From the author of A Little Hope, an uplifting and emotionally resonant novel set in a Delaware beach town about a local restaurant owner at a turning point.

Three generations of Schmidts have run their family’s beachfront restaurant and Jack has been at the helm since the death of his father. Jack puts the demands of the restaurant above all else, with a string of failed relationships, no hobbies, and no days off as proof of his commitment to the place. He can’t remember the last time he sat on the beach, or even enjoyed a moment to himself.

Meanwhile, the DelDine group has been gradually snapping up beloved eateries along this stretch of coast and are pursuing Jack with a very generous offer to take Schmidt’s off his hands.

Jack craves companionship and maybe even a family. He wonders if closing the door on the restaurant might open a new window for him. But who would he be without Schmidt’s, and can he trust DelDine’s claims that they will continue to employ his staff and honor his family’s legacy?

When he receives startling news from the past, Jack begins to reshape his life and forge unexpected new friendships. But will he really let go of the very things that have defined him?

What a perfect summer read! From page one I was transported to this charming beach town and drawn to the characters who inhabit it. Although they live in an idyllic setting, they’re all struggling with very relatable problems—particularly Jack Schmidt, who finds himself at a crossroads after devoting so much of his life to the family restaurant.

Jack’s the guy everyone else leans on, especially his employees. He wouldn’t mind getting out from under the weight of such obligation, pursuing other passions, maybe even starting a family before it’s too late. So when Jack receives a generous buyout offer from a big corporation, he’s tempted to accept it. But the last thing he wants is for his family’s legacy to be turned into another generic tourist trap, and he worries about the fate of his dedicated staff, who have become family to him. Perhaps most of all Jack wonders who he will be without the restaurant. To complicate matters, he receives unexpected news from the past that resurfaces old wounds.

One of my favorite things about Ethan Joella’s books is his ability to create meaningful moments of human connection, often between unlikely characters. As with his previous books, I know Jack and the whole cast of The Same Bright Stars will stay with me for a long time.