I loved everything about this book. From the charming setting, to the relationship between Mason and Rachel, and the various friendships throughout book, I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a feel-good book!

Happy Pub Day to The Suite Spot by @trishdoller

Here's another great destination romance story from this author. I was rooting for Rachel as she needed to figure her life out as a single mother after being wrongly fired from the luxury hotel in Mami. She discovered her dream job to design and run a resort through a friend. The only downside, she would need to relocate to Ohio with her daughter, Maisie. Mason is the owner of the resort, and the chemistry is instant! The Suite Spot was a fun read, and I recommend it.

I love learning new terms at the beginning of each chapter. I have been to tCedar Point and Sandusky in Ohio where most of this book takes place. It allowed me to reflect on some great memories I made there.

Thank you, St. Martin's Griffin, and Macmillan Audio, for my complimentary copies for my honest review.

On our podcast we have books we wish we could ‘Eternal Sunshine’; meaning to read it fresh every time, making it new and the interactions and beats a surprise each time we crack the spine. I can easily say that Trish Doller’s, A Suite Spot, is one of these Eternal Sunshine reads. I simply adored this book.
Buckle up folks, this is about to become a damn lovefest.

A Little Bit of Plot
Single mother Rachel Beck is offered her dream job with one large hitch, it’s managing a brewery hotel on a vacation island off of Lake Erie in Ohio. This means uprooting her daughter, leaving Fort Lauderdale, and taking an enormous leap of faith. Mason Brown is in over his head attempting to get the brewery and hotel up and running by the upcoming vacation season. As a closed off and often grumpy recluse, Mason begins to mend his broken heart with the help of Rachel and Maisie. Rachel gradually begins to see Kelley’s Island and Mason not only as her opportunity to live her dream, but her home.

The Compliment Sandwich
The Top Bun (The Pro)
Rachel and Mason
The way in which these two fall in love is so damn realistic and natural that I’ve never been so jealous of fictional characters before in my life. Mason and Rachel are so relatable that you can envision having their same conversations with others in your own life. To be blunt, these are two completely normal average people falling in love and living their best life. And like in real life, there are obstacles and every day issues that make living, at times, more difficult. I could quote this entire book to provide an illustrated example of the realness on display, instead I’ll just provide a few exchanges that resonated with me as I envisioned myself having the same thoughts and conversations.

How Rachel feels about her body:
My relationship with my body is complicated, and I’m fully aware that relationship doesn’t make me special, unique, or unlike millions of other women in the world. I want to embrace body acceptance, but sometimes I also want to be thinner. It’s comforting to know I’m not the only woman who feels this way, but it’s still complicated.

When Rachel is faced with a heartbreaking situation
You’ve never been wired that way, but…Anna had it right,” she says. “You’ve experienced a loss-more than one-and you need to grieve. You don’t always have to be the strong one. You’re allowed to fall apart.”
“I don’t want to fall apart. I want the universe to bend my way for once.”

One interaction between Mason and Rachel in particular hit me right in the feels and I can easily say is played out in the absolute best manner. Rachel has so much patience, enough for both of them, and reads Mason’s mental state better than he himself does. I don't want to share that dialogue here - it's better to be read in context.

OMG, this book, you guys!

The Meat (The Con)
I want more of Mason and Rachel as a couple, I’m upset that this is the last book in the Beck sister series as I would love more of a glimpse of what the future looks like for them. Never have I been interested in the everyday routines of a fictional couple before. Truthfully, I live near Kelley’s Island, so part of my disappointment is that this brewery and couple are fictional as I want to visit there and meet them. We could be friends! Argh!

The Bottom Bun (The Pro)
Cultural Diversity
Mason is half Japanese and when we meet him he is becoming immersed in his mother’s culture. In the past, he rejected his heritage so as not to be labeled different or ‘othered’. The first real intentional interaction between Maisie (Rachel’s daughter) and Mason involves his preparation of Japanese gyokuro green tea. The fact that he's sharing this culture with Maisie is so meaningful and has such emotional depth.
Their heads nearly touch as they watch together, her yogurt forgotten, and I get an airy feeling in my chest. Despite his reluctance, Mason is very good with Maisie…
“Can I have some?” Maisie says, reaching for his cup.
“You can, but remember that even though it’s warm, it’s not sweet like cocoa. You might not like it.”
Maisie takes the tiniest of sips and her nose crinkles with distaste. “Mm. It’s good.”
Mason fights a grin. “You sure?”
She nods. “But maybe I’ll save some for later.”

Similarly, Rachel’s mother is a German immigrant. She and her sister both speak fluent German and cook authentic native foods. They always says “Ich liebe dich (I love you)” to one another as though it strikes a stronger chord than the English translation. I’m a sucker for learning about other cultures and languages, so this book hit in all the right places for me. Additionally, both Rachel and Mason's heritage play huge roles in the beer creation. The fact that most beer is German in heritage and is instrumental in forming a bond between the two is not surprising.

Each chapter opens with a foreign word along with it’s dictionary entry. The word provides a preview of what will occur in the chapter. For example, this is the header for Chapter 6:

Depaysement
French
“A feeling of restlessness that comes with being away from your country of origin and feeling like a foreigner; a mix of disorientation and culture shock”

What follows is the crux of what will be the main ‘conflict’ of the novel, or the obstacle that must be overcome before they can move forward. Rachel questions whether or not their arrangement will work and contemplates moving back to Florida. After speaking with Mason and learning about his past, she realizes what he is battling with mentally, and decides to alter her interactions with him to alleviate some of the pressure. Again, she’s so emotionally intelligent and extremely patient. Mason himself is so thoughtful and willing to put in the work emotionally to grow.

I love this damn book!

If you haven’t gleaned from my thoughts above how I feel about this book, I’m not doing my job well. If you are looking for a light read with realistic characters falling in love gradually with just a tiny bit of angst, you’re in for a treat. I highly recommend this and the first in the Beck Sisters series, Float Plan. Also, shout out to Cedar Point amusement park! Woot! Woot!

After reading The Float Plan, I just knew I had to get my hands on The Suite Spot. This is the second book in the Beck Sister’s series, and let me tell you, this ranks right up there with The Float Plan.

Rachel is wrongly fired from her night manager position, at a posh hotel in Miami. An opportunity to manage a new and upcoming brewery hotel in Ohio has sort of fallen in her lap. Packing up her 4 year old daughter, Rachel heads to Kellys Island. There everything is quaint and superb… except for her ornery new boss.

Mason has kind of embellished the readiness of the hotel being ready to go. A lot more construction needs to be completed before they can start accepting guests. Mason is willing to give Rachel free reign on just about everything.

The personal and emotional journey these two take is slow and full of understanding. Rachel grows and becomes a strong, independent woman. And closed off Mason learns to let people in.

This was a perfect rom-com - injected with the perfect amount of humor, bouts of yearning and angst, to letting it all go and embracing the changes.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!

When Rachel Beck looses her job at a luxury hotel in Miami for something she didn’t do, she takes a chance, packs up her life and her daughter and says yes to a new job at a brewery hotel on an island in Lake Erie. What she finds on the island is a moody man who loves to brew beer and only a foundation for a hotel. It’s definitely not what Rachel had in mind, but building a hotel and a new life with Mason may be just what she needs.

I completely fell for this book. I read The Float Plan and while I enjoyed it, it did not prepare me for how much I fell in love with this book. This book is part of the series with The Float Plan— but I don’t feel you have to read one to enjoy the other BUT it will spoil parts of The Float Plan if you read this one first.

What I Loved:
I loved Rachel’s character and watching her grow and become more confident in herself. While she does find romance, I do feel she also grows on her own as well. Her daughter Maisie definitely steals the show a bit, as an adorable character with so much personality.
This book is so homey and makes you feel all the cozy, warm family vibes while also balance the romance so well.

The Romance:
I loved how the romance developed. It didn’t feel forced, or pushed, it felt natural. I have been reading romance with spice lately, but I felt the more closed door romance really fit the story and felt right for the tone of story.

The pace is perfect— and it is definitely a book you’ll be tempted to read in one sitting. The type of book that makes you want to keep reading to know the outcome, but want to not read so fast because you want to savour it. This is that book.

If you have read the Float Plan you know that book deals with heavy topics and this one does as well. I feel the author does a good job at balancing the heavy with the light (however I do not feel I can truly comment, as I have not had personal experience in these tragedies). Please make sure you look up the Trigger Warnings if your are concerned.

Thank you @netgalley @stmartinspress for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this! I probably loved it more than Float Plan. Rachel Beck is a single mom trying to advance in the hospitality industry. When she unexpectedly gets fired she is desperate for work. Her friends send her a potential job at a new cabin resort, but it’s hundreds of miles from FL. Not only would it mean moving to OH she would be moving to a remote island. When she arrives in OH she not only finds the handsome standoffish owner she realizes there is so much work to do before they can open. She finds that the job makes her feel excited and motivated to help open this brewery hotel. She not only falls in love with her, but the town. The problem is she is starting to feel connected to Mason the owner. Is this job everything she wants?

I really, really loved this book. I wasn't sure if I would end up liking it after Rachel's appearances in Float Plan, but Trish Doller did an amazing job building Rachel as a character that was sympathetic and that you wanted to root for.

As a Michigan fan for life, I did have some small reservations about the setting being in Ohio, but I honestly loved the outdoor and Midwest vibes that permeated the whole book. I loved how Rachel was a confident career woman, which isn't often seen in romance, and how she balanced being a normal person who wasn't standoffish or rude.

I wish we got a bit more development of the relationship between Rachel and Mason, but not so much that it severely affected my reading experience.

While Float Plan was deeply emotionally and more focused on our characters' grief, this just felt like a cozy little romance that you'd curl up with on a rainy day to just feel all the positive vibes. 10/10 would recommend!

Review ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The Suite Spot by Trish Doller

After being fired from her job because of an entitled rich man, she uproots her life and her daughter, moving to a small island, where she meets Mason, her new boss. His hotel is not quite what he promised, but with a lot of hard work they may build they're dream life. And what if that life includes each other?

CW: Sexual assault (on-page), child death (past), grief, single mom, custody issues, body insecurities, mention of suicide (off-page).

Even with harder subject weighting the atmosphere, this book was gentle and sweet. I loved Rachel relationship with her daughter, and how real they felt together, it wasn't easy and there were bad days, but there was also adorable moments between all of them. I also loved how quietly and slowly the romance blossomed between her and Mason and I loved how careful she was after learning of his past. But I also loved how he voiced his boundaries, and they threaded carefully around them, creating a safe space for him. A beautifully earned second chance romance between two hurt souls that need a little joy.

Thank you @stmartinspress for gifting me a digital advanced reader's copy via @netgalley . As always, all thoughts and opinions are honest and my own.

*If you have question on the CW/TW, please don’t hesitate to ask, I’ll be more than happy to answer.

#TrishDoller #TheSuiteSpot #StMartinsPress

It's official, I am now a full on Trish Doller fangirl.

After reading and loving Float Plan, I was really looking forward to book 2 in the Beck sister's series. And man oh man, this book did not disappoint.

@trishdoller really has a way of drawing you into a story and making you fall in love with all the characters. I honestly thought there was no way I would be able to love the male love interest more that I love Keane, but I have been proven wrong!

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Needing a change of scenery, single mom Rachel moves north for a new job managing a brewery hotel on Kelleys Island, Ohio. What will she think about Ohio after living in Florida, especially in such a small town and an island to boot? Will her young daughter, Maisie, adjust well? And, lastly, will she hit if off with her new boss, Mason?

After absolutely loving the first in this series, Float Plan (5 stars), I was very excited for this one about Anna's sister, Rachel. I found Suite Spot much lighter than the first one. It was a slow burn but the last half proved to be very sweet, fun, and romantic. I loved the words and definitions from all different languages at the beginning of each chapter. Why doesn't the English language have cool words like that? I was also excited when Anna made a few guest appearances. And, of course, since I grew up in Cleveland, my interest was piqued by the Kelleys Island setting and the prints by Ohio artist William Holbrook Beard.

Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Kelleys Island, Ohio

I received an advance copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is the second story of this series and it was nice to meet more of this family as well as check in with Anna and Keane. While this story also deals with some serious topics like the first one, it does so in a realistic and respectful way. The main character Rachel is one inspiring and lovely badass and her love interest Mason is one heck of a sweet dreamboat.

Happy pub day to The Suite Spot by Trish Doller! I absolutely loved Float Plan, so I was excited to learn that Anna’s sister, Rachel, was getting her own book. This is one of those books that will make you want to pack your bags and to the location described in the story. Mason and Rachel are sweet, and each really likeable. Mason is the best at small romantic gestures that will make you say, "Aw." Their relationship grows and develops over the course of the story, so its a slow burn in that sense, but once you know what Mason went through, it makes it believable and more realistic. You'll find yourself rooting for them. We get to see how Anna and Keane from The Float Plan are doing, and are introduced to new characters as well. Home isn't always a physical location, sometimes its finding a person you belong with. TW: child loss, mentions of suicide, sexual assault
Thank you @smpromance for my copy!

I received an ARC from Netgalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

This is book 2 of the Beck Sisters series, but it could be read as a stand-alone.
We get an appearance from Anna and Keane in this book (!!!), so I enjoyed that.
This story felt genuine and there was an ease to the storytelling. I liked Rachel and Mason as individuals and especially liked them together.
Rachel is a single mom to Maisie, and the author does a good job of highlighting the difficulties without overshadowing the blossoming romance.

Thank you so much to Netgalley & St Martins for this arc of The Suite Spot by Trish Doller!

I LOVED this one. I thought it was so realistic, fun, and just so sweet. I am a sucker for the single parent trope and also a sucker for the renovation trope (is that a thing? feel like its a thing) so basically this was perfect. Also appreciated the pieces of Anna just to see what she was up to.

10/10 recommend!

CW: sexual assault (on-page), custody battle, death of a child (past), grief, body image insecurity

After reading Float Plan, I imagined that The Suite Spot would be just as emotional, so I was surprised to find that while it still covered heavy topics, overall it felt like a light read. It's a story about Rachel finding herself and making her dreams happen. This was a warm book that had witty and fun scenes. It felt very escapist and I loved getting to see some love for the Great Lakes. I also really enjoyed how the chapters opened with words from different languages that don't have a simple English translation.

The Suite Spot is the companion to Float Plan but both can be read as a stand-alone. I recommend reading both especially if you like slow-burn romances and journeys of finding yourself.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you St. Martins Press for the gifted e-copy.

So Float Plan has been on my tbr for a while and I really wish I had read it first! You definitely don't need to, but I kind of fell in love with Rachel's family and I want to know Anna's story since it was referenced in this book.

That being said, I really enjoyed this book. Rachel gets fired from her hotel job after a scumbag of a customer sexually harasses her and blames her for rebuking him. She packs up her daughter and moves to Ohio to help Mason - a stranger - start up a boutique brewery and hotel. (Such a cool idea! Although I don't like beer...) Mason is dealing with some stuff from his past, but they become friends, and then more. Rachel fit in so well on the island and just basically found a new home. Until her jerk of an ex (Maisie's dad) tries to screw it all up, and Rachel moves back down to Florida.

Mason is a super swoony book boyfriend - I loved him! I really wish I liked beer though, because this book will make you want to drink one!

Speaking of Florida - I LOVED that Pub Subs were mentioned (the cuban is my FAVORITE), and I miss Publix SO MUCH living in another state. I knew the areas they were describing and thought that was super fun (another reason to read Float Plan ASAP!).

Anyway, fans of romcoms will really like this one, I think!

I wanted to read The Suite Spot because Trish Doller’s Float Plan was my favorite summer romance read last year.

The author wrote in the acknowledgements that writing this novel in 2020 she found herself “needing to tell a story that was warm and gentle” and this really did feel like a comfort read.

With much of the story set in the spring and summer on Lake Erie in Ohio, The Suite Spot is a contemporary romance that feels like a warm Midwestern hug. Our main character even has the pleasure of experiencing creamy crock pot dips at joyful book club gatherings.

If you enjoy reading about the hospitality industry, decor, interior design, and/or brewing beer, you’ll enjoy The Suite Spot. I also enjoyed descriptions of both German and Japanese food from main characters’ heritage.

Those who have experienced the loss of a child, divorce, or a custody dispute may not find this book as enjoyable, as triggers arise. (I am curious to know if the handling of the custody read unrealistic to those with personal experience.)

I like that in both Float Plan and The Suite Post the main characters take risks that pay off and enhance their quality of life. I like Doller’s writing and will keep picking it up when in the mood for contemporary romance.

The Suite Spot is sweet, pun intended.
If you enjoy some Midwest summer vacation vibes, you’ll like this quick read.

This review is posted 3.8.22 on Goodreads Michelle Beginandendwithbooks and on FB and IG @beginandendwithbooks

This novel was so warm and cozy, full of found strength and vulnerability. Doller’s writing style is beautifully reflective - I very much enjoy the characters she crafts and how the plots weave together. I thought the setting and conflict were unique (please check content warnings, as there are a few at play here).

Between the grump/sunshine trope, themes of starting over and finding love again, and two people making life work for them, it was just the “hug of a novel” that the author describes in her note at the beginning.

If you loved Float Plan, I think you’ll love this one too.

I thought it would be hard to top my love for Anna and Keane in Float Plan, but Doller gave me a whole new Beck sister to love. Rachel's story was a rollercoaster, one I'm sure many people will relate to. Right from the start, I felt for Rachel; she'd been the "fat girl" her whole life, spurring on comments from others as well as constant comparisons between her and her sister. She's spent the last three years raising her daughter basically as a single mother, while Maisie's father's influence often hindered more than it helped. Tied down, even as she does nothing but love her daughter, Rachel can't help but see her sister out there, not tethered down to anything except her love for Keane and their boat. It's been rough for Rachel, and right from the beginning Doller throws her for another loop.

Given how rough Mason seemed when we first meet him, I expected to take a while to warm up to him. But, surprisingly, I almost immediately wanted to just cuddle and hug this big gruff guy. He obviously was the grump, even while Rachel wasn't at her sunshiny best. His story was sad but all too real, and I liked that Doller didn't shy away from the emotions and reality of his situation. I loved how Rachel and Mason were able to support each other and bring out the best in each other. Rachel said she wanted someone who looked at her the way Keane looked at Anna, and it took a big move, plenty of drama, and finding her true home but she finally found that love.

I simply devoured this book. Doller makes it so easy to get wrapped up in her characters' journeys, and I found The Suite Spot even easier to get lost in than Float Plan. I'm guessing it has something to do with this book being set mostly on land, while I have no experience living on the open seas like Anna did in the first book. All our favorite characters from the first book do make an appearance in this second book; while I would highly recommend reading Anna's story to understand all the little nuances in this book, readers can enjoy Rachel's story on its own if a sea-faring adventure isn't their cup of (green) tea.

On the surface, The Suite Spot is a co-workers to lovers romance featuring two lonely people. But Rachel and Mason's story is so much fuller and richer than that, and I can't wait to see what comes next from Trish Doller.

I will forever and ever read anything Trish Doller writes. I adored The Float Plan and was excited to see another release by her. I did not realize that this book would be about Anna's sister, Rachel. After an incident at work that leaves Rachel without a job, she ends up taking a position as the manager of a boutique hotel on an island in Lake Erie. What she finds when she arrives is an unfinished property run by a grumpy brewer, Mason.

There is something so lovely about how Doller writes about how her characters meet and get to know one another. There is a relaxing comfort that is the exact vibe I seem to love. It is tough not to love these two together. Mason is hoping that Rachel can help pull his project together for him and Rachel is looking for stability and a fresh start for her and her daughter. Their easygoing teamwork has such chemistry to it. I couldn't put the book down and only wish I could escape to Kelleys Island, myself. I enjoyed the small town feel of the book. The other characters were a great addition. While there is some discourse between Rachel and her ex, it's not high drama which I actually really enjoyed when the world is so full of drama right now. All in all, I would recommend this one to anyone looking for that Gilmore Girls feel with a great cast of characters, some sweet romance, and a fantastic setting. 4.5 stars