Saving Ceecee Honeycutt

A Novel

By: Beth Hoffman

Narrated by: Jenna Lamia

Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins

Publisher's summary

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 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.

©2010 Beth Hoffman (P)2010 Penguin Audiobooks

EXCELLENT all the way!

What other book might you compare Saving Ceecee Honeycutt to and why?

Comparable to "The Help" in many ways. The writing is full of emotion from hurt to glorious and uplifting love and laughter

Have you listened to any of Jenna Lamia’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Jenna Lamia is absolutely Brilliant in her narration!

LOVE this book!

Heartwarming and a must-read coming of age story. Had me rooting for the main character throughout the story. Efficiently explores the dichotomy of loving someone with mental illness and yearning for freedom from the emotional responsibility of the effected loved one. Will be rereading (re-listening) to this book a few times! Jenna Lamia is my favorite narrator ever and her voice fit this story perfectly. Give this book a try, you won’t regret it.

Narration Took it to a Higher Level

I loved listening to this book because the author did a great job of putting the reader into Cece's shoes. But I will have to say that the narration by Jenna Lamia took this story to another level for me. Jenna did an excellent job of a providing a tone and rhythm for the many characters in this book that gave allowed my imagination to build vision of each person individually. Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A book anyone can read and enjoy

The story takes place in the 1950’s early 60’s with this crazy mom and the young daughter always having to take care of her never knowing what crazy embarrassing thing she would do around town. There is no help from the traveling salesman dad, who shows no love or care for the child and mother. The mother winds up in a car accident and dies and ceecee is invited to go live with her rich aunt in savannah Georgia and the story takes off from there with eccentric rich thoughtful loving characters her new life has become so much better because of these people you gotta read it I hope they’re making it a movie!! Enjoy

So Enjoyable.

Amazing! The narrator was fantastic. This was so funny and also heart wrenching at the same time. Don't skip this one.

Love Love Love this Story

full-on lifes wisdom a gentleness of live created by forgiving and understanding all of life's disappointments. The narrator was excellent in my opinion. thank you Beth Hoffman for a beautifully written story.

Worth the read

Ever read a book that you couldn’t put down but didn’t want the story to end?

This book was that story for me. While it reminded me of The Secret Life of Bees the inclusion of the relationship between Ceecee and her mother set this book apart. So real and well written, I’ll be looking for more from this writer.

My favorite book

I had the pleasure of reading this book in print several years ago at the suggestion of a favorite niece. She was so right when she told me how much I would enjoy it. It is without a doubt, the most descriptive, enjoyable book I think I have ever read. Ms. Hoffman has captured the very essence of the South at it’s finest. The characters are so memorable and when I say characters, I truly mean these ladies are real characters. They will make you laugh, cry , rage and love but you’ll never forget them. She portrays each with such vibrancy that you can’t help but actually feel as though you are the young girl, Cecilia Rose, yourself. Each of her characters reminded me of someone I knew as a child growing up in the Deep South. Thank you Ms. Hoffman for the lovely gift of words that you have bestowed on all of us who have had the pleasure of knowing your book. The narrator was perfectly chosen for this book. It’s not often that such perfection is attained but I believe it was a perfect match. I will read/ listen to this one many more times! Treat yourself to a wonderful book with a lovely narrator! If there were more stars, I’d line them up across the page.

Great story!

Loved the narration. Will read more books by this author. May also be appropriate for teen or tween readers with parent approval.

Enjoyed story and characters

Loved it, ended too soon! The characters were so right on. Felt as if I was there.