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

Wonderful experience

I just loved this book- wonderful story -
But I wanted to listen to this narrator forever-
Totally nailed the Southern voices! It was such a pleasure listening to this book.

Didn’t want the story to end

Absolutely one of the best books I have read. However, the narrator made the book 10 times better! Not that it would have not been fantastic if I had read it myself. Every character’s voice, every scene in the book was just portrayed perfectly. You will probably shed a few tears, you may want to give a few folks a piece of your mind, but you will also burst out in laughter! You feel like you are sitting in the middle of every scene and that you too, are making new friends along the way!

Thoroughly so enjoyable I listened to it 3x

Jenna Lamia's narration was superb and was certainly a big part of why I enjoyed listening to this book so much. I was searching for a sweet story, much like the Mitford series, as I listen to them to fall asleep, sometimes several times through the night and I found it in this book written and read with heart. I almost rated the story as a 4, perhaps undeservedly so, is because in my reality (retired law enforcement) a child who went through what CeeCee went through would have a more complicated response to her father's significant abandonment and her mother's struggle with psychosis. Perhaps that would have made it more memoir than story.

Having said that, I could not be happier CeeCee landed in the world she did - with smart and loving women each with their own story and cultural history. I love this book and will continue listening to it when I need a break from the world. Oletta Jones and Sapphire cracked me up! Tootsie, well, do they come any better....?

One of my favorite books of all time

i highly recommend this book . I love all the wisdom these characters impart. Visiting Savannah is on the top of my wish list.

Such Joy

It was such a sweet story. I couldn’t stop listening to it. Treat yourself to this book.

Wonderful coming of age!!

Lovely story about a girl whose world is turned upside down for the better!!!
Funny. Sweet. Heartfelt.

Sweet power of women in community

It’s a modern day book of Proverbs My fav quote “ oysters are a lot like women. It’s how we survive the hurts in life that brings us strength and gives us our beauty.” I almost always read historical fiction and biographies- so this was a welcomed change.

Love this book!

I read this book when I need a good pick me up. There’s sad, happy, and wise. Very good listen.

Good story with GREAT reader

The story is old school — like “The Secret Life of Bees” or “Cold Sassy Tree”, but the writing is several shades lower. Hackneyed similes abound like over-ripe peaches weighing down the branch of far too many a sentence. Ceecee’s story is tragic, her perseverance expected, and her saviors are charming and full of highly quotable life lines you can read in Goodreads if you need something for your quote wall.

The reason to listen to the novel is the reader, Jenna Lamia. She deftly navigates southern accents by creating unique character voices that don’t sound like caricatures. Dramatic moments have the right amount of emotion and the humorous the right amount of levity and mirth. She’s who saved Ceecee Honeycut for this listener.

Southern hospitality

I loved this book . The narrator did a wonderful job with the different voices. I have listened again and again. The southern charm and storyline are so warm and comforting.