Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford

Do you ever really forget your first love? And what if it was taken from you?

Henry is 12 years old, and the only child of Chinese immigrants living in Seattle, when the US enters the war against Japan. Henry's father is delighted - he's always hated the Japanese for what they've done in China. But Henry's not so sure that hating all Japanese is that simple - especially since he's become friends with the only other "scholarshipping" student at his all-white school, a second-generation American girl of Japanese descent named Keiko.

The book's narrative flashes back and forth between 1986 and the war years. We see the elderly Henry and his difficulty communicating with his college-age son, contrasted with the young Henry and the impossibility of communicating with his father - despite the fact his parents have extremely limited English, Henry is allowed only to "speak his American."

I loved, loved, loved this book! I listened to the audiobook, read by Feodor Chin, and found myself wishing for more time in the car. It will be a great book for discussion in your bookclub, or just an excellent diversion yourself.