The synopsis of this book felt right up my alley! Woman is going through major traumatic event and upheaval in life, woman gets a job managing an old hotel in France, woman realizes the job isn't exactly what she pictured but regroups, readjusts, revitalizes the hotel and ultimately kicks ass while falling in love!

It had all the makings of a perfect rom-com! But...and I hate that there's a but...it didn't quite hit the mark for me. I loved the characters, from the main character Lucy to the side characters like the quirky cab driver and elegant yet eccentric hotel owner! And I loved the setting, this author did a beautiful job of creating a stunning backdrop for the story. The way she described the old French hotel was lovely! And I enjoyed the relationships between the characters - from the romance between Lucy and her love interest to the bond that she has with her nieces. I also loved that Lucy wasn't a typical twenty something just figuring out her life. She's a woman around her late 40's/early 50's who thought she had things figured out but life dealt her a bad hand and she was left to figure out a new plan. I loved that the author chose to write her as a older woman who got the rug ripped out from under her instead of following the narrative that the older you are the more "figured out" your life should be, it doesn't always happen that way. Lucy showed that you can have a second act in business and in love.

However, it felt like a lot of the story was spent leading up to the climax of the book, the shocking revelation that sends our heroine on a slightly different trajectory. And it was so disappointing because I was about 65-75% of the way through the book feeling like nothing was going to happen and then boom, a huge bomb is dropped in passing and then the resolution felt rushed through the last quarter of the book.

It was disappointing because the ending could've been so much more! I was left feeling short changed but ultimately the story was light, fluffy and a good beach book!

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read a digital advanced reader copy!

Lucy Checks In follows Lucy after she finds herself swept up in an investment scandal regarding the fancy hotel she managed in NYC. At 50, she moves back in with her parents to stay out of the spotlight, and while she's there, she's offered a job as the manager of the Hotel Paradis in Rennes, France. With no other options, she packs her bags and heads to France - only to find out that the hotel needs a total and complete renovation that she is fully expected to handle. As she begins to improve the hotel, she makes friends with the guests and slowly starts to improve her own life - finding a family in the French countryside.

This was a super fast read for me, but it took a little while for the characters and story to really endear themselves to me. This one snuck up on me for sure though, and I quickly found myself smitten with the Hotel Paradis and all of the people who loved it. Lucy was a great main character, but the supporting cast added so much to the story and I loved learning about each of their backgrounds. I also thought the descriptions of the hotel and subsequent renovations were a super fun added aspect!

A huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion! All opinions are my own!

After finding out that the man she loved and trusted turned out to be a thief on a large scale and left her ‘holding the bag’, Lucy is worn out from being questioned and ostracized. When she has the opportunity to move to France to manage the Hotel Paradis, she jumps on the offer, thinking of all the beauty, charm and treasures in an older building. What she finds is very different, enough that she thinks of going home but there’s really nothing there for her anymore.

I just loved all of the wonderful characters that live at the hotel – Bing, an artist who has lived in the hotel for many years and interesting details about his life. Claudine, the owner of the hotel, is just such a lovely woman but has a spine of steel when it comes to getting the hotel ready for guests and something to pass to her son.

The descriptions of the food markets, the restaurants and the wonderful cuisine, touring various historical locations, learning about the culture and more, made me feel like I was there. All the work involved with updating the hotel, the people involved and Lucy’s special brand of magic when designing, were vividly described and I could almost visualize the spaces.

This story was a delight to read about a woman who learns how overcome obstacles, finds friends and family that loves her for herself, and finding a new home with more than she ever expected.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read this new work. I highly recommend!

This was a delightful escape to France. I loved the cast of characters and how they all worked together both in personality and roles throughout the story. I really enjoyed a story focused on an older group. I feel like over and over I'm reading about people in their 20s and their self-discovery but it was refreshing to have a story told from someone who had already established themselves and had it ripped away and then finding themselves again. Overall, this was a fun read and I'd recommend.

When you want to just throw in the towel and run away to another country to start over, France is a pretty good choice! That is what our heroine Lucy does after a devastating scandal completely upends her life. She finds herself in the lovely village of Rennes and begins to rebuild her confidence and trust among an eclectic group of people. I enjoyed watching as Lucy gained her confidence back and as the Hotel Paradis took shape. It was lovely to visualize this grand hotel regaining its place along with Lucy. And I enjoyed the interactions of most of the characters, only wishing the young lovers could have had a cleaner storyline. This is definitely a book about second chances and involves characters in mid to late life which is also refreshing. If you enjoy romances set in beautiful places or have ever dreamed of living in a hotel, this is a great story for you.

GoodReads:
This is a sweet story with a simple romance. I really enjoyed the upward trajectory of getting your life back together after something totally out of your hands blew up your career. I also appreciated that the main character is in her 40s. More detailed review to come!

Check out my full review. (Link will be live August 23, 2022).

*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*

Book Blog:
I have a real soft spot for romances whose main character is in a “needs a fresh start” spot in life. I was further intrigued by the age of a protagonist. I can’t remember the last time I saw a main character in a romance in her forties, let alone in her forties without kids.

Lucy has a delightful character arc. She starts off seeming a little high maintenance and self-critical, but then we get some reveals that show valid reasons for her being the way she is currently. Then we see her willingness to adapt and change. And honestly it’s easy to empathize with Lucy. She’s having to almost start over from scratch at 49 for reasons way beyond her control. I suppose one could judge her for dating the owner of the hotel but it’s realistic that a lot of people do date those they work with.

Then there’s the setting. I was at first surprised this wasn’t set in Paris (seems like all of these sorts of books are) but I enjoyed the setting of Rennes. I liked the old hotel, the apartments that were once stables. It was definitely a what a cool place to live vibe. I also think the author handled reminding us of the various languages the characters were speaking like it was a movie while still pretty much always writing in English. It was smoothly done yet necessary, and I appreciated that a big mark in Lucy’s favor for this job to begin with was her fluency in French. Because…not everyone speaks English, people.

Now, I didn’t really get hot and bothered for the romance. I didn’t dislike it either. It just was. It’s reasonably done and charming enough, I suppose, but to me the big sell of the book was the setting much more than the romance. I think I also worry a bit about Lucy’s work life and personal life becoming so entwined yet again. And not just in the romance. She’s got a close relationship with the older woman owner of the hotel too. Did the woman learn nothing from embezzlementgate?

Lucy has a brother with alcoholism. The book handles the relative with kindness, but also there’s constant wine drinking because it’s France. Lucy drinks with lunch and dinner on a seemingly daily basis. It seems like questionable behavior, but she never stops to consider it. Something that I would have hoped she’d have done at some point over the course of the book given her brother. Like even just a hm, maybe I should cut back to one glass of wine with dinner thought toward the end of the book would have been nice.

Overall, imagine this as Emily in Paris but with a 40-something main character who can actually speak French, set in Rennes, and with a focus on hotels/architecture instead of fashion. If that appeals to you, then I encourage you to pick it up.

Instagram:
This is like Emily in Paris if she was 49 years old, was fluent in French, and worked in hotels instead of fashion. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the free copy in exchange for my honest review!

#bookalicious #booksinthewild #avidreader #bookaesthetic #whatimreading #bookrecs #bookishcommunity #emilyinparis

This was a bit slower to start for me, but I hit my stride once I got into it.

I enjoyed reading a book with an older FMC, and the setting was *chef’s kiss*. I love a book set in Europe. Overall a sweet book with a hint of romance.

I did hate Bing’s name though. Why is his name Bing? It annoyed me so much and I couldn’t get past it.

To be completely honest I think I wasn’t the right fit for this book, I’m in my early 20’s so I had a really hard time relating to this story, however I did think the writing was very compelling and I definitely will be recommending to my mother for I think it will be a better fit for her.

Having read several of the author’s previous books as well as the synopsis for this one, I was expecting (correctly) that it would be more women’s fiction than romance even though it’s being marketed as a rom-com. The publishers are doing a real disservice to the book with both the marketing and a cover featuring a young looking woman as it’s actually a delightful story about a 49 YO woman forced to start over at a time in life when many people have already achieved personal and professional success and are reaping the benefits of their earlier efforts.

After building a high-powered and successful career in hotel management, the MC, Lucy, has lost everything in her professional and personal life thanks to her misplaced trust in her former lover, the owner of a popular NYC hotel who embezzled several million dollars from investors and employee pension accounts, including Lucy’s, and skipped town leaving Lucy broke and in a heap of trouble with the FBI even though she knew nothing about his scheme. Two years later, she’s finally cleared of wrongdoing, but with her professional life in ruins, she is forced to accept the only position she’s offered, to renovate an aging boutique hotel in Rennes, France.

The hotel and the position turn out to be nothing like her initial daydreams, but as she (somewhat reluctantly) rolls up her sleeves and plunges into the required renovations, she starts to fall under the spell of the beautiful old building, its determined owner, and the hotel’s long-term occupants, all of whom have invested in the renovation to various degrees and are determined to see it succeed. There is also a fun romance subplot featuring Bing, a long-term hotel resident who is a well-known children’s book author and artist who turns out to be perfect for Lucy, even though he’s initially skeptical of her ability to pull off the renovation. Much of the book follows the renovation in detail, which made my HGTV loving heart very happy, and I really enjoyed seeing Lucy open up to her neighbors after her trust in her own judgement was so shattered. The setting in Brittany, that is rarely featured in books for the US market, was wonderful and brought back great memories of my trip there. I also read and loved the author’s previous book, set in Paris, Maggie Meets Her Muse, and I’m hoping there are more books to come. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I really loved this sweet story and found myself hooked by the likeable heroine and strong sense of place. I would love to hear more from Lucy! Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this enjoyable read.

Another fantastic book about a middle aged woman getting a second chance to truly live by Dee Ernst! I loved last year’s Maggie Finds Her Muse, and I was not disappointed by her latest. Funny, sweet, and moving, I found this to be the perfect summery read. Ernst has such a talent for transporting the reader to another place. I truly felt like I was at an old hotel in Rennes, France, consuming all the delicious bread and wine! In addition to the vivid setting, I loved that the protagonist is an older woman and the found family of characters at Hotel Paradis. My only small gripe was that I didn’t feel a ton of chemistry between Lucy and Bing, and their romance went from zero to sixty in a way I found hard to believe. This book was a true delight that will have you ready to book a trip to France!

This book is quite a gem! If you like sweet and soft romance you won’t be disappointed!

We follow Lucy, a hotel manager, who after a huge scandal involving money and her (ex)husband finds herself without any job and bad reputation. After getting back to her parents’ she doesn’t let herself down and finds a job as hotel manager in Rennes.

Rennes as in Brittany. In France.

Yup.

The hotel is clearly not what she expected by flying to France but she absolutely needs a job.

Slowly, Lucy falls in love with the hotel and its huge walls and feels so moved by those residents living here and helping each other.

I looooooved this book! First of all, the story takes place in France, in Brittany which is different from most of the books taking place in Paris and most of all: Lucy is in her late forties!!!!

I enjoyed reading all the descriptions of the hotel, they felt so real I had the feeling of being at the Hotel Paradis for a while. I wanted to go back to Rennes after finishing this book and immediately booked a day in the city during my holidays ❤️

The only deception for me: the love story is really slow paced… So slow I almost fell like there was not going to be any between the two characters. However, in the end the story is so beautiful and mature between them! I definitely cried at some times of the book, it felt so true to not

The real highlight of the books was the twins: Cara and Mimi. They were two sweeties I absolutely need in my life! 🥺

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/St. Martin's Griffin for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange of my honest review ✨

I was expecting more of a romance book with this one, but was pleasantly surprised. It was a little slow going for me at first. I loved the setting, the premise of rejuvenating an old hotel in France. I enjoyed most of the characters although I did not warm to Claudine until the very end. My heart broke for Lucy for the majority of the book and I was so glad and satisfied that she had her happy ending.

When I saw the cover and read the synopsis, I was expecting something completely different. I was expecting more romance and less women’s fiction, but there is so little romance I can’t even call it a romance novel in any capacity.

There were certainly parts of the book that I enjoyed immensely…I just had to struggle through the first 3/4 of the book to get there. There was so much description of minute details that it got redundant and boring.

The end seemed to rush so fast and was a completely different pace to the rest of the book. In my opinion, if key events had happened earlier in the story (maybe 45-50% in) and we got more of those details, I would have enjoyed the book more (I think).

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a copy of the book.

Title: Lucy Checks In
Author: Dee Ernst
Genre: Romance
Rating: 5.0 out of 5

Lucia Giannetti needs a fresh start. Once the hotel manager of a glamorous NYC hotel and intimately involved with the hotel’s owner, Lucy had her entire future planned out. But when the owner disappears, taking millions of dollars with him, Lucy's life as she knows it falls apart.

Two years later, forty-nine years old and unemployed, Lucy takes a job in Rennes, France to manage the Hotel Paradis. She pictures fur quilts and extravagant chandeliers, but what she finds is wildly different. Lucy is now in charge of turning the run-down, but charming hotel into a bustling tourist attraction. Between painting rooms, building a website, and getting to know Bing, the irritatingly attractive artist, Lucy finds an unexpected home. But can she succeed in bringing the Hotel Paradis to its former glory?

I would like to say: I’ve never had a desire to visit France—except when I read books that make it seem so magical I absolutely must go. This was one of those books. Except the setting was really the Hotel Paradis, not France itself, so really, I want to go to this hotel and live.

I enjoyed this book immensely. I love that the main character was not a woman in her 20s or early 30s, but one almost 50. I love Lucia’s journey back to finding herself and confidence in herself just as much as the journey to restore the hotel. I also loved that romance took a backseat, not the driver’s seat in this story. This is just a wonderful book!

Dee Ernst is from New Jersey. Lucy Checks In is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review.)

I love renovation shows and this had all the elements of a good one: hotel run down after years of mismanagement, a quirky staff that just needs direction, the main character that needs to prove herself after a setback. Lucy manages to make the hotel perfect for the tourists who come to town and gets her life in order at the same time. A cute, enjoyable read that seemed a little rushed at the end but worth the read.

Lucy Checks in by Dee Ernst
Women’s fiction/ chick lit. Light romance.
Lucia accepts a general manager job in Rennes, France hoping to get her career back on track. The Hotel Paradis is centuries old as expected of buildings in France, but needs remodeling and renovating before opening to guests. This job is way more manual work than Lucy expected but with all the permanent residents chipping in to help, the work goes fast while she makes friends and learns the lifestyle of this city in France.

Lucy must come to terms with her broken heart and trust issues. While she works through that, she rediscovers the joy of a job she loves. I found this touching and beautiful. I enjoyed the connections she made with the self made family and though she’s cautious, those relationships go we’re rich and fulfilling. There is bit of heartbreak but the aftermath is so sweet and loving.
I loved this story. It’s rich in life, beauty and family.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

This was a very sweet read. I loved being able to read about Lucy’s journey to regaining her confidence and trusting her skills as a hotel manager again. The twist at the end was very surprising but it made for such a beautiful end to the story.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst is a story about Lucia Giannetti's journey to get back all that she lost when the police erroneously targeted her in an embezzlement scandal that changed her life, hopefully not forever.
Initial Expectations (before beginning the book):
Based on the cover, which is the back of a female looking onto a city street – I'm getting holiday vibes. I do love a good vacation setting. Lucy Checks In will be my second book by Dee Ernst. I enjoyed the first one I read by her, called Maggie Finds Her Muse, so I am hoping for some of the same attributes I enjoyed from that story. I love the last sentence of the blurb, which states, "Witty and heartfelt, Lucy Checks In is an inspiring and feel-good novel about reclaiming your life, finding love, and creating a home in places you never thought possible." It makes me smile just reading that, so if the book delivers on that, I will be a happy reader.
Actual Reading Experience:
My actual reading experience was a bit of a mixed bag. The story fascinated me at the start and pulled me in almost immediately, but the pace slowed once Lucy got to the hotel and settled in, and I found myself losing interest. Luckily it had a strong conclusion with a fast pace and lots of tugging of my emotional strings. I loved the ending most of all because it allowed me to see everything the last line promised and more. The conclusion is so impactful that it made me want more of the story and learn about what happens next for all the characters.
I love the dysfunctional family dynamic of Lucy's biological family back in New Jersey. Boy, could they make me angry and profoundly sad at times. There is a lot of complexity and layers in the family as a unit and for the reader to unpack and contemplate each member. It shows how sometimes shared DNA does not make for a genuine family unit – that sometimes a shared endeavor and mutual respect brings out tighter bonds and a more enduring and healthy unit.
Lastly, I am in love with the hotel and location. I've been to that area of France, though a bit closer to the coast, and was awed by the beauty of the area – everything about it is just breathtaking and inviting. The book conveys that same feeling about the location, and the hotel felt like the pièce de résistance.
Characters:
Lucia (Lucy) Giannetti is an almost 50-year-old woman who has been black-balled from the hotel industry until she receives an exciting offer from France. An old hotel that has acted as a home for a handful of people who came into the owner's life wants to be a hotel again, and they need Lucy to make that a reality. Lucy is determined, steadfast, loyal, and just what the hotel needs. I loved her roll-your-sleeves-up attitude and her no-nonsense approach to all the challenges she faced. And there are many.
Narration & Pacing:
Lucy tells her own story using first-person narration. Since the story is her journey, this narration style has a very authentic feel. I can't imagine it told any other way and still holding on to that authentic feel. The pacing, however, was a sticking point for me. It starts at a pretty good pace, but by the middle, it slowed to a crawl, and I struggled to keep my interest in the story. But the ending brought it back up again and was simply superb in plot and pace.
Setting:
The setting is a very old hotel in Rennes, France. The hotel is such a strong setting that it is almost a character. I loved witnessing the restoration of this once beautiful boutique hotel into a wonderful place to live, work, and vacation. I want to visit and ride up the little elevator.
To Read or Not to Read:
Lucy Checks In fits the bill if you love a story that warms your heart and a fantastic location.

I enjoyed Lucy Checks In. It was a fun and inspiring story that conveyed the message that it's never too late to follow your dreams. The eccentric characters and charming location added to the likability of the story and I look forward to reading more from Dee Ernst.

Thanks to SMP and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.