I don’t even know where to begin with this review but let me just say this is one of the funniest, most charming, heartwarming novels I’ve ever read…and it’s Southern fiction and comfort fiction at its best. The whole idea of a high-powered event planner from the big city having to relocate to a backwater town in Georgia is great enough but what really makes it perfect is that Margot doesn’t complain about her misfortune. She knows she has to escape the public relations nightmare from her last event and the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop comes to her rescue at just the right moment.

So here she is in Lake Sackett learning the family business and, unbeknownst to Margot, running a bait shop and comforting the bereaved are just the tip of the iceberg. Her sprawling family (that she hasn’t seen or heard from since she was tiny) are determined to show the prodigal daughter what she’s been missing all these years including the chance to reconnect with her estranged father. Margot is also going to find that the possibility of love can come from the most unlikely places and she’ll even get a chance to use her event planning talents with the Founders’ Festival.

I love this book so much that I’ve rushed right out to get the introductory novella, Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck. I mean, how can I go wrong with a title like that? And do I need to say that Sweet Tea and Sympathy is going on my list of best books read in 2018?

Reviewed by Lelia Taylor, January 2018.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy

Molly Harper



SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY is the first book in the Southern Eclectic series. It centers around Margot failing at her job in Chicago and finding refuge at her family compound in Lake Sackett, Georgia. Her family runs the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. This is her father's family, who she hasn't seen in decades. She doesn't know any of them even though when she was younger, she actually lived at the compound. Her plan is to go there, regroup and let all the media attention die down. Then she will actively look for another event planner job and continue on with her career. Well, at least that's what she thinks is going to happen.



Her family welcomes her with open arms, even though she feels like they are complete strangers to her. Her family is very large and very nosy and I found myself giggling out loud over and over again. Margot knows nothing about the south and their customs and southern ways and it is hysterical as she learns them. SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY is a very entertaining read and once I started reading it was very hard to put down. It is total culture shock for Margot and she plans to run to her next job in a big city as fast as she can.



I devoured every single page of SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY and when I finished I found myself wanting more. I loved all of the characters and wish I had a crazy and funny family like Margot does. The tender moments in the story really pull at the readers heart strings. I loved how her dad tried to build a relationship with her even though he has been absent for most of her life. Then the romance between Margot and Kyle, the widowed elementary school principal is sweet but also frustrating at times. Both of them agree that they aren't in the right place in their lives for a relationship and agree to just be friends. Well, you know how that is going to go right? SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY is southern charm at its finest! I can not wait to continue this series.

Thank you for the chance to review this book, however, unfortunately, I was unable to read and review this title before it was archived.

this is my first molly harper book and i really enjoyed it. i didn't love the over explaining of all the southern stuff, like how can margot not know what bless your heart means.. come on now. i wish there was a bit more substance to the relationship with kyle and margot, i don't think we got enough there. but other than that, i loved the family, the story moved along quite nicely, it was funny, quirky, sexy, silly.. i really enjoyed it and will be reading more from this author.

I'm from the south and the author was spot on with the humor, family fun and down south crazy.

Truly enjoyed this book. A great funny romance that has memorable characters and a story that many of us could relate to.

After I read Save a Truck, Ride A Redneck, I couldn't wait to get more of these characters. This full-length novel gave me exactly what I was looking for.

This story is a strong story, but what makes it such a good story is the characters. Molly brings every last character to life. Each last one has their own unique personalities, quirks, and realism. They couldn't be more different, yet they bond and mesh well to bring a very chuckle-worthy and engaging story.

I didn't want to put this book down. I wanted more and more as I read. The bonding, the good, the bad, the ugly, it all kept me turning the page from start to finish.

Margot Cary is on the top of her game as an event planner in Chicago. Bridezillas, temperamental chefs, and finicky florists? No match for Margot. Shrimp, on the other hand, may just lead to the end of Margot's career. After one disastrous high society party, no company or event planning business will touch Margot. Except, of course, the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. The McCready's are the family Margot never knew she had -- a forgotten part of her past that might just be the way to her happy future.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy was a great read to start the new year. Smart, snappy, and hilarious, with touches of romance, drama, and plenty of family. This was my first experience with author Molly Harper, but I'm glad to have read her work. I laughed out loud several times and was sad to have to put the book down when work called or my eyes wouldn't stay open one minute more. Happily, this seems to be the first in a series of books set in Lake Sackett, Georgia.

Generally I only review speculative fiction, but as Molly Harper is one of my favorite authors, I decided to review SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY. There's just something so lighthearted, fun, and hilarious about her writing in her paranormal stories. So I was curious to see how that translated in this book, and I wasn't disappointed. Don't get me wrong I love romance novels as much as the next gal, but so much of Molly's humor centers around crazy paranormal happenings that I wasn't sure how it would translate to straight contemporary, or if something would get lost in "translation." However, much to my delight that wasn't the case with this book at all. The humor and
quirkiness that is Molly Harper's signature Half Moon Hollow, had no problem in a completely contemporary setting. I found myself laughing more often than not, and I didn't miss the lack of paranormal one bit, which was impressive in itself.

I really enjoyed this start to a new series. It definitely read like a set up book to a new series, so there's a lot of meeting the extended families and the whole small town info dumps at the beginning. But, despite so many names being thrown at the heroine (and the reader) it never stepped over into that too much category. In fact it was quite the opposite because now I want a story for every family member! But getting back to the couple at hand. This was a really good fish out of water story. Margot is a city slicker gal through and through who comes with not a small amount of baggage. Seeing her having to bumble about in this backwater town as well as dealing with the mounds of baggage piece by piece after being thrust back to her birth family was a fun treat. Add in a sweet, but sexy hero who has more than his own share of baggage but just really needs a spark in his life, and you have one heck of an enjoyable, hilarious and sweet read.

All in all if you are looking for an afternoon escape that will leave you with a huge grin on your face, look no further than SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY.

Margot's career was flourishing... until it wasn't thanks to a chef who insisted on ignoring allergies and flamingos on the loose. The situation lands her seemingly unhireable in Chicago event planning.

Enter her father's estranged family, who, offer her a place job with them at the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. Margot decides that maybe she'll take them up on their offer--her savings is getting low, and she would like some sort of explanation of why her father never came to find her. Margot believes she'll be gone from Georgia and her nosey family in no time, but she finds herself more embroiled in the town than she expected.

I love Molly Harper's humor and wit. The cast of characters in this is extensive but also hilarious. Frankie is easily one of the best parts of this book (and the prequel), in my opinion. The family is a little overwhelming, both to Margot and to me as a reader trying to keep up with everyone. Reading "Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck" first did help some. In a lot of book series, you get an introduction to a handful of characters and then more get added to the mix as the series continues. Here, you and Margot are dunked into an entire town worth of family and the rest of the town too.

It took me a while to get into this book. It was only because of how much I adore Molly Harper's other books that I stuck with it. I think had this been an author I didn't love already that I likely would've quit. The book did grow on me, but I just had trouble connecting with Margot and Kyle until over halfway through the book. But I did enjoy the humor and the family connections. Overall, I'm glad I read it, but the first half of the book was a bit of a struggle for me.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.</i>

Review by Amber for Love Romance Books Blogs

When event-planner Margot has a disastrous event, she suddenly finds herself without a job and blackballed from the Chicago event-planning world. After spending the last decade choosing her career over anything else in her life, she is now has no idea what to do. She is almost broke and about to be homeless when she is contacted by a mysterious woman named Tootie who says she is her aunt and offers her a job. Margot is hesitant to believe her, but is out of options so decides to take her up on that offer and relocate to small town Georgia. Before she knows it, Margot is swept up into a family she never realized she had. They are chaotic and crazy but down to earth, running a combination bait shop/marina and funeral home, which also has an entire wall of paint-by-number Jesus portraits.


She has only been in town a short while when she runs into Kyle, the local school principal. Except she doesn’t realize he is the principal at first. Margot is too busy ogling him when she runs into him again...and again...at at random places around town. She quickly learns, however, that in a town as small as Lake Sackett, it is hard NOT to run into each other. Soon it becomes hard for time them to stay apart. The tricky thing is that Margot only expected her time in Georgia to a short stopover until she gets a job like her old one. She never expected she would have such a hard time choosing between her career and her newfound family...and Kyle.


I would give this book 4.5 stars. It was hilarious! I really enjoyed it. It is full of Southern small-town drama in the best kind of way. Margot and Kyle were great characters, and I loved Margot’s crazy family. I would definitely read another book by this author.

I was asked by the author for an honest review.

Margot falls from grace after a party she was coordinating goes awry. She receives a job opportunity from an Aunt she doesn't remember meeting, in the family business with the Dad she doesn't speak to after he didn't contact her after her parents separated.

Working for the family business, a funeral home and bait shop, she realizes she needs to dial down the intensity. She gets roped into planning a town event to help tourism and runs into the local principal, Kyle. Kyle is starting over after losing his wife, and raising his little spirited girl.

Lots of local characters, making amends, building relationships, and Southern charm. Such a sweet story of finding your own path, and starting over.

Margot is a baby when her mother decides to run away from Lake Sackett and her drunkard, irresponsible husband.
And now Margot is back here after her successful career in event management comes crashing down due to a debacle!Her family runs the funeral home and bait shop and she is invited to come work there. With no options left, she heads to the little town that is home to her estranged family.
She is a complete city girl, totally uncomfortable in the small town. But here she is, and the book starts with our brooding hot male protagonist,Kyle being every bit of a sad, "I need love" kinda guy.
Margot is here only till she finds a better job, but will life change for her?
To be honest, you know exactly how the book will end. You know exactly how the story will progress and you know exactly what you're going to feel. And that's exactly WHY you read this book😂 you read it for the warm, happy feels. You read it for the family ties and love, and you read it for dreams and hopes. It's the same old wine in the same old bottle, but sometimes isn't that your favourite go-to ? Just to feel good and fuzzy?
This light hearted book was easy and funny and a great companion as I read it while I travelled and as I read after coming home to craziness!! If you are looking for something bright and fun, you should totally pick it up!
Overall, a perfect December read

REVIEW PROVIDED BY: Kelly
NUMBER OF HEARTS: 5
Sweet Tea & Sympathy is the first book in Molly Harper’s new Southern Eclectic series (check out Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck prequel novella). In Sweet Tea & Sympathy we get to meet the long lost McCready family member after an unfortunate event involving some flamingos, shrimps and they death of Margot’s career. Just when Margot thinks she is at her lowest point Aunt Tootie finds her and convinces her to move to Lake Sackett and work for the family.

Another wonderful story from Molly Harper.

The amazing Amanda Ronconi lent her talent and voice to another of Mrs. Harper’s novels. Amanda does a great job of bringing the McCready family alive. I always love having Amanda read me one of Molly’s stories! I am already looking forward to the next installment in this series.


Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley & Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Super cute fish out of water tale. When Margot loses her fancy event planning job, she finds herself looking for new options. When long lost family come calling she thinks it might be what she needs to start over. Great characters, great plot!

Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair.

Margot Cary has spent her life in high society as an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s high up on the corporate ladder until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong! Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.

*** While finding her footing in the backwoods (as she described it) Margot is finding that the folks in Lake Sackett are not the rich and famous but down to earth and ready to help a neighbor out. However, they are a little bit apprehensive when the only real eligible bachelor is showing a real preference for the new gal in town. Elementary school principle Kyle Archer is a fellow fish out of water who volunteers to show Margot the best of Southern small town living. But is small town living what Margot is ready for when a great offer comes from another big city?

Sweet as honey and irresistible along with all the quirky characters one can delight in. A marvelous read!

Marilyn Rondeau

*2.5 stars*

I like Molly Harper, though admittedly she isn't my favorite author, but I always find her stuff to be light and nice. Sweet Tea and Sympathy, however, simply bored me to tears. Clutches those pearls!

This book is certainly more women's fiction than romance. In fact, I kept waiting for the chemistry and romance to develop, and well into the last quarter of the story I STILL felt like nothing real was happening. If you are looking for romance-y romance, this isn't it.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is all about family and family dynamic. I liked that part of the story, actually. The quirky Southern family, the estranged father, the weird fishing shop/funeral home-thing was entertaining. However, a few little punchy details didn't carry the story for me.

My overall impression of this book is that it is well-meaning. The messages were there, it tried to be funny-ish, but it feel just shy for me. It took me over two weeks to finish, and for me, a reader of 4-5 books a week, that is unheard of.

I think many readers will enjoy this story, but it just didn't connect for me.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY has the same smart, snappy, and wacky-in-a-good-way feel that made me fall in love with Molly Harper’s paranormal stories, while also delivering more emotional payoff.

After a truly catastrophic incident with some shrimp-crazed flamingos, Chicago event planner Margot Cary is forced to turn tail and accept the only job offer she’s received: join the company run by her estranged father’s family in backwoods Georgia. Oh yeah, and the company in question is a joint funeral home and bait and tackle shop. Margot is a total fish out of water there, but the shakeup in her life gives her the much-needed opportunity to re-evaluate what it is she wants out of life – her family, her career, and yes, romance.

SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY is a family-centric story, and personally I preferred Margot’s relationships with her two cousins (who I’m seriously hoping will be the heroines of the sequels) to her relationship with Kyle, the widowed father of two that Margot’s falling for. Kyle is sweet and his daughters are adorable, but for me it’s the family dynamics that make this story special.

The only real complaint is how quickly the story comes together at the end. It felt rushed, which was especially disappointing considering how carefully Margot and Kyle’s relationship was developed throughout the book. Given their respective circumstances, I feel like an HFN might’ve been more appropriate than the HEA we got at the end. Otherwise, I really liked it!

I liked this book for the most part. There were a few things that did not sit well with me. I thought the attitudes in the book were a little too stereotypical, too sweet sweet tea, hillbilly southern boys. I liked the main heroine, Margot, up to a point. She was the fish out of water, a northern girl put in the deep south. I thought she had a bit of a holier than thou attitude, looking down her nose at the southern folk. I did like Kyle, the main hero, he was a nice guy, a father to two little girls.

There was one situation were I thought went way over the line. With all the sexual assault accusations going on in the real world I thought the author would not have that in her book. Margot gets very drunk, where she can barely walk, and she sees Kyle at a bar. She goes to him and starts kissing him. They kiss each other and things lead to more things and they end up in his truck. The only thing he does is ask if she is ok with this, them having sex while she is drunk, and the only reason she stops is because her phone rings and she realizes she left her cousins in the bar. Ooops. So he was ok with having sex with a woman who is drunk. To me that is not ok. This is not how the hero of a romance should behave.

Margot had a nonexistent relationship with her father, and I think the author did a good job bringing this relationship to the point it did by the end of the book. As well as all the other relationships Margot had started. I loved the banter between Margot and Kyle. And how Margot thought the sweet tea was "liquid diabetes".

So I thought this book was pretty good, it just had a few issues that had me thinking if I was going to put it in the dnf list. I'm glad I finished it, I did enjoy it.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book.