The Reservation
A Novel
-
- Pre-Order
-
- Expected Feb 24, 2026
-
- $17.99
-
- Pre-Order
-
- $17.99
Publisher Description
For fans of The Bear, Elizabeth Strout, and Jennifer Egan, The Reservation 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
On 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.
And 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?
Who 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?
Like the works of the mystery guest, The Reservation is a dynamic and captivating story that shows us what it takes to get a beautiful meal to the table.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
On the morning of its biggest reservation of the year, a restaurant descends into accusations and acrimony in this entertaining tale from Kauffman (I'll Come to You). Danny, the operations assistant at Aunt Orsa's, the only fine-dining establishment in a small Midwest college town, is shocked to discover that 22 steaks are missing from the fridge. Orsa, the owner, assumes the theft was an act of sabotage by a disgruntled employee who knows the restaurant is expecting a large group that includes bestselling author John Grisham. With her lists of suspects in hand, Orsa shakes down the staff, from the gruff Chef Oz, who yells at everyone, to Shannon, a new mom on the kitchen staff who desperately wants to be front of house where the big bucks are. As the day progresses and Grisham's arrival looms, the stressed-out staff begins to better understand each other's motivations, and the 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: "The story of one man was never about just one man." It's a pitch-perfect mash-up of Clue and The Bear.
