I love the fun trope of presenting the fact that knitting (and thus other activities and hobbies that are deemed more feminine) are not just for women. Jesse and Kerry were a cute couple, and Jesse and his relationship with his brothers is also something fun to read.

When their foster-turned-adoptive mother suddenly dies, four brothers struggle to keep open the doors of her beloved Harlem knitting shop, while dealing with life and love in Harlem.

Jesse Strong is known for two things: his devotion to his adoptive mom, Mama Joy, and his reputation for breaking hearts in Harlem. When Mama Joy unexpectedly passes away, he and his brothers have different plans on what to do with Strong Knits, their neighborhood knitting store: Jesse wants to keep the store open; his brothers want to shut it down.

Jesse makes an impassioned plea to Kerry Fuller, his childhood friend who has had a crush on him her entire life, to help him figure out how to run the business. Kerry agrees to help him reinvent the store and show him the knitty-gritty of the business, but the more time they spend together, the more the chemistry builds. Kerry, knowing Jesse’s history, doesn’t believe this relationship will exist longer than one can knit one, purl one. But Jesse is determined to prove to her that he can be the man for her—after all, real men knit. - Goodreads

I was very excited for this book. Focusing on a man who not only was adopted but is dealing with grief and knows how to knit, were topics that I was all for. But by the end of the book I was disappointed. I wasn't disappointed because of lack of writing skills or pace but more so this book felt like a foundation to a bigger novel. So many different topics were passed over. I wanted more details in Mama Joy's past, background information on the store, more character background and more character description.

I found it really hard to believe that Mama Joy did not teach or leave any information about how to run her business with her boys or even on paper. Kerry knew pretty much everything but it still baffled me how 'Mama Joy did not write anything down. So that was on my mind but also the fact that the reader knows nothing about the store itself. If the author took more time to give the store a story, I would have believed this story much more.

Also character development as well as character background is pretty much non-existent. The whole issue/conflict in the novel is lack of communication. Kerry stresses so much that she is a grown woman but acts like a middle schooner throughout the entire book. I don't understand why.

What did love about the book was the slow burn romance. I didn't think the conflict of the novel was going to be lack of communication and more so Jesse sleeping with most of the city, so it was interesting that the author highlighted that but didn't make that the issue. Like the author was very specific on who he slept with as well as their interactions with Kerry.

The breakout character for me was actually Jesse's brother Damian. I really was intrigued by his hard ass and anger. I would love to read his story next.

With that being said, this wasn't a bad book and I would recommend it as a introduction to this author. I just wish there was more added to it.

Overall,

2 Pickles

With a slow burn romance, family issues and the heartbreak of loss, REAL MEN KNIT by Kwana Jackson has all of the ingredients for a sometimes humorous, sometimes heartbreaking tale of fresh starts, family healing and love where one least expects it.

Four adoptive brothers must learn to respect each other after the death of their single, adoptive mother as they struggle to keep her business alive in Harlem. Jesse has always been the manwhore, often irresponsible, but after his mother dies, he wants nothing more than to prove he can be someone she could finally be proud of by keeping her small shop open. The problem: he has no idea how to do that until part time employee, Kerry offers to help. What does Kerry see that his brothers do not?

Having had a crush on Jesse, she never expected anything to happen between him, she didn’t meet his “qualifications.” Together, they will find they have invested more than their sweat equity in keeping the shop alive, they have invested their hearts. But will it matter in the long run?

Nicely written, this is a good read, just not as fresh feeling as I would like. The characters seemed almost flat, like cut outs, but definitely cut outs I could like! A quick read to relax into and escape for a few hours.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Berkley Publishing Group. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Mama Joy adopted 4 boys, and made them into a family. Her knit shop was also the community gathering point. Her death, left each brother struggling with her legacy, wondering how to honor her and continue her work. Jesse decides that he will update the store and reopen the doors. He just needs the help of Kerry. Kerry is looking for full time work, but she can't walk away from her crush Jesse and the sanctuary that Mama Joy provided.

Why I started this book: Oh, I loved the premise and I was so excited to love the book...

Why I finished it: You know when you're walking on a sidewalk and a person is coming towards you, so you jig to get out of the way, but they do the same time and then once again you are in each other's way. You are left doing the awkward dance that just feels off. That was this book for me. Jackson lingered on scenes that I could have missed and somehow managed to have a lot of the relationship growth happen off stage that I wanted to read about. Which made me wish that this had been marketing more as a chick-lit story and less as a romance. But it was a good story...

This was a sweet, fun romance! Childhood friends to lovers with a unique setting in a Harlem yarn shop. I enjoyed the two leads’ dynamic with each other, even though it took them almost frustratingly long to get together—it was worth it in the end! Looking forward to the other Strong brothers’ stories in the coming installments.

I have been wanting to read this book for a while! The description sounded so good. As I started to read it was just not holding my attention. I found myself skimming and skipping around. I really think this is a true form of it’s not you it’s me. I have a real hard time reading third person so that could of been a factor as well. I may give it a while and read again to see if my opinion changes.

Mama Joy, owner of a Harlem yarn shop, has just passed, and 3 of her 4 adopted sons want to sell the shop. Jesse, the youngest (and laziest, according to his brothers), wants to try running the shop, with assistance from Kerry, who has been working part-time at Strong Yarns, and was very close to Mama Joy. As a knitter myself, I was hoping for more actual knitting but, until the end, talk of knitting was mostly eclipsed by booty calls, hookups and “sexing” (author’s word), topics of undoubtedly more general interest.. Thanks to Netgalley and to the publisher for this ARC.

After reading some more “serious” books, I was in the mood for something light and fun. When I read the premise for this book, I was hooked. Hot men knitting? Yep. Sign me up. The book certainly followed through on it’s promise, starring four uniquely hot adopted brothers. Although this book focused more specifically on the youngest brother, Jesse, I find it hard to believe that Ms. Jackson will not be turning this into a series. There are, after all, three other strapping young men to find attachments for.

I could be off base, but I couldn’t help but think that the author was imagining none other than Jesse Williams when she penned the character description for Jesse Strong….Aside from the locs, he pretty much matches his physical description exactly. I’m not complaining though, and I don’t think other readers will be either.

Naturally I had to investigate whether the hashtag #RealMenKnit exists and was pleasantly surprised to find out that it does. Feel free to look it up for some eye candy. Thank you, Ms. Jackson, for the share.

Berkley is on a roll! Not only are they engaging with covering the amazement in book covers such as this one, but the feature authors are getting ten times better! Seriously, I am truly in love with Kwana's writing now. Jesse and Kerry have officially become my favorites at making me swoon and laugh at the same time. A truly new romance novel that will have you swept away wanting more of Kwana's writing. I am hoping there is a standalone sequel to this one :)

This book did well to set up the remaining books of the series, but the romance felt a bit flat. The characters were too self-involved and the relationship felt secondary to the real issue at hand.

3.75**
This was so nice to read and a very fluff filled story. That being said, I think it needed... something. I thought there’d be a bit more plot. Don’t get me wrong, I am more of a person who just needs really good characters but I think perhaps the characters needed to be fleshed out a bit more. I wish we saw more of the relationship between the brothers and maybe a bit more of a backstory between the four of them.
But, I think the romance was so cute. I am personally very much an Enemies to Lovers stan but Friends to Lovers is definitely up there.
I loved seeing the mentions of how much the shop meant to the neighborhood; books with these dynamics are a treasure and there’s something so comforting about books with these relationships.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an eARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own

A soothing and low-angst romance. It’s slow-paced compared to my normal preferences, but it fit my no-stress quarantine mood. It took me a while to warm up to the hero, and I wish he had grovelled more. I don't want to say that Kerry deserves better, but... Kerry deserves better. I liked Jesse; I just wanted him to prove his love to Kerry more. The ending felt abrupt because I wasn't satisfied with how their journey ended. Still, I enjoyed the setting and am looking forward to other books in the series. It's a cute premise and the author nicely set up the other three brothers' stories.

Discussed in biweekly SBTB Whatcha Reading post: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/2020/03/whatcha-reading-march-2020-edition-part-two/

Discussed in Smart Podcast, Trashy Books: Episode 398. Bitches Assemble: Recommendations for Comfort with Sneezy, Ellen, Tara, Maya and Aarya

https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/podcast/398-bitches-assemble-recommendations-for-comfort-with-sneezy-ellen-tara-maya-and-aarya/

What I loved about this book was the focus on the role of the local knitting store in the lives of people. It was particularly uplifting to focus on people of color and men in the knitting world. I liked the details about keeping a knitting store afloat. The nuts and bolts of it made for good reading.

I was a lot less enthused about the romance angle and I didn’t need that at all to enjoy the story. There is some overtly sexual language and situations that might be off putting to many who would enjoy the rest of the book. Mostly for me the romance aspect just didn’t work as well as the rest of the book.

This is a romance where, for me, everything but the romance itself was working. I love the transformative power of knitting and I love Harlem (it was my home for 3 years). The scenes with a young boy bringing in his knitting for help made me cry, because it reminded me why I volunteer teaching teens to knit. This book really communicated what knitting can do for people, and I just loved reading that. I loved the character of Mama Joy, the yarn shop owner who fostered and adopted the four boys who inherit her shop as grown men. Her world was so richly imagined.

The romance itself fell a little flat for me. It was a very slow burn, with so much mutual pining, and what I think was supposed to be banter seemed like two people who were always setting each other off, and not in a good way.

***Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing and ARC in exchange for my honest review.***

I really wanted to love this book. I fell in love with the gorgeous cover and the name.

But I couldn’t get past the characters. I didn’t really care for most of them honestly.

It was a cute story overall but it could have been executed much better.

Perfect setting: The four brothers and a neighborhood knitting shop in Harlem… The youngest of Mama Joy’s four adopted sons decides to try and make a go of her neighborhood knitting shop, Strong Knits, in this fun series starter. Jesse hasn’t been the most reliable of the brothers but he is devoted to the idea of keeping the shop and their home. Luckily, Kerry, a long-time shop assistant, is willing to put off her fulltime employment plans and help him learn the ropes. A close working relationship exposes a deep attraction, but knowing Jesse’s history, Kerry’s not sure she can trust him with her heart. I enjoyed the full cast of characters and I’m interested to see more of them.

I enjoyed the writing and thought the author did a great job with the story. I really liked the unique idea but I felt like something was missing. I wanted more spark and chemistry between my characters and I felt like that’s what was lacking.

This one was so cute. I had been craving a fun light-hearted romance and that's exactly what this was. The Strong brothers are a group of adopted sons of a woman named Mama Joy. After her passing, her sons are left to keep her infamous knitting business afloat. While that is happening, his lifelong friend and patron of Mama Joy's store comes on to the scene to help them out. What unfolds is their slow burn, bac and forth romance. So cute and fun, the perfect "beach read." When this one comes out, definitely go pick it up, I flew right through it.

I wasn't really a fan of this book. Maybe because I didn't put it down when I knew I wasn't feeling it and pushed myself. I didn't buy or support the romance. I also wasn't a fan of our main character Jesse. Basically, this just wasn’t for me.

First, this over is ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! Second, the story is heartfelt, fun, and authentic. Third, the characters are well-rounded and interesting. You are rooting for them the entire time, not just romantically but also in their business venture. This is a must-read for fans of rom-coms and a tie in for those who love knitting.