This is a story of family, and loyalty, and finding a way to break free from the designated family roles. Jesse is the designated screw up and ladies man of the Strong brothers, but after his mother dies he struggles to break free of that role to change his life and save the family business. Kerry's role is good girl that is always there to lend a helping hand and the neighborhood has her life planned out, but she isn't sure that is the life she wants. Can Jesse and Kerry break free of everyone's expectations and create their own life's? Will the life include each other? And will the Strong brother's be able to save their mother's store?

Real Men Knit is a gentle romance about finding one’s feet and one’s purpose after loss. Jesse is one of the four adopted sons of Mama Joy, who owned a knitting shop in Harlem that was the centre of the local community. Kerry was a foster niece of sorts - her mother was around and doing her best, but she grew up in and around the shop and went to work there when she finished school and while she was studying. She now works part time in a community centre but helps out at the shop in her spare time, and so when Jesse decides he wants to try to keep the shop going, she naturally volunteers to help him. Add in an explosion and burst main at her apartment that leaves her with nowhere to live except, and you have the perfect set up for a forced proximity romance in which childhood friends can become something more.
There was a lot to love here. I’m a sucker for romances where we see groups of brothers or sisters interacting in the background - the mix of affection and competitiveness/jostling to be in charge is always fun. And the combination of flirtiness and protectiveness from Jesse’s brothers towards Kerry is adorable (as is the way they are clearly doing this to wind him up, and he is the only one, including Kerry, who doesn’t see it). I also adored all the Hot Manly Men Doing Knitting bits, and their support and affirmation of a young boy from Kerry’s youth centre who enjoys knitting and is getting bullied about it.
Kerry herself is lovely, too - a warm, generous woman who wants to be to others what Mama Joy was to her, but who nonetheless draws the line at being a mother (or indeed, sister) figure to the Strong family.
The romance was quite sweet, and the attraction between Jesse and Kerry was well-written. My only complaint was that they both had a tendency to assume the other couldn’t possibly really love them, and reacting accordingly - a sensible conversation could have solved this, though I realise they were both coming from a place of self-protective insecurity.
All in all, a charming, sweet book, and I’ll keep an eye out for the rest of the series.

I really wanted to like this book but was very disappointed. The premise is great, and I liked the main characters. At the same time, I felt like minor characters and some subplots added nothing and I'm not sure why they were even included.

Not so horrible that I absolutely couldn't finish it, but not nearly good enough to keep me reading when other holds and ARCs are coming in.

The narration and especially the dialogue feel clunky and unnatural.

The main characters are interesting, but fully a quarter of the way into the book it's still all set-up and reminiscing and backstory. Nothing is happening.

Recommended primarily for mid- to large public libraries where other African American romance authors circulate very well.

Knitting and romance novels are two of my very favorite things and this book combines the two so well. I am new-ish to contemporary romances, and confess that I need to be a bit more diverse in my romance reading, so this book was a wonderful foray into both.

The characters were well written and jumped right off the pages. While you get dropped right into the mix of the Strong brothers, you feel like you know this group right away (and they quickly steal your heart!). Our heroine Kerry is as delightful as she is determined and headstrong. You can't help cheering for these two to get their happily ever after.

The Harlem setting, the diverse characters and the ever-present knitting made this a truly engaging read. I definitely read it in basically one sitting because it was too good to put down. I really hope this becomes a series. I want to read more from this author and would love to find out what happens to the love lives of the other Strong brothers.

A funny, unexpectedly emotional romance, whose hero and heroine have both chemistry and issues galore. A delightful supporting cast, plenty of family drama, and just enough knitting talk. Strong Knits is in excellent hands, as are the Strong Brothers themselves.

Oh crap, I think I sent this off without filling in the review part. My bad. I clicked.

I did not finish this book, but the topic appealed to me. I love knitting, I love romance novels. I usually go for flaky easy-reads because I have a toddler and no time to really dig into literature at this time. This book was really well written, the emotion was real and heart-wrenching (I just lost my Grams, so I'm a little sentimental right now) but I couldn't connect with the characters very well and couldn't empathize or really dig in and stay in. That, please believe me, is definitely an "it's not you, it's me" scenario that's true in this case. My apologies!!

I love an author who can write a book that can cover bigger issues while also making it light-hearted instead of heartbreaking. This book was a treat - I really enjoyed following Kerry and Jesse. I just enjoyed Jesse to be honest. Penny Reid had a knitting series that I ADORED so when I heard about this book, I had to swipe it up as fast as I could. I was not disappointed in the slightest.

I loved this book! It was very cute and fun to read about the knitting groups and how this shop helped its community. This is a book about personal growth and how to go on with life after the death of a loved one. The romance reflected the theme of growth as Jesse and Kerry learn more about themselves and what they want to do with their lives.

A fun contemporary that made me want to pick up my own yarn and needles. Her descriptions of Harlem transported me there and the cast of characters, especially the Old Knitting Gang, were fantastic. I can’t wait for the next books and the brothers’ stories.

I love the premise of this book, I love the Strong brothers, and I especially love Kerry! Jesse and Kerry are perfect for each other, and their romance gave me all the feels! This story has it all...love, romance, friendship, family, community, and some sexy times! I’m already obsessed with a couple of other characters I think need to be together in a future book!

Kerry Fuller has offered to help Jesse Strong and his brothers keep Strong Knits open after Mama Joy's death. Jesse has a reputation as a love-em and leave-em sort of guy. Kerry has had a crush on him forever. When her apartment is ruined by an explosion, Jesse offers her a room at his house. Sparks fly as they ready the store for a grand reopening. The interaction between the brothers with opposite personalities is an added plus to this story.

When Mama Joy, the matriarch over a knitting store, its fans, and an adopted band of brothers passes away unexpectedly, the future of the store -- and of the extended family -- is uncertain. Her employee Kerry feels rudderless, and wild child Jesse swears that despite a poor track record, he can keep the store going. This cozy romance is warm in the best ways -- characters rising to the best version of themselves and, in doing so, creating a future of possibilities.

I received this digital ARC in exchange for a fair review.

Overall, Jackson does an outstanding job of building this family and world in Harlem, NYC. I could see the neighborhood and all the businesses lining the streets, clear as day. The figure of Mama Joy was a clear pillar of the community and family whose presence remains strong throughout the entirety of the book. Kerry was a fantastic leading lady, taking charge of her work and life with a strength admirable of a woman with so many pulls on her time. But she was also honestly drawn by dealing with the conflict of all those pulls and her own insecurities that came with them.

I have a few hesitations about the writing style. There were a number of times Jackson would set up a dramatic moment of reveal or being caught or other large action, and then have the POV character go off on a long tangent of internal thoughts as though the event had never happened before coming back to the big event against and addressing it after the tension had been lost. I kept being pulled out of the moment by these deviations and I feel it made me lose my connection to the story. On top of that, there seemed to be so much talk about the pressures timeline to get the store open, but very little was actually done about it until more than 50% of the way through when everything came together so easily. I was certainly taken aback by that.

It kills me to not give this more stars, because I love knitting, I love romance, I love everything about the premise. However, I just didn't feel it. The writing was a little clunky and the romance felt really rushed. I do hope that this is a series, because the other brothers and Val were played up SO much. And if it is a series, then I will absolutely continue reading. This was fun, but it just wasn't my favorite.

Although this isn't a book I would typically read, the knitting aspect intrigued me. I thought this was a great story and really enjoyed the characters and the setting. I will definitely be on the lookout for more of Jackson's future books. Thank you for the advanced copy.

I’m in love with love. This month—February and the month I finish the book—is all about love. So I’m happy I was able to read such a well-written and fun read about four hot brothers that knit! That being said, this book doesn’t come out until May but I promise it will be out before you know it!

I’m so grateful to live in a time where I don’t ever have to be shamed for reading romance. And to those who look down on romance readers, all I have to say is that IT’s YOUR LOSS.

Jesse and Kerry are the female and male lead you love to root for. Sure, Jesse is a bit of a ladies man, but it didn’t take away from the sweet side that had Kerry falling in love with him. For good reason! Mama Joy is the lovely lady that raised (and adopted) four boys that couldn’t be more different. They’re brothers though and it comes as a shock when Mama Joy passes away.

Then comes the whole she-bang of what to do with her knitting shop. Jesse wants to keep it, while the brothers want to sell it. He’ll do anything to keep that from happening. So, that’s when his childhood friend comes into the picture with helping him save the shop.

Along the way, we meet so many wonderful characters that will no doubt be in the follow up books. I can’t wait for that! Jackson has written a romance for the ages and I for one am a new found fan!

I don't even pretend to know how to knit, despite always meaning to... but don't fear that you need to have any expertise to read and enjoy this super cute romance. Real men do indeed knit, particularly the Strong brothers. Jesse Strong-- the heartbreaker is completely bowled over by Kerry Fuller, part time shop employee who was particularly close to the former owner of Strong Knits, Jesse's adoptive mother, who they all call Mama Joy.

And, not so secretly, Kerry has held a torch for Jesse for longer than she'll admit. When a mishap at her apartment means they'll be living in very close quarters.....well, magic. But not without a few people butting in and some serious self reflection.

It would be so mean of Kwana to intro us to Damien and Lucas without giving them loves as well. I'm just saying.... I expect more Men Who Knit. This is a completely adorable book. Put it in your face and give yourself a cute love story.

Loved this book! It was heartwarming and I am always interested in hot men who knit :) Loved how the shop represented changing neighborhoods in NY and the cast of characters was so charming. I did feel that the story line took some time to get in the action/meat of the story but overall I was sucked into the story, the world and the characters.