Sweet Reads Box is a subscription box for book lovers craving some me time. Each month you will receive a carefully curated box showcasing the bestselling novel of the month. In addition to your novel, you will receive: an item connected to your novel’s storyline/theme/setting, a delicious drink to set the mood, a sweet treat to enjoy while reading, a card explaining our choice of novel regarding how your items connect, and more!
The Cost: $89.99 per month for the monthly box + free US shipping from Canada. Save with longer subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: 10% off 3, 6, or 12 Month Subscriptions
CODE: MSA
This review is of the "The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie" Sweet Reads Box which is $89.99.
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out our editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
I haven't had the pleasure of reviewing the Sweet Reads Box in a while, so I was extremely excited to see this book adorned package sitting on my doorstep after I got home from a challenging day at work. I couldn't wait to slip into my jammies and curl up with the included book, while enjoying all of the extra goodies. Read below to see how just what we received.
First Impressions
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Packaged in a sturdy cardboard box layered with bubble wrap and tissue paper, our box travelled from Canada to the USA safe and sound. Featuring book stack clipart, and fun fonts, I couldn't wait to dive in.
Here's What's Inside
Content Card
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Honestly, I had to chuckle when I opened up this box, because my dad recently delivered a handmade lemon meringue pie to the boys and I. My dad is a retired heavy equipment operator and farmer with little to no baking skills, so you can imagine my surprise. While it was edible, lemon meringue is definitely not one of my families favorite flavors, but because he put so much effort and love into it, we made ourselves eat the entire thing anyways. Featuring a quote from Sri Chinmoy, the artwork was lovely, and was a nice touch to an otherwise simple content card. On the opposing side, we were greeted with a list of all of the items included in the "Magic of Lemon Drop Pie" box, along with a note as to why each item was chosen, designating if they were from a Canadian company.
Magic of Lemon Drop Pie by Rachel Linden - Retail Value $15.39
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Lolly Blanchard's life only seems to give her lemons. Ten years ago, after her mother’s tragic death, she broke up with her first love and abandoned her dream of opening a restaurant in order to keep her family’s struggling Seattle diner afloat and care for her younger sister and grieving father. Now, a decade later, she dutifully whips up the diner’s famous lemon meringue pies each morning while still pining for all she's lost. As Lolly’s thirty-third birthday approaches, her quirky great-aunt gives her a mysterious gift—three lemon drops, each of which allows her to live a single day in a life that might have been hers. What if her mom hadn’t passed away? What if she had opened her own restaurant in England? What if she hadn’t broken up with the only man she's ever loved? Surprising and empowering, each experience helps Lolly let go of her regrets and realize the key to transforming her life lies not in redoing her past but in having the courage to embrace her present.
Hammonds Lemon Drops - Retail Value $2.00
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Unlike lemon meringue pie, lemon drops go over really well in our house and fit really well with the theme of the book. Huge in size, these sugar dusted drops are perfectly sour and sweet and last a surprisingly long time. My only complaint about this sunshine filled package is that it doesn't seal, so a chip clip or tape is needed.
Lemon Lily Classic Lemon Iced Tea - Retail Value $9.00
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I am not much of a tea drinker (not even the iced versions), so this inclusion while very fitting, it just wasn't my "cup of tea," hahaha! While beautiful and even re-sealable, I don't even have a tea strainer to test it out. After a quick Google search, I found some hacks, and may try and brew a cup for my husband, but would really rather boil a bit on the stove for a steam facial instead! Combining black tea, lemon peel and pieces, and lemongrass, you really can't go wrong, can you?
Abbott Lemon Mug - Retail Value $14.99
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Even though I don't like tea, you can bet I love me some coffee, so this cheery mug will be my new go-to! Being dishwasher and microwave safe, this hand-painted cup holds 10 ounces of liquid and just has the most lovely organic and loose look. When life gives you lemons - make coffee!
Lemon Lip Balm
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Winter is fast approaching, and my lips sure can feel it. Coming in an adorable lemon shaped container, we received a lemon full of lip balm. Not noticeably citrusy, the finger application mechanism probably isn't the greatest for cold and flu season, but it seriously is cute. Twisting to close, I tossed this little guy into my desk drawers in case of emergencies, just because its roundness looked extremely awkward in my jean jacket pocket!
"All I Need is a Bright Afternoon" Journal - Retail Value $7.95
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Working in education I go through a lot of notebooks, and because I happen to be a bit forgetful (and misplace them), I tend to choose ones that are extra bright or patterned to help me keep tabs on them. I really like this bright and cheery version and find the golden quote on the cover to be something I would pick up on my own. Smaller than most actual notebooks (it is actually a journal), it is easy to carry and the pages lay nicely.
Sweet Reads Bookmark
You can never have enough bookmarks, so I enjoy the perfectly themed lemon one we received along with the book. Keeping your pages from being bent, this is a simple inclusion that I appreciate.
Author Letter
Exclusive to the box, we also receive a letter written by the author of the included book. Rachel explains in this letter why she included her toffee recipe and how this book came to be. While simple, I find this letter to make the box feel more personalized, creating an entire experience rather than just a quick read.
Verdict
I love to read, and usually read books that I borrow from the library or buy at garage sales, but once in a while I like to indulge in a crisp new book. Because this is sort of a rare occurrence, I have found this box to be the perfect way to turn reading a book into an entire excursion. Including perfectly themed lifestyle items along with the read, I loved this lemon curation and though expensive, found the entire experience very pleasant and fun.
As far as value goes, because this box offers some exclusive items, it's hard to calculate an accurate total. This box retails at $89.99 and while that is very steep, some of these boxes do go on sale in the "past box" section if you want to take a risk and wait. I find that if you want to indulge yourself (or someone else) once in a while, this is worth the cost as the curation is well done and includes a really good book. What did you think of this box?
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Other Things You Should Know
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? Yes. This box is currently available in the "Shop Buy Now Boxes" section of the Sweet Reads box website. Monthly orders will ship around the 5th of the month.
What did you think of the Sweet Reads "The Magic of Lemon Drop Pie" box?
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