Reviewed by Kristin
Lolly Blanchard has lived a life of responsibility. After her
mother died ten years ago, she gave up her vision of creating her own
restaurant in Brighton, a place she loved since she studied abroad in England.
Lolly also gave up Rory Shaw, the man she has loved since she was a teenager,
as their paths diverged. Lolly stayed home to help her father Marty run the
Eatery, their family diner on the west side of Seattle, and also to take care
of her teenage sister Daphne. Lolly has done what she promised her mother she
would do—keep their family together—but she certainly has collected many
regrets along the way.
Lolly rises early every morning to make six lemon meringue pies
for the diner. The Danish comfort food diner was started by her maternal
grandparents half a century ago, even if it is looking a bit shabby these days.
Mostly a family concern, Marty is the head chef and Great-Aunt Gert is often
seen balancing plates of meatballs and potatoes with a pot of coffee in her
other hand. Lolly is the one keeping the financial side afloat, not to mention
those pies.
At the ripe old age of almost 33, as Lolly looks back at what
might have been, Aunt Gert gives her a very strange gift: three lemon drops
with magical properties. Each lemon drop will give her a chance to live one day
in an alternate timeline, in a life that might have been. What if Lolly had
opened her dream restaurant overseas? What if her mother had lived? What if she
had chosen to follow her heart?
Lolly is not sure if Aunt Gert has lost her marbles or if the
lemon drops really are magic. She decides to give it a try to see what path her
life might have taken, if only…
This novel is so full of family and of the strings that tie us
all together. The phrase “follow your bliss” comes up an unusual number of
times, but I think that’s just Aunt Gert encouraging Lolly to discover what she
has been missing, and also how to live her best life, regrets not withstanding.
Aunt Gert is a most entertaining character and I wish the author had chosen to
dive a little deeper into her past. At age 80, she certainly has led a most
interesting life as a professor emeritus of religion and mythology, traveling
the world and retaining her most unique fashion sense even as she now tromps
through the diner in her orthopedic shoes.
All the way through I kept guessing what might happen, and
while I was partially correct, the storyline still managed to surprise me
pleasantly. I was so invested in the characters that the people Lolly lost, and
her hopes for what might be actually brought me to tears a few times. The
writing is highly engaging, and I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
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