Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

CeeCee, twelve, is having problems. She has been taking care of her insane mother Camille for a long time; she is the town's laughingstock, wearing a crown and lipstick. Camille thinks it's 1951 and she's just won the title of Vidalia Onion Queen of Georgia, even though it's 1967 and they reside in Ohio.

CeeCee knows her mother has gone utterly insane the day she finds Camille in the front yard blowing kisses to passing cars while sporting a ragged prom dress and tiara. When disaster hits, Tootie Caldwell, a great-aunt CeeCee had never seen before, rescues her and takes her to Savannah. CeeCee is thrust into a perfumed world of riches and Southern quirks within hours of her arrival; this society seems to be ruled solely by women.

As Tootie works tirelessly to save the historic houses in Savannah from being demolished, CeeCee comes into a group of unique and colorful people. The women of Gaston Street captivate and amuse CeeCee for the whole summer, from the enigmatic Thelma Rae Goodpepper, who bathes in an outdoor tub while a peacock watches over her, to Oletta Jones, the household cook with all the knowledge, and Violene Hobbs, the talkative widow who dazzles a local police officer in her yellow see-through peignoir.

However, CeeCee's worldview is put to the test in ways she never could have predicted: there are injustices to contend with, secrets to preserve, and allegiances to maintain. She feels a feeling of belonging and is starting to find her footing when her newfound delight clashes with her long-standing dread that she is doomed to be destroyed because of her mother's heritage.

Saving CeeCee Honeycutt is a spirited Southern story that explores the complex frailties and strengths of female relationships while shedding light on the journey of a young girl who loses her mother but finds many others. It is laugh-out-loud funny, at times heartbreaking, and written in a pitch-perfect voice.