Thanksgiving at the Inn by Tim Whitney

Heath and his father don't get along at all. Which isn't surprising, as Heath's father Junior doesn't get along with his father, either. So when Senior, Heath's grandfather, dies, Heath isn't sure what's going to happen as Junior and Senior haven't spoken in years. But when Heath and Junior learn the terms of Senior's will, which include running his small boardinghouse for three months before they can get any money, Junior is furious. Heath is intrigued, however, and likes the boardinghouse and its inhabitants. He isn't sure how his father is going to react to their new situation, but Heath wants to stay. Can Junior change his ways, and can Heath and him ever get along and stop the legacy of distant father-son relationships?

Surprisingly, I really enjoyed Thanksgiving at the Inn. It isn't normally a book I would pick up, but I'm glad that I did. The story was really interesting, and there was also an aspect of mystery because you really want to know what happened between Junior and Senior to cause them to speak to each other for years. Another great part of the book is the characters. There are a lot of them, but they all have their own stories and personalities. My favorites were Winsted, a Jamaican man who has a somewhat shady past, but is also wise and kind; and Sally, a muscular, tattoo-ed illustrator/author of children's picture books. Even though the book is short, somehow the author was able to tell us a lot about the characters without being too descriptive and boring. Besides Winsted and Sally, I really liked Heath. I felt like I could relate to him and he sometimes said some pretty funny things. I enjoyed watching him forge relationships with the residents of the inn and also patch things up with his father. All in all, Thanksgiving at the Inn was a heartwarming novel that is perfect for any time of the year, not just at Thanksgiving.

7 out of 10.