The Satisfaction Café - a poignant story of a woman's journey to find meaning in her life.

In 1973, Joan Liang left Taiwan with the hope of a more fulfilling life in the United States. She moved to Palo Alto, California, and attended Stanford University. By 1975, she is married to fellow Chinese student Milton Liu, but she quickly realizes this was a huge mistake and moves on. She soon meets and marries Bill Lauder, a wealthy, older white man, and moves into his huge home, Falling House. She is Bill's fourth wife. While she loves Bill, she must adjust to his life, which includes his siblings, grown children, and busy social life, where she is the only Asian spouse. Motherhood follows as Joan dreams of running a café. Life continues, with its ups and downs. When Joan eventually opens the Satisfaction Café, she finds satisfaction of her own by creating a unique experience where people can truly connect.  

Kathy Wang's The Satisfaction Café is Joan's search for meaning in her life. There are many interesting characters in this quiet book. They are all seeking fulfillment, with varied success. Life is bittersweet for us all. There's no getting around it. I enjoyed Joan's journey.

Many thanks to Scribner for providing an advance copy of this moving book, with its beautiful cover. 

Rated 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Literary Fiction.

Publication Date: July 1, 2025.

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