So, full disclosure. I bought this book because I thought it was a cozy mystery. Come on, “Sweet Tea and Sympathy”?? HOW IS IT NOT A COZY MYSTERY??

But, Nicole.. Did you not read the synopsis??

No. No I did not.

This post is a post of divulging. I judge books by names and covers, I mean to the point that I don’t even bother with what the book is about! If it’s inexpensive, and piques my interest? I will but it!

Is this book a cozy mystery??

Synopsis

Beloved author Molly Harper launches a brand-new contemporary romance series, Southern Eclectic, with this story of a big-city party planner who finds true love in a small Georgia town.

Nestled on the shore of Lake Sackett, Georgia is the McCready Family Funeral Home and Bait Shop. (What, you have a problem with one-stop shopping?) Two McCready brothers started two separate businesses in the same building back in 1928, and now it’s become one big family affair. And true to form in small Southern towns, family business becomes everybody’s business.

Margot Cary has spent her life immersed in everything Lake Sackett is not. As an elite event planner, Margot’s rubbed elbows with the cream of Chicago society, and made elegance and glamour her business. She’s riding high until one event goes tragically, spectacularly wrong. Now she’s blackballed by the gala set and in dire need of a fresh start—and apparently the McCreadys are in need of an event planner with a tarnished reputation.

As Margot finds her footing in a town where everybody knows not only your name, but what you had for dinner last Saturday night and what you’ll wear to church on Sunday morning, she grudgingly has to admit that there are some things Lake Sackett does better than Chicago—including the dating prospects. Elementary school principal Kyle Archer is a fellow fish-out-of-water who volunteers to show Margot the picture-postcard side of Southern living. The two of them hit it off, but not everybody is happy to see an outsider snapping up one of the town’s most eligible gentleman. Will Margot reel in her handsome fish, or will she have to release her latest catch?

No. No, it is not.

Is it completely adorable with super likeable characters?? YES. YES, IT IS!

4 out of 5 Stars

I will warn you right now, if you are not a fan of tropes, turn back now, this one has them all!

• Big city to small town fish out of water?… CHECK!
• “Rags” to “Riches”?… CHECK!
• Sexy single dad who finds love again?… CHECK!
• Estranged Daughter who grew up without her father’s care or love who is reunited with said father?…. CHECK!

And yet…. I REALLY ENJOYED IT! It was deliciously small town. The widowed father was adorable, his kids were lovely and believable… Okay, the one annoyance was the quick turn over of “I shouldn’t” to “be with me forever” (Did I mention Insta Love as one off the tropes?? … Okay, it’s not THAT bad.)

I felt like the relationship between Margot and Kyle did move a little quickly. I thought that it started out fairly well (besides the fact that about the second time they meet, they wind up making out in his truck….), but it still went pretty quickly from “I CAN’T DO THIS TO MAGGIE!” to “Maggie who??”

Margot’s family members were likeable and eccentric. They stand together through thick or thin and, even though they all gossip like a spreading brush fire, they are willing to accept each other no matter what stupid things get them into trouble.

I love that this is the second book I’ve read in a couple of weeks that informed me of the fact that when sweet, genteel southern ladies say “Bless her Soul!”, they pretty much mean, “Screw that B@#ch!”. 😂😂😂

Pick this book up for yourself!

Amazon U.S.

Amazon Canada

Amazon U.K.

This is the book you read when you had a really bad day and you just want to be wrapped up in a nice warm blanket of love and southern sweetness… Which leads me to my drink!!

Sweet Tea and Sympathy is Best Served with a T&V

HAPPY NATIONAL ICED TEA DAY!!! So, for this T&V (Or a Vodka and Iced Tea), we’re going to make our own iced tea! Now, iced tea is VERY PERSONAL to tastes… so, feel free to stray from my “recipe” I’m going to be pretty vague as you can make iced tea with any tea you want, any fruit you want to add, and as much or as little sweetener that you want!

I went with green tea, I sweetened it with a little agave syrup, and I added a little lemon juice.

Ingredients

• Tea bags (1 per cup of water is what I use because I like it strong as I will be adding vodka)
• Water (I did 6 cups)
• Sweetener if you want it (I used about 1/4 cup of agave syrup)
• Citrus or fruit (I added about 3 TBSP lemon juice
• Vodka 1-2 oz per glass depending on strength of iced tea (taste before hand and pour accordingly!)

Directions

1. Boil water
2. Add agave syrup and Tea bags and let steep approximately 4 minutes of longer to taste (If you are using sugar to sweeten, add before boiling water to allow time for it to dissolve)
3. Add lemon juice
4. Allow mixture to cool enough to put into a separate container for refrigeration
5. Allow time to cool thoroughly (If you are impatient, you can always add ice cubes, just remember to add additional tea bags, sweetener, etc as the ice cubes will thin it out)
6. Put ice in glasses
7. Add Vodka
8. Feel free to throw in some lemon slices at this point!
9. Add Iced tea and stir
10. CHEERS!!