Set in the early 1990s, The Sylvan Hotel by Frannie James is a captivating whirlwind of drama that follows a recent college graduate as she navigates the "in-between" stage of her life. James also captures the Emerald City at the precipice of its evolution from a "pretty pit stop" with provincial sensibilities into a 21st-century metropolis. Cameos by Kurt and Courtney Love Cobain set a nostalgic backdrop for James's Seattle story.
Joann is a "somewhat preppy" 20-something Asian American working the swing shift as a front-desk agent at the "crown jewel" of Seattle hotels. The Sylvan Hotel hums with the hotel's energy and the lively characters who keep it running smoothly, including the coterie of valets and the housekeeping staff with their entertaining chatter over walkie-talkies. Friendship blossoms between Joann and Kathryn as they trade switchboard and front-desk duties. Then there's Robert, a chivalrous valet whose connection with Joann teeters thrillingly toward the romantic.
Kathryn and Robert view their hotel jobs as a temporary refuge, but Joann worries she'll never transition into her dream career in advertising. While the Sylvans navigate outrageous guest requests, readers are treated to a tour of beloved landmarks anchoring Seattle's history, such as the iconic Pike Place Market.
When tragedy strikes, it is the first of many storms Joann must weather as pieces of her "grown-up destiny" fall into place. The Sylvan Hotel is a fun, exuberant story of a young woman forming transformational connections in the most transitional of places. --Shahina Piyarali