The New Years Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Sometimes I'm just not sure what to think of these books. I get done reading a fantastic one and eagerly start on the next when I'm vastly disappointed. At least in this book the return of one of the main characters happens, but it is just her and the book really ends up being a rehash of previous books. I won't take the time to go through what's happened in the first ten books because it'd take forever, but that's ok because this could be read as a stand alone.

Sylvia Compton has recently married Andrew, a wonderful man who had been friends with her brother back when they were younger. Both in their twilight years, they were lucky to have found love this late in life. However, not everyone is so accepting of their relationship. Andrew's daughter Amy is dead set against it and they haven't even told her yet that they have been married. The biggest obstacle in this book will be telling her the news.

As they travel to New York for their honeymoon, and then onto Amy's house afterwards, Sylvia works on a New Years quilt. With each block she reminisces about past New Years in her life and resolutions she has made. She also thinks back on how she could have changed some of the sadder moments in her life and what she could have done differently. She hopes that with this quilt she can gain the acceptance of Andrew's daughter.

Chiaverini has always been a wonderful writer. However, its sad to see such a regurgitation of her previous books in that one. Some scenes are almost exactly the same as previous books with only a few different words thrown in. I was looking for something new. She is unoffensive in her writing and that is a positive. It makes this book a nice easy read for a rainy day or lazy afternoon. I just wish she'd get on with her original story.

Aside from the book being mostly repeats, for such a theme as New Years it was surprisingly a very gloomy book. It fit very well with the rainy day outside while I was reading it. I was expecting to be uplifted and shown the greatness of starting new, but this book only gave me a fraction of those feelings. Some more cheery memories could definitely have been added.

I like the series but I'm tired of all the weaker books in the link. I'd love to see Chiaverini get back to her original characters and plot line. I understand she's trying to branch out, but sometimes its better to let a good thing be.

The New Years Quilt
Copyright 2007
223 pages