"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, New York Times bestselling author of Big Lies in a Small Town
"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 pageturner about personal loss, perseverance, and rediscovering the heart of family." - Donna Everhart, USAToday bestselling Author of The Moonshiner's Daughter
"The ability to take tough issues and get others to 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, author of The Bar Harbor Retirement Home For Famous Writers (And Their Muses)
"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, bestselling author of Waisted.
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"Lynne Hugo has become one of my top favorite authors. I fell in love with Louisa, the main character in Lynne Hugo's book, The Testament of Harold's Wife, and was thrilled to see her new novel, The Book of CarolSue, continues Louisa's story, and creates new circumstances involving her sister, CarolSue. Lynne's characters are written with such brilliance that you are compelled to keep reading to learn more about their unique stories and relationships. I highly recommend both of these wonderful novels!" - Lori Fisher, Owner and Bookseller, Quarter Moon Books and Gifts, Topsail Beach, North Carolina
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 and chicken poop for fresh 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 after stumbling onto a secret Louisa’s been keeping from her, CarolSue 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. Only Gary knows about the outsider with the power to explode their lives. How many mistakes can be redeemed?
