A lovely story featuring an older MC who gets a fresh start at 50 running a boutique hotel in France.

Lucy was running an amazing hotel in New York City but things went awry and she is jobless and living with her parents for a couple years. But now, she’s in Rennes, France updating/renovating/running a hotel that hasn’t been used since before the war. Lucy is working through struggles in her personal life while trying to get this hotel back to its former glory.

There was one mention of how she will never lose weight because of all the cheese and bread in France and it was completely unnecessary.

CW: Addiction, Death

This book is categorized as romance, but the romance elements are actually pretty sparse. That said, Lucy Checks In is a charming story about a middle aged woman forced to rebuild her life after a professional catastrophe outside of her control. Formerly the manager of an elite upscale hotel in NYC, Lucia "Lucy" Gianetti winds up renovating and rehabilitating a French hotel that had last been open in the 1930's with the help of a charming cast of characters. Along the way, Lucy heals some old wounds, reconnects with her sense of self, and finds love in a slow-burn romance with one of the hotel's resident-investors. A charming, easy read, this will make you want to pack your bags and high tail it to France yourself.

A 49 year old heroine who starts over in a job in France that defies her expectations. Along the way she finds herself again and gains a new family. This novel is filled with secondary characters that bring the hotel,to life. I enjoyed this one immensely.

If you're looking for a light read with characters who aren't the standard 20-something's, this is the one for you. I really enjoyed this book, and it was fun to read about characters in their 50's. Their life experiences really added to the story, I thought. It's not a typical romance book, I would say its more of a chick-lit rather than romance. Nothing too spicy, only one scene.

I also love the setting of the book. The Hotel Paridis is somewhere I'd love to spend some time. I loved the cast of characters who all lived there together.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a little slow going. I expected more of a romance but it read more like a lit fic with some romance sprinkled in. I typically read non romances a lot slower so the pacing felt off for me. The scenery/environment desrciption was really amazing. I could perfectly see the town that Lucy was in and it felt beautiful. Very ideallic and perfect for a "finding yourself mid-life crisis" sort of thing. I do wish there was a bit less focus on tasks she was doing and it was a bit more relationship driven but that is more of a personal preference.

Overall the book was ok, I think my expectations just didn't match what the book was and thats ok!

I adored this book! I was a little skeptical when I started because the plot sounded so overused - a woman moves to a new city, hates it, makes friends, and falls in love with the city. But this book was funny, and romantic and kept you wondering what would happen next.

First off, I absolutely fell in love with the idea of this hotel and its strange cast of characters. I wanted so desperately for Lucy and Bing to get together that I was practically screaming at the book. The author did a great job keeping you waiting for the good moments to make you want to binge the entire book. Lucy Checks In had the ability to make you want to get up and travel and start a project. It was inspiring and I loved that it wasn't your typical 20s-early 30s woman who was lost and found her way.

Easily this book got a 4-star rating and I was speed reading the last half to see what was going to happen. I will say the beginning had me a little bored but this was quickly overcome with the cast of characters that Dee introduced. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves a good chick-lit read and would enjoy a more slow-paced love story.

This was a light, sweet & fun read. I especially enjoyed descriptions of France, its culture and the food, it made me hungry !

First off, I would not consider this book to be a romance. While it contains bits and pieces of a spice free, slow burn romance, it’s more of a women’s fiction novel about a women rebuilding her life and forming new friendships.

I usually do not read women’s fiction, however this book was incredibly charming. I loved that the protagonist was approaching 50 instead of her late twenties or early 30s (some much needed age representation in women’s fiction). The French setting was incredibly well done and very immersive. (After I put the book down, I had to remind myself that I was actually not in France.) I loved the way some of the more serious aspects of the book were handled and the slow burn between Lucy and Bing was a wonderful addition, as well.

All in all, this is a wonderful summer read that has me dying to go on a European vacation.

This book is so, so cute. The book begins with Lucy losing her job at a glitz and glam hotel in NYC. From there she is left to pick up the pieces and recover her career by breathing life back into a Paris boutique hotel. This novel kind of give me Emily in Paris vibes, with the addition of the hospitality industry twist. So terribly cute, I would read anything from Dee Ernst! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced e-copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

This is the first book I've read by Author Dee Ernst. I was drawn to this book because of the cover as well as the description. That being said, the woman on the cover does not depict the character "Lucy" at all.

Lucy is a 49 year old woman in the hotel industry that has suffered a major setback in her career. After being shunned by the industry and forced to move back in with her parents, two years later she finds herself a new job in Rennes, France.

She makes her way to France and Hotel Paradis is NOT what she was expecting. It is in need of a lot of work, with not much staff or funds to do the improvements. She realizes she won't be managing Hotel Paradis, so much as remodeling it. Lucy finds herself in the midst of a fixer-upper, in both her life, and her career.

I did enjoy the friendships in this story as well as the "found family" aspect of it. I would not, however, consider this a rom-com. There is a love story or two in the mix, but nothing swoon-worthy or spicy. It was a nice little story.

*I received a copy of this book on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this opportunity*

Disgraced, embarrassed, and more than a little disheartened, Lucy Giannetti takes a major chance and moves to France from the United States to help run a provincial hotel. The only problem? Lucy didn't exactly read the fine print of her contract and finds a bit more of a job waiting for her than she expected.

LUCY CHECKS IN is a charming, slow-paced book perfect for someone wanting a heart warming story about found family's. The main character, Lucy, is a woman nearing her fifties with little to show for her illustrious life as a premier hotel manager. She flees from her reputation to another continent, where she finds a new home among a rather rag-tag group of people and a historic home needing a little love.

Her relationship with Bing, a fellow inhabitant, felt more like a side note-- so I don't agree with classifying this novel as a romance. The ending was rushed, especially after such a leisurely pace until the last few chapters, but overall this book was enjoyable. I loved that Lucy was an older protagonist than commonly seen in women's fiction, and I believe that (new and old) fans of Dee Ernst will be delighted with this new book!

Thank you @NetGalley for the ARC of Lucy Checks In.

I enjoyed this story very much. It is a slow burn and no spice, but it really gives a great story of love and found family. I also enjoyed that the main love interest characters were older. I have lived abroad in France and also liked reminiscing about my own time in France as I read about Lucy's story. I do think some parts of this book could have been edited down, but overall a solid read.

I LOVED this. It was the cozy read I was looking for but filled with so much feeling and emotions. Lucy was flawed and human and such a real person, I felt like we were friends while I was reading. The slow burn with Bing was *chef’s kiss*, I lived for every moment of it.

There were heavy parts to this story. One twist I didn’t understand why it was necessary but at the same time I do. When it happened, my jaw dropped.

The hotel revamp was so fun to read, I loved the journey. It makes me want to move to a new country and revamp a hotel for myself.

This is such a charming story. I enjoy that the character is in her 40s on a romantic journey.. ;)
Lucy is such a relatable character. And the book is well written. Also, I love this cover, which means I’m getting the hard copy.

This is a super cute romance novel! It is the perfect summer read and romance aspects to the novel was so sweet. I'm a huge fan of this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Dee Ernst for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This was a charming story about a 49 year old woman who restarts in another country, finds herself again, and along the way, finds new love. It took me a bit to get into this book, finding it very slow, but I found myself wanting more at the end. It seemed so abrupt. I would have liked to see more from the ending. I think the side characters have so much potential as well... Marie and Phillipe side novel?! Yes please.

Overall, 3.25 stars.

3.5 ⭐️s

Lucy Checks In - “hgtv meets old French hotel and a little romance.”

The book is a really pleasant read. The main character is down on her luck and goes to France to manage an old hotel. But is in for a surprise…
I felt more interested in the hotels storyline than I did the romance. The book is primarily focused on Lucy and the hotel. The romance is luke warm, it takes a while to debut and not bc of a slow burn. When it does appear its still just a very pleasant “happy ending” romance.
I liked the plot twist and the plant acquisition drama!

I love the cover! And it’s so important to see a book featuring an older woman in her 40s on a romantic journey.
Many thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Special thank you to St Martin Press and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC of Lucy Checks In.

The cover caught my attention! And it was such a delight to read. A bit of a predictable plot but it didn't spoil anything - just like a great hallmark movie. Loved the character development of the MC Lucy. Love the French setting!

So I guess I should have know this was a cute womens fiction but I was surprised. But it was lovely. Woman’s fiction with a bit of romance. Slow burn and I love a good clean romance. It’s a heart warming book and who does not love a girl who travels internationally and Oolala France 🇫🇷 I liked the book and I would not mind reading more books by Dee Ernst!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc for my honest review.