The Great Christmas Knit Off - Alexandra Brown

The Great Christmas Knit Off by Alexandra Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The perfect seasonal tale of how laughter, friends and wacky Christmas jumpers can mend a broken heart. For fans of Trisha Ashley and Jenny Colgan.

Heartbroken after being jilted at the altar, Sybil has been saved from despair by her knitting obsession and now her home is filled to bursting with tea cosies, bobble hats, and jumpers. But, after discovering that she may have perpetrated the cock-up of the century at work, Sybil decides to make a hasty exit and, just weeks before Christmas, runs away to the picturesque village of Tindledale.

There, Sybil discovers Hettie’s House of Haberdashery, an emporium dedicated to the world of knitting and needle craft. But Hettie, the outspoken octogenarian owner, is struggling and now the shop is due for closure. And when Hettie decides that Sybil’s wonderfully wacky Christmas jumpers are just the thing to add a bit of excitement to her window display, something miraculous starts to happen…



This is the first book I have ever read by Alexandra Brown, I knew she was very popular but other than thank I had no idea what to expect.

First thing I must say is that her ability to write about the setting and make the reader fall in love with it was incredible. I felt like I was in Tindledale with the characters and actually wished I was. She made the setting sound wonderful with it being welcoming and warm.

I loved the community feel about the book. Living in a town, I don't have that, you are unusual normally if you know the person who lives next door to you. Where as in Tindledale neighbours are friends and rally round to help each other. I loved that everyone tried to help Hetti, people she didn't even think would care did and this is what made all the characters really likable.

Sybil has a good job in the city, her husband to be however ran off with her sister and she has made a huge mistake at work involving a lot of money and is going to cost the tax payer thousands. she needs to get away and somewhere far. She has some friends who own the pub in a little village called Tindledale. They are always saying she must come and visit. The fact that she can't get hold of her won't matter, she will love to see her. So Sybil jumps on the train and heads off.

It doesn't take Sybil long to fall in love with Tindledale. Everything is so warm and welcoming there, well minus the power cut when she arrives and the lack of her friend there... she gets offered a room at a local B&B. The owner is so wonderful, takes the time to listen to Sybil and helps her find her was around. He really takes an interest in her and wants to help her out.

I hear that this is the first in a series of Tindledale and I would be interested in reading others. This was a lovely heartwarming tale. I would also like to read about Tindledale in the summer as I think the setting would be just as beautiful.

For me this was a different type of Christmas read, but one I enjoyed.

I would like to thank the publisher for sending this in exchange for an honest review.