I thought the premise of this book sounded fantastic. While I enjoyed some aspects of the plot, I think some of the characters didn't seem fleshed out enough, and the romance could have used a bit more fine tuning.

This was a sweet, slow-burn romance about moving on after heartbreak, but ultimately it fell a bit flat for me. I loved this author’s prior book ‘Float Plan’ but I feel like perhaps ‘The Suite Spot’ was churned out too quickly. That being said, this was still a lovely book full of delightful characters…and lord knows I love grumpy heroes in romance novels.

I absolutely loved "Float Plan." Doller wrote about love after/during grief in such a beautiful way (and taught me a little about sailing). So I'm sorry to say this follow-up novel feels rushed. It's not as layered. The grief and anxiety and assault are barely themes. The "conflict" is also completely avoidable (and ridiculously solved). I would have liked more of a slow burn and a lot more details about both the sex and the brewing.

A slow-burn romance that was very sweet. The story flowed effortlessly, the characters were flawed in all the right ways and the brewery/island setting was so fun! I’m not a huge beer drinker, but this book made want to try all of Mason’s beers and drink and sing karaoke with Rachel, Avery and the rest of the Kelly’s island community. Overall, a fairly light book that focused more on the recovery than the tragedy. This did not disappoint, but I definitely recommend reading Float Plan first!

Yes! The sweetest love story about heartbreak and finding love again on a quaint Ohio island (who knew there were islands in Ohio??)
Heartbroken after his wife left him, brewmaster and hopeful Inn owner hires a new hotel manager from Florida. Not realizing he is also rescuing her from sinking into a nowhere relationship. She and her 3 yr old daughter arrive and turn his world upside down.
Just what the doctor ordered for all three of them.

Rachel is a single mom still living at home, working at an upscale hotel until a wealthy guest causes her world to start crumbling.
Throwing caution to the wind Rachel decides to take her daughter to new a job in Ohio and leaves Florida behind. Such a heartwarming story of healing your heart, making friends and becoming part of a real community.
Great characters lots of fun conversations, a few gut wrenching moments and of course romance. I’m glad I got to read this one, thanks you St Martin’s Press.

I am so obsessed with Trish Doller's Float Plan that when The Suite Spot came up on Netgalley and I realized it's the sister story, I dove right in. And IT DOES NOT DISAPPOINT.

Mason's a grump trying to ready and open his boutique hotel and brewery. Rachel is a single mom striking out on her own for the first time. This is a slow-burn romance between two mismatched people who end up being absolutely perfect for each other.

A wonderful follow up to Float Plan.

Ooohhhh my! 5 huge stars! I adored Float Plan and when I found out that Trish Doller was writing a second installment The Suite Spot, I was thrilled!!! In saying that, if you haven’t read the first book, you can totally read The Suite Spot as a complete standalone.

The Suite Spot follows the second Beck sister, Rachel, as she searches for a better life for herself, but especially for her sweet young daughter. That better life includes finding herself a great job which ultimately requires Rachel move from Florida to Ohio to become a manager of lakeside hotel. Firstly, what Rachel doesn’t expect is that the hotel is still under construction and not even close to being finished! Secondly, Rachel never, ever expected to find the hotel owner so handsome…and single! It was from that point that I was 100% all in!

Trish Doller has done it again! I LOVED this 5 star novel! The characters were so darn relatable and incredibly endearing! I also enjoyed catching up with Anna and Keane (the main characters from Float Plan)! Trish Doller did a wonderful job with organically forming friendships/relationships that were believable and not instant anything—love that! I really hope there will be more installments in the future because I need more lol! I highly encourage everyone read this must read series!

Trish Doller did it again. The Suite Spot is a wonderful story of how a new family is formed. I love Rachel’s profession and how she moved from a night manager of a hotel to helping create a boutique hotel in Ohio. I loved that this was based on Kelley’s Island which I live near. Not many authors base books in Ohio so that was an extra treat. Mason and Rachel’s love story is at times sweet with a touch of melancholy for their past life trials. Can’t wait for its release in March. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC - so glad I got to read it early.

This is amazing!

I adored Anna and Keane’s adventurous, heart wrenching, second chance story on Float Plan! Trish Doller knows how to pull our heart strings by crafting genuine, tear jerker, angsty, emotional couple stories who deserve their second chances to catch their own happiness. As soon as I see the Beck Sisters definition, without looking at title and plot, I just clicked the request button on NG to wish I could get my arc copy!

I can honestly say: I loved this book more than the first installment! It has sentimental approach to sunshine meets the grump and friends to lovers troupe. Both Mason and Rachel are likable character you can be easily invested in. Little Maisie is also pocketful of sunshine who puts big smiles on our faces with her smart and entertaining comments!

We’re already introduced to Rachel: the responsible, single mother, planner, a loyal sister who is afraid of taking much risk, still living with her mother, not leaving her comfort zone as she wishes the things can magically change in her life; her four years old daughter’s father Brian may change and turn into a responsible father or she can be promoted from desk job at night shift at hotel and start investing on her own hotel project!

But none of them happens till things get worse and she finally sees she’s stuck in this life if she won’t be brave enough to make radical changes!

But when she’s get harassed by wealthy, old man sleuth at her workspace and instead of filing complaint, finding herself get sacked from the job she’s worked for years, this is the first wake up call informs her : she’s following wrong career steps.

Her long time lover-friend-father of daughter Brian has no intention to be proper father to their child.

She finally gathers her courage to inquire a management position job an a brewery hotel on Kelley Islands/ Ohio even though she has hesitations to move from Florida, leaving her old life and mother behind. The owner of the hotel she talks on the phone seems like uptight, reserved, grumpy guy but surprisingly he offers her the job.

When she packs her things, riding on her car with little daughter for long drive, she doesn’t guess what kind of situation she’s getting into. Because as soon as she arrives to the island and meets the charming and emotionally lost hotel owner Mason, she also realizes the hotel is in construction and Mason needs a person who have brilliant ideas to design a homely place from the scratch.

Should she go back to hometown without thinking any further or should she give this brooding, broken hearted man another chance? There’s a risk to attract to her own boss but she’s too professional not to mix business and pleasure, right?

This is lovely, heartfelt, touching, sentimental second chances story I truly enjoyed and I highly recommend!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

2.5/5

Rachel is a single mother who finds herself unemployed with no good job prospects. An intriguing opportunity opens up, but it requires Rachel and her daughter, Maisie, moving to a remote island on Lake Eerie. When Rachel arrives, she discovers her job is a bit more involved than she anticipated but also a perfect fit. Her new boss isn’t too bad to look at either. Mason Brown is recently divorced and has endured his own tragedies. Can Rachel adjust to her new life here? And more importantly, will there be a future for her and Mason?

The Suite Spot follows the events of Float Plan, but is not directly related. Instead, we follow the story of Anna’s sister, Rachel. There are references to Float Plan throughout, but I wouldn’t say it’s necessary to read the first book to appreciate this one.

Unfortunately, The Suite Spot did not resonate with me in the way the prequel did. The story was a fun twist on a contemporary romance, but I found it to be a bit lacking. There wasn’t as much romantic tension as I would have liked. The plot climax felt anticlimactic. It was resolved very quickly and without much conflict or tension. Lastly, for things I didn’t like so much, the cultural representation felt forced at times. The mini foreign language lessons at the beginning of each chapter were a creative way to set the tone of the story, but the descriptions of Mason’s family felt shallow. I would have appreciated learning more about Rachel and Anna’s family.

I enjoyed the side characters and hoped to see more of them. Avery, especially, added a fun, care-free vibe to the characters. There was room for strong character development, but it was missing. I wanted to love this book. I think too much was packed into one thing. Our main character not only had to build an entire boutique hotel, but take care of her daughter, handle her ex’s issues, and save Mason from his tragic past. As a result, each point felt rushed and surface-level. This could have been a solid contemporary romance, but was another example of an emotionally-intelligent woman coming to save the day and show a man that there is more to life than just surviving.

The Suite Spot tells the story of Rachel, a competent single mom fired from her luxury hotel job in Florida, who takes a leap and accepts a position as a hotel manager on an island in Lake Erie. The quiet, reserved (and hot!) owner, who is still dealing with his wife’s death, has something of a vision for his hotel/brewery project but needs someone to help with the hotel aspect. Predictably, Rachel fits into the island community, successfully develops the new hotel and falls for her boss. Overall, The Suite Spot is a well-written, enjoyable romance. It might be just a little too feel good for my taste—perfect friends, perfect child, perfect family. And I do wish that the only real conflict in the story had shown Rachel to be the practical and creative problem solver that she is shown to be in her professional role. She immediately went into martyr mode, even though there were a myriad of other possible options. Even so, good book.

Thank you St Martin’s Press And NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. The Suite Spot is a lovely book about a single mother who can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to men or jobs. When she is fired from her present job as a night manager at a high end hotel she is so lost that she jumps at the opportunity to move several states away to manage a new hotel at a brewery. She not only finds a job that she loves but new friends and a special someone. The author has created wonderful characters in a picturesque setting. She does a lovely job of creating a believable plot and likeable characters. I felt content when I finished this book.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I was SO excited to get an advanced copy of this book because one of my absolute favorite books that I’ve read this year is Float Plan! I just love this authors writing. And OMG is she good at getting you to crush on the main guy character. Absolutely loved Keane in Float Plan and I have to say I adore Mason just as much!! The Suite Spot is such a nice, feel good, easy read that just keeps a constant smile on your face. I usually read thrillers and historical fiction but sometimes you just need something FUN like this! I also enjoyed that it takes place on Kelleys Island in Ohio. I live in Ohio and I’ve heard so many nice things about Kelleys Island…I think I foresee a road trip next summer! To sum it up…I loved the beginning, loved the middle and loved the end of this book! Highly recommend it and can’t wait to see what Trish Doller comes up with for her next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

To see more of my reviews, check out my Goodreads and Instagram pages:
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Super cute, quick read. Didn't love it as much as I loved Float Plan, but it was a great follow up.

Thanks to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the advanced copy.

I was so excited when this book showed up in my inbox. Thank you @stmartinspress for this e-arc

I have been so excited to see what Trish Doller would write after The Float Plan and I was not let down.

The Suite Life was a lot different than the Float Plan. It was heavier in some ways, but also had a great theme of community.

Rachel is a single mom trying to figure out the kind of life she wants for her and her daughter. She’s strong and doesn’t put up with anyone’s crap, but she has been hurt before and is wry vulnerable.

Mason has a lot of pain in his past. He needs the light that Rachel and Maisie bring into his life. They don’t erase his pain, but there lives are better because they are together.

This is really a book about loss, family, and a second chance at love, set in a beautiful hotel on an island in Lake Eerie
★ ★ ★ ★ ☆/5
🔥🔥🔥🔥/5 (two steamy fade to black scenes)

Rachel Beck is a woman on her way to the top in hotel management until a wealthy tenant of the swanky Miami hotel where she works tries to trap her in his hotel room and force himself on her. When she rebuffs his advances and escapes his room, he files false charges against her and this single mother finds herself out of a job and blackballed by other hotels in the area. Rachel's dreams of owning her own hotel one day are down the drain, but her immediate problem is supporting herself and her child. When a friend forwards her a job opportunity at a brewery hotel in Ohio, she packs her things and moves. What she finds when she and her daughter Maisie arrives is not what was advertised. The brewery master Mason conned her into accepting the job indicating the rental cabins were ready to go . . . what she finds is that they're barely off the ground. But when he offers her full control of the design, building, decorating and management of the cabins/hotel, she decides to accept. And the funny feelings stirred in her tummy and lady-parts every time she's near Mason doesn't hurt any either.

I love a sweet, second chance love story and that's what The Suite Spot is. Rachel is a strong woman with a mind of her own in spite of some body image issues and disappointing failed relationship with Maisie's father. She soon discovers that Mason has issues of his own including an ex-wife and a past tragedy that left him living alone in seclusion - a real grumpy island recluse. As the two get to know one another, it becomes obvious that Mason's issues worsen when he's around Rachel's adorable daughter Maisie. As these two characters work side by side day after day, their emotional connection begins to gel and past history shared. I found these characters to be authentic and believable. I adored Maisie as her childlike innocence starts to win Mason over giving readers some of my favorite scenes. While there are a few twists to this story for the most part it's low angst romance - just a couple of opposites learning to live, love and grow together after past disappointments. The author does a fantastic job incorporating the beautiful scenery of the area around Lake Erie into the story. My only minor issue with this book is a rather abrupt ending to an issue that Rachel faces concerning her daughter. Since the issue was introduced, I thought it should have been explored more instead of quickly glazed over with obvious answers. And I would have loved a more in-depth epilogue looking into the future. Perhaps we'll get that in the next book. The Suite Spot is a story of people overcoming their past tragedies and weaknesses, lowering their defenses and accepting all the wonderful possibilities life has to offer . . . including love. I highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance, especially opposites attract and second chances.

This is the perfect romantic light read. I enjoyed the whole "girl meets guy who is a bit broken" theme and how things progressed. The building of a hotel with a brewery theme was unusual and kept me interested in what was going on next. The only head scratcher in this book is the title really doesn't reflect the book at all.

I absolutely loved Trish Doller's "Float Plan," so I jumped at the chance to read an early copy of "The Suite Spot," which stars Rachel, the sister of the first book's Anna. I really wanted to read something gentle and calming, but I was a little worried when a content warning popped up saying that the novel contained "mentions of child death." Rachel has an adorable 3-year-old named Maisie who is introduced in the book's first paragraph, and I had to make sure she would not be killed off. (Since Anna's fiancé committed suicide in "Float Plan," I know that Doller is not afraid to deal with hard topics!) I actually checked Goodreads to make sure that Maisie survives. Whew!

Rachel lives in southern Florida with her mom and daughter, who she is basically raising as a single parent since Maisie's father, Rachel's on-again, off-again boyfriend, is pretty flaky. She has a great job working at a swanky Miami hotel, but when a well-heeled guest assaults her and she barely manages to escape his clutches, he has her fired. A former co-worker knows of an opening at a "brew hotel" -- a microbrewery/boutique hotel -- and Rachel is intrigued, until she finds out it's located in Ohio, on an island in Lake Erie. She doesn't feel like moving out of Florida. But when she impulsively calls the hotel's owner, Mason Brown, to learn more about the position, he offers her the job, and she finds herself saying yes.

To her horror, however, when she gets to Ohio, she finds that the hotel doesn't really exist yet -- Mason had been working on it with his now ex-wife. Their marriage fell apart after the death of their young daughter (that's where the trigger warning comes in). Now Mason is a loner who has channeled his grief into making beer, which seems to be his only interest in life. But he is eager to let Rachel take the lead in constructing and decorating the cabins, which turns out to be something she is very good at. Rachel finds herself growing attracted to Mason, even as she understands that he may not yet be ready to get involved in another relationship.

This is a slow-burn romance, as Mason opens his heart little by little to both Maisie and Rachel, and I found it completely delightful. Reading it is like taking a wonderful, restful mini-vacation. I savored every moment of this lovely novel. Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the advance copy via NetGalley!

One of my favorite books from earlier in the year was Trish Doller’s Float Plan. I was incredibly excited to see she was continuing to write about the Beck Sisters - this time giving Rachel the limelight, in The Suite Spot.

What I love about Trish Doller’s writing in both books, is she writes about characters who have flaws. They have a lot of depth to them.

Rachel is a single mom, looking for a new job, when her friend gives her a lead on a new hotel management position on a tiny island in the Great Lakes. With a bit of hesitation, Rachel decides to uproot her life (and that of her child) and takes a risk - one which turns out to be well worth it because…

Can we just talk about Mason for a bit???

Mason is the owner of the hotel Rachel moves to work at. He is a grieving father, and now single man. There is an obvious attraction building - but they are careful with moving forward. Both Rachel and Mason have obstacles they need to overcome before taking the leap and when they do - fireworks!

The scenery, the slow burn, the friendships - all make this novel so fantastic. Made me want to snuggle up with a blanket in front of a cozy fireplace and wish this story never ended.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.