The Nantucket Restaurant

The Nantucket Restaurant #1

by Pamela M. Kelley

For fans of Elin Hilderbrand, USA Today bestselling author Pamela Kelley invites readers to step onto the shores of Nantucket, the perfect backdrop for your summer beach read.

Three sisters, each at her own crossroads in life, inherit a Nantucket restaurant and embrace working together.

Mandy, Emma and Jill O'Toole are as close as three sisters who live hundreds of miles apart can be. They grew up together on Nantucket, but have scattered around the country. When their beloved grandmother passes peacefully in her sleep a week before her ninety-ninth birthday she leaves them quite a surprise. In addition to her Nantucket home, they learn that they've inherited Mimi's Place, one of Nantucket's most popular year-round restaurants. They had no idea that she was the silent owner of a restaurant, and no idea how they're going to handle this kind of inheritance.

There is of course, a catch―she left the restaurant equally to Mandy, Emma, and Jill―and also to Paul, the executive chef for the past fifteen years.

And before they can sell, all three women need to work at the restaurant for a period of one year. Now they have to examine their priorities and figure out a way to make it work, all while discovering that Mimi's Place is in serious need of a facelift. The restaurant hasn't changed in years, and its finances are declining. Meanwhile, Nantucket is a special place, a tight-knit and insular upscale beach community, both supportive and challenging.

Three sisters, each at a crossroads in her own life, facing the challenges of a surprise inheritance in the close-knit community of Nantucket.

Praise for Pamela

"Who doesn't love a great beach read? Grab your beach chair, umbrella and a cooler full of snacks and enjoy!" ―Susan Wilson, New York Times bestselling author, for The Bookshop by the Bay

"A delightful story about family, friends, and finding our own happiness." ―Jenny Hale, USA Today bestselling author, for The Bookshop by the Bay

***Note this is an expanded edition of a previously published novel titled The Restaurant. This new edition features a new character and subplot and additional new scenes throughout which add up to one third all-new content.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Audiobook, Contemporary, Book Club, Family

356 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 16, 2020

About the author

Pamela M. Kelley is a USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of women's fiction, family sagas, and suspense. Readers often describe her books as feel-good reads with people you'd want as friends.

She lives in a historic seaside town near Cape Cod and just south of Boston. She has always been an avid reader of women's fiction, romance, mysteries, thrillers and cook books. There's also a good chance you might get hungry when you read her books as she is a foodie, and occasionally shares a recipe or two. :)

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short Ribs and Chardonnay would be a better title for this book. The ribs showed up constantly at the restaurant and chardonnay seems to be the only white wine in the author’s world. I noticed this from other books of hers. Odd choice, nearly everyone I know stopped drinking chardonnay in the 90s. Sauvignon Blanc, Chablis, Pinot Gris, anyone?

The book could be set anywhere at all, it is that generic. I never got the feeling that I was being transported to Nantucket (where I lived for a decade so know what to expect). The characters in the book were not well defined and I spent the first third of the book trying to remember which sister was married to which guy. There were far too many paragraphs devoted to detailed descriptions of the food – what it was, how it was prepared, etc. (those damn short ribs). And they only ever went to the same three restaurants on Nantucket – Millie’s, Black-Eyed Susan’s and the Club Car. Even in NYC – there are how many thousands of restaurants and Jill and Billy always went to Rosa Mexicano – a chain restaurant of all choices! And the street name where the Rose & Crown isn’t even correct. It’s not Water Street, it’s South Water Street.

When I need a Nantucket fix, I’ll stick to Elin’s books from now on, at least I get a nice big serving of nostalgia when I read her books, not short ribs!

[fred stahl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Trite story

Very disappointed in this story. You know how the story ends by the third chapter. Too much detail into what the three main characters were wearing,eating in the restaurants and what wine they were drinking. No suspense in what was happening in their so called love life. What bothers me is reading the reviews of many of the books is how highly most these books are rated and they are not worthy of a rating of three stars at he best. Shows what the public appreciates as good literature.

[Liezel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This must be one of the worst written books I have ever read. A story about three sisters that inherit a restaurant, with a healthy dash of relationship challenges. I thought the restaurant theme would be totally up my alley, considering I am a huge foodie. Instead I got pathetic dialogue, flat characters, sickly sweet endings and zero complexity. I really need to stop listening to my Amazon algorithm, it clearly does not understand me.

[Greta Samuelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy and fast “chick lit” book for me. Sometimes these kinds of stories are just what I need and sometimes I need something a bit more substantial.

The Restaurant starts out with 3 sisters who lose their grandmother and then they find out that their grandmother was actually the secret owner of the family’s favorite restaurant whenever they were visiting her in Nantucket. The Restaurant is left to the 3 sisters as well as the chef in equal parts on the condition that they all work together at the place for a year.

There will be lots of descriptions of food as you read this story and true to a cozy chick lit book, everything is wrapped up in a neat bow at the end. I can tell you that this book made me want to eat some lobster pot pie and seafood chowder!

Don’t jump into this one thinking it’s going to be a deep and epic family saga. Have fun with it and enjoy!

[Rosalyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t buy it. I’m sorry to have to write such a negative review, but I’m honestly feeling shocked at how bad this book was, considering its reviews. It was so bad that I actually considered I may have been defrauded… That the author was not, in fact, a best-selling author. Or that the reviews have been purchased. There simply is nothing to this book. Everything is overtly explained in unbelievably simplistic language, as if it were a screenplay rather than a book. To sum up what is wrong with it… There is nothing in the book that has any texture, or any complexity at all, with the possible exception of the descriptions of the food. Boring characters, meaningless and predictable dialog, pointless descriptions, even a divorce situation that strains that reality past any reasonable breaking point. Save your money, it is truly awful.

[Robin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Don’t bother with this one

Poorly developed characters and a trite, predictable storyline that lacks any depth. The concept had promise, but I felt like I was reading a synopsis rather than a fully fleshed out novel. The author also needs an editor to help eliminate distracting grammar errors and poor syntax. I’m baffled by high reviews from others.

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Nantucket Restaurant, by Pamela Kelley, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Jill, Emma, and Mandy are sisters. They inherited a restaurant on Nantucket, after their grandmother passed away, along with the sisters the Paul the chef of the restaurant has inherited the restaurant as well. This was a nice read,nothing better than sisters, in a beautiful, location with great food.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Restaurant by Pamela M. Kelley, from the USA Today and Wall St. Journal bestselling author of Nantucket Neighbors and Nantucket White Christmas is a novel about three sisters, an inherited Nantucket restaurant, and a one year wait before they can sell it. Mandy, Emma and Jill are as close as three sisters who live hundreds of miles apart can be. They grew up together on Nantucket, but Mandy is the only one that stayed. When their beloved grandmother, Ethel Ferguson passes peacefully in her sleep a week before her ninety-ninth birthday, she leaves them quite a surprise. In addition to her Nantucket home, they learn that she was the silent owner of Mimi's Place, one of Nantucket's most popular year-round restaurants. There is of course, a catch--she left the restaurant equally to Mandy, Emma, and Jill--and also to Paul, the restaurant chef for the past fifteen years. And before they can sell, all three girls must work at the restaurant for one year--or their shares of the restaurant will go to Paul; The same Paul that broke one of their hearts many years ago. The author has added several subplots to support the main plot filling out each of the main characters including the restaurant itself.

[Nancy Yager · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Nantucket Restaurant by Pamela M. Kelley is contemporary women’s fiction with strong family saga and small-town vibes, set against the very picturesque backdrop of Nantucket. Three adult sisters inherit their grandmother’s beloved restaurant, Mimi’s Place, and have to come back home, figure out how to run it together for a year, and also untangle the messes in their own lives. I liked the book overall—it's fun and cozy and very much about family—but I did find it a little strange that two of the sisters are divorcing at the same time, the endless food descriptions were a bit over the top for me, and I’m honestly tired of the modern trend of making the men either awful or total pushovers. Still, the “coming back home and reconnecting” angle really worked for me and kept me turning the pages.
The heart of the book is the three O’Toole sisters—Mandy, Emma, and Jill—and their late grandmother Mimi, who is still very much a presence even after she’s gone. Mandy, the newly single mom, was the one I least connected with. She’s juggling her kids, her past, and the uncertainty of what comes next, and that felt grounded and relatable. But on that same level so unwilling to consider forgiveness. Just a thought – divorce is not the solution to everything.
Emma and Jill are at their own crossroads too, and I liked how Kelley built three distinct sister personalities. Emma is dealing with marital issues and career choices, and Jill has that high-powered, city-life energy that looks glamorous on the outside but maybe isn’t as satisfying in reality.

Having two sisters going through divorces at basically the same time made things feel a bit soap-opera-ish to me, though. I get that it raises the emotional stakes and gives everyone a reason to reevaluate their lives, but it also felt a little too convenient, like the “divorce fairy” visited the whole family at once.

Paul, the longtime executive chef who ends up sharing the inheritance, adds another layer to the dynamic. I enjoyed his role as both insider and outsider—he’s been there for years, knows the business, and yet isn’t part of the family by blood. His steady presence and knowledge of the restaurant is a nice contrast. That said, this is where some of my frustration with the male characters comes in. Across the board, the men tend to fall into two buckets: the bad, selfish, or unreliable exes… or these kind, gentle guys who sometimes verge on being too perfect or too accommodating. I would’ve liked a bit more nuance—flawed men who aren’t villains, supportive men who still have some backbone.

Now, we have to talk about the food. Because this book is absolutely drenched in food. Menus, recipes, specials, kitchen scenes, dish after dish being described. Some readers are going to love that and come away starving in the best way. For me personally, it edged into “too much of a good thing.” A little food talk to set the scene is delightful; here, I felt like we were getting the chef’s tasting menu plus every side dish. I sometimes wanted to nudge the story back from the plate and into the characters’ heads and hearts.

Where the book really shines, though, is in the overall feel of the setting and the family bonds. Nantucket comes across as a small, tight-knit community that can be both comforting and claustrophobic. Kelley nails that sense of “everybody knows everybody,” which works especially well when you’re dealing with a long-standing restaurant that’s practically an institution. The restaurant itself feels like another character—a place that holds memories, secrets, and second chances. I enjoyed seeing the sisters notice all the little things that had been frozen in time and then start talking about what needs to change, both in the business and in their lives.

Kelley’s main points, at least as I read them, revolve around second chances, the importance of roots, and the idea that home can be something you rebuild rather than something you simply go back to. There’s also a big emphasis on the power of shared work—rolling up your sleeves side by side in a kitchen, dealing with bills and staffing and renovations—and how that can heal old wounds in ways that simple conversation often can’t. I liked that the sisters don’t magically fix everything overnight; they each have to decide who they are now and what they actually want, not just what they’ve always done.

Even with my gripes about the men and the overabundance of food talk, I closed the book with a smile and buying the next book in the series. The story is warm, easy to read, and has that “comfort TV drama” energy—lots of emotional entanglements, a charming setting, and a cast you can follow into future books. If you enjoy multi-generational family stories, love a coastal small-town backdrop, and don’t mind a generous helping of food descriptions, this is a fun, cozy read to sink into.

[Amy J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Emma, Mandy, and Jill were raised by their grandmother for many years. Upon her passing, they find out she was a silent owner of a local restaurant. In Gram's will, the restaurant is left to the three sisters and long-time chef Paul, under one condition. The girls must run the restaurant for a year, or it goes to the chef.

The story is a charming story, but lacks some of the depth and character development I was hoping for. If you are looking for a quick, pick-me-up read this may be for you.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A perfect palate cleanser. The writing stayed on the surface and definitely lacked any “meat,” but I read it in a day and enjoyed it even though I won’t remember anything about it tomorrow. Some books are like that and that’s ok!

[Gail · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming story that will melt your heart.
Very well written with amazing characters that draw you into the story. I lovedevery minute of the story and hated to see it end!

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was not good. The characters were one-dimensional, the dialogue was flat, and it was way too descriptive about mundane details. It may have been a thinly veiled marketing ploy for Charles Krug vineyards and/or Cakebread Chardonnay. It also came across like someone’s hyper detailed diary entries. It was schmaltzy & predictable, but it was also a wee bit comforting & comfortable in the midst of a pandemic. This was the only reason I didn’t throw it across the room in disgust. It was like cheap comfort food that you know will upset your stomach, but you eat it any way.

[Karen McQuestion · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you just want to sink into a story and let it cover you like a warm blanket--this book did just that. I loved this story of three sisters in Nantucket and having worked in restaurants, found the details accurate. A good read!

[Stephanie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like a bad Hallmark Channel or Lifetime Movie. But sometimes that is what you need.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yikes this was hard to finish. Not quite sure why I did except in this COVID and election year it was one of the few tasks that required no intellectual thought or energy, just mindless repetition of grazing my eyes across the lines of type.
Specifically the writing was like that of a teenager's journal. It was so literal...we did this, then I opened the door, I asked her if she wanted coffee, she said no, I said ok, we decided to go out, I dressed up, we ate dinner, he looked at me, I looked away, we ate dinner, we went home, the next day we did this, blah, blah ,blah ..UGH... for the entire book.
No character development, very shallow and one dimensional characters, childish dialogue, no reflection or introspection, nothing left to the imagination, no plot and totally predictable from chapter one.
Totally perplexed by the ratings of this book. definitely not my style of writing and would not read another book by this author

[Gary · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Missed Opportunity

This book left me sadly disappointed. I was looking forward to reading The Restaurant because it had an intriguing premise. Three sisters had been extremely close when they were raised by their grandmother on Nantucket Island, but had grown apart as adults. In fact they lived in three disparate parts of the country. Then, abruptly, they were brought together by the death of their grandmother and linked even closer by the restaurant they inherited. The only catch was that they had to operate the business together for a year before they could sell or move on.

I envisioned a great number of possibilities for drama and interest in a storyline such as that. They were very different kinds of people. One was a very successful Manhattan businesswoman. One was a married teacher and part-time photographer. The third was a stay-at-home mother and the wife of an extremely successful money manager. How would they meld for a year? What might have caused them to move apart?

Then there was the mystery of the restaurant itself. Mimi’s Place was a business that none of the women even knew that their Grans even owned. Why? Who was this woman of mystery really?

But that opportunity was missed. I found a book that was flat; the plot really did not build to any dramatic climax. It lacked passion. Even at the moment when one of the sisters was discussing the collapse of her marriage because of infidelity, there was no passion. They might as well have been discussing the restaurant’s menu. That was a huge opportunity missed.

It was a smooth, easy read and I finished it quickly. I liked the three main characters, though I found them somewhat cardboard and predictable. The descriptions of the food delicacies were delightful—though I believe that there were far too many of them.

I appreciate Goodreads for giving me the opportunity to read this book and offer my honest review. I only wish I could recommend it more highly.

[AmyJMcF · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the 5th book I’ve read by this author, with the other 4 being those in the Nantucket Inn series. They are all quick and easy reads, fairly shallow, but entertaining. This book, like its sisters, has just the faintest thread of a plot.
My biggest beef is the terrible editing of all of them- it’s obvious the writer edits and publishes her own books, and she could really use a professional hand! There are often mild grammatical mistakes to be found. In this book, there are also glaring printing issues - the margins and paragraph indents in the first hundred pages or so are a crazy quilt, all over the place. It just looks and feels cheap.
These books would be better suited to a cheap, mass upload to a Kindle to take on a vacation, than they are for serious reading.

[Tass (lovemyreading) Assante · Rating 3 out of 5]

a solid feel good read....

[Katy O. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love sisters, Nantucket, and restaurant stories, so this was a perfect weekend read for me! Cozy, light and low-angst.

[Stephanie Beaudet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I genuinely thought this was a debut novel. The writing style is awkward with the dialogue sounding robotic. The time jumps made it seem like we were just grazing over topics instead of actually telling a story. It’s supposed to be a feel good read, so I was fine with the whole love interests somehow working out perfectly for everyone. It just felt like a knock off Elin Hilderbrand book. There was more description about the food and wine than anything else, and it just felt so repetitive. Disappointed in this one but it was a mindless read if that’s what you need.

[Jeanne Haden · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's official...I do not like this author's style of writing. At all. It's hard to explain how annoying it is that she explains every.single.movement! I feel like it's a sign of weakness of character development. And insulting to the reader as if we cannot comprehend the story without turn-by-turn instructions. I should have read my own review of the last one of her books I read. Too cloying for me. I won't make that mistake again.

[Mary Jackson _TheMaryReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first book by Kelley and I really enjoyed it. I love all three sisters. All the talk of food was heavenly, it was such a gem to read. I have to say that I was left wanting more. So happy to find out that there is another book for me to read to close up some loose ends maybe. This was a fun read. I recommend it.

[Hristina Todorova · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 звезди, за да сме максимално точни. Приятна история - от онези уютни и разтоварващи книги, с които празнуваш някой съботно-неделен следобед. Беше интересно да се проследи как се променя животът на всяка от трите сестри, след като наследяват ресторанта. Храната и всички кулинарни описания в книгата определено отварят апетита :)

[Carly Bohach · Rating 4 out of 5]

I finished this in less then 24 hours. It was a fun, heartfelt book. I loved the characters and the sea side setting. The descriptions of the food served at Mimi's place made my mouth water. I want Lobster Pot pie!

[Katie Winters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book. I'm a lover of Nantucket and the author nailed the setting perfectly. This is a light summer read about three sisters that inherited a restaurant. Would highly recommend!

[Natalie Conte · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very light hearted, feel-good read. Sometimes it’s just what you need.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fast, light hearted reading. Mostly about relationships, an inherited restaurant from Grammy, an abundance of references to food and wine.

[Megan Hogan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Perfectly mindless and lovely. Great beach read!

[e_anne_b · Rating 5 out of 5]

At my grandma’s for thanksgiving and stole another book off her shelf. As usual, she has great taste!!! Love this author 🥰