Fantastic – a ripping yarn. If you know the hospitality industry, you’ll recognise the places, the food, the characters, but not only that, it’s a love story, too' Gregg Wallace

‘Craig Melvin is a vivid and entertaining storyteller, with a real understanding of how to engage readers with a well-crafted yarn. He always cooks up a literary feast' Matt Haig

Welcome to the worst day of Chef Charlie Sheridan's life, the day he's about to lose his two great loves: his childhood sweetheart, Lulu, and the legendary Brighton hotel his grandfather, Franco Sheridan, opened in 1973.

This is the story of the Belle Hotel, one that spans the course of four decades – from the training of a young chef in the 1970s and 80s, through the hedonistic 90s, up to the credit crunch of the noughties – and leads us right back to Charlie's present-day suffering.

In this bittersweet and salty tale, our two Michelin star-crossed lovers navigate their seaside hangout for actors, artists and rock stars; the lure of the great restaurants of London; and the devastating effects of three generations of family secrets.