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Steel Magnolias meets The Help in this Southern debut novel sparkling with humor, heart, and feminine wisdom
Twelve-year-old CeeCee Honeycutt is in trouble. For years, she has been the caretaker of her psychotic mother, Camille-the tiara-toting, lipstick-smeared laughingstock of an entire town-a woman trapped in her long-ago … an entire town-a woman trapped in her long-ago moment of glory as the 1951 Vidalia Onion Queen. But when Camille is hit by a truck and killed, CeeCee is left to fend for herself. To the rescue comes her previously unknown great-aunt, Tootie Caldwell.
In her vintage Packard convertible, Tootie whisks CeeCee away to Savannah’s perfumed world of prosperity and Southern eccentricity, a world that seems to be run entirely by women. From the exotic Miz Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in her backyard bathtub and uses garden slugs as her secret weapons, to Tootie’s all-knowing housekeeper, Oletta Jones, to Violene Hobbs, who entertains a local police officer in her canary-yellow peignoir, the women of Gaston Street keep CeeCee entertained and enthralled for an entire summer.
Laugh-out-loud funny and deeply touching, Beth Hoffman’s sparkling debut is, as Kristin Hannah says, “packed full of Southern charm, strong women, wacky humor, and good old-fashioned heart.” It is a novel that explores the indomitable strengths of female friendship and gives us the story of a young girl who loses one mother and finds many others.
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This would be a great book to be made into a movie. I can even picture some of the stars who could play some of the characters in the book.
I was really touched by the characters and storyline. It’s a quick, endearing read with a lot of heart.
This is a charming southern novel about young CeeCee Honeycutt who after her mother’s death is sent to live with Aunt Tootie. CeeCee is scared to meet her aunt, but even more scared that she’ll turn out to be “crazy” like her mother.
Aunt Tootie is delighted to have CeeCee in her home and in her life, and lavishes her with nice clothes and charming parties. Along the way, we meet an eclectic cast of characters, comprised of Aunt Tootie’s friends, including her maid, Oletta. CeeCee shares many comical, tender, and restorative moments with these ladies. Over time, CeeCee sees that these lovely, quirky ladies of Savannah are as much her family as anyone related to her. CeeCee grows in stature and in self-confidence as she basks in being enjoyed and delighted in for the first time in her life.
This book will make you laugh and cry, sometimes at the same time.
This book was wonderful. I didn’t want it to end.
Takes reader into the heart and soul of a child surviving 12 years of a nonfunctional family. Through this child, the reader meets the new family of relatives and friends who bring out each other’s best while accommodating a fine literary tradition of quirky southern women. You can almost smell the magnolias, ghosts from a murdered tree 🙂
This is one of the most memorable books I have read in a long time. I simple adored the characters and was so sad when the book ended because I wanted them to live on and on in another story. It is my hope that Beth will write another book with these same characters because they were simply divine and funny laugh out loud at times. This story also touched my heart greatly as it is every child’s desire to be loved and accepted. Definitely worth the read and can’t wait to read more of Beth’s well crafted stories.
A sweet, coming-of-age story that leaves a good taste.
In this easy-to-read book, young Cee Cee Honeycutt has become her mother’s keeper and in doing so, Cee Cee has become socially awkward and outcast. Cee Cee turns to reading as her escape and dives headlong into her books.
When an unfortunate accident leaves Cee Cee alone, her great-aunt, Tootie, comes from Savannah, Georgia to take Cee Cee in. A reluctant Cee Cee comes to love Tootie and relies on Odette, Miss Tootie’s cook.
Set in a time where color divided people, Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt shows how love and empathy can heal wounds and save people.
I enjoyed this book, even though it felt a bit like a version of The Secret Life of Bees, it, like the Bees, is worth the read.
One of the most thoughtful, and enjoyable books about serious topics that wraps it’s plot around some really well created characters. I’ll never think about tea parties again without laughing out loud about the one in this book.
Wonderful story!
Lovely ending!
I loved this book!
Loved it. Recommend to all
Great story and I loved the characters.
This is a book that should be made onto a movie. Also a book celebrating strong women and how to raise a wonderful young lady.
Loved this book!
Loved it!
such a wonderful read..spent too much time on psychological thrillers.. needed break… felt I was in magnolia farms down south…I am very fussy about reads…this new author deserves kudos…..Being down south in Charleston 2 x l year made me feel so drawn in ..Soooo wonderful..Reading made me miss Charleston soooo much…And I live on Cape!!!!! Could smell magnolia with writing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Very good book! It was sad in the beginning but changed midway through & had a great ending! I loved this book!
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is told from the point of view of a 12-year-old girl. Her mother was mentally ill and dies in an accident. She goes to live with her great aunt Toot in Savana, Georgia.
This is a story about strong women who bring CeeCee into their lives and give her the love and attention she’s never known. It takes you from tears, to laughing out loud. It’s a beautiful story that kept me up late reading. This ones a keeper!
My book club read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, we all thought it was one of the best books we had read so far.