Book Review: Harriet Hates Lemonade by Kim McCollum

I’m excited to participate in the WOW! Women on Writing Blog Tour for Kim McCollum’s latest novel, Harriet Hates Lemonade by sharing my review of the book.

Here’s the synopsis:

Meet Harriet. But don’t be surprised if she isn’t interested in meeting you. 

Harriet has life all figured out, and she doesn’t hesitate to inform others of their shortcomings. Though her attempts to become president of the homeowner’s association failed, that doesn’t stop her from berating “off-leash-dog-man” or reporting the neighbor who had the audacity to leave their easter decorations up an entire week past the holiday. The problem is, unbeknownst to her, Harriet’s rigid rules and judgmental opinions are not her own.

Her ordered life plunges into chaos when a twelve-year-old neighbor knocks on Harriet’s door seeking help because the girl’s father is physically abusing her mother. Reluctantly, Harriet comes to her neighbor’s aid and, in the process, recognizes her own insidious abuse which has unwittingly shaped her isolated, rigid existence. To escape her crushing loneliness, she must learn to break free from the patterns of control and isolation that have defined her life and learn to connect with people she previously viewed as heathens.

Publisher:  Black Rose Writing

ASIN: B0G2YPGWHV

ISBN-10: 1685137059

ISBN-13: 978-1685137052

Print Length: 312 pages

You can purchase a copy of Harriet Hates Lemonade on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.org. Make sure you also add it to your GoodReads reading list.

About the Author, Kim McCollum:

Kim McCollum graduated from Barnard College with a major in Japanese and was soon navigating the hustle and bustle of Wall Street. When her first child was born, she stayed home to raise her children. Once they headed off to school, Kim finally found time to pursue her passion for writing. Her award-winning debut novel, WHAT HAPPENS IN MONTANA, was published in January 2024, and her short stories have appeared in several publications. She lived in Bozeman, Montana, with her supportive husband, Brian, and their blended menagerie of five kids and three spoiled pets.

You can find her online at:

Her website: https://kim-mccollum.com/

Twitter: https://x.com/KFMcCollum

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kimmccollumauthor/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/author.kimmccollum/

Review:

I adore a good “found family” story, and when I saw this book’s comparison to A Man Called Ove I was immediately interested. Even knowing what type of protagonist I was dealing with going in, this book touched me way more than I expected. Harriet is only about three years older than me, and her loneliness is apparent from the opening scenes, even while she’s yelling at her neighbor who dares to let his dog run off leash.

Since her husband’s death a year earlier, it’s Harriet and her sweet dog Bibbo against the world. She’s not friendly with any of her neighbors, in fact, she’s appointed herself the unofficial neighborhood watch. But when she hurts her ankle while out walking Bibbo and is forced to wear a corrective boot, she finds herself in a bind. Who is going to drive her back and forth to her doctor’s appointments? How can she safely walk Bibbo in the Montana snow? Harriet and her husband never had children of their own and her brother, who she hasn’t spoken to in years, lives halfway across the country.

When new neighbors Robyn, Chris, and their pre-teen daughter Audrey move in across the street, Harriet takes it upon herself to watch their every move, and is surprised when Robyn brings her a lasagna. A few days later, Audrey knocks on Harriet’s door to ask for help because her parents are fighting and she’s scared. She opens up to Harriet and shares this is a regular occurrence in their home.

Because Harriet sees things as only black and white, she demands Robyn leave her abusive husband. Robyn tries to explain that it’s not that easy, and she has no resources. When Harriet takes Robyn to a local support group for domestic violence survivors, she learns abuse can manifest itself in more ways than just the physical sense.

Harriet is blunt and to the point, but she’s also a fierce and intelligent woman who can’t help but make friends in her new phase of life. There’s Lucille, from the local library, Richard, a former colleague of Harriet’s, the neighbor who finally acquiesces and puts his dog on a leash, Robyn, her daughter Audrey, and others along the way.

Through her new friendship with Robyn, Harriet is challenged to look outside of herself and provide support to her new friends. I couldn’t put this book down as I read about Harriet’s self discovery, her internal turmoil, and above all, her caring nature that was kept from so many people for years.

If you love Clare Pooley’s ensemble casts, The Borrowed Life of Frederick Fife, and other similar stories, you will find yourself rooting for Harriet to finally reclaim the life she deserves in Harriet Hates Lemonade.