Christmas at the Little Knitting Box
Christmas is coming and New York is in full swing for the snowy season. But at The Little Knitting Box in the West Village, things are about to change …
The Little Knitting Box has been in Cleo’s family for nearly four decades, and since she arrived fresh off the plane from the Cotswolds four years ago, Cleo has been doing a stellar job of running the store. But instead of an early Christmas card in the mail this year, she gets a letter that tips her world on its axis.
Dylan has had a tumultuous few years. His marriage broke down, his mother passed away and he’s been trying to pick up the pieces as a stay-at-home dad. All he wants this Christmas is to give his kids the home and stability they need. But when he meets Cleo at a party one night, he begins to see it’s not always so easy to move on and pick up the pieces, especially when his ex seems determined to win him back.
When the snow starts to fall in New York City, both Cleo and Dylan realise life is rarely so black and white and both of them have choices to make. Will Dylan follow his heart or his head? And will Cleo ever allow herself to be a part of another family when her own fell apart at the seams?
Full of snow, love and the true meaning of Christmas, this novel will have you hooked until the final page.
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Excerpt:
Cleo runs the Little Knitting Box in the West Village but things are soon about to change…
When Cleo Jones first arrived in New York four years ago, divorced at the tender age of twenty-nine and desperate for her life to take on a new direction, the city had made her feel small. Everything around her was alive, huge, noisy and intimidating. It had felt like a giant clock and New York was the second hand, ticking around fast, no messing. It was a complete contrast to the quiet Cotswolds, slow and steady like the hour hand, plodding along reliably and in no rush.
It had taken Cleo quite a while to adjust to life in New York, and back then she never could’ve imagined feeling at home the way she did now. Clutching the letter on her way to work, it was hard to believe her life as she knew it could be about to come to an end.
It was early November and already the days were getting shorter, the air distinctively cooler, and this morning, for the first time in a long while, Cleo had pulled out the scarf and gloves set she’d knitted last year and bundled up to take the short walk from her apartment in Greenwich Village to the West Village and The Little Knitting Box. Owned and run by her Grandma Eliza, then Grandpa Joe, and now Cleo, the store had been in their family for almost forty years.
Cleo’s feet crunched across the mixture of elm and red maple leaves that blew across the streets as fall prepared to draw its curtain and let winter take over. The sun had braved the cold and already risen above the clouds to hover and bring the buildings out of the shadows. If they were lucky with the weather today, the same orangey glow would reflect off the majestic skyscrapers later as the city buzzed beneath. She couldn’t face the crowds at the café near her apartment for her usual morning coffee today, not with the letter burning a hole in her gloved palm. Instead, she’d passed it by, dodged people milling about ready to start their day at retail outlets and eateries, continued up Bleecker Street, past the acclaimed Magnolia Bakery and the man tending to the flowerbed nearby.
When she reached The Little Knitting Box, she unlocked the security grill at the store and hoisted it up, letting it slide all the way to the top, much further than her five foot six body would allow. She unlocked the front door, let herself in and switched on all the lights. It always smelt the same in the store, the same as it had done for years, ever since the first time Cleo had come all the way from England to visit her grandparents. Grandma Eliza had used lavender sachets and cedar packets tucked all over the store at various points to be sure to repel insects and mould.
Cleo smiled, a contented expression as she came to this place of familiarity, the store that had embraced her at the start and never let her go. The smile only disappeared when she remembered the letter. She shoved it deep into the depths of her coat pocket, refusing to let it dampen her enthusiasm, at least not just yet.
She locked the front door behind her to give her a chance to set up. Already the city was a hive of activity and it wouldn’t be long before customers would descend. The first task of the day was to run a duster over the shelves by the front door, which seemed forever dirty now the heat of summer had passed them by. In a place filled with beautiful yarn, Grandma Eliza had taken no chances when this was her store. She was fastidious about cleanliness, something Cleo had continued when Grandpa Joe moved out to Connecticut and she took over running The Little Knitting Box.
The only part of Grandma Eliza that remained in the physical sense was the 1930s Singer sewing machine that sat on display behind the cash register. Its brown hardwood case with the gold embossed writing sat to one side and Cleo covered the machine up every night, clunking the lid into place. She removed the lid now and ran a hand across the black, sturdy machine, her fingers lightly finding the wind-on handle at the right. It was a beautiful piece of machinery, classic and part of the family that would be with them always. She wondered what Grandma Eliza would make of the letter she received this morning.
Snowflakes and Mistletoe at the Inglenook Inn (New York Ever After, Book 2)
It's the most wonderful time of the year...but is it the time to fall in love?
As the flames on the log fire flicker and the snowflakes swirl above the New York streets, maybe this Christmas could be the one that changes everything...
When Darcy returns to Manhattan, she’s put in charge of the Inglenook Inn, a cosy boutique hotel in the heart of Greenwich Village. The Inn needs a boost in bookings if it’s to survive the competition, so Darcy is convinced that hosting Christmas this year is the answer. What she doesn’t expect is to meet a face from the past, which can only spell trouble.
Myles left England behind and took a job in New York. It’s a step forwards in his career, and has the added bonus of being nowhere near his family. He’s also hoping to avoid Christmas, the worst time of the year. But when his company puts him up at the Inglenook Inn and he recognises Darcy, it isn’t long before they clash.
When disaster strikes, can Myles and Darcy put their differences aside to make Christmas at the Inglenook Inn a success?
Publication Date – 12tth December 2017
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Author Bio
Helen J Rolfe writes contemporary women's fiction with an emphasis on relationships and love. She enjoys weaving stories about family, friendship, secrets, and characters who face challenges and fight to overcome them. Helen enjoys creating strong female lead characters and although her stories often deal with serious issues, they always have a happy ending.
Location is a big part of the adventure in Helen's books and she enjoys setting stories in different cities and countries around the world. So far, locations have included Melbourne, Sydney, New York, Connecticut, Bath and the Cotswolds.
Born and raised in the UK, Helen graduated from University with a business degree and began working in I.T. This job took her over to Australia and it was there that she studied writing and journalism and began writing for women's health and fitness magazines. She also volunteered with the PR department of a children's hospital where she wrote articles and media releases. Helen began writing fiction in 2011 and hasn't missed the I.T. world one little bit, although the I.T. skills have come in handy of course, especially when it comes to creating and maintaining a website.
After fourteen years of living in Australia, Helen returned to the UK and now lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and their children.
Website - http://www.helenjrolfe.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/helenjrolfewriter
Twitter - https://twitter.com/HJRolfe
Giveaway
Win Christmas at the Little Knitting Box (paperback) & Chocolate!
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