review and tour: the sweetgum ladies knit for love by beth pattillo

Each Knit Lit member has some sort of problem. Eugenie should be desperately happy now that she's married the man she always loved, but some of his congregation (he's a reverend) are making her life difficult since she was never a regular church-goer. Eugenie also recently became guardian to the youngest member of the group; teenaged Hannah was abandoned by her drunk mother. Hannah also struggles in school--not academically, but with peer relationships. Things were going ok until an old friend returned as the star of the football team. The daughter of another Knit Lit member (Merry) wants the football star for herself and makes Hannah feel less than worthy. Merry has issues of her own related to her husband and children. Then there are two young women who have each recently lost a parent and face new realities. The final Knit Lit member has also suffered a loss; her husband passed away and it turns out the financial situation wasn't what he'd led her to believe.

Though closer in age to Camille and Maria, I felt more of a connection to Hannah. Camille and Maria were both wrapped up in their family situations even though neither really wants to be. Camille definitely wants out of her life, but felt she had to stay to care for her ill mother. Maria hasn't formed relationships with anyone (she's a new invite) because she's busy supporting her family--all of whom are capable adults and should support themselves. I haven't read the first book of the Sweetgum series so perhaps their motivations were better explained then, but here I didn't find a connection. Hannah's troubles were best developed. Perhaps I liked her better because as a teenager, she doesn't have as much control over her life. I felt all the adults either needed to stand up for themselves and/or take more responsibility for their choices. It was nice to see the widow starting to find her own way, so I would be interested in getting more of her story should there be a third Sweetgum novel.
3/5