A death occurs at the it hotel to be at in Boston in the summer, Told from the point of view from four characters, guests and staff of the hotel, with each person struggling with their own life problems gain greater perspective over the stroy, Reads like the comforting Hallmark story beach read that so many long for on these hot summer days!

Summertime Guests by Wendy Francis is a women’s fiction title that is peppered with a bit of mystery. The book features many different characters and of course changes the point of view between them.

One weekend in the middle of June The Seafarer hotel in Boston had plenty of guests staying on the premises. However, things take a dark turn when a woman falls to her death at the hotel and an investigation is opened into what led to the occurance.

Riley is at the hotel trying to plan her wedding without her mother in law taking over the occasion. Claire is in search of the next step in her life after she was recently widowed and came across someone from her past. Jason thought his weekend would be a romantic one but it hasn’t gone the way he planned. Then there’s Jean-Paul who is the manager of the hotel and is doing his best to deal with the death.

While I love a book that crosses over and adds a little extra when it comes to the genre Summertime Guests by Wendy Francis to me seemed to do a little too much. This one reminded me quite a bit of another book I read not too long ago that took place at a hotel and had a lot of characters with a lot going on and I felt again as I had with it that I just didn’t connect to anyone. Just a bit too much jumping around with this secret or that one there and it all sort of just begins to blend together instead of stand out. This book was slighty better than the other I had read but it still just came in as an alright story in the end.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

When I think of literary fiction, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and can satisfies just about every reader's heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day.

this was a great read, I enjoyed what Ms. Francis created and I loved getting to know the characters in this book.

A plunge to death at the Seafarer Hotel. That impacted four hotel guests. Riley planning her wedding with her MIL, then the new manager and father Jean-Paul who had to manage this scandal. Then there was Claire, recently widowed, followed by Jason who vacationing with his girlfriend.

Many issues started happening with all the four characters. The prose progressed slowly as many truths were unfurled. The entire atmosphere set by author Wendy Francis was captivating. I liked how their issues got resolved over the pages. The author dealt with them quite sensitively.

Overall, some topics were thought-provoking. It had mystery in its core but was a character driven story. Quite an engaging read.

Delicious beach reach with a hint of a suspense!

Riley is meeting her fiancee and future mother-in-law at the famed Boston Seafarer hotel to consider the place for a wedding and reception venue. As they are taste-testing through the menu, and awful explosion sounds and the small party is stunned to realize it is from one of the hotel guests falling from a tenth-floor balcony. The story continues and we are introduced to Jean-Paul, the hotel manager, Claire O'Dell, the widowed and highly needy journalist from the city, and Jason, whose girlfriend Gwen, reserved a room for an extended stay to celebrate Jason's birthday. As each group's story is revealed, the identity of the jumper is a mystery until the very end of the book.

This book was not what I anticipated; I started it thinking I was going to be getting a more Elin Hiderbrand or Nancy Thayer type story, and was pleasantly surprised at the mystery and suspense piece of it! Intriguing characters and carefully left clues point the reader in the right direction to the outcome of the story, but never gives enough away for the reader to be entirely sure they can predict the end.

Tucking in the holiday pile with Elin Hilderbrand and other Southern heroes because Wendy Francis deserves to be up there with the best!

While I will freely admit that the cover is what drew my eye to this novel, it was a great beach read. Really enjoyed it.

This was a great beach read! The story focuses on four different characters and bounces among them throughout the story. I thought it was a very interesting mix of women's fiction and a little mystery. Very entertaining and kept my attention. Recommended!

I am sorry for not reviewing fully but I don’t have the time to read this at the moment. I believe that it wouldn't benefit you as a publisher or your book if I only skimmed it and wrote a rushed review. Again, I am sorry for not fully reviewing!

This is well written beach reading. Or, to be fair, a well written read for anytime you'd like to step away from everything around you and visit a grand hotel that's reopening. Francis has a way with characters and she's a good storyteller. Some of this might be trope-y but that doesn't make it any less pleasurable. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Review will be posted on 6/15/21
There's an untimely death at the Seafarer Hotel in Boston and this tragic occurrence directly impacts four hotel guests. First there's Riley, who is there with her fiance and her mother-in-law, and much to her chagrin, they are at the hotel for a wedding tasting. Her mother-in-law has pretty much taken over wedding planning and this disturbs Riley. Then there's the new manager of the hotel, Jean-Paul, who is a new father and is struggling to be the best father and husband he can be while also managing this iconic hotel that now has a scandal attached to its name. Then there's Claire, who is recently widowed, and is in town to take a breather, but also she hopes to reconnect with a former flame. Lastly, there's Jason who is on vacation at the hotel with his girlfriend, but things aren't going well mostly because his career is taking a nose dive and he is hiding some secrets from his girlfriend. All four of their issues start to boil over just as there's an alarming death at the hotel. Slowly readers find out the truth in Summer Guests by Wendy Francis, a beach read mixed with a page-turning mystery.

Right off the bat I enjoyed the character of Riley in Summertime Guests. Planning a wedding is difficult and it broke my heart that she would rather have a small affair, but instead, is catering to her mother-in-law. Riley's own mother is deceased, so she feels even more unsure about the entire event, not to mention that she wishes she could do this with her own mother. She is trying to make her husband happy, but in the process it is making her unhappy. He doesn't even seem to notice that this isn't what Riley actually wants; however, she shows up at the Seafarer for a tasting and during it tragedy strikes. Each chapter has a different character's point of view, but it was Riley's that I enjoyed the most.

Then there's Jean-Paul, who is a new father and is stressed out in Summertime Guests. I mean who wouldn't be as a new parent; plus, managing the hotel in the midst of this tragedy. Jean-Paul brought a different perspective to the story since he works at the hotel and isn't merely a guest. Claire's chapters broke my heart in more ways than one, mostly because she is a widow and dealing with a lot. She comes to the Seafarer to kick back a bit, but she also is hoping to reconnect with her old boyfriend from thirty years ago! I couldn't help but feel like her plan was completely misguided or straight out of a Nicolas Sparks novel. Lastly, Jason's chapters were my least favorite in that I didn't really care for him. He is a professor, but completely uninspired by his job. He also treats his girlfriend like crap and is dealing with a lot of personal issues. While on vacation at the Seafarer, he is hiding things from his girlfriend, which definitely made me frustrated.

The setting of the Seafarer in Summertime Guests was my favorite aspect of the novel. Who doesn't love a luxury hotel by the water? A hotel on the water is the perfect beach read setting, not to mention the cocktails, the pool, and much more.

All of the character's issues come to the forefront of things once the tragedy strikes at the hotel. This obviously impacts all four guests and it plays out different for each character in Summertime Guests. If you like how Mary Kay Andrews's novels are beachy, but also include a strong mystery, then you'll enjoy Summertime Guests. I did find aspects of it to be a bit depressing, but overall, it was a solid beach read.

Part commentary on relationships part mystery, this book had quite a bit going for it. It did keep me interested, even as some of the aspects fell a bit short for me.
One of the things I did like about the way the author created the plot was how each of the partnerships (Riley and Tom, Marie and Jean Paul, Gwen and Jason, Claire and ???) were at a different stage.
The author introduced each of these in the first four chapters and then the action jumped back and forth between the different couples as well as in time.
The switches in time were a little bit jarring, but if you pay attention to the date at the beginning of the story and then the dates that head each chapter, you shouldn’t have any problems.
I thought that each of the couples were interesting in their own way. I kept expecting them to weave together and meet in the middle somewhere. I guess in a way they did, but not in the manner that I expected.
It really seemed as if each of them had their own story line and then the “main event” is something that touches each of them differently.
I did feel like the author held back pertinent parts of information for a bit too long in a couple of cases. They did make for some surprise twists, but it also felt a bit forced in a few places.
For example, I thought Jason’s background and the subsequent twists that it provided kind of came out of nowhere. It’s not that the detail wasn’t plentiful, it just seemed to escalate rather quickly.
The same with Claire. She was my least favorite character (maybe that was by design?) and even though I did feel sorry for her at times, she was an ugly enough person in her opinions that I wasn’t upset by the big reveal about her.
(And by the way, those opinions only made sense to her character when I took into account where she was from and what she did for a living. Otherwise, they seemed like cheap attempts at political points, which I really hate).
I did expect more out of Riley and Tom, but I liked the end result of their relationship. The same with Jean Paul and Marie. I think I related to Riley (she reminded me a bit of me when I was younger) and to Jean Paul and Marie as a couple now.
In fact, I think any couple who has had their fun “couple times” usurped by a kid of any age would be able to relate to them.
As I mentioned, there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming and one plot point involving Claire was especially effective, given why she had left home for a bit. That was nicely done.
I did enjoy this book, and the author did a good job of keeping me guessing right up to the last pages. I think if you go into it expecting the different perspectives on relationships with the touch of mystery, you’ll like it too.

4 very different people come together at the historic grand reopening Boston Hotel. A bride to be, Riley, that has lost control of her future mother-in-law's wedding plans. John Paul, the hotel manager, Jason,on a romantic trip with his girlfriend, and Claire, a recent widow. The story covers three short days in their lives but these days change everything. A wonderful story of interaction among strangers and friends. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Wendy Francis writes the most wonderfully layered page-turners full of depth, drama and intrigue and in Summertime Guests she deftly explores the secrets we keep, the lengths we go for the ones we love and the joys and frustrations of relationships with candor, wit and plenty of flair.

The Seafarer is a glamorous Boston hotel with the most exclusive of clientele. Nothing shocks or surprises the staff working at The Seafarer, but during one weekend in June perfectly plucked eyebrows will be raised and jaws will hit the floor when someone falls tragically to their death, an event that will have serious repercussions and unprecedented consequences for four very different people…

Riley is at the hotel planning her wedding. Riley had always dreamed of a small and intimate wedding with close family and friends only, but unfortunately her mother in law has taken over and is insisting on doing everything her way without even bothering to consult the bride and groom. With Riley’s fiancé completely oblivious to his mother’s bossiness and intransigence, Riley begins to wonder whether she should put her foot down once and for all…and whether it’s not too late to change her mind. Meanwhile, the hotel’s manager Jean-Paul is at his wits end. He doesn’t know how much longer he can continue juggling all of his duties and commitments. With his marriage and family to worry about, the last thing he wants or needs is further complications, but this accident at the hotel demands his full attention, but at what cost?

Claire is a widow who has come to town to connect with a long-lost love. Claire cannot help but wonder whether this is the new beginning she had been hoping for for so long or whether too much water has flown under the bridge and she should resign herself to the fact that some things should be left in the past. And then there’s Jason who had come to the Seafarer for a romantic getaway and ended up forced to answer some very difficult questions.

As these four strangers find themselves linked in the most unexpected of ways, they realize that they need to put their trust in one another and figure out a way to turn their lives around. But is it already far too late? Or will there be further surprises in store for them all?

A stylish, entertaining and thought-provoking novel that is highly addictive and immensely enjoyable, Wendy Francis’ Summertime Guests is a captivating tale that will keep readers gripped throughout. Wendy Francis certainly knows how to keep her readers turning the pages of her novel by creating a glamorous and luxurious world readers will love to escape into peopled with fascinating and intriguing characters whose stories will shock, surprise and keep them reading all through the night.

Sharp, sparkling and compulsively readable, Wendy Francis hits all the right notes with her latest novel, Summertime Guests.

This particular week at the newly restored Seafarer Hotel has more than a few interesting guests. Unfortunately for one, one of them loses their lives. As the story is told, the reader meets each of the guests, with hopes of ascertaining what guest died and by what means.

The hotel, first established in 1886, had been closed for several months in order to undergo a major renovation. The guests that visit the Seafarer Hotel are among an elite crowd. Jean-Paul Savant is the manager of the hotel, and is quite proud that the renovations kept historic features, while at the same time, offers the most convenient benefits. This engaging story focuses on four guests.

First, regarding Jean-Paul, he is having marital difficulties with his wife, Marie. Then we meet Riley and Tom, who are in the midst of planning their wedding. We also have Claire O'Dell, who is visiting Boston with hopes of connecting with a boyfriend named Marty from over thirty years ago. Claire was happily married, and is now widowed. She is hoping to reignite the flame for Marty, as it had never fully extinguished.

Another pair of guests are Gwen and Jason, This should be a relaxing getaway for them, but Jason is trying to find a way to let Gwen know how unhappy he is at his job, all while in the process of trying to earn his PhD. How these guests connect with one another - to the point that one of them falls to their death - is seen as their various points of view and stories are considered.

Summertime Guests provided a fabulous escape and is the perfect book club read, with a nice selection of discussion questions at the back of the book. I loved this story and could imagine myself as a fly on a wall as each guest and their individual stories unfolded. The story flowed quite well from the very beginning, leaving me to guess as to what actually was to occur. Not one of these guests had an easy time of things and I found myself pulled in emotionally all while hoping for the best for them.

Many thanks to Graydon House and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

A book club, beach, vacation read. Fiction at its best. This tale has your rooting for the characters you’ve come to care about amongst the pages.

Sip cocktails in the lounge, bask in the summer sun by the pool, and experience the drama of the rich and famous firsthand in Wendy Francis’s newest novel, SUMMERTIME GUESTS (Graydon House; April 6, 2021; $16.99 USD). With its rich history and famous guests, The Seafarer is no stranger to drama. But the bustle at the social hotspot reaches new heights one weekend in mid-June when a woman falls tragically to her death from the tenth floor, unwittingly intertwining her life with the lives of the hotels’ guests and staff.

Claire O’Dell, reeling from the loss of her husband and possibly her job, has gone to The Seafarer for a little vacation…and to reconnect with a long-lost-love. Jean-Paul, the hotel’s manager, is struggling to keep his marriage and new family afloat. Bride-to-be Riley is at the hotel to plan her wedding with her fiancé ... or, she’s at the hotel with her fiancé while her mother-in-law tells them how to plan their wedding. Jason, whose romantic getaway with his girlfriend has not exactly gone the way he'd hoped and instead has him facing questions about his past that he can't bring himself to answer.

As their truths and secrets come to light, the lives of these four will collide in tragic, beautiful ways none of them could have expected that will teach them about the love they deserve and the strength they possess to change their lives for the better.

I really loved this book, it is a PERFECT summer beach read. The book starts off with a bang (clears throat loudly) and the pace just keeps going. It's that perfect blend of adventure, life, reality and suspense that makes for a good summer read. As a woman myself of a "certain age," I could relate and understand Claire's struggle with her new identity and her grief. I can actually say that this book had me evaluating my own relationship and vowing to "do better" by honoring the good more than I had.

If I gave a star rating, I would give this book 5 stars for a great plot, for deep reflection and its entertainment value.




Wendy Francis is a former book editor and the author of the novels The Summer Sail, The Summer of Good Intentions, Three Good Things, and Best Behavior. Her essays have appeared in Good Housekeeping, The Washington Post, Yahoo Parenting, The Huffington Post, and WBUR's Cognoscenti. A proud stepmom of two grown-up children, she lives outside Boston with her husband and eleven-year-old son.

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Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book.
Set in an old posh hotel in Boston, four couples experience their weekends differently.
Well developed characters with a plot that flows as nicely. Well written beach reading.

The Seafarer Hotel on the Boston waterfront is and was the place to see and be seen: exclusive, expensive and luxurious, the newly installed manager: Jean-Paul is bringing a sense of the French and European flair to the hotel that brought he and his new wife and baby girl to the city. We also have a college lector and doctoral student Jason, on a romantic week to celebrate his birthday with his girlfriend Gwen. Engaged couple Riley and Tom are there with Tom’s mother, planning a reception and wedding that isn’t quite how the two ‘planned’ on in their dream scenario, and lastly there is Clare: widowed only a year and in hot water with her job as a reporter in Providence – she's there to relax, look up her first real love for answers to ‘what if’ and just soak in the atmosphere. But one afternoon, as Riley and Tom are sampling a tasting menu, Claire is relaxing, and Jean-Paul is wondering how to bring the smile back to his wife – a woman lands on the patio floor from a balcony above.

We follow the stories of the four people – from interior thoughts and dreams, to secrets, to their conversations and connections with one another: from the mundane passing in the halls, to deeper conversations where secrets are shared and worries discussed. From the eldest (Clare) to the youngest (Riley) each has a hope and a dream centered on the summer, the setting and the potential of ‘newness’. Where Clare struggles with her own aging, loneliness and the what if about choices made years earlier, Riley is missing her mother, wanting the simplicity of her dream wedding and struggling with a connection that doesn’t quite feel comfortable with her soon to be mother-in-law. Jason is struggling with the secrets he’s keeping, his lack of interest in continuing to pursue his doctorate and dealing with anger and control issues that stem from his childhood and threaten his relationship. Jean-Paul is dealing with long hours, a newborn daughter, a wife who knows no-one in the city and seems to be suffering from depression and now, with the unexplained death (suicide or murder) even more stress on his plate.

Francis takes the time to delve into the issues of the moment that are most pertinent to each character’s story, and allows them to play out as relationships change, move and grow. With the setting of the hotel and its luxurious spaces, a bit of travel through Boston, and plenty of moments to love – the story has something for everything, and plenty of growth, change and moments where each shine. A great escape read where a week on the Boston waterfront can seemingly transform lives and outlooks long after the last page is turned.

I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

Review first appeared at <a href=” https://wp.me/p3OmRo-aU1 /” > <a> I am, Indeed </a>