When Life Gives You Lemons is a collection of short stories of varying length. The main characters are females, mostly young adults trying to find their way in the world. All had at one time had hopes for a good life, but things did not turn out the way they had anticipated. They are faced with making decisions and choosing what they think is the best fit for them. In these stories, one encounters Ginny, who at fourteen was cheerful and ambitious, and follows her through life until her early thirties, when she decides to try to become a nun. One also encounters Kelsey, who always strove to succeed and to do the right things, only to end up feeling like it never got her anywhere. There are other characters as well who were faced with situations in life they had not anticipated.