This was a deliciously sweet story with a side of magical realism perfect to cleanse the reading palate.

I’ve really been enjoying books with a time travel/change the past storyline this year, and was so excited to read
THE MAGIC OF LEMON DROP PIE.

Lolly is a woman in her thirties trying to keep her family diner afloat, and living out her Mother’s dream before she died, realizing that she wishes things turned out differently for herself. When Lolly’s Great Aunt gives her magical lemon drops and the opportunity to revisit her life and what could have been, she jumps at the chance.

Overall it was a lighthearted story, and I really enjoyed it!

*many thanks to Berkley Pub/Netgalley and Uplit Reads for the gifted copy for review

One Sentence Summary: Lolly is given the chance to live a day in a life she could have had thanks to some magic lemon drops, and must then determine which life she wants to live forever.

My thoughts:

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie has all the ingredients for the kind of story I gobble up with great enjoyment: food, family, romance, quirky friends, delightfully mysterious older relatives…and a similar premise to a book I’ve previously enjoyed. I can’t quite tell if it’s because of the story or because I was so enamored with that earlier book, but I was left feeling little more than lukewarm about this book. But that’s not to say this isn’t a good one; it really has a lot of charm and lovely characters, one of whom is placed in an enviable situation.

In the end, The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie does nicely balance the women’s fiction and romance aspects. It does tell a very sweet story of second chances and of figuring out what one ought to do with one’s life. It tells a heartwarming story of family and loss and the drive to do one’s loved ones proud. It also offered Lolly the enviable opportunity to briefly live a life she could have had on her journey to either torture herself with what could have been or to help her find her way from the daily drudgery she’s committed herself to since her mother’s untimely death right when everything was going right for Lolly.

But I found the early focus on an expired romance a little overbearing and the male lead, Rory, rather bland. To me, the romance felt like it was having an elbow fight with the women’s fiction aspect of Lolly figuring out her life. Often, it was jarring, especially during the first half when I could not for the life of me figure out why a failed romance was given such prominence. It does make a lot more sense later on, but I felt like I really had to wait for it, complete with a great deal of frustration, especially since Rory didn’t feel like he deserved Lolly’s devotion. I had such a hard time figuring him out, and I still see little more than a cardboard cutout of a male whenever I try to picture him.

I really liked Lolly. She really tried, she really loved her family, she really put her all into everything to keep her family’s restaurant afloat after her mother’s tragic death. I felt her loss with her use of every lemon drop, every could have been, as well as her deep love and devotion to her mom. Emotionally, it was easy to connect with her, to feel the consequences of every decision and every road not taken. But I seriously struggled with her tight grip on a failed romance, especially since he had moved on. There were so many issues I took with Rory. He felt like he was only there to serve as a romantic partner, his story complex to make their romance complicated, but it didn’t really endear me to him. I didn’t care for him as a partner to Lolly. He simply felt like he didn’t really try hard enough, as though he’d rather sacrifice her than anything else, forcing Lolly to re-imagine her life.

What was really nice, what saved the book for me, were Lolly’s best friend and aunt and the setting. Even though Magnolia, Washington wasn’t terribly detailed, I got a sense of Washington and really loved the beach Lolly loved going to. It was the small details that transported me there, the small town feeling. It felt cozy and lovely. But Lolly’s friend Eve and aunt Gert stole the show. They were such fun ladies, ladies who really grabbed their lives by the horns and tamed it into what they wanted. They lived their lives, they did what made them happy, and I couldn’t help but admire them. They felt entirely at odds with Lolly, which might explain why I liked her, but longed for more for her.

The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie has a lot of good ingredients. It’s charming and it has food, including a recipe for the eponymous pie. It details Lolly’s use of three lemon drops, each of which gives her the opportunity to live a life she could have had. But I wish each use had prompted something new in her. Instead, I just felt her regrets piling up, giving me little more than a very sad Lolly who didn’t seem to learn much of herself or her life and just kept trudging on. The part that seemed to have more of an impact on her and what she really wanted was the detailing of exactly how her relationship with Rory started and ended. Overall, it lacked the vibrancy I had hoped for and a woman really trying to search for herself and come to terms with her life. As a romance, though, it was cute and sweet, if a bit bland.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s so cute and perfect for when you’re looking for a happy, cozy read! It gave me some Midnight Library vibes. I’ve never been a fan of time travel stuff, but I do love the idea of making every day count and am always fascinated by the idea of how one choice has such a big affect on the course of our lives. In #themagicoflemondroppie (thank you, @uplitreads and @berkleypub for my gifted copy!), Lolly receives three lemon drops that allow her to live a single day in a life that might of been had she simply made a different choice. This story is about letting go of regrets and embracing the present. I definitely recommend checking it out. It would be great for your next #bookclub pick! Lots to discuss and even comes with reader questions in the back of the book!

“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”

This quote really stood out to me when I read it early on in the book and it became a recurring theme in the story. Pursuing bliss is what guided Lolly’s (MC) journey of self-discovery and getting “unstuck.”

In the beginning, Lolly finds herself feeling so defeated. Her glimpses into “what could have been” give her perspective as to why she ultimately the one in charge of her own future.

I very much liked the way details about Lolly were revealed through the chapters of the present, past, and … parallel? Every scene wove together threads that amounted to Lolly’s bigger picture.

The idea that we sacrifice something no matter what choices we make in life is so relatable that I found myself okay with the different paths the story took.

Recommend this to anyone who enjoys:
🥧 Second chances (romantic & life in general)
🥧 Main characters who learn to let go & move on
🥧 Imperfect, and thus real, characters
🥧 Whimsy

This was the sweetest, most heartfelt novel. Very whimsical and filled with magical second chances, it was the perfect feel-good read with plenty of self-discovery sprinkled in.

If you love Hallmark movies, then you’re in luck because this has been optioned for just that. You’ll love this book.

My thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Romance and Uplit Reads for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I’d be surprised if you told me you haven’t already seen this cute little book floating around somewhere after it’s recent release on 8/2!

With the most beautiful cover & the promises of a heartfelt escape, I was happily surprised with how quickly & how much this story won me over. It was SO cute + nostalgic with touches of magical realism and characters that you can’t help but love. It’s something light-hearted but also, a gentle reminder to prioritize, appreciate & love your people well/while you can. I listened to this one & truly felt engaged and intrigued throughout.

While I do think the “time travel” type books are becoming a teeeeensy over-saturated lately (says the girl who could swim in a sea of WW2 fiction, I know I know 🤣) I am so so grateful I was able to join the campaign with @uplitreads on this one because I loved it so much.

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.