What a great book! I love everything by this author and this book was no different! I couldn't put this down and was up all night waiting to see how it ended!

@netgalley This novel has many facets. Sam is from CA, goes to Columbia, moves back to CA, then heads back to NY when her relationship and life fall apart. She reluctantly gets a job as a bartender, and each chapter starts with the recipe for and the story behind a classic cocktail. It moves through her life in New York, and how she grows to love the job. But her demons are still with her, and the community she forms has to help her to survive. This is a great ode to NYC and Brooklyn, as well as found families and friendship. #thebartenderscure #bookstagram #wesleystraton #booklover #reader #lovetoread #foundfamily #eatingdisorder #barsofnewyork #foundfamilytrope #readersofinstagram #bookreview #bookrecommendation #readersofinstagram #bookloversofinstagram #bookblog #takeapagefrommybook

A Bartender’s Cure by Wesley Straton is a straightforward coming of age story with drink recipes and the day-to-day life of a bartender in training. Sam is killing time as she waits for law school to start, but is the life she always planned, not what she really wants.
At times, this book felt like a memoir about bartending, but it did have a fun cast of characters and it was a good debut! I look forward to Straton’s next book.
Thanks to #Netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest review.

Enjoy a nice cocktail every now and then? If so, I’ve got the perfect book for you: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑’𝐒 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐄 by debut author Wesley Straton. At its heart this is a coming-of-age story about a woman in her mid-twenties, who after graduating from Columbia and working a couple years as a paralegal, has finally been admitted to Harvard Law. That’s when Samantha’s seemingly perfect life begins to crumble at her own hand. She takes a one year deferral and finds a job bartending at a neighborhood bar in Brooklyn.⁣
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I loved the way Straton structured her story. Each chapter begins with the recipe for a classic cocktail and then somewhere within the chapter a little history of that cocktail is woven in. Some might find this a little gimmicky, but I loved it and found 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘺 classic cocktails that I really need to try. (Honestly, I was craving a drink the entire book!🍸) Along the way we get to know Samantha and what drove her to this particular spot in her life, plus the many other industry workers in her sphere. Having worked as a cocktail waitress for a brief stint in college, I loved all of the inner workings and emotions running through her story. There are some rough spots in Samantha’s life, things that are difficult to read and might be triggering for some. (So, do your research or DM me.) For me though, 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳'𝘴 𝘊𝘶𝘳𝘦 was a fun, fast read that left me thirsty for more! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⁣
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Thanks to @flatiron_books for an electronic copy of #TheBartendersCure.

3.5/5
This novel follows Samantha after a breakup and career change, finding herself as a bartender in Brooklyn. Samantha is dealing with romantic and personal issues that bleed into her place at work, making her see the bartending job in a different light. The Bartender's Cure shows the downfall of relationships and mental health, the dating scene, the uncertainty of the mind, body dysmorphia, and learning how to find yourself as a young adult in this world.

I found this book to be very fast-paced and easy to engage with. Our main character Samantha obviously has a lot going on. A breakup that left her pining for physical and sexual attention, but finding it hard to connect with others at the same time. The topic of Samantha's body and her relationship with it I found handled in an interesting manner. Definitely a trigger warning for eating disorders, But I found it to be an important aspect of the story.

I also loved the idea of each chapter being a different mixology drink that directly coincidences with the chapter topic and conflict at hand, On the other hand, I did find that the story was lacking some substance at times. I wanted more from the protagonist as she seemed one-dimensional at times. I would still recommend this body to anyone who loves the sad woman in a big city book as it for sure delivers that perfectly.

I tried to find a word to describe this book and I think the word is simple.

Nothing astronomical happens, but somehow I was pretty invested in the story. It kind of reminded me of Sally Rooney’s books. Normal characters going through normal issues, working in a normal place, having normal conversations. And in the course of slow story-telling, in 300 pages, nothing happens.

And I’m not saying this is bad (if it was, Sally wouldn't have millions of people reading her books). It’s just not for everyone.

I definitely learned a lot about cocktails which is great lol

I had one major issue. There are no quote marks and I didnt know who was saying what.

It’s a good pellet cleanser after an intense book.

3 stars