Hope Was Here by Joan Bauer

Hope is probably the best waitress you'll ever meet - and she's only sixteen years old. Food service is in her blood after all, with her mother a waitress and her aunt a cook. For as long as Hope can remember she and her aunt Addie have traveled the country looking for a diner in need of a waitress and a cook. But when they have to leave New York City for rural Wisconsin, Hope is sad to leave the only place she's called home. What she doesn't realize, though, is that she will learn to love her new town Mulhoney and the Welcome Stairways Diner. The owner, G.T. Stoops, a life-loving man with leukemia, will teach her how to be a better person, as he's running for mayor of Mulhoney.

I really liked Hope Was Here. It was well-written and the characters, plot and details were nicely fleshed-out. I have not read any books by Joan Bauer, but I was extremely impressed with this one. The whole novel just felt homey and safe, but was also one that took risks and was emotional (I admit that I cried at the end). I liked how an underlying theme was the food service and how Hope and her aunt both felt most comfortable working in a diner or restaurant. It was also a nice touch how Hope's Aunt Addie was able to extract wisdom from the food that she was cooking - it showcased Bauer's unique style and insight. The characters, some of which could have had more personality, were fun to read about, especially G.T. He was a one-of-a-kind man, and probably the only honest politician out there. His run for the mayor was also a nice touch and gave the reader an interesting look into politics. I liked how the fact that he had leukemia never stopped him from doing something he loved or setting out to accomplish a goal. He was a wonderful model for how everyone should live their lives. I recommend this book to all readers, and even if you don't like it, your mouth will still be watering for some of Addie's delicious home cooking.

8 out of 10.