THE SATISFACTION CAFE

“That’s how it is with such moments... we don’t always know which will stick around, and sometimes they are so vivid we must pack them away for a while.”

When Joan arrives in San Francisco from Taiwan - young, married and naive - she is surprised to find life’s turns set her on an entirely different path, with a new husband who is wealthy, American and much older. Throughout Joan’s marriage, motherhood and friendships, her yearning for connection and purpose are ever-present, and ultimately give her a late in life raison d’etre: an unusual cafe opened to accomplish both.

I absolutely adored this wonderful book, which (despite the title) is not about a cafe, exactly, but rather one woman’s life, and the relationships that shape her. This story had so many surprises that paved Joan’s circuitous path to self discovery, with her unexpected choices defining who she would become. Refreshing and unique, Joan is one of the most memorable characters I’ve read this year. Bonus: there’s lots of “rich people behaving badly” as well as an incredible house that is a character unto itself. Add this to your TBR ASAP!

Joan’s cafe has a curiously varied menu (which reminded me of the eclectic cast of supporting characters) - but one mainstay is the lemon cake. Like Joan herself, lemon cake is not overly sweet, and is easy to underestimate. But I love lemon cake and really loved this book! THIS ONE is delicious and tastes like sunshine - the citrusy icing is the best part. Best served with tea and conversation with a friend.