Definitely pushing toward women's fiction/family saga, rather than romance, Real Men Knit is a fun, flirty escape with great characters and a heartwarming story about connections and community.

As a fan of Kwana Jackson’s other pen name K.M. Jackson I’d been looking forward to her debut under this name with Berkley. The summary alone delighted me because it screams complex family dynamics and the idea of grown men trying to figure out how to run a knitting and craft business really appealed to me.
The romance between Jesse and Kerry is sweet and a bit of a slow burn but is also low angst, which honestly I needed right now. I really liked Kerry in particular and loved seeing her stand up for herself as things went on. And the Strong brothers made me sit up and say ask what is behind each of their stories exactly Ms. Jackson!?

What delighted me the most about this book was the setting and the community. It did veer slightly more towards women’s fiction than romance for me but there is a solid HEA so that’s a small quibble and one I wouldn’t argue with anyone over because I really did love this.

But this almost had a small-town in a big city feel to it because of the strong sense of community Jackson brings to this one. Which makes sense to me, as I’ve read her K.M. Jackson Sugar Lake series. The secondary characters are what made the community aspect shine so bright and honestly, one of the reasons I cannot wait for more of this series. I want to visit all of them again immediately.

I read this ARC of Real Men Knit and enjoyed it. Unlike some books that are craft romances, it does not have any patterns which was a shame. The story revolves around the knitting shop of the Strong family. Mama Joy, the owner has died and the Strong men who are all hot need to decide what to do with the property. Three are settled in their careers-Damien is a CPA, Noah is a dancer, Lucas is a fireman. The only one who has no discernible career is Jesse. Jesse convinces them with the help of their mother's part-time help, Kerry, they can keep the shop. Kerry has grown up around the men and her and Jesse used to hide together as she had a crappy home life. They become an item and like all romances they have bumps along the way, but they have their HEA. Along the way, Jesse helps a boy who is being bullied for knitting. It was an excellent read and I could relate as my husband is a knitter.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was presented in a webinar as a romance book however I would categorize this book as a family fiction.

The book starts when the adopted mother "Mama Joy" of four men in Harlem passes away and their struggles to keep the knitting shop open as a landmark and the place that keeps the community together. Though the shop is struggling financially Jesse (the youngest son) tries to reopen the shop with the help of the longtime employee, Kerry. There is a lot back and forth between Kerry and Jesse with a few of the brothers thrown in with Kerry's best friend Val.

The book was okay, but I had a hard time finishing it because the writing seemed choppy and seemed to lack pizzazz. I really liked the idea of a book set in Harlem and was excited to learn about the area, but there wasn't any real content in the book about the culture or the interaction with the patrons of the store. The only thing I learnt about regarding Harlem and it's culture was when there was a mention about a chopped cheese sandwich. To find the description of this I had had to look up on the internet, a bit more description would have made for a more interesting read.

By the description and the cover I was really excited to read this book however it came up short of my expectations and wasn't one of my favourite reads.

Berkley has published some amazing romances lately, and I had so much riding on this one. Again, the cover and blurb had me picking it up, but when it came to the story, it just didn’t deliver.

The pace was so slow in the first half, all talk and no show, and it never reached its potential.

I was looking forward to some banter, family dynamic, fun times, some flirting, some guys knitting etc, and in the end all I got was a story, that meandered slowly and choppily along, with characters that all sounded the same.

Although I loved the low drama and angst, but in the end the book didn’t do it for me. I was actually a bit disappointed in this novel, and felt it could have used a bit more work.

Kerry Fuller is destroyed when her boss at the local knit shop, Mama Joy, passes away. Though she knows no one can replace Mama Joy, she’s also naturally type-A with an eye for a good business when she sees it. When one of Mama Joy’s adopted sons, the gorgeous playboy Jesse Strong, approaches Kerry to come up with a plan to keep the business running (despite his brothers’ misgivings), Kerry agrees to help him. She always considered Jesse to be a worthless player, but when he shows true interest in keeping Mama Joy’s spirit alive in the shop, Kerry can’t help but rethink her feelings about him. Of course, she’s always been immune to his charms, but as the two spend more time together, Kerry can’t help but wonder if there’s more to Jesse than meets the eye.

MY THOUGHTS
I love the idea of this book. Sure, the setting of “a successful knit shop in Harlem” is a bit outlandish, but it still gave me pangs of joy. Kerry and Jesse have great chemistry. Their witty back-and-forths are just the right mix of sweet and sexy. Jesse’s brothers add some extra personality, too, which is nice. This book could have been something really special and fun. Unfortunately, the writing is just not where it needs to be—mostly because there’s not enough present-day action or dialogue. The characters will say one or two sentences to each other and then be “reminded” of another time…that happens to lead to eight pages of backstory. Ugh, it’s a boring way to tell a story, and I couldn’t get past it. The book had such great potential, but it just never delivered.

I absolutely love the premise of this book. Four hot biracial adopted brothers inherit a knitting shop? Um, yes, please! However, this book was not a romance. It felt more like a family drama or a women’s fiction book.

I had a hard time getting into the writing style and the pacing felt very confusing. The first third of the book was very heavy on the exposition and telling me the plot versus helping me feel invested in the action and showing me what was happening.

At one point, I thought a chapter was setting up a menage between the brothers and Kerry, and then realized I was crazy and that was not happening even though I wished it did.

Since they introduced the four brothers and how different they were, I was expecting a set up for the “next” romances with the other brothers in future books.

Unfortunately, since this book was marketed as a romance, I will say that Jesse and Kerry in their minds said they liked and lusted after each other, but their words and actions didn’t help me feel like they had chemistry. They were both all in their heads constantly with their needs, feelings, and desires and I did not think their romance was front and center, nor was the HEA earned.

A lot of romances will plant the seeds of the “obvious” solution to the main couples and to me, the obvious ending was that she uses her art therapy degree and runs her sessions/classes out of the knitting shop. This never happened but I kept thinking it would.

Plot: Four adopted brothers inherit their late mother’s knitting shop in Harlem. Jesse, the youngest and playboy of the group, decides that he wants to give running the shop a go. The other three brothers, Damian, Noah, and Lucas are against the idea because they don’t believe in Jesse’s work ethic or follow-through, but decide to give him a shot. Jesse enlists the help of Kerry, Mama Joy’s part-time employee and surrogate daughter for nearly a decade, to help get him up to speed and reopen the shop for business.

Kerry agrees to help but keeps one foot and her heart firmly out the door because she’s heartbroken over Mama Joy’s passing, and worried she’ll lose her heart to longtime crush Jesse.

McDreamy to McSteamy: I think he's supposed to grow into a McDreamy, but didn't get here for me.

Classy to Nasty: PG-13 Vanilla fade-to-black

Hero rating: 🍆🍆 Again, I feel like the descriptor of him had me, but the actual reading of him fell so flat for me. Never feels good enough, doesn’t feel like he deserves love (which is warranted from his childhood, except that he got adopted by Mama Joy who loved him wholeheartedly and he has 3 brothers who love him). I liked that he went and made amends with his past lovers, but didn’t like that the reason was for the business and not because he realized what a dick he was by dating and dipping out. I didn’t like that he wasn’t willing to put his feelings on the line and talk to her honestly, till the grand gesture.

Heroine rating: 🍑🍑 I wanted to like her and for sure did at moments… like when she was taking care of herself, showing she was a grown woman, running her job/store capably, but didn’t like the way she lied about her feelings, and despite him trying to include her kept distancing herself the whole book, all the way to the end. Hard for me to root for and believe in their love when she didn’t.

Overall rating: ⭐⭐ Honestly, if I wasn’t reviewing for the podcast, this probably would have been a 1 star DNF since the opening 1/3 was so slow.

If Kwana Jackson's sweet confection of a book doesn't make you yearn to knit, then nothing will. For one thing, you have the four Strong brothers: four ripping hot men brought together by a fierce woman, the appropriately named Mama Joy, who adopted them, showing them love and security. But with her death come painful decisions. Do they keep her knitting store open?

Fortunately, the youngest Strong, the rascally Jesse, is determined to keep Strong Knits going. Equally as fortunate, Kerry has volunteered to help him, her massive crush on him notwithstanding. She's the right woman for him, even as he comes by his player reputation honestly.

The romance is important because it allows Kerry to come into her own with confidence and strength and for Jesse to learn that he is more than his reputation. But the romance is almost secondary to the culture of Strong Knits. Kwana Jackson's supporting cast is fun, and you want to get to know them. They form a community that supports Jesse and Kerry, even as they increasingly rely on the duo to support them as well. There will be times when you want to weep, whether with joy or sadness.

I adored this book! I love the characters Kwana Jackson creates, and I love the sweetness of this romance. I can't wait to get to know the other three Strong men.

Sweet story about community, family, and love. Centered around a knit shop in Harlem and a family learning how to manage without their beloved matriarch. Loved the family dynamics and the unique family.

I really wanted to like this book. I love both romances and knitting. But unfortunately the writing style just wasn't working for me so I ended up not finishing this book.

I would like to thank Kwana Jackson for a much-needed piece of writing needed during these crazy times. Real Men Knit provided just the right distraction from the chaos currently happening in our world. Real Men Knit felt like a warm hug and never let me go.

Mama Joy Strong dies suddenly and she is the proprietor of Strong Knits and is woven into the fabric of her Harlem community. (Pun intended) Mama Joy leaves her four strapping sons, Jesse, Damian, Lucas and Noah to cherish her memory as well as Kerry Fuller, who has been working in the shop for years and is just like family.

Jesse Strong is considered the least stable of his brothers and leaves a host of heartbroken women in his wake. It comes as a complete shock to his brothers when he decides to reopen Strong Knits with the help of Kerry whom he has been in love as long as he can remember. I loved Kerry. She was a gorgeous glasses wearing black woman with a subtle sexuality. She was secretly in love with Jesse too. It was sweet how their love story played out on a low simmer throughout the story. Jesse and Kerry, with the help of the other brothers, were committed to honoring Mama Joy's legacy by reopening Strong Knits and each of them used their talents to make much needed changes. I got a kick out of the fact that Jesse was a "knitter" not sure if that's the proper term but he was secure in his masculinity and was committed after he got through his reservation and fears of failing the shop and everyone else.

This was such a refreshing story and I need more from this author. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends. I adored the entire cast of characters, including Kerry's best friend Val. I would totally like to see this becoming a series with each brother and Val getting their own stories.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to receive this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a cozy story about four very different adopted brothers that inherit a yarn store after their mother dies unexpectedly, and the woman who was close to their mother! The book deals with grief, and institutional racism, but the optimistic tone prevails.

A book about men knitting? Yes, please!

In Real Men Knit, the Strong brothers are all super attractive, muscular, successful men… and they knit. These four adult brothers were all adopted as children by Mama Joy, who rescued them from the foster system and turned them into a family. Mama Joy ran a small Harlem knitting shop that was more than just a play to buy yarn — Strong Knits was a community home away from home, a place to gather, interact, and improve lives.

But when Mama Joy dies, her sons are devastated, and the fate of the shop is up in the air. Perhaps as devastated as the Strong brothers is Kerry, the neighborhood girl who grew up in Mama Joy’s shadow, always present and helping out, and devoted completely to Mama Joy (while totally crushing on Jesse). Now an adult with a degree in art therapy, Kerry works at the community center with neighborhood kids, but agrees to stay on at the shop to help Jesse reinvigorate it and make sure it has a future.

I love any scene where the brothers casually knit. It’s such an “in your face” to stereotypes about male and female hobbies. There’s nothing gender-specific about knitting! And I really enjoyed the brothers’ complicated relationships, their resentments, their sibling squabbles, and their clear and abiding love and respect for Mama Joy.

I also really appreciated reading about the positive change a single dedicated woman can make. Mama Joy used her yarn store as a jumping off point for changing lives, and it’s beautiful to see how many different people were affected by her influence and contribution, in so many different ways.

In fact, it’s only the romance parts of this story that left me feeling a little blah. I really liked all the characters and thought the premise was unique and original, but Jesse and Kerry as a couple didn’t really seem all that special to me. I mean, they were fine, but I wasn’t actually cheering for them or particularly invested in whether they got an HEA.

That said, I did feel invested in the overall story, and wished that it had continued long enough to see how everything turned out with the shop! Of course, there are four Strong brothers, all single, and only one featured in a relationship in this book… might there be more Strong Knits stories still to come? One per brother, perhaps? Because I’d definitely read those!

If you’re looking for a summer beach read with romance, heart, and a diverse set of characters, Real Men Knit would be a great choice.

✦Review: REAL MEN KNIT by Kwana Jackson https://wp.me/p3d0RZ-but
Publication Date: May 19, 2020
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 3.5 Stars

I loved the unique premise of this story, four strong sexy men trying to keep their adoptive mom’s knitting shop open. How could I pass that up? Jesse is the classic wanderer of the brothers; in that he never keeps a job or woman for long. Not a good reputation when he wants to convince his brothers to keep the shop open and capture the heart of a good woman. Kerry has known the brothers all her life, spending a lot of time with them in the shop. I liked her, but couldn’t understand why she was short-tempered with Jesse, yet he became so attracted to her – physically and emotionally. I’m one that has to believe the attraction. The physical part of the romance was mostly behind closed doors, so I wish the author had shown more emotional closeness in their actions and not just in their inner thoughts.

I liked Kerry and Jesse’s story and hope his brothers get their own, especially the crabby and secretive Damian.

*Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Kindle https://amzn.to/2LACvMd

I was so very excited about this one when I first heard about it. The idea of men who knit and are trying to save their mom’s knitting shop sounded right up my alley.

Unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. There is a lot of build-up. A lot. The majority of the first 150 pages is world-building and establishing characters and setting. I was halfway through the book and nothing really had happened, so to be honest, I was bored. I just kept waiting and waiting for the story to start. After a while, I ended up skimming a good portion just to try to finish.

In addition to the slow pace, I felt like the two main characters’ personalities contradicted themselves at times. Some of their actions seemed out of place for who the author had established them to be, and not enough had happened to justify the personality change.

I did love that it was set in a knitting shop in a close-knit (no pun intended) neighborhood. The relationships between the foster brothers were interesting, and I loved that Kerry had a supportive friend in Val.

It really makes me sad that I didn’t like it more, but sometimes that just happens. It’s impossible to love every book you read. And in the end, this one missed the mark for me.

My review of this book was published at All About Romance on May 23, 2020, and it received a B+. Here is my review: https://allaboutromance.com/book-review/real-men-knit-by-kwana-jackson/

I also cross-posted on my personal Goodreads account: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3352578102?type=review#rating_287902986

Wow, wow, wow, this was so much fun! I was hooked by the premise initially and boy did it deliver. This is a charming romantic comedy with loveable characters and so much fun. Highly recommended if you want a book to take you away for a little bit.

Real Men Knit is a contemporary romance set in Harlem. Mama Joy was the owner of Strong Knits, one of the few older Black-owned small businesses in Harlem. She was also the foster mother to Jesse, Noah, Lucas, and Damian, and mentor and mother-figure to Kerry, all of whom are now adults. When Mama Joy dies, Jesse and Kerry decide to try to keep the store open as a tribute to Mama Joy and because the store serves as something of a community center. That’s pretty much the whole plot – this is a character-focused book and is all about the romance between Jesse and Kerry, as well as the importance of family, friendship, and community. Also there’s a lot of knitting.

CarrieS is not a knitter and Shana is, but we both felt that we would give, as Shana put it: “the cozy yarn store that makes you want to curl up with cute boys and their knitting an A+”. Alas, we were both underwhelmed by the actual plot. This is the story of Jesse and Kerry having pants feelings as they renovate and reopen Strong Knits together, while she prepares Jesse to run the store on his own. He’s an aimless fuckboy, and baby brother of his family, but inheriting the yarn store has given his life a sense of focus. Now that Jesse’s spending all his time with Kerry, he realizes how important she is to him, and notices how hot she looks in her overstretched knit tops and cutoffs. But his skeptical brothers barely trust him to manage the store, and he’s not sure why Kerry would want to date him.

Meanwhile, Kerry is tired of being the invisible, responsible yarn store employee with the secret crush on her boss’s son. She’s recently graduated from college, and was planning on turning her summer teaching job into a full-time gig. But she can’t abandon Strong Knits or Jesse Strong just yet. They only have a few weeks to turn the beloved, but struggling, store into a hip knitter’s paradise. Maybe it’s time for a quick fling with the boy she’s always wanted, if she can get him to notice her with so many other girls hanging around.

3 Stars / 1 Steam Fans

Real Me Knit had a good premise; however, the execution was too slow. Kerry and Jesse are grieving the loss of their mother figure for too much of the book and then it zooms to an ending that just drops off. 80% of this book is the same 15% of information just told in a different way which makes the pacing drag. Kerry and Jesse's connection left me wanting.

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Romances featuring men who knit? Yes, please!

The premise is what drew me in, and while I enjoyed reading about the Strong boys - adopted brothers of the recently passed Mama Joy - I found the first installment of this series to fall a little bit flat in the romance department.

The pacing was sluggish for a good chunk of the first half. Lots of Kerry, our heroine, mourning the loss of a mother figure and her clashing with the very arrogant (and honestly douchie) Jesse. When the romance finally starts to develop between Kerry and Jesse, it’s full speed ahead and not in a good way. I couldn’t really see why these two considered themselves “in love”. Jesse really irked me and I though Kerry could do way better.

My favorite part was the Old Knitting Gang who rallied behind Kerry after Mama Joy’s passing. These ladies were quirky and so much fun to read about! Despite not meshing well with this couple, I’m excited to read about the next Strong brother. Damian?