RESERVATIONS REQUIRED

On the cusp of adulthood, a 17-year-old girl escapes her abusive home and discovers a refuge in a sleepy Arizona town.

Two weeks have passed since Nana’s funeral. Her absence still feels raw to Lucy Sánchez, a Mexican American girl who has inherited her grandmother’s love for and knowledge of cooking. Home offers little solace. Lucy’s mother is a ghost of her former self; her father, meanwhile, is a violent tyrant. When Lucy’s brother, Mario, arrives home late one day, it sets their dad off in a rage, and Mario runs away from home. It doesn’t take long for Lucy to fall victim to her father’s ire, and she’s soon plotting her own way out. After a brief spell with her aunt, Lucy decides to head to Los Angeles to enroll in culinary training. On the road, however, she spots a help wanted sign on the window of La Cocina, a small-town restaurant. Lucy ultimately finds what she needs there to start over away from the trauma of her past: a community of supportive (mostly Latinx) friends, an opportunity for love—and even a puppy. In this tale of resilience and recovery, Bernal keeps the pacing tight and brisk, mapping out Lucy’s arc from scared adolescent to triumphant yet cautious chef-in-progress. Despite a somewhat abrupt ending, readers will find a story buoyed by likable characters and the author’s compassionate writing.

A well-rounded feast for the heart.