The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie oozes with charm and sweetness. A magical take on second chances and the "what if" premise. Troubled by her unrewarding and boring present situation, the enchanting Aunt Gert offers Lolly three chances to visit a single day in her life had she made different decisions. A foodie setting in Seattle, an irresistible cover, and the recipe for the secret lemon drop pie makes this romance novel a sure hit!

Review will be posted on 9/2/22

Lolly is bored of doing the same thing everyday in her life. There's no excitement; she's in a rut. She is thirty-two years old and helping run her family's diner. Not only does she work there, she also helps bake their famous lemon meringue pies. Her dad, who also runs the diner, is hesitant to make any sort of changes, so the diner is struggling a bit as the culinary world is evolving. One day Lolly comes across her seventh grade journal and she finds a list of life goals. She hasn't accomplished any of them. Where did she go off course? Since her mother's untimely death, she has stuck around to help her dad with the family's diner and help raise her younger sister. But what about what she wants? What about her dreams? Lolly's Aunt Gert is a mystical, yet highly educated woman who has lived an adventurous life. She presents Lolly with three enchanted lemon drops that will allow her to live one day in an alternate version of her life to sort of help her figure out what she truly wants. As you might have guessed, these three lemon drops change her life forever. The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden is such a heartfelt book that had me tearing up. It included wonderful life messages, beautiful moments, and the kind of situations that gut a reader. I adored it and it's one of my favorite books of the year.

Lolly is a wonderful character in The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie. How could I not like her? She is loyal, dedicated to her family, and a good friend. Told through flashbacks, we get to know what her life was like as a young girl when she meets her first and only love, Rory. She has never really gotten over him and their relationship did get quite serious as the years went by. Slowly, Linden fleshes out the character of Lolly and explains her complicated (yet romantic) relationship with Rory, who is an all-around great guy. Oh, did their relationship tug on my heartstrings! Which leads me to the lemon drops.

Lolly is faced with the exciting task of deciding where she wants the lemon drops to take her. She definitely has plans to fix things with Rory in one of her alternate lives, but what about the other two lemon drops? She refers to her seventh grade list and is inspired to hit up some of those goals and also spend more time with her mom, who tragically died a few years ago. Oh, my heart! Once again, Linden really cracked it open and I felt so much for Lolly's alternate lives. She travels to Hawaii and England and I loved every second of it all. Linden made it feel real. I didn't doubt it once, which is unusual for a book with magic in it, but I fell for it completely -- hook, line, and sinker. I mean who hasn't thought about an alternate life or a path you didn't take? What would it have been like to not lose a person you loved or to not get seriously sick or to take that job or move across the country? Instead of these questions plaguing us at night, Linden deep dives into them and explores these themes along with the difficult task of letting go.

What really struck me about The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie was Linden's beautiful writing. She doled out some great advice through Aunt Gert and her mother's musings. I adored it and it really spoke to me. When I first sat down with The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie, I didn't expect to be moved so completely by Linden's words. I paused and really marinated in them; it was truly a pleasure. Here are two of my favorite lines:

"Happiness is fleeting, fickle, often based on our circumstances." Aunt Ger waved a hand dismissively. "If you chase happiness, you will more often than not end up disappointed by the very nature of life. Life is hard, brutal at time, and often unfair. But following your bliss, that's entirely different. It means facing your present reality with honesty and courage, and, in the midst of it all, continuing to pursue each spark of joy, even if it is a tiny pinpoint in the darkness of your life. Do not give up. Continue to look for the light in your life---it is always present somewhere, some small things to be grateful for, something to celebrate, a away to give joy to others, a new way to grow. Move toward the light in life; seek it out no matter what. This is the essence of what it means to follow your bliss. You must be honest. Pay attention. Seek joy."

*****

Aunt Gert sat in silence for a long moment, then cleared her throat. "Some things aren't meant to be mended," she said finally. "Sometimes it's in the breaking that the light can finally shine through."


I highly recommend Lolly's story for fans of books are moving, heartfelt, and employ magical realism. This would be the perfect book to accompany you this Labor Day Weekend and to close out summer. I, for one, will have my eye on Linden's future novels; I'm a fan!

So, have you read The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie? Are you a fan of Rachel Linden? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

This is my first time reading a Rachel Linden book and it didn’t disappoint! I am always drawn to foodie themed stories. The book cover alone is eye catching. The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is a sweet hopeful story about finding your bliss. Have you ever wondered what might have been?

This story deals with multiple timelines going between past and present with a whimsical parallel universe/time travel aspect. The narrative is smooth with likable characters you root for and plausible life challenges that moves you to reflect on your own life moments. Rachel weaves in the subjects of loss, regret and coping with grief in such a heartwarming and empowering way that it was a truly enjoyable read. I am so excited to see this book turned into a Hallmark movie!

Readers who enjoy contemporary women’s fiction with a touch of whimsy, alternative life, second chances and multiple time lines will enjoy this book. I was gifted a copy of the book but all thoughts and opinions are my own.

What a sweet, surprising gem of a book. There were so many things to love - from Lolly’s relationship with her family, to her story with Rory, and finally, with how she felt about herself - many different, intersecting storylines that just worked so well (and did not feel overwhelming or hard to follow when reading). I also really enjoyed the author’s style of writing. This book just made me happy! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC (although I was late in reading it and everyone can go read it now!!).

I was so excited when I was selected to be part of this book tour. As I've said before, I'm a true sucker for a book with a beautiful cover, and this book cover was that for me. Thankfully, the contents inside this lovely
book cover brought me equal parts joy!

As much as I did enjoy reading this, it did take a little while to really get the story going. Lacking in pace is made up though by the well-written plot/story. The author introduces us to a main character that, like a great many people in life, has regrets about her past. She's also discontent with her life, and struggles with feelings of loss. If only the path she took were different, just how much better would her life have turned out?

Enter three magical little lemon drops, which I thought was a very unique and extremely effective way of throwing in a little bit of magic (which was perfect to get the story going)! I won't drop any spoilers here and
would definitely recommend adding this book to your tbr.

Things I liked:
* The way the book made me reflect a little on my own life.
* Lolly being able to explore how things could have been
* The lemon drops - nice touch!
* The lesson behind the story

Things I didn't like:
* Bit of a slow start
* Lolly's character didn't really come 'alive' until a little later

I would recommend this book to anyone
that enjoys a cute, light story with a touch of magical realism. If you like second chance love this may be for you too!

Finish this sentence: When life gives you lemons make….

Lemon drop pie that magically transports you to a parallel universe where you made different choices that drastically altered the trajectory of your life.

You know how the old saying goes.

THE MAGIC OF LEMON DROP PIE centers around Lolly Blanchard and her mundane life after the death of her mother. Life doesn’t look anything like she thought it would as she approaches her 33rd birthday. Through a mix of fate and potent lemon drops Lolly gets a second chance to live the life she always wanted.

What a heartwarming and palate-cleansing read! The magical realism and time travel aspects felt whimsical but themes of regret and moving forward after grief give the story some levity. Readers who enjoyed Rebecca Serle’s ONE ITALIAN SUMMER and Emma Straub’s THIS TIME TOMORROW will want to add this to their end of summer TBR.

RATING: 4/5
PUB DATE: August 2, 2022 (available now!)

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for an electronic ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie was a little too thin in the characters and storyline for my taste. I almost gave up at one point. I think that Rachel Linden will get there someday, but this book was not quite it. Very close, but not quite. I kept reading until the end, and it did get better as it went along, but it needed just a little something more.

🍋 The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie 🍋

Lolly’s life hasn’t quite turned out the way she expected. She was in love with Rory, graduating college and had dreams of starting her own restaurant. But all that changes when her mother passes away suddenly, leaving Lolly to help run her family’s diner and taking care of her young sister, Daphne and her father. Her great Aunt Gert offers her a taste of these magic lemon drop candies, and she can spend one day as if her life was still on track.

She spends a day waking up in coastal England with her dream restaurant, and spends the day working hard, but loving it. But she also leaves Daphne and her family behind. The second drop, she is able to spend another day with her mother, but she exchanges other things to see her mom. With her third drop, she sees what life is like if she had never broken up with Rory.

This book was so heartfelt and genuine. As someone who lost a parent when I was pretty young, it was definitely very hard to read that she gets to spend another day with her mother. I can’t imagine this opportunity myself and I’m not sure I would take that chance if it meant having to say goodbye all over again. I loved this book for making think hard about my own life!

I love the chapters about Rory- they were filled with emotion. They both love each other despite being so young, but it was just not the right time for them. I love how the story ended, but you’ll need to read it yourself!

Thank you so much to @uplitreads, @berkleypub and @rachellinden_author for the opportunity to read this book. The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie is on sale now!

5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This story reminded me of "Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe." A pinch of magical realism, a loving family who cares for her and friends who want what is best for her.

Lolly is turning 33, and none of her plans have come to fruition. She is still running her family's restaurant - it's not doing well - Seattle has moved on from mom and pop eateries. She has broken up with the man she thought she would be spending the rest of her life with, and she has not traveled much of anywhere. So what is she going to do with her life? Her great aunt, who has gone everywhere, done everything, gives Lolly three lemon drops which will allow her to live only one day per lemon drop, of the life she had planned for herself. A day in England running her own restaurant, the boyfriend she built her plans around, having her very own horse - what will the lemon drops reveal to her? And, each and every day she goes to the restaurant kitchen and makes her better-than-good lemon meringue pies.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading this book since magical realism isn't one of my favorite genres to read, but I am so glad that I decided to read it. It was a magnificent uplifting story, that yes it has some very sad and tragic moments but at the end it makes your heart sing with joy.
I loved the way the author blends the different alternative times that our main characters finds herself into and reveals at the end how the future, the past and the alternative realities fuse one with the other.
Thank you Berkley Besties for my copy of this book

Super charming book - what I’d you had the ability to live a different life - either for one night or forever? A great host of characters

“An uplifting novel about a heartbroken young pie maker who is granted a magical second chance to live the life she didn’t choose…” (Portion of Goodreads synopsis)

Quick thoughts:
LIKES - I went into this book completely blind (because let’s face it, that cover is 🔥) and I wound up absolutely loving this book!! The entire plot is so clever and unique, with a slight nod to A Christmas Carol. The characters are beautifully developed and their struggles are so very relatable. I found myself so invested in the characters throughout the entire story!

DISLIKES - Nothing!

Read if you like:
*women’s fiction
*magical realism
*family drama
*romance
*second chances

A huge thanks to Berkley Pub for a copy of The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie!

This was such a cute and wonderful book!

Lolly is turning 33 and when she finds her teenage journal with her dreams she's reminded of all she gave up when her mom died ten years ago to keep her family's struggling diner going. Her aunt gives her three magical lemon drips which allow her one day in a life that could have been hers. How can she take what she's seen to make her life what she wants it to be?

I think we all can relate to those what if moments in life and this was such a heartwarming and lovely story. This book is about embracing what you have and figuring out how do make your dreams come true in reality.

Even if you're not really a magical realism fan this is very magical realism light. It reminded me of A Christmas Carol in a way with seeing glimpses of the future.

Pick this one up if you're looking for a great book, it's available now!

I was super excited to read this book because it sounded so good. I wasn't completely sure what to expect from it though, but it ended up being one of the best books I've read this year.
What caught me off guard with this one is that I ended up reflecting so much on my past, present, future, and my life in general and what I wanted in life, and how I felt about everything in my life. Suffice it to say that this book was very helpful for me personally in causing me to step back and check in with myself and look at everything. I found myself along with the character wondering are there any regrets or what ifs in my life that I would want to see what would happen differently if I took one of those magical lemon drop candies and my answer to myself was what I've always tried to tell myself/told myself but haven't been 100 percent with it when I've said it before now - But now when I was reading this and since reading this when I ask myself that question I can say with 100% conviction that I have no regrets to this point in my life - None. I was a little surprised with how at peace I felt when saying to myself that I had no regrets and I wouldn't need or want to use any lemon drop candies to revisit my past because sure I've had times when things didn't turn out perfectly or weren't ideal, but it's the way that it was meant to be for me and my path and I wouldn't want to change it because I wouldn't want to change who I am and where I am with everything now in my life even with the imperfect or hard things, which make me who I am.
So, okay, I went off a little there, but this book is deep and it causes you to reflect, think about the past, possible regrets, dreams, hopes for the future, and live in the present while being grateful and happy for what you did have and what you do have.
I very much enjoyed this book with the magical realism and what happens when she tries her 3 different what-if scenarios to see what would have happened differently with her 3 lemon drop candies. I also liked the perspective of her and her relationship with her sister and her family and everything. I figured out where the story was going and what was going to happen a while before it happened in the story, but I kept reading to make sure I was right, which I hoped I was. The way the story goes and what ends up happening with/in connection to the 3 what-if scenarios and lemon drop candies etc is another of the best parts of the book - perfect ending and I think I may have even squealed with delight at the end.
If you haven't read this, then you should check it out asap. You're missing out if you don't read this one. It's a heartwarming, deep, thought-provoking, emotional, and wonderful read.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for letting me read and review this amazing book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I loved everything about this book! It was the perfect mix of sweet/sad/heartfelt. I cried more than once.

I really enjoy stories with alternate lives and this was basically a hallmark movie. I loved the characters and the glimpses into the lives Lolly could have had. Lolly grew up a lot throughout the book. She was holding a lot on her shoulders. It was nice to see her finally be able to let some of that go.

The ending is SWOONWORTHY. I had a feeling about where it was going and I was so pleased with the way it turned out. I absolutely recommend this one if you’re in the mood for something emotional.

Imagine being given the chance to see what your life would have been like had you made different choices. Lolly has lived her adult life taking care of other people. Everything she thought she wanted was put by the wayside because of it. Then she is given the chance to see how things could be different, in the form of three lemon drops. I wonder how I would have chosen if given the chance to revisit my regrets.

I really enjoyed this book. The most interesting part was her relationship with Rory. We are given different details during the course of the book and everything is not what it seems in that department. I found all the characters likeable, and was surprised to know that there was such a big Swedish community in Seattle. I am also intrigued with botanical ice pops and hope to try some soon.

All in all, it's a fast, entertaining read. I was happy with the ending and thought it was the right one. I look forward to reading more books by this author.

Thank you, NetGalley, for the chance to read and review this book. All opinions expressed are mine and freely given.

Lilly is living a life of what if’s while making lemon meringue pies every day. Her aunt gives her three magic lemon drops which allows her to redo a day for each drop. What’s fascinating is that Lolly starts to learn to live not with regret but by moving forward and embracing new experiences. It’s a lovely book that deals with how to look at what might have been.

Well, this book is art.

There're stories that touch my heart but this. OMG, THIS one made me laugh, cry, suffer, feel identified, feel miserable and finally leave me with a soul full of hope and love.

Lolly is turning 33 and suddenly finds around the list of "life goals" she made as a teenager. She gets depressed because she hasn't accomplished ANYTHING on that list and decides to accomplish at least one goal before her birthday.

Lolly has a mysterious and kind aunt who gives her 3 lemon drop candies. They are not just any candy, they are magical and Lolly must take one before going to sleep and say out loud a weight that she has in her heart, a regret, a decision that she would have liked to make differently. The next morning, the candy will make Lolly live one day in that parallel life of hers, the one that would have happened if she had chosen differently.

The effect is temporary, because when you go to sleep in that parallel life, you will wake up the next morning in your normal life.

From there there is a whole journey of almost 400 pages through the life of Lolly. The one from the real past, which shows us why her life is the way it is now; the one from the real present, where Lolly laments her stagnation and wants another life; and that of the alternate lives, in each one she fulfilling a dream but paying a price for it.

What a beautiful narrative! What a beautiful message of hope, of seeking happiness, of having peace of mind and waiting for things to arrive when they should arrive. Lolly is a character that touched my heart, that marked me because I understood her regrets so well, I felt so identified with her feeling that time is passing and nothing has been done with life. And I was very touched by the way that by the end of the book Lolly had grown and learned and moved on.

I cried a lot in several scenes and I really loved those moments when I felt the protagonist was happy.

A novel full of love, family, decisions that alter the life we ​​have planned, it has a touch of magic and fantasy and an impeccable development of characters and plot.

I fell in love, and I have nothing left to say but READ IT, it's totally worth it.

I enjoyed Rachel’s previous novel, The Enlightenment Of Bees so much that I had to get my hands on this book ASAP!

I’m glad to report that I enjoyed this book even more than her last one! Set in Seattle (one of my fave places to read about) and sprinkled with magical realism, this book explored the main character Lolly’s three biggest regrets in life and gives her a chance to come to terms with where her path in life has taken her.

I absolutely loved the ending of this book! I was getting worried near the end that things wouldn’t tie up in a way I liked, but I was definitely not disappointed in the end.

3.5 Stars
* * * 1/2
This has so much going for it...the serious but fun look at the concept of how your life would be different if you made different choices.
Yes, that is something we all know, however, if we do not let go of what might have been and let go of that choice, we will be stuck, and never truly appreciate all the other choices we made in our Real life....and what else could be around the corner.
Sweet with a side of Real.