Family, culture, food and magic – if you are looking for a vivid read that is well-written and delicious then this book of luck and fortune may be for you!

Natalie has a complicated family history – her mother was agoraphobic, unable to leave the apartment following the death of Natalie’s grandmother. Her grandmother was a famous chef in Chinatown running the most popular restaurant on the block until she died after which Natalie’s mother closed the doors forever.

Natalie, with a gift for cooking and a dream to follow in her grandmother’s footsteps, is upset to find her mother is adamantly against the reopening of the family restaurant. After a blow up fight with her mother, Natalie leaves San Francisco to travel the world and cultivate her gift as a chef. Years later, Natalie returns after her mother’s death with the guilt that they never were able to reconcile.

Natalie decides to open the restaurant and pay homage to her family and also her community. However, her relationship with the neighborhood remains complicated as she remembers the rejection her mother faced when she refused to continue the family legacy. Natalie hits a crossroads – figure out a way to reconcile with the neighborhood, open the restaurant and follow her calling, or simply sell and walk away from San Francisco forever.

This story was heart-warming, heart-wrenchingly sad and magical (literally). I found myself salivating at the recipes and craving Chinese food at multiple points in the novel. I enjoyed Natalie’s internal struggle, her search to unpack her mother’s agoraphobia, and her interactions with the traditional Chinese culture as she attempts to make peace with her past and present, in order to pursue her future.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing for our advanced copy!

Verdict: Read it (3.5/5 stars)
Length: 320 pages
When: You’re in the mood for food, culture and magic.
Also read: The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio (B2C review)