"When Life Gives You Lemons" by Fiona Gibson is a delightful and heartwarming novel that explores the complexities of life, love, and second chances. The story follows the journey of newly single middle-aged mom, Viv, as she navigates the ups and downs of starting over.

Gibson's writing effortlessly blends humor, wit, and genuine emotion, creating characters that are both relatable and endearing. Viv's struggles and triumphs feel authentic, and readers will find themselves rooting for her every step of the way. The supporting cast of characters, from Viv's eccentric mother to her quirky best friend, add depth and charm to the story, making the village come alive with personality.

At its core, "When Life Gives You Lemons" is a story about resilience, friendship, and the power of embracing change. Gibson skillfully tackles themes of self-discovery and reinvention with sensitivity and humor, reminding readers that it's never too late to pursue happiness and fulfillment.

Overall, "When Life Gives You Lemons" is a delightful read that will leave you with a smile on your face and a renewed appreciation for life's unexpected twists and turns. Gibson's witty prose and heartfelt storytelling make this novel a must-read for anyone in need of a feel-good escape.

I think in honesty you need to be going through the menopause or been through it to appreciate this wonderfully written, so funny and relatable.

The author takes two subjects which would normally be difficult to write about, but she does with style and humour

Recommended

I am more used to reading books about women in their 20s/30s, so it was unusual for me to read about Viv who is 50-ish! I could not really identify to her unfortunately, but I enjoyed Fiona Gibson's writing.

Lovely book, full of heart rendering modern family life drama. Reminds us all that family is not just blood, but those people we surround ourselves with, that we want to spend time with. Family in all its shapes and sizes is what comes first.

A fictional book that makes you think . As a reader you take things away from this book. Which for a fiction book can be rare.
I enjoyed reading this book.

Thanks to both the publishers and NetGalley for gifting me this book.

I was really looking forward to reading When Life Gives You Lemons and it certainly didn't disappoint! Fiona Gibson's writing is just delightful, with her engaging storytelling that truly immerses you into the life of the protagonist Viv. Her characterisation is simply spot on and really showcases how funny, resilient and ultimately likeable she is.

I was really impressed with the wit, humour and honest representation of a marriage breakdown which many people will relate to. Even through the heartbreak, Viv discovers what it truly means to be content, confident and put herself first.

Fiona's writing is incredibly empowering and refreshing to read. The real highlight of this book is the dialogue and descriptions that made me feel like I was truly living this story with Viv.

I definitely recommend this read if you are looking for an inspiring, entertaining and relatable read. This book left me with an appreciation for the lessons we can learn through life's hardships and with a huge smile on my face!

2.5 stars.
I just did not find it as funny as i had hoped.
It was a bit interesting with the main character, but the writing was a bit boring.

Not going to lie, this book was a little hard to get into. I wanted to dive in but it wasn't deep enough or able to hold my attention. I kept setting it down to read anything else. I made it through, and overall it was fine. Just not my cup of tea. I wanted to root for Viv- the newly divorced woman navigating the world, but I just didn't connect with her.

There is so much to like about this book. I love seeing an older protagonist and I love seeing her take charge of her own life and making the best of Kauai situations. The positivity a d hope I a witty book was just what I needed

I really liked the story as well as the writing style .
It was sweet , entertaining , funny and easy to read.
Finished it all in one sitting .
Would recommend it for fiction lovers.

How refreshing it was to read a story about a woman in the 50s. Viv was an amazing main character with so much wit and personality, I couldn’t help but love her. It’s a story about not giving up on life, of daring to take charge of where your life is going when it seems like it’s standing still. It gave me all the best small town vibes with a sense of reality to the plot.

The supporting cast gets quite big, but they’re for the most part very easily recognisable and quirky in their own wonderful way.

This is the sort of contemporary story that makes me happy to read, a story were characters are going through things that can happen to anyone and they feel more like people than characters. It’s not necessarily a romance about people in their late 40s or early 50s. It’s a slice of life story, where the focus is much more on the individual story than the romance. And I liked it a lot for that reason.

There are a few formatting errors here and there, but they were few and far between that they didn’t bother me. And after all, it is an early copy.

The story is surprisingly humorous, for a story that basically starts with a husband saying some really awful things to his wife and then she finds out he’s been cheating on her. That really is just the starting point and where it goes from there was a joy to read.

Finally! A story with a fifty something year old woman MC who was likeable and down-to-earth and I could absolutely identify with as she adapted to a life she wasn’t expecting to live while navigating menopause. I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent with Viv in this delightful, light hearted women’s fiction.

After discovering her husband of 29 years is having an affair with a colleague, Viv’s world is completely upended. Although he compares her to an amphibian, complains about her menopausal symptoms and barely acknowledges her these days, she had always imagined them growing old together. Now, she is newly single, with a seven year old daughter to care for, a grown son who barely calls home and a boss who seems to under appreciate her talents in a job she doesn’t really like. What’s a girl to do when live gives you lemons???

There were some laugh out loud moments for me in this one. Definitely a heartwarming story. I don’t think I will ever be able to eat an omelette with a straight face again! Perfect summer read!

A gracious thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A sweet almost bouncy book filled with a great story and laughter. This book flits right along for you due to the great writing. It’s a wonderful story that lets you relax into it without asking anything in return.

This book was a tale of friendship and of romance.
It was predictable but an enjoyable read.
It was written well

Fiona Gibson never fails to amaze me with her books and this one was the same, I love everything she writes and in my eyes she can do no wrong! Brilliant little book of which I gobbled up in a few hours and I enjoyed every minute of it, just loved it, a gem once again 😃

This book title described this book so perfectly! Totally devourable and bingeworthy because I read this in a day and really enjoyed it

Between tending to the whims of her seven-year-old and the demands of her boss, Viv barely gets a moment to herself. It’s not quite the life she wanted, but she hasn’t run screaming for the hills yet. But then Viv’s husband Andy makes his mid-life crisis her problem. He’s having an affair with his (infuriatingly age-appropriate) colleague, a woman who – unlike Viv – doesn’t put on weight when she so much as glances at a cream cake. Viv suddenly finds herself single, with zero desire to mingle. Should she be mourning the end of life as she knows it, or could this be the perfect chance to put herself first?

This is going to be short and a little bit sweet. Why? Well I do not have a very strong opinion of this book, to be brutally honest this is largely forgettable, even the characters. Sounds harsh but the first thought upon finishing this was one of relief. I did enjoy this and the latter half was a lot more enjoyable than the first half. The beginning of this read is slow and takes a long time to get going. This is not always a bad thing as can help the reader to form a strong connection with the characters but sadly I did not. There is a sub-plot in this read which I enjoyed more than the main plot. I just wanted something more from this I suppose.

Moving on to the characters and, as I have already said, sadly I did not form a connection to them and found them largely forgettable. Again, there was nothing outstanding about them and nothing to get me excited about following them. Another disappointment. My favourite character turned out to be Chrissy, who comes into the book towards the end, she was interesting and had something about her. If she had been a stronger focus I might have felt differently.

I hate to say it but with a book such as this you know what you are going to get but I was hoping for a little bit more or for stronger characters. This read is enjoyable but nothing more than that.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for an advance copy.

From the very first chapter of When Life Gives You Lemons, I was hooked.

From main character Viv's one-liners on friends and life that had me cackling to observations on her own husband that already made me want to yell at him, this story felt so raw and real, and somewhat relatable, I could have mistaken it for non-fiction.

And, despite the age difference between myself and Viv (she's going through menopause and I'm barely out of my twenties), I had no difficulty connecting to her ways of thinking or the reactions that'd come out of her mouth,.

Add in the comic relief of the best friend, the innocence and optimism of 7-year-old daughter Izzy and the mental ups and downs we've all been through before, during and after a breakup and this book is truly wonderful, delicious lemonade.

Though this book was out of my normal genre, I really enjoyed it. Being from the UK originally the use of the familiar UK terms was one and nice surprise and two used so well in the dialogue that it felt like I was home again while reading this book.
The story was not not only very realistic but heartwarming.
A great read.

I enjoyed this book - fabulous easy read which made me laugh and cry in places. Fiona Gibson's books never disappoint and this was no exception. I love how her books draw you in from the start and keep you engaged throughout.

A story of family, loss, secrets, affairs, postnatal depression. I loved the character of Viv and could imagine her as my friend but I also loved the surrounding cast of characters too.

I recommend this book as a perfect read for a cosy afternoon on the sofa with a cuppa and some cake.

I look forward to the next one.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review