{"product_id":"valet","title":"Valet","description":"\n\u003ctable align=\"center\" border=\"0\" cellpadding=\"2\" cellspacing=\"0\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"productDetailSmallElements\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Infused with commentary on both AI and humanity, J.P. Lacrampe's sci-fi take on Jeeves and Wooster is a delightful rollercoaster--high stakes but also plenty of humor and heart.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eReactor\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBiographical Note\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJ.P. Lacrampe received his MFA in creative writing from Saint Mary's College. His short fiction has been published by \n\u003ci\u003eGlimmer Train\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eMcSweeney's\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eInstant City\u003c\/i\u003e, and in \n\u003ci\u003eHowl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit\u003c\/i\u003e. He is a teaching professor at Santa Clara University, where he teaches courses in composition, fiction, and screenwriting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"With grace and humor, Valet grapples with the major question of our times: how do we live up to our full potential in a world where AI outperforms us all? Wise, witty, big-hearted, hilarious, and totally brilliant! J.P. Lacrampe's robot narrator stole my heart--and reminded me what it means to be human. 10\/10! A marvel!\"-- \n\u003cb\u003eMary Pauline Lowry, author of \u003ci\u003eThe Roxy Letters\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"With the anxiety of AI and tech at an all-time high, J.P. Lacrampe's \n\u003ci\u003e VALET\u003c\/i\u003e is the breather we need to slow down and laugh at the absurdity of the moment, while digging deep into the questions that really matter--what it means to be human and, perhaps more importantly, what it means to be family. Written with intelligence, wit, and tremendous (robot) heart, \n\u003ci\u003eVALET\u003c\/i\u003e is a debut for our age.\" -- \n\u003cb\u003eLysley Tenorio, author of \u003ci\u003eMonstress\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eThe Son of Good Fortune\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\" \n\u003ci\u003eValet \u003c\/i\u003eis a hilarious and bracing examination of the near future, where Cy, a techbot servant, must navigate the complexities of humans to maintain his utility score. What makes this such a winning and openhearted novel is that J.P. Lacrampe goes beyond the initial premise by looking at the universal anxiety of family, of being tied to people with whom you will rise and fall, either toward a new update or into obsolescence.\"-- \n\u003cb\u003eKevin Wilson, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eNothing to See Here\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eRun for the Hills\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"A rambunctious little mystery with fun notes about consciousness and the value of both hard and soft skills.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBooklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"In Lacrampe's debut, the family drama reads like \n\u003ci\u003eKnives Out\u003c\/i\u003e but with robots instead of human staff, and the relationship between Grayson and Cy, a cross between P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves and Wooster and brothers-in-all-but-blood (or lubricating fluid, as it were), gives the story its heart and makes readers care about the characters.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"This madcap novel has plenty of heart.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Quotes\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"Come for the robotic riff on \n\u003ci\u003eJeeves and Wooster\u003c\/i\u003e, stay for the Vonnegut-inspired insights into how humans would incorporate artificial intelligences into not just their lives but their family structures.\"-- \" \n\u003ci\u003eLitHub\u003c\/i\u003e\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublisher Marketing\u003c\/strong\u003e:\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eFor fans of Kevin Wilson and Andrew Sean Greer, a helper robot and his thirty-five-year-old ward embark on a madcap adventure to save the fate of the family company in this whimsically speculative ode to Wodehouse's \u003ci\u003eJeeves and Wooster\u003c\/i\u003e.\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eCy wants nothing more than to be useful, raise his utility score, and receive the next update for his operating system. But that's easier said than done when he's tasked with helping his owner's thirty-five-year-old son \"get out of his funk.\" Grayson is nothing like his go-getter, CEO sister Charlotte. He didn't inherit the family robotics company when their dad passed last year, he doesn't have a master's degree, and he just can't seem to figure out the San Francisco dating scene. He'd rather eat synthesized mozzarella sticks and make pottery at his studio, Kilning Time. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e When Grayson learns of Charlotte's plan to sell the company to a tech conglomerate, he panics. It's not just the family business at stake, it's all the technology--like Cy--their dad invented over the years. So he does what anyone would do: he steals the flash drive with his father's most important work stored on it and plans a corporate takeover. If only he knew what that meant. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e To make matters worse, a fellow VALET deserts his owner and asks Cy to help him hightail it out of town, Grayson's first real date--and her dog--keeping showing up at inopportune times, and the behemoth tech company wants this deal closed yesterday. Grayson, Cy, and their trusty golden retriever, Sasha III, must go on the lam until they figure out exactly what to do, and whom to trust. \n\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e A hilarious, madcap adventure that is as tender as it is insightful, \n\u003ci\u003eValet\u003c\/i\u003e asks not just what it means to be human, but what it means to be family.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations:\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eBooklist\u003c\/span\u003e 04\/01\/2026 (EAN 9781668216439, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/span\u003e 05\/01\/2026 pg. 105 (EAN 9781668216439, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan class=\"italic\"\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/span\u003e 06\/01\/2026 (EAN 9781668216439, Hardcover)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eContributor Bio:\u003c\/strong\u003eLacrampe, J P\u003cbr\u003e\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJ.P. Lacrampe received his MFA in creative writing from Saint Mary's College. His short fiction has been published by \n\u003ci\u003eGlimmer Train\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eMcSweeney's\u003c\/i\u003e, \n\u003ci\u003eInstant City\u003c\/i\u003e, and in \n\u003ci\u003eHowl: A Collection of the Best Contemporary Dog Wit\u003c\/i\u003e. He is a teaching professor at Santa Clara University, where he teaches courses in composition, fiction, and screenwriting.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n","brand":"S\u0026s\/Saga Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51496156430614,"sku":"9781668216439","price":33.6,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0857\/9910\/8886\/files\/9781668216439.jpg?v=1783054332","url":"https:\/\/lusper.myshopify.com\/products\/valet","provider":"Lusperbooks","version":"1.0","type":"link"}