Award-winning author Lynne Hugo returns with a life-affirming, poignant novel in the spirit of A Man Called Ove—a story brimming with both wit and warmth about how a family gets on . . . and goes on.
CarolSue and her sister, Louisa, are best friends, but haven’t had much in common since CarolSue married Charlie, moved to Atlanta, and swapped shoes covered with Indiana farm dust for pedicures and afternoon bridge. Louisa, meanwhile, loves her farm and animals as deeply as she’d loved Harold, her late husband of forty years.
Charlie’s sudden death leaves CarolSue so adrift that she surrenders to Louisa’s plan for her to move back home. But canning vegetables and feeding chickens are alien to CarolSue, and she resolves to return to Atlanta—until Louisa’s son, Reverend Gary, arrives with an abandoned infant and a dubious story. He begs the women to look after the baby while he locates the mother—a young immigrant who fears deportation.
Keeping his own secrets, Gary enlists the aid of the sheriff, Gus, in the search. But CarolSue’s bond with the baby is undeniable, and she forms an unconventional secret plan of her own. How many mistakes can be redeemed?
Praise for the novels of Lynne Hugo
“Sparkling prose, wry humor, and timely, relevant themes abound.”
—Donna Everhart, USA Today bestselling author of The Moonshiner's Daughter
“A tender hymn of hope and rebirth that stays with you long after the last page.”
—Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
“I lost hours of sleep as I raced to finish this extraordinary novel.”
—Randy Susan Meyers, bestselling author of Waisted
“Delivered with humor and heart.”
—Terri-Lynne DeFino, author of The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (And Their Muses)
Genre: General Fiction
CarolSue and her sister, Louisa, are best friends, but haven’t had much in common since CarolSue married Charlie, moved to Atlanta, and swapped shoes covered with Indiana farm dust for pedicures and afternoon bridge. Louisa, meanwhile, loves her farm and animals as deeply as she’d loved Harold, her late husband of forty years.
Charlie’s sudden death leaves CarolSue so adrift that she surrenders to Louisa’s plan for her to move back home. But canning vegetables and feeding chickens are alien to CarolSue, and she resolves to return to Atlanta—until Louisa’s son, Reverend Gary, arrives with an abandoned infant and a dubious story. He begs the women to look after the baby while he locates the mother—a young immigrant who fears deportation.
Keeping his own secrets, Gary enlists the aid of the sheriff, Gus, in the search. But CarolSue’s bond with the baby is undeniable, and she forms an unconventional secret plan of her own. How many mistakes can be redeemed?
Praise for the novels of Lynne Hugo
“Sparkling prose, wry humor, and timely, relevant themes abound.”
—Donna Everhart, USA Today bestselling author of The Moonshiner's Daughter
“A tender hymn of hope and rebirth that stays with you long after the last page.”
—Kim Michele Richardson, author of The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek
“I lost hours of sleep as I raced to finish this extraordinary novel.”
—Randy Susan Meyers, bestselling author of Waisted
“Delivered with humor and heart.”
—Terri-Lynne DeFino, author of The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers (And Their Muses)
Genre: General Fiction
Praise for this book
"In The Book of CarolSue, Hugo deftly combines whimsy and longing, old grief and newfound joy. With her unique and compassionate voice, she writes about loss and redemption in a way that makes you laugh out loud one minute, tear up the next. Either way, you're sure to experience tender feelings for her engaging cast of unforgettable characters." - Diane Chamberlain
"The ability to take tough issues and get others truly see them is nothing short of magic; Lynne Hugo expertly wields that wand. In The Book of CarolSue, the plight of today's immigrants, a mother's sacrifice, and a family's grief reveal the vulnerability of love, and its incomparable strength. Delivered with humor and heart by way of those delightful characters readers have come to expect from this author, The Book of CarolSue will echo long after the last page is read." - Terri-Lynne DeFino
"Sparkling prose, wry humor, and timely, relevant themes abound in this genuine story of two sisters, a son, and the unexpected arrival of a small, immigrant child. Hugo writes about internal conflict with sensitivity, and compassion, making for a compelling page turner about personal loss,perseverance, and rediscovering the heart of family." - Donna Everhart
"Lynne Hugo writes down to the bone of family complications, grief, and shattering loss, while also offering miracles of rescue in The Book of CarolSue. The author walks a perfectly balanced tightrope as she illustrates how political conflicts are woven right into the heart of an Indiana farm family. I lost hours of sleep as I raced to finish this extraordinary novel." - Randy Susan Meyers
"The ability to take tough issues and get others truly see them is nothing short of magic; Lynne Hugo expertly wields that wand. In The Book of CarolSue, the plight of today's immigrants, a mother's sacrifice, and a family's grief reveal the vulnerability of love, and its incomparable strength. Delivered with humor and heart by way of those delightful characters readers have come to expect from this author, The Book of CarolSue will echo long after the last page is read." - Terri-Lynne DeFino
"Sparkling prose, wry humor, and timely, relevant themes abound in this genuine story of two sisters, a son, and the unexpected arrival of a small, immigrant child. Hugo writes about internal conflict with sensitivity, and compassion, making for a compelling page turner about personal loss,perseverance, and rediscovering the heart of family." - Donna Everhart
"Lynne Hugo writes down to the bone of family complications, grief, and shattering loss, while also offering miracles of rescue in The Book of CarolSue. The author walks a perfectly balanced tightrope as she illustrates how political conflicts are woven right into the heart of an Indiana farm family. I lost hours of sleep as I raced to finish this extraordinary novel." - Randy Susan Meyers
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