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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Hotel Portofino has a fun story to follow with lots of interesting characters. Unfortunately, everything felt very fast and shallow - like too much had been packed into a 350-page book. There are too many characters with just a few lines filling us in on their tragic backstory. I had trouble keeping straight who everyone was, which woman had lost a husband in the war, which characters had money trouble, and which Italians did/did not speak English. The characters lack depth, there are too many plot lines for such a short book, and then book just…ends. Not on a cliffhanger, more like the writer just gave up. Even the main love story was a big “meh.” Only after finishing it did I find out the book is based on the miniseries & not vice-versa. It shows. I felt like I just read a very long Wikipedia summary of the miniseries’ episodes.
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Bella Ainsworth fell in love with the Italian riviera on her honeymoon. Now her children have grown, the Great War has ended and she has moved her family back to realize her dream of owning an upscale British hotel. Set in the roaring 20s during the heat of high summer this book has all the promises of a Downton Abbey-esque vibe. Handsome gentlemen, pretty heiresses, scandalous trysts with servant girls, forbidden love, blackmail! I enjoyed the storyline but wanted a bit more from the ending.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
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:
Yes
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
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:
No
Pleasant reading. The rest is necessary.
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Bella and Cecil open a hotel and various people's lives and romantic dalliances are detailed in this novel. There is also an art heist. I didn't care about any of the characters in this story.