Patterns of Change

I absolutely love this book! Terri Du Long is a wonderful author and this book does not disappoint. Chloe Radcliffe is at an impasse in her life and she's not sure what she wants to do. She has experienced recent losses and a traumatic experience in her past, and she can't seem to let go. Her loved ones encourage her to take a chance and explore other areas, to see if she would like to make a permanent change. She's thinking about taking a trip to Ormond Beach so she looks up rental places that accepts dogs, makes a call, and before she knows it, she rents a condo for a month. She and her dog Basil take the trip and she experiences car trouble when a kind stranger comes to her rescue. She makes it to the condo, meets a new neighbor who helps her unpack her car, and after finding out they both love knitting, encourages Kelly to meet her friend Mavis Anne at Yarrow's tea shop where their knitting group meets. Chloe takes a drive to the tea shop and strikes up a friendship with Mavis Anne and her niece Yarrow who owns the tea shop. Mavis Anne owns this beautiful home that she can't live in right now because she had an accident, so she lives next door in the house her brother David owns so he can take care of her. Mavis Anne always wanted to own a knitting shop and when she finds out Chloe was a part owner of a knitting shop she starts to put a plan into motion. The owner of the building that Yarrow is running her tea shop in decides to go in a different direction and Yarrow has to close her tea shop. Chloe, Mavis Anne and Yarrow decide to go into business together having a combined knitting and tea shop. Since Mavis Anne's house is empty and the shop will be built on the premises, she makes Chloe an offer she can't refuse. Chloe will rent the house but has to sign a year lease. After her month at the condo is up, she and Basil move into the house. This is such a beautiful story of friendship. I highly recommend this book!

Patterns of Change by Terri Dulong is the first book in the Ormond Beach series. Chloe Radcliffe is trying to get over the recent deaths of her Aunt Maude and her significant other, Gabe (who died suddenly). She has just been drifting along and believes it might be time for a change. Chloe decides to visit Ormond Beach, Florida. Chloe and Gabe were going to move there before he passed away. Chloe rents a condo from Henry Wagner. She meets Yarrow and Mavis Anne Overby. Yarrow owns the Yarrow’s Tea Shop and Mavis Anne owns the beautiful Victorian home that Chloe has been dreaming about (before she ever saw it). Mavis Anne convinces Chloe to open a yarn shop in a cute building behind the Victorian Home (named Koi House). Half the building will be the new yarn shop and the other half with be Yarrow’s tea shop. This is a new start for Chloe. Then she is reminded of an incident from college. In order for Chloe to move forward with her life (especially her love life) she will need to learn forgiveness. Can Chloe forgive and embrace her new life in Ormond Beach? You will have to read Patterns of Change to find out. I enjoyed Patterns of Change. It is nice to see Chloe and all our old friends from the Cedar Key series. I like that she is moving on (and we will get more stories). Patterns of Change is easy and enjoyable to read. The setting of Ormond Beach is just lovely (the author wrote some gorgeous descriptions of the city and beach area). The Victorian home described in the book is my dream home and I can understand why Chloe wants to live in it. I like the message of forgiveness in the book. It is so hard to forgive someone especially when they committed a horrible act against a person. The other message in the book is friendship. Chloe arrives in town not knowing a soul and ends up with some great new friends. They are united through their love of yarn and creating objects with fiber (there is also a great shawl pattern enclosed in the book). It does help to have read the Cedar Key series (so you know the history of Chloe), but it is not necessary (since it is a new city and new characters). I give Patterns of Change 4.5 out of 5 stars (there are a couple of slow areas). I liked reading Patterns of Change and will look forward to reading the next book in the Ormond Beach series. I received a complimentary copy of Patterns of Change from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This one was an ok read for me. The good - a wonderful story of love, friendship, forgiveness, and bravery to forge ahead when life throws you obstacles. It's very well written with a wonderful host of characters. The characters however were part of the problem I had while reading this one. There are just so many of them. When reading be reading to flip back and forth to make sure you know who each one is. The other thing about this one that bothered me was the pace of the book. The whole thing just seemed a bit drawn out. So to me the overall story was good but I did struggle a bit to finish it.

Patterns of Change by Terri DuLong Have read the author's other works and know I will like this one from the start. Although it's a new series it left off where the other ended but with enough background you won't be lost with the characters. The relocation for Chloe to Ormond Beach is exciting after all the events she's suffered through over the past several months. Things I really like about this book are the travel-I feel like I'm in the backseat during the adventures to new places; the knitting and camaraderie among those who do knit; the different generations and their problems; the mysteries surrounding the house and fish pond; lesson of forgiveness: past comes to the foreground with a bit of romance rounds out this book to be the top selection this month. Love catching up with all from the previous series and meeting new friends. Can't wait to read the next in this new series. Can't wait to start the pattern at the end of the book. Nice fall project. I received this book from The Kennsington Books in exchange for my honest review