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A novel of family, Midwestern values, hard work, fate and the secrets of making a world-class beer. 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, and makes their company motto ubiquitous: "Drink lots. It's Blotz." Where Edith has a heart as big as Minnesota, Helen's is as rigid as a steel keg. Yet one day, Helen will find she needs some help herself, and she could find a potential savior close to home. . . if it's not too late. Meanwhile, Edith's granddaughter, Diana, grows up knowing that the real world requires a tougher constitution than her grandmother possesses. She earns a shot at learning the IPA business from the ground up--will that change their fortunes forever, and perhaps reunite her splintered family? Here we meet a cast of lovable, funny, quintessentially American characters eager to make their mark in a world that's often stacked against them. In this deeply affecting family saga, resolution can take generations, but when it finally comes, we're surprised, moved, and delighted.
This storyline crosses several generations and several POVs. This is a book that I (a person in their mid twenties) really enjoyed but also so did my parents and some of my friends parents (late 40s to mid 50's). Stradal does a great job of being relatable across different generations. This book takes place in the Midwest so if you know anyone from the Midwest or who lives there now they can probably find a few things to relate to in this book!
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I loved the story line in this book! Who wouldn't laugh, even a little, at the thought of grandmas making beer? This book pulled me in and being from the Midwest myself, I felt like I could relate to having grandparents and great grandparents that came from the same generation as Edith and how much they are willing to sacrifice for their family. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes beer, family's that over come difficulty, underdogs, and grandma's pie!