A humorous, heartwarming tale of love, loss, and the power of community
Fair Meadows Retirement Community might as well be a country club for most of the retirees enjoying the pool, golf course, and book clubs. But for the caregivers whose family members reside upstairs in the special Memory Care Unit, vacation is over.
Comforting these caregivers is exactly why the Woolgatherers group has formed. They make prayer shawls to support those affected by the heartbreaking reality of not being recognized by a loved one-people like Sam Talbot, who has been barely existing since his wife moved into Memory Care. He finds that his life has lost all color and meaning without her.
That’s something the Woolgatherers can’t bear to see. Flirtatious Jenny Alderman, cranky crocheter Edna O’Brian, kind Rose Harker, and the rest of the prayer shawl group weave him into the circle. Sam has no idea how he got tangled up with them, and he’s no good at knitting. But when one member talks him into taking up his wife’s old crochet hooks, he discovers that this one small gesture might just have the power to heal his life–or even save it.
Full of Sharon Mondragon’s characteristic humor and heart, this book wrestles with the loneliness of being the forgotten spouse of a dementia patient, moving past the fear that the spouses often face into the love and compassion that can make all the difference.
My Review:
published in 2024
This book has been on my TBR for way too long and now that I’ve read it, I’m wondering what on earth I was waiting for?! Mondragon’s unique blend of humour and faith bring such heart and hope to life’s everyday stories. Well worth stepping out of my usual genre comfort zone!
This is a kind of spin off of ‘The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady’ though you don’t need to read that book in order to enjoy this one. But the storytelling approach is similar – multiple POVs from an eclectic mix of characters drawn together by a unique knitting group.
The Woolgatherers meet three mornings a week to knit (or crochet) prayer shawls for caregivers of dementia patients. I was charmed by the humour, touched by the compassion and gut punched by the hard hitting reality of this dreaded ‘old timer’s disease.’
The prayer group sets up in the lobby of the memory care unit in their retirement community and it isn’t long before others are drawn into their circle. Prayers are lifted, lives are changed and I came away from this read with the realization that you are never too old and it’s never too late to make a difference in someone else’s life.
Heartwarming, hard hitting and utterly captivating from start to finish!
GIVEAWAY OPPORTUNITY:
US – paperback or ebook copy – winner’s choice
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If you would like a chance to win a copy of The Tangled Tale of the Woolgathering Castoffs, leave a comment below or email me at kavluvstoread AT yahoo DOT ca. If you add an email to your comment, remember to use AT and DOT instead of @ and . in order to protect yourself from spammers. If you enter the draw via email, please add the title to the subject line so it’s easy to spot your entry. Draw will be held and winner announced on Saturday June 13 2026
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