Eh ( )

Ivy is fleeing from an abusive husband, but she is so beaten down, she doesn't even tell her whole story, until she finally tells the women she works with in the quilting ship the truth - and they protect her from her abusive husband ( )

Since I loved the first Cobbled Quilt novel, I had to pick this one up as well. And while it was very good, it didn't grab me like [b:A Single Thread|4517257|A Single Thread (Cobbled Quilt #1)|Marie Bostwick|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1347750957s/4517257.jpg|4566321] did.

The characters are wonderful. I already loved Evelyn, Abigail, Margot, and Liza (and, of course, Garret, Franklin, and Charlie), and I was delighted to revisit them. Ivy was a great addition to the circle, with a poignantly powerful backstory. Some of the best writing in the novel was Ivy's story.

However, there were times when Ivy's POV slipped into long paragraphs of telling and exposition where nothing happened. I found myself skimming these, wanting to get back to the action. It wasn't bad enough to make me even consider abandoning the book though, and I still highly recommend reading it.

I should warn that there are some themes that may be disturbing to some, and this is definitely not a story for children. Ivy is an abused woman, running from her abusive husband. It is an important story, though, and very worth reading. ( )

I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written. One thing that jumped out at me was that the pacing was different from many of the novels, and especially mysteries, I have read recently. Initially, I thought the book was moving too slowly. Then I realized that the pacing was just different, told myself to slow down and enjoyed the book immensely.

[a:Marie Bostwick|489648|Marie Bostwick|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] is a good writer. I liked the integration of quiltmaking into the story without having it take over the story as it does in other novels. There is some religion, but not so much that it is irritating.

I was pleased to meet up with the characters from [b:A Single Thread|4517257|A Single Thread|Marie Bostwick|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Wpa69ToTL._SL75_.jpg|4566321] again and find out where they were. Their characters have developed and, while there was nothing wrong with them in [b:A Single Thread|4517257|A Single Thread|Marie Bostwick|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Wpa69ToTL._SL75_.jpg|4566321], I enjoyed the character development. It was particularly noticeable in the character of Abigail Wynne. She has softened around the edges and the friendships from [b:A Single Thread|4517257|A Single Thread|Marie Bostwick|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41Wpa69ToTL._SL75_.jpg|4566321] have had a noticeable effect. I also noticed significant character developments in Ivy, a new character.
As I said, the story gave the reader some news about the lives of Liza, Evelyn, Abigail and Margot, but the basic premise of the story, around which the subplots revolved, had to do with domestic violence. One of the characters in the story is involved with that situation. I thought some of the information [a:Marie Bostwick|489648|Marie Bostwick|http://www.goodreads.com/images/nophoto/nophoto-U-50x66.jpg] gave about the fear, uncertainty and mistrust was very well written. I do think that it is impossible to convey some of the feelings without having experienced it. ( )

Ivy Peterman and her children have fled from an abusive marriage an have started a new life in New Bern, Connecticut. She has found a job in the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and has new hope, new friendships, and feels hopeful. However, when the quilt shop as a program on TV shwoing Ivy, her exhusband now knows where he can find her and the children. Ivy is not alone with her fears, she has a new sisterhood behind her......as strong and lsting as the quilts they stitich....