Sometimes you can look at a book cover and title and think yes, that sounds like my kind of book. If you are super lucky, you then read the first few pages and know that you are going to love it, and this was one of those books for me!
When Lolly was in her early teens she wrote down 5 goals for her life. They were:
Live in another country
Own my own restaurant somewhere amazing
Fall in love
Help my family be happy together 4 ever
Get my own horse
Now in her early thirties, Lolly finds the diary and she is somewhat disappointed with her life in comparison to her younger self's dreams.
Lolly feels like she lives a life driven by her obligations and duty. Ten years earlier, her mother had died leaving Lolly, her dad and her younger sister behind. Every day Lolly rises early, bakes lemon drop pies (even though she doesn't even like them herself) for the family diner where her dad dutifully cooks each day. The reality is that the restaurant is not really viable any more no matter how much her family and their regular customers wish it was. To make things worse, her younger sister seems to be moving in a different direction to the one that Lolly imagined for her when she gave up her own dreams to help her sister through college.
When she looks back, Lolly only sees failure. She did spend a few months in England and fell in love with the town of Brighton, but there's no way she can open a restaurant there now. Her family is as together as it can be given the tragic death of her mother and the pressures of running a failing business. As for falling love, Lolly lost the only man she ever loved when she had to choose between supporting her family or moving away to support his career. Rory and Lolly had been inseparable since they were teenagers but there is no chance for them to ever be together again but she can't see herself meeting anyone else.
The only thing on her list that she doesn't feel like she is missing out on is the horse!
One day her eccentric Aunt Gert gives her an extraordinary chance to see what her life would be like if things would be different. Aunt Gert has a hidden supply of Lemon Drops which, if you suck them and think of where you want to go, give you the ability to have just one day in another version of your own life. Lolly finds herself running a successful business, or married to the man of her dreams or having just one more day with her mother. What soon becomes clear is in every version of her life, there are things that are great, but there is a cost for the different turns that life has taken.
Through these various experiences and the things that are happening in real life, Lolly begins to realise that it is still possible for her to live her dreams. It just might look a little different than it did in her imagination all those years before.
I do enjoy books with this kind of magical realism, where everything looks normal with just that element of a magical twist. This is a really good example of a feel good read, with loads of delicious sounding food, and an inspiring message. And there is also a recipe for Lemon Drop Pie in the back of the book.
This was my first Rachel Linden book and I can't wait to read more. If her other books are as good as this one then she now has a new fan!
I am sharing this review with Foodies Read hosted at Based on a True Story.
Rating 4.5/5
Saturday - Nasi Goreng
Sunday - Chicken Kebabs, baked potato and coleslaw
Monday - Honey Pepper Chicken
Tuesday - Out for dinner
Wednesday - Pork Chops, mash, broccoli and gravy
Thursday - Creamy sausage pasta
Friday -
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