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J. Ryan Stradal

Biography

J. Ryan Stradal

J. Ryan Stradal is the author of New York Times bestseller KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST and national bestseller THE LAGER QUEEN OF MINNESOTA. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, Granta, The Rumpus and the Los Angeles Review of Books. His debut, KITCHENS OF THE GREAT MIDWEST, won the American Booksellers Association Indie’s Choice Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year. His latest novel is SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE LAKESIDE SUPPER CLUB. Born and raised in Minnesota, he now lives in California with his family.

J. Ryan Stradal

Books by J. Ryan Stradal

by J. Ryan Stradal - Fiction, Women's Fiction

Mariel Prager’s husband, Ned, is having an identity crisis; her spunky, beloved restaurant is bleeding money by the day; and her mother, Florence, is stubbornly refusing to leave the church where she’s been holed up for more than a week. The Lakeside Supper Club has been in her family for decades, and while Mariel’s grandmother embraced the business, Florence never took to it. When Mariel inherited the restaurant, skipping Florence, it created a rift between mother and daughter that never quite healed. Ned is also an heir --- to a chain of home-style diners --- and knows his family's chain could provide a better future than his wife's fading restaurant. In the aftermath of a devastating tragedy, Ned and Mariel lose almost everything they hold dear, and the hard-won victories of each family hang in the balance.

by J. Ryan Stradal - Fiction, Women's Fiction

Two sisters, one farm. A family is split when their father leaves their shared inheritance entirely to Helen, his younger daughter. Despite baking award-winning pies at the local nursing home, her older sister, Edith, struggles to make what most people would call a living. So she can't help wondering what her life would have been like with even a portion of the farm money her sister kept for herself. With the proceeds from the farm, Helen builds one of the most successful light breweries in the country. Yet one day, Helen will find that she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home…if it's not too late.

by J. Ryan Stradal - Fiction

When Lars Thorvald’s wife, Cynthia, falls in love with wine --- and a dashing sommelier --- he’s left to raise their baby, Eva, on his own. He’s determined to pass on his love of food to his daughter. As Eva grows, she finds her solace and salvation in the flavors of her native Minnesota. Each ingredient represents one part of Eva’s journey as she becomes the star chef behind a legendary and secretive pop-up supper club, culminating in an opulent and emotional feast that’s a testament to her spirit and resilience.