Griff Barlow is ready to die. His husband has died, his career as a Michelin-starred chef is over, and he's stuck in a neglectful dementia care facility where the high prices do not match the lumpy goo the residents are forced to eat. Also, he does not have dementia, even though everyone thinks he does (including the sister that annoys him, but occasionally visits), so he's quickly going insane at the senior home. Death, he decides, is the only way out. But before he overdoses on the sleeping pills he's socked away, Griff is determined to eat one last lemon tart and sneaks into the kitchen to bake one. But when a fellow resident wanders into the kitchen, convinced that his long-dead mother has made the tarts he loved as a child, Griff realizes that he can maybe stick around a few more days.
During the first bit of this book, Griff is a really unlikeable character. We know he lied about having dementia, that his restaurant had a scandal, and that he doesn't like most people, not even his scatterbrained but still caring sister. But as we learn more and more about Griff's life, it becomes clear why he is the way he is, and why he is where he is. We also learn about why his sister is the way she is as they slowly work toward a better relationship. It's an excellent book that explores relationships, trauma, grief, and family in a way that is at times humorous and at others, pulling at our heartstrings. Highly recommend this one.
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