Pie Girls

By: Lauren Clark

Narrated by: JoBe Cerny, Mary Hollis Inboden

Length: 8 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Princess, Southern belle, and spoiled-rotten social climber Searcy Roberts swore on a stack of Bibles she'd never return home to Fairhope, Alabama. After marrying her high school sweetheart and moving to Atlanta, Searcy embraces big-city life - Carrie Bradshaw style.

But now, Searcy has a teeny, tiny problem. Her husband's had a mid-life crisis. He's quit his job, cancelled her credit cards, and left her for another man.

Searcy returns to Fairhope, ready to lick her wounds. But when her mother falls ill, she is thrust into managing the family business; only to discover the beloved bakery is in danger of closing its doors forever.

Enlisting the help of the adorable bike store owner next door, an array of well-heeled customers, and her soon-to-be ex-husband, Searcy hatches the plan of the century to save Pie Girls.

©2014 Lauren Clark (P)2014 Lauren Clark

Didn't Want it to End!

If you could sum up Pie Girls in three words, what would they be?

Not Just Southern

What did you like best about this story?

The growth curve of the main character. No miracles or easy answers for her. Not a Cinderella story.

Have you listened to any of JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden ’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No I haven't

If you could rename Pie Girls, what would you call it?

Blessings in Disguise

Any additional comments?

The book starts slowly, with characters I thought were going to be predictable. HA! The longer I listened the more the story engaged me, the more interesting the lead character became. Really enjoyed listening, and at the end wish it had gone on longer.

Love it!

What did you love best about Pie Girls?

The story line was great, the food sounded delish, I want to eat there!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Pie Girls?

Southern Charm

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes!

Any additional comments?

The narrator was great, I loved her southern accent, I really enjoyed listening to this book and kind of sad when it was over!

Sweet Southern fiction at its best

What made the experience of listening to Pie Girls the most enjoyable?

Pie Girls is by far my favorite Lauren Clark novel. Everything from the characters to the plot is perfect - not to mention the adorable romance!

What does JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Their Southern accents are spot on - not forced or contrived as with some audio books.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

Searcy's relationship with her mother - I could relate so much to her strong sense of responsibility and love towards her mom.

Any additional comments?

The characters were so real, and the story had me engaged the whole time. I could not stop listening! I absolutely loved it!

All I Want Is A Piece Of Pie!

Where does Pie Girls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

It's on the top of the list.

What other book might you compare Pie Girls to and why?

Not sure. Have not listened to enough yet.

Which character – as performed by JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden – was your favorite?

Searcy was my favorite by far. Mary Hollis nailed it! I could listen to her forever. She made the character come to life.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Searcy goes back home and is shopping in Walmart. She brought such reality to that scene.

Any additional comments?

A great story to listen to. Light and easy. Highly recommend.

Who decided on the narrators?!?

I enjoyed this book for the most part but was irritated that whomever narrated the part of Luke had a voice very reminiscent of Don Knotts - not at all like a surfer boy hottie. I'm sure the author didn't intend for Luke to sound old and creepy. It was hard for me to listen to and I nearly shut if off many times.

Loved this 2nd Chance Story

What did you love best about Pie Girls?

I really enjoyed sharing the "starting over" experience with Searcy. Love stories where women face and overcome their challenges - especially so creatively.

What does JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Loved the narrators. Captured the accents well.

Who was the most memorable character of Pie Girls and why?

Searcy is memorable, especially her "can do" attitude.

Have a sweet tooth? This book is for you.

If you could sum up Pie Girls in three words, what would they be?

Funny, Makeover, Delicious

Would you recommend Pie Girls to your friends? Why or why not?

If they’re interested in the synopses, I would recommend it because it’s a cute story. But I wouldn’t say it’s better than other “chick lit” books.

Which scene was your favorite?

I thought the scenes with Cece and her dog were particularly funny.

A fun story told by two different narrators.

PIE GIRLS

Author: Lauren Clark

Narrated by: JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden

Type of Book: Unabridged Audiobook

Length: 8 hours and 26 minutes

Release Date: December 23, 2014

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Chick-Lit

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

* I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Searcy Roberts has been with her husband Alton since high school. Now in their mid-thirties they have been married for ten years.

Searcy is a spoiled-rotten southern belle who exists in a world of air kisses, personal shoppers, BMWs, diamonds and designer clothes.

On the night of their ten year anniversary Searcy is blindsided when Alton announces that he is quitting his job as an advertising executive and that he doesn't want to be married anymore.

Unsure of what she will do with the rest of her life, Searcy is relieved when her mother calls and invites her to visit.

Arriving back in Fairhope Searcy discovers that her mother is very ill and her business is in jeopardy.

Searcy must reevaluate how she has been living her life. She makes it her mission to save "Pie Girls" from closure and in saving the business she just might save herself.

At the beginning of this book I really disliked Searcy and I thought this was going to be an entire book filled with superficial characters living plastic lives. I was mistaken.

As the story progressed I began to like Searcy more and more. As she grows as a person, she also grows on the reader.

The narrators have done a terrific job of making the characters come alive. Their narrative skill very definitely contributed to my enjoyment of this book.

If you like "feel-good" and/or redemptive stories then PIE GIRLS is for you. It is well written and the story flows along at the perfect pace.

There are a few surprises in the story which I will not mention. I do not want to ruin the surprise for other listeners/readers.

Despite it's slow beginning I very much enjoyed listening to this audiobook and it was a surprisingly entertaining book. I recommend this audiobook to listeners who want a fun story that is pure entertainment.

I rate this audiobook as 4 out of 5 stars and I look forward to more books by Lauren Clark.

Good listen.

I was given an Audible code for the audio edition by the author. I can't remember if the request of a review for the code was made. But anyway, a review there will be.

This is a coming of age story. Granted, our 35-year-old heroine Searcy Roberts is a bit old to just now be coming of age, but her growth was somewhat hampered by a money-poor youth and a boyfriend/fiancée/husband who made it where she didn't have to grow up.

I am not going to lie. I was not a fan of Ms. Searcy Roberts at the beginning of the book. In fact, I was ready to just walk away. But being a Southern girl myself, I know that the most spoiled Southern heroine generally turns into a strong woman. And that is what happened in this story.

The book opens with Searcy waiting for her husband on their anniversary. He never shows. No, he is not dead. But Searcy's way of life is about to take a major hit. This story is about a woman who is forced out of her comfort zone and into the prime of her life.

The author has a good way with words. I could picture scenes, get the feel for mood, and even wince and cringe at the embarrassing or emotionally painful scenes. As a native Atlantan (there are about six of us left in Atlanta), the other thing that made me cringe were issues with things like brownstones in Buckhead and Saks in downtown. And don't get me started on the myriad of logistical/factual problems with a simple ride on MARTA. But if you don't "know" Atlanta, this won't jerk you out of the story the way it did to me. A minor quibble, but it did make me roll my eyes. More than once.


Listening to a full cast performance of the book was quite interesting. I didn't really understand "full cast" meant more than two performers. I thought the female narrator just changed her voice and then the male performer changed his. But in the credits at the end, there was a whole host of performers mentioned. So that being said, some of the voices were discordant to me. The male "hero" had a much older voice than I would have wished for the hero. Some of the female voices sounded incongruent with the characters they portrayed.

Overall, a lovely listen and a good little book.

Pie Girls

Where does Pie Girls rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Pie Girls is one of the best,fast fun reads I've done recently.

What did you like best about this story?

The believability

What does JoBe Cerny and Mary Hollis Inboden bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The narrators were great!I liked the differentiation of the male and female character voices.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

I really enjoyed this book!Circe is a believable character in a believable world.Her dilemas are everyday things made funny by it being HER,not 'me'.The narration by Jobe Cerny and Mary Hollis was superb.The different male and female voices led to a better story.I'd read a sequel in a heartbeat!