Hotel Portofino is set in Italy during the 1920's. It is the story of Bella Ainsworth and her family during a time of great change.

I wanted to read this novel because I saw that it inspired an upcoming PBS Masterpiece series that looks really interesting. The novel was engrossing, and I found the stories of the different Ainsworth family members very interesting. This was a different time and place for me too, so I loved visiting the Italian Riviera in this novel.

Set in a small, family-owned hotel catering to the idle rich, Hotel Portofino captures life between the two World Wars. Proprietress, Bella Ainsworth, is foremost in a cast of characters, most of whom hale from England, dragging with them their quirky ways and deep-seated snobbishness. Bella is congenial and kind, her husband, Cecil, a drinker and a wastrel, her son, Lucian, deeply damaged by the war, and her widowed daughter, Alice, resentful and mean-spirited. Revolving around various love interests we meet Nish, who harbours a forbidden love for his fellow soldier; young debutante, Rose, the prospective bride; the nanny, Constance, who is secretly attracted to Lucian, despite his higher station in life; and Paola, the Italian maid.
The novel explores relationships, family and love, all fraught with undercurrents, making the tranquility of life in scenic, rural Italy less than idyllic. Appearances must be maintained despite duplicitous behaviour, hidden agendas, misconceptions and petty jealousies. Scenes play out in small vignettes in which people see or hear things, then colour the incidents with their own interpretation.
The story is set against a background of Mussolini’s Italy in which racism, Black Shirt thugs, graft, family secrets, and small-town politics abound. As Bella tries desperately to cater to her family’s and guests’ many needs, her attempts to keep her hotel afloat are threatened by Mussolini’s minions. An interesting story of class distinction and day-to-day lives in politically tense times. Recommended.

I both read and listened to this book. Overall it was an enjoyable read, although there were almost too many characters and storylines going on. It seems to be a perfect fit for a television series (which it is going to be). The ending is left open-ended which leaves it open for sequels or multiple seasons of the television series. I did enjoy the time period and setting in Italy. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader’s copy of both the ebook and the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Hotel Portofino by JP O’Connell is an ensemble of characters with different problems, aspirations, and expectations. Whether you are Belle trying to live her dream to run a hotel or her husband Cecil who is always trying to run a deal. As the Ainsworth’s separately work toward the outcomes they want, their son and daughter both struggle with their own demons of uncertainties and insecurities. Toss into this mix, friends, hotel employees and guests and you have a robust story of individuals of all ilk working out their problems. Each person comes to his/her own decisions. Some decisions I totally agreed with, but others left me wondering where the development of the character went and why they didn’t pursue a different outcome. The reader has a choice of many different people, situations, and endings to follow, root for and see their decisions through to the end. The book is like a smorgasbord of circumstances and solutions. Add to the above is the beautiful descriptions of the Italian coast. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

Hotel Portofino.. think Downton Abbey or The Crown, but in Italy.. A British family opens an upscale hotel in Portofino.. they have only been open an few weeks and things start to get wacky.. Bella Ainsworth has put her heart and soul into the hotel. She has dotted every i and has crossed every t. Yet, the first few guests are very demanding. Bella couldn’t have guessed what they would need or want. While working double time to make things right.. all the while a local politician is trying to black mail her. Drag her into the Mussolini’s Italy. Poor Bella can’t catch a break.. Her children are also struggling with the new location and effects of the Great War. The whole family and the guests are all spinning around each other and it is anyones guess, where anyone will land. The scenery enhances the story.. Little insights/views into the beautiful land and sea. This was a heartwarming, charming story about real life and real problems. I enjoyed it and I hope you do too. Thank you to Netgalley & J.P. O’Connell for my advanced copy.. it was a pleasure reading it..

This was such an atmospheric novel - I totally felt like I was on vacation in Italy! There are a lot of characters in this book but they were all compelling and I enjoyed getting to know them. Not a lot happens but being immersed in this amazing world is worth your time. Fans of Downton Abbey will love it and I cannot wait to watch the PBS series!

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the copy to review.

Review will be posted on 2/2/22

Bella Ainsworth wants to change her life, especially after living through the Great War. She wants to leave dreary London for the beautiful Italian Riviera and open a hotel there. After the war and the inevitable problems that have crept up, she wants to escape to the coast and bring her family who she thinks could use a new start as well. Her marriage to Cecil has been uncomfortable lately, her daughter is now a war widow, and her son, Lucian, bears the physical scars of war. Who couldn't use a change of pace in sunny Italy? Once her hotel opens, things don't always go as planned. Running a hotel is a lot of work; plus, her guests are very demanding. She hopes that Lucian might find a potential match, but that doesn't go well either. To top it off, there's a local politician who is blackmailing her and even worse, a valuable painting goes missing with her guests being prime suspects. J.P. O'Connell's Hotel Portofino is a delightful escape to the Italian coast and is filled with drama as well as the enchanting time period of the 1920s.

Bella is trying very hard to start over in Hotel Portofino. She has realized a dream by opening this hotel, but we all know that maintaining a hotel is extremely hard, not to mention the financial burdens. Things are complicated for her, especially when her husband has his own money issues on top of the hotel's demands. Some of her guests are beyond demanding and on top of that she can't help but worry about her daughter, Alice, who is now a widow and is clearly depressed. Bella is also worried about her son who gets into trouble easily and is suffering from some PTSD after the war. Bella has to deal with a lot (including Mussolini's black shirts giving her problems!), so I felt badly for her in Hotel Portofino.

The secondary characters, in addition to Alice and Lucian, are also very interesting in Hotel Portofino. The novel had an upstairs/downstairs vibe to it, which I enjoyed. O'Connell jumps from character to character to showcase a lot of different perspectives, including Betty, the cook from Yorkshire; Julia Drummond-Ward, Cecil's ex-girlfriend; Paola, the housemaid; Anish, Lucian's Indian friend; Lady Latchmere, a demanding dowager, and Count Albani, to name a few. It made for a very interesting and diverse story, although I wish O'Connell wouldn't have jumped around as much. There were a lot of characters to focus on! Nonetheless, readers get various different points of view, which really brought to life topics such as racial prejudices, upstairs/downstairs issues, politics in Italy during the 20s, complicated romances, and more.

The setting of Hotel Portofino is what really captivated me along with the time period of the "Roaring Twenties." I adore the Italian Riviera and O'Connell brought it to life beautifully. The wine, the fancy dinners, the culture, and the gorgeous backdrops all brought sunshine to my bleak winter day. Obviously, Hotel Portofino is the perfect wintertime escape.

I am most excited for the this book to air as a TV show on PBS, which I believe should be coming this year! I think it will be entertaining as Hotel Portofino has quite the cast of characters.

So, are you a fan of historical fiction? Will you read Hotel Portofino before it comes to PBS? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

1920’s Italian Riviera!

Set in Interbellum times between World War 1 and 11, an English family has opened an hotel in Portofino, overlooking the bay of Paraggi on the Italian Riviera—the Hotel Portofino. The better suites have been outfitted with their own bathrooms. A bold dream and grand scheme as storm clouds gather. Bella Ainsworth has had a long love affair with Italy. Her hope is that this shift will heal her war affected children and just maybe her marriage. New beginnings!
Unfortunately dealing with people has its drawbacks. The group of guests and the staff all have secrets, a minefield of likes and dislikes, and so much more.
Meanwhile Mussolini and fascism are on the rise. Blackshirts are committing attacks on the vulnerable and Bella is trying to fit her life around the coming storm. The local political leader Danioni is targeting her, blackmail being the least of her problems.
Do I hear refrains of The Durrells? Maybe part of melody. Brits blithely forging forward with really no idea of the recent local situations or the cultural and political customs of the country they’ve chosen to make home.
A fun read with harassed undertones. And yes I will be watching the television series.

A Blackstone ARC via NetGalley
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Hotel Portofino by J.P. O’Connell is a delightful book. The premise of the story is about an interesting British family who moves to the Italian Riviera for a fresh start in 1926 after losing their oldest son in World War 1. To keep them from completely succumbing to their painful loss, they open a Michelin Star-like hotel. Hence the jumping off point about the family’s dynamics and their oh so interesting hotel guests. The guests include Italians with titles, British want to be aristocrats, a tennis champion, employees from Britain and Italy, and thrown in for good measure some very shady individuals. Something important to note that this is all occurring under the rise of Mussolini, Facism and the Black Shirts. Combining all this gives the reader a story of pure entertainment.

The hotel is one of dreams. The setting descriptions are breathtaking and the reader will see the magnificent suites, smell the aroma of the food being placed in front of you and the natural and scenic beauty of the area. How truly wonderful that it takes place on the Italian Riviera. The reader will enjoy the feeling of sun on their skin as they sit back and watch this story unfold.

The characters are unique and deep and full of complexities which makes for an interesting read. Some have said it is like Downton Abbey but I slightly disagree. There is much more of a presence given to the guests than just a saga about the family who is running the hotel.

The drama found in this story has the usual complicated former and present love interests, husbands who you would like to throw off a balcony, blackmailers, thieves, political unrest, intrigue and of course those menacing villains.

It is with much delight that I found out that Hotel Portofino will launch exclusively on BritBox UK (January 27, 2022) then ITV in the UK in 2023. Yes, American fans, PBS has picked this one up for Masterpiece with no release date but at least it is coming.

It was an enjoyable read and I hope there will be a sequel.
I would like to thank Black Stone Publishing, J.P. O’Connell and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Hotel Portofino is a novel based on an upcoming PBS Masterpiece show coming out later in 2022. It takes place in a small town on the coast of Italy in a hotel run by an English couple set after WWI. The novel reads like a show with many characters and scenes going in and out. Though I struggled a few times with the formatting and following the story, it still didn't deter me from enjoying the novel.. It ends on a cliffhanger and gives room for another novel (or season). The setting and variety of characters and storylines are fantastic and shows a wide range of issues that were occurring during the time period. Reading this definitely makes me look forward to the series on PBS and how it will translate with the actors.

An eclectic group of guests, servants, and locals cross paths at the Hotel Portofino on the beautiful Italian Riviera.. This lively bunch could give the cast of any daytime soap opera a run for their money! Looking forward to the upcoming PBS series.

Thank you to J. P. O’Connell, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this fun novel in exchange for an honest review. #HotelPortofinoBook #NetGalley

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC of Hotel Portofino in exchange for my honest review!

The publisher's summary is as follows: "Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she's being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini's Italy. To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don't go to plan, which will have far reaching consequences for the whole family."

There is a limited TV Series of the same name that was set to air this year on PBS; I had been looking forward to reading this book prior to watching the show, but after having slogged through the book I am reluctant to watch. The book centers around a fairly extensive cast of characters, most of whom are fairly wealthy (or thought to be wealthy) British people on vacation in the Italian Riviera in 1926. There are a few exceptions - a few Italian characters, a couple of Americans, a man of Indian origin.

One might say that this book is character driven. Each have their own sideplots and motivations but still feel very two dimensional, and these plots do not always interact with each other in a way that makes a satisfactory or cohesive whole. In fact, I often felt - throughout the book - that I was waiting for something to happen. It didn't help that every few pages one or another character would say or think something incredibly racist, with little narrative consequence at all. While it is not unusual to imagine that rich Brits would have been racist, generally speaking fiction usually demands some kind of narrative telling off. Altogether, I felt that I was reading some kind of character sheet or character profile for the show rather than a novel. I believe the show is meant to have some kind of murder and who-done-it plot, which would certainly make things more interesting, but at the same time somewhat embarrassing; characters in the novel repeatedly remark on how like Agatha Christie novels their time has been. For me - none of it measures up. I did finish it, but it felt like an uphill journey until right at the very end.

Hotel Portofino by J. P. O’Connell is not what I expected, at all. I wanted to love this book because the cover is so beautiful, and the blurbs made it sound mysterious and atmospheric. The setting was not as detailed as it could have been. There were so many characters that I was confused for most of the book. The ending was unsatisfying, and nothing was wrapped up. The one mystery in the book was not solved. The writing was good so 2 stars it is.

***** I received an ARC from NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for my honest review. *****

Can't wait for this escapist period story to become a series! So I was delighted happy to include it in my January Novel Encounters column highlighting the month’s most anticipated fiction. In Zoomer magazine’s Zed Book Club section. (column at link)

Prepare to be transported to the luxurious and captivating Hotel Portofino. The setting depictions in this book were magnificent. In J.P. O’Connell’s descriptions you could almost smell the fresh linens as the property readies itself to welcome their first guests.

In a time that so many book plots center on major, almost unbelievable events, this was a wonderful change of pace and read like a slice of life for a group of staff, guests, and towns people that come together around the hotel property. I especially enjoyed the characters of Bella as a strong woman set on opening her dream hotel despite the challenges she endures as well as her son Lucian whose coming-of-age struggles in relationship and professional expectations are relatable almost a hundred years later than the book’s time period.

The recommendations of this book to fans of The Crown and Downton Abbey are spot on. While this book was slow to begin, the romantic themes, political intrigue, blackmail, and family secrets kept the story moving nicely and was very enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone publishing for the chance to read and review Hotel Portofino. This story has a lot of potential, a lush and vibrant setting, an engaging premise with resort life and coming of age vibes, and a historical backdrop that remains important to understand. I loved the focus on the hotel, which to me presented itself as the main focus and draw, and I think found that the plot and characters were engaging at times. I would recommend this for a quick read and for readers who become engaged with I believe the related PBS series. I did though find the plot under developed with an incomplete resolution at the end (perhaps more books are planned?) and for me the writing style, which read as some short and brief sentences and somewhat underdeveloped points/characters, did not really work for me as much as I had hoped it would.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC and early listen. What a fascinating historical fiction story. Thoroughly enjoyable listen/read! Author and narrator did a great job drawing me into the story. There are a lot of characters so was thankful I had the ebook also to help keep the characters straight while listening. All the characters were brought to life by the author's writing and the narrator's great story telling skills. Highly recommend.

Fans of Downton Abbey will eat this one up! For once in my life, I have to say that I'm more excited to watch the show than I was while reading the book. I think the premise is excellent, but I didn't feel completely satisfied with the ending. My hope is that the show will tie up the loose elements, but this isn't to say that I didn't enjoy the novel's frank exploration of important themes. I give this one 3/5 times for having a lot of good qualities but not entirely landing the home run.

The beautiful cover evokes such strong feelings and the setting of Portofino, Italy during the tumultuous 1920’s brings those feelings to life. The emergence of blackshirts and the rise of Mussolini added to the sense of upheaval. The hotel with its unique rooms is truly the main character and all the people living within its rooms add all the flavor needed. The female characters, especially Bella, Betty, and Constance are strong and independent while most of the males are very stereotypical and weak. There are so many topics addressed through daily life in the hotel…racism, homosexuality, social class inequities, infidelity, abusive relationships, greed, the intolerance of the wealthy for those serving them…
The drawbacks for me were the very abrupt ending, and the most confusing story of the painting. I think the concept was a great addition but found myself rereading to make better sense of exactly what was happening with it.
Many thanks to J. P. O’Connell, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for affording me the opportunity to read an arc of this just published book.

Intriguing, a lot of characters to keep up with, overall, a good story. A little bit of romance, a bit of suspense, had a bit of everything. The Hotel sounds amazing to visit