Off the Menu

In this exhilarating debut, three women find that sometimes the best way to nourish your dreams is with friendship—and by daring to try something that’s not on the menu. If there's one thing these three friends can agree on, it's that being a high-achieving Asian-American woman can mean a lot of pressure. Whitney Lee works at a law firm, but no one—not even her best friends—knows about her fantasies of making it as a singer. Restaurateur Hercules Huang is poised to be the next big name in the cooking world, but her strained relationship with her unassimilated father mars her accomplishments. Audrey Henley, the adopted daughter of Texas billionaires, is thrilled when her less-than-wealthy boyfriend proposes, but her mother worries that she’s repeating the mistakes she made decades ago. They're the closest of friends—who still need to learn to trust each other. But through dinners, a weekend getaway, and shared set-ups and let-downs, these three realize that sometimes, to live the life of your dreams, all you have to do is let go of the need to be perfect. "Off the Menu is filled with characters who will resonate with anyone who has struggled to balance pleasing others with following a dream. Christine Son’s attention to cultural details will remind readers of Amy Tan, and the satisfying conclusion of the story is the perfect end to a day spent curled up with this delectable novel."—Tasha Alexander, author of And Only to Deceive and A Fatal Waltz