The Same Bright Stars
A Novel
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4.5 • 28 Ratings
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- $13.99
Publisher Description
From the author of the Read with Jenna Bonus Pick A Little Hope, an uplifting and emotionally resonant novel set in a Delaware beach town about a local restaurant owner at a turning point.
Three generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant and Jack has been at the helm since the death of his father. Jack puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach, or even enjoyed a moment to himself.
Meanwhile, the DelDine group has been gradually snapping up beloved eateries along this stretch of coast and are pursuing Jack with a very generous offer to take Schmidt’s off his hands.
Jack craves companionship and maybe even a family. He wonders if closing the door on the restaurant might open a new window for him. But who would he be without Schmidt’s, and can he trust DelDine’s claims that they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family’s legacy?
When he receives startling news from the past, Jack begins to reshape his life and forge unexpected new friendships. But will he really let go of the very things that have defined him?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
The colorful latest from Joella (A Quiet Life) finds 52-year-old Jack Schmidt at a crossroads in his diligent management of his family's restaurant in Rehobeth Beach, Del., which he took over from his father decades earlier. When corporate bully DelDine, which has been scooping up dining establishments up and down the Delaware coast, approaches Jack with a lucrative offer, he's tempted to take it. Though his high school buddy Deacon and others urge him not to sell, Jack remains torn. Meanwhile, he rekindles his romance with former fiancé Kitty, and the narrative flashes back to the 1980s, when the pair fell in love as teens. Eventually, Jack enters into negotiations with DelDine, but revelations about the developer's true intentions complicate matters. The plot is predictable and sentimental, but Joella adds in meaty themes of gentrification, corporate greed, and the burdens and privileges of family tradition. Those in search of a feel-good summer tale will find what they're looking for.
