Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me an advanced copy of this book to read and review.

A unique plot of romcom with a soon-to-be queer mom. I also legit didn't realize that people prepped their yarn (beginner textile artist myself) so learned something very helpful in passing!

I'm a crocheter and a knitter, so this title caught my attention right of the bat.

I don't read too much women's fiction but I really enjoyed reading this book. It had a great main character and that she wasn't your typical girl you'd imagine in a romance novel. I also loved that this was a F/F romance.

I have never read a book by this author before but I might go check out some of her other books now.

Thank you, NetGalley for this arc in return for an honest review.

Thank you for letting me read and review this book. This book was just so good. I am excited to recommend this book and read more from the author in the future.

God, what a romp. I forgot that I preordered this too, which I'm glad I did. The writing was a little shaky at times, but I loved the characters, the situation, the romance, and more. So fun.

This book is an absolute riot, it’s so funny and it has a bisexual main character ! . It is so much more than a romance, it deals with issues such as abortion and sexuality and without patronising the reader (which I find happens a lot even if unintended). Poppy's story as she decides to keep and raise her baby is enthralling and keeps you hooked as she navigates tough choices, growing up and fighting your own battles, whilst learning you always have friends to lean on. Absolutely fantastic

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

The characters in this book were so different from what I was expecting, but in a good way. I guess I had some internalized opinions on what knitters would be like. But the characters were all amazing, most of them multi-layered and full of flaws… my favorite kind!

The story is told from Poppy’s first person POV, so of course we know all of her motivations and insecurities, hopes and fears. And she’s got a lot of them. But she’s stronger than she knows, and full of so much determination and love. And she’s kind of quirky, which I love.

Rhiannon seems like she has it all together, but her fears and insecurities are just better hidden than Poppy’s. And their combined issues threaten to tear them apart over and over again. If I didn’t know going into this that it was a romance, I would have been really worried that their story was just an interlude in Poppy’s life.

The supporting characters include a quirky assortment of knitters, who all have Poppy’s back… and Rhiannon’s, as well as Poppy’s almost perfect sister Iris. Oh, and there’s also Poppy’s irredeemable mother, who is the only character I didn’t like in the entire story… but then again, I don’t think we were supposed to like her.

Overall, I really enjoy Poppy’s story. It made me laugh and broke my heart in places, just the way the best stories do. Honestly, there was really only one thing that bothered me when the story was done… though Iris’s husband is mentioned several times in the story, he is never once mentioned by name!

Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from the publisher {Harlequin, Carina Press} through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A slightly rocky coming of age story about a young mother to be getting her life together, preparing for her baby and falling in love all at the same time. This is a mixed bag.
Review published on BookPage.com. Link below.

I was really in to the beginning of this book, particularly about the second heroine being an abortion care facility volunteer. I liked how Poppy really went through the consideration of whether to keep or terminate the pregnancy. It felt very authentic. But then I realized Poppy is like 22 and the story took a turn for me. She felt really immature and I needed to move on with my life.
I am a knitter but I felt the knitting angle was really heavy handed and possibly could leave many readers out of the loop.

I saw the description for <em><a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/knit-purl-a-baby-and-a-girl-hettie-bell/1138917244?ean=9781335688002" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl</a></em> in Harlequin's catalog on Edelweiss and immediately went over to Netgalley to request it (for whatever reason the galley wasn't up on Edelweiss). It felt like the intersection of a lot of interests, particularly an f/f romance novel, of which there aren't that many in trad pub because I have several customers I could easily sell them to, and a romance novel with a bisexual MC on page.

Let's get this out of the way first: from a strictly "Is this a Romance Novel?" standpoint, I don't think this book works. I didn't feel like the romance between Poppy and Rhi - while it had good bones and some really good scenes together - was foregrounded in the story. Rhiannon is off page too much for this book to go full Romance Novel, in my opinion (FYI, for those who have preferences about POV this book is 100% 1st Person narration from Poppy, we never have Rhi's perspective). I also don't feel like the resolution of the book in relation to the romantic relationship between the two women is a "we did it together," the "together" bit being important in a romance novel. So much of the emotional growth in this book is Poppy doing the work on her own; whatever growth Rhi goes through is not privy to the reader. So the marketing for this book as a Romance Novel is doing the book a disservice.

BECAUSE, because because because, Poppy's story as a woman who learns to set boundaries and believe in herself as a fat, bisexual woman who is going to be a new mother and to stand up to her own horrible, gaslighting mother is a really good story. A GOOD story. The opening scenes at Planned Parenthood where Poppy meets Rhiannon (who is her clinic escort) and then sees the PP nurse for her appointment are wonderfully, truthfully, and very lovingly written. [Side note: I have been the friend who has accompanied someone to PP to make a decision about a pregnancy and PP nurses are the most compassionate, amazing healthcare workers.] This book takes us from the day Poppy's pregnancy is confirmed through a few weeks after her baby is born - so we get a bildungsroman as Poppy starts to figure out her shit and realize, that maybe, just maybe, she has actually succeeded as an adult, it just looks different than what she's been told "success" should look like. It's such a good story. (Would have liked a little more of the knitting group, though, they were all interesting characters.)

[Trigger warnings: Poppy's mother is AWFUL, there's fatphobia and shaming on the page, and Rhi also relates some instances of homophobia off-page. (I didn't pick up on-page homophobia, but there may have been some from Poppy's mom, but she's a walking problem, so....) There are also, kind of obviously, several discussions about abortion and personal stories related by characters in discussing how the choice you make is always the right one for you.]

AT LAST, a bisexual MC! A butch love interest! I won't pretend that this book was perfect - some of the MC's decisions were so apparently mindless that I found myself wanting to throw my Kindle across the room - but it's one of the better WLW romances that I've read, with actual chemistry between the protagonists and an engaging plot beyond the romance, and I'm frankly delighted that it exists.

This was such a unique and sweet concept for a romance. Plus, I'll read anything that involves knitting and sapphic romance. So, so good.

This book was absolutely hilarious. I haven't laughed this much over a book in a while. It tackles a few rough topics such as abortion and sexuality in a humorous way without belittling the subjects. Poppy's journey as she decides to keep and raise her baby is tumultuous and keeps you on the edge of your seat as she makes some hard decisions, learns to stand up for herself, and learns that with friends everything will be ok.

I enjoyed most of Knit, Purl and I’m glad I read it. It’s a feminist-as-fuck, pro-choice, middle finger to the world that I didn’t know I needed. At a time when it’s hard not to feel angry (hello, one year into the quarantimes) it was cathartic to see Poppy learn how to stand on her own feet, determined to make the best life she can for herself and her baby, and see her build a found family with her knitting group.

Poppy's life is not really going in any direction. When she finds out she's pregnant with her ex's baby, she's truly unsure of what to do. After a couple of trips to Planned Parenthood, she makes her decision to keep the baby and take up knitting and finally finish something. When the kitting group she joins includes her super nice Planned Parenthood escort, Rhiannon, Poppy again is unsure if she should join the group and about her feelings for Rhiannon.

Thank you to Carina Adores and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Overall this was a cute story. For me, the relationship went from zero to 100 real quick. Especially for a woman who is pregnant by having sex with a man and then she is into women. In my opinion, I can't see it happening that fast. But I liked Poppy as a character. She doesn't have a strong relationship with the women in her family and when she finds out that her sister is pregnant at the same time she is, it brings even more strain to those relationships. Finding the relationship with Rhiannon, she finds someone who accepts her completely as she is, without trying to make her "better".

This is the first book I've read by Hettie Bell. I think she writes under a couple of different names. I would be interested to read some of her other books.

*3.5 stars*

I don't read a ton of WLW or F/F romance, but when I saw that Hettie Bell was coming out with a contemporary romance, I knew I had to try it.

I've been reading Hettie Bell for many years under a different pen name, and I was thrilled to read her again here. She took her writing talent and really made a great story for her readers to enjoy.

I loved, loved, loved having a full-figured female MC who doesn't have perfect, effortlessly cool sex all the time. Sex is super awkward, especially with someone knew, and I found those scenes to be extremely charming. Hettie Bell struck just the right notes there. I will say, however, that I could have used more heat in this book. Up those sex scenes for next time, pretty please!

I'm not a knitter or any kind of artist, so I didn't really relate much to those moments, but you don't have to in order to enjoy the story. I liked the pregnancy details and the trials and tribulations the MC went through with her friends and family.

I think having only one POV made it harder to relate to the other MC. She ran very hot and cold, and I didn't love how she was so wishy-washy. The fact that we didn't get to see inside her head made her less relatable in my book. The back and forth between them was the only thing I really didn't enjoy.

However, I'm beyond pleased with the bisexual rep, the curvaceous MC with the BODY, the butch love interest (yeeeeessssss), the effortless humor, and the excellent writing. I'll be reading more Hettie Bell in the future, you can bet on that.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

Poppy feels inadequate and insecure, and certainly not ready for a baby when she finds out a drunken hookup with her ex has resulted in a pregnancy. After considering all her options, Poppy realizes that she not only wants to carry the pregnancy to term, but to raise the baby. At only 22, Poppy feels like she is nowhere near close to having her life together, but she knows she wants this baby. Once the decision is made, a flyer for a stitch n’ bitch knitting club catches her eye, and she joins so she can knit her baby handmade things.

One of the knitting club members, Rhiannon, immediately catches Poppy’s eye, and not only because they’ve met once before. The two women hit it off and soon begin dating. But Rhiannon is clear that while she wants to be with Poppy, she doesn’t want to get too involved in Poppy’s pregnancy. And she doesn’t want to commit to anything long term, even if she’s perfectly happy to admit they are girlfriends.

But the pregnancy is an integral part of Poppy’s current existence. And even though she’s found friends within the knit club and she’s trying hard to respect Rhiannon’s wishes in regards to her baby, her life is spiraling. A flaky ex, an overbearing and judgmental mother, and her own feelings of inadequacy have Poppy constantly doubting herself. And Rhiannon’s distance at certain times isn’t helping. When medical concerns force Poppy to make hard decisions, she ends up having no choice but to stand up for herself and for what she wants, even if it takes her time and introspection to get there.

I’ll be honest and say I jumped on this book as soon as I saw that knitting, which is a passion of mine, was an integral part of the story. And while there is a great deal of knitting speak that to a reader unfamiliar with the world of fiber arts might be less than enjoyable, I did find that aspect amusing and entertaining. The author did a good job of stitching together knitting as a metaphor for Poppy’s life.

From a technical standpoint, this book is good. The writing is solid, the pacing mostly well done, and the characters engaging and interesting. It’s not only the dynamic and adorable differences between the MCs, but the supporting cast as well. Looking at it from a purely analytical view, it’s easy to see this author has talent. However, that being said, this book just didn’t work for me.

Let me start by saying there are definitely some triggers in this book around fat shaming, talk of abortion and miscarriage, problems during pregnancy, and personal inadequacies. The author handles all with a deft hand, but it’s something to be aware of if these are sensitive topics for you.

For the most part, I liked Poppy, who is the narrator of this tale. She’s aware of her own insecurities and has put in work to deal with them. However, she does let them rule a big part of her life, and at one point gets rather whiny. At times Poppy reads older than her stated age, and at times much younger. On the whole, this worked for me as there was a believability to it I liked. But by three quarters of the way through, I was tired of her attitude and wished she’d made more growth and progress sooner than she did. As it was, Poppy’s big epiphany came a little too late for me, though I did appreciate that she was finally believing in herself more and standing up for what she wanted.

This book is told in first person, so we don’t get to know Rhiannon very well at all, and that worked against the character for me. She seems like a great human, and she is supportive of Poppy. Except when she isn’t, and when she ghosts Poppy. Rhiannon, it is eventually revealed, has reasons for this. But for me, it came too little, too late, and Poppy’s forgiveness and understanding came a little too easily. On top of that, I couldn’t for the life of me understand why Rhiannon was getting involved with Poppy when she knew even before they got together that Poppy was newly pregnant. Early on, Poppy and Rhiannon’s chemistry was off the charts and I was definitely invested to start. Sadly, I think if we’d gotten a better insight into Rhiannon much earlier in the story, I would have liked her a great deal more. But as it was, her shining moments of support and her strong backbone weren’t enough to make me like her enough to be behind their romance and their relationship.

We also have an incredibly judgmental and overbearing mother who wants nothing more than to manipulate and control Poppy. For me, I’m very tired of seeing this type of mother in books. But worse than that, she read like a caricature, and the gaslighting the mother employed was somewhat triggering for me as well. On the flipside, the knitting group was full of wonderful characters who, in my opinion, should have had a bigger role. But to be honest, they were my favorite part of the book.

In the end, Poppy’s growth came too late in the story for me and that, combined with Rhiannon’s behavior throughout most of the book, worked against the story for me. I wanted to like this book so much, but the execution fell short for me.

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl is the first book I've ready by Hettie Bell, though from my search on Goodreads I know she has written under another name. As with any book I pick up by a new to me author, I always go in hoping for the best, and I really was very happy I gave Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl a chance. I really loved Ms. Bell's voice in this first person POV story, as the entire book is from the main character, Poppy's point of view.

Poppy Adams finds herself pregnant after one night with her ex-boyfriend, and heads to Planned Parenthood to find out all her options and meets Rhiannon when she escorts Poppy in to the building. Poppy notices a flyer for the stitch n' bitch knitting group and decides that she can totally learn to knit and make her new baby all sorts of cute booties, hats, and blankets. The fact that Rhiannon is part of this knitting group only makes it better in Poppy's eyes.

I liked the connection between Poppy and Rhiannon from the beginning. They had really wonderful chemistry and I liked that Rhiannon accepted Poppy just as she was, which is something her family really has never done. I did have issue with what I felt like was a lack of true communication between Poppy and Rhiannon, but as that can be an issue at times with any romance, I just figured they were trying to figure out things as they went along.

I love the stitch n' bitch knitting group. Seriously had mad love for all the members and loved how they were so supportive of one another and any relationship the members were in. I loved that Poppy truly had real friends with this group, for sadly what seemed like the first time in her life.

I have to say Poppy's mother angered me repeatedly as I read this story. As in, I really wanted to smack this woman on the back of the head and tell her to get a clue about her child. Honestly, her sister wasn't really my favorite character for the longest time. I will say as Poppy and her sister spent more time together, I love they seemed to finally talk and have a real relationship finally.

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl was a pretty funny story overall, even with some pretty dramatic subject matter at times. I love both Poppy and Rhiannon's humor, and especially enjoyed seeing Poppy grow so much over the course of this story. I really enjoyed Ms. Bell's voice in this story and look forward to reading more books from her in the future.

Rating: 4 Stars (B)
Review copy provided by publisher

Thank you to the publisher and @netgalley for a copy of this book. I have not knitted in a long time and this book made me want to pick up my knitting again. I love following Poppy’s journey in growing as she decides how to handle her pregnancy. Not only is she at crossroads with her life but she is also begins a relationship with Rhiannon. I love how they both helped each other grow as they face their own personal issues. I adore the Stitch and Bitch gang which added a fun dimension to the book.

Knit, Purl, a Baby and a Girl is the debut novel of Hettie Bell. The main character is a girl named Poppy who finds herself in sort of a personal dilemma. She slept with her ex-boyfriend and now she’s pregnant. She decides to visit Planned Parenthood to discuss her options and while there she meets Rhiannon whom she feels an instant connection with. While at Planned Parenthood, she also sees an advertisement for a local knitting group and decides to join to make new friends who can help her on her journey to becoming a mother. Arriving at the first meeting, she finds out that Rhiannon is also a member, and there are definite sparks between them. But can the pregnant girl learn to knit and actually get the girl? Only time will tell…

I liked how open Knit, Purl, a Baby, and a Girl was about Planned Parenthood and the options which they can present to someone who finds themselves in Poppy’s situation – unexpectedly pregnant, single, and semi-estranged from her family. When Poppy meets Rhiannon, Rhiannon is her clinic escort to get through the protestors outside the building. Poppy is confused and scared about her potential pregnancy, and finds no pressure within the walls of the clinic, and is able to educate herself about her choices, and make her own decision which is to keep the baby.

I also liked the representation of Poppy’s character. She’s bisexual, overweight, and a college dropout. She’s quirky and she overthinks situations. Her family dynamics are strained because her mother thinks that she is a failure who will never amount to anything. Her ex-boyfriend is a loser and not dependable when it comes to her pregnancy or what will happen after her pregnancy. Because of her past with her family and her ex-boyfriend, she’s quick to react in regards to thinking the worst about people, and this influences her relationship with everyone in the knitting group, including Rhiannon. Knit, Purl, a Baby, and a Girl is told in Poppy’s point of view so as a reader you really get the feel of what she is thinking and experiencing.

Unfortunately because of the first person point of view, it feels like there are aspects missing from the story. Poppy and Rhiannon’s relationship moves really quickly and while there are sparks, there are also several assumptions made by Poppy regarding Rhiannon and the way that she feels about her and her baby. I felt like these assumptions were not fully addressed and that the romance between the two characters was rushed. Granted, they were under unique circumstances but, even so it felt like they came together really quickly and it become sort of a push-pull dynamic on rather or not they would stay together. As a reader, I was conflicted about this, and felt like there could have been more build up for them. I would have also enjoyed reading Rhiannon’s point of view. I know that this Poppy’s story but, it still would have been nice to understand what Rhiannon was thinking or feeling instead of just going based on Poppy’s assumptions.

Overall, I think Knit, Purl, a Baby, and a Girl was a solid debut novel. There were interesting characters within the knitting group who I enjoyed spending time with. And Poppy does go through some strong personal growth throughout the story which is something that I always enjoying reading. I just wish I had been able to become more invested in the “and a girl” part of the story. I think that if I had, it would pulled all of the components of the story together for me.