A Single Thread (Cobbled Court Quilts)
A Single Thread (Cobbled Court Quilts) book cover

A Single Thread (Cobbled Court Quilts)

Paperback – November 1, 2008

Price
$12.27
Format
Paperback
Pages
352
Publisher
Kensington
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0758222572
Dimensions
5.6 x 0.98 x 8.2 inches
Weight
11.4 ounces

Description

From Publishers Weekly Bostwick makes a seamless transition from historical fiction to the contemporary scene in this buoyant novel about the value of friendship among women. When Evelyn Dixon's marriage ends, she leaves Texas and drives north until New Bern, Conn., captures her heart. There she pursues a dream of opening a quilt shop, and with little money and a lot of determination, she turns a derelict building into a haven for the crafty set. But three women who show up for quilting class end up learning about more than stitching and batting. Chilly, wealthy Abigail Burgess; her angry 19-year-old niece, Liza; and recently laid-off Margot Matthews all have different reasons for being there, but when Evelyn, having just learned she has breast cancer, breaks down, the trio unites to support her. Evelyn's illness and recovery are the catalysts that force the others to re-examine their own lives, while hints of a possible romance for Evelyn add a complementary thread to the friendship, community and illness story lines. Bostwick's polished style and command of plot make this story of bonding and sisterhood a tantalizing book club contender. (Nov.) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. "By the time you finish this book, the women in A SINGLE THREAD will feel like your own girlfriends—emotional, funny, creative and deeply caring. It's a story filled with wit and wisdom. Sit back and enjoy this big-hearted novel, and then pass it on to your best friend." – Susan Wiggs, New York Times bestselling author of Just Breathe “Bostwick makes a seamless transition from historical fiction to the contemporary scene in this buoyant novel about the value of friendship among women . . . Bostwick’s polished style and command of plot make this story of bonding and sisterhood a tantalizing book club contender.” – Publishers Weekly “. . . a pleasant story of friendship, with a message of starting over despite the odds. [A SINGLE THREAD] will remind readers of Debbie Macomber’s popular The Shop on Blossom Street . The first in Bostwick’s “Cobbled Court” series, this comforting book is highly recommended for public libraries.” – Library Journal “Bostwick's warmly nourishing, emotionally compelling novel is quiet yet powerful.”xa0 – John Charles, The Chicago Tribune “In A SINGLE THREAD Marie Bostwick beautifully captures the very essence of women's friendships-- the love, the pain, the trust, the forgiveness-- and crafts a seamless and heartfelt novel from them. Evelyn, Abigail, Margot, and Liza are as real and endearing as my own closest friends, and as I turned the last page I felt that sweet, satisfying sorrow in having to say goodbye that marks the work of a writer at the top of her game.” – Kristy Kiernan, author of Catching Genius and Matters of Faith “This novel is written for women who have been inspired, or have inspired themselves.”xa0 – RT BOOKreviews “What a wonderful story of strength, character and friendship. Ms. Bostwick has written a story so touching that it pulls at your heartstrings and doesn’t let up till you finish these women’s stories. She takes you on a journey with them and allows the reader to feel the same emotions as these women do. With the obstacles each must face, you cannot help but wish for a happy ending in these women’s lives. If you need a wonderful book to touch you and maybe even change your future path, I highly recommend adding A Single Thread to your book collection.” – Matilda, Coffee Time Romance “This is a beautiful, feel-good story that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys books about women and their relationships.” – Working Girl Reviews Marie Bostwick was born and raised in the northwest. In the three decades since her marriage, Marie and her family have moved frequently, living in eight different states at eighteen different addresses. These experiences have given Marie a unique perspective that enables her to write about people from all walks of life and corners of the country with insight and authenticity. Marie currently resides in Portland, where she enjoys writing, spending time with family, gardening, collecting fabric, and stitching quilts. Visit her at www.mariebostwick.com. Read more

Features & Highlights

  • Marie Bostwick weaves the unforgettable story of four very different women whose paths cross, changing their lives forever . . .It's a long way from Fort Worth, Texas, to New Bern, Connecticut, yet it only takes a day in the charming Yankee town to make Evelyn Dixon realize she's found her new home. The abrupt end of her marriage was Evelyn's wake–up call to get busy chasing her dream of opening a quilt shop. Finding a storefront is easy enough; starting a new life isn't. Little does Evelyn imagine it will bring a trio like Abigail Burgess, her niece Liza, and Margot Matthews through her door . . .Troubled and angry after her mother's death, Liza threatens to embarrass her Aunt Abigail all over town unless she joins her for quilting classes. A victim of downsizing at the peak of her career, Margot hopes an event hosted by the quilt shop could be a great chance to network—and keep from dying of boredom . . . As they stitch their unique creations, Evelyn, Abigail, Liza, and Margot form a sisterhood they never sought—but one that they'll be grateful for when the unexpected provides a poignant reminder of the single thread that binds us all . . .
  • Praise for the Novels of Marie Bostwick
  • Fields of Gold
  • "A touching story."—Patricia Gaffney"Gripping, heartwarming."—Dorothy Garlock
  • On Wings of the Morning
  • "Will set your heart to soaring!"—Debbie Macomber

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(1.2K)
★★★★
25%
(508)
★★★
15%
(305)
★★
7%
(142)
-7%
(-142)

Most Helpful Reviews

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enjoyable...until

I bought this book while I was on vacation a few weeks ago. The story line was familiar to many women. Although I was thinking; as I read it, that it was a pleasant read but not going to win any literary prizes that there was a part of the story line that caused me to decide that I would not be passing this book along to my friends. The preaching of the writers belief system turned me totally off. I don't need to read a work of fiction to determine my personal value system. There are many books that cause one to to think about moral situations this book was out right preaching. Thanks but no thanks I won't be reading anymore of this series.
89 people found this helpful
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5 blue ribbons from Romance Junkies

Evelyn Dixon's life was forever altered the day her husband of almost thirty years announced that he wanted a divorce. With the knowledge that she has to go on with life, she decides to take a road trip and winds up in the cozy little town of New Bern, Connecticut. There she finds the perfect place to make her dreams a reality - only it's not as easy as she'd hoped and life has a few additional curveballs heading in her direction.

For Evelyn opening a quilt shop is a dream come true but there's a lot of work involved and the building she's renting has some issues that put her way behind her intended `grand opening day'. Once she finally opens her good friend Charlie recommends she envision exactly what she wants her shop to be and set about making it a reality. One way she can think of to draw attention to her shop is by participating in the Quilt Pink Event. Women would come in to the shop and quilt a block for a quilt that will be auctioned off with all proceeds going to breast-cancer research.

Women quickly began signing up and sharing their own stories - all while advising Evelyn to go in for a check-up. She follows their advice and the day before the big event at her shop Evelyn receives the news that she has breast cancer. She never dreamed that such devastating news could result in her forming friendships that will carry her through her treatments and beyond.

Abigail Burgess, her niece Liza, and Margot Matthews all have very different reasons for attending the event at Evelyn's quilt shop but once they learn of her predicament the women gather around her and ensure that she has the support she needs to get her through her ordeal. Through their unique friendship formed out of necessity they discover that there's nothing wrong with sharing their burdens.

I'm not a quilter but I have to tell you after reading Marie Bostwick's A SINGLE THREAD I'm definitely considering trying my hand at it. The way she takes such an age-old past time and makes it the glue that holds these women together is simply astounding. This story `speaks' to readers on so many different levels and brings these characters into your heart so that you don't want their story to ever end. Evelyn, Abigail, Liza and Margot are characters you can laugh and cry with and I did several times during the course of this story. One of my favorite characters, Mary Dell, we only get to meet sporadically. She's that eternally optimistic `kick in the pants' friend who comes in and doles out the dose of reality just when it's needed but does it with such humor and heart that leaves you smiling through the tears. I think I'll have to revert to a quote from Ms. Bostwick's book to truly sum this story up though - "The need for friendship is the single thread that we all have running through us." Through life, loves, friendships and heartaches true friends will always be by your side...and these are exactly the sort of friends I want in my life.

Ms. Bostwick will be releasing another book set in this quaint community in the summer of 2009. It's called A THREAD OF TRUTH and there's sneak peek at the end of A SINGLE THREAD so I'm very hopeful that we'll get to reconnect with these friends as well as make some new ones.

Chrissy Dionne (courtesy of Romance Junkies)
57 people found this helpful
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Beautiful

A Single Thread is a beautiful book. I think it will speak to so many women - women married and divorced, women who have achieved dreams and women who have packed dreams away, women who have been left by men, and women who have had to start all over at one point, or many points, in their lives. Evelyn's a great character, finely drawn, and Abigail is so real I can see her and hear her clearly in my head. So much of what Abigail and Evelyn say rings so true, so authentic, I almost had to laugh. It's difficult to write with different voices and to make the characters sound different from each other, but Marie Bostwick has done a super job with it. Don't be scared away by some of the real life problems these ladies encounter, it's handled well and you'll keep wanting to read...
30 people found this helpful
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Disappointing, Trite, and Quiltless

If you're looking for a "quilting" novel, keep going. This book has about 5 minutes of quilting, and nothing very interesting related to quilting at all.

The rest of the novel is a tired old romance with the requisite (and cliche) illness thrown in for melodrama. I thought this was a first novel because of the overly-simplistic writing style and the "mistakes" that many new writers make--telling rather than showing, for example--but this author has apparently written several books. At the very least, this novel could have used an experienced editor to help the story push past the most serious flaws.

I'll be skipping the rest of this writer's books and looking for more interesting ones.
24 people found this helpful
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Beautifully Threaded Story

This was my first reading of Marie Bostwick's novels. I liked this story enough to keep reading her. The story of the Cobbled Court friends and how they came together is one that enriches the spirit and gives life lessons of friendship and hope for the future. There is a bit of romance and trial with a character development that surprises.
For those who like a gentle read (no scenes that give nightmares for those late night readers) with vibrant characters, wit and humor, and have a creative compassionate soul then this one is a great read.
11 people found this helpful
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Not another book about cancer!!!!

I bought this book from Amazon with the hope that it would be a pleasant story centered around quilting, but as soon as the main character is diagnosed with cancer, I closed the book and donated it to the library for its used-book sales. Maybe someone else won't mind, but I am sick and tired of all books nowadays having to feature the depressing theme of a character with cancer (this is not a spoiler, as it happens early on in the book and I didn't read to the end to even know the outcome).

After having several "false positives" in cancer tests, and going through the harrowing weeks until I knew I was in the clear, and after knowing several people who lost loved ones to cancer, the last thing I want to read about when I pick up a novel is someone with cancer. I can understand this being a theme in a few books, but lately every new book I pick up seems obliged to feature someone with cancer (esp. breast cancer).

Enough already! Unless you live on Mars, you know about cancer. Every time you turn around you hear, see or read about it, particularly breast cancer. We get it, okay, so stop shoving it down our throats in practically every book! Reading, at least for me, is often for information, but just as often it is for entertainment and as an escape from daily problems. If I want to read about illness, I'll pick up a medical book, thank you very much.

So maybe this turned out to be a good book, but I could not and did not finish it. I moved on to something a little more upbeat. But that's just me. If you get your jollies from reading about cancer, then go for it; I'm sure you'll enjoy this book. To each his own.
8 people found this helpful
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but to create a community of friends for support and love. This is accomplished and lives are changed

I don't know why I hesitate to start Marie Bostwick books. Perhaps I know that I will be challenged emotionally and spiritually. Marie writes books that makes you think and makes you care about her characters. In this Cobbled Court Quilts book, we learn that Evelyn bravely moves from Texas to New Bern, Connecticut. She "adopts" an old building to turn it into a quilt shop. He goal is to not only sell fabric, but to create a community of friends for support and love. This is accomplished and lives are changed. It's a good thing to see the lives of all four main characters change for the better. They put aside bitterness, betrayal, and hidden hurts to help each other. In doing so, they help themselves. They are some neat surprises at the end that you won't want to miss.
7 people found this helpful
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Quilting dreams and friendship against adversity

Evelyn goes up to New Bern, CT to see the fall foliage after the end of her marriage in Texas. While there, she falls in love with an abandoned shop space and decides to open the quilt shop of her dreams. As she struggles to make it work, she meets Charlie, a local restauranteur who helps her focus her vision for using her quilt shop to build community. At a the time of her Quilt Pink breast cancer event, she finds out she has been diagnosed with the disease. She breaks down in front of a late group of participants who become key players in her life. At this point in the book, I was having flashbacks to the Friday Night Knitting Club. While there are similarities between the 2 books, I thought this one was better overall, even if it did have some awkward/ unlikely occurrences. This was a fairly good book for those in the mood for women's friendships in adversity blended with crafts.
4 people found this helpful
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well written and engaging

As a counselor I'm well aware of the sometimes extraordinary secrets and stresses people carry quietly. I've also seen how just one small event (be it an action or a person) that comes at just the right time can literally change a life. Through the lives of some quilters I know, I've also seen how powerful a quilting community can be and how it can make a difference in a person's life.

Whether or not these are common experiences, what is uncommon is finding someone who can write well about them. Bostwick does just that. She allows us to experience the very real and true to life feelings of the two storytellers without lapsing into sentimentality or glibness. (Bostwick tells her story through the voices of two very different woman - a wise choice not to try to have four narrators.)Many times I read a book that may have a good story but the writing isn't particularly engaging. With this book, I found myself marking quotes that I wanted to keep because they were both well written and true in the deepest sense.

It's one of those books that I gladly stayed up too late to read because I did not want to stop.

I know what I'm giving some of my friends for Christmas!

Peggy Haymes
Didn't see it Coming: How I Faced Bouncing Off a Buick and Other Assorted Stuff
3 people found this helpful
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A Single Thread by Marie Bostwick

A Single Thread is Marie Bostwick at her very best. Newly divorced Evelyn Dixon moves across the country to Connecticut and opens a quilt shop, never foreseeing the friendships that will develop. Abigail Burgess, her niece Liza, Margot Matthews, and Evelyn find their so very different lives becoming patterns for 4 unique quilts.
I certainly look forward to the next book in the Cobbled Court series, A Thread Of Truth.
2 people found this helpful