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Ties That Bind  By  cover art

Ties That Bind

By: Marie Bostwick
Narrated by: Bahni Turpin,Xe Sands
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Publisher's summary

In her compelling, beautifully crafted novel, New York Times best-selling author Marie Bostwick celebrates friendships old and new - and the unlikely threads that sometimes lead us exactly where we need to go.

Christmas is fast approaching, and New Bern, Connecticut, is about to receive the gift of a new pastor, hired sight unseen to fill in while Reverend Tucker is on sabbatical. Meanwhile, Margot Matthews’ friend, Abigail, is trying to matchmake, even though Margot has all but given up on romance. She loves her job at the Cobbled Court Quilt Shop and the life and friendships she’s made in New Bern, but she never thought she’d still be single on her fortieth birthday.

It’s a shock to the entire town when Philip A. Clarkson turns out to be Philippa. Truth be told, not everyone is happy about having a female pastor. Yet despite a rocky start, Philippa begins to settle in - finding ways to ease the townspeople’s burdens, joining the quilting circle, and forging a fast friendship with Margot. When tragedy threatens to tear Margot’s family apart, that bond - and the help of her quilting sisterhood - will prove a saving grace. And as she untangles her feelings for another new arrival in town, Margot begins to realize that it is the surprising detours woven into life’s fabric that provide its richest hues and deepest meaning.

©2012 Marie Bostwick (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“This is one very talented writer…Watch her star rise!” (Debbie Macomber, New York Times best-selling author)

What listeners say about Ties That Bind

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    3 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Surprise! Christian Fiction

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

No. The combination of the heavy Christian slant and the voice of one of the narrators spoiled this experience for me. I might listen to another Marie Bostwick book, now that I know it's Christian fiction--I'd just tune out the heavy-handed parts, just as I do with overdone sex scenes--but I won't listen to another book from this narrator.

What other book might you compare Ties That Bind to and why?

Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street books.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

Xe Sands sounds tired, bored and condescending, which results in the narrator coming across as passive and tired. If I'd noticed she was one of the narrators I would not have purchased the book.

Do you think Ties That Bind needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

I liked the characters and the story. Regular church-going choir member that I am, the heavy-handed Christian elements were quite a bit too much for me.

Any additional comments?

If a book is Christian (or any other heavy-handed religious) fiction, please state that up front so customers are not unpleasantly surprised.

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16 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Book Five . . . Wonderful Story

I really enjoy this series about women quilting together, sharing their faith, their joys and their sorrows . . . I am not a huge fan of narrator, Xe Sands, whose voice tends to be whiny at times, but this book, it wasn't as grating . . . the family dynamics of Mari and Margot with their parents was gut wrenching BEFORE Mari's untimely death, and even more so afterward, when Margot's father took it upon himself to fight for custody of young Olivia, despite the fact that Mari clearly left instructions that she wanted her sister, Margot to raise her little girl . . . many ethical dilemmas were presented as the family visited little Olivia in the hospital following the accident, and prepared for the legal battle over custody . . . including an unscrupulous social worker and lazy court system . . . and in the midst of the fight comes a lady pastor, as precious as can be, and a nice, nice man who catches the eye of 40-year-old Margot . . . who has recently sworn off romantic relationships entirely . . . this is a clean, Christian story . . . with a wonderful circle of quilting friends . . . and plenty of wonderful surprises along the way . . . God is good . . . all the time . . .

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Great story for kindred spirits in quilting

When I started to listen to this book it was a sad time for me personally and the story started out sad so I have to admit that I was a bit disappointed at first. But I have enjoyed all of the other books in this series by Marie Bostwick so I didn't give up. It turned out to be a much different story than I had anticipated and am not disappointed at the end. I am a quilter and I love stories that I can relate to like the ones by this author. Makes me feel like I could be one of the characters in the story!

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Real and Heart-warming

What did you love best about Ties That Bind?

Well written with believable characters who live, love and touch each others' lives in what only appears to be random events. One can definitely envision the Father's hand 'working all things for the good for those that love Him'.

What about Bahni Turpin and Xe Sands ’s performance did you like?

It enhanced the listener's understanding to have these two talented performers 'voice' the very individual thoughts and experiences of the two main characters.

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    1 out of 5 stars
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Religious!! I want my money back!!!!

I cannot believe that there is nothing in the description stating that it is a religious book. I saw that it was a book about quilters and I wanted to read a book about quilters - NOT a religious book disguised as a book about quilters!! I emailed Audible weeks ago about this and have heard NOTHING back. I am very disappointed.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Best in the series

Have you listened to any of Bahni Turpin and Xe Sands ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Dual readers made the story richer. Both brought warmth and humanity to Margot and Philipa.

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Love this series

I must say I was a little put off by some of the reviews. There were several regarding the narrator and being disappointed. But one was completely false; complaining about a narrator reading for a male pastor but was actually an African American woman. Well it was and the pastor was in fact female. So take these reviews with a grain of salt.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Love this series!

I love this series. Learning about each character makes it really hard to stop listening!👍

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    1 out of 5 stars
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this book was so freaking boring

for me this book dragged on forever I skipped so many chapters because it was nothing exciting about it

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  • KM
  • 11-19-16

Couldn't make myself finish it

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

Probably nothing. I found the story uninteresting and the characters one dimensional and not terribly likable. The various themes of the book (Christianity, quilting, small town life) were not well integrated. Even though there were dramatic events in the story, they were without the complexity and depth of real life experiences so I was never moved by the characters' situation. I rarely stop listening to a book before it's finished, but even though there were only about 2 hours left, I reached a point where I couldn't stand another minute of it.

Would you ever listen to anything by Marie Bostwick again?

No.

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Bahni Turpin and Xe Sands ?

I am not sure who was who, but the narrator for Margot had a voice and narration style that grated on my last nerve. She spoke in a breathy, over-dramatic manner and her voice tended to trail off at the end of sentences, making the last few words inaudible. I had to keep adjusting the volume and trying to fill in the missing words. I found myself cringing when the narrators switched.

The narrator for Pippa was good although her Boston accent (which she seemed to forget now and then) was terrible.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Boredom, irritation, more boredom

Any additional comments?

I happen to be Christian, live in a small Connecticut town, and quilt as a hobby. This story should have hit a note for me but it didn't come close.

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