this one is a bit hard to rate. i did enjoy it, it was really cute and funny. i like molly harper's writing. i have read a few of hers now, including the prior books in this series, so i know what to expect in terms of steam and whatnot.

meeting duffy in the previous books, i never thought of him as a 'romance book hero', i'm sure his looks and stuff were described, but the way he acted, especially with his ex wife, made me think of him as just a side character, a lovable goofy family member that we all shake our heads at.. so when i found out his book was next i was like alrighty then.. probably should have paid more attention in the previous books. not that looks are everything, but typically if someone is described as attractive and single they are going to get a book - which is fine, i dig it. but sometimes i get a picture in my head of a character and then when they get a book, i can't shake that picture.

long story long, this happened a bit in this one and it was hard to reconcile goofy duffy with romance book hero duffy. but i got on board (unlike other books when i can never shake it, cough jr ward's butch, cough) and i really liked lucy and duffy together... but there was hardly any build up. friends to lovers is my least favourite trope, but 'loved you since childhood' is one of my faves, so i was totally expecting a bit more from this one. but they declare their love so easily and i'm like hey, wait, i want to fall in love too? but other than that, it really was cute and adorable and realistic and fluffy and all the things i enjoy about molly harper's books. it passed the time more than fine and i will continue to pick up her books.

evie reminded me of my own mother in law. i don't have kids yet, but i know that's what she will be like and i swear reading about evie gave me hives.

Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper
Book #3: Southern Eclectic Series
Source: NetGalley and Gallery Books
Rating: 4½/5 stars

Duffy McCready has only ever truly loved one woman and it sure isn’t his bat-sh*t crazy ex-wife. No, Duffy McCready’s heart has only ever truly belonged to his childhood friend, Lucy Brewer. With Lucy back in town after a long absence and Duffy finally completely disentangled from his ex, there is every expectation that Lucy and Duffy will pick up right where they left off so many years ago.

As far as Duffy is concerned, the friend zone sucks but since he never actually declared his true feelings to Lucy, he’s going to have to settle for the friend zone for the time being. What’s more, Lucy isn’t back in town and ready to simply go back to the way things were. No, Lucy is back in town fresh off the death of her husband, trying to avoid her toxic in-laws, trying to learn about life as a single parent, and working towards the launch of her new sweets shop. With so much on her plate, Duffy is pretty sure he’s going to be stuck in the friend zone for a good long while if he doesn’t do something drastic.

As is always the case in the McCready family, Duffy has a lot of help and advice coming from his relatives. There’s not a McCready in the bunch who doesn’t want to see Duffy happy and they all agree, it’s about time he and Lucy Brewer finally get together. To that end, Lucy is lovingly welcomed back into the fold and everyone begins working on softening her up and encouraging her interest in Duffy. Though Duffy knows all involved are well-intentioned, he also knows he can’t rush Lucy or force feelings that may not be there.

Lucy Brewer knows several things: she doesn’t miss her dead husband the way she probably should, her mother-in-law may be the devil incarnate, her sister-in-law is most certainly the devil’s spawn, her son is the best thing in the history of ever, and if she can ever get all the paperwork filed and the renovations done, her sweets shop is going to be tremendously successful. Oh, and there’s one more thing she knows, Duffy McCready has grown into a fine man and her feelings towards him are so far beyond the friend zone. To be sure, there is a long road ahead and Lucy is already up to her butt in getting settled in and moving forward rather than looking back. It’s going to take real effort, lots of meddling relatives, and more than a bit of misunderstanding and confusion to get to a hard earned HEA.

The Bottom Line: In general, I have greatly enjoyed the Southern Eclectic series, but I completely loved this particular book! Duffy has been a consistent favorite for me over the course of the series and I was so glad to read about his deserved HEA. Duffy has been through the wringer and that doesn’t change in this read, only Duffy’s response to the situations. There’s so much growth in Duffy and that is one of the things I always look for in characters and books. On the flip side is Lucy, a brand-new character to the series who makes quite the impression. From page one, Lucy is bold, fierce, and more than willing to speak her mind. Though she certainly has some issues of her own to deal with, Lucy is (mostly) clear in her wants and desires and is determined to fight anyone who dares stand in her way. I adore Lucy, her fire, her strength, her mouth, and pure determination. While I have liked all the couples in the series, I have to say, Lucy and Duffy are far and away my favorites!! I feel like there could be one more book in the series (Duffy’s momma!) but if there isn’t, Gimme Some Sugar is a great way to end this quirky, fun, HEA filled series.

When Molly Harper writes a new book, it's a sure thing that it will be a laid back, feel-good mini-vacation for your mind.

In this installment back in the little town of Lake Sackett, Lucy has moved back to town following the accidental death of her unfaithful, manipulative husband and must deal with her complicated feelings of relief over his death. The fact that her childhood best friend, Duffy, has grown up to be terribly handsome isn't helping, either. Featuring crazy in-laws, crazy exes, and delicious cupcakes, it makes for a fun read. It is obviously a romance novel, but nothing too steamy -- you could read this on public transit without feeling like a huge creep.

Also, whoever is designing the covers for this series deserves a raise, amirite?

Lucy grew up in Lake Sackett and only left after high school when she married Wayne, returning now as a widow with her five-year-old son Sam in tow. She’d immersed herself in her new live in Texas, saying goodbye to family and old friends, when she was married, but now it feels right (and familiar) to raise Sam in a place that feels safer, where people know her, and where she can try her hand at making a living for them both with her hands, as she’s leased the former butcher / meat shop to redesign it as a bakery – where she plans to serve up various tasty treats, bake cakes and enjoy being ‘home’. Not all is as simple as that – while she’s not overtly grief stricken with the loss of her husband, her mother-in-law and the majority of her husband’s relations are judgy, pushy, obstreperous and downright nasty to her- passing judgment on her every move, choice and particularly affronted with her desire to put Sam in a Pre—K program. A few things haven’t really changed though – she’s still got her friends in the McCreedy camp, from her best friend Duffy to his sister Marianne, his cousin Frankie and the newest addition, Margot as well as a pile of gossip, a new ‘view’ of Duff and the usual goings-on and laugh out loud situations.

Lucy is adorable and trying desperately to be the best mother possible while keeping Sam safe (and that often means away from his grandmother Evie, who simply sees him as a manifestation of his father). The friendship with Duff, which is so much more on both sides while both are afraid to speak of their feelings or fears – worried that if things go pear-shaped they’ll lose a friendship that they’ve had nigh on twenty years. Oh sure, Duffy is a bit too nice for his own good, and the ongoing ‘relationship’ with his train-wreck of an ex-wife Lana doesn’t show him in the best light, but – he means well, and when push comes to shove – he’s also the one you want backing you up (and he’s less mean with a dash of deviance than his cousin Frankie). But – with the mother-in-law calling in favors with the “health inspector’, the sister-in-law rolling in with her affected ‘holiness’ and overt addiction to drama, being near on the only person that Donna (Duffy’s mother) speaks to kindly all the time isn’t enough to quell Lucy’s fears and insecurities. It’s going to take a non-life-threatening (but scary) accident, a puppy, a box of red velvet cupcakes and a fishing trip to finally get everyone ‘on track’ and allow Lucy and Duffy to start their way on the path to ‘together’.

Like all of Harper’s books – this isn’t going to solve world peace (well – if everyone who wants to act like a dimwit would just read them it would improve their moods!) but you will have the most entertaining time just going through the pages. Plenty to laugh about, quirky but somehow actually very real characters, snark, sweetness and plenty of ‘deep fried’ options – it’s a veritable smorgasbord of laughter, family and food. I adore this series and look forward to each and every book – listening to the audio versions when life gets ‘overwhelming’ and I want something light. From full-length sagas to the little ‘filler’ episodes between the longer books – this series is the antidote for a bad day (week, month …..)

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-ald/” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>

3 stars
Cute and predictable story about former BFFs who end up back in the same place at the right time n both of their lives.

I love being back with the McCreadies in Lake Sackett. I just feel like the romance was a secondary plot here. Both characters spent more time dealing with exes and in laws and figuring out what they did wrong in their previous relationships than they did actually being in a relationship with each other. But since this series tends to revisit characters, that doesn’t feel like negative as much as a to be continued.

I liked checking in with Frankie, Marianne and Margot here. The series storyline takes an interesting turn too as the older McCready family members start to consider retirement. I think that adds to the feeling that childhood best friends Duffy and Lucy spent their story growing up.

3.5 stars

Gimme Some Sugar is another delightful romance in Harper's Southern Eclectic series filled with lovely humor, romance, and quirky characters. Lucy Bowman is back having been recently widowed. She wants to raise her son, Sam, in the same small town where she grew up. All she wants is to start a new business, a bakery called Gimme Some Sugar, raise her son and catch up on long lost friendships. Too bad Lucy has to battle a health department official with a familial grudge and a pushy mother in law, who is so devastated by the death of her favorite son, that she fails to acknowledge her own grandson's wants and needs. Enter Duffy McCready, Lucy's childhood best friend. The stars never aligned for an adolescent romance, but now that she's back, Duffy want to make sure that this second chance doesn't pass them by.

Harper remains a favorite author based on her ability to construct meaningful plots with diverse, hilarious characters. This story and her others are charming and fun. It is wonderful to see Duffy finally have his own book. This felt like the end to the series but I'd love to see more from the Lake Sackett gang!

Gimme Some Sugar is a novel filled with all kinds of characters with all kinds of quirks and they all play out well together to make a sometimes serious, sometimes funny story. Two old friends that should have been together finally get the perfect chance for love if…the devious, self-centered ex-wife and mother-in-law would just leave town or just go away or simply give it up.

A sweet enough romance.
Small town former best friends both made bad marriages - now Lucy is back after her husband's death, with her young son in tow. Fighting her in-laws and their small town leverage, she is opening a bakery in a town just starting to recover from an economic hit. Duffy, meanwhile, is trying to overcome his 'nice guy' nature, the worst of which involves falling back into bed with his crazy, cheating ex-wife every time she needs a ego pick-me-up. The two friends lost touch over the years, but never lost their connection.
Be prepared for erratic, cockamamie behavior from relatives (villains and allies alike) and small child humor.

Lucy is back in her hometown with her young son after the passing of her cheating husband. So is not really grieving at this point but feels oddly relieved to be back to her roots. Despite wanting to have a new start, she has a crazy mother in law who's trying to sabotage her new business venture and won't stop criticizing her parenting. Thankfully her old best friend Duffy who's always been in love with her is there to help through all this. This book was cute and an easy read. I love that Lucy was strong and didn't take crap from anyone.

Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper is the third full-length book in the Southern Eclectic series. I’ve really enjoyed reading this series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on this new release. As soon as I saw it pop up on NetGalley I requested it.

Lucy Brewer and Duffy McCready were best friends growing up. When she got married and moved away after high school, they drifted apart. Recently widowed, Lucy moves back to their hometown to open a bakery and raise her young son. Her family is gone now, but she wants to raise him in a familiar place. As she prepares to open her bakery, she has to deal with the demands of her deceased husband’s overbearing mama, small town politics and reuniting with Duffy and his family.

Duffy has been in an off-again relationship with his ex-wife. She gets her heart broken, then crawls back to him for a night to make herself feel better…and he lets her. Until Lucy comes back to town and Duffy realizes he’s been a fool. As they start spending time together, he knows he’ll do whatever it takes to secure a future with her. But Lucy is dealing with a lot, and Duffy might be one thing too many…unless he can convince her otherwise.

This was such a cute read. I really liked Lucy and I loved Duffy. There were some silly parts, but overall I liked seeing them coming back together as Lucy tries to make a home for herself and get her business off the ground. The McCreadys are always fun and I like the town of Lake Sackett. There were times both Lucy and Duffy drove me crazy, but I can’t deny I wanted them together. I especially loved it when Lucy went all mama-bear over her son, and how quick Duffy was to help her pick up the slack as she tried to get her business off the ground.

Gimme Some Sugar is everything I’ve come to expect from Harper – Fun and quirky, yet filled with a surprising amount of depth. I was hooked from page one.

4 out of 5

This was such a wonderful and fun read. This is the first I have read by Molly Harper and her writing really impressed me. Every character was full of life,as was the setting. Full review to come on publication date!

Gimme Some Sugar was a cute and fun read! Imagining the bake-shop and all of the delightful cupcakes and confections provides a wonderful backdrop for the romance and plot of the story. Readers - like me - who have never read Molly Harper will find this book fun and fresh and may need to check out more of her work!

I love Lucy! I was excited to return to the quaint little town of Lake Sackett with its wonderful cast of quirky characters. I so admired Lucy's ability to speak her mind, especially with her mother in law. A good reminder that we all need support and asking for help doesn't make us weak. I want more, Molly Harper!

Another great addition to this series. I was patiently waiting for Duffy's happy ending. Love the whole family and how everyone is always included.

I love Molly Harper's world. Her characters are unique with interesting issues and backgrounds. Tootie, with her dogs and gambling for cruise money, is one of my favorite people. I eagerly await her next installment. I hope she will eventually write a sequel to And One Last Thing...

I hadn’t read the first two books in th Southern Eclectric series, but I definitely want to go back and read them. This book was super fun and cute. (And a bonus was reading about all the delicious bakery goodies!) Thanks NetGalley for introducing me to this series and this author.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Threshold/Pocket books for the ARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Wow was this a fun book. It has a little of everything, crazy in laws, good friends, a love interest, a crazy s and puppies! who could ask for more. A southern setting too. Well worth the read. Duffy is just a plain nice guy. This is not to say that he isn't gorgeous, but he is just a nice guy. A rare thing in the world today. There are Wayne's than Duffys unfortunately. Lucy is confused and I completely understand. I give this a 4.5. I think most romance readers will enjoy.

Gimme Some Sugar is the third book in Molly Harper’s Southern Eclectic series.

Duffy McCready has been in love with Lucy Brewer since high school. She is now back in Lake Sackett, Georgia as a widow and looking to start over by opening a bake shop. As they try to go from recently reconnected friends to lovers, they get a lot of interference and drama from his ex-wife and her mother-in-law.

Be forewarned…reading about Lucy’s bakery items will make you want to go out and binge on cupcakes!

I have read and enjoyed the previous books in this series. All the extended family members of the McCready Family Funeral Home & Bait Shop make appearances in this book and it is fun to catch up with them. This is a charming and entertaining series with lots of small town residents with backstories and baggage.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Another winner in the Southern Eclectic series! Lucy and Duffy have known and cared for each other since they were children but their timing has been off. Both are afraid to ruin their friendship so they haven't explored a romantic relationship but when they do it's magic. Sweet, funny, sexy, I loved this book!