Just finished reading Cutie Pies by the Slice, really feeling a little sad that I don't have any more pages of this book to read today! Loved reading about the struggles of the main character, Lila, as she navigates the death of her mother and moving to a new town to start a new life with new friends. Women today think they have struggles, but picture yourself in the 1930's, in a new town, with no friends, no money, and trying to figure out how you will support yourself. Great character development from the author has you invested in each person that comes along in Lila's story. Hope their is a sequel in the near future!

Congratulations to Kimberly Nixon for crafting a great read!

Cindy

Lila’s story begins with the loss of her mother. With her brother and father no longer in her life, she uses the proceeds from her mother’s boarding house to move to a new city and make a fresh start.

Everything starts off well, with a great job as a telephone operator, until Black Tuesday hits. As the Great Depression takes hold, jobs are stripped away to prioritize men, leaving Lila suddenly unemployed. Armed with her talent for baking and the encouragement of her friends, Lila hatches a plan to open her own pie shop. I loved this part of Lila’s journey. Rather than waiting for someone to come along and rescue her, she takes control of her own future and finds a clever way to make her dream work, even as the Depression makes money tight.

Set in the 1920s and 1930s, the story explores themes around self-esteem and what it meant to be a woman at a time when marriage and settling down were often seen as the ultimate goal. Lila doesn’t fit that mold. She sees herself as “chunky” and worries that her appearance means she won’t attract a man, yet she’s also strong, intelligent, determined and incredibly resilient.

While many of the women around her are focused on finding a husband to take care of them, Lila is determined to build a life on her own terms. I really enjoyed watching her grow in confidence and discover that perhaps the person she most needed to learn to love was herself.

There’s plenty going on too, with the return of her brother and father bringing complications involving Prohibition and the mob, putting everything she has worked for at risk.

A warm, heart-filled historical story featuring a truly engaging heroine. Beyond its lovely message about independence, self-worth, and forging your own path, it brilliantly highlights the power of found family over blood.

Firstly I must say I was drawn to this book by its title as it sounded cute, fun and quirky. But it was much more than that.
Lila arrives in a small Midwestern town, she wants to start a new life, she is ready to make a change, she doesn't want to be lonely any more. So she opens Cutie Pies by the Slice, a place to bring people together and a place that might just have her finding the family and community she so desires.

This is such a heart-warming read, a story that will get to your heart and head and a story that will have you turning the pages and wanting more. I love all the characters and the portrayal of them, the story flows well and the author really does bring not just the story but the characters to life. I really enjoyed this book but now I want more. So good and well worth the read.

Thank you NetGalley and Roots and Wings Press, LLC for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a heartwarming story of love and loss and how it affects people. The enduring power of friendships is evident in this story, which takes place during the dark years of The Depression and gangster-ruled towns. The historical facts included added to the story, making it feel authentic to the time period. It’s a good read!

Cutie Pies by the Sliceis a story about a young woman making her way on her own. She is determined, kind and soft hearted, but stronger than even she realizes. This page turner is filled with prohibition,, speakeasies, family, secrets, illegal activity, friendships that grow into something much more, and pies. Nixon does a wonderful job, blending the excitement and danger of the prohibition era with heartfelt relationships and characters you can’t help but care about. And as the book reminds us: “Bad day? Have a piece of pie. Worst day? Have two!” OK