First off, I will say I received a copy of this book through the Early Reviewers program at LibraryThing, and I'm grateful to the publishers for the opportunity to read this.

I think this book is well-meaning but in some ways it Tries Way Too Hard--like obviously Azza comes from a good place, but sometimes she reads as like. Stupid, rather than out of her depth culturally. The plot about the college seems far-fetched at best, and while the work is clearly of the present, its lack of historical ties make some of the points seem loose and disconnected. (The references to the Muslim ban, for example, disconnected from the actual context of the current administration's Islamophobic policies, fall kind of short.) Azza's PTSD is also never really put into context for us, nor named as such. And boy was I not convinced by a college junior falling in love with a high school senior--the maturity gap there is enormous.

It's not a bad book, it just tried to tackle too much without enough attention to each piece. There are kids maybe who might find this book interesting, but mostly I found it lacking. ( )

Lovely book and I thank the publisher and author for the opportunity to read it in advance in exchange for an honest review. I was swept away into the novel, the story of Azza a familiar, yet unique one at the same time. It's a story of perseverance, hope, love, political turmoil, and courage. ( )

Thanks to Black Rose Writing, Kenneth Womack, and Netgalley for making I am Lemonade Lucy! available for a honest review.

Summary:
Lured by promises of a “full college experience” by a shady recruiter, Azza leaves Paris and arrives in Fremont, Ohio, home of Northwestern Ohio State College and the Rutherford B. Hayes museum. Her arrival (and her hijab) causes a stir in the small town. Because the college is a commuter school–the recruiter lied–the college houses her in a local motel and high school senior Kip drives her to and from the school.

Kip’s a bit . . . obsessed . . . with Rutherford B. Hayes. He spouts random RBH factoids at all the wrong moments to everyone from Ryan, his best friend, and Birdie, the girlfriend who dumped him (but he won’t admit it), to Azza and Colby, the new docent at the RBH museum, the only person who can top his knowledge of all things Hayes-related. The museum is run by the eccentric Fletch. Kip’s been on the board since 8th grade.

Then a crisis hits: former First Lady Lucy Hayes’ plaster of Paris pear has disappeared. An audit is coming up and, fearing that the board will use this as an excuse to shut down the struggling museum, Fletch begs Kip’s help in finding the lost pear.

You can guess what happens: Kip and Azza team up to find the pear (among other things that have mysteriously disappeared from the museum). Together with Ryan and Colby, they search. But their search reveals the prejudices lying beneath the surface of their tranquil little town.

(Note: In case you didn’t know and because Kip isn’t here to tell you this, “Lemonade Lucy” was the former First Lady’s nickname because she and the POTUS didn’t serve alcohol in the White House.)

My thoughts:
I have mixed feelings about this book. It’s always difficult for me to read a humorous book (or book intended to be humorous) because 95% of the time, I don’t find the book funny. But I did find parts of I am Lemonade Lucy! humorous.

A few things that didn’t work for me:
1. Azza & the portrayal of Islam
I like her. I think the author likes her. But how would a Muslim woman view her? As I read, I felt uneasy, questioning whether a Muslim would find this interpretation accurate, offensive, or somewhere in between.

For example, on her first day of school, Azza arranges her hijab to copy the “College Girl Look” found in a photo in a Muslim fashion magazine. The reader knows that absolutely no one in this rural midwestern town will notice how she wears the hijab, only that she is wearing one. They certainly won’t notice that her hijab is arranged differently than it was when she registered for classes. It’s dramatic irony. But could it be seen as making fun of her and the hijab?

Not being Muslim, it’s impossible for me to know this. Different Muslims would have different interpretations of these parts of the book, I’m sure.

2. Birdie-Kip romance
Birdie has dumped Kip at the beginning of chapter 2, but he’s in denial about this. As the novel progresses, Birdie becomes increasingly nasty. Really, she was a nasty, hateful person to begin with, but Kip just didn’t see it. I couldn’t stand her. She seems one-dimensional. I hear her name and all I hear is her screaming “Zero fucks” at Azza. Why did Kip ever find her attractive? Even his BFF doesn’t know.

3. The mystery
This is categorized on Netgalley as a mystery/thriller and women’s fiction. I don’t think this should’ve been categorized as a mystery/thriller. Sure, what happened to Mrs. Hayes’ plaster of Paris pear is puzzling for the characters, but it’s not compelling. It provides a little suspense, a little puzzle-solving, for this women’s novel and helps move the plot along and bring certain characters together, but that’s not a real mystery novel.

There’s a second “thriller” aspect that seems out of place in the book. Without spoiling this plot twist, let’s just say that the mostly light-hearted tone of the narration conflicts with a violent and dead-serious plot turn late in the book. It does, however, provide a moment of self-sacrifice and bravery.

What DID work for me:
1. The strong opening.
Azza brings her four-year tuition (in cash!) to the commuter school’s Registrar’s office, flustering all the registration staff. The narrator’s voice is great here: sympathetic, wry, slightly sad. The staff members are grey-haired ladies who have never encountered a student like Azza before. A hijab! A bag of cash! Oh my! And she thinks she’ll get tuition and board (at a commuter school) and a meal plan. They have no idea what to do.

Womack writes, "If they could have seen Azza beyond the hijab–if they had taken in the emotional contours of her face–those formidable women who comprised the grey-haired staff (they preferred to think of themselves as mature) would have glimpsed the fear in their most unexpected visitor’s eyes . . ." (chapter one)

The opening does multiple things. It shows Azza’s determination tinged with fear. It shows the quandary of what to do with a student who has been recruited with lies. It shows how people in this small town react to the presence of a Muslim. Also, it sets up the conflict that will continue throughout the novel.

2. Kip’s obsession with Rutherford B. Hayes
It’s just so odd, and it’s the oddity that works for me. Kip thinks that Azza is eccentric, though he doesn’t see his own eccentricities. How many teens geek out over Rutherford B. Hayes? Then again, how many teens even know who RBH is? And how fortuitous: just when his ex turns out to be a horrible person, he meets a terrific like-minded RBH fan who wants him to woo her.

3. The small town setting
I haven’t lived in a small town, but I’ve been in enough similar settings (churches, schools, college) that this portrayal of a small town rings true.

There are other things that worked for me, too. Overall, I think this is a good book. I enjoyed parts of it more than others, and I definitely enjoyed Womack’s voice as a writer. I would read other books by him.

4 stars. ( )