An Atlanta ex-cop comes to sleepy Lake Sackett, Georgia, seeking peace and quiet–but he hasn’t bargained on falling for Frankie, the cutest coroner he’s ever met. Frankie McCready talks to dead people. Not like a ghost whisperer or anything–but it seems rude to embalm them and not at least say hello. Fortunately, at the McCready Family Funeral Home & Bait Shop, Frankie’s eccentricities … Frankie’s eccentricities fit right in. Lake Sackett’s embalmer and county coroner, Frankie’s goth styling and passion for nerd culture mean she’s not your typical Southern girl, but the McCreadys are hardly your typical Southern family. Led by Great-Aunt Tootie, the gambling, boozing, dog-collecting matriarch of the family, everyone looks out for one another–which usually means getting up in everyone else’s business.
Maybe that’s why Frankie is so fascinated by new sheriff Eric Linden…a recent transplant from Atlanta, he sees a homicide in every hunting accident or boat crash, which seems a little paranoid for this sleepy tourist town. What’s he so worried about? And what kind of cop can get a job with the Atlanta PD but can’t stand to look at a dead body?
Frankie has other questions that need answering first–namely, who’s behind the recent break-in attempts at the funeral home, and how can she stop them? This one really does seem like a job for the sheriff–and as Frankie and Eric do their best Scooby-Doo impressions to catch their man, they get closer to spilling some secrets they thought were buried forever.
With Ain’t She a Peach, Molly Harper proves once again that she “never lets the reader down with her delightfully entertaining stories” (Single Titles).
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I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. I entered thinking it was a cozy mystery. It’s not. I would term it romantic comedy.
Does that mean I was disappointed? Absolutely not. Ms. Harper had me hooked on the 1st page. I fell in love with Frankie & the whole McCready clan. Especially Tootie. She’s me in not too many more years.
Usually, I try to give both pros & cons, but I don’t get into telling you about the story. I feel that the back of the book gives you enough info, & don’t want to spoil the book for anybody.
The closest I can come to a con is that the description made me think it was a cozy. But I can’t imagine any cozy fan being disappointed by this book.
This book made me smile & laugh on almost every page. It was fun, sweet & just plain enjoyable. And the family tree at the front of the book was greatly appreciated. I referred to it often in the beginning, until I got to know all the relationships.
So, if you like light, fun reads & laughing while you read, definitely pick this book up.
This book is part of the Southern Eclectic Series but can read as a standalone. But it helps to have read at least book one to get to know the family and town. I enjoyed book one in the series but at first was a bit overwhelmed with so many people in the family , plus the small town folks, but that was not the case for this book anymore since I knew most of them by now. I really like that these books are not just about the main couple in this case Frankie and Eric but just as much the family and town dynamic. Frankie and Eric are fun and easy to follow as they struggle to not be attracted to each other. Frankie more so than Eric. Both characters were enjoyable for the most part. There were a few times Frankie was a bit annoying and a bit much but that was just her character. The same when it came to her parents they were a bit too overprotective when it came to her and went a bit too far at times, but that was also at the same time funny to read. The romance was fairly light but so much fun to read the sweet and tender moments between them. Overall I really enjoyed this book and I kind of hoping we getting a book for Duffy next, I think he also deserves his HEA. I rate it 4
I love Molly Harper and 99% of her characters. I love Frankie, she has her isduy but she tends to come out on top.
Fun book. Frankie was one of my favorite characters from the first book Sweet Tea And Sympathy, so I was happy to see her get her own story. Frankie is the wild child of the family. She is impulsive, sassy, snarky, and sarcastic, but also loving and loyal to her family. A survivor of childhood leukemia, Frankie still lives at home with her very overprotective parents. She longs to break out on her own but doesn’t want to hurt their feelings. When the pressure gets to be too much, she sneaks off to Atlanta for a “hit it and quit it” night with a random man. One of those encounters comes back to bite her when he shows up in Lake Sackett as the new interim sheriff.
Eric was a cop in Atlanta until a confrontation gone wrong sent him looking for a slower paced life and job. It takes him a while to adjust, and in the meantime, he sees foul play in almost every death. This brings him into frequent contact with town coroner and mortician Frankie, the woman he hasn’t been able to forget.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Frankie and Eric. The chemistry between them is strong, though each tries to fight it. It was fun to see her jerk Eric’s chain about his tendency to see murder in the most normal of deaths. The barbs and insults that fly between them highlight the emotion that both try to deny. Franke has to dial down the snark when she goes to Eric for help catching the vandal who has targeted the funeral home. Frankie is sure she knows who it is, but Eric believes in law and order and evidence. As they worked together to catch the culprit, they frequently clash over methods, but also grow closer emotionally. But when Frankie goes a little too far with one of her plans, it puts Eric’s job in jeopardy and causes a rift between them. Harsh words were spoken, and though they hurt, they also created some serious self-reflection. I ached a bit for Frankie as she saw herself through new eyes, but I also cheered for her and the changes she made. I liked her big moment at the end as she and Eric realized that they belonged together.
As in the previous book, life in Lake Sackett is not dull. Small town life has everyone poking their noses in everyone else’s lives, making some go to extreme lengths to get a little privacy. Small town politics also invade every facet of life, from the PTA to the town government. Frankie and her cousin Margot got yet another taste of this when it came time to plan the annual Trunk-or-Treat for Halloween. The planning session was a riot, from deciding on the venue to arguments over costumes allowed. I loved seeing Margot maintain control and give as good as she gets in the process. The other big story is the case of the vandalism at the funeral home. Since Frankie is confident who is behind it, she is ready to have it out with him, but Eric reminds her that without solid evidence, he can’t do anything about it. I could feel Frankie’s frustration, especially when one attempt goes so badly wrong. I loved that she learned her lesson, and when the opportunity came to set a trap, she was extremely clever about it. I loved how it played out and seeing the punk get what was coming to him. There was also a nice little twist that had a connection to Eric.
I enjoyed seeing more of Frankie’s family members. Aunt Tootie is always a hoot with her abundance of rescue dogs and her unfiltered commentary on everything. I liked catching up on what is happening with Margot and Kyle, especially the surprise that Margot is facing. I’m looking forward to seeing how that works out. I saw more of the relationship between Frankie and her parents and completely understood her frustration. Their overprotectiveness was definitely over the top, though it was also understandable. It was difficult for her to break away without feeling guilty about hurting their feelings. Their confrontation over the issue was emotional but productive.
Loved the first full book in the Southern Eclectic series, Sweet Tea and Sympathy. This series appears to have a novella, then a full book, novella, repeat, so Ain’t She a Peach is the second full book in this series. You don’t need to read the novellas, but I’m sure they would only enhance your enjoyment of the series.
In this book we get to know Frankie, Margot, and the rest of the cousins even more. Duff, the only male cousin, really amused me in this book, especially when he had to be included in a girl’s talk. We also get to know the Aunts and Uncles more, but there isn’t a lot with their grandma, who is a riot. Maybe they’ll be more of her in the next book in the series, Gimme Some Sugar.
The romance in this one was sexy and sassy. I had a small issue with their relationship in regards to some of the police procedurals. It’s a small town, and fiction, but the way the Sheriff, Eric, handled some of the situations with break-ins at the mortuary, was a bit far fetched for me. But it did not ruin the story.
I didn’t laugh as much as I did with Sweet Tea and Sympathy, but I still chuckled a couple of times, and loved the wackiness of the end funeral home scene. Another fun book in the series, and I’m looking forward to Gimme Some Sugar.
This story is so cute. Frankie is a ball of fun. She lights up the story. I enjoyed watching her grow. You could feel the chemistry between her and Eric. This story is quirky and entertaining. Filled with small town living and a whole lot of southern comfort, this story is lighthearted and fun.
Frankie McCready is kind of the oddball in her family. A Leukemia survivor, she knows what it’s like to be on the edge of death’s door, so she lives life for every moment, not really caring what anyone else thinks. She’s got multi-hued died hair, has an eclectic wardrobe and her job is the embalmer and county coroner for the family business, McCready’s Funeral Home and Bait Shop. When a one night stand moves to Lake Sackett from Atlanta to be their new sheriff, Frankie realizes that it might just be time to grow up.
Frankie has been one of my favorite characters in this series. She loves her family and cousins, and has always given great advice regarding their lives and relationships. She has allowed her parents to baby her since she has been in remission and it’s only when Eric moves to town that she realizes how unhealthy that’s been for her parents and for herself. Her cousins are eager to give her advice after being on the receiving end their whole lives and those scenes are charming and real.
Eric has his own reasons for moving to Lake Sackett. He’s running from his past and is surprised when he finds a familiar face in their county coroner. Even though they have a prickly relationship he doesn’t give up trying to win this wacky woman. Both Eric and Frankie have trauma in their pasts to overcome and it was nice to see them work together, in a somewhat crazy way, to find a way to be together. I really liked this installment of Molly Harper’s Southern Eclectic series and have yet to be disappointed in the residents of Lake Sackett. They are kooky, fun, but more importantly they all seem to really care about each other which makes it easy for the reader to care about them in return. If you are looking for an easy Chick Lit novel for a summer vacation, pick up any book in this series, you can read them as stand alone’s too! I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!
Frankie is the town coroner in Lake Sackett, Georgia. She has her own personality, dresses funny, and colors her hair but she has her reasons. She also works at the family funeral home preparing people for their funerals in which she talks to them like they are alive. Eric Linden is the new sheriff in town. He brings every case in like there is a murder to solve. Considering he is a transplant from Atlanta, that could be a good reason or is the reason the quirky coroner? With the break-ins at the funeral home, the cases the sheriff continues to bring in, the two bump into each other quite often. Frankie and Eric get along like oil and vinegar. Between their constant bickering and the McCready family, this one will keep you laughing. Another great book in the Southern Eclectic series and I cannot wait for the next one. Who will it be about?
Ain’t She a Peach is the fourth book in the Southern Eclectic series, which focuses on the McCready family in small town Lake Sackett, Georgia. I was at Nola Storycon last year when I heard Molly Harper talking about her new southern series involving a family who runs a combination bait shop and funeral home, and I knew that this was the romantic comedy for me! I love Molly’s wit and humor, and the Southern Eclectic books are good light fun. While it’s not absolutely necessary to read this series in order, I would caution you not to read this book without reading its prequel, Peachy Flippin’ Keen.
Frankie McCready is quite the unique southern heroine. She is the town’s coroner, and undertaker for the McCready Family Funeral Home. You don’t quite expect to have a sassy purple-haired uniquely-dressed twenty-eight year old woman for a coroner and undertaker, and that made her all the more fun. I loved how she didn’t let it bother her when some of the townfolk thought her odd, or moved out of her way in public, or called her Dr. Frankenstein. She owned her look, personality and chosen profession and didn’t let anyone make her feel bad about it. Frankie was also stuck in kid limbo, living at home with her parents who were a bit overbearing with their love after Frankie was sick as a child. I couldn’t imagine still living at home these days, my skin gets itchy just thinking about it. So it was interesting to see how Frankie dealt with being smothered by her parents.
Eric Linden is the new sheriff with the biteable bottom lip, and he has moved to the zany town of Lake Sackett following an “incident” that occurred when he was a city copy in Atlanta. He doesn’t quite know what to make of small town folk, or the large and boisterous McCready brood. Nor did he expect to find Frankie as the town coroner, as they had history (that you will need to read about in Peachy Flippin’ Keen). Eric was a good guy. He seemed lonely and somewhat downtrodden, and I had a hard time picturing him with our blue-haired pixie heroine. I loved the relationship that he developed with Hercules, and I didn’t even mind the struggle he had between his feelings and his sense of duty (even when they did lead him to say hurtful things a time or two).
The relationship between Frankie and Eric is fairly rocky. It starts out antagonistic, and had a bit of that playground love feeling happening. Frankie was snarky to Eric and he thought she was a pain in his patoot. But they eventually come around and talk things out like adults, and I liked the pair of them after that. I don’t consider this story to be heavy on the romance – it’s there, but in my mind, it takes backseat to the ambiance and happenings in Lake Sackett.
There is a secondary storyline about Jared Lewis, an entitled brat who continues to harass Frankie and vandalize the funeral home. Frankie and the family have been trying to catch him in the act since Peachy Flippin’ Keen, and they are closing in now. I truly hated the kid and his enabling family… and he reminds me a lot of some of the kids we see in the media and online these days. (((Shudder)))
This series is full of delightful secondary characters. Aunt Tootie and her dog pack are endearingly funny, and Aunt Donna’s grumpy nature makes me laugh every time. I am looking forward to seeing where Molly takes this series next, as these are happy, zany, feel-good romances.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Gallery Books.
I love Molly Harper. I’ve read every book she’s written, and I’ve enjoyed every last word. This one is no exception.
This book (this series, actually) features everything I’ve come to expect and love from a Molly Harper book: quirky, eccentric characters, laugh-out-loud situations, fun, snappy dialogue, and tons of snark and sarcasm. Ain’t She A Peach is a light, low-angst, silly, fun, easy read. (All my favorite things in a romance!) It can also be read as a standalone, if you don’t want to pick up the rest of the series. (Although I don’t know why you wouldn’t. They’re all good!)
I loved Frankie with her quirky clothes, hair, and phobias. She definitely wasn’t a heroine who was sitting around waiting for a man to come save her and make her life complete. She was complete all on her own, thank you very much. (I am woman! Hear me roar!) And honestly, you just don’t read too many books about female coroners and embalmers, and I appreciated the uniqueness of it all.
Eric was a decent fish-out-of-water hero, too. He was funny and interesting in his own quiet kind of way. (His personality was a little overshadowed by Frankie’s, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Frankie’s role in the story is WAY bigger than Eric’s, so I didn’t really require anything more out of him.)
So, why not a 5-star rating? Well, while I loved the story and the characters and the humor, the only part of the book that I feel fell down a bit was the romance. Eric and Frankie just didn’t spend that much time together. Sexual tension was at a minimum, and sexy times were of the closed-door variety. I guess I was expecting a little…more.
But, all-in-all, this is a fun, quirky read with plenty of laughs. Perfect for beach reading!
Full disclosure: I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I don’t even know what to say about this book. It definitely took me out of my thriller slump. I have been finding many lacking for me lately, so reading this kicked me back into the thriller mindset.
A big thing about thrillers, or any book for that matter, is how it’s told. This one is told in the only way I think it could have worked. Going back and forth, seeing what the characters saw, feeling what they felt, it was as if I was in the story myself.
I would like to say that I saw everything coming. I did see a lot of it. However, the way everything played out was not exactly what I was expecting. It was one of those I saw it but didn’t see it at the same time.
I have only read one of Hillier’s previous books. It, too, was very unique to me. I definitely will be reading more of her books in the future.
AIN’T SHE A PEACH is the second full-length instalment in Molly Harper’s contemporary, adult SOUTHERN ECLECTIC romance (woman’s fiction) series focusing on the McCready family of Lake Sackett, Georgia. This is Lake Sackett Sheriff Eric Linden, and mortician/coroner Frankie McCready’s story line. AIN’T SHE A PEACH can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from several third person perspectives including Eric and Frankie AINT SHE A PEACH follows the building relationship between Lake Sackett Sheriff Eric Linden, and mortician/coroner Frankie McCready. Frankie and Eric have an acrimonious relationship in that Eric eyes every death as a potential murder forcing Frankie to go above and beyond the necessary requirements. When a local teen known to Frankie, begins terrorizing the McCready Family Funeral Home & Bait Shop, Frankie must prove to our hero that it isn’t her imagination. What ensues is the slow building romance between Frankie and Eric, and the potential fall-out as Frankie disobeys Eric’s demands, placing herself in the line of fire.
Eric Linden is a former Atlanta police officer who’s hoping for a slower paced lifestyle in Lake Sackett, Georgia. From town drunks to mischief, bar fights and kittens caught in trees, the crime wave in Lake Sackett is the ideal situation for our story line hero. Frankie MCready is an only child, a little bit spoiled, but a woman determined to prove that sixteen-year old Jared Lewis is intent on doing damage to the family owned business.
The relationship between Eric and Frankie is one of immediate attraction but our heroine doesn’t believe there is a happily ever after in her future. A one-night stand, with Eric, months before, found Frankie walking away without looking back. The $ex scenes are all implied.
The secondary and supporting characters are colorful and fun as the town begins preparations for the annual Halloween Trunk R Treat. We are reintroduced to Frankie’s cousin Margot, and elementary school principal Kyle Archer (Sweet Tea and Sympathy #1), as well as Carl and Marianne (Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck .5). There is plenty of back and forth, snark, humor, quirky idioms, and southern charm.
AIN’T SHE A PEACH is an entertaining, sweet, spirited and delightful read. Clean romance, energetic characters, and an optimistic look at life in a small town.
The little novella that came out before this had me all intrigued about Eric and Frankie’s story. Eric is not bashful at all, and he knows how to render his woman speechless, “…as he scrambled toward the ladder and leaped out of the water. Her laughter died on her lips as full-frontal Eric came into view…” Eric is willing to try anything to have his woman get frisky with him, “and maybe later, you can try on some of those costume options for me.” I liked this book, I loved Eric and Frankie they tested each other’s patience like you wouldn’t believe.