A book worth savouring: My review of "Sweet Dreams" by Carla Stewart

about the book....

It's 1962, and Dusty Fairchild, daughter of a self-made millionaire and oilman, wants to go to college. Instead she is sent to a private finishing school in East Texas. Although she's never wanted for material possessions, Dusty longs for independence and adventure. The only upside to attending Miss Fontaine's is having her cousin and best childhood friend, Paisley, join her. Paisley has traveled the country with her bohemian mother, but she dreams of putting down roots and living a settled life. At Miss Fontaine's, their loyalty to each other binds them, but when they fall in love with the same handsome young man, their relationship teeters on shaky ground. Only after a tragic accident do they learn where their true hearts-and dreams-lie.

my review....

Carla Stewart's latest offering is a tender story crafted with splendid prose. Dusty Fairchild and her cousin, Paisley, are wonderfully unique characters who sparkle with life, making me laugh, smile, and experience heart-ache as they leave childhood behind and enter the sometimes murky waters of adulthood. I greatly enjoyed the time period that this novel is set in, the early 1960's, providing a great backdrop not only for the main story, but also for the other characters that grace the pages. Carla Stewart's novel explores themes of racism and classism, of young girls learning to embrace their God-given gifts and talents rather than letting society dictate what they can and cannot do. The faith elements of the story were a bit lighter than I expected; instead the author offers a more subtle message about grace and forgiveness that points to the giver of grace Himself. All in all, I found the story to be enjoyable from start to finish despite a couple of slower moments to the story. I leave the story reminded that the way things appear on the surface are often so very different than reality, and that we should never judge someone without knowing all that they have experienced in their life. This is a valuable lesson indeed.

I am certainly looking forward to what Stewart has next up her sleeve! I strongly recommend this fiction novel and award it 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Faithwords, a division of Hachette Book Group, for the purposes of this unbiased review.

 about the author....

Carla Stewart's writing reflects her passion for times gone by. She launched her writing career in 2002 when she earned the coveted honor of being invited to attend Guidepost's Writers Workshop in Rye, New York. Since then, her articles have appeared in Guideposts, Angels on Earth, and several regional magazines and anthologies. 

Carla received two American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) Genesis awards for unpublished authors. The novel that won in 2007 went on to become her first published novel, Chasing Lilacs, which has garnered many rave reviews including a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly and 4 ? stars from RT Book Reviews.

Carla graduated from the University of Oklahoma and worked as a registered nurse for a number of years. She and her engineer husband are the parents of four married sons and relish the adventures of their six grandchildren. She enjoys a good cup of coffee, great books, and weekend getaways with her husband. Learn more about Carla at www.carlastewart.com.