Leave it to Grandmothers to have the last word: Gran on Nantucket Island has left her favorite restaurant (she has been a secret owner for years) to her three granddaughters plus the chef with the stipulation that they must all work at Mimi’s Place for a year in addition to living in her house just a few blocks away. Luckily, for the young women, they have had a bit of history in the restaurant and event planning so they agree among themselves to a schedule. The author had me at the entree of Eggplant Parmesan on the menu. It is a hectic year with unforeseen problems at the restaurant and marriages. It is a fantasy life but isn’t that what makes it a great beach read! Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Landmark and author Pamela Kelley for an ARC of this book; this is my honest review.

Enjoyable beach read about three sisters who inherit a restaurant from their beloved grandmother, they must run it for a year before deciding if they want to sell it. Over the course of the year they learn important lessons about themselves, and the others around them. I'm excited for the next book in the series!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC!

This was a light summer read, perfect for the beach.

Although the setting was Nantucket, I often forgot because there was a huge lack of details about the island. There was a lack of differentiation in the sisters too, I kept mixing them up.

I wish there had more tension here, more wonder about where the story was going, but overall I still enjoyed it.

The Restaurant was an okay read for me. I appreciated the simplicity of the plot. It was easy to follow and had a cozy, predictable charm. I didn’t find much complexity in the story or its characters, and while there was some tension, it was easy to see where things were going. That said, if you're a fan of Hallmark holiday movies, you’ll likely enjoy this warm story about sisters and food.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for the gifted copy.

Three sisters, each at her own crossroads in life, inherit a Nantucket restaurant and must work together for one year before they can move on. I loved all three sisters- Mandy, Emma and Jill. They must learn to work together in a restaurant that hasn't changed along with the town. All the characters were real, human and I felt that they were long lost friends. Highly recommend!

Pamela Kelley delivers another heartwarming escape in The Nantucket Restaurant, a cozy, character-driven story about three estranged sisters brought together by the unexpected inheritance of a beloved local restaurant.

When Mandy, Jill, and Emma return to Nantucket after their grandmother’s passing, they’re stunned to learn she secretly owned Mimi’s Place—and left it to them, with one condition: run it together for a year before making any decisions. What follows is a heartfelt journey of grief, growth, and second chances.

Each sister brings her own emotional baggage: Mandy longs for more than island life, Jill is torn between her career and family, and Emma is reeling from a recent separation. With the gruff but lovable head chef Paul in the mix, they navigate the highs and lows of restaurant life—and rediscover themselves along the way.

Full of charm, family drama, and small-town flavor, this is a feel-good beach read with emotional depth. Fans of Elin Hilderbrand and Jenny Hale will feel right at home.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Restaurant by Pamela Kelly was a book that had such promise. The story is about three sister Emma, Mandy, and Jill who were raised by their grandmother. When she passes away the sisters find out they have inherited a restaurant along with Paul, the longtime chef there. They have one condition to be able to keep the place and that is they must run it together for one year with Paul. If they cannot do it Paul gets to inherit entirely.
I really wanted to like this book but for me it totally fell flat. I read the book but truly did not feel much of a connection with the characters in the story. If you need a book that has a sister theme, this one is written for you.
Thank you NetGalley, Pamela Kelly and Sourcebooks Landmark for the ARC of The Restaurant. This is my personal review.

I always find Pamela Kelley books easy to read. In The Nantucket Restaurant three sisters, Jill, Emma and Mandy inherit a restaurant on Nantucket from their grandmother. The catch is that they must run the restaurant for a year before they can sell it. Otherwise it goes to Paul, who’s been the chef for the last decade. The opportunity comes at a good time for each of them. Jill loves the business she built with her best friend Billy as executive recruiters in NYC. But she has started having feelings for Billy and maybe some distance would be good. She can work from the island. Mandy lives on Nantucket and is a stay at home mom of two. But her husband doesn’t appreciate her and he may not be faithful. Emma’s fifteen year marriage has just ended. Her photography career is just taking off and she is getting national attention. All three agree quickly to working together for the year.

If this was a different author I’d think this may set up a few different novels with a romance or story for each. Instead all three get some attention in the story and the progress of changes in their lives. I have read several of the author's previous books and usually appreciate all the food descriptions and the easy flow. But this time it felt superficial. Two of the characters are going through some major changes and you never see anger or worry about how they will pay their bills. It is like everyone all the time knows everything will work out just right and it does. And I know Kelley writes closed door romances but I do want to see some of the romance. I want to see a date or two or feel the longing for passion.

I didn’t realize till I came to post a review on Goodreads that the book was originally published in 2020 under the name of The Restaurant and already has a sequel. It doesn’t change my review but now I am curious about what gets covered in the next book.

The Nantucket restaurant - Pamela Kelley

4/5⭐️

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This one was a cute easy read for me. I did totally bust it out in two sittings. This book follows three sisters Mandy, Jill and Emma who end up inheriting a restaurant from their gram after she passes. It was their favorite place growing up but never knew she was the owner. The only thing is gram put some fine details on everything. All she wanted was the sisters to be close and spend more time together again. One of the fine details was they had to work at the restaurant for one year to actually inherit it or their shares go to Paul the chef. Overall this was a good one and totally recommend.

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If you like to read:
- Fiction
- Romance
- Beach read
- Adult
- Contemporary
… You should definitely check this out

2⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark for an advanced copy of The Nantucket Restaurant.

Jill, Emma, and Mandy all rush to their grandmothers bedside when she falls ill. After she passes they find out that she was the owner of one of their favorite restaurants and she would like the three of them to run it for a year and then if they want to see they can. Each sister is going through personal changes and they think the restaurant saved them.

This one was just okay. I kind of felt like the book was about nothing at some points. I would have liked if the story went deeper.

As someone who loves Elin Hilderbrand I absolutely loved this!!! It gave such summer, beach town, coastal living vibes that made me want to pack up and move!! I loved the family theme and it was just such a great, wholesome, summery read!!

I enjoyed reading The Nantucket Restaurant b y Pamela Kelley. You will fall in love with all the characters. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy Reading!

Three sisters inherit their grandmother’s favourite restaurant after her death and have to work there for a year to comply with the terms of her will.

This was an easy and very predictable read. The plot didn’t come with any surprises and can best be described as safe and lacking depth.

It was filled with various dishes and wine pairings and though set on a famous island, there was hardly any description of the beautiful setting.

The characters were one-dimensional and hardly any depth to them. There was no development by the end of the book.

Also, certain incidents were skimmed over and sometimes it seemed overly descriptive.

All in all, it wasn’t bad but it could be better. I received an advanced copy and the review is mine and voluntary.

I was really drawn to the premise of The Nantucket Restaurant—three sisters coming together to run their late grandmother’s restaurant for a year before they can sell it. It had all the ingredients for a heartfelt, cozy read. Unfortunately, while the idea was great, the execution fell a bit flat for me. The book leaned too heavily on description and didn’t offer much in terms of plot or character development. I kept waiting for something to really happen, but it never quite got there. A lovely setting, but not as satisfying a story as I’d hoped.

Really enjoyed a warm story full of family ,friendship love.This is a perfect summer read that kept me entertained from first to last page.# NetGalley #sourcebookslandmark.

What happens when three grown sisters inherit a struggling restaurant on Nantucket—from a grandmother who never told them she owned it? Drama. Laughter. Healing. And one very unexpected co-owner (hello, broody chef Paul 👀).

In The Nantucket Restaurant, Pamela Kelley serves up a layered story full of family tension, heartfelt growth, and small-town charm you can practically smell through the pages (seriously—if someone doesn’t bring me a bowl of chowder, I’m rioting).

Each sister is navigating her own mess, and watching them rediscover themselves—and each other—is so satisfying. The writing flows like good conversation over wine and old memories. It’s cozy fiction with a backbone, and it left me full in the best way.

Big emotions. Real-life stakes. And a setting that feels like a warm hug with a salty breeze.

🍽️ Family + food + finding yourself again? Don’t walk. RUN to Mimi’s Place.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Landmark for providing this review copy via NetGalley for my honest voluntary review.

#NetGalley #PamelaKelley #TheNantucketRestaurant

Family food and Nantucket are at the heart of this enjoyable book. After the death of their grandmother, sisters Jill, Emma, and Mandy are surprised to discover that she owned Mimi’s Place, their favorite Nantucket restaurant. The will holds another surprise, it requires the sisters to run the restaurant, along with Paul the chef and Emma’s high school boyfriend, for 1 year. After the initial disbelief the sisters figure out how to make it work and with their life’s at crossroads the year together on Nantucket may be exactly what they need. This was a perfect book for a lazy summer day as I immersed myself in the lives of Jill, Emma, and Mandy. The time on Nantucket allowed them to reconnect, to heal, and to discover what they want out of life and love. I recommend this book to readers that enjoy books about family, finding love, and creating the life you truly

3.5 stars. Three sisters inherit a restaurant from their grandmother, and have a year to decide whether or not to keep it. The reading was easy, nothing heavy at all. A good change from the mysteries and thrillers I’ve been reading. I enjoyed the restaurant setting with the descriptions of menus and the day to day goings on in the business. The sisters’ stories were predictable but somewhat entertaining. All in all, this was a pleasant women’s fiction story.
Thanks to Netgalley and Sourcebooks for this arc.

I enjoyed this read and read it in almost one sitting.

I loved the story of the three sisters and finding a new way of life together even when pieces of their lives separately are falling apart. There is nothing like the bond of siblings making it through hardships together.

I also loved how picking up the pieces allowed them each to find something new they loved.

I do think it could've used more depth into each of the sisters and their relationships with others (whether new or old) and I really thought the story could be longer. The ending came in hot and I expected more tying up of loose ends.

I think the writing is good along with the descriptions. It held my attention and I think it's a perfect summer read that's great for a beach.

Thanks so much to Sourcebooks for the eARC of this book!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
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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.
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When I requested this book from NetGalley, I did not realize it was a rerelease of a book I had already read...in 2020. However, since it was back then a four-star read, I decided to give it another go, and it was still enjoyable this time around. I am a big fan of Kelley's books set on the island of Nantucket and enjoyed the cameos of some of her characters from the Nantucket Beach Plum Cove series. I remembered parts of this book, but after five years, plenty of it was unfamiliar to me, so it was certainly not a hardship to reread it.

I love stories about sisters, and this was no exception. I also tend to love books that surround cooking or restaurants, so this also had that going for it. I appreciated the little bit of romance in there, and I loved hearing the back story of how it was that Grams came to be the silent partner in Mimi's Place. And it was a pleasure watching them bring the restaurant back to life, all while figuring out exactly where they fit into the equation. All in all, this was a fun summertime read from one of my auto-buy authors, and it was a great way to spend a day of my current staycation. I would still rate it a solid four stars.