Book Review and Giveaway: The Curl Up and Dye by Sharon Sala

Pages: 

Genre: Adult Fiction

Pub. Date: February 4, 2014

Source: Publisher for review

My Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Goodreads says, "A brand new Southern women's fiction from New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Sharon Sala who has 1.5 million books sold.  Wally Lamb meets Steel Magnolias in this story of LilyAnn Bronte, the Peachy-Keen Queen, which in Blessings, Georgia, was the epitome of success. After losing her fiance in the war in Iraq, her zest for life went into decline while added weight crept on. When a new guy arrives in town, LilyAnn embarks on a quest to remake herself from start to finish only to discover that love was always just right next-door."

LilyAnn is living a life of quiet desperation. She works in her town's pharmacy, doesn't step out of her comfort zone and hates the way she looks.  Eleven years ago, her life was vastly different though. She was dating the high-school quarterback, was voted most likely to succeed and won the title of Peachy-Keen Queen.  Everyone thought she was going places, that is until her boyfriend was killed in Afghanistan. LilyAnn never really got over it.  LilyAnn's good friend and neighbor, Mike Dalton, has been pining for her for years, but she has never given him a second glance, at least in that way.  Her friends at the Curl Up and Dye hair salon notice that Mike is interested in LilyAnn and they think that they would be perfect for each other, but LilyAnn has her sights set on someone else. With the help of the ladies from the salon, LilyAnn tries to remake herself and gain the attention of Blessing, Georgia's hunky new guy.  Sharon Sala's The Curl Up and Dye is a fun and entertaining read that would be perfect to take with you on spring break.

LilyAnn made my heart hurt at times in The Curl Up and Dye. I felt badly for her and her low self-esteem made me sad. I really wanted her to move on from the past and figure out how much potential she STILL has. I enjoyed watching her slow transformation and how her friends tried to pull her out of her rut.  

Her neighbor and partner in crime, Mike, is almost too good to be true, but I was a big fan of him.  He had women, particularly a busty neighbor, throwing herself all over him, but he was one-hundred percent dedicated to getting LilyAnn to see him for more than just a friend.  Sometimes his swooning was a bit too much, but overall, I enjoyed him in The Curl Up and Dye. I mean who wouldn't?

Surprisingly, The Curl Up and Dye takes a serious turn, which added to the climax and suspense of this novel. I was pleasantly surprised as I felt the book needed a little more drama.

The town of Blessings, Georgia is so darn cute. I want to live there! The various neighbors were all fantastic and it reminded me of Bluebell in Hart of Dixie which, if you know me, is a compliment. 

So, if you are a fan of southern fiction or women's fiction and are looking for an adorable read that has a small dark streak in it, I recommend The Curl Up and Dye.  It would be a breezy and quick read to get lost in while on spring break or at the beach.

Thanks to Sourcebooks, I am giving away one copy of The Curl Up and Dye to a lucky US/Canadian reader.  The giveaway ends on February 22nd and please refer to my giveaway rules. Good luck!

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