by Eli McCann
First published 2026
Betty Lou Dearden has spent over twenty years with the Ogden Quilter's Association when news arrives that will change everything. The nation's premier quilting competition is heading straight to her small Utah community. The announcement sets the quilting circle into motion as they prepare for their biggest challenge yet. Betty Lou and her fellow quilters decide to bring two young gay men into their established group. The women must navigate their differences and old grievances while racing against time to create a winning entry. Their longtime rivals loom as a constant threat to victory. The quilters argue and bond in equal measure as they stitch together something extraordinary. Through the pressure of competition, Betty Lou discovers new truths about friendship and identity. McCann weaves humor throughout this tale of unlikely alliances and personal growth in the world of competitive quilting.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unlikely-allies
Setting: Ogden, Utah
Period: 20th-century
280 pages · Paperback · Torrey House Press