A sweet story filled with relatable, enjoyable characters, family, friendship, and lovely real-life lessons, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is sure to delight! A slow comfortable pace is maintained throughout the book leading to a predictable, but enjoyable ending.

4.5 stars
When this popped up as an option on Net Galley - I thought “that sounds like a cool premise” and The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie did not disappoint.

We meet 33 year old Lolly when she is at a cross roads. One tragic event changed the course of her life and things have not gone the way she once dreamed. She is faced with a set of regrets and “what ifs” while also struggling with the fact that the life she has isn’t going all that great either. An eccentric aunt gives Lolly the chance to experience what life “could” have been. What happens next? Well, for that - read the book!

For me, this was a poignant read. I think everyone has a moment in their life where they wonder “what if” in regards to decisions made or things that have happened to them. Getting to see this phenomenon through Lolly’s eyes and the lessons she learned was touching and emotional.

I’m trying really hard not to give any details away, but I will say that I truly liked Lolly. I appreciated getting to see current day Lolly as well as some of the events that shaped her via flashbacks. Understanding the context of her life helped cement her character for me and made me root for her that much more. The things Lolly experienced made her think - and the lessons learned made me think a bit too. This is the type of boom that you finish and really wish there was someone nearby who had read it too!

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group for the advanced reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Is magical realism centered on food a genre? Because it should be, and it's one of my favorites! Lolly feels stuck in her life. Every morning she bakes a half dozen lemon meringue pies for a diner that she doesn't enjoy running. With her great aunt Gert's assistance and a few magical lemon drops, she considers all the alternative paths her life could have taken.

I loved all of the Pacific Northwest references to Portland State University, Stumptown Coffee, Pike Place Market, and more. I also really enjoyed the descriptions of food and gardening. And I have added to my list of what I want to grow in my own garden.

Katie Koster narrated beautifully. She voices were seamless and unique, and the story fully captured my attention.

This is such a beautiful story. It's one I know that I will re-read to see what different things I take from it at different points in my own life. It made me cry and think and dream.

4.5 stars rounded up

"My mom loved lemons. She believed they have special powers. She always told me lemons clarify things. They symbolize happiness and hope."

I absolutely adored this book so much!! What a delightful, heartwarming, feel-good, and this book is pure joy!! Highly recommend if you enjoy a sweet story with some magic realism elements, no steam, and a story about second chances!! I adored Lolly's character, her growth, her struggles with duty versus desire. I loved seeing her with her mom and dad individually as well as Aunt Gert and Lolly's journey towards figuring out what her best and most fulfilled path in life would be. There are some very positive takeaways here to seek joy and bliss for the rest of your life.

I thought I knew where it was going and such a wonderful twist! I was genuinely so thrilled for the characters and where they ended up. I didn't want it to end and wanted to see even more glimpses into the future with a second epilogue!!

I listened to the audiobook of this and the audio is fantastic! I loved the narrator and Lolly's character!

This was a very sweet story about choices and finding your bliss.

I really enjoyed watching Lolly use the lemon drops and get a glimpse of what her life could be if certain things had been different. I also enjoyed seeing her grapple with fulfilling her mother’s wishes and doing what needed to be done for her own life profession.

This book is more women’s fiction with an element of romance thrown in. And I enjoyed that piece and felt better about the second chance romance of it. I can understand being stuck on your one love when you’re life seemingly stalls and the reason for the separation isn’t a misunderstanding.

Overall, this was an enjoyable book and has a good reminder of making sure to have joy in your life.

What a sweet summer read!! The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a refreshing, soulful read that I just could not put down. Lolly has been through some hardship in her life, and at the beginning, she really wasn't that likeable. She definitely had a chip on her shoulder and a woe is me attitude, though she did show up for her family in some real ways. But when her great aunt offers her some magical candies to see alternate lives she could have lived... things change. Lolly changes, and I was so there for that! The ending was just perfect. Exactly the summer escape we all need! Love + magical realism + food... what more could you want?

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced ebook copy. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to Berkley and Uplit Reads for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Pub date: 8/2/22
Genre: romance, magical realism
In one sentence: Lolly is tired of making lemon pie out of her life's lemons - and when her grandmother gives her a few magical lemon drops, she'll see what her life could look like.

We've all wondered "what if?" at one point or another, and I love books that explore these scenarios. I really enjoyed getting to know Lolly and seeing her alternate realities. She starts out a bit naive and "woe is me", but she grows a lot over the course of the narrative. I liked seeing her learn to let go and stop trying to control everything and everyone around her. I thought I had the plot figured out - but kudos to Linden for sneaking a few surprises in there! I'm also super excited to add this gorgeous cover to my shelves.

If you're looking for a sweet read with a touch of magic, this is a great option!

I received an electronic ARC from Berkley Publishing Group through NetGalley.
This is my first Linden read but won't be my last. She offers a lighter book about Lolly's life with encouraging undertones about finding your passion (bliss). Readers meet Lolly when she is ten years in after her mom's death as she continues to struggle to keep the family diner alive. She has let go of her own dreams to take care of her dad and much younger sister. As she approaches her 33rd birthday, her sister finds her seventh grade journal that included life goals. As it would for any of us, this sets Lolly on a time of self reflection and discouragement. Her great aunt offers her a way to "change" her life course and see what might have been via magic lemon drops. Again, there are relatable moments for readers who may wish they had made different choices as well. No spoilers but in the end, Lolly accepts that her current life is where she needs to be but she borrows from one of the other days to move forward.
Linden brings her message of hope and second chances to life with humor and a soft touch. I read this one almost straight through as I appreciated the writing style and loved the characters. They are flawed and doing the best they can to cope with tragedies and still pushing on with life. This is one I look forward to owning and rereading several times.

Magical realism combines with really good pie at a down-on-its-luck diner, in Lolly's story. Ten years after her mother died unexpectedly, the family diner in Seattle continues to struggle even though Lolly works tirelessly to keep it going as well as to keep her father and her younger sister going. As Lolly's birthday approaches, her eccentric aunt gives her three lemon drops that will supposedly allow her to live three separate days that might have been hers. This exploration of what might have been if we had made different choices and what can still be if we want to make it happen, brings hope for Lolly and for the reader.

I thought I was going to like this more than I actually did, good for fans of Natalie Tan and Vanessa Yu one shots

Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for a review!

Lolly is all of us. Working at her family restaurant, she has postponed indefinitely her life as she helps her dad, helps raise her sister, helps the restaurant. Spotting a 20 year old journal, she sees her bucket list and hopes to accomplish Just. One. Thing. Before her upcoming birthday. Will some magical lemon drops change the trajectory of her life?

This was the book I needed to read. I’m always down for a summery, light, uplifting read I can offer to patrons. This had just a dash of family drama, a pinch of magic, a handful of romance, and an ounce of regret (see what I did there?). This book isn’t trying to be something it’s not. It’s as refreshing as lemon drop pie without schmalz, overworked characters, or boring description. This is the kind of book you can take to the beach or just relax with a glass of wine on your back porch. It’s not going to blow your mind but it will take you somewhere for a jaunty ride. I wasn’t expecting to be hooked, but I really enjoyed this one for its simplicity and imaginative journey.

Four solid stars.

Could goals you made in seventh grade affect your life when you are in your thirties?

Lolly works at the family diner and feels like her life is a lemon.

One day her sister came across her diary and the goals she had written in seventh grade. She looked at those goals and wondered if she still wanted them. She definitely didn’t want a horse.

Aunt Gert summoned Lolly to her cottage after seeing the diary and gave her three lemon drops.

She told Lolly to wish for something she would like to happen, take one of the lemon drops at bedtime, and she would dream about that and live for a day in her wish.

How did that turn out?

Lolly wasn't sure she wanted to live in some of these dreams, but the one where she got to be with her mother would have been one she would love to live in.

The other two dreams were ones about owning her own restaurant somewhere amazing and visiting the man she always loved and never got to be with.

THE MAGIC OF LEMON DROP PIE is a sweet, heartwarming, uplifting read with a character you will fall in love with.

A truly enjoyable read that gives some great advice but also a few heartaches. 5/5

This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a great story. The lemon drops were such an interesting plot device. I love that the main character found a way to live a life following her bliss.

What if, what if, what if? Main character Lolly gets the chance to explore her biggest regrets through magical lemon drops. I rarely would describe a contemporary romance as "twisty," but this one has a delightful twist that leads to the perfect happily ever after that I was def doubting she was going to get. Very cute, heartwarming story with a tense, sad, then lovely romance!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkeley Pub for a copy to read and review. This publishes Aug 2 this year.

I really enjoyed this book! It started off just a little bit slow in the beginning, but it picked up nicely!

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by R. Linden, published by Berkley Publ. Group/ Random House LLC, is a full-length, stand-alone romance novel.
An intriguing read that had me in suspense right from the start.
Oh all the opportunities and possibilities are waitng for the female lead in this story. I fell in insta-love with storyline and characters.
This new to me author's writing is excellent. booThe suspense had me read the book cover to cover, in one sitting. I literally couldn't stop. Def a new fav of mine. I started reading wanting just to get a little sneak peak, and hours after hours later, I mean who needs sleep, I had TMoLDP finished and that's what a great read makes me do, 5 stars.

This felt like a Hallmark channel inspired books with a little magic thrown in there. It was a real treat to read and I enjoyed reading about how Lolly navigated her life. It made me a little sad to see Lolly going into other lives that could've been hers. I was actually tearing up when she had to leave her kids in one life and say goodbye to her mother in another. So it was surprisingly sad in a way. I think that's why I would knock it down a star. Too much dwelling on what might be instead of the reality in front of her.

Lolly has not accomplished a single thing from her list of dreams she wrote as a child. Her life has certainly not gone the way she expected it to after her mothers death and breaking up with the only man she ever loved. She spends her days working at the family diner with her father and quirky aunt. That same quirky aunt however, has a present for Lolly. Three lemon drops. Lemon drops that can show you how your life would have looked if you had chosen a different path. lolly can visit 3 different situations, but will that cause more hurt than not knowing?

Oh man, if you could see the different ways your life could have turned out would you? I’m not sure if I would or not! It certainly was more painful than anything else at certain points for Lolly. This book covered so many different phases of life. Grief, loss, taking on responsibilities you never expected, love, second chances, hope, and many more. I really loved Lolly, and I felt for her so hard. I would definitely be the daughter that would give up my dreams for everyone else’s so I could really empathize with her. I found the little bit of magical time travel to be so perfect, and made me want to find out where Lolly would go next and how what she saw would change her future.

‘The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie’ is heartwarming. Lolly is living her life for everyone else since the death of her mother. Her hopes and dreams were put on the back burner and then just stayed there. She’s given the chance to see what her life could be like if she’d followed any of her dreams with three magical lemon drops. Which a little bit of Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’ and dash of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’, this book is uplifting and joyful. I enjoyed this very much and intend to read though Rachel Lindens previous work.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

What if you regretted certain choices in your life but by eating a magic lemon drop were able to go back in time to see what might have been? Would you do so and what would you choose? That is the premise of this book along with the being/ not being with love of your life, and learning to following your bliss, a great summer beach read filled with inspiration and life lessons.