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A review by valleybookmama
Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst
3.0
I originally requested this book because I really liked the premise. An American starting her life over again by transforming an old French hotel? Sign me up. And in some ways, I loved what this book represented: a journey that was more about professional aspirations that seeking a relationship. Personal and romantic development for characters in their 40s and 50s.
But on another level, this book relies way too much on narrating the steps of renovating the hotel than really helping me feel what the characters are going through. There's only so much I need to know about the details of how to do this renovation before it gets tedious, and that really makes up the majority of the book. We know that Lucy has a complicated relationship with her family, because we are told that...but we don't really know a whole lot about it, and it ends up being the emotional climax of the novel.
I think this story had so much potential, the concept could really have taken off, but telling rather than the showing throughout derailed making an emotional connection with Lucy and the rest of the characters.
But on another level, this book relies way too much on narrating the steps of renovating the hotel than really helping me feel what the characters are going through. There's only so much I need to know about the details of how to do this renovation before it gets tedious, and that really makes up the majority of the book. We know that Lucy has a complicated relationship with her family, because we are told that...but we don't really know a whole lot about it, and it ends up being the emotional climax of the novel.
I think this story had so much potential, the concept could really have taken off, but telling rather than the showing throughout derailed making an emotional connection with Lucy and the rest of the characters.