About the Book: When Akiko’s mother unexpectedly dies, she leaves her glamorous publishing career behind and returns to her hometown to transform her late mother’s beloved izakaya into a cosy café. Serving simple, comforting meals of sandwiches, soups, salads and fruit, Akiko begins to rebuild her life with the help of her kitchen assistant, friendly neighbours and a stray cat named Taro. As she reconnects with her past, she slowly comes to terms with grief, loneliness, family and love. A gentle Japanese contemporary novel about healing, food, community and the comfort of shared meals.