Just what I needed: A cozy, clean read about a community of quilters!

Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective. Instead of each character picking up the story where the previous one left off, though, most of the chapters cover the same time period, so various plot points and dialogue exchanges are repeated, which I didn't love. A couple of minor characters also acted in ways that seemed unrealistic.

On the moral front, premarital sex is portrayed as being relatively acceptable (though there is no description of it).

All the same, it was a nice break from the nonfiction I tend to read. I'll definitely keep turning to this series in the future for all my fluffy-but-not-too-fluffy reading needs. ( )

This ninth Elm Creek Quilts novel continues the series with a tribute to matriarch Sylvia Compson, who surprised her fellow quilters by marrying her longtime sweetheart on a recent holiday. Eager to honor their favorite Master Quilter, the Elm Creek Quilters hasten to stitch a bridal quilt for the newlyweds. Until the time comes to unveil the surprise gift, Sylvia will be the one in the dark.

Just when it seems that the women have everything to celebrate, forces conspire to threaten their happiness and prosperity. Two among them falter in their personal relationships, while another suffers financial problems. As still two others weigh the comfort of the present against dreams of a future far from Elm Creek Manor, closely guarded secrets strain the bonds of friendship with those who may be left behind

After two books focusing almost exclusively on Sylvia, this book turns back to the other Elm Creek Quilts members, with a chapter dedicated to individual members.

Covering roughly the same period of time, we get to see how the start of the new season affects each person. Sylvia and Andrew are now married, but without a wedding quilt, so the group band together to make one for them in secret.

Bonny, whose husband almost had an affair 5 years previously, finds out that her marriage - and the quilt shop - is coming to an end.

Mary Beth, the "arch nemesis" president of the Waterford Quilting Guild - and Diane's next door neighbour has some shocking home truths to learn about her children and the Guild.

Summer moves in with her boyfriend, and confronts the fact that she is stagnating in Waterford, in no small part because her mother has manipulated her to remain.

All members of the group end up making life changing decisions, which will have an effect not only on themselves but on the wider group

It's good to see the author changes her writing style enough to keep things interesting for the reader and moving along. It will be good to see new characters come in (and possibly some of the other characters leave or fade into the background).
( )

Yet another quilt tale, this story from the Elm Creek series centers around the Elm Creek team and the upheavals in their lives as they plan a wedding quilt for Sylvia, their master quilter.

Bookcrossing: http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/6389202/

The Elm Creek Quilt series has been one of my favorite series up until this installment. In this particular novel, the same story is repeated through the eyes of each quilter with only the knowledge that each quilter has. It's an oft-used literary technique, but in this case, it just didn't work. The quilters are trying to surprise Sylvia with a wedding quilt. Most of the quilters are grappling with personal issues. Bonnie is having marital issues and business issues. Summer is having boyfriend troubles. Another is facing employment decisions. Some are having problems with teenage children. If this were the first installment that I had picked up in the series, I would probably have abandoned it and not tried another installment. One doesn't get the warm happy feeling that the earlier novels resonate. There's a slight glimpse of it in the final chapter, but most would never make it that far, nor is it sufficient to depict the true atmosphere of Elm Creek Manor. I'll try the next one and pray that the charm of life near Waterford returns. ( )

Ms. Chiaverini tries another technique by having the same story from the POV of the Elm Creek staff members and then throws in the POV of the enemy, Mary Beth Sullivan. I was surprised, but then realized it was necessary. At first, I was thinking she was revealing the culprit (of trashing and stealing from Grandma's Attic) too early, but then realized it would take a while for the others to find out. I loved how Agnes became a self-assigned detective, especially helping Bonnie after her split with Craig. ( )