The Summary

Lemons are all Lolly Blanchard ever seems to get in life. In order to support her family's struggling Seattle cafe and take care of her younger sister and heartbroken father ten years ago, she broke up with her first love and gave up her goal of owning a restaurant. Now, ten years later, she still grieves for everything she has lost while obediently making the diner's renowned lemon meringue pies every morning.

As Lolly's 33rd birthday draws near, her eccentric great-aunt surprises her with three lemon drops, each of which lets her experience a day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mother hadn't died? What if she had started a restaurant of her own in England? What would have happened if she hadn't dumped the only man she had ever loved? Each experience is unexpected and inspiring, assisting Lolly in letting go of her regrets and realizing that the key to changing her life is to have the courage to accept her present rather than trying to change the past.

My Review

It's a charming story with magical realism. I did had a hard time empathizing with Lolly, the main character, in the first half, but I think it all came together really wonderfully.

She looked to be living in the past in her thinking, and I got the idea that she was trying to achieve other people's goals rather than her own. I immediately felt greater empathy and understanding for her plight as I read the chapters that explained each of those things. I hoped those insights had arrived a little bit earlier.

As this tale switches back and forth between the past and the present, the reader discovers what transpired in the past to cause Lolly to be so mired in the present.

She has a life that is a lemon. No one was completed. A lovely romance can be made into a fun read by adding some "what ifs" and fairy dust in the form of lemon drops.

It is both charming and predictable. great for lifting your spirits when you're feeling low or in between more in-depth reading.

My ratings score:

★★★★★ Fantastic! Made me go through a lot of emotions & the entire book is incredibly beautifully done! 

★★★★ Memorable! Despite its shortcomings, this book was incredible and taught us a lot. 

★★★ Good work! Nothing particularly remarkable, but still nice.

★★ Meh... Mediocre with great room for improvement.

★ Extremely Poor.