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.

Love this new series by Molly Harper! I have yet to find a book by Molly Harper that I have not loved and devoured!

Three and a stars: A sweet helping of down home Southern Folks, but the main character is not warm or endearing.

Margot is still reeling from the flamingo disaster at the elite Chicago party she planned. The event was supposed to launch her career, instead it went down in smoking flames. No one is responding to her job applications, and she is about to be broke and homeless. Then she hears from her long lost great aunt, Tootie, who lives down South. Tootie offers Margot a job planning funerals at the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. Margot reluctantly accepts the job, until she can find something better. She packs her bags and heads down South to meet her dad’s side of the family. Margot hasn’t seen of heard from her dad or his family since she was two years old. She hardly thinks that she will have anything in common with these folks. Will Margot save her career and find a home?
What I Liked:
*Sweet Tea and Sympathy is an entertaining, light chic lit read with likeable characters, a cozy setting, family hilarity and romance. I liked this sweet story.
*The McCready family makes this novel memorable. I loved this eclectic bunch of characters from the force to be reckoned with Aunt Tootie, to Frankie the colorful mortician, friendly Dusty and his formidable mother, Donna, and sad Stan. The characters are warm, funny and they made me laugh. I look forward to following them in subsequent books.
*The book centers around Margot finding herself. She is damaged goods, someone who has never made romantic commitments since she is not capable of affection and relationships. She is career driven, focused on reaching the top, until she falls. Down in the dumps, Margot heads down south where she reunites with her long lost family. It takes her a long time, but she eventually learns the value of family bonds, forgiveness, and that there is more to life than a career. It takes her the entire book to grow and blossom, but she finally gets there.
*I did love the humor. There are plenty of funny situations and one liners that made me giggle.
*One of the highlights for me was seeing Margot handle the nasty Southern PTA women, bent on destroying her reputation and the event she is planning. Margot opens a can of whoop ass and serves a cold dish of revenge. It was awesome.
*The ending is a sweet, satisfactory serving of Southern Sweet Tea. You get the romance, the happy ending and the hopeful beginning.
And The Not So Much:
*This is my own personal opinion, I wanted to love this one, but I struggled because I couldn’t connect fully with Margot. She is cold, self centered and for a great deal of the book she comes across as bitchy. She is rather nasty to her family, especially her dad, and she doesn’t really like kids or dogs. She finally grows, but it takes the entire novel to get her to where I liked her. I wanted to feel empathy toward her, but I just couldn’t because she is such a cold fish.
*The romance starts out with a torrid scene of insta love. Then it is hot and cold with a lot of fumbling and stumbling. Yes, it settles out at the end, but I wasn’t a fan.
*I loved the scene where Margot nails the nasty PTA president to the floor. I wish that this story line had been expanded upon. I would have loved to witness Margot digging up the dirt, and then to find out more of the aftermath. Was the ex principal involved?
*I wanted more with Margot and Stan. Margot is so nasty to Stan for most of the book. They finally sort of make things better, but I was left wanting more.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy was a good beginning to Ms. Harper’s newest series. I loved the eclectic Southern characters, the down home charm, the humor and the story. I was a bit put off by the main character, Margot, as she is a cold fish for the majority of the book. She finally grows and makes it worthwhile at the end, leaving me wanting more from this hilarious family. I am hoping for more Frankie and Aunt Tootie in the next book.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.
Posted@Rainy Day Ramblings.

I decided to read and review this book for one reason only, the name. It sounded cute and I was in the mood for a good old-fashioned romance. Sweet Tea and Sympathy did not disappoint.

Margot is a fun, determined, self-made women who works every waking hour to reach perfection in all she does. Her family life has been less than stellar so she is determined to create a life for herself that brings a sense of comfort. Things are going great, and it appears that Margot is on the fast track to everything she has worked towards until that one moment, where everything she knows comes crashing down around her.

Family … my goodness my review could be entirely about Margot’s family. These characters, who play a huge role in the story are diverse. Each personality has stark differences that define and enhance the story. I don’t think I ever recall reading a story that had so many family members and each play a critical part in the story.

Last but not least there is Kyle. He has that special quality that warms your heart. He is the whole package. Good looking, determined, career oriented, a family man and a friend to all. He is also a man who holds his grief tight within his heart. Not wanting a drastic change in his life he can’t help but feel like a tornado has passed through once he meets Margot.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a fun, easy to read, laugh out loud, fall in love kind of romance. It is a wonderful blend of career, family, forgiveness, determination and realizing sometimes what you really want is right in front of you. All you have to do is open your eyes and be willing to allow yourself to accept the feelings that have been brewing inside your heart.

Molly Harper is the absolute Queen of small town southern romances. She knows her strengths, and she uses them to their full advantage. Every time I open the pages of one of her books, I know what to expect. Snarky heroines, quirky small towns, gossiping neighbors, and overbearing families.

The true magic happens when she takes the tropes and somehow manages to make them new and exciting with every new title she releases. The laughs are always abundant, I just never know exactly where they're going to jump out at me from. The romances always sweet, but those curve balls seem to show up from the most surprising places.

Her ability to give the side characters such a strong presence without bogging down the book is commendable. They add so much to the story, turning it into a series that you want to devour every new release. Never just cardboard background props, always characters in their own right.

She managed to throw me a little with a funeral home/marina, but caught me by making the compound like neighborhood her overbearing family lived in down right endearing and enviable. Okay, so Margot got a little annoying at times, stubborn and willful and painfully oblivious to what was right under her nose. Still, her flaws made her easier to relate to, even if I wanted to yell at her often enough.

Seeing her build relationships with long lost family, come to grips with lies she thought were truths, and watching her fall in love was thoroughly engrossing, and I found this latest from Molly Harper as impossible to put down as all the rest.

Rated 4.5 - SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY by Molly Harper is exactly the type of zany small-town contemporary I’ve craved and never found. I was thoroughly entertained by Harper’s wacky characters. If you love backwoods country as much as I do, you’re going love this hilarious family with hearts of gold.

Margot Cary loses her job as a high-class event planner during a comical fiasco involving shrimp-eating flamingos at an elegant fundraiser with the elite of Chicago. The photos and one-liners hit social media and make her a PR pariah. The only job offers she gets is to work for Aunt Tootie, on her long-lost father’s side, at the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. Reluctantly, Margot accepts and moves to backwoods Georgia. That’s when the real fun begins.

Margot meets all her relatives who seem more inclined to be making moonshine, than running a profitable “bait and bury” that boasts its sensitivity to sadness. One by one her cousins greet Margot with their friendly and often inappropriate behavior, take her out drinking, and get her smashed. That’s when she meets the Mr. Gorgeous and Troubled, a dark and mysterious man she makes out with in the parking lot of the local bar.

Things can only get better from here, right?

I have wanted to read Molly Harper’s books for some time but I’m not usually a paranormal fan, so I avoided the fang stories. I can’t believe that she picked backwoods country folk, who live at a compound of cabins on a lake, to feature in this perfectly named new series, SOUTHERN ECLECTIC. That setting is just my style and held me captivated from beginning to end. It’s the perfect scenario for small-town shenanigans.

This novel called to me when I saw the sweet tea cover, but it was the blurb that sunk the deal. Comedy sometimes works too hard to be funny, so I was leery of trying this because I hate to be disappointed. I was skeptical until I had my first of many laugh-out-loud moments which slammed my book bliss.

Margot Cary is a bit uptight, so she’s not easy to love as a heroine. She has some stuck-up ways, which makes it funnier to witness her cousins making a real McCready out of her. Margot has issues to work through on the way to her happy-ever-after, and I was sure she was going to screw up her relationship with Kyle. And talk about unusual jobs for a heroine. A funeral home connected to a bait shop? That’s a mess waiting to fall into hilarity!

My only disappointment was that the end felt rushed and incomplete. There isn’t a cliff hanger which was appreciated. I’m hoping that book two will round out this couple’s happy-ever-after, so it’s more than a happy-for-now. Maybe it’s a good thing that I was just a little disappointed because it meant I didn’t want the story to end.

SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY is my favorite romantic comedy in several years. It’s right up there with another favorite, ALL I WANT by Jill Shalvis. I love the quirky town and Margot’s over-the-top cousins. One of the cousins reminds me of Megan in the movie Bridesmaids, but Donna is even rougher in a peculiar way. Margot and Kyle are cute together. The humor is fresh and not overly done. It’s rare for an author to create the flawless mix that I enjoy, but Molly Harper has a gift for the perfect blend of humor and heartfelt emotion. I can’t wait for more SOUTHERN ECLECTIC – it’s exactly what I’ve been waiting for!

Review by Dorine, courtesy of The Zest Quest.

Molly Harper's first full-length contemporary romance novel takes Margot, an elite event planner, and throws her in the midst of her estranged Georgia family after a terrible failure at work. Set to work in their funeral home cum bait shop, Margot finds herself making friends and embarking on a relationship with a widowed principal, while she tries to avoid reuniting with her father. With lots of humor and heart, Harper's new series is a slam-dunk for romance readers.

This is one of those books that is more women’s fiction than romance. While Margot does end up with a HEA moment, a good portion of it is as much about finding a place to call home as it is a guy to share it with.

I love the fish out of water moments as Margot transitions from her life in upscale Chicago to small town living down South. It’s definitely a different way of living but if she gives it a chance she might find her happy again. With grit and spunk she shows those who don’t want to accept her that she might have tripped but she’s not going to go down without a fight. It’s fun and entertaining and touching and did I say fun! How can it not be with a combination bait shop and funeral home for the family business?

What a damn delight this book was. I'm not a fan of paranormal suspense, which is what Harper is more known for, so I hadn't read her before. I'm so glad she ventured out of the subgenre because I really liked this. There's a clever lightness that I found refreshing.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy starts off a little slow but gains momentum as you come to really care about the well drawn and flawed characters. I liked that the main character was not perfect and that her relationship with her father wasn't a fast healed thing. Hurts from childhood should have that impact and emotional weight. I loved the family characters and hope this is the first of a new series from a favorite author.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

4.25 There is so much to this story that it is hard to figure out where to begin. Margot goes through a humiliating experience and decides to move to work in the family business but small town living is not easy to do.

This is women’s fiction at it’s best. The characters are beautifully developed and makes you wish you could get to know them in real life. The town is delightful as well. Some place you wish you could go to spend a long weekend.

This story is a journey of self discovery and understanding. I can’t imagine any woman would not enjoy this novel. What a great read!

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Molly Harper has a unique style when writing contemporary romance, especially when it concerns her heroines. In Sweet Tea and Sympathy, Margot has gotten a raw deal after losing her job as an event planner, so much so, she feels like she is a laughing stock. But hopes comes in the form of her father's family. Margot's father walked out of her life, or was thrown out by her mother because her father is an alcoholic. But now he's a recovering one, and wants to make amends with Margot, even though she doesn't want to. But since she has no job and is out of options, she accepts a job from her aunt at their funeral home and bait shop (great combo, right?) in Georgia. Margot thinks her stay will be temporary.

As Margot becomes accustomed to the small town culture, and the residents there, she connects with family she never knew about, including her father who is trying his best to get Margot to forgive him. Then there is Kyle, a widowers, who at first she has no interest in, but as she gets to know him better, and his daughter (he's an elementary school principal), quirky small town life might be the balm Margot needs. But can she give up her former life for something a little off center?

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is like sipping iced tea on a hot summer day. The atmosphere of small town southern life is written in a great way. There's also some nice humor within the pages, and the way Margot handles her situation and the people she comes in contact with, including her father will keep you reading. Her romance with Kyle takes a while to gain steam, but it's more secondary, although it really hits homes. The joy in reading is watching a duck out of water like Margot finding her footing again in a way she would have never imagined.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a nice comfort read that will give you the warm fuzzies.

Favorite Quote: “Keep it up and I will vote for The Notebook.”

On the fast track for partnership at an elite event planning business, Margot Cary’s life was just about perfect. That is until the party that was supposed to catapult her into event planning fame ends up sending her down in flames. Out of a job, an apartment, and money, Margot is about to hit rock bottom when she gets a calls with a job offer from her father’s family- The McCreadys of Lake Sackett, GA. Margot hasn’t seen or heard from her father since her mother divorced him, left Georgia and never looked back. Margot figures this is the perfect time to find her southern roots and get to know her relatives while looking for another job. Soon she is working the family business while knee deep in fried goods and town drama. When her diligence pays off and she’s offered a chance at redemption, Margot learns that sometimes what you want and what you need are two different things.

Set in the fictional town of Lake Sackett, GA, Molly Harper once again writes a winning contemporary filled with love, laughter, and plenty of charm. This quick read doesn’t disappoint with it’s hilarious narrative, eclectic characters, and subtle underlying message of family, forgiveness, and finding oneself. Harper hits the nail on the head as she introduces the idiosyncrasies of small town living, multi-generational families, and the power of the grapevine to a Chicago transplant who’s in need of some TLC.

Margot’s characterization is why I enjoy romantic comedies. Strong, intelligent, and quick witted, her strength comes from her ability to laugh at herself. With her quick mind and even quicker mouth, she left me giggling as she attempts to understand the dynamics of her new family and the town. I giggled and hooted from page one as Harper sets the stage for Margot’s downfall and inevitable reclaiming of her sense of self. Her ways of dealing with everyone knowing her business is with dignity, snark, and alcohol.

“The first time you tangle with moonshine is like dancing with a good looking carnie. Sure, it feels great at first, but you wake up sore and soaked in regret.”

A slow-burning romance with the elementary school principal adds to the humor of the story as Margot finds herself in the unknown territory of grown-up relationships. Kyle, the sexy town widower, is unsure himself if he is ready for any sort of relationship and sends some conflicting messages. His two children take precedence over everything. Harper takes her time developing their romance, addressing the various issues affecting them both with humor, honesty, and some very sweet and gentle loving. I did feel the romance was more of a plotline to further Margot’s growth and healing than an actual self sustaining strong storyline however it works well with the overall tone of the story.

The supporting characters add energy and yes, even MORE laughter as Margot tries to find her footing on this new path life has sent her down. Her family are a mischievous close-knit bunch who love her unconditionally and prove over and over that they will always have her back. She is a McCready and they will never let her forget that.

“Tell you what. If anyone asks where me and Duffy are tomorrow, tell them we are on an all day charter and don’t offer any extra details.”

“Why?”

“So we have an alibi when that snotty bitch’s office burns down.”

Margot finds strength and acceptance in her family, discovering that any lack of perfection, not a crime as taught by her mother.

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is a boisterous romantic comedy that gives readers the southern small town experience from the comforts of home. Overflowing with laughter, love, family, and a pinch of and bittersweet nostalgia, fans of Harper are sure to enjoy her latest adventure. I’m looking forward to book two, Ain’t She a Peach?, set to release June 12, 2018.

Grade: B+

This a story that leaves you with the " warm fuzzies" about Southern life and its unique style of hospitality...you can't get a more entertaining look at the South and good ol' fashion family dynamics...if only we could all be so lucky to be engulfed in the love of a ready made extended family. Quirky characters abound, the dialog is whip smart, the humor snarky and sharp, with a refreshing brand of hilarity that is sure to become addicting.

I wish I'd discovered Ms Harper's brand of writing sooner, riddled with snarky banter and a flair for Southern excentricites, family humor, and Bless Her Heart subtle put downs. She has quickly become one of my "watch list" authors, those for whom I anxiously wait their next release.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

As a high end event planner Margot can handle just about anything. But after her crowning glory in the Chicago event planning scene goes horribly awry she finds herself unemployed and unemployable. So when her aunt who she has never met offers her a job in the family business in Georgia she has little choice but to accept.

She quickly discovers the family business is a Funeral Home and Bait Shop, she has dozens of relatives and a father who abandoned her as a child. With spotty internet and cell phone reception, no Starbucks or even a shop that sells fruit, Margot is well out of her comfort zone but with the help of a brooding school principal, his two young daughters and her crazy family she gradually finds a place. The only problem is Lake Sackett is a dying town. The tourists have abandoned them, businesses are closing and there isn't much of a future for someone with her skills.


I read a lot of books and honestly I've read pretty much every story before, usually more than once. There aren't too many books I wished would just keep going. There aren't too many authors I'll buy just because their name is on the cover.

But this is that book and Molly Harper is that author.

I loved everything about this book. I wanted more of every single character. So much love for Sweet Tea and Sympathy

Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck (Southern Eclectic 0.5)

Marianne returns to Lake Sackett, GA and runs right into Carl whose heart she broke when she left town. As she reluctantly settles into a summer with the family she does her best to avoid Carl but the old spark is still there and if they can just deal with their past, they might have a chance at a future. 

Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck is a quick enjoyable prequel novella. It's well worth the effort but I think it would be better to read book 1 first. After Sweet Tea and Sympathy I can almost guarantee that you'll want more, and this little novella will fit the bill perfectly.

My first Molly Harper novel. I laughed at the escapades of the McCready. I can't wait to read more in this series. Such a fun read.

I absolutely adored this book! I cannot wait for more!!

I had high expectations with this book but they weren’t fullfilled. The pace was so slow and the descriptions were dragging. The characters didn’t catch my attention and I didn’t feel the need to keep reading to know what happened next. Not my thing. DNF 35%

This book reminded me so much of Sweet Home Alabama. Instead of the main character heading back to her roots to take care of a problem, in this story a problem forces the main character to head back to the roots she can't even remember.

I love dipping into some rom-coms as a palate cleanser to my normal thriller reads and this one was an absolute pleasure to read. Growing up in a military family had me living in the South (Texas and Alabama) and reading this triggered so many good memories. Honestly, y'all, it's COKE - when you ask for a coke, you better specify! I had the hardest time getting rid of this habit once we moved away from the South. Pop still doesn't sound right to me!

This book is dripping with humor, sarcasm, family strife, eccentricity, love and forgiveness. The opening chapter had me literally laughing out loud (to the chagrin of anyone around me I'm sure). I give this book a full on, sweet five stars because it wasn't over done in the shmoochy/overly saturated way some romance book can veer towards. This was subtle and just brought so many memories back with its Southern charm, small town life and huge hearts that I just couldn't help loving this book from cover to last page.

Classic romance storyline: Woman falls from grace and is forced into exile. She ends up in a charming small town where she meets a man. The god thing about romances is that you know they will be formulaic when you pick them up. This one was charming and did not disappoint.