Breadwinner (A Novel)

A beautifully rendered portrait of a marriagethat grapples with creative ambition, dedication, and the secrets we keep from the people we love the most, from Sara Hamdan, author of the “sharp, hilarious, and heartfelt” (Etaf Rum) What Will People Think?

On the surface, Lara and Dom are thriving: Lara runs Thyme Square, a buzzy Berkeley restaurant, where she serves food inspired by her beloved late aunt’s Lebanese cooking; Dom has just finished writing another novel—one that his agent assures him will be a success—and is excited to start growing their family.

Beneath the facade, however, the couple is adrift. On the cusp of Thyme Square’s big break, Lara is still longing for her mother’s blessing of her career path, while the older woman refuses to set foot in Thyme Square for reasons she won’t reveal. And as Dom’s novel fails to gain traction with publishers, his credit card debt mounts ever higher and his sense of self-worth plummets. Dom begins pulling away, isolating himself rather than seeking support from his wife. Lara ignores her mother’s disapproval and the fissures in her marriage by throwing herself into her work, milking solace from her aunt’s well-worn recipe book and the routines of the kitchen. When Lara gets the opportunity to expand her restaurant to the Middle East, the couple finds themselves at a crossroads, unsure if they have what it takes to find their way back to each other.

Breadwinner is an evocative portrayal of a married couple at a critical juncture in figuring out not only where they each came from but who they want to become. Sara Hamdan serves us an unforgettable family drama, set in kitchens from California to Lebanon, that is sure to break hearts and warm them in equal measure.