Kimberly Nixon’s Cutie Pies by the Slice is the story of a young woman who is determined to forge her own identity and not lose herself in tough times. 

The story opens in the late 1920s. Lila has just lost her mother and moved to a new city to be close to her brother - the only family she has left. Earl is newly married, and his wife isn’t too keen on having his sister stay with them isn’t too keen on having his sister stay with them. Having expected this, Lila moves into a boarding house where she forges new friendships and builds a found family. Her new job as a telephone operator is courtesy of her brother. A new life in a new place doesn't lessen the grief Lila is still going through after losing her mother. She finds solace in her friends and in baking pies, which soon become popular at the boarding house and amongst her friends and their families.

When the Great Depression hits, Lila loses her job at the telephone switchboard and soon finds herself at loose ends. A chance suggestion leads Lila to open a pie shop, and she soon becomes busy running it. Every friend of hers is getting married, having a baby, or at least dating. Lila, too, finds love and friendship while managing to earn a livelihood. As time moves on, she faces ups and downs. Her relationship with her brother's family is improving. Just when things are looking up for Lila, she is betrayed by close friends, and much is changing around her once again. Lila finds and loses the first love of her life just before she is to get married, and her found family is once again going through a challenging time. By the end of the story, Lila has lived a life full of highs and lows, and we see her accepting life and looking forward to what comes next, one step at a time.

I enjoyed everything about Lila’s story, from the time period in which it is set to the people around her.

The story reflects the strength of relationships, be it blood or not. The people in the story, who have found a family away from their own families, band together and are there for each other through thick and thin. This is what I loved about the story.

The story also shows the social constraints of the time, such as prohibition, gangs, and crime, with people in situations that either make them determined or leave them helpless.

If you are looking for a wholesome read, pick a copy of Cutie Pies by the Slice and enjoy a slice of life.