When Life Gives You Lemons Instead Of Lattes
Kylie’s summer after high school graduation was supposed to be celebrated in Europe, not some podunk town in Ohio. But when the FBI show up at her parents’ California beach house looking for her father, her life takes a sudden and unexpected detour.
With her family assets frozen and her father on the run, the only place left to go is a dilapidated house that once belonged to her great-grandmother. Now, her family is broke, her social status in ruins, and the only internet access is a café where a nerdy barista boy wants to be her new best friend.
But life has a funny way of teaching its lessons, and although Kylie seems to be the brunt of several, being catapulted into this new reality might be what she needs to learn that not all wealth can be measured in dollars and cents.
A opposites attract love story about about the deception of appearances and starting over in unexpected places.
Page Length: 318
After her high school graduation, Kylie had planned on a summer of excitement, traveling Europe and enjoying herself before going to college. But when the FBI shows up at her family’s house, claiming her father has stolen a lot of money, and that they are looking for him, Kylie’s summer is officially ruined – their assets are frozen, which means Kylie, her mother, and younger sister, Harlow, have no money, and nowhere to live. With no other options, they make the long car journey to the small town Kylie’s mother grew up in, to move into Kylie’s great-grandmother’s house.
From riches to nothing, Kylie has a hard time adjusting to her new life. She has never got on well with her mother and now has to deal with not being able to afford even a latte at the one coffee shop in town. She finds herself working at the grocery store for the notoriously grumpy and rude old man who owns it, and, slowly but surely, she starts to get along with him, and begins to see that the town maybe isn’t as bad as she first thought.
Kylie’s entire attitude changes throughout the course of this book. She never got on very well with her mother and was used to having endless amounts of money to do with what she wanted. Having to work for money to afford basic things is something she is not at all used to, and she initially really struggles to adapt to her new life. She is angry at the world, but takes it out on her mother. She can’t believe that her father would actually steal, let alone steal the amounts he is accused of, and lives with the belief that her father will be proven innocent, and she will be able to return to her old life. I loved watching the change in Kylie as she starts to lose her entitled side, and starts putting some effort into the things she does. Watching as Kylie started to get on with her mother and sister better was great. Harlow is very grown up for her age, and looks up to Kylie as they enter a life unfamiliar to them. The sisters get on well, and following them as Kylie starts to get on with her mother as well was lovely.
There were some very predictable cliches in this book, not that I’m complaining about them. They fit perfectly within the story. Rich girl moves to a small town, meets the bullied nerd, denies that she might have feelings for him… I loved Otto, especially his clear passion for astrology, and that he doesn’t let anyone’s negative comments get him down, and instead embraces his love for the stars. Otto and Kylie don’t end up in any sort of relationship until much nearer the end of the book, but I don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to talk about, as it is very clear from the start that they will end up together.
The title of this book is, in my opinion, amazing, and fits the book so well. The whole saying of ‘when life gives you lemons’, meaning to make the best of a bad situation, is an incredibly accurate way of describing the journey Kylie goes on in this book, as she attempts to get used to her new life, and adapt to try and enjoy living in the small town. The addition of lattes to the saying is just great. Not only does it point out the stark difference between Kylie’s new life and old, being that lemons and lattes are two very different things, and most people would much prefer the latte over the lemon, it’s an amusing saying, and definitely memorable – it was the title that made me want to read this book in the first place.
I am not sure who my favourite character in this book would be if I had to pick one. I loved Kylie, especially further into the book where she starts to enjoy herself in the small town, but I also adored Otto and Charles, and Tristan was not far behind them in the end. Harlow is obviously a top contender. There are so many characters in this book to love, it is almost impossible to choose. With so many characters to fall in love with, though, it was difficult to finish reading this book, as I wanted to stay with the characters for as long as possible, which was made doubly difficult when all I wanted to do was keep reading!
This is a great YA book, with some very clear themes of coming to terms with things, and working to make lemonade out of the lemons you’ve been handed. I loved every second of reading it, and cannot wait to read more books by this author!
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