Maud Hart Lovelace’s Carney’s House Party features the Betsy-Tacy series’ supporting character Carney Sibley as hostess and heroine in her own right. When Carney begrudgingly asks her mother if her college roommate Isobel can visit for the summer, she replies, “It would be a sort of house party…It’s part of her education in Middle Westania.” Carney introduces Isobel to Deep Valley’s Crowd, and when caught trespassing on his property, she is introduced to new boy in town Sam Hutchinson. “That baby hippo is all right…He’s going to add a lot to the house party.”

“The opening affair was…a rose luncheon…Grandmother Sibely gave her thimble bee…Alice gave a porch party…Winona was giving an evening party with men,” bookended by a masquerade at the Sibley’s and a dance at the Hutchinson’s. “She compared them in terms of color. Sam’s home, with its lavishness, its warmth, its indulgent extravagant affection, was like a rich deep purple. Her own…was dove gray. Dove gray seemed to express disciplined affection, reticence, order, thrift, justice, and kindness…The house party had tied the East and Middle West together.”

While the premise of the story is lighthearted, the plot grapples with the comparison, confidence and identity. I loved Lovelace’s interweaving of enemies to lovers and lovers to friends, but I didn’t necessarily agree with her endorsement of Carney’s love interest or validation. She rejects loyal, polite, undergrad Larry in exchange for quick-tempered, petulant, spend-thrift Sam.

“Sam’s choosing her had built up her self-confidence more than any one thing had ever done.” As for Larry, “A magic which had lain over their relationship in the past had vanished, as when the lights of a Christmas tree are turned off leaving just an ordinary pine.” The lights shimmer and fade after the holiday, but the pine remains–a stable, solid resource weathering all seasons of the year. While I have my contentions with Carney, I was completely enthralled with her story. “I like stories to have happy endings!” And “this one has a very happy ending…I just love being a free woman.”

A companion novel to the Betsy-Tacy series and a romance, this one takes place the summer between Betsy's junior and senior years. Carney is the star and home from Vassar for the summer.

I always love visiting Deep Valley!
Not my favorite installment but overall, genuinely enjoyed it. I always feel SO nostalgic while reading these.

I just gave Carney an extra star. Oh Carney, I've never enjoyed your story more than this reread. Betsy's immaturity really bugged me last time through, but this time it was all about you and your romantic story.

This was sweet and cute, and I liked the unpredictable ending. Carney is a tiny bit boring to me, though. I much prefer Betsy, although I have to disagree with her about the joys of embroidery!

Cute. Great companion to the Betsy Ray books.

For over forty years I have been in love with the Betsy-Tracy book series. So naturally during the pandemic, I returned to the comfort of Maud Hart Lovelace wonderful books.
While Betsy is my heart, Carney is my intellect. College life for women was not explored for Betsy so I loved hearing about Carneys college experience, and the wonderful description of Vassar in 1911. I love seeing Carneys appreciation for her Vassar education. It seems to help define the woman she becomes. She is progressive, supports the vote for woman, but also longs for love, marriage and a family. Carneys’s search to rebuild her confidence will resonate with many viewers. Of course I love her Larry/ Sam dilemma. Don’t you just love Sam?
It will feel like a big hug to reunite with Betsy, Bonnie, Winona , and more. Carney’s House Party proves a lovely reunion for Betsy-Tacy lovers but can also stand alone for readers unfamiliar with the series.

Five stars, would read a whole book series just about Carney, please.

8/22/08: I read this one a little more critically than I did the first time. For one, as much as I like Sam, he is so much more flawed than any of the other male characters, I think. Did Maud like his counterpart? He was so grumpy and his way or the high way and pushy. I did admire the way he was saving up to buy Carney's ring cash, though, since it was so important to her.

One of my biggest issues with this series came up again, though. It's been one year since the last book in the series ended. In that year, the Rays and Kellys have moved to Minneapolis, Katie has gotten engaged and is about to get married, Betsy has attended the U and dropped out and gotten ill and spent a lot of time in California, and Tacy has gotten engaged. All off screen, all major things! Gah! Sometimes it feels like the most interesting things happen between the books.

Still, I love Carney, Betsy and the series.


9/1/07: This, of all the books in the series that I've reread lately, seems the most old-fashioned of all. (Larry's bow tie! Carney being offended at being kissed before being engaged!) I think it's mainly because of Carney - whereas Betsy writes and doesn't tat or have a hope chest even though she very much wishes to marry Joe, Carney fully embraces every aspect of housewifery. Makes her harder to relate to than Betsy, but I still adore this book. She's a fun character, nagging and ironing and all, and I really want to track this one down before my library gets rid of our copy.

I’ll admit I never really noticed Carney in the Betsy books (maybe some of Betsy’s original feelings about Carney influenced me!), so I was dubious about her having her own book. Was I wrong!

Carney and her practical ways are a delightful foil to Betsy. Whereas Betsy is romantic and desires to be an author, Carney likes to reason her problems out and wants to be a homemaker. I love that the Deep Valley world has equal room for both in a way that speaks unexpectedly to third-wave feminism.

Carney’s friendships and journey to love are endearing. And I enjoyed the peek into life at Vassar in 1911. (Why doesn’t every class graduate with a daisy chain?) Another wonderful book by Lovelace.

I love that two of the three proposals we get in this series aren't actually proposals at all, but commands. You WILL marry me or else. It shouldn't work, but it totally does.

This was adorable! Carney is so, so great and all the girls, and one thing I really appreciate about MHL is how well she writes different types of girls. She's not just writing the same character over and over again, they run the gamut, really, and it's so refreshing.

Plus, Betsy and Joe!!! Betsy and Joe!!!!

And okay, Sam is a pretty adorable baby hippo. I admit it. ;)

I love these books.