The Welcome Home Diner by Peggy Lampman
ISBN: 9781542047821 (paperback)
ISBN: 9781543617795 (audiobook – MP3)
ISBN: 9781543617788 (audiobook – CD)
ASIN: B06Y11Q9JX (Kindle edition)
Publication date: October 10, 2017
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Betting on the city of Detroit’s eventual comeback, cousins Addie and Samantha decide to risk it all on an affordable new house and a culinary career that starts with renovating a vintage diner in a depressed area of town. There’s just one little snag in their vision.
Angus, a weary, beloved local, is strongly opposed to his neighborhood’s gentrification—and his concerns reflect the suspicion of the community. Shocked by their reception, Addie and Samantha begin to have second thoughts.
As the long hours, problematic love interests, and underhanded pressures mount, the two women find themselves increasingly at odds, and soon their problems threaten everything they’ve worked for. If they are going to realize their dreams, Addie and Samantha must focus on rebuilding their relationship. But will the neighborhood open their hearts to welcome them home?
Sam and Addie Jaworski are just two people struggling to make their diner a success. They were raised with the idea that those who can do and those who have give. And that’s exactly what they’re trying to do in The Welcome Home Diner by Peggy Lampman.
Sam and Addie Jaworski are cousins. Sam studied to be a chef and helps manage their restaurant’s kitchen. Addie manages the restaurant and the staff. Both Sam and Addie have issues from their past that they are working through, but they are happy to be in Detroit and struggling to make a go at their business. Success seems to be difficult to attain for the cousins for a while, but they gradually begin to make a name for themselves and their business. Just when it seems as if all is bright and wonderful, Sam and Addie begin to deal with blow after blow. Their diner is trolled on the internet and an employee’s daughter is part of an attempted kidnapping scheme. How much should they have to suffer in their efforts to give to a city they’ve come to love? When will the city begin to show them some love in return for their efforts?
I struggled to read The Welcome Home Diner, not because it wasn’t a good read, it is, but because I’ve been dealing with severe migraine headaches and other family medical emergencies over the past few days. Being able to escape into a good book was my respite from these issues, and yes, The Welcome Home Diner was a good book to read. It was easy to become invested in Sam and Addie’s lives and the lives of their friends and coworkers. I wanted them all to have success and was wishing I could sample one of their lamb burgers and Heartbreaker cookies last night. The Welcome Home Diner incorporates the basic angst of any small business owner along with the desire to give back in a meaningful way to a city that’s on the edge of rising like a phoenix. The story also has family drama, interpersonal and intrapersonal drama, envy, enmity, revenge, and more. At its heart, this is a story of a hope and love. Sam and Addie love what they do and just want to share that love and joy via food. Ms. Lampman has crafted a great feel-good story with colorful characters, amazing settings, and believable action. I strongly encourage you to grab a copy of The Welcome Home Diner to read for a variety of reasons but primarily because it is a delightful feel-good story about family, friends, food, and love.
Meet the Author:
Peggy Lampman was born and raised in Birmingham, Alabama. After earning a bachelor’s degree in communications—summa cum laude—from the University of Michigan, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a copywriter and photographer for a public-relations firm. When she returned to Ann Arbor, her college town, she opened a specialty foods store, the Back Alley Gourmet. Years later, she sold the store and started writing a weekly food column for the Ann Arbor News and MLive. Lampman’s first novel, The Promise Kitchen, published in 2016, garnered several awards and accolades. She is married and has two children. She also writes the popular blog www.dinnerfeed.com.
Connect with the author at her website, Facebook, and Twitter
Giveaway:
This giveaway is for one print copy of The Welcome Home Diner by Peggy Lampman courtesy of TLC Book Tours. The giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada only (sorry to all of my other international followers). Please note that although my giveaway ends in one week, books may not be distributed until the tour has ended. To enter, please use the Rafflecopter form below.
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