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Harriet Hates Lemonade
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.
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.
- GenresFictionContemporary
330 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
3 people are currently reading
1897 people want to read
About the author
Kim McCollum
2 books52 followersKim 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 lives in Bozeman, Montana, with her supportive husband, Brian, and their blended menagerie of five kids and three spoiled pets.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 Stars
This book examines emotional abuse.
Harriet Henderson, 52, lives in Bozeman, Montana. After the death of her husband Les, she continues to live by his rigid rules and judgmental opinions. Her isolated, dreary existence, however, comes to an end when Robyn and Chris Carter and their 12-year-old daughter Audrey move into the neighbourhood. One day Audrey asks Harriet for help because she fears for her mother because of Chris’ violent behaviour. Reluctantly, Harriet steps up and decides to help Robyn find safety for herself and her daughter. When she accompanies Robyn to meetings of a support group for abused women, Harriet begins to re-evaluate her own marriage to Les, a man who’d been controlling and unyielding with lots of rules and consequences and demands.
At the beginning, Harriet is unlikeable. She is adamant that rules are followed; she has frequent clashes with neighbours because she doesn’t hesitate to report people who break the rules of the local homeowners’ association. She lacks social skills and bluntly criticizes others, showing no regard for their feelings. As we learn about her life with Les, we come to understand why she behaves as she does and we feel some sympathy for her. As she starts to reflect on her relationship with Les and to take steps, however tentatively at first, to change her attitude towards and treatment of others, we cannot but cheer for her.
To see the transformation in Harriet is heart-warming, though the narrative arc is predictable. From the beginning I found myself thinking of books like A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. It is not surprising that Harriet reads Elizabeth Strout’s books featuring Olive Kitteridge.
The book offers a lot of information about emotional abuse. I had never heard of the narcissistic cycle of abuse: love bombing, devaluing, discarding, and hoovering. Harriet’s slow realizations about her own marriage emphasize how victims do not always recognize emotional abuse tactics; Harriet, for instance, thinks of abuse only in terms of violent physical behaviour.
The plot is clunky for a number of reasons. Pace, for instance, is uneven. At the beginning, pace is slow. Then there’s a dramatic event, after which the pace quickens considerably. Some changes, like Harriet’s descent into alcoholic states of near unconsciousness, happen so fast as to be unbelievable. Some events seem illogical. Why would Audrey run away from Isla’s? Audrey would show no interest in the trial? Custody hearings can be scheduled virtually overnight? Then there are gaps which affect narrative flow. Characters are mentioned frequently and then are never mentioned again until needed to move the plot. Harriet’s dog is mentioned repeatedly at first and then he virtually disappears for a time. The same is the case for Tammy.
The novel’s examination of emotional abuse is commendable. Harriet’s journey of discovery, about herself and her marriage, is interesting and well developed. It is the later sections that are weaker; narrative structure is clumsy so the overall impression is underwhelming.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
This book examines emotional abuse.
Harriet Henderson, 52, lives in Bozeman, Montana. After the death of her husband Les, she continues to live by his rigid rules and judgmental opinions. Her isolated, dreary existence, however, comes to an end when Robyn and Chris Carter and their 12-year-old daughter Audrey move into the neighbourhood. One day Audrey asks Harriet for help because she fears for her mother because of Chris’ violent behaviour. Reluctantly, Harriet steps up and decides to help Robyn find safety for herself and her daughter. When she accompanies Robyn to meetings of a support group for abused women, Harriet begins to re-evaluate her own marriage to Les, a man who’d been controlling and unyielding with lots of rules and consequences and demands.
At the beginning, Harriet is unlikeable. She is adamant that rules are followed; she has frequent clashes with neighbours because she doesn’t hesitate to report people who break the rules of the local homeowners’ association. She lacks social skills and bluntly criticizes others, showing no regard for their feelings. As we learn about her life with Les, we come to understand why she behaves as she does and we feel some sympathy for her. As she starts to reflect on her relationship with Les and to take steps, however tentatively at first, to change her attitude towards and treatment of others, we cannot but cheer for her.
To see the transformation in Harriet is heart-warming, though the narrative arc is predictable. From the beginning I found myself thinking of books like A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. It is not surprising that Harriet reads Elizabeth Strout’s books featuring Olive Kitteridge.
The book offers a lot of information about emotional abuse. I had never heard of the narcissistic cycle of abuse: love bombing, devaluing, discarding, and hoovering. Harriet’s slow realizations about her own marriage emphasize how victims do not always recognize emotional abuse tactics; Harriet, for instance, thinks of abuse only in terms of violent physical behaviour.
The plot is clunky for a number of reasons. Pace, for instance, is uneven. At the beginning, pace is slow. Then there’s a dramatic event, after which the pace quickens considerably. Some changes, like Harriet’s descent into alcoholic states of near unconsciousness, happen so fast as to be unbelievable. Some events seem illogical. Why would Audrey run away from Isla’s? Audrey would show no interest in the trial? Custody hearings can be scheduled virtually overnight? Then there are gaps which affect narrative flow. Characters are mentioned frequently and then are never mentioned again until needed to move the plot. Harriet’s dog is mentioned repeatedly at first and then he virtually disappears for a time. The same is the case for Tammy.
The novel’s examination of emotional abuse is commendable. Harriet’s journey of discovery, about herself and her marriage, is interesting and well developed. It is the later sections that are weaker; narrative structure is clumsy so the overall impression is underwhelming.
Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.
Please check out my reader's blog (https://schatjesshelves.blogspot.com/).
Review of advance copy received from Author
Harriet Hates Lemonade follows Harriet Henderson, a rigid and lonely widow in Bozeman, Montana, who breaks her ankle after a showdown with a neighbor’s off-leash dog and suddenly cannot outrun her own life anymore. Stuck at home with her beloved dog Bibbo, she clashes with new neighbor Robyn and Robyn’s young daughter, then slowly notices that something is very wrong inside their house. As Harriet gets pulled into their struggle with an abusive husband and into group meetings at Harmony House, she starts to recognize patterns from her own marriage to Les and the ways she has buried those memories. The story tracks Harriet’s halting attempts to help Robyn find safety, her growing bond with Audrey, and her reluctant softening toward community, small kindnesses, and even a few messy surprises. Underneath the neighborhood gossip and petty HOA battles sits a clear through-line about the cycle of emotional abuse and the work it takes to break it.
I really loved how the writing lets me sit deep inside Harriet’s prickly head. The narration stays close to her thoughts and habits, so her sharp comments about neighbors, librarians, and lemonade stands made me laugh even when she was objectively being awful. Scenes like the humiliating hospital pickup, the underwear-in-the-grocery-bag mix-up, and the crusade against the off-leash dog feel both funny and sad at the same time. The prose itself is clean and unfussy, and the humor feels natural, not forced. I also appreciated the sensory details around aging and the house, from the cave-like wood paneling to Harriet’s irritation with her own body, because they grounded the story in a very tangible midlife reality.
The ideas in the book hit me harder than I expected. The sessions at Harmony House walk through the cycle of narcissistic abuse, love bombing, devaluing, and hoovering, and the explanations are clear without turning the novel into a pamphlet. I found myself wincing as Harriet initially resists the word “abuse” and defends Les with religious language and talk about old-fashioned vows, because that denial felt painfully believable. The story shows how emotional abuse hides inside “rules,” jokes, and backhanded remarks, and why leaving is not a simple act of will. I liked that Robyn’s journey does not follow a neat straight line and that Harriet’s support is clumsy and sometimes controlling, since that messiness mirrors real life. The book also nudged me to think about community and neighborliness, how easy it is to hide behind privacy and routine, and how risky it feels to butt into someone else’s marriage even when every instinct screams that something is wrong.
Harriet Hates Lemonade will suit readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction, small-town settings, and complicated, not-always-likable women who have to unlearn a lifetime of bad lessons. If you have liked books in the vein of A Man Called Ove or Olive Kitteridge, or if you are interested in stories that unpack domestic abuse with compassion and plain language, this novel is a strong pick for you and for book clubs that like big feelings and big discussions.
I really loved how the writing lets me sit deep inside Harriet’s prickly head. The narration stays close to her thoughts and habits, so her sharp comments about neighbors, librarians, and lemonade stands made me laugh even when she was objectively being awful. Scenes like the humiliating hospital pickup, the underwear-in-the-grocery-bag mix-up, and the crusade against the off-leash dog feel both funny and sad at the same time. The prose itself is clean and unfussy, and the humor feels natural, not forced. I also appreciated the sensory details around aging and the house, from the cave-like wood paneling to Harriet’s irritation with her own body, because they grounded the story in a very tangible midlife reality.
The ideas in the book hit me harder than I expected. The sessions at Harmony House walk through the cycle of narcissistic abuse, love bombing, devaluing, and hoovering, and the explanations are clear without turning the novel into a pamphlet. I found myself wincing as Harriet initially resists the word “abuse” and defends Les with religious language and talk about old-fashioned vows, because that denial felt painfully believable. The story shows how emotional abuse hides inside “rules,” jokes, and backhanded remarks, and why leaving is not a simple act of will. I liked that Robyn’s journey does not follow a neat straight line and that Harriet’s support is clumsy and sometimes controlling, since that messiness mirrors real life. The book also nudged me to think about community and neighborliness, how easy it is to hide behind privacy and routine, and how risky it feels to butt into someone else’s marriage even when every instinct screams that something is wrong.
Harriet Hates Lemonade will suit readers who enjoy character-driven contemporary fiction, small-town settings, and complicated, not-always-likable women who have to unlearn a lifetime of bad lessons. If you have liked books in the vein of A Man Called Ove or Olive Kitteridge, or if you are interested in stories that unpack domestic abuse with compassion and plain language, this novel is a strong pick for you and for book clubs that like big feelings and big discussions.
January 29, 2026
Harriet Henderson is one of those characters you don’t immediately like — and then suddenly, you can’t stop thinking about her.
Abrasive, blunt and rigid, she’s a 52-year-old widow who lives by rules, routines, and a very narrow view of how the world should behave.
Particularly in the opening chapters, she’s difficult, judgemental, and emotionally closed off… and yet, that’s exactly what makes her so compelling.
Because it quickly becomes clear that Harriet isn’t unkind by nature — she’s learned it.
Her behaviour is conditioned, shaped and inherited.
Her late husband Les still lives rent free in her head, still issuing rules, still setting boundaries for a life that no longer exists.
Her dog Bibbo is the centre of her world, and when her neighbour Kevin refuses to leash his dog Rocky, Harriet goes to war via the home owners association with a ferocity that feels ridiculous… until you realise it was never really about the dog.
As new neighbours Chris and Robyn Carter and their daughter Audrey move in across the street, Harriet’s carefully controlled world starts to fracture.
Slowly, unwillingly, she becomes entangled in their lives — helping Robyn seek support, protecting Audrey, and in the process being forced to confront her own past, her own trauma, and the emotional architecture of her own marriage.
What starts as a sharp, character-driven, slightly quirky story quietly takes off its cardigan and reveals teeth.
This book handles the theme of abuse with real care and intelligence.
There’s a clear trigger warning here — not physical abuse, but emotional and verbal abuse — and the novel does something important by showing how devastating and insidious that kind of control can be.
The isolation, the rules, the erosion of identity, the way it traps women in relationships that don’t leave bruises but leave scars all the same.
It’s handled without melodrama, without spectacle, and somehow that makes it hit harder. The realisation sneaks up on you: this book has been setting you up all along, and you fall for it willingly.
There’s poignancy, warmth, and a deep undercurrent of sadness here, but also humour, heart, and real emotional payoff.
Harriet’s journey is one of redemption and second chances — not in a glossy, sentimental way, but in a quiet, human one.
She learns that rules don’t protect you from everything. That honesty isn’t always safety. That control isn’t the same as love.
At its core, Harriet Hates Lemonade is about resilience, growth, and the slow unlearning of harm.
It’s about connection. It’s about kindness arriving from unexpected places. And it’s about a woman learning — late, imperfectly, bravely — how to live differently.
Smart, sharp, and sneakily powerful, this is a novel that starts small and ends deep. Funny when you least expect it, devastating when you’re not ready, and emotionally generous without ever being soft.
A quietly brilliant four-star read that refuses to stay in the neat little box you put it in.
With thanks to the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Abrasive, blunt and rigid, she’s a 52-year-old widow who lives by rules, routines, and a very narrow view of how the world should behave.
Particularly in the opening chapters, she’s difficult, judgemental, and emotionally closed off… and yet, that’s exactly what makes her so compelling.
Because it quickly becomes clear that Harriet isn’t unkind by nature — she’s learned it.
Her behaviour is conditioned, shaped and inherited.
Her late husband Les still lives rent free in her head, still issuing rules, still setting boundaries for a life that no longer exists.
Her dog Bibbo is the centre of her world, and when her neighbour Kevin refuses to leash his dog Rocky, Harriet goes to war via the home owners association with a ferocity that feels ridiculous… until you realise it was never really about the dog.
As new neighbours Chris and Robyn Carter and their daughter Audrey move in across the street, Harriet’s carefully controlled world starts to fracture.
Slowly, unwillingly, she becomes entangled in their lives — helping Robyn seek support, protecting Audrey, and in the process being forced to confront her own past, her own trauma, and the emotional architecture of her own marriage.
What starts as a sharp, character-driven, slightly quirky story quietly takes off its cardigan and reveals teeth.
This book handles the theme of abuse with real care and intelligence.
There’s a clear trigger warning here — not physical abuse, but emotional and verbal abuse — and the novel does something important by showing how devastating and insidious that kind of control can be.
The isolation, the rules, the erosion of identity, the way it traps women in relationships that don’t leave bruises but leave scars all the same.
It’s handled without melodrama, without spectacle, and somehow that makes it hit harder. The realisation sneaks up on you: this book has been setting you up all along, and you fall for it willingly.
There’s poignancy, warmth, and a deep undercurrent of sadness here, but also humour, heart, and real emotional payoff.
Harriet’s journey is one of redemption and second chances — not in a glossy, sentimental way, but in a quiet, human one.
She learns that rules don’t protect you from everything. That honesty isn’t always safety. That control isn’t the same as love.
At its core, Harriet Hates Lemonade is about resilience, growth, and the slow unlearning of harm.
It’s about connection. It’s about kindness arriving from unexpected places. And it’s about a woman learning — late, imperfectly, bravely — how to live differently.
Smart, sharp, and sneakily powerful, this is a novel that starts small and ends deep. Funny when you least expect it, devastating when you’re not ready, and emotionally generous without ever being soft.
A quietly brilliant four-star read that refuses to stay in the neat little box you put it in.
With thanks to the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sometimes you meet a character and just become entwined their story instantly. Much like Eleanor Oliphant, Harriet Henderson is such a character. You can’t get enough of her.
Harriet is a curmudgeonly widow at 52. She’s a rule follower and blunt talker. Les, her dead husband of one year, still lives in her head - and he gave her a lot of rules. Her dog, Bibbo, is the center of her life so when she keeps confronting her neighbor, Kevin, with is dog, Rocky, not on a leash, Harriet is determined to get the condo association on him. Around the same time new neighbors, Chris and Robyn Carter, and daughter, Audrey, move in across the street. The book then goes on to envelop Harriet in their lives. Helping Robyn seek help and protecting Audrey, Harriet must confront her own demons. I don’t want to give this lonely story away, but suffice it to say, you will be glad you read this book.
While this book tackles the important theme of abuse - trigger warning - but not physical abuse, the message about the devastating effects of emotional and verbal abuse which many people don’t know about can be equally traumatizing and more likely to keep women in these fractured relationships as Harriet soon learns. This abuse results in isolating and controlling the woman. The author nicely shapes this in the book and your heart is touched.
I really liked this book. It’s character driven with a purpose of showing with knowledge and insight you can change. Harriet has such a heart beneath that severe exterior. I loved Harriet. She’s up in that vaulted pantheon of characters you keep with you because you identify with them.
Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for allowing me to read this amazing ARC.
#harriethateslrnonade
#kimmccollum
#blackrosewriting
Harriet is a curmudgeonly widow at 52. She’s a rule follower and blunt talker. Les, her dead husband of one year, still lives in her head - and he gave her a lot of rules. Her dog, Bibbo, is the center of her life so when she keeps confronting her neighbor, Kevin, with is dog, Rocky, not on a leash, Harriet is determined to get the condo association on him. Around the same time new neighbors, Chris and Robyn Carter, and daughter, Audrey, move in across the street. The book then goes on to envelop Harriet in their lives. Helping Robyn seek help and protecting Audrey, Harriet must confront her own demons. I don’t want to give this lonely story away, but suffice it to say, you will be glad you read this book.
While this book tackles the important theme of abuse - trigger warning - but not physical abuse, the message about the devastating effects of emotional and verbal abuse which many people don’t know about can be equally traumatizing and more likely to keep women in these fractured relationships as Harriet soon learns. This abuse results in isolating and controlling the woman. The author nicely shapes this in the book and your heart is touched.
I really liked this book. It’s character driven with a purpose of showing with knowledge and insight you can change. Harriet has such a heart beneath that severe exterior. I loved Harriet. She’s up in that vaulted pantheon of characters you keep with you because you identify with them.
Thank you NetGalley and Black Rose Writing for allowing me to read this amazing ARC.
#harriethateslrnonade
#kimmccollum
#blackrosewriting
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December 30, 2025For years, Harriet’s entire adult life had revolved around her husband Les, who died of ALS a few years back. She has no friends—because the two of them only needed each other. And besides, the outside world was full of rule breakers and idiots. But now, having broken her ankle (because one local resident didn’t follow the neighborhood association rules about keeping their dog on a leash!), she can no longer function by herself. As difficult as it is for her, she needs some assistance, especially when she can’t drive. A new family moves in next door, and unaware of Harriet’s reputation for being the neighborhood pain in the you-know-what, Robyn Carter does the neighborly thing by bringing Harriet a pan of lasagna and offers to help in any way she can. Harriet is barely civil to her but after seeing Robyn is in an abusive marriage, she does what she can to help her and her daughter. After all, that is the right thing to do. For the first time in decades, Harriet not only sees a future for herself that is less lonely, but also realizes the life she had been living may not have been the one she had wanted for herself.
Kim McCollum’s new book, “Harriet Hates Lemonade,” was a wonderful read. Even though it dealt with some rather heavy topics, I laughed and I cried throughout the whole thing. I loved Harriet’s transformation and my heart went out to her and to her newfound friends. I am so fortunate to have received an ARC of this novel and my opinions are my own.
Kim McCollum’s new book, “Harriet Hates Lemonade,” was a wonderful read. Even though it dealt with some rather heavy topics, I laughed and I cried throughout the whole thing. I loved Harriet’s transformation and my heart went out to her and to her newfound friends. I am so fortunate to have received an ARC of this novel and my opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was fantastic. Not in a “cute, forgettable weekend read” way.
It kicks off with serious Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine energy. Harriet is rigid about rules, wildly honest, and absolutely uninterested in cushioning her opinions to spare anyone’s feelings. If the truth hurts, that’s clearly a you problem. Watching her navigate social norms she doesn’t understand is equal parts hilarious and cringeworthy (in the best way).
And then... plot twist.
The book quietly takes off its quirky cardigan and reveals teeth.
What starts as a sharp, character-driven story pivots into a thoughtful and unflinching look at domestic violence, both emotional and physical. It’s handled with care, depth, and zero melodrama, which somehow makes it hit even harder. Suddenly you realize this book has been setting you up the whole time and you happily fall for it.
At its core, Harriet Hates Lemonade is about love, resilience, and growth. It’s about Harriet learning that rules don’t protect you from everything, and honesty doesn’t always equal safety.
Smart, sharp, and sneakily powerful, Harriet Hates Lemonade is funny when you least expect it and devastating when you’re not ready. A great read that refuses to stay in the neat little box you put it in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the ARC.
It kicks off with serious Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine energy. Harriet is rigid about rules, wildly honest, and absolutely uninterested in cushioning her opinions to spare anyone’s feelings. If the truth hurts, that’s clearly a you problem. Watching her navigate social norms she doesn’t understand is equal parts hilarious and cringeworthy (in the best way).
And then... plot twist.
The book quietly takes off its quirky cardigan and reveals teeth.
What starts as a sharp, character-driven story pivots into a thoughtful and unflinching look at domestic violence, both emotional and physical. It’s handled with care, depth, and zero melodrama, which somehow makes it hit even harder. Suddenly you realize this book has been setting you up the whole time and you happily fall for it.
At its core, Harriet Hates Lemonade is about love, resilience, and growth. It’s about Harriet learning that rules don’t protect you from everything, and honesty doesn’t always equal safety.
Smart, sharp, and sneakily powerful, Harriet Hates Lemonade is funny when you least expect it and devastating when you’re not ready. A great read that refuses to stay in the neat little box you put it in.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Harriet transformed by tragedy🏘
What a great story, with lots of poignancy and heart. I didn't expect to, but I warmed to this abrasive heroine quickly because it became so obvious that her behavior was learned, not innate. It's ultimately a story of redemption and second chances.
Harriet starts out so outspokenly set in her ways and judgmental, not even aware of how her dead husband had been manipulating and purposefully isolating her throughout their 30 year marriage. When Harriet doesn't like something, she lets others know and can be way too rigid and insistent about changing things to her satisfaction. She is estranged from her brother, has few acquaintances and no real friends, and takes pride in her self sufficiency, just as her husband taught her to be. But her young pre-teen neighbor gets her involved in her family's drama and Harriet breaks out of her solitary shell, showing great generosity and a huge capacity to love and nurture.
I loved following how Harriet transforms bit by bit, gaining friendships, a found family and a new chance to pursue the work her husband convinced her to abandon. The novel's end is a beautiful and clever twist showcasing just how much Harriet has changed attitude.
A solid recommend from me.
Thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
What a great story, with lots of poignancy and heart. I didn't expect to, but I warmed to this abrasive heroine quickly because it became so obvious that her behavior was learned, not innate. It's ultimately a story of redemption and second chances.
Harriet starts out so outspokenly set in her ways and judgmental, not even aware of how her dead husband had been manipulating and purposefully isolating her throughout their 30 year marriage. When Harriet doesn't like something, she lets others know and can be way too rigid and insistent about changing things to her satisfaction. She is estranged from her brother, has few acquaintances and no real friends, and takes pride in her self sufficiency, just as her husband taught her to be. But her young pre-teen neighbor gets her involved in her family's drama and Harriet breaks out of her solitary shell, showing great generosity and a huge capacity to love and nurture.
I loved following how Harriet transforms bit by bit, gaining friendships, a found family and a new chance to pursue the work her husband convinced her to abandon. The novel's end is a beautiful and clever twist showcasing just how much Harriet has changed attitude.
A solid recommend from me.
Thanks to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for sharing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Author
"In Harriet Hates Lemonade, Kim McCollum writes with a keen, compassionate eye for the small humiliations and hard‑won joys of everyday life, turning HOA skirmishes, library encounters, and suburban driveways into sites of genuine emotional reckoning. Her prose is warm, witty, and quietly incisive, giving readers a heroine who is at once prickly, hilarious, and deeply vulnerable as she learns that family can be chosen, that community is messy, and that even the sourest moments can be transformed into something unexpectedly, stubbornly sweet.
Widow, rule‑follower, and self‑appointed neighborhood watchdog, Harriet Henderson has built her life around control: tidy routines, strict HOA rules, and just enough distance to avoid being hurt again. When a broken ankle, an off‑leash dog, and a relentlessly kind new neighbor, Robyn, collide, the careful order of Harriet’s world begins to crack—letting in both chaos and unexpected light. As Harriet stumbles into a late‑in‑life friendship and then into the terrifying possibility of becoming guardian to Robyn’s daughter, Audrey, she is forced to confront her own grief, her brittle ideas about self‑reliance, and what it really means to be neighborly."
- Roopa Unnikrishnan, author of The Jasmine Murders, The Mermaid Murders and The Career Catapult.
Widow, rule‑follower, and self‑appointed neighborhood watchdog, Harriet Henderson has built her life around control: tidy routines, strict HOA rules, and just enough distance to avoid being hurt again. When a broken ankle, an off‑leash dog, and a relentlessly kind new neighbor, Robyn, collide, the careful order of Harriet’s world begins to crack—letting in both chaos and unexpected light. As Harriet stumbles into a late‑in‑life friendship and then into the terrifying possibility of becoming guardian to Robyn’s daughter, Audrey, she is forced to confront her own grief, her brittle ideas about self‑reliance, and what it really means to be neighborly."
- Roopa Unnikrishnan, author of The Jasmine Murders, The Mermaid Murders and The Career Catapult.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.5 stars. This is an interesting and unique story about resilience, examining the lies we tell ourselves, found family and starting over. Harriet lost her husband a year ago and while she lives for routines and rules, she also seems to realize it's not a life, but just an existence. As she gets involved in her new neighbor's abusive relationship, she begins to learn about spousal abuse and starts to look at her own marriage in a new light. Maybe some of these rules she's following aren't really her rules after all?
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it would make for great discussion in book club. I enjoyed Harriet and her inability to filter her thoughts before she speaks. It read a little bit like a pamphlet at points and I think could have been a bit more fleshed out in some areas, but it is worth the read.
This book will be available Feb. 12th.
Thank you to Net Galley and Black Rose Writing for the ARC!
Overall, I enjoyed this book and think it would make for great discussion in book club. I enjoyed Harriet and her inability to filter her thoughts before she speaks. It read a little bit like a pamphlet at points and I think could have been a bit more fleshed out in some areas, but it is worth the read.
This book will be available Feb. 12th.
Thank you to Net Galley and Black Rose Writing for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Black Rose Writing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
3.75 stars.
Harriet, a blunt, forthright woman in her fifties and recently widowed is living a quiet life after the death of her husband. She has no friends and likes it that way.
One day a new neighbour knocks on her door and Harriet finds herself reluctantly getting to know her and her daughter. Harriet's husband Les had liked things a certain way, and been very insistent that his wife follow her rules, and the more she gets to know her neighbour the more this thinking is challenged.
The book looks at emotional abuse in a sensitive way, and the aspects of realisation and moving on rang true to me, and I found these to be the most successful parts of the story.
I unfortunately found the dialogue to be fairly unrealistic, and there was a lot of tell not show. On the whole however I did enjoy reading this book.
3.75 stars.
Harriet, a blunt, forthright woman in her fifties and recently widowed is living a quiet life after the death of her husband. She has no friends and likes it that way.
One day a new neighbour knocks on her door and Harriet finds herself reluctantly getting to know her and her daughter. Harriet's husband Les had liked things a certain way, and been very insistent that his wife follow her rules, and the more she gets to know her neighbour the more this thinking is challenged.
The book looks at emotional abuse in a sensitive way, and the aspects of realisation and moving on rang true to me, and I found these to be the most successful parts of the story.
I unfortunately found the dialogue to be fairly unrealistic, and there was a lot of tell not show. On the whole however I did enjoy reading this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you enjoy books like Elinor Oliphant or The Cactus or even Britt-Marie was here, you will likely enjoy this. Harriet is a very rigid, middle-aged woman who is a bit of a terror around her HOA. Some might even say a Karen. Harriet is just used to rules. Her husband made sure she followed them, too, but he has passed away. One day a 12 year old girl knocks on her door and tells Harriet that her father is abusing her mother and despite not wanting to get involved, she does. Everything changes in Harriet's world.
This was such a wonderful book, despite the abuse. Despite first impressions, Harriet is a person you will always want in your corner. This is a story about resilience and friendship and love.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
This was such a wonderful book, despite the abuse. Despite first impressions, Harriet is a person you will always want in your corner. This is a story about resilience and friendship and love.
I can't wait to read more from this author.
November 21, 2025
Bothered by everything and annoyed with everyone, Harriet’s cringeworthy people skills and outright grumpiness make it awfully hard to like her. And what’s more, Harriet doesn’t care. Or so it would seem. Which raises the question - what made her this way?
When Harriet reluctantly gets pulled into a young girl’s harrowing existence, everything she thought she knew about herself turns inside out as she faces her own truths. Author McCollum has created a story where the crass heroine shocks you in a good way and the unlikeliest outcome happens. Harriet Hates Lemonade is a bittersweet read with an impactful ending!
When Harriet reluctantly gets pulled into a young girl’s harrowing existence, everything she thought she knew about herself turns inside out as she faces her own truths. Author McCollum has created a story where the crass heroine shocks you in a good way and the unlikeliest outcome happens. Harriet Hates Lemonade is a bittersweet read with an impactful ending!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Author McCollum delivers a touching and subtly powerful sophomore novel about self-discovery and unexpected connection. When Harriet’s carefully ordered life is disrupted by a neighbor in need, she’s drawn into a journey that challenges everything she thought she knew about herself. What begins as a small act of kindness becomes a turning point, awakening Harriet to new roles, relationships, and possibilities.
Here's what McCollum has done—she’s shown how even the most unlikely people can find renewal and purpose when they’re willing to break their own rules.
A beautiful read in the style of Gail Honeyman's "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine." Highly Recommend!
Here's what McCollum has done—she’s shown how even the most unlikely people can find renewal and purpose when they’re willing to break their own rules.
A beautiful read in the style of Gail Honeyman's "Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine." Highly Recommend!
Review of advance copy received from Author
In Harriet Hates Lemonade, Audrey—a modern-day version of the orphaned “Anne with an E”—meets Harriet, a cranky and opinionated Olive Kitteridge-type stuck in a self-imposed existence of isolation and rigid rules. When the two are thrown together by tragic circumstances, Harriet must re-examine all her firmly held values and beliefs of the last 30 years. Can she free herself from the past? Can she come to accept that abuse takes many forms? And can she learn to embrace the joys of “found family’?
Author McCollum serves up a flavorful brew of tension, humor, uncertainty, and high emotion. Keep a box of issues handy! You’ll need it for this engaging and ultimately heartwarming story.
Author McCollum serves up a flavorful brew of tension, humor, uncertainty, and high emotion. Keep a box of issues handy! You’ll need it for this engaging and ultimately heartwarming story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Harriet is very satisfied with herself, if not always her life - and she would be satisfied with that as well if she weren't surrounded by idiots who never seem to know what the right thing to do even is!
So, of course, she has to tell them. And if that sometimes makes Harriet less than popular, that's just too bad, isn't it?
And she continues like this, until something that happens forces her to reevaluate not only what constitutes a real crisis, but also just how high the cost of her judgemental approach to life is.
This is an astute and oddly touching story that earns itself 3. 5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
So, of course, she has to tell them. And if that sometimes makes Harriet less than popular, that's just too bad, isn't it?
And she continues like this, until something that happens forces her to reevaluate not only what constitutes a real crisis, but also just how high the cost of her judgemental approach to life is.
This is an astute and oddly touching story that earns itself 3. 5 stars.
I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
What a great book about new beginnings, changes, resilience, grief and loneliness. Harriet’s husband died, and she’s a rule follower. She complains a lot to the HOA but nothing happens. When new neighbors move nearby the daughter, Audrey, shows up one day complaining about her dad yelling at her mom. Over time things escalate and Harriet becomes friendly with Robyn, the mom. When Harriet realizes the husband is abusive, she decides to buy a townhome for Robyn and Audrey. Things go from bad to worse. What will happen to Audrey?
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Read through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book. The main character, Harriet, is a grouch and a stickler for the rules. The rules of the HOA for her housing community, the rules for her life that her husband has set for her. But now her husband is dead and has been for a year. So do those rules still apply? Or does Harriet get to make her own rules now? It was very interesting to watch Harriet realize that now she gets to make her own rules and maybe some of the rules that her husband imposed on her weren't really necessary.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
TW: The title and synopsis do not convey the severity of the domestic abuse, which is a significant aspect of the story.
This novel offers a heartfelt exploration of friendship and found family, though the narrative can feel somewhat disjointed at times. It addresses heavy issues, including tragic domestic violence and emotional abuse. If you enjoy novels like Olive Kitteridge and The Autumn of Ruth Winters you may enjoy Harriet’s character.
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
This novel offers a heartfelt exploration of friendship and found family, though the narrative can feel somewhat disjointed at times. It addresses heavy issues, including tragic domestic violence and emotional abuse. If you enjoy novels like Olive Kitteridge and The Autumn of Ruth Winters you may enjoy Harriet’s character.
Thank you to the publisher and author for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy. All thoughts shared here are my own.
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January 28, 2026Screaming move
move yr old grife
move nasty abuse
move to stop cloud hid yr sun
move to protect what matter
move to be love
move to stop danger
move to nt drink lemonada
move to live yr lovly life
move to stope memory past and live in
move to gd bath with love
just move
life wider than grife
life have more than one road
move over abuse past
y r best flower
move and dont water it by lemonada
water it with love
move
move yr old grife
move nasty abuse
move to stop cloud hid yr sun
move to protect what matter
move to be love
move to stop danger
move to nt drink lemonada
move to live yr lovly life
move to stope memory past and live in
move to gd bath with love
just move
life wider than grife
life have more than one road
move over abuse past
y r best flower
move and dont water it by lemonada
water it with love
move
Review of advance copy received from Author
Kim McCollum tackles the difficult subject of domestic abuse with sensitivity and unflinching honesty in HARRIET HATES LEMONADE. I rooted for quirky Harriet as she summons the strength to confront the past she’s kept so carefully buried, and learns to find joy in the messiness of life. A beautiful story set in breathtaking Montana with flesh and blood characters that kept me turning the page to the very end. I received an advance reader copy for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
gorgeous plotting about a really interesting main character in Harriet. 5 stars. tysm for the arc. would recommend.
February 14, 2026
Review to follow
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