Cassie Bustamante

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Dear Carolina

September 28, 2015 by Cassie 16 Comments

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So many of my blog friends have followed the path of writing books- ebooks, design books, how to books, craft books.  I’ve had people approach me and tell me I should write a book, but I can honestly say I have zero interest in that.  I applaud all who have added authorship to their repertoire.  And while these books are all beautiful and useful, I admit that what captures me as a reader is a good novel… I want juicy characters with history and a storyline I can get lost in.  I won’t stay up way past my bedtime with a DIY book, but engaged in a fantastic piece of literature, I will read and read, telling myself that I will still be ok with 6 hours of sleep, which turns to 5…. How excited was I to learn that a design blogger friend wrote not a design book, but a beautiful fictional novel.  Kristy Woodson Harvey, blogger at Design Chic, can now add author to her resume as first time fictional writer of Dear Carolina.

dearcarolinaPin

I was so excited when Kristy approached me to read her novel.  I had heard about it, and had read the synopsis and was already wanting to add it to my reading list!  She offered to send me a copy to read and review, so naturally I had her sign it for me as well. 😉

Dear Carolina tells the story of one baby girl, told from the perspective of both her unschooled unwed recovering alcoholic birth mother, Jodi, and her happily married, wealthy and ambitious adoptive mother, Khaki.  Jodi is the cousin of Khaki’s husband, so their stories intertwine from the get go.  Jodi is struggling to keep her life together and working hard to afford all of the things a baby needs.  Khaki and her husband are actively trying (and failing) to get pregnant although she has a son from her first marriage.  The story that unfolds is a beautiful one in which Jodi accepts what she can’t handle and asked Khaki to adopt her baby girl, Carolina.  Because of their connection, Jodi is still very much in their lives, and Khaki works hard to help Jodi get her own life in order and start writing a new ending to her own story.  This book is full of wit and charm, and although there are many sad moments, the takeaway lesson is that “You can never have too many people to love you.”  Despite the many trials of the characters involved, Dear Carolina is a feel good happy ending kind of story.  When I turned the last page, I felt complete contentment.

Thank you so much to Kristy for sending me my very own signed copy of Dear Carolina.  I would loan you all mine, but it’s signed and I don’t want to let it go… But I highly recommend getting your own copy and then passing it on to all of your girlfriends!

This post contains affiliate links.

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Comments

  1. Kirby says

    September 28, 2015 at 5:28 am

    I will have to check it out!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 28, 2015 at 8:35 pm

      yes- it was a nice quick read and a sweet story!

      Reply
  2. Carol says

    September 28, 2015 at 6:22 am

    Cassie, i LOVE your blog but all of these ads (especially the streaming ones) are really slowing your site down! As I am typing this, there is about a 4 letter hesitation. SO annoying! I respect that you have to earn a living but it really makes trying to read very slow! I have a pretty fast connection and I am still getting the hesitation. Sorry for the bad msg first thing on Monday but I thought that you’d like to know. I will still read your blog, I may just do it once a week now.

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      May 3, 2016 at 7:47 am

      aaah! i am so sorry i am just responding to this months later- i saved it and then it was lost in the shuffle and i just noticed i still had it pending. is it any better? i don’t have any issues on my end, but i wonder if something was going on? anyhow, i thank you for voicing your concern and am SOOOOO sorry. at the time you wrote we were going through lots of stressful changes at work and i wasn’t on top of my blog game.

      Reply
  3. Julia@Cuckoo4Design says

    September 28, 2015 at 7:09 am

    Sounds like an amazing book

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 28, 2015 at 8:34 pm

      It was a nice heartwarming story!

      Reply
  4. laura@duke manor farm says

    September 28, 2015 at 7:38 am

    how exciting for Kristy. i will have to check the book out.

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 28, 2015 at 8:34 pm

      yes you do!

      Reply
  5. Patty Day says

    September 28, 2015 at 9:24 am

    A heart warming, fabulous novel. Enjoyed every word and had the wonder opportunity to meet Kristy and her Mom, Beth back in May at a book signing. Now I can’t wait her new book to be released in April.
    xo
    Patty

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      September 28, 2015 at 8:31 pm

      it was exactly that, patty!

      Reply
  6. Elizabeth@ Rustic Maple says

    September 28, 2015 at 8:55 pm

    I will have to keep this one in mind. I totally understand telling yourself just one more hour, that you can go on one hour less sleep as I do this often.

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      October 3, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      right? it’s the worst but the best all at once!

      Reply
  7. Kristy Woodson Harvey says

    September 29, 2015 at 12:26 am

    Thank you ever so much for this gorgeous review and fabulous post! I appreciate it so much and am thrilled you enjoyed Dear Carolina! xo Kristy

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      October 3, 2015 at 2:15 pm

      thank YOU so much for sending it to me to enjoy! i loved it, kristy! can’t wait for your next one!

      Reply
  8. Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. says

    September 29, 2015 at 2:32 pm

    I read Dear Carolina with my book club and we had a video chat with Kristy. Oh my goodness, she is absolutely delightful!

    Reply
    • Cassie says

      October 3, 2015 at 2:13 pm

      oh that is awesome! she is adorable! that sounds like so much fun!

      Reply

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Hi, I’m Cassie!

I believe that you don't have to spend a lot of money to live a beautiful life and be your best self.  Here you will find budget friendly ideas to live happily, healthily, sustainably, and most importantly authentically.  We all get one chance at this life, and this ordinary girl plans to make hers extraordinary. How about you? Read more...
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Hi! I'm Cassie.

Mother, wife, shop owner, blogger, writer, incurable diy-er, furniture painter, coffee and wine drinker, friend. Seeking happiness and passing it on. Read More…

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