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Southern Eclectic #2.5
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie
Sexy school principal Kyle faces the biggest challenge of his career: getting his (pregnant) event planner girlfriend Margot down the aisle before the baby arrives!
Readers first fell in love with big city event planner Margot in the first Southern Eclectic novel, Sweet Tea and Sympathy, as she discovered a long-lost branch of her family—the McCreadys, of McCready's Bait Shop & Funeral Home. To Margot’s surprise, she's taken a liking to life in small-town Georgia...helped along by a romance with the hot elementary school principal.
The two of them have been taking it slow—or they were until Margot gets pregnant! Kyle wants to make an honest woman of her, but Margot's still trying to proceed with caution. After all, she was the best event planner in Chicago before she ever came to Lake Sackett—her wedding has to be perfect, and perfect includes not having the baby halfway down the aisle.
With her trademark witty prose and warmhearted storytelling, Molly Harper’s newest glimpse of the McCready family will be perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Amy E. Reichert.
Readers first fell in love with big city event planner Margot in the first Southern Eclectic novel, Sweet Tea and Sympathy, as she discovered a long-lost branch of her family—the McCreadys, of McCready's Bait Shop & Funeral Home. To Margot’s surprise, she's taken a liking to life in small-town Georgia...helped along by a romance with the hot elementary school principal.
The two of them have been taking it slow—or they were until Margot gets pregnant! Kyle wants to make an honest woman of her, but Margot's still trying to proceed with caution. After all, she was the best event planner in Chicago before she ever came to Lake Sackett—her wedding has to be perfect, and perfect includes not having the baby halfway down the aisle.
With her trademark witty prose and warmhearted storytelling, Molly Harper’s newest glimpse of the McCready family will be perfect for fans of Christina Lauren and Amy E. Reichert.
104 pages, ebook
First published February 4, 2019
244 people are currently reading
1070 people want to read
About the author
Molly Harper
61 books8,156 followersMolly Harper is the author of more than 40 romance titles including the Half-Moon Hollow series, the Mystic Bayou, the Starfall Point series, and her first murder mystery, A PROPOSAL TO DIE FOR. She lives in Michigan with her family. For more information, go to www.mollyharper.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews
August 17, 2019
This is a short little story that bridges the gap between the books Sweet Tea and Sympathy and Gimme Some Sugar. In this one we see a pregnant Margot trying to plan her wedding with the added help of just about everyone she meets. There are a few crossover scenes between this book and Gimme some sugar which shows a nice transition between the books in this series.
March 5, 2019
This really was a lot of fun.
It's a laugh out loud funny contemporary romance set in a (dare I say it) countrified town in Georgia.
It's a laugh out loud funny contemporary romance set in a (dare I say it) countrified town in Georgia.
February 9, 2019
Very short novella about pregnant Margot! I felt the book was basically plugging in the next book and showing us the lay of the land.
March 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this follow up to the courtship and romance of Margot and Kyle - the main couple from the first book, Sweet Tea and Sympathy. Told from Margot’s POV, we see how she’s faired since settling into her life with her family in Lake Sackett, Georgia. Several months pregnant and trying to plan her wedding, Margot learns what it’s like to be the focus of a large, southern family’s expectations. She’s got aunts who want to mother her, Kyle’s two girls who come with their own worries and concerns, and Kyle’s former in-laws who apparently don’t approve of Kyle remarrying someone else.
While A Few Pecans Short of a Pie could be read as a standalone novella, I don’t suggest it. The story is more “day-in-the-life” of a couple who firmly love one another, rather than one that is about falling in love. We have already witnessed their trials and tribulations to get to this point in a previous book, and watching them deal with the stresses of planning their wedding and life in general is all the more emotional because of it. Additionally, seeing how far Margot has come from when she first moved to Lake Sackett is emotionally rewarding.
In addition to the primary story, we get hints as to the next romance, which will be featured in the upcoming Gimme Some Sugar (April 2019). I’m excited to see poor Duffy finally shake his ex and find the happiness he deserves.
My Rating: B+
While A Few Pecans Short of a Pie could be read as a standalone novella, I don’t suggest it. The story is more “day-in-the-life” of a couple who firmly love one another, rather than one that is about falling in love. We have already witnessed their trials and tribulations to get to this point in a previous book, and watching them deal with the stresses of planning their wedding and life in general is all the more emotional because of it. Additionally, seeing how far Margot has come from when she first moved to Lake Sackett is emotionally rewarding.
In addition to the primary story, we get hints as to the next romance, which will be featured in the upcoming Gimme Some Sugar (April 2019). I’m excited to see poor Duffy finally shake his ex and find the happiness he deserves.
My Rating: B+
February 17, 2019
Nice novella about the stress of planning a wedding within the McCready family and a bridge story into the next full length novel, Gimme Some Sugar.
April 18, 2020
This novella has all the southern charm and many laugh out loud moments. It's a perfect continuation of Sweet Tea and Sympathy. Margot and Kyle's story coming to a perfect conclusion.
February 18, 2019
A laugh out loud short trip back to Lake Sackett as Margot and Kyle attempt to plan the wedding they want with plenty of unwanted and unneeded advice from family, friends, and the occasional local.
December 12, 2019
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie
Southern Eclectic, Book 2.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series
The Characters:
Margot:
Kyle:
June, Hazel
The Story:
I love the close family/community Ms Harper has built in this series. I didn’t know Margot and Kyle previously probably because I haven’t read book two yet but I like their reverse romance. They reminded me of a couple I once saw on Grey’s Anatomy but with a much less sad story. Though Margot’s moment with Hazel was heart wrenching. I hope we get to see more of this little family.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
4 Stars
Southern Eclectic, Book 2.5
I Picked Up This Book Because: Continue the series
The Characters:
Margot:
Kyle:
June, Hazel
The Story:
I love the close family/community Ms Harper has built in this series. I didn’t know Margot and Kyle previously probably because I haven’t read book two yet but I like their reverse romance. They reminded me of a couple I once saw on Grey’s Anatomy but with a much less sad story. Though Margot’s moment with Hazel was heart wrenching. I hope we get to see more of this little family.
The Random Thoughts:
The Score Card:
4 Stars
February 4, 2019
Gimme Some Pie!
This novella was a perfect little continuation of Margot and Kyle’s story! It let some of the unresolved tendrils from Sweet Tea and Sympathy find natural feeling resolutions. I loved the development of Margot’s relationship with the girls and with the McCready clan in general. And the little glimpses of what we can hope to see in Duffy and Lucy’s book have me all primed for *Gimme Some Sugar*!
This novella was a perfect little continuation of Margot and Kyle’s story! It let some of the unresolved tendrils from Sweet Tea and Sympathy find natural feeling resolutions. I loved the development of Margot’s relationship with the girls and with the McCready clan in general. And the little glimpses of what we can hope to see in Duffy and Lucy’s book have me all primed for *Gimme Some Sugar*!
February 7, 2020
Actual Rating: 4.5 Stars
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie had all the Southern charm and lively (read: hysterical) dialogue I’ve come to crave in Molly Harper’s one-of-a-kind books.
Anything Molly Harper writes is basically my own personal brand of catnip. I adore her work that much. And I find myself reading her books so quickly that, even though I try to take my time, I immediately want to go right back and re-read it all over again. Such was true for A Few Pecans Short of a Pie. It was great to be back in Lake Sackett again, catching up with the McCreadys and all the other kooky locals. And this time the story was something to celebrate about... Read More
See the full review at HarlequinJunkie
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie had all the Southern charm and lively (read: hysterical) dialogue I’ve come to crave in Molly Harper’s one-of-a-kind books.
Anything Molly Harper writes is basically my own personal brand of catnip. I adore her work that much. And I find myself reading her books so quickly that, even though I try to take my time, I immediately want to go right back and re-read it all over again. Such was true for A Few Pecans Short of a Pie. It was great to be back in Lake Sackett again, catching up with the McCreadys and all the other kooky locals. And this time the story was something to celebrate about... Read More
March 1, 2019
I love it.
The author is such a great writer.
My favourite moment is her shaking Lucy's hand gently because she didn't want to damage the pie making hands. I loved her thing with the pecan pies. It was so funny.
Sprinkled here and there are the crazy antics of the town as they prepare for Margot and Kyle's wedding. People expect to be invited, people invite themselves, too much information is given about where and why the vows will be exchanged at a certain place, and funeral homes are offered up to serve as wedding venues.
In the end, it gets too overwhelming and the pressures of wedding planning sucks away all the enjoyment of the actual event. They decided to elope and make the wedding party very small.
The author is such a great writer.
My favourite moment is her shaking Lucy's hand gently because she didn't want to damage the pie making hands. I loved her thing with the pecan pies. It was so funny.
Sprinkled here and there are the crazy antics of the town as they prepare for Margot and Kyle's wedding. People expect to be invited, people invite themselves, too much information is given about where and why the vows will be exchanged at a certain place, and funeral homes are offered up to serve as wedding venues.
In the end, it gets too overwhelming and the pressures of wedding planning sucks away all the enjoyment of the actual event. They decided to elope and make the wedding party very small.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2019
These books make me laugh because of the crazy McCready Family. If I was Margot I would have made the same choice she and Kyle did in the end. It was right for them.
I really loved the quiet moments with Margot and the girls, especially the older one. She brought up some good issues and Margot did a great job making sure she felt better about things.
I really loved the quiet moments with Margot and the girls, especially the older one. She brought up some good issues and Margot did a great job making sure she felt better about things.
April 14, 2019
LOVED IT!!!
Love it when authors give readers more! This novella is just that! More of Margot, the McCready clan and overall goodness that is THE SOUTHERN ECLECTIC Series!!
There are lots of laughs and moments of sweetness. Just plan fun overall!
This is a great continuation of Margot's & Kyle's story and a fantastic glimpse of the next book where Duffy is the hero!! Woohooo!
Love it when authors give readers more! This novella is just that! More of Margot, the McCready clan and overall goodness that is THE SOUTHERN ECLECTIC Series!!
There are lots of laughs and moments of sweetness. Just plan fun overall!
This is a great continuation of Margot's & Kyle's story and a fantastic glimpse of the next book where Duffy is the hero!! Woohooo!
April 5, 2019
If I have to read one more time that she's not trying to replace the dead lady, I'll- I'll... just turn the page, I guess.
February 17, 2019
4 stars—
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 4, 2019
Sexy school principal Kyle faces the biggest challenge of his career: getting his (pregnant) event planner girlfriend Margot down the aisle before the baby arrives!
Readers first fell in love with big city event planner Margot in the first Southern Eclectic novel, Sweet Tea and Sympathy, as she discovered a long-lost branch of her family—the McCreadys, of McCready's Bait Shop & Funeral Home. To Margot’s surprise, she's taken a liking to life in small-town Georgia...helped along by a romance with the hot elementary school principal.
The two of them have been taking it slow—or they were until Margot gets pregnant! Kyle wants to make an honest woman of her, but Margot's still trying to proceed with caution. After all, she was the best event planner in Chicago before she ever came to Lake Sackett—her wedding has to be perfect, and perfect includes not having the baby halfway down the aisle.
•••••••••
REVIEW: 4 stars--A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE by Molly Harper focuses on the continuing relationship between event planner Margot Cary, and her fiancé, elementary school principal/single father and widower Kyle Archer whom we met in book one-SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY.
Told from third person perspective (Margot Cary) A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE follows big city girl Margot Cary as the people of small town Lack Sackett try to take over the wedding plans for Margot and Kyle. Pregnant, and struggling with on-going morning sickness, Margot battles between head and heart as it pertains to the small town ideals, versus a quiet wedding alone on a beach, far, far away. When the busy-body ladies of Lake Sackett continue to ‘offer’ their opinions and ideas for Margot and Kyle’s-no date set-wedding, Margot is of the belief that eloping may be the solution to their current dilemma. Not only does Margot have to deal with family and friends, but Kyle’s ex in-laws chime in their opinions, as well as Kyle’s two school-aged daughters who have differing opinions and ideas of their own.
A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE is a fast paced, novella length story of family and friendship in small town America where everyone knows your name, your business, and your relationship history. We are witness to the struggling relationship between Margot, and Kyle’s two young daughters; as well as Margot’s battle with morning sickness, her family, and her fiance’s ex in-laws. A sweet, fun and honest look at blended families, grieving parents, and second chances at happiness and love.
A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE introduces the heroine in the author’s next instalment- GIMME SOME SUGAR-about a young widow (Lucy Brewer) who returns to Lake Sackett to open a bake shop, and falls in love.
Copy supplied by the publisher
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date February 4, 2019
Sexy school principal Kyle faces the biggest challenge of his career: getting his (pregnant) event planner girlfriend Margot down the aisle before the baby arrives!
Readers first fell in love with big city event planner Margot in the first Southern Eclectic novel, Sweet Tea and Sympathy, as she discovered a long-lost branch of her family—the McCreadys, of McCready's Bait Shop & Funeral Home. To Margot’s surprise, she's taken a liking to life in small-town Georgia...helped along by a romance with the hot elementary school principal.
The two of them have been taking it slow—or they were until Margot gets pregnant! Kyle wants to make an honest woman of her, but Margot's still trying to proceed with caution. After all, she was the best event planner in Chicago before she ever came to Lake Sackett—her wedding has to be perfect, and perfect includes not having the baby halfway down the aisle.
•••••••••
REVIEW: 4 stars--A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE by Molly Harper focuses on the continuing relationship between event planner Margot Cary, and her fiancé, elementary school principal/single father and widower Kyle Archer whom we met in book one-SWEET TEA AND SYMPATHY.
Told from third person perspective (Margot Cary) A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE follows big city girl Margot Cary as the people of small town Lack Sackett try to take over the wedding plans for Margot and Kyle. Pregnant, and struggling with on-going morning sickness, Margot battles between head and heart as it pertains to the small town ideals, versus a quiet wedding alone on a beach, far, far away. When the busy-body ladies of Lake Sackett continue to ‘offer’ their opinions and ideas for Margot and Kyle’s-no date set-wedding, Margot is of the belief that eloping may be the solution to their current dilemma. Not only does Margot have to deal with family and friends, but Kyle’s ex in-laws chime in their opinions, as well as Kyle’s two school-aged daughters who have differing opinions and ideas of their own.
A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE is a fast paced, novella length story of family and friendship in small town America where everyone knows your name, your business, and your relationship history. We are witness to the struggling relationship between Margot, and Kyle’s two young daughters; as well as Margot’s battle with morning sickness, her family, and her fiance’s ex in-laws. A sweet, fun and honest look at blended families, grieving parents, and second chances at happiness and love.
A FEW PECANS SHORT OF A PIE introduces the heroine in the author’s next instalment- GIMME SOME SUGAR-about a young widow (Lucy Brewer) who returns to Lake Sackett to open a bake shop, and falls in love.
Copy supplied by the publisher
March 8, 2019
i love this series ... such a great great great series ... love the characters ...each one i have listen to ... so glad i do or did. they are so awesome ... i want everyone to read/listen to this series ... i saw this came out and added it to my audiobook collection. i wish i could pick a character i love ... i mean how can you only pick one?? this series is genius!! so good. like usually u can at least pick a fave ...but each of these books u will fall in love, or just enjoy every single second ... like u r back with the fam. how the author "Molly Harper" came up with these quirky, fun, amazing characters. perfect!! and then u miss them when u have not read a Molly book lately. Oh thank the heavens i see that book 6 is coming out April 2, 2019 ... yeah!! it is 3/8 ... i can do that!! "Gimme Some Sugar" ... go PreOrder ... can't wait. happy dance!! made my weekend fabulous!! yeah!! happy book times ( ;
April 26, 2020
I don’t know how A Few Pecans Short of a Pie slipped under (or maybe it was over) my radar last year, but it did.
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie is a novella and a quick read. I would not recommend reading it as a standalone despite the fact that Molly Harper does a great job of filling in the background without a huge information dump.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/04/2...
A Few Pecans Short of a Pie is a novella and a quick read. I would not recommend reading it as a standalone despite the fact that Molly Harper does a great job of filling in the background without a huge information dump.
read more: https://saschadarlington.me/2020/04/2...
February 21, 2019
This was a cute “check-in” novella that sets up the next book in the series nicely. I enjoyed getting to peek in on Kyle and Margot and the girls, and I was intrigued by Lucy and Duffy and ready to read the next one!
March 22, 2024
A total delight. Watching the growth Margot goes through in this town was fun. The best parts besides making me crave pecan pie, dammit and the talk she has with the oldest girl. Molly avoid all those silly downer, overwhelming moments.
April 15, 2019
I read this after Gimme Some Sugar, which was fine since the timelines overlap.
June 22, 2024
An incredible story. It was nice to take a break from life and read a story about people who love each other and are trying to fight what the world throws at them in this well-written book.
January 22, 2025
This short little novella made me laugh out loud. It connects two books in a funny series about a quirky southern family.
March 22, 2019
I love this series! The audiobooks are excellent.
February 7, 2019
It was nice to revisit Margot and Kyle. I enjoyed their story in the beginning of this series. To see them making their family a family was a great treat.
This book definitely definitely has its funny parts and its sweet parts. The McCready family alone is one of my favorite fictional families.
The downfall to this book is that there is too much filler, trying to give us backstory we already had in the previous books. Even if this is read as a standalone, the repeat of parts of backstory seemed pointless and just there to add words to this novella. I would have rathered more sustenance. If you take the backstory out, there isn't much of a story left here.
I am looking forward to the next full length novel in this series in April. Until then, if you haven't started this series, there is no better time than right now.
This book definitely definitely has its funny parts and its sweet parts. The McCready family alone is one of my favorite fictional families.
The downfall to this book is that there is too much filler, trying to give us backstory we already had in the previous books. Even if this is read as a standalone, the repeat of parts of backstory seemed pointless and just there to add words to this novella. I would have rathered more sustenance. If you take the backstory out, there isn't much of a story left here.
I am looking forward to the next full length novel in this series in April. Until then, if you haven't started this series, there is no better time than right now.
February 6, 2019
10 word summary: Morning sickness is just one obstacle to Margot's wedding planning.
#nococonut #onlypecanpie #saynotothedress
🦔🦔🦔 I'm glad I read it, but it's not gonna fire everybody's cracker.
#nococonut #onlypecanpie #saynotothedress
🦔🦔🦔 I'm glad I read it, but it's not gonna fire everybody's cracker.
March 6, 2022
So there was a 2-for-1 deal on at Audible, and I found an odd amount of books that I wanted in the sale, so decided to click on something at random without even looking at what it was, just for the sake of it. I figured it would be a fun way to listen to something I wouldn't otherwise choose, and who knows what gems I might find?
Unfortunately, it didn't work out too well for me on this occasion. It's really, really not my kind of book, and it's a mid-series novella to boot. On the upside though, it's very short.
My daughter is currently planning her wedding (the date is set for summer 2023, as she's hoping to avoid Covid restrictions with both the best man and some of the bridal party travelling in from abroad), and thankfully it's nothing like the mess and series of arguments that take place in this book. She knows what she wants, and we support her choices. It baffles me that even a fictional family can be so dysfunctional that they don't care about the bride enough to keep from trying to force her to do it their way (a couple of people excepted)...
Not for me, but YMMV.
Unfortunately, it didn't work out too well for me on this occasion. It's really, really not my kind of book, and it's a mid-series novella to boot. On the upside though, it's very short.
My daughter is currently planning her wedding (the date is set for summer 2023, as she's hoping to avoid Covid restrictions with both the best man and some of the bridal party travelling in from abroad), and thankfully it's nothing like the mess and series of arguments that take place in this book. She knows what she wants, and we support her choices. It baffles me that even a fictional family can be so dysfunctional that they don't care about the bride enough to keep from trying to force her to do it their way (a couple of people excepted)...
Not for me, but YMMV.
February 11, 2019
Me encanta como escribe Molly Harper, pero no creo que esta historia haya sumado nada importante.
March 5, 2019
Fun if quirky and goofy, series. Love Amanda Ronconi as narrator.
August 14, 2019
Reading Challenge Categories:
-March Bookish Bingo: Includes pi(e)
-#ReadingUSA: Georgia
-March Bookish Bingo: Includes pi(e)
-#ReadingUSA: Georgia
August 27, 2024
This is one of my fun series
I absolutely enjoy this entire series. It's refreshing and gives me a break from other things I read and listen to. I highly recommend and love this author.
I absolutely enjoy this entire series. It's refreshing and gives me a break from other things I read and listen to. I highly recommend and love this author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 160 reviews