DNF at 22%. To me, this reads like an episode of HGTV written in novel form. I assume the story picks up as the novel progresses, but I'm not the target audience for this book.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Lucy Checks In made me want to drop everything and move to a small town in France. Right Now. Lucy finds herself at rock bottom after a scandal with her former lover/boss at the hotel she managed in New York. She is offered a job "revamping" a historical hotel in a small town in France and relocates her whole life in the hopes of also revamping her professional reputation.

Dee Ernst did a fabulous job of setting the scene of Rennes, France for us, but what I loved most of all, were her characters. As Lucy arrives in Rennes, she discovers a collection of people who have attached themselves to this hotel in some manner and created a hodge-podge family. Let it be known, the found-family trope is one of my favorites, and this one is well-done indeed. These people Lucy meets are interesting and quirky with their own flaws; they absolutely felt life-like.

This book felt less like a romantic comedy to me, and more like a self-discovery. There was a romance- driven plot line for Lucy, but it was very minor. I felt more attached to her own journey in re-discovering her talents and skills in a job that she loves. Lucy's interactions with this newfound hotel-family also played a key role in her development, and I greatly enjoyed those dynamics.

My only issue was with the pacing near the end, after Ernst throws us for a loop with her plot-twist (I really didn't see it coming). I wish we would've had more pages explaining the resolution of that conflict and showing us the adjustments that were needed in order to cope with that sudden change. (Was that vague enough or too vague? I honestly can't even tell... am I just rambling at this point? Quite possible.)

In summary, this book is a fun read that made me long to live in France, even if just for a little while. Lucy is a well-developed and relatable character, and I think we all see a bit of ourselves in her in some capacity.

*I received and eARC of this Lucy Checks In from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

I feel it’s important to start this review by saying Lucy Checks In is NOT a romcom, it’s romantic women’s fiction. I wish publishers would stop advertising books as romcoms when they’re clearly not. While this book has funny moments and has a romantic subplot (and an HEA), the romance is just that: a subplot. The romance takes a backseat to Lucy’s personal development, the renovations at the hotel, and the goings on of the hotel’s other inhabitants. I’ve read several books lately that have been advertised as romantic comedies when they’re actually romantic women’s fiction, and I’ve seen plenty of readers getting angry because the book wasn’t what they wanted or expected, which isn't fair to the book or the author.

Okay, on to the actual review.

I really enjoyed Dee Ernst’s Maggie Finds Her Muse last year and was excited for more from her. I’ve had a streak of pretty meh reads recently, but this one hooked me early on. The characters worked their way into my heart, and I enjoyed every minute of my time with them.

Lucy has had a rough couple of years: she not only lost her job as a hotel manager at a luxury hotel, but also the love of her life, plus she was at the centre of a scandal surrounding her former job and employer. Nobody in the US will hire her, so when she’s offered a job at a hotel in Rennes, France, she decides it’s the perfect fresh start. When she arrives in Rennes, she’s expecting to find a luxury hotel in need of a bit of rejuvenation, but what she actually finds is a long-neglected building with an eclectic group of permanent residents and zero guests.

I loved how feisty, smart, and driven Lucy was. I enjoyed watching her reclaim her life, learn to trust people again, and allow love into her life in many different ways. The cast of characters was fantastic; while Rennes itself is a big city, the world of the hotel felt small and gave the book a small-town romance vibe, with a group of hilarious and eclectic characters that end up becoming Lucy’s found family. I really enjoyed the slow-burn romance between Lucy and Bing. I wouldn’t call this full-on enemies-to-lovers, but there was definite animosity and tension there, with Bing being an arrogant know-it-all who always questioned everything Lucy did. It was fun watching the progression of their relationship, and I ended up falling for them as a couple. I also loved that the main characters were older - Lucy was 49, and I can't remember if it ever explicitly said how old Bing was, but he was Lucy's age or older.

Lucy Checks In is easily one of my favourite books of the year so far. It made me laugh and cry (I was blubbering a mix of sad and happy tears toward the end; I’m not sure if the book has content/trigger warnings, but feel free to ask me if you’d like some clarification), and I know these characters will stick with me for a long time.

For some weird reason I love books about renovation and especially about renovating hotels and inns. I don't know why as I have NO desire to do this myself, but I guess I just love a good starting over story with a home makeover plot.

Lucy Checks In has a charming setting, and it was refreshing to have a heroine who wasn't 28 years old and bemoaning her old age.

Loved this and will check out this author's next book

Personally wasn't for me because of the story, it was well written and the cover is beautiful ♡

I would recommend to readers who enjoy this type of genre

Judging by the cover of Lucy Checks In I was expecting an "Emily in Paris" type of story about a young-ish woman who moves to France to save a hotel in the countryside.

What I got was a book about a woman in her fifties who is successful in her career but unsuccessful in love who moves to France to save a hotel in the countryside. A good 70%, maybe even more, of this book is just excessive detail about renovations to the hotel. This book was details on details of every plant in the garden, every piece of furniture in each room, and even a three page conversation with the guy who transports guests to and from the hotel about updates he needs to make to his car. The last 10 - 15% of the book is jam packed full of details when something in the plot ACTUALLY happens.

The romance in this book is a tell, not show, situation with very little suspense, tension, or butterflies.

There is potential for a good book somewhere underneath all of the dust and details, but unfortunately it just wasn't for me.

I was hoping to like this book more, but I think it lacked the romance I was expecting. It is more women's fiction, and I think if you like books about renovations, characters that are in the 40-50s, and bit of a slow build up, then I think you'd like this book. I think from the synopsis I thought it was going to be a girl in her 20s that was let go from her job and moving abroad to find herself. So again, I don't think the book was bad, my expectations were just off.

Lucy Checks In was not what I expected, but once I got over that, it was a very touching story of having to start over.

Lucy was the manager of a very fancy hotel in New York City, at least until her former boss and lover stole millions when he left, and she he very nearly took the fall. While she managed to avoid that, her entire reputation was ruined, leaving her with no career opportunities. When she sees the chance to be the manager of a boutique in Rennes, France, she jumps. And then learns that the hotel is... exactly as reported: it needs to be renovated from the wallboard studs out. Lucy thought it would be much easier to get the hotel open and ready for online bookings in a much shorter time. Except, she has to do everything, including setting up a website.

The hotel also has several permanent residences, some of whom help more than others with the renovations. Claudine is very willing to break laws to get her hotel ready, even when Lucy isn't willing to. There's a very serious subplot to the book, involving Lucy's alcoholic brother, which does come to a head. I was very worried about the ending, after <spoiler>her brother dies in a accident while driving drunk, leaving her as the guardian of his two children</spoiler>, but I really enjoyed how Ernst played that out. Excellent character development.

All in all, Lucy Checks In is an excellent study in character development and learning to fight for what you want.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the free eARC.

This is a really delightful story. It has great bohemian characters who are fun and witty. Lucy is at the lowest point in her life when she takes a job in France. It turns out to be nothing she expected but everything she needed. There is an eclectic cast of characters including Bing who becomes her best friend and lover. The story is about dreaming big when everything seems unattainable. The author does a wonderful job of exploring the emotional depths of the characters and the various relationships that tie them together. It is also about later in life romance and how much sweeter it can be. Bing and Lucy form a relationship and a family that is untraditional but lovely.

"We were famous for that, weren't we? Women, I mean. We believed in the second act, the next great thing, the moment when fortunes would change for the better. We reinvented ourselves all the time."

LUCY CHECKS IN is a story of reinvention with a little bit of romance thrown in. At almost 50, Lucy's life has fallen apart and her second chance takes her to Rennes, France where she's been hired to rehab an old hotel filled with quirky residents. The setting is fantastic and the characters are fun but I never found myself invested. Lucy has a fraught history with her family that's never quite explained and the majority of the book is spent detailing the renovations on the hotel which I suppose were supposed to mirror the changes happening to her as well but none of it was very compelling. And then there's Bing, Lucy's love interest (who apparently tosses his head back every time he laughs - I counted at least eight instances of that description). They circle each other for the majority of the book and then boom - insta-love. I was happy they found each other but wanted to care more when they did.

I was excited to read a book with a middle aged heroine (even if the cover makes a woman who describes herself as having greying curly hair and a thickening middle look like a svelte 20-something with new highlights!) but I wish her second act had given more reason to check out LUCY CHECKS IN.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy to review.

Lucy accepts a position as manager of a small hotel in France sight unseen. When she arrives and sees what shape the hotel is in, with residents in some of the rooms, she hesitates. She is expected to renovate and put the hotel in order to receive guests. The residents will help.

Give it up and relax with this tale of 49 year old Lucy whose life exploded when her partner and love Tony absconded, just ahead of the FBI, with millions stolen from the employees, Lucy, and the hotel they ran in New York. Now living in her parents house, she found a job in Rennes, France renovating the Hotel Paradis- except , as she discovers, the Hotel has not been a hotel since before WWII. This is very much an it takes a village sort of story, with the residents of the hotel (especially the dishy children's book author Bing) pitching in to make it an actual place to stay. There's a certain dislocation for Lucy, who wasn't expecting to paint walls herself but she's game and, to be honest, she doesn't have any other offers. This is filed with vibrant characters - Karl who gardens, Marie Claude, Stavros, and so on- who are as committed to each other as they are to the hotel. Claudine, who owns it, is a hoot. There's some darkness in the background but that's what gives this a bit of the unexpected. Yes, it's a tad trope-y, the romance is muted (I liked that about it) and at times Lucy seems remarkably naive, but I really enjoyed it. I also really want to holiday in France and sit in a cafe and drink wine. Thanks to netgalley for the ArC. A very good read.

I did not know what to expect from this book. The excerpt pulled me in because I love a good story where a woman pulls herself back up. I love the setting and that Lucy was an older woman.
The book was so well written and descriptive. I felt like I was in the town of Rennes. The characters were fully realized and they were so much fun to get to know.
This book was a must read! Thanks to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Dee Ernst for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun, light hearted book. It follows Lucia who was a hotel manager for a big hotel in NYC when things took a turn. She needed a fresh start at age 49, so she took an opportunity to work as a manager at Hotel Paradis in Rennes, France.
What she was thought was going to be an easy job turned out to be a lot tougher than she imagined. It was really nice to see Lucia grow throughout the story and find herself. She generally had to redo the entire hotel. Luckily she had the help of some friends that live at the hotel. They had to do everything from painting, to planting flowers to decorating everything before opening. The visual was very easy to picture. It would make anyone want to vacation at Hotel Paradis.
It was really great to see everyone that lived at the hotel being so nice and helpful to Lucia. Seeing them become such a close knit family that came together and made a great team was so inspiring to see. In the end everyone had the same dream of wanting to see to see the hotel succeed.
Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martins Press for an eARC.

Lucy Checks In is a charming read, from the description of Rennes and the hotel itself, with its vivid history, to its quirky cast of characters and the different talents and obstacles they each bring with them.

I really appreciated having a more mature woman as the lead, particularly once Lucy gets a chance to explore romance as well as professional redemption. Her love interest, a sexy American painter and children’s book author, is supportive, kind, and encouraging, and seeing them together really reinforces that love stories, romance, and a healthy sex life are not just for people in their 20s and 30s.

I would have liked to get to know the supporting cast a little more -- the various residents of the hotel are introduced, often with thumbnail backstories, but we don’t get to know most of them very well beyond the basics. That’s a shame, because many are funny or eccentric, and I would have liked to know more about how they ended up at the Hotel Paradis and how they live their lives.

Overall, Lucy Checks In is a sweet, non-demanding read, with a bit of an armchair travel element to it (yes, I do want to go hang out at the hotel, explore Rennes, and eat all that amazing food). I was moved by Lucy’s story arc, including some unexpected twists concerning her family back home in the US, and was very happy to see her finding her way toward happiness and new beginnings.

An enjoyable women's fiction story set in idyllic France. I would call it more women's fiction than romantic comedy, honestly. A touch of romance builds throughout the story but it's not until the last quarter of the story that you really see that play a major role in Lucy's life. The trajectory of Lucy's life will resonate with so many women and I think her story supplies inspiration for anyone in need of healing and forgiveness. It was an interesting, sweet, and charming book.

Saving/creating a new vision for an old French boutique hotel is a solid book plot. I liked this book overall, but didn't fall in love with it.

What I liked the most were the characters since they were all very different, but felt like family. I liked how they all lived on property and had their own specialty like gardening, repair work, cooking, etc.

I felt like Lucy's backstory wasn't as strong or developed as it could be. It is made very clear how her old job went wrong, but maybe more detail during her renovations could have brought out her past more. I just wanted a bit more instead of it feeling like house flipping, hotel style.

Enjoyable characters and scene with a light plot.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing a copy of this ARC for my honest review.

Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 1/5
REVIEW:
This book (coming out August 16!) is set in Rennes, France and made me want to hop a plane to Europe!

A sweet story about Lucy struggling with a pretty major midlife crisis but finding more of who she is and the life she wants to live.

Lucy Checks In is a story of finding family and love in an unexpected place.

I enjoyed this book a fair amount. It's not my typical type of book but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. By the end of this book, I wanted to be waking up in France eating a pastry on a balcony!

I was pleasantly surprised by the end of the story. When I first started reading it I felt like it was going to be too cutesy for me but the storyline drew me in. The "residents" quirky personalities and the beauty of the hotel getting put together had me envisioning everything and wanting to go stay at this beautiful place. A little romance helped as well. What drew me in was a woman in her 40's who had to start over due to circumstances that were really not in her control and that despite what she expected, she was able to do what she considered the un-doable. She took the only chance she thought she had and turned it into a life worth living.

Lucy Checks In was a relaxing and lighthearted read. After a professional scandal, Lucy cannot get a job in any hotel in the United States. When an opportunity to go to France comes up, she leaps at the opportunity. However, the job is not anything like she thought it would be. It requires work she’s never done before- painting, hauling furniture, and completely redesigning everything from the ground up. Along the way, Lucy builds connections and enjoys life in France more than she ever thought she could.

Lucy Checks In would be the perfect book for anyone who enjoys home renovation, remodeling, or the idea of building a boutique hotel from scratch. A majority of this book is the nitty gritty of dealing with the hotel. While there is a vivid cast of supporting characters, the romance is pretty sparse and the focus is truly on the hotel. I loved that Lucy is an older heroine (late forties) and the atmosphere of being in France was beautiful. The pacing is relatively slow, so I would recommend this as a relaxing read for when you want to escape to France and remodel a hotel.

Thank you to Dee Ernst, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.