Imagine a group of women who have been doing ministry together for a number of years in the same place at the same time and then their comfort zone gets closed off. That is where this novel opens for the Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl ministry has been banished from the church, due to repainting.
The four women are simply told to move elsewhere. There are other reasons behind this that increases their concern, that of the church possibly folding. Four women, four different stories and plenty of secrets kept hidden from each other and deep-seated emotions kept buried by themselves.
This book was a wonderful read. At times poignant and at times thought provoking. It made me realize that even in our most inner circles there may be parts of us that we haven’t ever shared, over fear of judgement, fear of more loss— or for a variety of reasons.

Each character I thought was well developed. Easily could be any anyone we know. You may even see a bit of yourself in each of the character. With the change in the prayer shawl’s meeting space, we see how some embrace it, others fight against it. And we see growth in all of them, and the others that we meet through the story.
It made me want to pick up my needles and find a knitting group myself.
I had never read Sharon Mondragon before, but I am definitely looking forward to more of her stories.

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is cozy, fun, and hilarious. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll be begging for more. Often the most amazing things can come from the unexpected. When asked (or forced) to move their prayer shawl ministry to a new location, the ladies are completely disgruntled, but what seems like a disturbance may turn out to be one of the best things that ever happened. Warm, relatable characters round out this wonderfully written novel.

This book is powerful. I think it beautifully demonstrates the power of prayer in a variety of situations and with many personalities.

I think Father Pete is great. He's reached a point where there's nothing to lose in challenging the church's 'dragon lady' because the clock is ticking, and the church is destined to close.

Sending the prayer shawl ladies out to knit in public, as a group is the start of some pretty impressive ripples. It takes time for them to adjust, and I love how the events and the prayers unfold, both in the story, and in each of these 4 ladies lives.

The mall community had no idea what it was in for that holiday season, but man! I loved seeing the growth from week to week, and even the internal battles that each lady had to face.

Having two 'dragon ladies' face off, and seeing the hurts and fears that they had in common gives me a good idea of what can happen when we let our fears rule us to the point of micromanagement. I don't want that, so I have to be very intentional about dealing with each fear as it comes. Taking each one to God, and sitting with him.

I laughed so hard I cried a couple of times, and I may have teared up in empathy a time or three. This book has definitely earned its 5 stars, and I'm probably adding a hard copy to my library soon.

Themes and Topics: smoking/drugs, parenting from fear or control doesn't work, consequences are real-including prison, cancer/death, effort isn't always enough, following God's nudges, getting involved instead of staying in a safe zone, second chances, trusting God.

I received a copy of this book from the Read with Audra book tour, and chose to review it here. All thoughts are my own.

We all know someone like her, Christian or not, and it can be a challenge to find something to like about her. Author Sharon J. Mondragon presents this character and the others in a way that encourages the reader to employ a sense of empathy.

For those looking for a romance or mystery novel there is precious little of that in this debut novel. But please don't let that deter you. This is just a different genre but no less interesting and good read. This book has a lot to offer and may even inspire you to start a prayer group among your friends.

This book is a Christian Contemporary read. It is about a Knitting Prayer group of ladies that meet in the church pews and knit prayer shawls. When the pastor has decided that the church needs to repainted they are asked to go outside of the church and continue their prayer / knitting meetings in the public eye. This doesn't go well with some of the group. They encounter all sorts of people and stories of what God is doing in the lives of other. They become witnesses and don't even know it. The pastor has them continue with the meetings outside as a form of them growing in their own relationships to God and to let them see how they are touching each others lives.
This is a great book of how you can make a difference to someone else and not even know it. God is just not in the church, HE is everywhere. This is one of those books you don't want to put down and you don't want to end. I would give this book as a gift to anyone that reads. Would make a great Hallmark movie. LOVE THIS BOOK!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, "Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising About the Book

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady reminds me of a movie I might see on British programming or perhaps something on PBS. In fact, this would make a great movie to watch during the holiday season. It's an easy read, perfect for reading on a vacation trip. The story begins with a prayer shawl ministry, a group of ladies that knit shawls while praying over them that they would reach the intended person to provide comfort during their difficult time. Margaret will rub the reader the wrong way initially, but give her a chance as she experiences some growth as a character. This was a wonderful heartwarming story. Also, it almost made me want to try knitting myself. In fact, the author provides instructions and a supply list, in case the reader wants to give it a try. I received a copy from the publisher. However the honest opinions in this review are my own.

I was on the receiving end once. It was during my 3 week stint in the hospital for pre-term labor. It was my first child and I'd struggled all through the pregnancy to ensure my son made it. When I ended up admitted into the hospital, it was an upsetting time. 3 weeks without being able to do anything other than watch the Food network or TLC. Friends from church brought in both a stuffed animal with a cloth and a baby blanket, both which they'd prayed over. Some might not believe in the power of prayer. But even those that don't believe in it, it is still comforting to know that someone took the time to make a blanket or shawl to comfort you while you're going through a difficult time. It offers a reminder that they are thinking of you, even if they aren't near.

When I first started to read this book I was not sure how I would like it because I usually like books with suspense and romance. This one has heart. I laughed and I cried. I had not heard of giving out prayer shawls before but now I think it is a fantastic idea. Some books like this can be sappy but this one is not it is just a beautiful story. I received a copy of this book from Read with Audra for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Have you ever read a book that captures your mood perfectly?

I LOVED The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady. Once I started this cozy read, I couldn’t put it down. The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry knits together at the church prayer chapel each Wednesday. They are shocked one Wednesday to discover that the chapel is closed down for painting and their pastor tells them that he wants them to take their ministry out into the world. How are they supposed to pray at a shopping mall? Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran pack their knitting bags and try it out. The new people they encounter have problems of their own that could use some prayer. Will these ladies be able to spread their ministry and also solve their own issues?

I loved that each character was fully fleshed and had a compelling story of their own. I loved that the overall message was that making human connections with people and caring for them, makes the world a better place. We all need that human connection and caring for the greater good. I also loved the theme of mother and child relationships and being able to take the time to forgive and say goodbye. There was also a good theme of not judging others as you don’t know their full story. The story was very well written and engaging. I need to read more from Sharon J. Mondragon.

I also really liked that this is a Christian book that is actually a Christian book. Many Christian books are labeled Christian as they have a chaste romance, but do not actually have any discussion of Christianity. This book actual has prayer, a church, church services, and trying to evangelize in the community to bring in new members. It also applied Christian teachings such as forgiveness. I especially loved the description of the Christmas Eve service and the lighting of the candles. Jane has a moment where she realized that instead of blowing out the candles, you could be the candle that stays lit and brings the message out to your home and community. I loved this.

Favorite Quotes:
“Apparently, like most women of a certain age, they were virtually invisible.”

“Luck is random. Blessing is from God.”

Overall, The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a truly wonderful novel with great characters and message that will stick with me.

Book Source: Review copy from Kregel Publications for being a part of the Book Tour.

Out of your comfort zone and into the mall!

Thanks #NetGalley @KregelBooks and the I Read With Audra Blog Tour for a complimentary eARC of #TheUnlikelyYarnOfTheDragonLady upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry consists of four women (Controlling Margaret, Positive Rose, Hurting Jane, and Lonely Fran) who meet weekly in the lovely and quiet Prayer Chapel of their church to knit shawls for the prayer shawls ministry. When the pastor announces that the prayer chapel is being painted and they will need to find another place to sit and knit, he suggests they knit out in public somewhere like the local mall. Grumpy and difficult-to-love Margaret vehemently resists the idea of knitting in the mall with all its distractions. However, the others are open to the idea. After they get kicked out of the bookstore cafe (for never ordering anything), they find a satisfactory place to knit using the comfortable seating display in front of Macy’s department store. And, yes, there are distractions and encounters with the people they meet taking them out of their comfort zones in many ways.

The power of friendship and prayer.

Do you love discovering a personal connection in the books you read? I grew up in a small church community and it is easy for me to relate to these women, their mission, and their hearts. I can name a person I know that is like each one of these characters! I can relate to the idea of moving your ministry from the safe walls of the church out into the world to be the light. I can relate to the power of friendship and prayer. Although I haven’t knitted prayer shawls, I can relate to this story because I do know how to knit and I’m a PK (preacher’s kid) and grew up in the church and have participated in other ministries. My aunt has met for years with a quilting group at her Lutheran church that makes quilts for those in need.

I adore older, mature characters. I think many readers will find a way to connect with one of the four. Each character is well developed and has a unique voice. It becomes obvious as they interact with the situations and people they encounter that they had never opened up to each other. A beautiful part of this story is the way they grow to support and understand each other.

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is engaging, humorous in places, and poignant.

Even if you don’t embrace a Christian worldview, there are universal themes to appreciate including friendship, grief, loneliness, risk-taking, power of prayer, connection, compassion, forgiveness, and concern for struggling adult children.

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is definitely an “up-lit” story from a Christian perspective with a strong Christian message. It’s a well-told and engaging story that I’m recommending for readers who might relate to the content and themes.

"Attracted by the title, I read the synopsis and was hooked. And I was not disappointed at all. The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is the delightful and insightful debut of Sharon J. Mondragón. I plan to read more of her stories in the future.

I enjoyed plucky Pastor Pete, who was so determined to revive the dying church. And loved the challenge he gave to the small group of women to go out into the world instead of staying hidden in the prayer chapel as they knit their prayer shawls.

This moving story showed what happens when four women let their light shine in a dark world. The impact of their quiet group on the people in the mall was significant, but perhaps more important were the changes this made in their lives and hearts.

There were plenty of heartwarming moments mixed in with deeper life issues. I found myself wiping my eyes more than once as the Heavenly Hugs prayer shawl ministry ladies, who had felt so forgotten and unimportant, discovered how to allow God to use them to make a difference in a hurting world.

Readers of Christian fiction will delight in meeting this new author through The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady.


I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own."

I loved this book and devoured it pretty quickly. Sometimes a book just hits you at the right time and that was this book for me.

Four women make up the prayer shawl ministry at a local church and their pastor has set them out into the community to knit their shawls while the chapel is being repainted. Needless to say, Margaret is not pleased with this change. Margaret is something of a control freak and this upsets her strict routine and feels that knitting in public will not allow them to pray over these shawls for those that will eventually receive them. I think we all know a Margaret in our lives and sometimes change is good. The other ladies are more flexible and they don't let Margaret try and run roughshod over them and change the date or make it a more private location.

While Margaret is the driving force, the other ladies, Fran, Rose, and Jane, are a solid contribution to the group and the story. All four of these women have their own demons to battle and those play into the story and how it brings people to them and how they can all make a difference one person at a time.

I loved how these ladies end up at the mall doing their knitting and that while they may think that they do not bring attention to themselves, they really do and others are curious about what they are doing and why. What these ladies don't realize is that they did bring their ministry to the people and they were receptive to prayers and even being brought into the prayer shawl ministry circle.  I was encouraged at how they were accepted by the number of prayer requests they received from employees at the mall and it reminds us that even a small change can bring bigger changes to our lives.

The story flows and while there are some "tense" moments between characters, it also shows us grace and mercy, that forgiveness is powerful, and that we all need someone in our lives to be in our corner and root for us whether we know it or not. There are some sparks of love, protectiveness of parents, and getting through to one Dragon Lady that life is too short to hold onto anger and fear and that feelings need to be shared now and not later when it is too late.

This is a feel-good book that will be enjoyed by many. And if you are a knitter, there is even a pattern at the end if you want to give it a whirl. I have to say, this book made me want to try my hand at knitting!

We give this book 5 paws up.

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon has some characters you might recognize—those so comfortable within the wall of the church, when challenged to step outside, they resist with everything in them.

This book was so much more than I expected. Four women who were content to knit and pray discover friendship, healing, and the moving power of prayer when they embrace the adventure set before them. Not all are quick to accept this new normal and not everyone is accepting of them, either.

I’ve never had the desire to knit, but after reading this book and seeing the wonderful ministry of prayer shawls, I’m tempted to check into it. Mondragon gives readers lessons in both knitting and faith, and it’s a thoroughly enjoyable class to take part in.

Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.

First, that title made me look twice. Second, I read the back cover blurb. After that, I just knew I had to read this story! It's one that drew me in very quickly & kept me turning pages.

I've never heard of a prayer shawl ministry before, so learning about it through the lives of Margaret, Jane, Rose and Fran was quite interesting. These four ladies are different in personality and how they approach life, but their heart for wanting to comfort those who are hurting bonds them together. God definitely used each one of them to touch the lives of those who would never step foot into a church & showed the love of Christ. When Father Pete kicked them out of the Prayer chapel to go knit in public places, that's where this story really begins! Not only did they touch the lives of strangers, God began to work in each one of their hearts to deal with some heavy things they've each tried to bury. Margaret was most like me, so I especially loved seeing her transformation! She's the groups' self-appointed leader who's also a bit of control freak. In spite of her supposed hard-heart, I learned of the reason behind it when the author penned her backstory. Each one of these ladies had a backstory that was emotional & just endeared me even more to them. Throughout the book I laughed, cried & felt like I made some friendships along the way myself. It has some definite spiritual truths that resonated in my own heart. I don't read women's fiction often, but this one was especially fun, adventurous, life-changing & emotional.

What a lovely debut novel, Sharon Mondragon is one to watch for!

*I received a complimentary copy from Kregel publishing through the Read with Audra blogger program. I was not obligated to leave a favorable review; all opinions expressed here are mine. *

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is Sharon Mondragon’s debut novel. Every Wednesday, four women (Heavenly Hugs Prayer Shawl Ministry) meet in the Prayer Chapel of Hope of Glory Community Church to knit prayer shawls. One day, Father Pete tells them that for next month they will be unable to use the Prayer Chapel because it is being painted. He suggests that the group meet in a public place. This throws the groups unofficial leader, Margaret Benson into a tizzy. This just might be what each woman and others in the community need. I enjoyed reading this sweet story. It shows us that you never know what God might have in store for you. The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a charming story that really resonated with me. I enjoyed how this group of women helped others by knitting and praying. I thought the book was well-written with steady pacing. The characters are developed and realistic. I loved Father Pete with his ideas, his enthusiasm, and clever t-shirts. I liked that we get to see what happens when we relinquish control and let God be in charge. There is a prayer shawl pattern at the end of the story along with information on prayer shawl ministries. The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady is a special tale that is emotional, encouraging, and uplifting.

This book took me completely by surprise. When I signed up to review it, I thought that it seemed like a nice little story. I was so unprepared for it being much much more. I laughed. I cried. I watched God move in the lives of ordinary people. It was a wonderfully emotional experience to read. I cannot believe this is the author’s debut novel. It is outstanding.

I received this book complimentary from the publisher. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed are honest and my own.

This book was definitely an unexpected surprise. I absolutely enjoyed this story and the ladies of the knitting prayer group. If you have been around church long enough or have ever worked at church for a long period of time you will recognize the characteristic in some of these ladies right away. I know I did and I could picture the Margaret, Rose, Jane and Fran's of my life. I think we have all known a Margaret at one point or another. You know the ones.. the ladies that are always set in their ways and always in control. Well that all changes in this story and it was done in such a great way.

I think one of my favorite parts of this story is that each lady has something they are going through in their life and while they are doing a great thing by knitting and praying over these shawls they are making they aren't truly ministering. Being outside the church gives them those opportunities and we see all of this unfold and see their lives change for the better.

The author did a great job in this book and I could not believe this was her debut novel. She weaves faith throughout the story and especially the very real scenario that God changes our plans to make HIS plan work in our lives. His way is always perfect. Overall I thought this was a beautiful story and I highly recommend it!

My Rating: 4 Stars/Really Liked it!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher Kregel. I was not required to post a positive review. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Sharon J. Mondragon makes her debut with this inspiring contemporary novel about stepping out of one’s comfort zone and allowing God to lead the way.

In the The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady, Margaret, Rose, Jane, and Fran meet in the chapel to peacefully knit prayer shawls at the Hope of Glory Community Church. One day the pastor sends them out of the church under the guise of the chapel being painted. They move to the nearby mall grudgingly, especially Margaret, their self-appointed leader. Leaving their comfort zone behind, they never expected the changes they experienced.

In a style reminiscent of Jan Karon’s At Home in Mitford, Mondragon writes about a community of women who find themselves in an unfamiliar setting which brings about changes into their lives corporately and individually. By stepping out of their comfortable patterns, healing -- physical and emotional -- comes from their taking a more active step in praying for others while they knit prayer shawls and draw closer to one another.

Mondragon’s characters are realistic and relatable in this delightful book. The faith elements are present but not overpowering. The women are different from one another, yet they are bound together in this ministry. By moving to the mall, where the public not only can see them, but can interact with them, the women open themselves to seeing God answer prayers. People are drawn to them and open themselves up to request prayer from the knitting group.

The title did not draw me in. However, after reading the book, I could understand the title better. The book surprised me in so many ways! My least favorite character was the “dragon lady” but through the course of the book, she transforms as she reluctantly responds to God’s leading.

Disclaimer: Book reviews are my honest opinion of books I either purchased or received free of cost from the publishers, publicists, and/or authors.

The Unlikely Yarn of the Dragon Lady by Sharon J. Mondragon is just the book I needed. An enjoyable story combined with well-developed characters and a push toward evangelism made for a story line that I couldn’t put down. If you have ever felt comfy in your space and routine, don’t read this one because it will push you out of that comfort zone and step on your toes and rip up your routine, making you think long and hard about what you really are doing in your zest and zeal for God. Get your hands on this book. You won’t regret the read and you might just find yourself boldly asking God to take you our of the prayer chapel and into the world.

https://3gigglygirlsathome.wordpress.com/2021/09/24/the-unlikely-yarn-of-the-dragon-lady-a-book-review/

A heartwarming read about friendship, faith and the power of prayer.

An engaging read filled with colorful characters and heartfelt moments, I loved the strong themes of faith and friendship throughout. We also get to know each of the main characters, their struggles and challenges, as they knit and pray. I appreciated the original premise, and as a knitter myself its clear that the author knows her stuff!

A cozy, feel-good read, with a little something for everyone. I loved the full cast of characters, as well as the idea of knitting at the mall as a ministry. This was such and enjoyable read, heartwarming, and hard to put down, I loved that I became just as invested in the supporting characters lives as well as those of Fran, Rose, Jane, and Margaret. Filled with charm, and endearing characters that you can root for, this is a winning read from beginning to end!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.