Every so often, a book surprises you – not because it fits your usual taste, but because it doesn’t. Those unexpected reads can end up meaning the most. That was my experience with “When Lemons Give You Life” by Anna Johnston.
I first came across Johnston’s work through “The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife” (link is to my review), a novel I adored even though it sits far outside my usual genres. I’m typically drawn to thrillers, mysteries, suspense, and horror – stories with tension, twists, and a bit of darkness. But Frederick Fife changed that for me. That book was warm, funny, and deeply human, with characters who felt real enough to care about long after finishing the book. So when I discovered Anna Johnston had a new release, I didn’t hesitate. I picked up “When Lemons Give You Life” as soon as I could, and I’m so glad I did. I loved it!
I don’t want to go into too much detail about the plot, because part of the joy of this book is discovering it for yourself. But without giving anything away, at the heart of this story is Griff, and much like Frederick Fife, Griff is the kind of character who gradually works his way into your thoughts and, before you realize it, into your heart. There’s something wonderfully human about the way Anna Johnston creates her characters. They aren’t simply people who exist to move the story from one chapter to the next. They feel like people you could actually know. They have their quirks, their struggles, their imperfections, their histories, and all those little things that make a person feel real. And Griff is someone you find yourself connecting with.
You begin the book as a reader watching his story unfold. Somewhere along the way, though, that distance disappears. You start thinking about Griff’s choices – his relationships, his circumstances, and his life. And, perhaps unexpectedly, your own. That’s one of the things I appreciated most about this book.
It would be easy to call “When Lemons Give You Life” a feel-good book, but that only captures part of what it offers. Yes, it’s uplifting. Yes, it’s often funny. But it also carries emotional depth that sneaks up on you.
The dialogue is one of its strengths – natural, sharp, and genuinely entertaining. But beneath the humor, there’s something more reflective at work. This is a story about people – their relationships, their regrets, their choices, and the ways life rarely unfolds the way we expect. It touches on how we carry our pasts, how we’re shaped by others, and how we try to make sense of where we end up. And that’s where it really resonated with me. Because while reading about Griff’s journey, it’s hard not to think about your own. The relationships you’ve had, the decisions you’ve made. The people who have influenced you. The things you would change – and the things you wouldn’t. And the unexpected turns life has taken along the way.
This is a book that lingers with you after you’ve finished it. Not just the plot, but the feeling of it. It made me think about how easily we misunderstand others, and how much we don’t see beneath the surface of someone else’s life. It made me reflect on relationships and how complicated they can become, even when no one intends for them to. And it reminded me that life rarely hands us what we expect – but we still have to figure out how to move forward with what we’re given.
I highly recommend this book – not just to readers who enjoy heartwarming contemporary fiction, but to anyone who simply loves a really good story and characters you can care about. Even if you usually reach for a thriller, mystery, suspense novel, or something with a little more darkness, give this one a chance. You might be surprised by what happens when life gives you lemons.
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