The Satisfaction Cafe: 'Insightful, necessary and beautiful' Ann Patchett
Paperback Published on: 07/05/2026
Price: £10.99
Synopsis
Joan Liang's life is a series of surprising developments: she never thought she would leave Taiwan (and for all places, California), nor did she expect her first marriage to implode - especially as quickly and spectacularly as it did. She definitely did not expect to fall in love with an older, wealthy American and become his fourth wife and mother to his youngest children. Through all this she asks herself the question familiar to so many of us: what are we living for? And are we ever truly satisfied?
Publisher information
- Publisher: Little, Brown Book Group
- ISBN: 9780349147277
- Number of pages: 352
- Dimensions: 196 x 126 x 26 mm
- Weight: 280g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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A beautiful and tender read
From the first page this book completely drew me in and then I just didn’t want to put it down. I don’t quite know where to start explaining what the stor... READ MORE
Great idea, but a bleak read for me
Maybe this well-written book caught me at a bad time, but I found it really depressing and bleak.
The idea of The Satisfaction Cafe is a fantastic one, a... READ MORE
Four stars!
The Satisfaction Café by Kathy Wang is a beautifully layered story about reinvention, resilience, and the search for contentment. Joan Liang never imagined... READ MORE
You're On the Guestlist
In “Satisfaction Cafe,” Kathy Wang presents an extremely complex and compelling protagonist, Joan Liang. She was born in Taiwan to parents who never liked ... READ MORE
Wish I was there
A beautiful life story exploring how we all grow and develop through our lives, our hopes and fears can be addressed how we can be comforted loved and love... READ MORE
Such a Fresh, Engaging Voice
Joan comes to the States from Tai Pei. Working hard at college, she strives not only academically but also to find her place in society. Falling for a hand... READ MORE
Family Saga!
An interesting concept, mostly executed well.
I liked Joan, thought she was an interesting character with a great story. I found her kids likeable too, ... READ MORE
Travelling through life
I loved this book. It was very readable and a joy to return to each time. The story recalls the life of Joan, who unexpectedly gets the chance to leave Tai... READ MORE
A quietly understated lovely read
I am really glad that I was invited to read "The Satisfaction Cafe" by Kathy Wang as it could have easily passed me by. It's not my usual type of book that... READ MORE
Spending quality time with Joan: resourceful, pragmatic + delightful 4.5 rating
Born and raised in Taiwan, Joan’s destiny, as far as her parents are concerned are to not cause trouble, take care of her family and make a respectable mar... READ MORE
Thought Provoking
I was pleased NetGalley asked me to review this book
I am a little late as this was published in June 2025- I am still writing up my summer reviews.
... READ MORE
A Moving Portrait of One Woman’s Life and Legacy
This was such a great book.
It follows the life of Joan, from her early life in Taiwan to her moving to California, marriages, children, the lost of love... READ MORE