The Waitress

by Melissa Nathan

Book Overview

The Appetizer

Katie has lofty career aspirations that seem to change almost hourly: writer, film director, teacher, educational psychiatrist. In the meantime, she's waiting tables and waiting for "Mr. Right" to arrive out of the blue -- which seems unlikely, considering her romantic track record is as pitiful as her job history.

The Main Course

Still, a girl can dream, even when she's rushing a hot plate of linguini over to the...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060736658
• ISBN13: 9780060736651
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: William Morrow & Company
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.3" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

Quite entertaining

This is one of her better books (much better than her Pride and Prejudice). Lots of humor and a believable plot. The characters are by no means super heroes, and are occasionally rather irritating but this is a decent read.

super funny and well thought out

i LOVED this book! it was funny, charming, addicting, and had a happy ending. The ending is deifinately hilarious! if you are a fan of chick-lit u must buy this! even if u arent!

Light and Fun. Great Summer Read!

It took me about 100 pages to get into this book. Once I did, I was hooked. This reminded me a little bit of "Amanda's Wedding" but it was much better. It is a story about Katie. Katie is a waitress and is trying to figure out what to do with her life. This book was had adjacent stories and expressions of feelings from the other characters. It made the book more interesting and unique. Although the main character was Katie, the author was very deliberate in detailing the lives of some of the other characters and what they were feeling about certain aspects of their lives and how it related to the main plot. Nathan did a very good job with this. As a reader, I didn't feel like these tributaries were unnecessary. They added to the enjoyment of the book. I am definitely interested in reading more books by this author. Well done!

Waiting Around

Having read all of Melissa Nathan's novels, I can say that she is just as pithy and delightful as ever. Nathan's books have an energy and verve which move the pace along quickly, making the reader not want to put down the book until they are finished with it. Reading one of her books is like curling up to watch one of your favorite comedies unfold. Nathan's latest novel, "The Waitress", tells the story of twenty-four year old Katie Simmonds, an Oxford graduate who works as a waitress while she is 'waiting' to find the perfect job. The perfect job seems to come along each week when Katie's mind alights on something she thinks she'd like to do, but isn't brave enough to risk a commitment to. And lack of commitment is a problem in her personal life as well. She's just walked out on a date with the only man she's liked, only to discover that he's her new boss, and he's already dating someone else. But that doesn't seem to stop him from showing interest in her, or is she just mistaken? "The Waitress" is Melissa Nathan's latest "chick-lit" offering, a genre that I tend to ignore. Yet Nathan manages to rise above most of the other fodder this genre offers by making her characters believeable and intelligent. While the stories are predictable - yes, we know that the girl will find the right guy and they'll live happily ever after - the in-between time is peppered with wit, frustration, and amusing subplots that keep the reader interested even when they know how it will all turn out.

Charming and very funny

Katie Simmonds got her degree from Oxford, then froze, unable to decide what to do with her life. Or rather, she decides what to do--for a day or two. Her roommate has helped her write sixty resumes, for the dream of the moment. In the meantime, she and her actor-best friend Sukie work as waitresses in a cheap cafe. When Katie finally meets her dream man, she is torn with indecision, unable to talk to him at all, and bolts halfway through their dinner date. She doesn't dream that Dan the dream man is about to come the new owner of the cafe--and her new boss. Katie wrestles with her growing attraction for Dan, and with her self-doubts and concerns for her future. In the meantime, Sukie tries to get acting jobs, Matt the dishwasher falls for beautiful and perfect Jennifer, and brainless waitress Patsy flirts with equally brainless (but talented) chef Nik. Adding to Katie's problems, though, Dan has gone back to his old girlfriend--and that girlfriend quickly makes the right noises to move from girlfriend to fiancee. Author Melissa Nathan keeps the laughs coming as Katie and Sukie turn being super-rude waitresses into something that appeals to the crowds, as Katie wards off advances from drunk ex-boyfriend Hugh, and as Matt wrestles with overgrown pimples that erupt just as he is about to enter into the perfect date with beautiful Jennifer. Too often, it seems like the world expects the twenty-something to know what to do. But school, even a degree from Oxford, can offer precious little practical direction--and it is easy to become trapped in a job. Of course, sometimes that job-trap can actually become something more. Fans of humorous England-set chick-lit will definitely want to add this one to their must-read list.

amusing chick lit tale

In a London café, waitress Katie Simmmonds goes on a date with Dan Crichton when his previous girlfriend Geraldine pulls off a stunt that sends the commitment-phobic woman running. However, she is unable to hide from Dan when he becomes her next boss and is not sure she wants too. However, her mixed emotions do not matter as Dandy Dan is back with Geraldine. Meanwhile the stud from Katie's longest relationship, a mind boggling almost a year Hugh is back and wants her though he spent four years with Maxine the pencil. Adding to Katie's confusion is that Dan though engaged to Geraldine seems to want her instead. Confused Katie is attracted to both men, but fears either one will demand more from her than she can give. THE WAITRESS is an amusing chick lit tale that stars real people in real situations. The story line focuses on kissable Katie's crazy antics to elude commitment while Hugh seems to want her back in his life and Dan is confused and doesn't know who he really wants. Melissa Nathan writes a warm, very humorous yet deep character study that will have her audience laughing at the antics of the heroine and her cohorts while also empathizing with Katie's fears of relationships. Harriet Klausner