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    The Christmas Boutique: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
    The Christmas Boutique: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
    The Christmas Boutique: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel
    Audiobook9 hours

    The Christmas Boutique: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel

    Written by Jennifer Chiaverini

    Narrated by Christina Moore

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Twenty years after the publication of The Quilter’s Apprentice, the novel that launched the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series, New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Chiaverini returns with another delightful chapter featuring Master Quilter Sylvia Bergstom Compson and friends, a captivating, heartwarming tale sure to become a holiday favorite.

    Just weeks before Christmas, severe wintry weather damages the church hall hosting the Christmas Boutique—an annual sale of handcrafted gifts and baked goods that supports the county food pantry. Determined to save the fundraiser, Sylvia Bergstrom Compson offers to hold the event at Elm Creek Manor, her ancestral family estate and summertime home to Elm Creek Quilt Camp.

    In the spirit of the season, Sylvia and the Elm Creek Quilters begin setting up market booths in the ballroom and decking the halls with beautiful hand-made holiday quilts. Each of the quilters chooses a favorite quilt to display, a special creation evoking memories of holidays past and dreams of Christmases yet to come. Sarah, a first-time mother expecting twins, worries if she can handle raising two babies, especially with her husband so often away on business. Cheerful, white-haired Agnes reflects upon a beautiful appliqué quilt she made as a young bride and the mysterious, long-lost antique quilt that inspired it. Empty nesters and occasional rivals Gwen and Diane contemplate family heirlooms and unfinished projects as they look forward to having their children home again for the holidays.

    But while the Elm Creek Quilters work tirelessly to make sure the Christmas Boutique happens, it may take a holiday miracle or two to make it the smashing success they want it to be.

    Praised for her ability to craft “a wonderful holiday mix of family legacy, reconciliation and shared experiences” (Tucson Citizen), Jennifer Chiaverini once again rings in the festive season with this eagerly awaited addition in her beloved series.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperAudio
    Release dateOct 1, 2019
    ISBN9780062960351
    Author

    Jennifer Chiaverini

    Jennifer Chiaverini is the New York Times bestselling author of thirty-four novels, including critically acclaimed historical fiction and the beloved Elm Creek Quilts series. In 2020, she was awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association for her novel Resistance Women. In 2023, the WLA awarded her the honor of Notable Wisconsin Author for her significant contributions to the state’s literary heritage. Chiaverini earned a BA from the University of Notre Dame and an MA in English Language and Literature from the University of Chicago. She, her husband, and their two sons call Madison, Wisconsin home.

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    Reviews for The Christmas Boutique

    4/5

    85 ratings24 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This was a good story, however the dialogue stating descriptions grew long at times.
    • 5/5
      Teamwork at its greatest with individual struggles in the lives of the Elm Creek quilters. This adds such interest into the lives of quilters and why they make their quilts!
    • 5/5
      I love these books. They are like old friends. Please don't stop writing them!
    • 3/5
      Won this book off Goodreads.I did not realize that this book was one in a series of books. I found that this could be a standalone book and follow the story. The characters are enjoyable and will have you laughing andcrying at times during the storyThe story is about a group of ladies who are quilter in a small town.. They come together tohelp out another group of quilters to put on a Christmas Boutique for fundraiser when the placeit was to beheld has damage done to it during a snow storm.This is a story of hurt, forgiveness, and friendship. We also learn some history of quilting andhow quilt patterns are grated. It also show how these ladies come together over looking overlooking a lot of difference in each other that each sees and feels. We are all human with manyflaws in our lives.
    • 3/5
      This 2019 Christmas installment in the Elm Creek Quilts series shows the quilters preparing for the town's Christmas boutique which benefits the food pantry. Originally scheduled for the church hall, the church sustained water damage due to frozen pipes. It is moved to Sylvia's retreat. A little Christmas reconciliation occurs within the narrative. Each long chapter is told from the perspective of a different woman. The book gave a lot of back story with little forward progress. Still it was a pleasant enough read. The series tends to be quite formulaic. The same story is often repeated. I tired of these a long time ago and got behind on the series. I skipped many intervening installments, but I still felt I had not missed a beat.
    • 2/5
      I received this book as an Early Reviewers selection. My mom is a big fan of the Elm Creek Quilts series, so I was familiar with the series from borrowing her books. The previous reads, I had really enjoyed. This one, not so much. I found it to pretty much be retellings of character stories from previous books. Very disappointed, but a good read for someone new to the series.
    • 4/5
      This is another entertaining entry in the Elm Creek Quilts series. When I first started it, I was dismayed to find that it seemed like a rehash of stories that had already been told; however, once I got past the first couple of chapters, new stories began to emerge.The story centers on how the Elm Creek Quilters work together with the Waterford Quilt Guild to rescue the Christmas Boutique, an annual fundraiser for the county food bank. Just a few days before the event, the original venue is rendered unusable by a volunteer's mistake and the Guild's top officers come to Elm Creek Quilts to see if the location can be changed.Several stories are intertwined as the quilters work feverishly to prepare Elm Creek Manor for the show. Each person learns something about herself, and all grow closer together during the process.I received this book through Library Thing's Early Reviewer group in exchange for my honest opinion of the work.
    • 4/5
      This is the first book in the series that I've read so I do not know if all of the books follow the same format. I did not feel lost about the characters as there was a lot of background provided throughout the novel....almost too much. This is one of the few books that is solely based on characterization....plot is minimal. With that being said, the characters are well developed and some more interesting than others, just like in real life. Overall, an enjoyable read.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Through an unexpected accident, Elm Creek Manor becomes host to a local fund raiser for the local food shelf. Relationships between staff and competitors found throughout the series are highlighted and conflicts resolved. Lacks violence and sex but contain intelligent, rational and articulate women with key men as supporting characters.
    • 4/5
      The author was true to the writing and the stories. It had been a long time since reading a book in this series. I enjoyed it. It was comforting and cozy. It was great to visit all of the characters and see what had gone on during their part of the stories that we didn't get to see prior. Good read!
    • 4/5
      The Christmas Boutique takes place not long before Sylvia and Andrew Cooper's first wedding anniversary. (Sylvia remains Sylvia Bergstrom Compson.) Each chapter is from the viewpoint of one character, except for the last. There is no table of contents and the tops of the pages have either the author's name or the title. That's fine if you're just reading through, but less-than-helpful if you just want to reread a specific chapter, as I did with Gretchen and Anna's chapters in Circle of Quilters, as this book prompted me to do.Therefore, I'll list the chapters in order: Sylvia, Mary Beth (p.39), Gretchen (p.77), Sarah (p.107), Agnes (p.137), Gwen (p.181), Diane (p.222), and The Elm Creek Quilters (p.259).We get rehashing of events or memories from earlier books, but there's always something new scenes or facts we didn't get before to keep this from being the print equivalent of a television 'clip show'. I particularly enjoyed what we learned about Agnes during those years after Sylvia left Elm Creek Manor, such as meeting her second husband and the discovery that led to her becoming such an expert at appliqué. I also liked seeing how Mary Beth put her life back together after her long-running feud with Diane almost destroyed her beloved son's life.Waterford's annual Christmas boutique to benefit the local food bank is in trouble when an accident ruins the place they normally hold it. If you know this series, you won't be surprised to learn that the manor becomes the substitute venue. If you're new to Elm Creek Quilts, it's not much of a spoiler.This part of the plot runs through the later chapters. I was amused to learn snarky Diane's Shameful Secret about her quilts. I don't quilt, but I do counted cross-stitch and understand Diane's shame.The chapter about how the boutique went and the outcome of Diane's dilemma were quite satisfying. I started this book a few days ago and finished it on Christmas Eve. I'm glad I won an advance reading copy through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program. It's a comforting visit with old friends for readers of the earlier books, although first-timers will find themselves spoiled for several events. You don't have to be a quilter to enjoy this series. Sit down, get comfortable, and let yourself go away to a nice place filled with mostly-nice people.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      Although there are more than twenty books in the Elm Creek series, this was the first one I have read. After reading reviews written by faithful followers of the series, I find that the very things that most of them didn’t like about the book are what I like! This is not an action-driven book. There is not a mystery to solve, or a love story to sigh over. This is a wonderful character study of the main women that make up the quilting community in Elm Creek. It shows how strikingly different women can all come together based on the love of one thing – in this case, quilting. The book made me think about the friends I have had over the years - and how one thing (in my case teaching – or the love of reading) was enough to bring us together and forge strong bonds. I know from the other reviews that it was disappointing to some people – but I really liked it. I feel like I know the women in the book, and do want to read more about them. I won this book through the GoodReads First Reads program for an honest review.

      1 person found this helpful

    • 4/5
      I enjoyed returning to Elm Creek except for the repeated detailed reminiscing moments that left me feeling like I had read this book before. A quick reference to the past would have been better. If I could not remember, then it is time to re-read the series. As an Elm Creek follower, but it does add closures to many unresolved problems from the past.
    • 3/5
      The Christmas Boutique is a festive fundraising extravaganza, held annually in the quaint Elm Creek Valley to support the local food pantry. However, a severe winter storm and oversight by a harried volunteer results in serious damage to the church hall where the boutique is normally hosted, necessitating a last-minute venue change to the stately Elm Creek Manor. Woven throughout the frantic preparations for the grand event are tales of past woes, Christmases through the years, and memories of heirloom quilts and unfinished projects as the women of the community and the Elm Creek Quilters must come together despite personal differences, insecurities, and mounting challenges in order to save the Christmas Boutique.Festive and charming, The Christmas Boutique was a cozy holiday read, perfect for imbuing readers with that Christmas spirit. Having not previously read any installments in the Elm Creek Quilts collection, all of the character backstories were unfamiliar. However, the constant reminiscing gave the impression that a significant portion of this book was a simple rehash of information that had been provided to readers in previous installments. I developed the impression that veteran readers of the Elm Creek Quilts series would quickly lose patience with this storytelling technique, wanting to skip ahead to the current story. A significant number of pages are also occupied by petty dramas between grown women that felt childish, trifling, and borderline embarrassing, all of which distracted heavily from the story at hand. However, despite all of this, Chiaverini still manages to paint a comforting and heartwarming picture of the Christmas season.
    • 4/5
      What a lovely Christmas gift. It’s been 8 years since there has been an entry in this series and I’ve missed these friends. There is just something so peaceful an calm about Elm Creek Manor. It was easy to slip right back into the manor. My only complaint is about poor Sarah. She’s been pregnant with twins for 8 years and now I’m afraid we will have to wait another 8 years for the delivery, lol
    • 4/5
      Author Jennifer Chiaverini has brought back the Elm Creek Quilt gang for a Christmas novel, having basically halted this series in favor of many other wonderful historical novels. This book provides a nice review of the origins of Elm Creek Quilts that refreshes the memories of long-time readers or brings new readers up to speed. The book follows the usual format of the series by focusing on individual members in each chapter to move the story along. It's an enjoyable read for series fans, but probably not one that will appeal so much to newcomers. Fans will appreciate the chance to satisfy their appetite for Elm Creek stories. It's a gentle, feel-good Christmas read.
    • 4/5
      Like a cup of Christmas hot chocolate, this book was a sweet and soothing break from holiday craziness. I haven’t read an Elm Creek Quilts book in a while, and it was lovely to catch up with the characters. The author provides enough backstory that even newcomers to the series won’t feel lost. A perfect holiday read!
    • 2/5
      I was not the right audience for this book. I'm not a quilter and never had an interest in quilting. Also, I didn't realized this was part of a series until I picked it up to read. I could tell as I read that the author was giving the backstory. The book follows the storylines of several different women. I was interested in a couple of the women, but some of them were just downright boring.I'm sure that women who enjoy quilting and those who have followed the series will enjoy this newest release. I just wasn't the right reader for it.
    • 4/5
      It’s been years since I binge read most of the Elm Creek Quilts series. I was afraid I wouldn’t remember the characters and their stories but with subtle hints from the author they came right back to me. This is a cozy, light, escapist read - what many of us need for the holidays in these turbulent times. It would deal to read the entire series in order to avoid spoilers but a newcomer could read this first and still find it enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      It's been years since I read an Elm Creek Quilts book. The Christmas Boutique did an excellent job of reacquainting me with all the main characters and their backstories. I was surprised at how familiar it felt. The "new" story had to do with a charity fundraiser that ended up being held at Elm Creek Manor because the original location had a disaster. I'm not a quilter but the descriptions of all the quilts made it easy to visualize how beautiful the quilts were.So if you like to read for Christmas with familiar characters and a heartwarming plot, this book is worth a read.
    • 2/5
      Meh. I couldn't get into it. Found it to be really slow going and somewhat boring. I kept counting how many pages I had left and each time with a sigh, found I still had a good ways to go! The chapters are devoted to each of the characters and their story. I found only Gwen's chapter somewhat interesting. The rest? Eh... It didn't help that quite a bit of the book goes into the intricacies of quilting which I know nothing about and the author did not enhance my interest in. Although, I do now have a certain amount of respect for the craft. It's not interesting but it does seem complicated.I was hoping this book would be more Christmas-y and festive and there is some of that but it's mainly about quilting and the rest of the story is Hallmark soap opera-ish. I was starting to regret that this wasn't a mystery cozy because a murder would then probably liven things up!I received an advance readers edition for my honest review.
    • 4/5
      I read The Christmas Boutique for the Early Reviewers of the Library Thing. This is the first book I have read by Jennifer Chiaverini and I can say that I thoroughly enjoyed the novel. It was truly a story of forgiveness and redemption. Throughout the story about women who came from varying backgrounds but who came together and learned to forgive and accept each other, we see a community grow and learn to work together to create a successful Christmas Boutique to support the community food bank. These women learn that vindictiveness and anger don't help anyone and certainly don't solve any problems. Even though I have not read any of the previous novels in the series, I enjoyed this one and would recommend it to any reader who would rather be uplifted than to be led to despair.
    • 4/5
      The Christmas Boutique by Jennifer Chiaverini is the 21st An Elm Creek Quilts Novel. The Christmas Boutique can be read by those who are new to the series and those who have read each and every book. During the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we get to catch up with Sylvia, Sarah, Gwen, Diane, Gretchen, Anna, and Mary Beth. Learn all you need to know about Sylvia and how she established the quilting camp with Sarah’s help. Find out how Gretchen and Joe came to live at Elm Creek Manor and why Matt McClure is currently away. Mary Beth Callahan and Diane Sonnenberg are neighbors with a contemptuous history. Mary Beth dearly regrets a terrible incident and how it affected her son. Diane wants to find out who turned off the heat in the church hall at the Good Shepherd Church which led to the pipes bursting and does a little investigating. Diane is the one quilter without a finished Christmas quilt to display at the Christmas Boutique and we get to find out why. There are beautiful quilt descriptions that will have you heading to your local fabric store to sign up for classes (or just drool over the fabrics). Anna is whipping up a feast that will have your mouth watering. While I enjoyed catching up with the Elm Creek Quilters, I would have preferred a completely new full-length story (instead of reminiscing with a little bit of story tossed in). I was so disappointed when the author quit writing this series and I was tickled when I saw a new Christmas story was coming out. The Christmas Boutique is well-written with developed characters and a gorgeous locale. I love how the quilters have become a family who are supportive of one other. It is wonderful how they quickly rallied to help such a good cause. My favorite phrase from The Christmas Boutique is “We must have faith that the Lord who loves us will not abandon us.” I hope that the author will keep writing new tales for this delightful series especially since we do not know the sex of Sarah’s twins. The Christmas Boutique is an upbeat Christmas story with gorgeous quilts, mouthwatering munchies, stacks of snow, faithful friends and Christmas conviviality.
    • 5/5
      I was so excited to see this book, I loved this series, and a new book after all this time, awesome!You will not be lost if you pick this one up for the first time, there is a lot of information offered from the past books to update you, but you will be missing out on some great addicting reads if you pass up the previous books.We are back with some dear friends, and updated on the lives we have come to love, and now we are back at Elm Creek!These characters come alive to me through this author, and I would love to go on a quilter’s retreat at the manor, and spend time with Sylvia, seeing as that is not possible, this is the next best thing!I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher William Morrow, and was not required to give a positive review.