The Patchwork Players by Jennifer Chiaverini

 

Both new and long-time fans of Jennifer Chiavernini will no doubt enjoy the latest dispatch from the esteemed author's pen. I had read several of her earlier works, but it had been a few years since I had read something of hers. I liked that while the book incorporates some of the staple characters of the original series, it is not necessary to know all of their back stories. The Patchwork Players puts those OG characters into the background and lets a new cast take center stage.

The new characters are quite literally a cast from a popular historical television series, "A Patchwork Place." In an effort to understand quilting techniques as they existed during the show's time period, a number of the cast are spending a week learning more about quilting techniques. 

The grande dame of the cast is Julia, an actress of reknown and one who cannot accept the fact that the series days are numbered. Julia is hoping that during the week she can persuade the series writer to extend the show.  When her desires are at cross purposes with some future opportunities for other actors, chaos ensues. I have to admit that I really started disliking Julia at that point, but hoped all would come right in the end. 

Readers who are quilters will undoubtedly enjoy all the shop talk about techniques and historical sewing practices (not being a quilter, I assume the information is accurate, but I mostly skimmed over those parts). 

I think readers who are unfamiliar with previous books will have their curiosity aroused enough to go back and discover more about the origins of the stately manor where the retreat takes place and learn more about the staff that work there. I didn't feel quite the same connection with retreat attendees in this book, as it seemed the focus was on the instructional parts and not as much on the personal stories of the characters. All in all, it was a decent read--not one of my favorites in the series but one that I was happy to see come to a satisfactory conclusion.  

Book release date is April 14, 2026 and can be pre-ordered on Amazon. (affiliate link that adds no cost to you).

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of The Patchwork Players from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received; all views expressed are solely my own.