Book Description
For fans of The Bear, Elizabeth Strout, and Jennifer Egan, The Reservation explores the loves and labors of an ensemble of more than a dozen restaurant workers as they strive to get a perfect meal to the table
On the morning of the most important booking in the long history of the celebrated restaurant, Aunt Orsa’s erupts into chaos with the discovery that twenty-two rib eye steaks have been stolen. Hers is the most august of fine-dining establishments in this Midwestern college town, and tonight Orsa is set to host a large party honoring a very special guest—a bestselling author of national renown.
And what’s up with the recent spate of online reviews, from insulting to frankly terrible? Is Orsa, who wants only to be loved, being sabotaged on several fronts? No one is above suspicion, not the Mennonite baker nor the tattooed hard-ass chef de cuisine. Could the culprit be among the servers, or even the inexperienced undergrad working as hostess?
Who aside from Rebecca Kauffman—with her talent for portraying such abundant and sympathetic characters—could write with the wit and energy needed to launch all these various individuals whirling through their days with such complex and interactive choreography?
Like the works of the mystery guest, The Reservation is a dynamic and captivating story that shows us what it takes to get a beautiful meal to the table.
Praise For This Book
People, A Best New Book & A Most Anticipated Book of the YearSouthern Living, A Most Anticipated Book of the Year
"Yes, it’s a mash-up of locked-room mystery and The Bear, but it’s also a beautifully crafted novel in stories that reveals characters’ essential loneliness right beside their cravings for true connection." —Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times
"The Bear fans will say, 'Yes Chef!'" —Lizz Schumer, People
"Virginia author Rebecca Kauffman keeps lots of plates spinning as various members of the staff—from lead line cook and busser to bartender and pastry chef—weigh in on the mysterious goings-on."—Suzanne Van Atten, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
"The novel is engaging not so much because of what happens but rather in the portrayal of the characters and how they view each other . . . The Reservation has spot-on observations about human nature." —Mary Ann Zehr, The Harrisonburg Citizen
"Although the book is mostly light work and mirthful throughout (if not genuinely funny), Kauffman is at her best when touching on the difficulties of daily life. The hierarchies of a restaurant are aptly captured and moments arise that are genuinely affecting." —David Ellis, The Standard
"Both peppery and poignant." —Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor
"Rebecca Kauffman does an incredible job in bringing this restaurant and all its employees to life on the page, and the result is a madcap mystery that makes The Bear seem calm and collected. This utterly delightful novel is a full feast for readers. " —Michael Welch, Chicago Review of Books
"Entertaining . . . [T]he story develops into a profound meditation on what it means to be connected, which Kauffman elucidates with a light touch when a bar guest reflects on the nature of storytelling . . . It’s a pitch-perfect mash-up of Clue and The Bear." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Readers who enjoy character-driven stories and TV's The Bear will find much to appreciate." —Booklist
"Rebecca Kauffman cooks up both a delicious mystery and a quietly perceptive ensemble character study . . . Throughout, Kauffman illustrates the ways in which the restaurant's workers make vast assumptions about one another—notions that almost always wind up being misguided, narrow-minded, or just plain false. In this way, Kauffman also implicitly encourages readers to examine any preconceptions they might have about people who work in service industries, reminding us with care and compassion that no one's backstory is as simple as it seems . . . The Reservation creates what's effectively an ensemble character study, of all the lives and stories that converge at Aunt Orsa's on potentially the biggest night ever." —Norah Piehl, BookBrowse
"The characters are engaging, sympathetic, and portrayed without judgment. The staff members are so much more than the work they do, and the care and curiosity that Kauffman brings to all of them is effective and purposeful. The gustatory details, too, are rich and delightful as the story unfolds. Observant, wry and witty, The Reservation is a joy—just don’t read it while you’re hungry." —Freya Sachs, BookPage
"Kauffman explores her characters' interactions and backgrounds with aplomb . . . The Reservation is a big-hearted novel perfect for J. Ryan Stradal's fans." —Shelf Awareness
"A restaurant-based mystery reveals more than just the culprit in this sprightly drama . . . [A] tender tale that seeks the 'immeasurable satisfaction' of an ordinary job well-done. In what is largely a light and funny novel, Kauffman nevertheless touches some of the deeper mysteries of the human condition: desire, longing, and an inchoate sense that there is something larger than our circumstances which binds us all together. A book that proves light touches can leave lasting impressions." —Kirkus Reviews
"This is Big Night, but with sandy blond hair and a Southern drawl! So, so good." —Emma Straub
“Rebecca Kauffman is brilliant and her books keep getting brillianter." —David Lipsky, author of The Parrot and the Igloo and Although Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself
“One thing I love about fiction is that it can take you anywhere. For instance, an entire novel can take off when a whole bunch of steak are stolen from a restaurant refrigerator. That this relatively small theft can change the trajectory of people’s lives. With The Reservation, her sixth novel, Rebecca Kauffman has proven herself to be a master of documenting ordinary life—revealing how complicated, rich, puny, funny, beautiful, and absolutely bittersweet it can be.” —Marcy Dermansky, author of Hot Air
