Stuck in Manistique

October 21, 2019
Cuesta’s debut is a playful and sometimes heart-tugging story of an unlikely bed and breakfast in the tiny Upper Peninsula town of Manistique, Mich. Mark’s Aunt Vivian has died, and though they weren’t close, she left him her tidy, beautiful country inn. She had been renting rooms during the tourist season, while in the off-season she worked as a doctor traveling the world with Doctors Without Borders. When Mark first arrives in Manistique, his intention is to sell the inn and return to his work in Chicago as a financial planner, but he’s waylaid by Emily, who needs a room. She just finished medical school, and while traveling to Chicago for her residency, a deer crashed into her car; the slow pace of the quaint town means repairs could take days. Mark reluctantly gives her a room, but before he knows it, more guests begin to arrive. As he thinks of turning them away, Emily becomes overly helpful, allowing more people inside. A series of coincidental commonalities and a friendship developing between Mark and Emily sustain the fast pace of this story. Cuesta’s witty prose is consistent throughout, punctuated by some laugh-out-loud moments. This is a fun, quirky escape from reality.

September 15, 2018
Upon learning that he is the sole heir of his aunt Vivian, Mark makes the trip from Chicago to Manistique, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, where Vivian had a home. Though he didn't know his aunt well, he admired her adventurous spirit; she spent years working for Doctors without Borders before settling in the UP. As soon as Mark walks in the door, the surprises begin?it turns out Vivian ran a B&B, and almost immediately, guests start to arrive. The first is Emily, a young doctor whose attempt to put some distance between herself and her problems was interrupted when her car hit, or was hit by, a deer. The next guest is George, an elderly man who has become separated from his casino bus tour. Then comes a couple trying to be the first to do the Lake Michigan Circle Tour in an electric car. Coincidences and misapprehensions contribute to the madcap humor, but this is also a story of self-discovery for both Mark and Emily. Perfect for readers who enjoy quirky characters in small-town settings.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)