The New Year's Quilt

A charming cover, a perfect size book, and a great read; who could ask for more? I was pleased to hear more of Sylvia's story, especially about her activities during her 50 year absence from Elm Creek. Hearing about the new year's traditions from other cultures was fascinating, and I had to laugh at Sylvia writing resolutions for everyone except herself. Once again Jennifer Chiaverini has inspired those who want to to get busy on the next quilting project to do so. Thanks, Jennifer!

An excellent continuation of the Elm Creek Quilts Novel series. The book was short and sweet. In fact, the only problem I had with the book was that it ended too soon.

Just love this book and the whole series. Can not put it down, Hate when I get to the end and can not wait for the next book.

A friend loaned me the first Jennifer Chiaverini's novels. I was hesitant when I first started reading it thinking it would be "korney". I was pleasently surprised at how good of a story teller Mrs Chiaverini is. Her books are wonderful reads and I have enjoyed all of them thoroughly. I love to re-read books after a couple of years, and these are definitely books that I will keep to re-read again in time. Jennifer/Ft Wayne, IN

Sylvia Compson, master quilter and senior owner of Elm Creek manor, has married beau Andrew Cooper at their Christmas Eve party, to the gleeful surprise of their friends and associates. But the occasion is a bittersweet one because Andrew's two grown children, Amy and Bob, chose not to make the trip to Pennsylvania and so were not in attendance. Sylvia is fairly certain that Bob and his family, out in California, will welcome her new role in the Cooper clan. She is less sure about Amy's reaction, for Andrew's daughter was adamantly against the engagement from the beginning. The newlyweds plan to drive from central Pennsylvania to Hartford, Connecticut, to share their news with Amy and Daniel and the three grands and to celebrate the start of the new year. Will Amy accept Sylvia as her father's wife? And will she even want the New Year's Resolution quilt that Sylvia is bringing her? A long drive is the perfect time for reflective thinking; and as the miles pass, Sylvia remembers notable New Year's Eves of the past, while she diligently works to finish the quilt on time. Her memories are woven into the blocks themselves: the year her cousin Elizabeth announced she was marrying Henry and moving to California; the anticipation leading up to her brother Richard's birth; the first Christmas and New Year's after her mother's death; the events that led up to Sylvia's final argument with her sister Claudia and her abandonment of the Bergstrom farm; and the day she got the news that Claudia had died and the estate was hers. Throughout the decades, quilts were always a part of her life. Now Sylvia is ready to share her personal history, in fabric, with her new step-daughter. Ms. Chiaverini has given us a heart-warming and thought-provoking read that's much more than mere holiday fluff. To Elm Creek fans, Sylvia's memories fill in some of gaps of backstory that heretofore have gone unexplored. To newcomers to the series, these colorful threads of history will surely lead them to seek out some of the earlier books. And we can all benefit from the advice given by one of the characters here: "Anyone can make promises. The challenge is in following through." A Happy New Year, indeed.