Do you believe that joy is a choice? Dawn Barton does. She's an upbeat Southerner with good hair and a successful business background, but she's had more heartache than most of us can imagine. Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is a collection of honest and sometimes raw stories. Dawn throws an arm around readers as she brings them along on her journey through the loss of a child, divorce, cancer, rape, the death of her only sibling, her husband's substance abuse, and finding her way back to Jesus in the middle of it all.

Dawn shares her personal story to show readers how to find happiness and purpose even in the darkest of days. By laughing through the ugly cry, you will discover how to:

Shut down negative feelings causing you to feel inadequate
Identify the pros despite how challenging the cons may seem
Embrace joy wherever you can find it
Learn how to be honest with yourself and process grief in a healthy way
Dawn writes, "If more women were open about just how difficult our lives feel and how hard we are on ourselves, I think we'd learn to relax a little and give ourselves the grace God gives us every day." Laughing Through the Ugly Cry is great for:

Women of any age seeking comfort, encouragement, and inspiration
Book clubs and girls' nights--Dawn poses thoughtful group questions to support meaningful conversations about growth and joy