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3.5 AVERAGE
3.5 AVERAGE
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
We meet Lucy as she hits rock bottom and takes on a job overseas at Hotel Paradis (practically all she can get after her name was drug through the mud). The job is not what she expected and is nothing like what she had been doing for years - instead, she must put in the work to restore Hotel Paradis (and not just order others to do so).
The novel is a slow build, much like the restoration of Hotel Paradis. In fact, I found myself forgetting it was in the romance genre - but I didn’t mind that at all.
I loved how the author painted the picture of the areas of France Lucy found herself in. So many details in all parts of the book to really make you feel like you are there & experiencing it with her.
The novel is a slow build, much like the restoration of Hotel Paradis. In fact, I found myself forgetting it was in the romance genre - but I didn’t mind that at all.
I loved how the author painted the picture of the areas of France Lucy found herself in. So many details in all parts of the book to really make you feel like you are there & experiencing it with her.
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Lucy Checks In was a relaxing and lighthearted read. After a professional scandal, Lucy cannot get a job in any hotel in the United States. When an opportunity to go to France comes up, she leaps at the opportunity. However, the job is not anything like she thought it would be. It requires work she’s never done before- painting, hauling furniture, and completely redesigning everything from the ground up. Along the way, Lucy builds connections and enjoys life in France more than she ever thought she could.
Lucy Checks In would be the perfect book for anyone who enjoys home renovation, remodeling, or the idea of building a boutique hotel from scratch. A majority of this book is the nitty gritty of dealing with the hotel. While there is a vivid cast of supporting characters, the romance is pretty sparse and the focus is truly on the hotel. I loved that Lucy is an older heroine (late forties) and the atmosphere of being in France was beautiful. The pacing is relatively slow, so I would recommend this as a relaxing read for when you want to escape to France and remodel a hotel.
Thank you to Dee Ernst, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy Checks In would be the perfect book for anyone who enjoys home renovation, remodeling, or the idea of building a boutique hotel from scratch. A majority of this book is the nitty gritty of dealing with the hotel. While there is a vivid cast of supporting characters, the romance is pretty sparse and the focus is truly on the hotel. I loved that Lucy is an older heroine (late forties) and the atmosphere of being in France was beautiful. The pacing is relatively slow, so I would recommend this as a relaxing read for when you want to escape to France and remodel a hotel.
Thank you to Dee Ernst, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Lucy's adventure is an entertaining adventure of a middle age US woman trying to figure out what to do with her life next. She moves to France to manage a hotel and discovers there is much more work to be done than she expected. But she also learns more about how important friendships are and how she can do anything if she and her friends attack it together. Bonus points for making me desperately want to move to France
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an arc copy of this book.
I thought this book was really cute. The romance was defiantly slow to pick up, but I think it worked for the overall story. I think our main character Lucy has a journey that many people can relate to.
The romance doesn’t really pick up till the second half, but it worked because Lucy wasn’t ready when the story began. I will say, though that the romance felt a little lackluster to me, and I just didn’t really feel the chemistry between them. It wasn’t bad, just not my favorite one.
I think the hotel was a great way to show Lucy’s journey of growth, and it was fun seeing everything come together.
Lucy is a 49 year old who has gone through some major unfortunate life challenges recently. She takes a job renovating a hotel in France and ends up renovating her own life while she’s at it!
While I loved the concept and story line of this one (its’ cast and setting reminded me of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie!) and I loved the fact that Lucy is an older woman who gets to have a love interest, this one was a bit slow for me. I wasn’t super eager to keep reading; it was just ok! Towards the end it picked up quickly with a lot going on at once, but then it seemed to end abruptly and had me thinking, wait that’s it?
I really enjoyed some of the smaller things like Lucy’s relationship with her nieces, her best friend. And I loved how passionate some of the people who lived at the hotel were about certain things they tended to. Also the talk of French food, yum and the way they got the garden and planters for the hotel was hilarious 😂 but it still left me wanting more!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
While I loved the concept and story line of this one (its’ cast and setting reminded me of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel movie!) and I loved the fact that Lucy is an older woman who gets to have a love interest, this one was a bit slow for me. I wasn’t super eager to keep reading; it was just ok! Towards the end it picked up quickly with a lot going on at once, but then it seemed to end abruptly and had me thinking, wait that’s it?
I really enjoyed some of the smaller things like Lucy’s relationship with her nieces, her best friend. And I loved how passionate some of the people who lived at the hotel were about certain things they tended to. Also the talk of French food, yum and the way they got the garden and planters for the hotel was hilarious 😂 but it still left me wanting more!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to Edelweiss, St. Martin's Griffin, & Macmillan for the opportunity to read and review this book before it's publication date! This in no way affected my review, opinions are my own.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
While this book wasn't *bad*, per se, it also very much wasn't for me. (Major case of "shoulda coulda wish I woulda DNFed) I would estimate that about 80% of it was descriptions of the walls, linens, and furniture that was going in the renovated hotel - which did paint a pretty picture, but also, I mean, I got the gist about 15 sentences ago, you know?
The most interesting thing I got out of this book was while researching what one would call a MC in her 50s - it's quinquagenarian, if you were wondering. That being said, our MC is a quinquagenarian at a crossroads, both professionally & personally, and makes her way to France to restore a old chateau into a hotel, finding both personal and professional peace along the way.
There was a motley cast of characters (sometimes charming and sometimes annoying), a white cat named Napoleon Bonaparte, and a friendly ghost haunting the gardens. There were also really weird scenes that didn't make any sense, like when they realize they need to take pictures for the hotel website so go around Paris in the dead of night stealing potted plants in decorative urns from houses they felt wouldn't miss them. (No, seriously.) (Wild wacky Frenchmen, whaddya gonna do?)
The romance was meant to be sweet, but I never connected to it. There was also a major plot point that, while it's set up throughout the book, kinda comes out of left field at 89% but ends up wrapping everything up in a nice bow.
I'm not sure exactly who to recommend this to, but I can say if you get 25% into it and you're still interested, I think you're safe.
B̷R̷I̷N̷G̷ ✨ 𝗕𝗢𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗪 ✨ B̷Y̷P̷A̷S̷S̷
While this book wasn't *bad*, per se, it also very much wasn't for me. (Major case of "shoulda coulda wish I woulda DNFed) I would estimate that about 80% of it was descriptions of the walls, linens, and furniture that was going in the renovated hotel - which did paint a pretty picture, but also, I mean, I got the gist about 15 sentences ago, you know?
The most interesting thing I got out of this book was while researching what one would call a MC in her 50s - it's quinquagenarian, if you were wondering. That being said, our MC is a quinquagenarian at a crossroads, both professionally & personally, and makes her way to France to restore a old chateau into a hotel, finding both personal and professional peace along the way.
There was a motley cast of characters (sometimes charming and sometimes annoying), a white cat named Napoleon Bonaparte, and a friendly ghost haunting the gardens. There were also really weird scenes that didn't make any sense, like when they realize they need to take pictures for the hotel website so go around Paris in the dead of night stealing potted plants in decorative urns from houses they felt wouldn't miss them. (No, seriously.) (Wild wacky Frenchmen, whaddya gonna do?)
The romance was meant to be sweet, but I never connected to it. There was also a major plot point that, while it's set up throughout the book, kinda comes out of left field at 89% but ends up wrapping everything up in a nice bow.
I'm not sure exactly who to recommend this to, but I can say if you get 25% into it and you're still interested, I think you're safe.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Death of parent
Alcoholism, Death by Drunk Driving, Toxic Family, Chauvinism
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martins Press, and Dee Ernst for the opportunity to read this ARC!
Lucia “Lucy” Gianatti is packing up her life and moving to Rennes, France after her boss at a swanky hotel in New York embezzled over a million dollars without anyone knowing. While everyone was quick to put blame on her, Lucy used up the last of money to prove her innocence. When an offer to move to France to reopen an old hotel was presented to her she jumped at the opportunity!
Although once she got there, she quickly realized that not everything is as great as it seems, including her actual role in getting it up and running.
Hotel Paradis needed more love than Lucy thought but luckily a group of misfits who have been living at the hotel are all pitching in to make it a destination stop! This include David “Bing” Bingham who is our love interest in this story.
Okay, like Lucy I think I went into this story with slightly different expectations than I got. The cover made it seem like this was a 20-something rom-com! But in fact the main characters are in their late 40’s (which is the average age of all characters it seems) and it was harder for me to connect with them like I would if they were closer to my age.
I also mentioned I was expecting more of a rom-com. While there was the romance between Lucy and Bing, it was different from a romance novel I’m used to. All very clean but it also seemed that they didn’t have very good chemistry with one another. If anything it was a slow slow burn.
The biggest thing I didn’t enjoy was how rushed the ending felt. With how much emphasis there was put on world building and setting the scene, I felt like some things could have been introduced sooner as to not feel so rushed.
All in all this was just not the book for me but that’s not to say that it’s not for someone else! Good book, wrong reader!
Lucia “Lucy” Gianatti is packing up her life and moving to Rennes, France after her boss at a swanky hotel in New York embezzled over a million dollars without anyone knowing. While everyone was quick to put blame on her, Lucy used up the last of money to prove her innocence. When an offer to move to France to reopen an old hotel was presented to her she jumped at the opportunity!
Although once she got there, she quickly realized that not everything is as great as it seems, including her actual role in getting it up and running.
Hotel Paradis needed more love than Lucy thought but luckily a group of misfits who have been living at the hotel are all pitching in to make it a destination stop! This include David “Bing” Bingham who is our love interest in this story.
Okay, like Lucy I think I went into this story with slightly different expectations than I got. The cover made it seem like this was a 20-something rom-com! But in fact the main characters are in their late 40’s (which is the average age of all characters it seems) and it was harder for me to connect with them like I would if they were closer to my age.
I also mentioned I was expecting more of a rom-com. While there was the romance between Lucy and Bing, it was different from a romance novel I’m used to. All very clean but it also seemed that they didn’t have very good chemistry with one another. If anything it was a slow slow burn.
The biggest thing I didn’t enjoy was how rushed the ending felt. With how much emphasis there was put on world building and setting the scene, I felt like some things could have been introduced sooner as to not feel so rushed.
All in all this was just not the book for me but that’s not to say that it’s not for someone else! Good book, wrong reader!