{"product_id":"the-reservation-isbn-9781640097483","title":"The Reservation","description":"\u003cb\u003eFor fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/i\u003e, Elizabeth Strout, and Jennifer Egan, \u003ci\u003eThe Reservation\u003c\/i\u003e 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\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn 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.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd 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?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWho 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?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eLike the works of the mystery guest, \u003ci\u003eThe Reservation\u003c\/i\u003e is a dynamic and captivating story that shows us what it takes to get a beautiful meal to the table.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e, A Best New Book \u0026amp; A Most Anticipated Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSouthern Living\u003c\/i\u003e, A Most Anticipated Book of the Year\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Yes, it’s a mash-up of locked-room mystery and \u003ci\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/i\u003e, but it’s also a beautifully crafted novel in stories that reveals characters’ essential loneliness right beside their cravings for true connection.\" —Bethanne Patrick,\u003ci\u003e Los Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"\u003ci\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/i\u003e fans will say, 'Yes Chef!'\" —Lizz Schumer, \u003ci\u003ePeople\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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, \u003ci\u003eThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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 . . .\u003ci\u003e The Reservation \u003c\/i\u003ehas spot-on observations about human nature.\" —Mary Ann Zehr, \u003ci\u003eThe Harrisonburg Citizen\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Both peppery and poignant.\" —Erin Douglass, \u003ci\u003eThe Christian Science Monitor \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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\u003ci\u003e The Bear\u003c\/i\u003e seem calm and collected. This utterly delightful novel is a full feast for readers. \" —Michael Welch, \u003ci\u003eChicago Review of Books\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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 \u003ci\u003eClue\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/i\u003e.\" —\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly \u003c\/i\u003e(starred review)\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Readers who enjoy character-driven stories and TV's \u003ci\u003eThe Bear\u003c\/i\u003e will find much to appreciate.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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, \u003ci\u003eThe Reservation\u003c\/i\u003e is a joy—just don’t read it while you’re hungry.\" —Freya Sachs, \u003ci\u003eBookPage\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Kauffman explores her characters' interactions and backgrounds with aplomb . . . \u003ci\u003eThe Reservation\u003c\/i\u003e is a big-hearted novel perfect for J. Ryan Stradal's fans.\" —\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"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.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This is \u003ci\u003eBig Night\u003c\/i\u003e, but with sandy blond hair and a Southern drawl! So, so good.\" —Emma Straub\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Rebecca Kauffman is brilliant and her books keep getting brillianter.\" —David Lipsky, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Parrot and the Igloo\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eAlthough Of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“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 \u003ci\u003eThe Reservation\u003c\/i\u003e, 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 \u003ci\u003eHot Air\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eREBECCA KAUFFMAN \u003c\/b\u003ereceived her MFA in creative writing from New York University. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eAnother Place You've Never Been\u003c\/i\u003e, which was long-listed for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, \u003ci\u003eThe Gunners\u003c\/i\u003e, which received the Premio Tribùk dei Librai, \u003ci\u003eThe House on Fripp Island\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eChorus\u003c\/i\u003e, and most recently, \u003ci\u003eI’ll Come to You\u003c\/i\u003e. Originally from rural northeastern Ohio, Kauffman now lives in Virginia.","brand":"Counterpoint","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48233735389413,"sku":"NP9781640097483","price":27.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781640097483.jpg?v=1767741213","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-reservation-isbn-9781640097483","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}