Author: Molly Harper
Series? Yes, the third book in the Southern Eclectic series, which you don't need to read in order.
Pages: 304
Publication Date: April 2, 2019
Publisher: Gallery Books
Source: I received an ARC of Gimme Some Sugar in exchange for an honest review via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Lucy Brewer would never have guessed that her best friend, Duffy McCready (of McCready’s Bait Shop & Funeral Home) has been in love with her since they were kids. Fear of rejection and his own romantic complications prevented Duffy from confessing his true feelings in high school, so he stood by and watched her wed Wayne Bowman right after high school. Wayne had always been a cheapskate, so it comes as no surprise when he suffers a fatal accident while fixing his own truck.
Even as her family and friends invade Lucy’s life and insist that the new widow is too fragile to do much beyond weeping, Lucy is ashamed to admit that life without Wayne is easier, less complicated. After all, no one knew what a relentless, soul-grinding trudge marriage to Wayne had been. Only Duffy can tell she’s hiding something.
In need of a fresh start, Lucy asks Duffy to put his cabinet-building skills to use, transforming the town's meat shop into a bake shop. As the bakery takes shape, Lucy and Duffy discover the spark that pulled them together so many years ago. Could this finally be the second chance he’s always hoped for?
Once again Molly Harper “writes characters you can’t help but fall in love with” (RT Book Reviews) in this charming and entertaining love story.
Gimme Some Sugar by Molly Harper is the third book in Harper's companion series, the Southern Eceltic. I have never read anything by Molly Harper, but I decided to give Gimme Some Sugar a whirl after seeing it available on goodreads. Though it's not going to go down in history as one of my favorite romances, Gimme Some Sugar was a solid read and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a quick and easy read!
I'm going to be totally honest here. I read Gimme Some Sugar back in January and have only started writing my review a couple days before this is being posted, so these are my thoughts after a couple months, not right away. Gimme Some Sugar follows two best friends: Lucy and Duffy. Unbeknownst to her, Duffy has been in love with Lucy ever since they were kids. After Lucy's husband suddenly dies, Lucy decides to move back to her hometown, as judgmental as some people are, and make a new life for herself by opening up a bakery shop. Along the way, she strikes up a tenuous relationship with Duffy, who has his own drama to deal with in the form of an ex.
Since Gimme Some Sugar is the third in a companion series, I was a bit wary of picking it up. But rest assured, you do not have to read the prior books to have a complete understanding of this one! Though there are some cute couples in here that have had their own books, I didn't feel like I was missing anything important by not having that background information.
Essentially, I would describe Gimme Some Sugar as a perfect beach read. The novel clocks in at just over 300 pages and I finished it in one day. I was really drawn in by Lucy's narrative. She does falter at times, but I loved that she makes the best out of a hard time with her husband dying and decides to follow an old dream of hers. Plus, reading about cakes was wonderful.
The only thing that wasn't stand out to me was Duffy's character. I love a best friends to lovers storyline, but Duffy just rubbed me the wrong way sometimes, and I'm not too sure why. Most of the time, I read romances and immediately swoon, and this wasn't the case. Duffy didn't stick up for Lucy back when they were kids, and I wasn't too impressed with him in the novel either. While I didn't like Duffy as much as I hoped for in a romance novel, Lucy definitely made up for it.
Gimme Some Sugar is set in a small southern town in the continental US, and it had such a clear atmosphere. Though the small town backstabbing and passive aggressiveness was not indicative of my experience in a small southern town, I was impressed by how Molly Harper breathed life into the setting. I can see why Harper continues to write back to this town, as she's set up a great place for small town drama to clash with internal conflict.
Overall, Gimme Some Sugar is a perfect beach read. It's relatively short and fast-paced and also doesn't require too much thinking either. Though Duffy wasn't the best love interest to me, Lucy's narrative evened him out and I was impressed by the setting.
With that, I give Gimme Some Sugar
3.5 out of 5 Sweet Treats!
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