North of Happy

• North of Happy by Adi Alsaid on Amazon

A few pages into this book with a quizzical title got me to track author Adi Alsaid on social media and resolve to read everything he's ever written and ever will write.

North of Happy's quickly-moving narrative focuses almost equally on main character Carlos and an elite restaurant. Other critical elements include Carlos' recently deceased brother Felix, TV-star chef Elise and her daughter Emma, along with geographies of Mexico City and the US Pacific Northwest; Alsaid captures well the texture and pace of each individual person and place. A recipe to introduce each chapter makes an appealing way to integrate action and the culinary specialties climate and language generate.

As a (chronologically) mature reader who loves (some) middle school novels, I wasn't disappointed that Carlos and Emma got separated abruptly and didn't begin a happily ever after at such young ages, though I'd enjoy a fifteen years later sequel where they reunite, possibly with spouses and kids, maybe to re-connect and go on from there together forever.

So I'm following the author because of his writing style. Characters don't quite jump off the pages, yet they change and grow satisfyingly enough. Plot is almost predictable; that's why we need like a sequel to discover that intriguing what happens next.

• My Amazon Review: Love this new to me author!