Dolls Behaving Badly by Cinthia Ritchie

Description:

Carla Richards is a lot of things. She's a waitress at Anchorage's premier dining establishment, Mexico in an Igloo; an artist who secretly makes erotic dolls for extra income; a divorcée who can't quite detach from her ex-husband; and a single mom trying to support her gifted eight-year-old son, her pregnant sister, and her babysitter-turned-resident-teenager.

She's one overdue bill away from completely losing control-when inspiration strikes in the form of a TV personality. Now she's scribbling away in a diary, flirting with an anthropologist, and making appointments with a credit counselor.

Still, getting her life and dreams back on track is difficult. Is perfection really within reach? Or will she wind up with something even better?

Review:

Dolls Behaving Badly by Cinthia Ritchie

5 out of 5

Carla Richards is a lot of things. She's a waitress at Anchorage's premier dining establishment, Mexico in an Igloo; an artist who secretly makes erotic dolls for extra income; a divorcée who can't quite detach from her ex-husband; and a single mom trying to support her gifted eight-year-old son, her pregnant sister, and her babysitter-turned-resident-teenager.

She's one overdue bill away from completely losing control-when inspiration strikes in the form of a TV personality. Now she's scribbling away in a diary, flirting with an anthropologist, and making appointments with a credit counselor.

Still, getting her life and dreams back on track is difficult. Is perfection really within reach? Or will she wind up with something even better?

This is a wonderful book for single moms to read.  It really relates to the problems we go through on a daily basis.  I love the serious issues that Ritchie deals with in this book that show how much a single mom handles.

Carla is single mom and waitress.  She can barely pay her bills and feels like a failure.  Carla decided to start a journal, and the book goes through the journey of her journaling.  She is a very strong woman that does not give herself the credit she deserves.  I could relate to the money problems she faced and constant feeling like you are not good enough.  This woman takes care of her son, friends, sister, and her son’s babysitter.  My favorite part is that she makes erotic dolls on the side for money.  It is something that Carla is embarrassed about, but at the end of the day it makes her the extra money she needs.  It also lets Carla work on her art which is what she really wants to do.

Sandee, her best friend, gives her the strength to date.  It is a hard situation because Carla does not feel good enough for him.  Sandee is the one that keeps pushing her to give him a change and to not give up.  While Sandee seems like the friend who just wants to play the field, she really is a confused woman like Carla.  Women can relate to having a friend that acts like they know exactly what they want out of life, but in reality they want something completely different.

Laurel, Carla’s older sister, was the good daughter.  She married well, had a great job, and a beautiful house.  This gets turned upside down when Laurel has an affair and gets pregnant.  Laurel goes from the high-class business woman to living with her little sister in a trailer.  It is hard on her pride and takes Laurel a while to cope with the changes she is going through.  Her affair ended, and then her marriage fell apart.  Laurel has no job now and is relying on Carla.  She retains the snobby attitude throughout the book even though her life does a 180.

Stephanie, the babysitter, is the one that gives Carla her ultimate strength.  This teenager comes from a home filled with drugs, parties, and alcohol.  She is trying to make the best of it and do something with her life.  Stephanie ends up moving in with Carla, and the friendship they have helps both of them.  Stephanie does not hold things back.  She will tell the truth and push people out of the way to make sure that those she cares about are safe.  It is this kind of person that gives Carla the help she needs to not always feel like a failure.

Jay-Jay and Barry are the son and ex-husband.  Poor Jay-Jay is just the normal kid that is too smart for his own good.  While he acts like a typical child, it is the laid back nature he has that helps keep Carla sane.  Barry is the ex-with-benefits.  They can’t move past each other enough to stop having sex even though they don’t love each other anymore.  He is a good friend to Carla and helps her no matter what the issue is.

Gramma is the motherly figure that Carla keeps coming back to.  The advice that Gramma gave Carla as a child continues to back to her throughout the book.  The home cooking that Gramma used to make is the same food that Carla makes to comfort her family.  Gramma gives Carla the sense of peace, even though Gramma died.

When I started the book, I was not sure I would like the layout because it was her journal entries.  I really did like the flow of the book.  The characters were amazing, and each one added to another layer of Carla.  The growth that Carla experienced through the book showed that circumstances can change if you are willing to put forth the work and have a good support group.  I loved the range of emotions that run through the book.  The characters go through real issues that many people would relate to.  I would definitely recommend this book to every single mom out there and everyone else.  Being a mom is a hard job, and this book shows it like it is.

Happy Reading!

Kim