From the author of Ascension of Larks, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and The Enlightenment of Bees, comes her latest novel, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie. Life has not been so kind to the heroine of the story, Lolly Blanchard, it fact it seems that all life has in store for her is lemons. She gave up the love of her life and her dreams of opening her own restaurant to help care for her younger sister and help her grieving father keep their struggling Seattle diner afloat.

On her 33rd birthday, she receives a mysterious gift from her zany aunt, three lemon drops. But what does it all mean?

Heartwarming and thought-provoking!
I loved the initial concept of this book, being able to live three days of your 'could have been' life, it's heartwarming and original and will make you think about your own life, your own dreams and what you would do if you had the chance to live your three could have been days, I really loved it. I liked the ease of the writing, the sweetest of the story.
There is so much of this book which everyone can relate to in one way or another, after all, we all had dreams when younger, but how many of us actually live our dream life and how many of us fall into the category of; life happens and your childhood dreams never happened because other stuff got in the way? and now we plod on in the life we have. I'm in the latter category so that you know.
I think parts could have moved along a little speedier than they did, and some of the revealing aspects of why Lolly did this or didn't do that came a little too near the ending, But despite that, I did enjoy this, I liked how well anyone who reads will connect with Lolly and her story and will have you contemplating your own dreams.

I absolutely loved this book! It might be one of my favorites for the year! Lolly’s finds her list of life goals that she set in 7th grade and is disheartened to find that she hasn’t achieved a single one of them. Her mother died and she came home to help run the family diner. The diner is their family history and legacy all wrapped up into one failing business. She is given the opportunity to see how her life might have turned out if things were different. It is a very sweet story of fate and taking control of your own destiny. This was such a great book!

Full review to come on Goodreads and Amazon. Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for a review copy.

What a poignant novel. At times melancholic, at time hopeful, this book brought me to tears multiple times and made me call home to chat with my parents, as well. This book is like if The Midnight Library was set in Sweet Magnolias. Would definitely recommend. 4.5 stars.

Lolly lost her mother in a horrific accident, but she was fortunate to say her last goodbyes. Her mother tells her family she loves them on her deathbed, but she also draws Lolly close to give the recipe for her unique lemon pie. Lolly uses this dish in her family restaurant to keep her mother near to her heart. The restaurant is floundering, and Lolly begs her father to let her make some changes, but he likes things the way they are and thinks that everything will work out.

This story is not romance, but is character driven and about a young woman who’s having a mid-life crisis and dealing with things like regrets and what-ifs.

The novel moves smoothly between the past, present, and potential futures. It’s a pleasant dream-magic lemon drop that has the potential to alter your life.

This was a wonderful story - I'm not a huge romance reader but this was just what I needed. It wasn't cheesy or sickly sweet or over the top but heartfelt with wonderfu characters and a moving storyline. I loved our protagonist Lolly - she was full of heart but was not a caricature but someone who struggles with her duty to her family and what she wants for herself. Her family was absolutely lovable and the love interest was realistic and swoon worthy. All in all a solid wonderfully written book full of love, hope, and family.

This is a heartwarming book that feels like a literary hug. Magical realism and romance aren't usually my thing, but I really enjoyed them in The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie. It's great to read if you need a break from heavy drama or psych thrillers.

If you've ever asked yourself "what if...", this is the book for you!

A sweet and easy read, the perfect escape, this book was a delight (especially Aunt Gert.)

While Lolly's backstory is one we've seen before, Linden offers a wonderfully delightful take. The characters were engaging and I rooted for Lolly every step of the way.

What a very sweet book. Uplifting and fun. A quick read ... would make a great vacation read or summer read. Characters are likable. I love Aunt Gert and her story arc was especially satisfying.

Magical realism, learning who you are and what you want out of life. Very enjoyable read.

After her mother dies, Lolly gives up on her dreams and stays home to help run the family diner with her father, as well as raise her younger sister, Daphne. Now in her thirties, Lolly realizes she has not accomplished anything she wanted, from owning her own eclectic restaurant to being in lov.e. When her aunt offers her a chance to see what alternative decisions would have looked like, Lolly embarks on quest to fine her true path. The story was well written, and the characters appealing. The significance of the lemon drop pie adds to the story. Recommended for an entertaining read. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity.

If you could eat a piece of candy and be able to see another route your life could have taken, would you?

I would not want to actually change my life for anything, but it would be pretty cool to see what would have happened in different instances.

I was easily captured by this story and characters. I was pulling so hard for Lolly to find her happiness. She had been through a lot due to the pressure of feeling like she had to put her life on hold for others, and she deserved to finally find herself and what she wanted in life. The conversations with her family members surrounding this were beautiful and real.

I loved the way everything played out, especially since it’s what I guessed would happen as soon as she went to her third “other” life. Made me feel happy and accomplished 😂

I also adored her great-aunt and her quirky ways. I hope I am like her late in life!

Thank you to @netgalley and @berkleypub for the arc in exchange for my honest review! 💜

This was a wonderfully feel good women's fiction story that helps readers understand the loss and grief process. The concept was fresh and unique and it was good.

This was a lovely book that I enjoyed about a woman who would love to go change her past, and may even have a chance to. It's about second chances and choices and so much more. I also enjoyed the surprise recipe at the back of the book. I'm grateful for Netgalley, the author, and the publisher for allowing me to read and review.

I liked this book about second chances. It was just a little predictable for me. I've read Rachel Linden before, Becoming the Talbot Sisters, and enjoyed her style and character development. Lily is approaching her 33rd birthday and she starts to reflect what her life might have been if only her mother hadn't died and if she hadn't had to stay and help raise her sister and lose the love of her life. When she is given 3 magical drops of lemon juice she can see what possible life she might have had. A good read that doesn't require too much concentration to keep the characters straight and the plot being convoluted.

Lolly visits other life paths via magical lemon drops.

If you've ever wondered, what if I'd said yes instead or no at a momentous time in your life, made this decision instead of that one, then you'll be intrigued by this story. In the vein of The Midnight Library (4 stars), Lolly is given the chance to explore what her life could have been if she'd made different choices. Is the grass always greener somewhere else? Or, can she be happy with her current life? The moments of grief in this story were spot on as Lolly grieved the loss of not only her mother but also her ex-boyfriend, Rory. The chapter in which Lolly is able to spend one last, perfect day with her mom was poignant and brought tears to my eyes as I wished I could do the same. The rest of the story was on the lighter, hopeful, sweet side and perfect if you're looking for a sunny, uplifting story!

Location: Seattle, Washington. Tampa, Florida. England.

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I loved this book about second chances and what’s ifs. I LOVED the movie Sliding Doors back in the day and this book had that feel. Lolly is so sweet and charming, I found myself rooting for her throughout her story. This is a book you’ll want to snuggle up and read with a hot cup of tea.

I can't really think of many magical realism books I've read, but this one was thoroughly enjoyable once I finally connected with our MC. I really did enjoy the family diner setting, I felt it gave this book a really cozy, homey feel. One thing I noticed was that I felt like I wasn't sure what I wanted for the MC until a solid half way through the novel, which doesn't normally happen to me, I'm pretty quick to get a feel for what I want to see for the MC. I feel like the ending did end up tying everything together in a neat little bow and I enjoyed the conclusion. This book definitely gave me summer and beach-read vibes.

*3.5 rounded up.*

Sugary and tart, sweet and sour, and leaving a lingering taste, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie lives up to its name as it uses magical realism in the form of little drops of lemon candy that allow 32 yr old piemaker Lolly a bittersweet chance to see what might have been.

Plotwise, there really aren’t any surprises, the plot follows pretty closely the outline set up in the description. What I wasn’t expecting was the emotional toll this book would have on me. Following along in Lolly’s emotional journey, I found myself questioning my own pathways, my own decisions, and my own future.

Lolly is approaching her 33rd birthday when her sister digs up an old journal of hers from middle school with a list of her life goals: live in another country, own her own restaurant somewhere amazing, fall in love, and help her family be happy together forever. Suddenly she’s hit with the realization she hasn’t achieved any of her dreams and likely never will, stuck in place by a promise made to her dying mother to keep the family restaurant running and her family together. This is what she’s dedicated her life to and this is what she’s given up her own dreams for.

Seeing how depressed Lolly is thinking about her past and how hopeless she feels about her future in the days leading up to her birthday, her great-aunt gives her a truly amazing gift – lemon drop candies that will allow her to walk the paths not taken. What if instead of staying to take over the restaurant when her mother died, she had moved away and opened her own restaurant? What if instead of giving up the man she loved to focus on her fractured family and the family restaurant, she had married him? What if her mother had never died in the first place?

As each day lived in an alternate life seemed to teach a bittersweet lesson and didn’t hold the answers for “following her bliss”, I began to feel a little hopeless myself alongside Lolly. What was the point of making different decisions if none of them really brought her happiness? And then when she finally got to see her mother again and was given the advice not to cling so tightly to things that are already broken, wow did I get upset on Lolly’s behalf (since it was the promises she made Lolly give her on her death bed that caused her to give up her dreams in the first place!).

I’ve seen a lot of reviews saying they couldn’t connect with Lolly, but I had the opposite problem – I identified too much. Honestly, I almost didn’t finish the book because of how upset I was getting, but I’m glad I stuck it out. Rest assured there IS a happy ending, even though it starts to feel impossible for a minute. The ending of the book actually ended up being rather cute and allowed me to think differently about searching for my own bliss in the future.

I absolutely recommend this book. The plot may seem a little kitschy, but the story is deeper than expected. Starting off sour and ending sweet, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, both for the protagonist and the reader, but the happy ending feels earned and satisfying, and totally worth it.

4 out of 5 stars - If you ask me, I'll tell you to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this advanced copy (even if it did take me a bit to actually read it). All opinions expressed are my own.

This is the story of Lolly, a 32-year-old single woman working in her family's diner, as she's been doing her entire life. After the death of her mother, she put aside her hopes and dreams to help her dad and raise her sister. When her sister finds her diary with a list she made when she was 13, she realizes she hasn't accomplished a single goal. She makes it a mission to try to complete at least one before turning 33.

This is a great story about "what if" and how specific decisions or events in your life can change your future path. When Lolly's Aunt Gert gives her magic lemon drops that allow her to live a single day in the life she could have had, the decisions to view that other life come with some realizations. Just because you think another life will be better, doesn't always mean the grass is truly greener on the other side.

I think we've all had that experience of "what if I'd made a different decision when XYZ happened?" and wondered what our life might look like now. Whether it's a regret or just curiosity, we've all been there. This is a great story about how those decisions and regrets don't mean you can't make lemonade (or lemon drop pie) out of the lemons life has given you!