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When Lemons Give You Life
Redemption is a dish best served warm . . .
Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides.
Life’s given him all the lemons he can handle – so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal, but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavour and comfort to his fellow residents. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing he has left to protect . . .
Meanwhile, Griff’s younger sister Lisa is navigating a new ADHD diagnosis and the spark of an unexpected romance. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she dutifully visits Griff, though she knows hope of a reconciliation is gone, buried in the silence between them.
But the truth has a way of boiling over – and when secrets, soufflés and second chances collide, they may discover a recipe for forgiveness.
Anna Johnston's second novel is an enchanting story that will appeal to fans of Richard Osman, Joanna Nell and Amanda Hampson.
‘Smart, authentic and full of heart.’ Graeme Simsion, author of the international bestseller The Rosie Project
'Anna Johnston imbues her characters with a warmth, tenderness, and singularity that makes them irresistible. A charming tale of redemption, complex sibling bonds, and the joy of a meal cooked with love, this book will leave your heart full and your tastebuds ignited.' Mikki Brammer, author of the international bestseller The Collected Regrets of Clover
'An absolute chef's kiss of a novel, prepared with heart and humour, guaranteed to please your palate.' Troy Hunter, author of Gus and the Missing Boy
'For the burnt-out and world-weary, Anna Johnston’s novels offer essential therapy – wickedly funny stories about flawed heroes with the power to restore our faith in each other.' Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Burned Books
Retired Michelin-star chef Griff Barlow has lost his appetite. He’s done with grief, guilt and the beige slop they dare call food at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, where he now resides.
Life’s given him all the lemons he can handle – so he breaks into the nursing home kitchen to bake himself one last tart. It’s supposed to be his final meal, but the act of cooking stirs a dormant joy. Soon, he’s regularly sneaking in after dark, serving up flavour and comfort to his fellow residents. Yet behind the apron is a lie so big it could destroy the one thing he has left to protect . . .
Meanwhile, Griff’s younger sister Lisa is navigating a new ADHD diagnosis and the spark of an unexpected romance. Despite their fractured sibling relationship, she dutifully visits Griff, though she knows hope of a reconciliation is gone, buried in the silence between them.
But the truth has a way of boiling over – and when secrets, soufflés and second chances collide, they may discover a recipe for forgiveness.
Anna Johnston's second novel is an enchanting story that will appeal to fans of Richard Osman, Joanna Nell and Amanda Hampson.
‘Smart, authentic and full of heart.’ Graeme Simsion, author of the international bestseller The Rosie Project
'Anna Johnston imbues her characters with a warmth, tenderness, and singularity that makes them irresistible. A charming tale of redemption, complex sibling bonds, and the joy of a meal cooked with love, this book will leave your heart full and your tastebuds ignited.' Mikki Brammer, author of the international bestseller The Collected Regrets of Clover
'An absolute chef's kiss of a novel, prepared with heart and humour, guaranteed to please your palate.' Troy Hunter, author of Gus and the Missing Boy
'For the burnt-out and world-weary, Anna Johnston’s novels offer essential therapy – wickedly funny stories about flawed heroes with the power to restore our faith in each other.' Kirsten Miller, author of Lula Dean’s Little Library of Burned Books
438 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 28, 2026
About the author
Anna Johnston
2 books981 followersAnna Johnston is a former baby, aspiring octogenarian and emerging Australian author with a love for the heartfelt and hilarious. She grew up in country Victoria before moving to Melbourne where she lives joyously with her husband and daughters by the beach. Anna left an imminent career in medicine to follow her heart into her grandfather’s nursing home where she became the social support coordinator, taking great delight in shaking up the usual program. When injury left her unable to continue working in aged care, she began to write about it, channelling her love for older people onto the page. Anna has enjoyed a lifelong passion for theatre, screenplay, travel, and creative ageing.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 5, 2026
Life-affirming. Beautiful. Heartfelt.
I adored these realistically flawed characters, the variety of character and diagnostic representations, the setting, and the entire storyline. This was a gentle and enjoyable read, which will stay with me for a long time.
There were many possibly challenging topics covered in this story, which I felt were handled with consideration and nuance, and added to the overall storyline.
I loved Johnston’s debut novel, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, and have loved this story too. These are both beautiful stories and I am very excited to read whatever comes next from Australian author Anna Johnston.
I adored these realistically flawed characters, the variety of character and diagnostic representations, the setting, and the entire storyline. This was a gentle and enjoyable read, which will stay with me for a long time.
There were many possibly challenging topics covered in this story, which I felt were handled with consideration and nuance, and added to the overall storyline.
I loved Johnston’s debut novel, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, and have loved this story too. These are both beautiful stories and I am very excited to read whatever comes next from Australian author Anna Johnston.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
*** 4/4/26 *** Just finished Anna Johnston's sophomore book after reading her debut last year, and (TL/DR) unfortunately did not enjoy this storyline or characters anywhere near as much in this soon to be released novel.
I think it is important that contemporary fiction incorporates the ever-evolving landscape of humanity - representing different issues and modern dilemmas that people face, and also diverse experiences and cultures in the world. This novel certainly does that, exploring adult diagnosis of ADHD, early onset Alzheimer's, gay marriage, women finding love at an older age, domestic violence, dysfunctional families and well-kept secrets/lies within them, as well as another life-threatening illness, not to mention poorly run nursing homes/memory care facilities. Also great food and making/serving it! Yes, good representation of many modern issues, but ...... THAT IS A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER IN ONE BOOK!
The majority of these topics are difficult, bordering on painful, to read about, or imagine in your own life, and served to make this book a challenge for people like me who are firmly in the 'middle-aged' or older camp. In contrast, Johnston's last book was much more optimistic, even though it also dealt with seniors and senior living facilities.
As the first 50% of the book served to set up all of these storylines, I felt I was being hit over the head with a checklist of issues, just knowing that they had to resolve in some way, as that is the spirit of this author. I was particularly frustrated with the storyline in which Griff does not share the decades-old secrets from Lisa's youth to "honor" their mother's promise to do so. It really made no sense to me at all that he would keep that inappropriate promise to Lisa as adults. I also found the rapidity and depth of Lisa's romance to be a little 'white knight' to me, and not super believable. But maybe I am not romantic enough lol.
While there was a heartfelt ending to this book (last 10%), I'm so sorry to say that the journey (and the mini-dive into 'cheffy' fancy food) was probably not worth it to me. My MIL passed from Alzheimer's, and and that topic (aside from others mentioned above) is so sensitive to so many, particularly when partnered with a storyline of a cruel administrator of the nursing home, that I really had to push myself to finish the book per my NetGalley obligation (thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel - these thoughts are entirely my own). 1.5 stars.
*** 3/30/26 *** Just approved for this NetGalley ARC (pub date: Aug 4, 2026), and am nearly 10% in. I read Anna Johnston's prior book, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife (review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and see that both books are anchored in senior homes, deal with aging, and are based in Australia, which means there are some words that even my Kindle dictionary cannot interpret properly lol. This book introduces great food and ADHD, as well as budding romance, all of which are pretty relatable topics to most people, so we'll see where it goes and report back soon.
I think it is important that contemporary fiction incorporates the ever-evolving landscape of humanity - representing different issues and modern dilemmas that people face, and also diverse experiences and cultures in the world. This novel certainly does that, exploring adult diagnosis of ADHD, early onset Alzheimer's, gay marriage, women finding love at an older age, domestic violence, dysfunctional families and well-kept secrets/lies within them, as well as another life-threatening illness, not to mention poorly run nursing homes/memory care facilities. Also great food and making/serving it! Yes, good representation of many modern issues, but ...... THAT IS A LOT OF GROUND TO COVER IN ONE BOOK!
The majority of these topics are difficult, bordering on painful, to read about, or imagine in your own life, and served to make this book a challenge for people like me who are firmly in the 'middle-aged' or older camp. In contrast, Johnston's last book was much more optimistic, even though it also dealt with seniors and senior living facilities.
As the first 50% of the book served to set up all of these storylines, I felt I was being hit over the head with a checklist of issues, just knowing that they had to resolve in some way, as that is the spirit of this author. I was particularly frustrated with the storyline in which Griff does not share the decades-old secrets from Lisa's youth to "honor" their mother's promise to do so. It really made no sense to me at all that he would keep that inappropriate promise to Lisa as adults. I also found the rapidity and depth of Lisa's romance to be a little 'white knight' to me, and not super believable. But maybe I am not romantic enough lol.
While there was a heartfelt ending to this book (last 10%), I'm so sorry to say that the journey (and the mini-dive into 'cheffy' fancy food) was probably not worth it to me. My MIL passed from Alzheimer's, and and that topic (aside from others mentioned above) is so sensitive to so many, particularly when partnered with a storyline of a cruel administrator of the nursing home, that I really had to push myself to finish the book per my NetGalley obligation (thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review this novel - these thoughts are entirely my own). 1.5 stars.
*** 3/30/26 *** Just approved for this NetGalley ARC (pub date: Aug 4, 2026), and am nearly 10% in. I read Anna Johnston's prior book, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife (review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...), and see that both books are anchored in senior homes, deal with aging, and are based in Australia, which means there are some words that even my Kindle dictionary cannot interpret properly lol. This book introduces great food and ADHD, as well as budding romance, all of which are pretty relatable topics to most people, so we'll see where it goes and report back soon.
April 28, 2026
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
Another beautiful story by talented author Anna Johnston. When Lemons Give You Life is a story about a broken man, grief, aged care, medical themes, food, redemption and guilt. It’s delightful and at the same time sad.
Griff Barlow is a retired Michelin-star chef who is sixty two, faking an illness and living at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility where the food served there is rubbish and life is mundane. Life has been tough for Griff and he’s feeling lost and about to bake his last lemon tart ever but then he has an awakening and finds himself on a mission, sneaking into the nursing home kitchen to make the most delicious meals for his fellow residents. I loved how cooking good food brought him back to ‘life’.
Griff’s estranged sister Lisa regularly visits Griff, their relationship is fractured and there are never worlds spoken to her by Griff. Lisa is an interesting and likeable character, she’s a dog groomer and has just been diagnosed with ADHD.
Griff is a man hiding many secrets and one that would destroy his reputation. I loved the food elements in the book and how it played a huge part in the story.
A delightful tale of complicated relationships, flawed characters, second chances and coming clean. The author highlights some of the things that I hope can be changed in the industry for the future to make life better for the elderly. This title would make a great book club read with characters that come to life on the pages.
Publication Date 28 April 2026
Publisher Imprint Penguin
Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Penguin Books Australia and Anna Johnston for the gorgeous promo box and book.
Another beautiful story by talented author Anna Johnston. When Lemons Give You Life is a story about a broken man, grief, aged care, medical themes, food, redemption and guilt. It’s delightful and at the same time sad.
Griff Barlow is a retired Michelin-star chef who is sixty two, faking an illness and living at Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility where the food served there is rubbish and life is mundane. Life has been tough for Griff and he’s feeling lost and about to bake his last lemon tart ever but then he has an awakening and finds himself on a mission, sneaking into the nursing home kitchen to make the most delicious meals for his fellow residents. I loved how cooking good food brought him back to ‘life’.
Griff’s estranged sister Lisa regularly visits Griff, their relationship is fractured and there are never worlds spoken to her by Griff. Lisa is an interesting and likeable character, she’s a dog groomer and has just been diagnosed with ADHD.
Griff is a man hiding many secrets and one that would destroy his reputation. I loved the food elements in the book and how it played a huge part in the story.
A delightful tale of complicated relationships, flawed characters, second chances and coming clean. The author highlights some of the things that I hope can be changed in the industry for the future to make life better for the elderly. This title would make a great book club read with characters that come to life on the pages.
Publication Date 28 April 2026
Publisher Imprint Penguin
Thank you so much to the wonderful team at Penguin Books Australia and Anna Johnston for the gorgeous promo box and book.
May 12, 2026
Don’t be put off by the silly rom-com sounding title — this book is beautiful and profound. I laughed at, rooted for and ached with the relatably flawed but deeply good characters, enjoyed the plot twists which were delightfully silly at times and tear-jerking at others. It’s about family and love and acceptance and dementia and aging and protecting people and honesty and abuse and neurodiversity and mentorship and believing in people and forgiving yourself. Highly recommend!
April 3, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Random House Australia for the ARC in return for my honest opinion.
I finished this and just sat there for a while. Proper tears. The kind that catch you off guard because the book isn’t trying to manipulate you, it’s just… honest.
This story follows Griff, a former chef in his 60s living in aged care and secretly still cooking, and his half-sister Lisa, who’s navigating a late ADHD diagnosis. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but it never feels overcrowded. It feels like real life. Messy, layered, and full of things happening all at once.
Told across their two perspectives, past and present, you slowly piece together their history and the weight they both carry. There’s grief here. A lot of it. But also love in all its complicated forms. The kind that doesn’t always look soft or easy.
Griff and Beau’s relationship really stayed with me. There’s something so tender about seeing an older same-sex couple written with this much care, especially within the aged care setting. It never feels like a “statement”, it just feels real and deeply lived-in.
Lisa was a standout for me too. An unmarried woman without children, but that’s not her story. Her story is her mind, her chaos, her inner life. The ADHD representation felt genuine, especially that sense of your own brain working against you while also being the place you retreat to.
There’s also this thread of caregiving running through everything. The quiet burden of it. The guilt, the love, the obligation. It hits.
And the food… I loved that part. It’s not just there for colour. It’s memory, control, comfort. It’s how Griff holds onto himself.
The last third of this book absolutely got me. I was crying through most of it, but still couldn’t stop reading. It’s heavy, yes, but then Johnston gives you these small, warm moments that almost steady you again.
The characters are flawed in a way that feels familiar. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes incredibly tender. You recognise bits of people you know. Bits of yourself.
This isn’t a light read. It’s one that sits with grief and doesn’t rush you through it. But there’s warmth threaded through the whole thing, enough to keep you there.
And honestly, when a book can make you feel this much and still leave you with a bit of softness at the end… that’s something special.
I finished this and just sat there for a while. Proper tears. The kind that catch you off guard because the book isn’t trying to manipulate you, it’s just… honest.
This story follows Griff, a former chef in his 60s living in aged care and secretly still cooking, and his half-sister Lisa, who’s navigating a late ADHD diagnosis. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but it never feels overcrowded. It feels like real life. Messy, layered, and full of things happening all at once.
Told across their two perspectives, past and present, you slowly piece together their history and the weight they both carry. There’s grief here. A lot of it. But also love in all its complicated forms. The kind that doesn’t always look soft or easy.
Griff and Beau’s relationship really stayed with me. There’s something so tender about seeing an older same-sex couple written with this much care, especially within the aged care setting. It never feels like a “statement”, it just feels real and deeply lived-in.
Lisa was a standout for me too. An unmarried woman without children, but that’s not her story. Her story is her mind, her chaos, her inner life. The ADHD representation felt genuine, especially that sense of your own brain working against you while also being the place you retreat to.
There’s also this thread of caregiving running through everything. The quiet burden of it. The guilt, the love, the obligation. It hits.
And the food… I loved that part. It’s not just there for colour. It’s memory, control, comfort. It’s how Griff holds onto himself.
The last third of this book absolutely got me. I was crying through most of it, but still couldn’t stop reading. It’s heavy, yes, but then Johnston gives you these small, warm moments that almost steady you again.
The characters are flawed in a way that feels familiar. Sometimes frustrating, sometimes incredibly tender. You recognise bits of people you know. Bits of yourself.
This isn’t a light read. It’s one that sits with grief and doesn’t rush you through it. But there’s warmth threaded through the whole thing, enough to keep you there.
And honestly, when a book can make you feel this much and still leave you with a bit of softness at the end… that’s something special.
April 16, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for the digital copy to review.
I loved everything about this book.
It made me laugh and it made me cry, and I was completely invested in the characters from the beginning. Griff is such a wonderful character — complex, flawed, and quietly hopeful — and I loved how food became his way of reconnecting with life and the people around him.
The story also explores bigger themes like grief, guilt, family relationships, and second chances, but it does it so gently and naturally. Nothing feels forced, and that’s what makes it so powerful.
A warm, emotional read that really stayed with me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved everything about this book.
It made me laugh and it made me cry, and I was completely invested in the characters from the beginning. Griff is such a wonderful character — complex, flawed, and quietly hopeful — and I loved how food became his way of reconnecting with life and the people around him.
The story also explores bigger themes like grief, guilt, family relationships, and second chances, but it does it so gently and naturally. Nothing feels forced, and that’s what makes it so powerful.
A warm, emotional read that really stayed with me.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 13, 2026
A bit “Man called Ove” like - poor Griff is misunderstood and it’s a wonderful funny and uplifting story about how he finds a sense of purpose again.
May 13, 2026
5+⭐️
April 27, 2026
Anna Johnston has again written the most beautiful and heartwarming story that will stay with me forever
First there was Fred and now we meet Griff and I am a blubbering mess again (and very hungry too IYKYK!!)
We meet Griff, a retired Michelin star chef now living in a nursing home, feeling lost and lonely. Life hasn’t planned out how he expected. While his relationship with sister Lisa was fractured, she still goes out of her way to visit him anytime she can. Her life has also changed recently, now navigating a new ADHD diagnosis
When Griff sneaks into the kitchen late one night to bake his last meal, his love for food and cooking reignites the passion he had lost and he opens himself to connecting with others again
I laughed, I gasped, I smiled, and I cried, oh did I cry…and for a whole day I was held by every word of Griff and Lisa. Told from both POVs, woven in past and present timelines, I was on a journey of family, secrets, guilt, love and home.
Anna has the most amazing way with words and brings characters to life. You are invested quickly and they become your family by the last chapter
I am so very thankful to Penguinbooks for the amazing PR package and gifted review copy of When Lemons Give You Life 💛🍋
April 2, 2026
This was a 4.5 star read for me. I really enjoyed this new novel by Johnston (although admittedly not as much as The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife). Just as in her last novel, the bulk of the story takes place in a nursing home but this time we follow our main character who is faking dementia and living in the nursing home - he contemplates suicide to join the love of his life but reconnects with cooking and a part of himself and begins a new path. This book was lovely and made me long for family. It was touching to see how dementia and Alzheimer’s was handled throughout. I liked the elderly protagonists and seeing them find new purpose in life through their passions and through each other. The author helps us to see a world where we can do better by our elders in their end of life and I loved that message.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an early egalley copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for an early egalley copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 11, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for this advance reader copy! If you loved Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, this book very much replicates that experience. Without too many spoilers, there is an older man, a nursing home, and a cast of supporting characters you will enjoy. Don’t read the authors notes first as it will give much away, but the author is writing what she knows about and it shines in the book. I learned a lot and enjoyed the story. It was sadder than Fife for sure, and took me longer to get into, but I really enjoyed it nonetheless.
I would recommend this to my patrons and maybe select it for a book club. 4*
I would recommend this to my patrons and maybe select it for a book club. 4*
April 27, 2026
I went into "When Lemons Give You Life" expecting something something charming and full of heart, but it ended up being so much more layered than that. Similar to a cake (Griff would be proud of this, I think), this story contains multitudes of flavors; however, not every layer included suited my specific tastes. Overall, though, this was a heartwarming, engaging, and delicious read that blends emotional themes with charming humor.
full rtc closer to release date as requested by the publisher, william morrow. 💖
& a huge thank you to Anna Johnston, William Morrow, and Netgalley for gifting me an eArc of "When Lemons Give You Life" in exchange for my honest review. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity.
full rtc closer to release date as requested by the publisher, william morrow. 💖
& a huge thank you to Anna Johnston, William Morrow, and Netgalley for gifting me an eArc of "When Lemons Give You Life" in exchange for my honest review. I am eternally grateful for this opportunity.
May 24, 2026
This is such a beautiful multilayered story. Australian authors are doing amazing things lately and I’m blown away by the stories I’m reading.
I happened to already put this one on hold at the library when I also realised this author is coming to do a talk in a couple of months. Looks like I’ll be buying a copy now to get it signed and tell her how great it was!
This story follows two half siblings, Lisa and Griff. Lisa is in her early 50’s and has just been diagnosed with ADHD. Griff is a retired Michelin star chef and in a nursing home for dementia. Both of them have no living family left so Lisa continues to visit Griff in the nursing home even though he’s non verbal.
Although, is he?? I don’t want to give away everything so let me just limit what I say. Griff is still recovering from the death of his beloved husband Beau and Lisa just met 7ft tall Frank who plays music to the elderly a few times per week.
Both their stories part ways but intersect in the past so we get to know more about them and their estrangement as well as again in the present.
It’s a story about love, secrets, food being a window into the soul and also inherited family diseases, trauma and shame.
“Why do they call it perimenopause? Because it is spicy? Can I get a lemon herb?”
“Food is dignity.”
“That comes from knowing what hurt feels like and choosing not to pass it on.”
I happened to already put this one on hold at the library when I also realised this author is coming to do a talk in a couple of months. Looks like I’ll be buying a copy now to get it signed and tell her how great it was!
This story follows two half siblings, Lisa and Griff. Lisa is in her early 50’s and has just been diagnosed with ADHD. Griff is a retired Michelin star chef and in a nursing home for dementia. Both of them have no living family left so Lisa continues to visit Griff in the nursing home even though he’s non verbal.
Although, is he?? I don’t want to give away everything so let me just limit what I say. Griff is still recovering from the death of his beloved husband Beau and Lisa just met 7ft tall Frank who plays music to the elderly a few times per week.
Both their stories part ways but intersect in the past so we get to know more about them and their estrangement as well as again in the present.
It’s a story about love, secrets, food being a window into the soul and also inherited family diseases, trauma and shame.
“Why do they call it perimenopause? Because it is spicy? Can I get a lemon herb?”
“Food is dignity.”
“That comes from knowing what hurt feels like and choosing not to pass it on.”
May 2, 2026
5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Vibe check: Wholesome, Heart Melting, Deliciously Comforting
full review ⬇️
Anna’s debut novel The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is one of my all time favourite reads so the excitement levels were high for lemons!
I start with some advice. Do not read this when you’re hungry.
When Lemons Give You Life is packed with the most mouth watering food descriptions and coming from someone who is very much not a chef, even I was ready to get in the kitchen (briefly… let’s not get carried away).
But beyond the food, this is such a warm and joy filled story.
Anna Johnston is officially the queen of creating adorable, lovable elderly characters and placing them in aged care settings in a way that feels respectful and life changing.
The characters absolutely shine here bringing humour, heart and those beautifully observed moments that feel so real.
It’s the kind of book that balances lightness with deeper themes, all wrapped up in connection and finding purpose in unexpected places.
If you love stories with found family vibes, charming older characters, heartfelt moments and a side of incredible food this will absolutely win you over.
A big thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the early peek at this wonderful read.
Vibe check: Wholesome, Heart Melting, Deliciously Comforting
full review ⬇️
Anna’s debut novel The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife is one of my all time favourite reads so the excitement levels were high for lemons!
I start with some advice. Do not read this when you’re hungry.
When Lemons Give You Life is packed with the most mouth watering food descriptions and coming from someone who is very much not a chef, even I was ready to get in the kitchen (briefly… let’s not get carried away).
But beyond the food, this is such a warm and joy filled story.
Anna Johnston is officially the queen of creating adorable, lovable elderly characters and placing them in aged care settings in a way that feels respectful and life changing.
The characters absolutely shine here bringing humour, heart and those beautifully observed moments that feel so real.
It’s the kind of book that balances lightness with deeper themes, all wrapped up in connection and finding purpose in unexpected places.
If you love stories with found family vibes, charming older characters, heartfelt moments and a side of incredible food this will absolutely win you over.
A big thank you to Penguin and NetGalley for the early peek at this wonderful read.
April 20, 2026
This book truly has emotion written on each and every page, crafted lovingly by each and every heart felt letter.
Griff Barlow has had to live with things throughout his life, that no one should EVER have to, and he has some pretty deep scars to prove it.
This story takes LOVE and HATE to an entirely new level.
Joys, sorrows, happiness, grief, shame and many more emotions all intertwined amongst themselves like a ball of twisted yarn.
How can anyone truly extrapolate them all and find peace? Truthfully told, it appears on the surface to be damn near impossible…and yet the surprise ending I didn’t see coming really got to me, and started the tears flowing, and the viola playing!! (If you know you know)
This book grabbed the heartstrings from page 1, and truly never ever let go.
If you want to learn about people, emotions, relationships, and feeling different…and ultimately learning to love and accept who you are, than this is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
Anna Johnston is the player of the heartstrings with this book, and I can’t wait to read her next book!
Griff Barlow has had to live with things throughout his life, that no one should EVER have to, and he has some pretty deep scars to prove it.
This story takes LOVE and HATE to an entirely new level.
Joys, sorrows, happiness, grief, shame and many more emotions all intertwined amongst themselves like a ball of twisted yarn.
How can anyone truly extrapolate them all and find peace? Truthfully told, it appears on the surface to be damn near impossible…and yet the surprise ending I didn’t see coming really got to me, and started the tears flowing, and the viola playing!! (If you know you know)
This book grabbed the heartstrings from page 1, and truly never ever let go.
If you want to learn about people, emotions, relationships, and feeling different…and ultimately learning to love and accept who you are, than this is definitely the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC copy of this book.
Anna Johnston is the player of the heartstrings with this book, and I can’t wait to read her next book!
Want to Read
February 25, 2026Anna Johnston's debut novel last year was my favorite 2025 read. I still have not drafted a review because I am struggling for the words.
This is my most hopeful book of 2026 and the moment it hits NetGalley, I will be applying for the ARC!!!!
This is my most hopeful book of 2026 and the moment it hits NetGalley, I will be applying for the ARC!!!!
June 3, 2026
One Million Stars ⭐️ review to come 💛🍋
June 1, 2026
Exceptional. Perhaps this story resonates so strongly with me because of our current circumstances with my elderly mother in care (an extremely good nursing home, praise God!). I am sure Maggie Beer would be very happy with a story like this. It is also a reminder that the elderly are still people of value, including those with dementia. The mix of humour and drama was very good. Well done to the author.
May 25, 2026
Loved this book, so sad in many ways but thankfully a happy ending! I’ve had the privilege and displeasure of working in an end stage Alzheimer’s home. I find it hard to find the words to describe it without causing upset and fear but hopefully books like this will bring much needed awareness, understanding and empathy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2026
A Masterpiece of Emotional Truth: 10 Stars Out of 5!
This novel was an absolutely amazing read for me. The story is brilliantly wired with the most common personal tragedies and issues so many of us carry silently from childhood. It captures how, ironically, undiscovered truths can keep us entirely blind for years—distancing us from the rest of our family, our closest friends, and the people we love.
Reading this book felt just like watching a movie. Such a smooth style of writing. By the end, I completely let my tears run as the final scenes unfolded with perfect measure. What a truly talented creation this novel is.
I firmly believe each and every one of us needs to read this. You will undoubtedly find a piece of this story that is tightly and deeply connected to your own life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This novel was an absolutely amazing read for me. The story is brilliantly wired with the most common personal tragedies and issues so many of us carry silently from childhood. It captures how, ironically, undiscovered truths can keep us entirely blind for years—distancing us from the rest of our family, our closest friends, and the people we love.
Reading this book felt just like watching a movie. Such a smooth style of writing. By the end, I completely let my tears run as the final scenes unfolded with perfect measure. What a truly talented creation this novel is.
I firmly believe each and every one of us needs to read this. You will undoubtedly find a piece of this story that is tightly and deeply connected to your own life.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 9, 2026
When Lemons Give You Life is a beautiful exploration of grief, aged care, love and complicated family relationships. I laughed, I cried and I completely devoured it.
At its core this book is about rediscovering joy when life has lost its flavour. Maynard uses all consuming grief and important issues like the Australian aged care system and infuses them with fun and wit to deliver a beautifully balanced read.
Griff is quite the sneaky character, while Lisa is fun and chaotic and I really enjoyed how Maynard used past and present chapters to understand how their relationship got to where it is.
Every side character in the story also had an important role to play in the overall arc. I especially loved the different nursing home patients and the mischief they got up to.
Overall a deliciously warm, tender and authentic read that lingers long after turning the last page.
Thank you to Penguin Aus for a copy to honestly review.
At its core this book is about rediscovering joy when life has lost its flavour. Maynard uses all consuming grief and important issues like the Australian aged care system and infuses them with fun and wit to deliver a beautifully balanced read.
Griff is quite the sneaky character, while Lisa is fun and chaotic and I really enjoyed how Maynard used past and present chapters to understand how their relationship got to where it is.
Every side character in the story also had an important role to play in the overall arc. I especially loved the different nursing home patients and the mischief they got up to.
Overall a deliciously warm, tender and authentic read that lingers long after turning the last page.
Thank you to Penguin Aus for a copy to honestly review.
April 4, 2026
🍋 When Lemons Give You Life - ARC Review 🍋
My Summary:
Two half-siblings. A strained relationship. And a lemon tart.
Griff’s a retired Michelin star chef who is living in a care facility at only 64 years old. As far as everyone is aware he has early onset Alzheimer’s . . . but that isn’t true. It’s a lie that Griff is determined to keep. So he plans to take himself “off the menu” before anyone can figure out he’s been faking. Unfortunately, checking off his last wish of baking one more time sets off an entirely different chain of events.
Lisa’s been caretaking for a while now. First, her mother when she got sick and now her brother. She’s had her hands full. So she had started to lose hope she would ever meet someone that could accept all of her and her baggage. Cue a certain handsome music therapist who just started working at her brother’s care home. . .
My overall thoughts:
Oh my heart! 😩 I fell hard for these characters ya’ll. They all had their flaws and baggage they were working through but they felt real and human. I cried multiple times reading this and honestly I shouldn’t have been surprised…her previous book also had me bawling. Johnston’s just not afraid to tackle some very heavy themes and yet she somehow manages to keep the tone generally lighthearted? I’m not sure how she finds this exact balance but it is a magical combination for me personally. So magical in fact, she just solidified auto-buy status.
If you enjoy stories that focus on deep and heavy social issues, stories that tug at your heart and even crack it wide open. If you love writers with unique writing voices and those with the ability to punch you in the heart with just a few words. This is a MUST read. Full stop. I may have been a left in a sad puddle after I finished, but it deserves allll the stars.
My rating: 5 ⭐️
Release Date: August 11th
What I loved:
🍋 The different POVs! This was one of the best examples of dual POV I’ve read. Seeing the same events, through each of their eyes, and how drastically different the two were. It was this fascinating pull between finding their reactions justifiable within their viewpoint but also knowing that wasn’t quite what happened. I found myself torn emotionally and I just couldn’t be upset with either despite knowing they were wrong. I felt myself aligning with whoever’s POV I was currently in only to then switch on repeat.
🍋 The food! My word the food descriptions in this story were absolutely amazing. I felt like I was standing in the kitchen beside them as they cooked and I swear I could almost taste it. 👌🏻🤤
🍋 The character growth! I will admit I didn’t always love the main characters. They truly made some wild decisions and had a lot to work through. However, they DID work through it. The author allowed each character the time and ability to change and by the end of the book I cared deeply for every one of them. (Well except for the care manager but I at least understood her by the end.) So well done.
🍋 The heavy themes! I’m not a fan of sad books in general. My heart can only take so many a year but the topics she presented will stick with me. Truly, she went in hard for this novel and I respect the issues she highlighted. I’m not sure I would have considered a few of these without reading her book.
Thank you so, so much to Netgalley and William Morrow Books for the advanced copy! I had high expectations and this did not disappoint! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
My Summary:
Two half-siblings. A strained relationship. And a lemon tart.
Griff’s a retired Michelin star chef who is living in a care facility at only 64 years old. As far as everyone is aware he has early onset Alzheimer’s . . . but that isn’t true. It’s a lie that Griff is determined to keep. So he plans to take himself “off the menu” before anyone can figure out he’s been faking. Unfortunately, checking off his last wish of baking one more time sets off an entirely different chain of events.
Lisa’s been caretaking for a while now. First, her mother when she got sick and now her brother. She’s had her hands full. So she had started to lose hope she would ever meet someone that could accept all of her and her baggage. Cue a certain handsome music therapist who just started working at her brother’s care home. . .
My overall thoughts:
Oh my heart! 😩 I fell hard for these characters ya’ll. They all had their flaws and baggage they were working through but they felt real and human. I cried multiple times reading this and honestly I shouldn’t have been surprised…her previous book also had me bawling. Johnston’s just not afraid to tackle some very heavy themes and yet she somehow manages to keep the tone generally lighthearted? I’m not sure how she finds this exact balance but it is a magical combination for me personally. So magical in fact, she just solidified auto-buy status.
If you enjoy stories that focus on deep and heavy social issues, stories that tug at your heart and even crack it wide open. If you love writers with unique writing voices and those with the ability to punch you in the heart with just a few words. This is a MUST read. Full stop. I may have been a left in a sad puddle after I finished, but it deserves allll the stars.
My rating: 5 ⭐️
Release Date: August 11th
What I loved:
🍋 The different POVs! This was one of the best examples of dual POV I’ve read. Seeing the same events, through each of their eyes, and how drastically different the two were. It was this fascinating pull between finding their reactions justifiable within their viewpoint but also knowing that wasn’t quite what happened. I found myself torn emotionally and I just couldn’t be upset with either despite knowing they were wrong. I felt myself aligning with whoever’s POV I was currently in only to then switch on repeat.
🍋 The food! My word the food descriptions in this story were absolutely amazing. I felt like I was standing in the kitchen beside them as they cooked and I swear I could almost taste it. 👌🏻🤤
🍋 The character growth! I will admit I didn’t always love the main characters. They truly made some wild decisions and had a lot to work through. However, they DID work through it. The author allowed each character the time and ability to change and by the end of the book I cared deeply for every one of them. (Well except for the care manager but I at least understood her by the end.) So well done.
🍋 The heavy themes! I’m not a fan of sad books in general. My heart can only take so many a year but the topics she presented will stick with me. Truly, she went in hard for this novel and I respect the issues she highlighted. I’m not sure I would have considered a few of these without reading her book.
Thank you so, so much to Netgalley and William Morrow Books for the advanced copy! I had high expectations and this did not disappoint! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I got an advanced copy of The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife and loved it! It was hilarious. I laughed, and I cried. It hit all the right emotions. So, when I saw this new one, same author, similar subject matter, I knew I had to request it. Not as funny, but just as emotional. This one was full of warmth🤗, food🍰, and the kind of messy love🥰 that feels painfully real.
When Lemons Give You Life🍋 follows Griff Barlow, a once-renowned chef🧑🍳 now living in an aged care facility under circumstances that are… not entirely what they seem. At sixty-two, he’s grieving deeply, carrying guilt he can’t outrun, and slowly withdrawing from a life he no longer recognizes as his own. But one late-night decision, to step back into a kitchen and cook again, sparks something unexpected. What begins as a small act of rebellion becomes a lifeline, reconnecting Griff not only to his passion but also to the people around him.
Running parallel is Lisa, his estranged sister, navigating her own life upheavals, including a late ADHD diagnosis. She's trying, in her own imperfect way, to bridge the emotional distance between them. Through alternating timelines and perspectives, the story reveals the fractures in their relationship, the weight of long-held secrets, and the quiet, complicated ways love persists even when it’s strained.
This story excels in emotional honesty. It doesn’t rush grief, tidy it up, or soften its edges and it lets it exist, messy and unresolved, just like in real life. And yet, there’s warmth threaded through everything.
Griff is an unforgettable character. He is flawed, guarded, sometimes frustrating, but deeply human. Watching him rediscover purpose through cooking was one of my favorite parts of the book. Food isn’t just a detail here; it’s memory, identity, and connection. It’s how Griff holds onto himself when everything else feels lost.
What Anna Johnston truly gets right is the aged care setting. It is handled with compassion and realism. The story gently but clearly highlights the dignity, struggles, and overlooked humanity of elderly residents, making it feel both personal and quietly powerful.
Lisa’s storyline adds another layer of depth. Her experience navigating her mind, relationships, and identity felt nuanced and authentic, especially in how it explores neurodivergence without reducing her to it.
This is not a fast-paced read. The story leans heavily into reflection and emotional layering, which means it can take time to fully settle into. Some readers may find the beginning a bit slow, especially as the narrative builds context across timelines and relationships. And while the emotional payoff is strong, parts of the story feel heavier than others, which may not appeal if you’re looking for something lighter.
When Lemons Give You Life🍋 is a deeply moving, character-driven story about grief, guilt, redemption, and the quiet ways we find our way back to ourselves. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Overall, it's tender, bittersweet, and unforgettable. If you are a fan of T.J. Klune, you'll enjoy this book. It is a story about second chances that don’t erase the past, but help you live with it. Thank you to William Morrow Books (@williammorrowbooks) and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I truly enjoyed this book and appreciate Anna Johnston for blessing us with another great story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5)
When Lemons Give You Life🍋 follows Griff Barlow, a once-renowned chef🧑🍳 now living in an aged care facility under circumstances that are… not entirely what they seem. At sixty-two, he’s grieving deeply, carrying guilt he can’t outrun, and slowly withdrawing from a life he no longer recognizes as his own. But one late-night decision, to step back into a kitchen and cook again, sparks something unexpected. What begins as a small act of rebellion becomes a lifeline, reconnecting Griff not only to his passion but also to the people around him.
Running parallel is Lisa, his estranged sister, navigating her own life upheavals, including a late ADHD diagnosis. She's trying, in her own imperfect way, to bridge the emotional distance between them. Through alternating timelines and perspectives, the story reveals the fractures in their relationship, the weight of long-held secrets, and the quiet, complicated ways love persists even when it’s strained.
This story excels in emotional honesty. It doesn’t rush grief, tidy it up, or soften its edges and it lets it exist, messy and unresolved, just like in real life. And yet, there’s warmth threaded through everything.
Griff is an unforgettable character. He is flawed, guarded, sometimes frustrating, but deeply human. Watching him rediscover purpose through cooking was one of my favorite parts of the book. Food isn’t just a detail here; it’s memory, identity, and connection. It’s how Griff holds onto himself when everything else feels lost.
What Anna Johnston truly gets right is the aged care setting. It is handled with compassion and realism. The story gently but clearly highlights the dignity, struggles, and overlooked humanity of elderly residents, making it feel both personal and quietly powerful.
Lisa’s storyline adds another layer of depth. Her experience navigating her mind, relationships, and identity felt nuanced and authentic, especially in how it explores neurodivergence without reducing her to it.
This is not a fast-paced read. The story leans heavily into reflection and emotional layering, which means it can take time to fully settle into. Some readers may find the beginning a bit slow, especially as the narrative builds context across timelines and relationships. And while the emotional payoff is strong, parts of the story feel heavier than others, which may not appeal if you’re looking for something lighter.
When Lemons Give You Life🍋 is a deeply moving, character-driven story about grief, guilt, redemption, and the quiet ways we find our way back to ourselves. It’s not always easy to read, but it’s absolutely worth it.
Overall, it's tender, bittersweet, and unforgettable. If you are a fan of T.J. Klune, you'll enjoy this book. It is a story about second chances that don’t erase the past, but help you live with it. Thank you to William Morrow Books (@williammorrowbooks) and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I truly enjoyed this book and appreciate Anna Johnston for blessing us with another great story.
⭐⭐⭐⭐💫 (4.5 Stars, rounded up to 5)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I had previously read and enjoyed Anna Johnston's "The Borrowed Life of Frederik Fife" so was eager to get an early look at her second novel. True to form, "When Lemons Give You Life" tells the story of a senior who's given the opportunity to change his life for the better - and what happens when he gives himself that chance.
Griff Barlow bides his days at the Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, just one of many elderly residents who've been diagnosed with dementia. His room is filled with photos and accolades from his younger years as a chef of Lorraine, his former restaurant which was awarded 3-Michelin stars, and his time with his husband Beau who passed away years earlier. What no one else except Griff knows though, is that his diagnosis is a farce and he's pretending to not know his only remaining family member, his half-sister Lisa. When an unexpected opportunity falls in his lap to reconnect with his love of cooking, however, Griff makes the decision to take it - even though it requires even more deception on his end...
Lisa has grown up with a difficult relationship with Griff; as a child, she grew up in admiration of her old half-brother, but never understood his dislike for her father, his stepfather, and why he left the family and his sick mother for France to pursue his culinary career. Still struggling with the weight of having to care for her mother in her final days after her diagnosis with PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease), she's doing her best to juggle her job as a dog groomer and making time to visit her older brother while juggling her ADHD. Her repeated visits to Sunny Glen give her the chance to meeting others who soon become more important in her life, as well as the unexpected opportunity to make amends with her brother and the learn the truth about her family.
I was hopeful for a warm, comforting read which this novel certainly delivered, and as a food-lover, I was appreciative of the extra focus and descriptions on food and dishes that were crafted under Gliff's oversight. The story is hopeful and fun, and is told across both Gliff's and Lisa's perspectives, alternating between the past and present. Johnston covers a number of important and weighty topics, including the treatment of seniors, especially ones with physical or mental impairments; mental and genetic illnesses; domestic violence; and the importance of family, both by blood and found. Unfortunately, I think there was just too much packed into this novel, which felt apparent in some too-perfect characters like Lisa's love interest and a series of events and coincidences that was too forced, even for a work of fiction. I wish there was more focus on the character growth and development of the protagonists and their relationships to each other versus some of the side plots and characters that were introduced.
While an enjoyable comfort novel that I'm sure many readers with appreciate once released in August 2026, I don't think this was as strong as "The Borrowed Life of Frederik Fife".
Griff Barlow bides his days at the Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility, just one of many elderly residents who've been diagnosed with dementia. His room is filled with photos and accolades from his younger years as a chef of Lorraine, his former restaurant which was awarded 3-Michelin stars, and his time with his husband Beau who passed away years earlier. What no one else except Griff knows though, is that his diagnosis is a farce and he's pretending to not know his only remaining family member, his half-sister Lisa. When an unexpected opportunity falls in his lap to reconnect with his love of cooking, however, Griff makes the decision to take it - even though it requires even more deception on his end...
Lisa has grown up with a difficult relationship with Griff; as a child, she grew up in admiration of her old half-brother, but never understood his dislike for her father, his stepfather, and why he left the family and his sick mother for France to pursue his culinary career. Still struggling with the weight of having to care for her mother in her final days after her diagnosis with PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease), she's doing her best to juggle her job as a dog groomer and making time to visit her older brother while juggling her ADHD. Her repeated visits to Sunny Glen give her the chance to meeting others who soon become more important in her life, as well as the unexpected opportunity to make amends with her brother and the learn the truth about her family.
I was hopeful for a warm, comforting read which this novel certainly delivered, and as a food-lover, I was appreciative of the extra focus and descriptions on food and dishes that were crafted under Gliff's oversight. The story is hopeful and fun, and is told across both Gliff's and Lisa's perspectives, alternating between the past and present. Johnston covers a number of important and weighty topics, including the treatment of seniors, especially ones with physical or mental impairments; mental and genetic illnesses; domestic violence; and the importance of family, both by blood and found. Unfortunately, I think there was just too much packed into this novel, which felt apparent in some too-perfect characters like Lisa's love interest and a series of events and coincidences that was too forced, even for a work of fiction. I wish there was more focus on the character growth and development of the protagonists and their relationships to each other versus some of the side plots and characters that were introduced.
While an enjoyable comfort novel that I'm sure many readers with appreciate once released in August 2026, I don't think this was as strong as "The Borrowed Life of Frederik Fife".
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 ⭐️
After loving Anna Johnston’s debut novel, I was very interested in reading her sophomore novel. WHEN LEMONS GIVE YOU LIFE features main character Griff in a nursing home under dubious circumstances, like in her debut novel. It’s difficult to not compare this novel to Johnston’s first novel. This novel tackles more and heavier (at least to me) issues, including childhood trauma, the adult brother/sister dynamic after childhood trauma, polycystic kidney disease, ADHD, early-onset Alzheimer’s, regret after accidentally killing someone and poisoning others, etc.
➕ The main character Griff is pretending to have early-onset Alzheimer’s to stay in the nursing home, and there are some not-so-great nursing home practices that are illuminated (poor management, eking out more profits by using bargain basement food, taking away the dignity of patients, the invisibility of the sick, etc.). Of course, this particular nursing home doesn’t represent all nursing homes. Griff’s career was a chef, and when he sneaks into the kitchen to make one last lemon tart, he becomes the new weekend chef and re-finds inspiration through food.
➕ Griff and his sister Lisa both have interesting backstories, and I enjoyed delving into each of those. I also liked the nursing home hijinks (package delivery, sneaking into the kitchen, etc.).
➕ Lisa has ADHD, and I really liked how the author showed the manifestation of that for Lisa. It reminds me of people in my own life who are “messy” or “late,” and I don’t have as much empathy for them as I should. There could be something like ADHD as a root cause.
➖ I would have appreciated fewer heavier issues with more dialogue and working through them. I think Johnston does really well at scene work, but there was so much going on in this novel that it didn’t feel like any one issue had much time to breathe before moving on to yet another heavy issue. It’s almost like she had been given feedback that her first novel was too “light,” and with this one she overcorrected.
➖Suspension of disbelief is needed on several fronts.
➖Even toward the end of this novel, I was still struggling to understand this brother/sister dynamic, including their mother’s influence. Griff experienced childhood trauma and maintained a gruff exterior toward much younger Lisa in order to protect her, and a man named Beau they both loved dearly came between them, yet Lisa acts highly devoted toward Griff and it doesn’t feel earned.
There is a lot to appreciate here, and the author is definitely tackling a lot. I think she did great in weaving all the issues into a cohesive narrative and had interesting characters that will be hard to forget. While it wasn’t the 5 ⭐️ experience of her debut for me, it was still strong.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an Advance Reader Copy. My review is completely my own.
It publishes August 4, 2026.
After loving Anna Johnston’s debut novel, I was very interested in reading her sophomore novel. WHEN LEMONS GIVE YOU LIFE features main character Griff in a nursing home under dubious circumstances, like in her debut novel. It’s difficult to not compare this novel to Johnston’s first novel. This novel tackles more and heavier (at least to me) issues, including childhood trauma, the adult brother/sister dynamic after childhood trauma, polycystic kidney disease, ADHD, early-onset Alzheimer’s, regret after accidentally killing someone and poisoning others, etc.
➕ The main character Griff is pretending to have early-onset Alzheimer’s to stay in the nursing home, and there are some not-so-great nursing home practices that are illuminated (poor management, eking out more profits by using bargain basement food, taking away the dignity of patients, the invisibility of the sick, etc.). Of course, this particular nursing home doesn’t represent all nursing homes. Griff’s career was a chef, and when he sneaks into the kitchen to make one last lemon tart, he becomes the new weekend chef and re-finds inspiration through food.
➕ Griff and his sister Lisa both have interesting backstories, and I enjoyed delving into each of those. I also liked the nursing home hijinks (package delivery, sneaking into the kitchen, etc.).
➕ Lisa has ADHD, and I really liked how the author showed the manifestation of that for Lisa. It reminds me of people in my own life who are “messy” or “late,” and I don’t have as much empathy for them as I should. There could be something like ADHD as a root cause.
➖ I would have appreciated fewer heavier issues with more dialogue and working through them. I think Johnston does really well at scene work, but there was so much going on in this novel that it didn’t feel like any one issue had much time to breathe before moving on to yet another heavy issue. It’s almost like she had been given feedback that her first novel was too “light,” and with this one she overcorrected.
➖Suspension of disbelief is needed on several fronts.
➖Even toward the end of this novel, I was still struggling to understand this brother/sister dynamic, including their mother’s influence. Griff experienced childhood trauma and maintained a gruff exterior toward much younger Lisa in order to protect her, and a man named Beau they both loved dearly came between them, yet Lisa acts highly devoted toward Griff and it doesn’t feel earned.
There is a lot to appreciate here, and the author is definitely tackling a lot. I think she did great in weaving all the issues into a cohesive narrative and had interesting characters that will be hard to forget. While it wasn’t the 5 ⭐️ experience of her debut for me, it was still strong.
Thank you to NetGalley and William Morrow for an Advance Reader Copy. My review is completely my own.
It publishes August 4, 2026.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Are you looking for a book that will make you laugh and also make you want to reach out to all of your estranged family members and give them a hug? Then this book is for you.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Publishing, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Griff Barlow is a retired Michelin chef who now lives at the Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility. His only visitor is his younger sister, Lisa, with whom his relationship is completely fractured. Fed up with life and all that has happened to him, he makes a plan to end it all, but he wants to have one last tasty morsel before he goes. So he breaks into the kitchen when everyone is asleep to make his final dessert. Through a series of peculiar events and mistaken identity, he somehow finds himself employed as the weekend chef at the care facility, and it invigorates him and gives him a new lease on life. Through all of this, he is harboring a secret which could shatter the lives of everyone around him.
There is so much to unpack with this book, and it’s best to just go in blind because there is no way to explain the circumstances for how Griff wound up in the kitchen on what he had planned to be his last day without experiencing them for yourself.
This was a book that will bring out every emotion from its reader. On the very first page, I found myself laughing out loud, but then there were other moments that had me literally choked up. The author’s writing is a full on sensory experience. The descriptive passages about food that were scattered throughout this book were so immersive that at times I actually felt my mouth watering. This may not be the best book recommendation for anyone on a diet, but hey, everyone needs to splurge every now and then.
Add to that some complex relationships with dynamic characters, and it all adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I love when an author uses their platform to not only write an entertaining story, but also to bring awareness to important and potentially underrepresented issues without preaching about them. Tucked carefully within the pages of this novel were LGBTQ representation, aged care facility problems, neurodivergent representation, and so much more. When you read this book, be sure to read the author’s note at the end as well, because it really adds to the message that Anna Johnston brought to life through her characters.
Overall, this was a funny, quirky, and heartwarming story about grief and second chances, about love and the unbelievable things we do for those we care about, and about humanity and acceptance. Add this to your TBR if you enjoy charming and relective books such as Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and Eddie Winston is Looking for Love.
Thank you to NetGalley, William Morrow Publishing, and the author for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.
Griff Barlow is a retired Michelin chef who now lives at the Sunny Glen Aged Care Facility. His only visitor is his younger sister, Lisa, with whom his relationship is completely fractured. Fed up with life and all that has happened to him, he makes a plan to end it all, but he wants to have one last tasty morsel before he goes. So he breaks into the kitchen when everyone is asleep to make his final dessert. Through a series of peculiar events and mistaken identity, he somehow finds himself employed as the weekend chef at the care facility, and it invigorates him and gives him a new lease on life. Through all of this, he is harboring a secret which could shatter the lives of everyone around him.
There is so much to unpack with this book, and it’s best to just go in blind because there is no way to explain the circumstances for how Griff wound up in the kitchen on what he had planned to be his last day without experiencing them for yourself.
This was a book that will bring out every emotion from its reader. On the very first page, I found myself laughing out loud, but then there were other moments that had me literally choked up. The author’s writing is a full on sensory experience. The descriptive passages about food that were scattered throughout this book were so immersive that at times I actually felt my mouth watering. This may not be the best book recommendation for anyone on a diet, but hey, everyone needs to splurge every now and then.
Add to that some complex relationships with dynamic characters, and it all adds up to a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience. I love when an author uses their platform to not only write an entertaining story, but also to bring awareness to important and potentially underrepresented issues without preaching about them. Tucked carefully within the pages of this novel were LGBTQ representation, aged care facility problems, neurodivergent representation, and so much more. When you read this book, be sure to read the author’s note at the end as well, because it really adds to the message that Anna Johnston brought to life through her characters.
Overall, this was a funny, quirky, and heartwarming story about grief and second chances, about love and the unbelievable things we do for those we care about, and about humanity and acceptance. Add this to your TBR if you enjoy charming and relective books such as Iona Iverson’s Rules for Commuting and Eddie Winston is Looking for Love.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
** This review contains spoilers **
I have a lot of thoughts about this story. First of all, I'll preface by saying that I absolutely LOVED The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife. I went back and saw that I didn't put too much in my recap but said reading it was like being wrapped in a hug - so it must have been a story that gave me all the good feels.
My review for the first half of the book: I liked the premise a lot. Although I felt that so much (if not most) was super far-fetched, the characters were so endearing, and the story different from what I was expecting, that I leaned into the fact that it is a story meant to enjoy, not to dissect. I loved the concept of the food bringing joy to the patients in the nursing home. I also liked that the author shined a bright light on the neglect that these patients can often receive as well as a strong reminder that no one is undeserving of dignity.
And now, the second half: At the 60% mark in my book (thank you Kindle for tracking progress), I started to cry. This is not unusual for me. I am a big crier during books and I love a sad story. This story might win the award for biggest tear jerker of them all. I did not stop crying, not once, until the book end. As the story unraveled and secrets came to light, I went through all the different types of crying: tears streaming freely down my face, the kind of actual body-shaking sobs, the ones where your eyes fill up and tears hover on the eyelashes. For the next hour or so, I read and cried until I got to the end. My head was pounding and my eyes were puffy and swollen. However, I still loved the story. The unraveling of the past was just so sad and beautiful and it made you understand these characters and their choices a bit more and it made you fall in love with them even more. Just thinking about the beautiful love story between Griff and Beau is making me tear up again.
My biggest reason for not giving 5 stars is because I really, really needed Griff to hear from her mother before she died that she never, ever blamed him for the accident. Maybe she alluded or whatever but I needed outright the words. I would have much preferred the words came sooner in Griff's life (I also thought it was going to happen in the scene where the stepfather leaves and was disappointed) but not even hearing them on her deathbed just made me feel like a major resolution in Griff's life was left gaping open.
Nonetheless, pass along to all readers. Such an incredibly beautiful story.
I have a lot of thoughts about this story. First of all, I'll preface by saying that I absolutely LOVED The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife. I went back and saw that I didn't put too much in my recap but said reading it was like being wrapped in a hug - so it must have been a story that gave me all the good feels.
My review for the first half of the book: I liked the premise a lot. Although I felt that so much (if not most) was super far-fetched, the characters were so endearing, and the story different from what I was expecting, that I leaned into the fact that it is a story meant to enjoy, not to dissect. I loved the concept of the food bringing joy to the patients in the nursing home. I also liked that the author shined a bright light on the neglect that these patients can often receive as well as a strong reminder that no one is undeserving of dignity.
And now, the second half: At the 60% mark in my book (thank you Kindle for tracking progress), I started to cry. This is not unusual for me. I am a big crier during books and I love a sad story. This story might win the award for biggest tear jerker of them all. I did not stop crying, not once, until the book end. As the story unraveled and secrets came to light, I went through all the different types of crying: tears streaming freely down my face, the kind of actual body-shaking sobs, the ones where your eyes fill up and tears hover on the eyelashes. For the next hour or so, I read and cried until I got to the end. My head was pounding and my eyes were puffy and swollen. However, I still loved the story. The unraveling of the past was just so sad and beautiful and it made you understand these characters and their choices a bit more and it made you fall in love with them even more. Just thinking about the beautiful love story between Griff and Beau is making me tear up again.
My biggest reason for not giving 5 stars is because I really, really needed Griff to hear from her mother before she died that she never, ever blamed him for the accident. Maybe she alluded or whatever but I needed outright the words. I would have much preferred the words came sooner in Griff's life (I also thought it was going to happen in the scene where the stepfather leaves and was disappointed) but not even hearing them on her deathbed just made me feel like a major resolution in Griff's life was left gaping open.
Nonetheless, pass along to all readers. Such an incredibly beautiful story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a person that also loves to cook and feed people I am one to believe in cooking food as a love language and this book just warmed me all over in that regard.
I really enjoyed the writing here, every moment Griff brought up a recipe and described it I felt like getting up and cooking it myself. I loved how we got glimpses of the past and got to see how things happened versus how Lisa and Griff felt it/told us, and of course, the twists we get along. I was so engaged throughout the whole book, I felt anger, sadness, frustration and love while doing so.
The other thing I loved about it, was the human factor. Love in the face of grief, loneliness in the face of community, loyalty in the face of a fractured kinship and life's persistence to find a way even when you feel hopeless. Sometimes all a person needs is a way to connect and a chance to be kind to themselves in the face of hardship and seeing it treated so empathetically and humanely was really a beautiful gift.
Family is hard, our parents so flawed and our siblings sometimes so selfish in their own pain. Only family have the potential to break your heart in places you could never see coming. This book brings this all together, the consequences of your actions towards your own life and others', the weight of love and the unfairness of the world to those who dared to be different and how fierce and relentless you have to be to keep living in this world.
I loved how we could see both siblings were fairly lost in their own view of things, in their own experience growing up with their mom and her partner. Both suffered, both were hurt but both were equally focused on their own pain in disregard of the other, and that's such a human experience and so beautifully shown here.
Luckily, Anna Johnston shows us that even when it's late, it is never too late to right a wrong, to recognize that your perspective isn't everyone's perspective, that your experience is uniquely yours.
There is only one irremediable thing in this life, and that thing is death, so if there's one thing you can learn from this book is: reach out, try and live again. You're worth it. Fight for what you believe and love, love as much and as deeply as you can.
I really enjoyed the writing here, every moment Griff brought up a recipe and described it I felt like getting up and cooking it myself. I loved how we got glimpses of the past and got to see how things happened versus how Lisa and Griff felt it/told us, and of course, the twists we get along. I was so engaged throughout the whole book, I felt anger, sadness, frustration and love while doing so.
The other thing I loved about it, was the human factor. Love in the face of grief, loneliness in the face of community, loyalty in the face of a fractured kinship and life's persistence to find a way even when you feel hopeless. Sometimes all a person needs is a way to connect and a chance to be kind to themselves in the face of hardship and seeing it treated so empathetically and humanely was really a beautiful gift.
Family is hard, our parents so flawed and our siblings sometimes so selfish in their own pain. Only family have the potential to break your heart in places you could never see coming. This book brings this all together, the consequences of your actions towards your own life and others', the weight of love and the unfairness of the world to those who dared to be different and how fierce and relentless you have to be to keep living in this world.
I loved how we could see both siblings were fairly lost in their own view of things, in their own experience growing up with their mom and her partner. Both suffered, both were hurt but both were equally focused on their own pain in disregard of the other, and that's such a human experience and so beautifully shown here.
Luckily, Anna Johnston shows us that even when it's late, it is never too late to right a wrong, to recognize that your perspective isn't everyone's perspective, that your experience is uniquely yours.
There is only one irremediable thing in this life, and that thing is death, so if there's one thing you can learn from this book is: reach out, try and live again. You're worth it. Fight for what you believe and love, love as much and as deeply as you can.
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