Book Review: The Resistance Knitting Club By Jenny O’Brien

Please join me in welcomin Jenny O’Brien to Novel Kicks and the blog tour for her book, The Resistance Knitting Club.

Inspired by the true story of a woman who used knitting patterns to encode intelligence during World War Two.  

Guernsey, 2010. After a stroke, an elderly woman shocks her family by speaking perfect French – a language they never knew she possessed. As her granddaughter unravels seventy years of silence, a hidden wartime story emerges…

Paris, 1941. After her brother is declared missing in action at Dunkirk, eighteen-year-old Lenny Gallienne vanishes into Churchill’s secret army. In a bookshop on Rue de la Pompe, she poses as a simple shop girl while encoding intelligence from Nazi headquarters into knitting patterns. Each sweater smuggled to prisoners contains flight paths. Each scarf holds radio frequencies. Each mistake means execution.

Fellow agent, Harry Dennison is the only person who knows her real name. But when the SS close in, Lenny faces an impossible choice in the Metro tunnels beneath Paris – one that will haunt her family for generations. Because in the resistance, the most dangerous secrets are the ones you keep from those you love most.

*****

It’s 2010. An elderly lady sits in a hospital bed and, out of nowhere, begins to speak French. This is a complete surprise to her family. It’s 1941, Lenny is grieving the loss of someone close to her. She decides to join the war effort by working at the war office. When this takes an unexpected turn, this will change the course of Lenny’s life forever.

I couldn’t be happier to be invited onto the blog tour for The Resistance Knitting Club. When I read the blurb for this book, there was something about this story that drew me to it.

This book pulls no punches. It paints a picture of what it was like for people waiting on soilders that never returned and how the war turned everyone’s life upside down. The author does a marvellous job at drawing the reader into Lenny’s story until you are totally invested and it”s 3am in the morning. The plot develops well and there wasn’t a dull moment – whether we were in Scotland, Guernsey, London or Paris. It’s a reminder at how close the German army got to the shores of Britain. It’s also got me wanting to know more about how knitting patterns were used for intelligence during World War II.

I longed for the safety of the majority of characters in this novel and wanted them all to be OK. Whether this is the case is something I am hoping you’ll discover for youself. Lenny is so much tougher than she thinks she is. She goes through a lot but this is what fuels her. She takes that anger and does something with it and for that, she’s an inspirational character. James, Lenny’s brother is as strong minded and resourceful as his sister. Harry. I’m not going to say much about Harry as I don’t want to give too much away. What I will say in relation to the characters, is that I did cry. Other characters, such as Finlay, Ellen, Angus, Betty, Marianne… all these rich, complicated, layered people. I feel that some of these could do with their own spin off book. Again, not going to tell you who as that would spoil this novel.

The Resistance Knitting Club deals with themes of resiliance, hope, love, loss and is an incredible story that shows the importance of having the will to keep going. I was enthralled and I hope you love this book as much as I did.

About Jenny O’Brien –

Jenny O’Brien writes complex thrillers and heartbreaking historical fiction, as well as intriguing romances. Silent Cry, initially self published, topped the Amazon kindle chart in both the UK and the USA. Most of her books have followed suit.

Jenny has over 40 years experience as a qualified nurse. She turned to creative writing as a hobby when her children were born.

Born in Ireland, she now lives in Guernsey with her husband and children.

The Resistance Knitting Club was released in February, 2026. A blend of Jenny’s two hobbies – knitting and reading. For more check out The Resistance Knitting Club Facebook Page. Join the conversation as well as share your crafting projects.

Say hello to Jenny on Facebook, X and Instagram. 

Click to buy on Amazon UK, Amazon US, Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. 

by

Laura

I'm Laura. I started Novel Kicks back in 2009 as I wanted a place to discuss books and writing - two loves of my life. As someone who has anxiety, these two things give me, and I am sure countless others, a much needed escape.
There is a monthly book club, writing exercises, prompts, reviews, author interviews, competitions and guest posts. I cover many genres and I hope there is something for everyone.
I grew up by the sea in Dorset and currently live in Poole with my husband, Chris and three cats. I love writing and have a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing from Falmouth University. I am writing my first book. If only I could stop pressing delete. Chris has threatened to stop it from working. Haha.
I have always loved creative writing since I was in first school and would very much like to meet my teacher, Miss Sayers, to say thank you for all the encouragement she gave me then.
When not writing, I love reading, cats, Disney, singing (I can't sing but this doesn't stop me,) and falling into a good TV show or film. If I could step into any fictional world, it would be amongst the characters in ABC's Once Upon a Time.
I love reading many genres and discovering new authors.