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I found Anna Johnston’s The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife to be completely charming, so it was a no-brainer to reach for her next book, When Lemons Give You Life. This one is also set at a nursing home. And this one also involves someone being in the facility who’s not supposed to be there.
In this novel, 64-year-old Griff Barlow has been living at the Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility for a year or so. He is done with life and so tired of not just the grief that’s overwhelmed him since his husband died but also the horrible stuff that is supposed to pass for food at Sunny Glen.
Griff was a Michelin-starred chef. He ran his own restaurant. He knows how to make food that will make your taste buds and heart sing. He wants just one more delicious treat before he shuffles off this mortal coil. So he breaks into the kitchen one night and makes a lemon tart. But another resident catches him and he ends up promising to make something else.
Before Griff knows it, he’s pushing off his own planned demise and finding ways to delight other nursing home residents with his cooking skills.
It’s all a bit complicated, however, because he’s hiding a huge secret. And it’s becoming harder to do. His sister, Lisa, from whom he’s largely been estranged for years, definitely can’t know the truth.
Of course, despite Griff’s plans, things just get more and more complicated, and he has to make some hard decisions.
When Lemons Give You Life is another heartwarming book; this time around, the main character is a gruff old guy whose goodness is hiding fairly deep down, even kind of unknown from himself. As the reader, you’re cheering him on, and his sister, and everyone involved. Life certainly does hand out lemons to us all, and it has in this story, some big sour ones. But it’s still possible to make those lemons into something sweet and good.
Rated: Moderate. Profanity includes 1 use of strong language, around 25 instances of moderate profanity, about 45 uses of mild language, around 40 instances of the name of Deity in vain, and about 40 uses of British profanity (bl-). Sexual content includes kissing and closed-door scenes.
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*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
