Susan F. (scoutmomskf) -
This was such a fun book to read! Margot was an event planner at the top of her game in Chicago. She was ready to nail the latest event and cement her chances at a partnership in the company. Unfortunately, thanks to a rogue chef, some shrimp, and some flamingos, her crowning event went spectacularly off the rails. To top it all off, a number of the cellphone videos of the incident went viral, causing an immediate loss of her job. Unemployed and blackballed in her chosen field, Margot was getting close to being broke and homeless when she received a call from a woman who claimed to be her great-aunt Tootie. Skeptical, because really, who has the name "Tootie," Margot discovered that she had an entire family unknown to her in Lake Sackett, Georgia. She was invited to come to Georgia and work for the family business, McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop (aka the Bait and Bury). Out of options, Margot accepted.
Talk about culture shock! Margot's mother took her and left Georgia when Margot was a small child, remarrying and moving to Chicago. Mom and stepdad were not exactly the demonstrative type, and appearances were important to them. Margot was a bit uptight, entirely out of her element, and counting the days until she can get another job in a city. She was welcomed with open arms and (gasp!) hugs. I loved the enthusiastic welcomes, from Aunt Tootie and her motley collection of dogs to her aunt and uncle to the cousins who are determined to be friends whether she wanted it or not. I loved the scene where they took her to the local bar and introduced her to moonshine. It was great fun to see Margot attempt to adjust to a place where food is pork-based and/or deep-fried, and fruits and vegetables are nearly impossible to find.
I loved the small town atmosphere and quirky characters. The town itself has fallen on hard times because the drought has further lowered the level of the lake, leaving many tourist-based businesses struggling. Small town politics, especially in the PTA, are alive and well. When Margot was guilted into helping to straighten out the plans for the PTA-sponsored town festival, those politics created some hilariously funny moments. The current PTA president and the former principal do not want to relinquish one bit of control, and their passive-aggressive actions get on Margot's last nerve. But Margot is used to much tougher opponents, and I loved watching her work her magic. I loved her final confrontation with Sara Lee, as the Chicago event planner merged with the newly minted Southern woman. It was a grand thing to witness.
Neither Margot nor Kyle expected the romance that grew between them. Their first meeting was unusual. The night that her cousins introduced Margot to moonshine, she encountered a big, bearded "lumberjack" with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. An impromptu hug of sympathy turned into a hot makeout session in Kyle's truck before Margot panicked and ran. Imagine her dismay when she discovered that her "lumberjack" was actually the elementary school principal and a single dad. Margot was determined to keep her distance, but it was a small town, and frequent encounters were inevitable. Kyle was a widower who still grieved for his late wife and had no plans to enter any new relationships. His occasional dates were kept far away from his family. Kyle was very good at keeping each part of his life separate - family, work, and social each had its place, and they didn't overlap. I loved seeing the relationship between them grow. Though both claim they don't want a relationship, they can't stay away from each other. Margot is especially wary because she has no experience with kids and doesn't want to do something wrong. In spite of her fears, she is actually very good with them, and I enjoyed seeing them together. Then an unexpected offer meant that Margot had to make some decisions. I ached for her and for Kyle as she struggled with those decisions. Margot's big moment at the end was fantastic. The epilogue was great.
One of the things I liked best about the book was the family theme. I loved how the McCready side was so ready to embrace Margot, in spite of the events that had kept them apart for so long. It took a while for Margot to loosen up enough to appreciate each person's unique traits. That was especially true of her father, Stan. Margot only had her mother's side of the story when it came to their relationship, so her attitude seemed especially harsh. I ached for Stan, who was honest about his mistakes and regrets. There were times I was a bit irritated with Margot and her unwillingness to bend a little. However, time and exposure helped. I loved Margot's reaction to Sara Lee's comments about Stan, and the progress it showed in their relationship.
I can't wait to read more in this series.
Talk about culture shock! Margot's mother took her and left Georgia when Margot was a small child, remarrying and moving to Chicago. Mom and stepdad were not exactly the demonstrative type, and appearances were important to them. Margot was a bit uptight, entirely out of her element, and counting the days until she can get another job in a city. She was welcomed with open arms and (gasp!) hugs. I loved the enthusiastic welcomes, from Aunt Tootie and her motley collection of dogs to her aunt and uncle to the cousins who are determined to be friends whether she wanted it or not. I loved the scene where they took her to the local bar and introduced her to moonshine. It was great fun to see Margot attempt to adjust to a place where food is pork-based and/or deep-fried, and fruits and vegetables are nearly impossible to find.
I loved the small town atmosphere and quirky characters. The town itself has fallen on hard times because the drought has further lowered the level of the lake, leaving many tourist-based businesses struggling. Small town politics, especially in the PTA, are alive and well. When Margot was guilted into helping to straighten out the plans for the PTA-sponsored town festival, those politics created some hilariously funny moments. The current PTA president and the former principal do not want to relinquish one bit of control, and their passive-aggressive actions get on Margot's last nerve. But Margot is used to much tougher opponents, and I loved watching her work her magic. I loved her final confrontation with Sara Lee, as the Chicago event planner merged with the newly minted Southern woman. It was a grand thing to witness.
Neither Margot nor Kyle expected the romance that grew between them. Their first meeting was unusual. The night that her cousins introduced Margot to moonshine, she encountered a big, bearded "lumberjack" with the saddest eyes she'd ever seen. An impromptu hug of sympathy turned into a hot makeout session in Kyle's truck before Margot panicked and ran. Imagine her dismay when she discovered that her "lumberjack" was actually the elementary school principal and a single dad. Margot was determined to keep her distance, but it was a small town, and frequent encounters were inevitable. Kyle was a widower who still grieved for his late wife and had no plans to enter any new relationships. His occasional dates were kept far away from his family. Kyle was very good at keeping each part of his life separate - family, work, and social each had its place, and they didn't overlap. I loved seeing the relationship between them grow. Though both claim they don't want a relationship, they can't stay away from each other. Margot is especially wary because she has no experience with kids and doesn't want to do something wrong. In spite of her fears, she is actually very good with them, and I enjoyed seeing them together. Then an unexpected offer meant that Margot had to make some decisions. I ached for her and for Kyle as she struggled with those decisions. Margot's big moment at the end was fantastic. The epilogue was great.
One of the things I liked best about the book was the family theme. I loved how the McCready side was so ready to embrace Margot, in spite of the events that had kept them apart for so long. It took a while for Margot to loosen up enough to appreciate each person's unique traits. That was especially true of her father, Stan. Margot only had her mother's side of the story when it came to their relationship, so her attitude seemed especially harsh. I ached for Stan, who was honest about his mistakes and regrets. There were times I was a bit irritated with Margot and her unwillingness to bend a little. However, time and exposure helped. I loved Margot's reaction to Sara Lee's comments about Stan, and the progress it showed in their relationship.
I can't wait to read more in this series.
Joan W. (justreadingabook) reviewed Sweet Tea and Sympathy (Southern Eclectic, Bk 1) on + 1713 more book reviews
Cute standard Chic Lit story.
Girl loses job, moves back to hometown, finds love.
Typical mishaps and adventures, easy read.
Girl loses job, moves back to hometown, finds love.
Typical mishaps and adventures, easy read.
Pamela C. (pj-s-bookcorner) reviewed Sweet Tea and Sympathy (Southern Eclectic, Bk 1) on + 864 more book reviews
When Margot gets fired from her event planning director's job in Chicago, life as she knew it changed. No firms would hire her. When a long estranged family member on her father's side contacts her with a job offer, she reluctantly accepts. But it's in the country - no where near a city or theaters, museums, wi-fi and the hustle bustle of city life. Worse yet: the job is working for the family mortuary & bait shop (yes - all in one location). And meeting the father she hasn't seen since she was a young child. Funny and witty this story will help define what's important in life.
Sweet Tea and Sympathy by Molly Harper is the first book in Southern Eclectic series. Margot Cary is an event planner with Elite Elegance in Chicago until her latest soiree is sabotaged by the chef (he put out a shrimp tower). Margot loses her job and is unable to find another one after the party fiasco is posted on You-tube. She is shocked when she receives a call from Tootie, her great aunt, in Lake Sackett, Georgia. Tootie is offering Margot a job at the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop (you can bury your loved one and then pick up bait for fishing). Margot accepts the position, but she insists it is just temporary. Margot soon discovers that life in Lake Sackett is very different from Chicago. Everyone knows your name, your family and your personal business. Margot delves into her new position and finds romance with elementary school principal, Kyle Archer. But what happens when Margot gets offered a position out-of-state?
Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a quirky, zany over-the-top story. The author shoved too many characters into the story. There are numerous relatives and townspeople. I found it impossible to keep them all straight (I gave up after a while). The pace of the novel is slower than it needs to be (thanks to the numerous characters). It needed a snappier pace. I was not a fan of the humor. Instead of being funny, I just found it unbelievable (lots of eye rolling). The petty squabbling and backbiting got on my nerves. I did not like the main character. She thought she was better than her relatives (I found her annoying) and had the maturity level of a teenager (most of the time). Margot's constant complaints about the town's coffee got on my nerves (and wondering why she did go out and buy a coffee maker). Frankie, the mortician, was my favorite character. She is unique and embraces it (she also loves her job). The ending is expected and quickly wrapped up (with a nice big bow). It seemed like the author took every Southern stereotype and shoved them into this story. Moonshine, thick Southern accents, deep fried everything, and so on. I did not laugh once while reading the book (my mother thought it was hilarious and claims I have no sense of humor). Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a predictable Southern romance novel with the wacky factor ramped up. I will stick with Molly Harper's vampire novels which I just love.
Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a quirky, zany over-the-top story. The author shoved too many characters into the story. There are numerous relatives and townspeople. I found it impossible to keep them all straight (I gave up after a while). The pace of the novel is slower than it needs to be (thanks to the numerous characters). It needed a snappier pace. I was not a fan of the humor. Instead of being funny, I just found it unbelievable (lots of eye rolling). The petty squabbling and backbiting got on my nerves. I did not like the main character. She thought she was better than her relatives (I found her annoying) and had the maturity level of a teenager (most of the time). Margot's constant complaints about the town's coffee got on my nerves (and wondering why she did go out and buy a coffee maker). Frankie, the mortician, was my favorite character. She is unique and embraces it (she also loves her job). The ending is expected and quickly wrapped up (with a nice big bow). It seemed like the author took every Southern stereotype and shoved them into this story. Moonshine, thick Southern accents, deep fried everything, and so on. I did not laugh once while reading the book (my mother thought it was hilarious and claims I have no sense of humor). Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a predictable Southern romance novel with the wacky factor ramped up. I will stick with Molly Harper's vampire novels which I just love.
