A Place at the Table: A Novel
From Susan Rebecca White, award-winning author of A Soft Place to Land and Bound South, comes a breathtaking story of three richly nuanced outcasts whose paths converge in a chic Manhattan café as they realize they must give up everything they thought they knew to find a home at last.
Alice Stone is famous for the homemade southern cuisine she serves at Café Andres and her groundbreaking cookbook, but her past is a mystery to all who know her. Upon Alice’s retirement, Bobby Banks, a young gay man ostracized by his family in Georgia, sets out to revive the aging café with his new brand of southern cooking while he struggles with heartbreak like he’s never known. Seeking respite from the break up of her marriage, wealthy divorcée Amelia Brighton finds solace in the company and food at Café Andres, until a family secret comes to light in the pages of Alice’s cookbook and threatens to upend her life.
In her most accomplished novel yet, Susan Rebecca White braids together the stories of these three unforgettable characters who must learn that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you become whole.
Alice Stone is famous for the homemade southern cuisine she serves at Café Andres and her groundbreaking cookbook, but her past is a mystery to all who know her. Upon Alice’s retirement, Bobby Banks, a young gay man ostracized by his family in Georgia, sets out to revive the aging café with his new brand of southern cooking while he struggles with heartbreak like he’s never known. Seeking respite from the break up of her marriage, wealthy divorcée Amelia Brighton finds solace in the company and food at Café Andres, until a family secret comes to light in the pages of Alice’s cookbook and threatens to upend her life.
In her most accomplished novel yet, Susan Rebecca White braids together the stories of these three unforgettable characters who must learn that when you embrace the thing that makes you different, you become whole.
BUY THE BOOK
Community Reviews
I loved this book and the characters. The subtle mystery was intriguing - and very interesting to see how the author wove all the characters and circumstances together to reach the book's conclusion.
Having experienced something similar to what Amelia goes through, in the book . . . I felt that her reaction to it all was rather 'deadpan'. I can't imagine a woman taking that surprise as casually as she did. (But, I have to say, I admired her for it!)
And the section which introduced us to Bobby seemed to go on and on and on. I didn't see the necessity of that 'drag'. However . . . the rest of the story certainly made up for the little bit of 'Bobby Tedium'.
This is one of the best books I have read in quite awhile. Not quite as wonderful as 'Horse' . . . but close to it. I intend to find other books by this author.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.