I loooooved this book! It made me think of Dirty Dancing and season 2 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in the BEST WAY! I loved the family dynamics and the characters, but the setting was really my favorite part of all of it! It was like the hotel itself was a whole character. It was the most fun reading experience, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Elyssa was a guest of the podcast to promote this book. i really loved the setting on the Catskills and it reminded me of Dirty Dancing.

3.5 stars (but I rated another book by her 3 stars and liked it a lot less, so needed to round up for this one)
The Goldman and Weingold families have co-owned a hotel in the Catskills since the 1960s…think Dirty Dancing with the cha cha lessons, talent shows and white linen table cloths at every meal. In the present time though, these types have hotels have gone out of fashion, so the two families must gather to decide if they will accept on offer to sell the hotel to a casino developer. Told from multiple perspectives of almost all of the family members, the reader sees what this property means to each one, and the struggles of holding on to the past without living in it.
This book was world’s better than Friedland’s previous novel, The Floating Feldmans…most of the characters at The Golden are a lot more likeable and believable, and the storyline (will they sell, won’t they sell) drives the plot better. If you like reading about family relationships, this would be a good pick.
(I was given a free copy of this title by NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review)

This was a good story about generational ties among friends, families, and business. I enjoyed the point of views changing to tell the story, and I felt like I knew the characters by the end, even if I didn't necessarily like them!


I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

The Dirty Dancing super fan in me loved this one! The Golden Hotel is very reminiscent of Kellerman's.

Told in alternating timelines of past and present. Nicely layered

With her talent for creating well-crafted characters and skill for writing dreamy settings, Elyssa Friedland returns with LAST SUMMER AT THE GOLDEN HOTEL, a delightful mashup of “Schitt’s Creek” and Dirty Dancing.

In its heyday, the Golden Hotel was the destination for families heading to the Catskills to escape the scorching heat of the city and make some lifelong memories. Owned by childhood best friends Benny Goldman and Amos Weingold, it was known for its family-friendly but quietly luxurious break from reality, complete with endless gefilte fish and borscht. Benny and Amos were a perfect pair, savvy businessmen who made up for what they lacked in book smarts with genuine charm and an ability to bounce back from mistakes 10 times smarter than they were before. Hosting the crowds of families that frequented the Golden alongside them were their wives, Louise and Fanny; and their children: the Weingold twins (Brian and Peter) and Aimee Goldman.

Decades later, Benny has died and Brian is calling the shots at the Golden, with Amos and Fanny taking a backseat to let the future generations of Goldmans and Weingolds take the reins. But interest in the Catskills has dwindled over time, a result of the three As: air conditioning, a modern marvel that makes a mountain escape unnecessary; airfare, which has made previously unimaginable destinations accessible for all; and assimilation for Jewish families no longer barred from visiting other resorts and hotels. For years the Goldmans and Weingolds have watched their neighboring competitors crumble, either under the financial strain of necessary renovations or the lack of guests, with three overstuffed guest books becoming one almost full one. The Golden has hung on...but just barely.

When Brian receives an offer to sell the Golden --- and all the headaches that come with it --- it’s tempting to give up and start fresh, but he isn’t the only one calling the shots. As best friends and partners, Benny and Amos made a pact that gave their families 50/50 ownership and set up a legal clause stating that 66% of the owners must agree to a sale before it can take place. This means that Brian must solicit the opinions of Fanny and Amos, Peter, Aimee and the Goldman/Weingold grandchildren: stoner Zach, Instagram influencer Phoebe, closeted Michael and lovelorn Maddie. With three generations of the families on the property together for the first time in years --- and their own dramas brewing in the background --- the Golden is about to experience an upswing in drama, love affairs and epic meltdowns. The final catch? The Goldmans and Weingolds have five days to pare down decades of memories, dreams, betrayals and affairs into one life-changing decision.

As the families start to discuss the future of the Golden (because even if they don’t sell, it’s obvious that changes must be made), a clear divide occurs between the younger generation, set on transforming the resort into something that will draw scores of millennials and instagrammers, and the original set, tied to their memories of how things used to be. To add a little flavor to the mix, each member of each family is grappling with their own conflict: Aimee has just learned that her perfect doctor husband is very likely going to prison; Zach is certain that he’s falling for Phoebe; Maddie is itching for an engagement that may or may not be coming; and the original founders of the hotel are desperate to hold on to their longest-lasting achievement. In true Elyssa Friedland fashion, LAST SUMMER AT THE GOLDEN HOTEL is a pitch-perfect dramedy with plenty to love, laugh about and cringe at.

With so many generations of family on the scene, the book is rife with uncomfortable --- and swoony --- interactions, but it’s a real case of the whole being even greater than the sum of its parts. Each character is wonderfully fleshed out and realized, but it is their overall assembly (and Friedland’s jaw-dropping ability to handle them all) that propels the narrative, pulls at your heartstrings and makes LAST SUMMER the perfect read for this summer. Just as she did in THE FLOATING FELDMANS, Friedland capably sets the scene, but somehow the Golden is even more dreamy and alluring than the cruise ship at the heart of her previous book. She dishes out details so well, you are certain that she is currently hiding out at the hotel herself, writing down descriptions as she sees them. From the glory of its heyday to the crumbling state of its disrepair, she never misses a beat, and the Golden comes to act as its own character, with a deeply satisfying character arc.

You must experience Friedland's novel for yourself. Her characters are well-rounded, and every reader is sure to find himself or herself within at least one of them (hi, I’m Aimee), but it is the drama and comedy of every interaction that make this book --- and the Golden Hotel --- utterly unforgettable.

This book, sadly, was not for me. I found it slow and I wanted more from this family drama story. I found the characters a bit too quirky for my taste.

I had heard a lot of hype about The Last Summer at the Golden Hotel and was excited to receive an ARC of the book for an honest review.

This is a story of two families that own a hotel that was all the rage in the day. Unfortunately, those days are gone and the hotel finds itself in trouble. Can two families of multiple generations come together to figure out how to revive their dying hotel?

I struggled with this book. I found that I didn't want to pick it up. For some reason, I could not connect with the characters and found myself annoyed with them. The writing is fine. It is the storyline that I feel fell flat.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one. It was a nostalgic, sweet, and loving multigenerational tale. I loved learning about the Catskills Borsch Belt, too.

In its heyday, The Golden Hotel was the crown jewel of the hotter-than-hot Catskills vacation scene. For more than 60 years, the Goldman and Weingold families - best friends and business partners - have presided over this glamorous resort. But the Catskills are not what they used to be - and neither is the relationship between the Goldmans and Weingolds. As the facilities and management begin to fall apart, a tempting offer to sell brings the two families together again to make a heart-wrenching decision.

My favorite part of the book were all the details about the hotel...the food, the entertainment, the table decorations, the Tuesday blouse man. It was pure magical nostalgia. Picture the movie Dirty Dancing and you’ve set the scene.

The book had a large cast of characters but I didn’t really have any trouble keeping them straight. I really enjoyed the dynamics between the older generation (“this is the way we’ve always done it”) and the younger generation (“we need goat yoga and an espresso machine”).

I also found the history of the Catskills to be fascinating … I knew about the concept (mainly thanks to Dirty Dancing), but I wasn’t really aware of the origin of this “Jewish Eden,” which was developed for Jewish people by Jewish people so they would have a vacation destination that was welcoming and safe from discrimination. Its heyday lasted from 1900s – 1970s. The decline was due to several reasons: more women entering the workforce, the rise of affordable air travel, the advent of air conditioning, and the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, which meant that hotels could no longer discriminate against Jews. The last big resort, Grossinger’s, was demolished in 2018 but there is a new hotel planned.

Thank you @berkleypub for the #ARC of this book, which was published in May 2021! It’s also available as a #bookofthemonth pick.

Last Summer at the Golden Hotel is about two Jewish families that co-own a once popular resort up in the Catskills. Now it has fallen into disrepair and the clientele has been dramatically reduced.

An offer comes in to buy the resort and tear it down for a newly minted casino. This prompts the estranged families to come together one last time and vote on whether to sell or not.

Definitely a lighter read but with some heavier family drama themes. I'm glad there was a family tree in the front of the book to keep track of everyone at first; there's a lot of characters!

4/5⭐️

I think we’re all familiar with the Catskill Mountain holiday resorts of the 1950’s, thanks to the film Dirty Dancing and more recently ‘Mrs Maisel’. Last Summer At The Golden Hotel is the story of the Goldman and Weingold families, best friends and business partners, as they gather in the present day to decide the fate of the once popular retreat. Both families bring multi-generations to the table as old secrets are revealed, long buried grudges rise once again and new alligences are formed. What will become of the failing hotel and more importantly its inhabitants?

This was a book that felt nostalgic from the first pages, a throw back from a bygone era that had a style and character all of its own. It’s not a topic that I am personally acquainted with but this book brought it to life for me very vividly. The characters were written really well written and the different generations of both families each had a voice very different from each other that made them feel authentic. The flashbacks built the how much the hotel meant to the families and just how gut-wrenching the decision that has bought everyone back together really is. This a heart-warming story about love, family and how to let go of something meaningful while holding on to precious memories. This is a tale of inter-generational relationships and perhaps gives each of us a glimpse into the minds of our own nearest and dearest.

I really enjoyed this! When I first read some reviews I wasn’t sure it would nail the era, but it so did. Makes me nostalgic for an era before we were all glued to our cell phones and actually spent time with people.

This book has major Dirty Dancing vibes with a dash of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. It was lovely and fun and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I found the ending pretty anticlimactic and thought the stories and drama had potential to be more exciting than they were, but overall I really loved this as a summer read.

The Goldman and Weingold families have spent every summer they remember at The Golden Hotel, an upscale resort credited with making the Catskills the destination it is. Well… until now. While they once booked all the beat up-and-coming entertainment and served only the best gourmet meals, now a good day at the Golden Hotel just means breaking even. Things are no longer up to the once high standards of the original owners and now the family is considering selling the iconic landmark to a group that wants to make it into a casino.

The owners, now including all the children and grandchildren of the founders, have to come together for the first time in years to discuss the future of the beloved hotel. It’s not that simple, though, because these conversations draw out drama in the families that has never surfaced before. Will they band together again to save the hotel or cut their losses and sell the family business?

This book was a bit of a slow burn, but was NOT lacking the drama! None of the characters were perfect or blameless, but I think that added dimension and a dose of reality to a story likened to Dirty Dancing. It melded the nostalgic feel of the 1970’s and 80’s with the modern day use of social media and expectations of hotel accommodations.

I was highly anticipating reading this book this summer. I enjoyed the book, but I didn’t love it as much as I hoped I would. It was good, but it did not wow me. I do think it is a fun book, and has witty humor to it.

I really liked the concept of this book. I found the characters to be funny, and I found myself laughing out loud a few times. It is a very character driven story. I did find it to be a predictable book, but it still kept my attention. I listened to it on audio, I think had I not, it would have been a DNF for me. If you’re a fan of character driven, family dramas, I think you would enjoy this book! I recommend checking it out, I know others loved it.

The Golden Hotel is a relic of another age, a crumbling, outdated Catskills resort that was once a premiere summer destination, and now a fading, failing business whose link to the past is its only real appeal.

Such is the setting for this delightfully sweet and charming novel about three generations and two families who must decide the fate of the hotel they have co-owned for the duration of its existence.

This is a lovely multigenerational saga about family, friendship, and knowing when it’s time to move on. Though it’s not quite as laugh-a-minute, it reminds me a bit of Anxious People in that it’s a feel-good story populated with flawed but wonderful characters who all must learn to adapt and accept each other and themselves.

Friedland got the balance of humor and sweetness exactly right, and rendered the settling of the fading hotel perfectly. It’s a terrific light read that will leave you smiling.

Oh, how I enjoyed reading this book! It felt like Schitt's Creek and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel collided and this book was the result. This is such a fun book that made me laugh and tear up just a teeny bit. What I loved most was that we as the reader have the opportunity to see why each character loved the Golden via alternating POVs. The alternating POVs also exposed so many juicy secrets as well! It was just such a blast and I highly recommend you squeeze this one before summer comes to a close.

At first the story was slow moving and continued a nostalgic path. About half way through, I was invested in the outcome of the hotel more than the characters. The hotel was a character itself.

I loved this one! It got me out of a reading slump! It was so great to hear this story from multiple points of view, I think it made it much better!