The storyline looks at one mother's (Ollie) unique relationship with her son while facing a difficult one with her daughter -- who has lots of negative views about her mom's lesbian relationships. From her son she gets assurance that even though they are not a regular family anymore he will always support her choice in lovers. Then there is Anna who has all the support she needs from both her kids. When reading about their (Ollie & Anna) kids' feelings towards their relationship,we as readers might ask ourselves if they (the kids) can ever really know their own parents outside their role as their parents -- but what Ms.Matthews does is try to explore the often vast divide between their beliefs about their own moms and the real truth in parenting.
Written with a sense of deep intellectual knowledge in crocheting and a little biting wit,'HOOKED ON YOU' weaves together stories pertaining to sensitive issues facing separated families whether negative or uplifting and those damaged folks who might help shaped the lives of both leading characters.
**'Writing has to seduce the readers,it has to suspend disbelief and earn the reader's trust only if it's good...Know the story before you as a writer fall in love with your first sentence...'
In this Jenn Matthews's mordantly tedious,sometimes tender,cliche-ish and somewhat readable debut, two tempestuous independent women are forced to come to terms with whatever developing attraction is taking place between them even though one was straight and the other was halfway in the closet.
Ollie has always met adversity with quiet faith and inner strength but as her emotional well being is stagnant so goes her doubts of ever finding that true love. But in the midst of her conflicting doubts,in walked Anna, a divorcee herself who emerges as a kindhearted and likeable friend who intern felt very drawn to Ollie -- trying to learn about both her sexuality and falling in love.
The storyline looks at one mother's (Ollie) unique relationship with her son while facing a difficult one with her daughter -- who has lots of negative views about her mom's lesbian relationships. From her son she gets assurance that even though they are not a regular family anymore he will always support her choice in lovers. Then there is Anna who has all the support she needs from both her kids. When reading about their (Ollie & Anna) kids' feelings towards their relationship,we as readers might ask ourselves if they (the kids) can ever really know their own parents outside their role as their parents -- but what Ms.Matthews does is try to explore the often vast divide between their beliefs about their own moms and the real truth in parenting.
Written with a sense of deep intellectual knowledge in crocheting and a little biting wit,'HOOKED ON YOU' weaves together stories pertaining to sensitive issues facing separated families whether negative or uplifting and those damaged folks who might help shaped the lives of both leading characters.
January 27, 2019
I really loved reading this story with its gentle pace and measured dating of two women in their early fifties. Ollie has been out of the army for five years since a bomb left her with a disfigured and damaged leg. She owns a craft shop and runs crocheting classes one evening a week. Anna's young adult daughter badgers her into taking up a hobby and she ends up at Ollie's shop thinking about knitting as her hobby. She's in a lackluster, casual relationship with a man neither of her children like.
This feels like a really realistic portrayal of a developing relationship between two wonderfully ordinary people with ordinary lives. I liked the characterisation of both Ollie and Anna except that I was disappointed in Anna when she didn't dump her boyfriend the instant he referred to her son as retarded. (She did redeem herself.) Timothy is on the autism spectrum and I really enjoyed his portrayal too.
I have absolutely no interest in crocheting and had no idea what the stitches or patterns described looked like but it didn't really bother me. It seemed less important than the interaction of the crocheting group and that of Anna and Ollie. Their relationship unfolds tentatively and quietly. This is a lovely, gentle romance and I found I was entirely engaged by story.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
This feels like a really realistic portrayal of a developing relationship between two wonderfully ordinary people with ordinary lives. I liked the characterisation of both Ollie and Anna except that I was disappointed in Anna when she didn't dump her boyfriend the instant he referred to her son as retarded. (She did redeem herself.) Timothy is on the autism spectrum and I really enjoyed his portrayal too.
I have absolutely no interest in crocheting and had no idea what the stitches or patterns described looked like but it didn't really bother me. It seemed less important than the interaction of the crocheting group and that of Anna and Ollie. Their relationship unfolds tentatively and quietly. This is a lovely, gentle romance and I found I was entirely engaged by story.
Book received from Ylva Publishing for an honest review.
January 27, 2019
This is an extremely slow paced love story between Ollie Williams and Ana Rose. One that I carefully digested at the pace the author set forth and loved every second of. You really have to be ready to just take your time with this story.
It starts off with a bang. Literally. Then fast forward years later and we are introduced to Anna, a 51 year old mother to daughter, Bethany, and adopted son, Timothy, who is on the spectrum. Even though she has been casually dating Liam for months, she feels bored and lonely. Her daughter convinces her to take up a hobby to meet new people. So she begins attending a crochet club. There, she meets Ollie, a 51 year old ex soldier that carries a bit of baggage from her time in Iraq.
This was a very sweet, slow build romance filled with the giddiness of a first crush. The way this author subtly mentions little things like stolen glances, noticing fingers travel down chains of yarn, an x at the end of a text message, blushing, attraction, etc. It felt all so very purposefully nuanced.
I loved the crocheting theme. I tried to pick it up a couple of years ago. I managed to make a fairly uneven blanket with a larger than expected hole in the middle. But I AM very proud of it. I have some yarn and after reading this, I feel inspired to start my next masterpiece.
Something I don't read often is internalized homophobia. It is so sad but I can relate to Ollie when she struggles with saying that she is gay. Coming to terms that it is OK to date women. And I thought it was ironic that the seemingly straight, Anna, who had never been with a woman, had an easier time with it than Ollie.
Both of these women have grown children that have impacts on their relationship decision making. I liked this dynamic, although I was a bit annoyed with how many times Anna made excuses for Liam's unacceptable behavior toward her autistic son, Timothy.
But overall, I super enjoyed this. It was like eating a really good piece of chocolate. You nibble at it slowly because you want to take in and savor all the flavor. These women felt like friends that I set up on a blind date and wanted it to work out SO badly.
I received an ARC from YLVA Publishing for an honest review.
It starts off with a bang. Literally. Then fast forward years later and we are introduced to Anna, a 51 year old mother to daughter, Bethany, and adopted son, Timothy, who is on the spectrum. Even though she has been casually dating Liam for months, she feels bored and lonely. Her daughter convinces her to take up a hobby to meet new people. So she begins attending a crochet club. There, she meets Ollie, a 51 year old ex soldier that carries a bit of baggage from her time in Iraq.
This was a very sweet, slow build romance filled with the giddiness of a first crush. The way this author subtly mentions little things like stolen glances, noticing fingers travel down chains of yarn, an x at the end of a text message, blushing, attraction, etc. It felt all so very purposefully nuanced.
I loved the crocheting theme. I tried to pick it up a couple of years ago. I managed to make a fairly uneven blanket with a larger than expected hole in the middle. But I AM very proud of it. I have some yarn and after reading this, I feel inspired to start my next masterpiece.
Something I don't read often is internalized homophobia. It is so sad but I can relate to Ollie when she struggles with saying that she is gay. Coming to terms that it is OK to date women. And I thought it was ironic that the seemingly straight, Anna, who had never been with a woman, had an easier time with it than Ollie.
Both of these women have grown children that have impacts on their relationship decision making. I liked this dynamic, although I was a bit annoyed with how many times Anna made excuses for Liam's unacceptable behavior toward her autistic son, Timothy.
But overall, I super enjoyed this. It was like eating a really good piece of chocolate. You nibble at it slowly because you want to take in and savor all the flavor. These women felt like friends that I set up on a blind date and wanted it to work out SO badly.
I received an ARC from YLVA Publishing for an honest review.
April 26, 2019
3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
This is a nice, sweet slow developing romance between two older, 51 yr. old women. There were a few bumps in the road, but there is a HEA ending. I suppose a requisite for this cozy romance. I also liked that the author didn't emphasize their age. I forgot their ages until doing the math of their children's ages and perhaps when Anna described herself as "chubby".
Anna is a High School teacher who is divorced, straight with two children, 20 yr. old Bethany and her adopted son, Timothy (19-20yrs?). Then there is Ollie, a former career British Army, owns a yarn shop and teaches a once a week crochet class. Ollie divorced her husband after a medical discharge. Because of the divorce she is estranged from her two children, less so from her eldest son Kieran (mid 20s?) than 18 yr old daughter Helen, whom Ollie hasn't had much contact since Helen was fifteen.
I really liked both the leads. So much so, I forgave Anna for dating a first class jerk and mamma's boy when we first meet her. Anna is one of those teachers you wish you had. She adopted her former student, Timothy. He has autism but in her care and patience he is able to have a job. I liked how the author portrayed Timothy. Anna is bored and decides to take a crochet class that Ollie teaches. Ollie, is disabled after getting hurt in Iraq. She almost lost her leg, but the pain, often excruciating, persists. It is a slow progress from friends to lovers and along the way, the reader learns a lot about crocheting. I didn't find it distracting as I've always enjoyed arts and crafts. I've taken various craft classes myself.
So if you don't mind a well written, slow burn romance, then this book maybe for you.
Oh, I have one complaint of a term that the author uses that has a different connotation to me which is not the one that author meant. I'm putting it under spoiler tags. I don't want you to be pulled out of the story needlessly.
This is a nice, sweet slow developing romance between two older, 51 yr. old women. There were a few bumps in the road, but there is a HEA ending. I suppose a requisite for this cozy romance. I also liked that the author didn't emphasize their age. I forgot their ages until doing the math of their children's ages and perhaps when Anna described herself as "chubby".
Anna is a High School teacher who is divorced, straight with two children, 20 yr. old Bethany and her adopted son, Timothy (19-20yrs?). Then there is Ollie, a former career British Army, owns a yarn shop and teaches a once a week crochet class. Ollie divorced her husband after a medical discharge. Because of the divorce she is estranged from her two children, less so from her eldest son Kieran (mid 20s?) than 18 yr old daughter Helen, whom Ollie hasn't had much contact since Helen was fifteen.
I really liked both the leads. So much so, I forgave Anna for dating a first class jerk and mamma's boy when we first meet her. Anna is one of those teachers you wish you had. She adopted her former student, Timothy. He has autism but in her care and patience he is able to have a job. I liked how the author portrayed Timothy. Anna is bored and decides to take a crochet class that Ollie teaches. Ollie, is disabled after getting hurt in Iraq. She almost lost her leg, but the pain, often excruciating, persists. It is a slow progress from friends to lovers and along the way, the reader learns a lot about crocheting. I didn't find it distracting as I've always enjoyed arts and crafts. I've taken various craft classes myself.
So if you don't mind a well written, slow burn romance, then this book maybe for you.
Oh, I have one complaint of a term that the author uses that has a different connotation to me which is not the one that author meant. I'm putting it under spoiler tags. I don't want you to be pulled out of the story needlessly.
April 4, 2019
Hooked on You is the debut novel from British author Jen Matthews.
It’s a slow burn, slow paced and basically drama free romance story about war veteran Ollie, now owner of a small craft store and English teacher Anna. Both women are middle aged, have grown kids (Anna’s adopted son is on the spectrum). Anna is dating a health and safety inspector (Liam) who proves to be quite an asshole. Her kids don’t like him anyway.
When Anna takes up crochet lessons at Ollies, we pretty much follow her progress from week to week as she takes on more and more advanced projects. Their mutual attraction grows steadily and I find the slow burn approach believable (don’t forget Anna is still dating Liam and not really thinking of women in that way). We get a real in-depth character study of both women (we alternate between their pov’s), a bit à la Susan X. Meagher.
You have to be very patient with these two. There is a lot of baggage to navigate through plus Liam plus Anna's kids plus Ollie’s estranged kids but like I said there is no overt drama. If you don’t like crafting at least a bit I suggest you don’t even start because it is the backbone of this almost 400-page novel (on Scribd anyway). Also, even though there’s sweet cuddles and kissing a plenty (once they have crossed that bridge) the single money shot scene will not happen until the last 50 pages.
I was surprised that it kept me going like it did. I read the whole book in two days, so that’s a good thing. Sure, Ylva could have maybe culled it a bit, but it was still a very enjoyable read and a good debut.
f/f explicit
Themes: London, past time infidelity, war veteran, busted knee, craft shop, crochet lessons, lots of tea and granny squares, workaholics, Liam is a narrow-minded ass hat, the holiday season.
4 stars
It’s a slow burn, slow paced and basically drama free romance story about war veteran Ollie, now owner of a small craft store and English teacher Anna. Both women are middle aged, have grown kids (Anna’s adopted son is on the spectrum). Anna is dating a health and safety inspector (Liam) who proves to be quite an asshole. Her kids don’t like him anyway.
When Anna takes up crochet lessons at Ollies, we pretty much follow her progress from week to week as she takes on more and more advanced projects. Their mutual attraction grows steadily and I find the slow burn approach believable (don’t forget Anna is still dating Liam and not really thinking of women in that way). We get a real in-depth character study of both women (we alternate between their pov’s), a bit à la Susan X. Meagher.
You have to be very patient with these two. There is a lot of baggage to navigate through plus Liam plus Anna's kids plus Ollie’s estranged kids but like I said there is no overt drama. If you don’t like crafting at least a bit I suggest you don’t even start because it is the backbone of this almost 400-page novel (on Scribd anyway). Also, even though there’s sweet cuddles and kissing a plenty (once they have crossed that bridge) the single money shot scene will not happen until the last 50 pages.
I was surprised that it kept me going like it did. I read the whole book in two days, so that’s a good thing. Sure, Ylva could have maybe culled it a bit, but it was still a very enjoyable read and a good debut.
f/f explicit
Themes: London, past time infidelity, war veteran, busted knee, craft shop, crochet lessons, lots of tea and granny squares, workaholics, Liam is a narrow-minded ass hat, the holiday season.
4 stars
January 27, 2019
First off, I must say, I was pleasantly surprised to receive a generous offer from the author of this book to read it before its release date sometime in February with no review obligation. After communicating briefly with Jenn Matthews, new author of Ylva's and the architect of this book, "Hooked On You," I was intrigued. I promised that I would give it a go after I finished the 3 books that I was reading then. Nonetheless, the story which captivated me from the start has inspired me to decide on commenting about it.
It IS ironic that the book has the word "Hooked" on its title because...!!! Ok, ever the curious one, despite being busy reading several books simultaneously and carrying on with me day job, I just thought I'd read the first pages of Matthews' debut published novel just to get the gist of her writing tone and style. There was a Prologue. Good, so I dove in. Oh. My. God. Bloody hell! I instantly suspended all me other reads then so I could dive into this one! Needless to say, I was instantly HOOKED! From the Prologue alone! Whaaa?!
Full commentary here.... In Bugs' Own Words
It IS ironic that the book has the word "Hooked" on its title because...!!! Ok, ever the curious one, despite being busy reading several books simultaneously and carrying on with me day job, I just thought I'd read the first pages of Matthews' debut published novel just to get the gist of her writing tone and style. There was a Prologue. Good, so I dove in. Oh. My. God. Bloody hell! I instantly suspended all me other reads then so I could dive into this one! Needless to say, I was instantly HOOKED! From the Prologue alone! Whaaa?!
Full commentary here.... In Bugs' Own Words
February 19, 2019
Jenn Matthews’s book Hooked on You by takes you into the world of crochet with a heavy dose of romance. One of our main characters Ollie owns a craft store that offers crochet lessons. This group comes together not only to create scarves and throws but also as a support network for people that need a friendly face. The group finds that in Ollie, a 50+ year old ex-soldier that carries a ton of baggage from her time in the Middle East, her divorce and being a lesbian.
Anna, our other main character decides to find a hobby at the request of her college-aged daughter. Anna spends all of her time working as an English teacher and her kids think she needs something for herself. She decides on crochet and that takes her to Ollie. A woman she just cannot help but be smitten with.
This one was a tough one to nail down when it comes to a rating. First and foremost the book is well written. I thought that Jenn Matthews did a great job with character development and dialogue. The secondary characters add depth to the story and really make it shine. The romance felt authentic like this book could mimic a real-life love story. What holds me back a bit is that the pace was slow. I mean really, really slow and pretty heavy-handed in the crochet department. It almost felt a bit repetitive when it comes to crochet but the romance was written well enough to make up for talks of hooks and stitches. 3.5 stars
Anna, our other main character decides to find a hobby at the request of her college-aged daughter. Anna spends all of her time working as an English teacher and her kids think she needs something for herself. She decides on crochet and that takes her to Ollie. A woman she just cannot help but be smitten with.
This one was a tough one to nail down when it comes to a rating. First and foremost the book is well written. I thought that Jenn Matthews did a great job with character development and dialogue. The secondary characters add depth to the story and really make it shine. The romance felt authentic like this book could mimic a real-life love story. What holds me back a bit is that the pace was slow. I mean really, really slow and pretty heavy-handed in the crochet department. It almost felt a bit repetitive when it comes to crochet but the romance was written well enough to make up for talks of hooks and stitches. 3.5 stars
December 18, 2019
I'd been listening to some very steamy romances, erotica and crime thrillers, but then I came across this Ylva Publishing offering, and because I like the quality of the books they publish, decided to give it a try. When I first began the book, narrated by a lovely English voice, it took me a bit to change gears. But in a short while, I was hooked and ended up enjoying it so very much! This is a very sweet romance about two women in their early 50s who find one another when one, Anna, decides to take a crochet class at the other's (Ollie's) craft shop in England. Though that may not sound enticing on the surface, it really is one of those wonderful, classic love stories that captures your heart. Both women have grown children, both were married at one time, and only one has had a relationship with a woman before. So there are all kinds of interesting dynamics happening here. A later-in-life coming out story, an oh-so-sweet "oh my gosh - she's beautiful - and does she feel the same way about me?" slow build romance, and also how one of the women's children are still coming to terms with her sexuality when it resulted in the breakup of their traditional family. Before Ollie owned the craft shop, she was once a teacher in the military and Anna is also a school teacher. Anna's grown children still live with her - one is at university and one is an adopted young man with special needs. When the story begins, Anna is dating a man relatively casually, but she is drawn to Ollie right away. Ollie thinks Anna is really beautiful - but straight - and believes all they will have is friendship. This is one of the longer listens at 11 hours and the narration is strong, so you really get to know and care about these characters. As I listened and became engrossed in the story, I likened it to one of those films that you watch every holiday because it just makes you feel good. If any of this sounds appealing, definitely give it a try!
May 20, 2019
Some readers aren’t going to be a fan of Ollie because she cheats on her husband while figuring out she’s a lesbian (I know that sounds like a spoiler, but we learn it about it in the prologue). Even so, I liked Ollie because she’s really just trying to make the best of her life going forward and build it into something she can proud of.
Anna’s quite sweet and lovely, and she has a backbone when she needs to—like, say, with her boyfriend who’s a total dick. And, yes, I did cheer when he was kicked to the curb. I enjoyed seeing her figure out her sexuality because it’s a reminder that awakenings can happen at any age, even in your 50s.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/hook...
Anna’s quite sweet and lovely, and she has a backbone when she needs to—like, say, with her boyfriend who’s a total dick. And, yes, I did cheer when he was kicked to the curb. I enjoyed seeing her figure out her sexuality because it’s a reminder that awakenings can happen at any age, even in your 50s.
Full review: https://www.thelesbianreview.com/hook...
February 23, 2019
School teacher Anna finds herself stressed and bored so she decides to take on crochet classes with Ollie, an army veteran and the owner of the craft shop 'Darn that yarn'. As Ollie teaches Anna how to crochet, both women soon become friends and slowly discover their mutual attraction. But a jealous ex-boyfriend, their wary offspring and their own self-doubts get in the way. Will they have a happily ever after?
This is a debut novel by British author Jenn Matthews featuring main characters in their 50s, both divorced, one a lesbian and the other allegedly straight. As the reader can tell by the cover and the title, crochet is at the center of this story and it's the facilitator of the relationship between the leads. You don't need to love crochet to read this book (I personally don't) but an interest in arts and crafts would be beneficial.
As an avid crocheter herself, Ms. Matthews knows what she's talking about and the novel is filled with descriptions of techniques and materials for the craft. Personally, I think that the book goes into too many details (crochet or otherwise) that could have been removed to make the pace of the book slightly faster. Having said that, the slow burn suits this type of story and I was pleased to see that the author took her time to develop the mains relationship and the subplots.
The crochet classes environment works well to present the good number of secondary characters and to build the leads relationship. I liked how the author gave hints of their attraction through their body language and the natural sounding dialogues. The author is very cinematographic in her descriptions, she makes it easy for the reader to create a mental picture of the scenes. All the characters, mains or secondary, feel multi-layered and authentic, including the Anna's autistic son. The sex scene is well written and this book also features an excellent self-pleasuring scene. One of the best that I've read in non-erotica lesfic.
Through and through, this novel has a distinct British feel not only in the use of the language but also in many British references such as the use of tea as a conversation enabler or alcohol as a social lubricant. This helps to establish the tone and setting of the novel, providing authenticity and a credibility to the story.
Overall, a good slow-burn romance between a couple in their 50s with the unusual setting of a crochet class and an authentic British feel. 4 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
This is a debut novel by British author Jenn Matthews featuring main characters in their 50s, both divorced, one a lesbian and the other allegedly straight. As the reader can tell by the cover and the title, crochet is at the center of this story and it's the facilitator of the relationship between the leads. You don't need to love crochet to read this book (I personally don't) but an interest in arts and crafts would be beneficial.
As an avid crocheter herself, Ms. Matthews knows what she's talking about and the novel is filled with descriptions of techniques and materials for the craft. Personally, I think that the book goes into too many details (crochet or otherwise) that could have been removed to make the pace of the book slightly faster. Having said that, the slow burn suits this type of story and I was pleased to see that the author took her time to develop the mains relationship and the subplots.
The crochet classes environment works well to present the good number of secondary characters and to build the leads relationship. I liked how the author gave hints of their attraction through their body language and the natural sounding dialogues. The author is very cinematographic in her descriptions, she makes it easy for the reader to create a mental picture of the scenes. All the characters, mains or secondary, feel multi-layered and authentic, including the Anna's autistic son. The sex scene is well written and this book also features an excellent self-pleasuring scene. One of the best that I've read in non-erotica lesfic.
Through and through, this novel has a distinct British feel not only in the use of the language but also in many British references such as the use of tea as a conversation enabler or alcohol as a social lubricant. This helps to establish the tone and setting of the novel, providing authenticity and a credibility to the story.
Overall, a good slow-burn romance between a couple in their 50s with the unusual setting of a crochet class and an authentic British feel. 4 stars.
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
See all my reviews at www.lezreviewbooks.com
March 20, 2019
This book was the March 2019's Sapphic Book Club read hosted by sapphicbookclub.
Hooked on You is a really lovely novel.
It's not the most exciting book, but that doesn't mean that it is boring in any way, I still read through it fairly quick. The characters work through some very existential things, so the pace fits the story.
It is gentle and nice and very british. The book delivers on exactly what the blurb promises - and I appreciate that.
I also really liked the prologue as a set-up with a different aesthetic than the following story and I liked the message of it never being too late to find someone you click with and to figure new stuff out about yourself, even when it comes to sexuality.
Hooked on You is a really lovely novel.
It's not the most exciting book, but that doesn't mean that it is boring in any way, I still read through it fairly quick. The characters work through some very existential things, so the pace fits the story.
It is gentle and nice and very british. The book delivers on exactly what the blurb promises - and I appreciate that.
I also really liked the prologue as a set-up with a different aesthetic than the following story and I liked the message of it never being too late to find someone you click with and to figure new stuff out about yourself, even when it comes to sexuality.
February 3, 2019
Hooked on You is the first novel for writer Jenn Mathews and I applaud her efforts. The title is a gentle play on crocheting which the story revolves around.
One of the outstanding features of the novel is the age of the main characters. These are not nubile young ripped bodied women. Both Ollie and Anna are mature women of fifty-one years of age. They both have ex-husbands and grown children. Another feature is Anna's adopted son Timothy who has special needs. Demonstrating how Anna's family dynamics works when one child requires more attention is interesting yet blends effortlessly into the narrative.
Ollie is an Army veteran with a significant and at times debilitating leg injury. After she was released from rehabilitation and the armed service an old friend teaches her how to crochet to help fill her time. As the story begins Ollie is the owner of a craft store where she teaches crocheting and craft work twice a week.
Anna is a teacher who is divorcée with a boyfriend yet feels stuck in a rut. She decides to take up a hobby and is drawn to crocheting. Anna goes to Ollie's store for supplies and ends up attending one of the night classes to learn how to crotchet.
There is a definite attraction between the women and a slow romance begins. It feels more real than most romances. This could be because of the age of the characters and how they react to the attraction or how slowly the relationship evolves.
I only have one pressing question/oddity about the writing. Ollie uses the term “comrade” a lot. It seemed out of place and at times I felt I was inside a Tolstoy tome.
I thoroughly enjoyed this off beat novel. 4⭐️
One of the outstanding features of the novel is the age of the main characters. These are not nubile young ripped bodied women. Both Ollie and Anna are mature women of fifty-one years of age. They both have ex-husbands and grown children. Another feature is Anna's adopted son Timothy who has special needs. Demonstrating how Anna's family dynamics works when one child requires more attention is interesting yet blends effortlessly into the narrative.
Ollie is an Army veteran with a significant and at times debilitating leg injury. After she was released from rehabilitation and the armed service an old friend teaches her how to crochet to help fill her time. As the story begins Ollie is the owner of a craft store where she teaches crocheting and craft work twice a week.
Anna is a teacher who is divorcée with a boyfriend yet feels stuck in a rut. She decides to take up a hobby and is drawn to crocheting. Anna goes to Ollie's store for supplies and ends up attending one of the night classes to learn how to crotchet.
There is a definite attraction between the women and a slow romance begins. It feels more real than most romances. This could be because of the age of the characters and how they react to the attraction or how slowly the relationship evolves.
I only have one pressing question/oddity about the writing. Ollie uses the term “comrade” a lot. It seemed out of place and at times I felt I was inside a Tolstoy tome.
I thoroughly enjoyed this off beat novel. 4⭐️
September 25, 2020
DNF
Since there were so many good reviews about this novel I wanted to give this book a try ...
It saddens me to say so but I had more than a bit of trouble with it and struggled to get through it ... and I didn't even reach the end.
Nope, it was not horrendous, it wasn't just not my thing ...
Why ??
Just a few examples of what didn't work for me ..
° it was really too long & boring.
° nothing felt really credible.
° I couldn't click with any of the MCs who were quite childish for 51 YO women
° I wasn't able to care for any of the MCs or their stories. Nope no sparks here ...
° I didn't feel the so-called chemistery between the MCs & they felt more like elderly friendly moms to me than romantic partners
° the author’s speech mannerisms => IDK if it's a regional thing but I thought those verbal tics were really annoying … ("Reckon" being one of them)
° the too numerous typos found here and there …
Since there were so many good reviews about this novel I wanted to give this book a try ...
It saddens me to say so but I had more than a bit of trouble with it and struggled to get through it ... and I didn't even reach the end.
Nope, it was not horrendous, it wasn't just not my thing ...
Why ??
Just a few examples of what didn't work for me ..
° it was really too long & boring.
° nothing felt really credible.
° I couldn't click with any of the MCs who were quite childish for 51 YO women
° I wasn't able to care for any of the MCs or their stories. Nope no sparks here ...
° I didn't feel the so-called chemistery between the MCs & they felt more like elderly friendly moms to me than romantic partners
° the author’s speech mannerisms => IDK if it's a regional thing but I thought those verbal tics were really annoying … ("Reckon" being one of them)
° the too numerous typos found here and there …
May 22, 2019
This is pretty sweet romance between two 50 years old women, both are somewhat struggling with their mutual attraction.
One side is completed by a borish ex boyfriend, a funny daughter and an adopted son with autism.
On the other, estranged adults kid, mild ptsd and chronical pain due to an encounter with a bomb while teaching kid in a war zone.
They met at a crochet lesson, becomes friends and see each other often.
The crocheting is so well-written you may found yourself wondering if you should give it a try
I read it a few weeks ago in one go, felt quite happy and fuzzy. It's like a nice grog in a bath.
Well-written and cherry on the cake respectful of diversity (two woman above 50 years old and they are not stuck in a mama of grama positions & two disabled characters meeting and not speaking their disability, oh yeah !!!)
One side is completed by a borish ex boyfriend, a funny daughter and an adopted son with autism.
On the other, estranged adults kid, mild ptsd and chronical pain due to an encounter with a bomb while teaching kid in a war zone.
They met at a crochet lesson, becomes friends and see each other often.
The crocheting is so well-written you may found yourself wondering if you should give it a try
I read it a few weeks ago in one go, felt quite happy and fuzzy. It's like a nice grog in a bath.
Well-written and cherry on the cake respectful of diversity (two woman above 50 years old and they are not stuck in a mama of grama positions & two disabled characters meeting and not speaking their disability, oh yeah !!!)
February 19, 2019
Nice, sweet and slow. If you like these things in your readings, then this book is for you.
February 23, 2021
Loved reading this romantic and gentle story of two women in their early fishies who meet when one of them Anna starts going to the crochet classes Ollie gives. They each have a family and a past without each other that wasn’t always easy. Mistakes were made but life has to be lived and enjoyed and both MC’s know that. They carefully build their relationship with attention and respect for the other’s circumstances. This mellow book without angst or a lot of conflict still keeps your attention. Recommend.
February 5, 2019
I haven’t read anything by Matthews before, but after reading Hooked on You, I’ll be on the lookout for new work by this author.
Hooked on You is a gently-paced romance between two likeable main protagonists. I have zero interest in knitting or crocheting so that topic did nothing to draw me into the story and the author needed to pique my interest elsewhere. Fortunately, the cast of secondary characters and the MCs themselves provided more than enough entertainment to keep me engrossed. I particularly liked Timothy and could have happily read more scenes that included his character.
I have two (minor) gripes. Firstly, the character of Liam was somewhat two-dimensional – a cardboard cutout of an unlikeable person. I couldn’t imagine why he would ever have attracted Anna in the first place. Secondly, I didn’t feel I got as much information as I would have liked about the fallout after Ollie was injured. I got as much as I needed but it would have been good to have been shown how Ollie’s life blew up, rather than being told about it.
I liked the way the romance developed – it was believable and relatable. The love scenes were sweet and realistic – including the passion.
Although it had a few minor problems, the book was well-written and well-constructed. After recently reading a book that wasn’t well constructed, I particularly appreciated Hooked on You’s pace and structure. I can happily recommend this book, and I look forward to Matthews’s next outing.
Note: I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Hooked on You is a gently-paced romance between two likeable main protagonists. I have zero interest in knitting or crocheting so that topic did nothing to draw me into the story and the author needed to pique my interest elsewhere. Fortunately, the cast of secondary characters and the MCs themselves provided more than enough entertainment to keep me engrossed. I particularly liked Timothy and could have happily read more scenes that included his character.
I have two (minor) gripes. Firstly, the character of Liam was somewhat two-dimensional – a cardboard cutout of an unlikeable person. I couldn’t imagine why he would ever have attracted Anna in the first place. Secondly, I didn’t feel I got as much information as I would have liked about the fallout after Ollie was injured. I got as much as I needed but it would have been good to have been shown how Ollie’s life blew up, rather than being told about it.
I liked the way the romance developed – it was believable and relatable. The love scenes were sweet and realistic – including the passion.
Although it had a few minor problems, the book was well-written and well-constructed. After recently reading a book that wasn’t well constructed, I particularly appreciated Hooked on You’s pace and structure. I can happily recommend this book, and I look forward to Matthews’s next outing.
Note: I was given an advance copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
March 13, 2019
What a lovely book! The characters are complex and interesting, the story is sweet and believable. The rhythm was a bit slow at times but it gave an atmosphere I really liked.
do-not-read
July 10, 2019Will not be reading because the first quarter of the book depicts the abuse of an autistic child that is excused by the mother (one of the MCs).
Per this review: http://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/hoo...
& this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As an autistic reader, I am not up for reading something like this, nor can I root for an MC who allows this to happen to her child & excuses it.
Per this review: http://www.loveinpanels.com/prose/hoo...
& this review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
As an autistic reader, I am not up for reading something like this, nor can I root for an MC who allows this to happen to her child & excuses it.
February 17, 2019
3.5 stars.
February 14, 2019
In Hooked on You, the author sets an easy pace and I can see how some readers jumped off the train, not wanting to wait for something to finally happen because truthfully nothing extraordinary ever does. Instead, it’s full of quiet moments where two middle aged women find each other, first in friendship, then in love, maybe long since having given up on that ever happening again.
Not trying to be patronizing but just like some of the YA and NA details of some stories might get past me now, I think some of the awkwardness and pauses in this book might seem cringeworthy to anybody not in the same boat. But for those of us in the know, we can only nod and smile in recognition at what happens between Ollie and Anna.
It’s all a very affectionate portrayal of two good people deservedly being happy, told in a thoughtful way and I enjoyed reading it.
One stupid side note, I’m over 50 and do NOT listen to Dean Martin, maybe my 85 year old mom does.
Not trying to be patronizing but just like some of the YA and NA details of some stories might get past me now, I think some of the awkwardness and pauses in this book might seem cringeworthy to anybody not in the same boat. But for those of us in the know, we can only nod and smile in recognition at what happens between Ollie and Anna.
It’s all a very affectionate portrayal of two good people deservedly being happy, told in a thoughtful way and I enjoyed reading it.
One stupid side note, I’m over 50 and do NOT listen to Dean Martin, maybe my 85 year old mom does.
October 15, 2020
This book was given to the Sapphic Book Club
I really enjoyed this crafty, never too late to find love story. This story follows Anna as she decides to get a new hobby of crocheting. And Ollie, who owns a yarn store (with a great name of Darn That Yarn!) and is working thru some family issues.
It took me longer than average to connect with the story. I had trouble in the beginning with who was who and how they related to each other. But once that all slotted into place, I was hooked! I loved Anna and Olli. They were so cute together and their journeys thru their individual roadblocks were very well done and heartwarming. I really liked that both characters were in their 50s and not the typical age of 20s or 30s.
If you have any inclination for craftiness, this book is going to make you want to dive on in. I found myself starting to knit again!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to contemporary romance fans, or fans of books with lots of crafting.
I really enjoyed this crafty, never too late to find love story. This story follows Anna as she decides to get a new hobby of crocheting. And Ollie, who owns a yarn store (with a great name of Darn That Yarn!) and is working thru some family issues.
It took me longer than average to connect with the story. I had trouble in the beginning with who was who and how they related to each other. But once that all slotted into place, I was hooked! I loved Anna and Olli. They were so cute together and their journeys thru their individual roadblocks were very well done and heartwarming. I really liked that both characters were in their 50s and not the typical age of 20s or 30s.
If you have any inclination for craftiness, this book is going to make you want to dive on in. I found myself starting to knit again!
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would recommend it to contemporary romance fans, or fans of books with lots of crafting.
April 28, 2019
Great read!
I truly enjoyed this sweet, tender love story with characters with more life experience and with more developed personalities. Both main characters being in their 50s. I liked how the women grew into a friendship and this friendship slowly grew into love. The interaction with each other was sweet and fun to read. The story is well told and you really get to know the characters. Characters you get emotionally involved with. Who knew crochetting could be so romantic!
I truly enjoyed this sweet, tender love story with characters with more life experience and with more developed personalities. Both main characters being in their 50s. I liked how the women grew into a friendship and this friendship slowly grew into love. The interaction with each other was sweet and fun to read. The story is well told and you really get to know the characters. Characters you get emotionally involved with. Who knew crochetting could be so romantic!
February 22, 2019
Long and boring.
June 14, 2019
Fine, slow, meanders it's inevitable course in a way that neither excites nor challenges which is exactly what it says on the tin.
March 9, 2019
This book was read for Sapphic Book Club, hosted by sapphicliterature.
This was... cozy. I really felt pretty pleased reading this and overall it was a cute read. Romance is definitely not my genre, I usually don't get too into it, but I'm always happy to give it a chance, especially when the setting isn't the most common one. I enjoyed many things about this. Characters were beautifully crafted, I enjoyed their contrasts and how their relationships developed along the story. This was very character-driven, and I liked it. However, it also meant that I didn't feel enough tension in the book. It left the story a bit bland to me. But considering how easy to read and soft the book was, I can understand that. It's just not my cup of tea.
If you like romance, this will probably be a nice book for you! Oh, and I absolutely loved the crocheting aspect in the story – it gave the story a unique, sweet touch.
This was... cozy. I really felt pretty pleased reading this and overall it was a cute read. Romance is definitely not my genre, I usually don't get too into it, but I'm always happy to give it a chance, especially when the setting isn't the most common one. I enjoyed many things about this. Characters were beautifully crafted, I enjoyed their contrasts and how their relationships developed along the story. This was very character-driven, and I liked it. However, it also meant that I didn't feel enough tension in the book. It left the story a bit bland to me. But considering how easy to read and soft the book was, I can understand that. It's just not my cup of tea.
If you like romance, this will probably be a nice book for you! Oh, and I absolutely loved the crocheting aspect in the story – it gave the story a unique, sweet touch.
March 15, 2019
3.5 stars. This was a sweet book. Both characters are likeable. I crochet but I can see that some of the dialogue could be confusing or annoying if you aren’t familiar with the terms.
March 11, 2019
I received this book as part of a monthly read for sapphicbookclub.tumblr.com.
The protagonists in this were both in their early 50s which I really appreciated because I rarely get to read romances with older protagonists in them. So score one for older WLW! It's very slow paced and easy to read which I also liked a lot. I didn't like the protagonists much when I started out, but they really ended up growing on me! I loved how their romance was developed and how it progressed through the book. The intimacy was sweet and gentle and it felt natural.
The main issue I had with the book was with the beginning mostly. There was a sort of a prologue that I didn't realise was a prologue till the next section jumped to the future. The earlier chapters were a bit here and there in the sense that there seemed to be too many characters coming in at once and I couldn't really make sense of what was going on, but it came together quite nicely towards the middle and onwards. Overall I thought it was a sweet story despite the hiccups in the beginning, and I also appreciated the inclusion of characters of differing abilities. That was one of the book's strong suits in my opinion, because it was all incorporated quite nicely.
The protagonists in this were both in their early 50s which I really appreciated because I rarely get to read romances with older protagonists in them. So score one for older WLW! It's very slow paced and easy to read which I also liked a lot. I didn't like the protagonists much when I started out, but they really ended up growing on me! I loved how their romance was developed and how it progressed through the book. The intimacy was sweet and gentle and it felt natural.
The main issue I had with the book was with the beginning mostly. There was a sort of a prologue that I didn't realise was a prologue till the next section jumped to the future. The earlier chapters were a bit here and there in the sense that there seemed to be too many characters coming in at once and I couldn't really make sense of what was going on, but it came together quite nicely towards the middle and onwards. Overall I thought it was a sweet story despite the hiccups in the beginning, and I also appreciated the inclusion of characters of differing abilities. That was one of the book's strong suits in my opinion, because it was all incorporated quite nicely.
July 2, 2019
An ok read - slow burn romance. Story on second chance of finding love - 2 MCs (Anna & Ollie) who are in their early fifties, divorced, straight until they aren’t. Well-written though at some point I felt that it was just too draggy - enough already and just seal the deal! Pronto pls! :)
3.5 ⭐️
3.5 ⭐️
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