Food is in sixteen-year-old Hope's blood. With her Aunt Addie, diner cook extraordinaire, she travels the States and hones her waitressing skills, impressing hungry people everywhere. But following the tides of comfort food dining means Hope never gets to stay in one place very long, and that's tough. The latest move threatens to be the hardest yet, leaving the excitement of New York City to run a diner in rural Wisconsin. Hope doesn't expect to feel at home there, just as she doesn't expect to get caught up in town ...
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Food is in sixteen-year-old Hope's blood. With her Aunt Addie, diner cook extraordinaire, she travels the States and hones her waitressing skills, impressing hungry people everywhere. But following the tides of comfort food dining means Hope never gets to stay in one place very long, and that's tough. The latest move threatens to be the hardest yet, leaving the excitement of New York City to run a diner in rural Wisconsin. Hope doesn't expect to feel at home there, just as she doesn't expect to get caught up in town politics. But her occupation has taught her to read people, and instinct tells her to trust G.T. Stoop, the straight-shooting owner of the Welcome Stairways Diner, whose leukemia makes his entry into a heated mayoral race a surprise to everyone. What follows--as Hope meets politics, corruption, and her past head-on--is at the heart of this memorable, laugh-out-loud story about honor, trust, and serving up your very best. "Readers will recognize many of Bauer's hallmarks here--a strong female protagonist on the road to self-discovery, quirky characters, dysfunctional families, a swiftly moving story, moments of bright humor. Her vivid prose, often rich in metaphor, brings Hope's surroundings and her emotions to life."-- Publishers Weekly "As always from Bauer, this novel is full of humor, starring a strong and idealistic protagonist, packed with funny lines, and people with interesting and quirky characters."-- Kirkus Reviews
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Okay - so I'm 27 and why am I reading a book for a grade-school-er? First, I love to read and particularly love fiction that 1) is clean (I can't stand modern adult fiction that includes filthy language and inappropriate descriptions) and 2) teaches a good lesson wrapped up in an engaging story. I saw a review of this book in a homeschool catalogue and figured I couldn't go wrong for the price. It was a first-class find! I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and the lesson is timeless. I recommend it -- not only to those still in school, for which it was written, but for anybody who needs a bit of encouragement to "keep hoping".
