This book is dangerous. Seriously, unless you have the time and money to drop all of your responsibilities and go to France and enjoy great wine and a more laid back way of life… then I would suggest to approach this book with caution. Because it will undoubtedly force you to double check your passport to make sure it hasn’t expired yet, and check to see how much flights would cost.

I’ll be honest, I’ve never read a romance book where the female character was over the age of 30. In this one Lucy is closer to 50 and I loved seeing the representation of ladies not in their 20’s finding love. Most women in romances over 30 are widowers or are desperate to find a life partner. Not Lucy. She has one thing on her mind: help restore a 300 year old hotel in France and gain back her reputation. I really did enjoy Lucy as a character and this is absolutely the type of book I would recommend to my mom and she would love it tremendously.

This book feels a little more “chick lit” versus a romance but I still think the very understated romance was a sweet one. It was more of a secondary plot line but it still filled a crucial role to the story and made the story that much more charming. Bing and Lucy were fun to read about and see how differently relationships are viewed depending on the age of the couple. For most romances I read the passion is the number one driving factor. However with this one there was a lot more done looking at compatibility beyond just sex.

There were some slow spots in the book that really affected the overall pacing. The ending was great and the beginning was well written. There was some lagging in the middle where I wanted everything to speed up a little to get back to the characters and how they were all progressing. The details of the hotel were impeccably written and I thought the descriptions were beautiful. Overall this was a very enjoyable book.

The cover of this book captivated me from the start. This is a dreamy tale of a woman who packs up and moves to France for some life changing experiences. It was well written, just not exactly the type of book I enjoy. The main characters were a bit too old for me and the ending (which has a MAJOR plot twist) felt super rushed. Overall it’s a good read, specifically for fans of France or second chances. Thanks NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

3.75 rounded to 4.

This isn’t my typical read, but I’m happy I read it.

The author did a fantastic job showing us Lucy’s struggles and I felt very emotionally connected to her. The romance was great as well. Very well done!

I devoured this book. This is my first read by Dee Ernst, and it was adorable! I hung on to see what was next and just could not put it down. One eye roll moment when the love interest said “you could love me.” But honestly, I didn’t care, I was cheering for them all along.

We love an older female protagonist faced with starting over an a new, exciting locale don't we folks? Some of my favorite romances and light-hearted reads over the last year have featured leading ladies over the age of 40 - I am only 35, but sometimes I can relate more to the mental state of women over the age of 40 (in particular those that don't have children) than I can women under the age of 30... am I alone here? On top of all of that, I have been dreaming of traveling to France over the last year (including paying up for Duolingo premium to brush up on my francais!) so this really scratched that itch for me. I loved this book and Lucy's story - would recommend for all fans of another recent favorite of mine, A Season for Second Chances. Five stars!

Lucy Checks In follows Lucia Gianatti, a 49 year old woman who has had her life turned entirely on it's head.

Lucy has gone from running (and living in) a fancy schmancy hotel in NYC to broke, unemployed and living in her old bedroom at her parents house. The speculation around why she lost her job means it's damn near impossible for her to find another, until an opportunity in France appears!

Lucy may have bitten of more than she can chew though... Imagining herself riding in a town car through the picturesque countryside of France on her way to her new job running (and living in) a luxurious hotel for the well-to-do, our dear Lucy is rudely awakened when she arrives in the city of Rennes and finally lays eyes on the old, dilapidated Hotel Paradis.

I really enjoyed the characters, they're mature and real and flawed and that's what makes them great. By far, my favorite part of this book is the mental picture it paints of the French countryside. This was a fun, light read that I would gladly recommend for a friend. The end feels a little rushed, as though there were a few too many things that needed wrapped up all at once.

After a scandal involving Lucy’s boyfriend and job, Lucy finds herself at almost 50, living at home with her parents and a damaged reputation despite being cleared from any wrongdoing. When an opportunity in France comes her way, she jumps at the chance to get back into her job getting an historical hotel back up and running. Once there, things are not at all what she expected but by working together with the owner and full time residents, they are going to do what they can to make this hotel a success.

Things that I loved about this -
A 49 year old female main character! Yes, please.
A love interest in his 50s! Even better.
A quaint setting in France and beautiful descriptions of places and food! It makes me want to go find this hotel and check in immediately.

Things that didn’t quite work for me -
The pacing was a bit off and it was slow going.
Lucy’s whole family was kind of awful other than her nieces.
A few of the characters and their decision making.

Overall this was a quick read although definitely not the rom com I was expecting based on that adorable cover. There were some deep topics in this one too.

I am here for all the mature romance though and love that they didn’t try to have the two characters acting the same was as their younger counterparts in romance novels. As a 40 something woman, I appreciated the honest take!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and SMP Romance for the advanced copy!

This was such a fun read. It spoke to my love of travel, diy projects and romance. A lighter read, it still had enough of a storyline and variety of quirky characters to add depth. Lucy/Lucia was an imperfect character looking to prove herself and find her new home at the same time. The obstacles she comes up against and the trials of moving to a new country and renovating an old beautiful property provided a fun story I found I could not put down.

Thankyou to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book! I thought it was wonderful to see the female character being 50 years old instead of 20 or 30. Struggling with common things that we all go through and finding herself through a new journey in life. Who doesn’t love a story set in France?

Absolutely loved this one! Loved all the scenery and the protagonists journey of starting over! It felt like watching a movie instead of reading a book. I highly recommend it and can’t wait to read more from the author. 10/10

I don't know why, but I could not connect with this book. I really tried. It's a cute premise, there is nothing especially wrong with the characters, the language is clean, but I felt distanced from everyone and everything that was happening. I would've liked to have seen deeper conversations that lasted longer. Instead, I'm reading about inanimate objects, painting, plastering, and unloading furniture. The people at the Hotel Paradis need to be fleshed-out more. And whenever Lucy's family reappears, it just isn't that interesting.

Lovely woman’s fiction with a touch of romance.
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Sometimes you are looking for a light read. Nothing too heavy but in-depth and interesting. A fun story to get lost in. Well, if that sounds like you, this is a great choice.

As mature women, many of us will find something in common with the main character. Working like crazy and then the worst thing hits you from nowhere. Forced to move back home?? UGH

But from the ashes rises a new woman by taking a leap of faith. With hard work and a dream job in France what seems to be a crazy situation becomes an amazing story.

Ernst gifts us with wonderful characters and a very slow to grow romance that bring a delightful ending. The descriptions of the area will make you want to hop a plane and immerse yourself in the culture. Lovely and inspiring story.

The character was like able, but also kind of a drag and a little boring. However, despite the flaws, her arc was redeemable which I much enjoyed!! I enjoyed the romance, plus really liked how the focus was a middle aged group instead of a younger age character range (always fun to read those. overall, great story and I liked the writing style!

Lucy is left loveless and jobless after her lover/boss disappears with millions. Years later she takes a job in France. With dreams of extravagance, she gets to the hotel she will be managing to find a rundown yet charming place. During the journey to fixing up the hotel and her life she also found a little love.
This is a fairly short story. That reads fast and leaves you with a happy heart. It is never to late to find your home and be happy.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Lucy used to manage a stunning hotel in the heart of NYC but after some very disappointing setbacks she finds herself needing to start life completely over. Her new start takes her to France, where her new job at a failing hotel is much more than she bargained for.

What I absolutely loved: A middle aged protagonist, an endearing "starting over" story, and settings that are an auto-read for me, NYC and France. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a story with a main character starting it over. It reminded me in the best ways of the film starring Diane Lane, Under the Tuscan Sun!

This ARC was provided to me via Kindle, St. Martin’s Press and by #NetGalley. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

A lovely read from the view of a woman starting over.

After her life in New York falls apart in spectacular fashion thanks to her con-artist boyfriend, Lucy takes a job revitalizing a defunct hotel in Rennes, France without truly understanding the enormity of the task ahead of her. She finds herself in a hotel that's been unused for years in need of major renovations well beyond the minor changes she had imagined. She quickly befriends the residents of the hotel, including Bing, the artist with a complicated romantic history with the owner of the hotel. It's a charming story about a woman rebuilding her life.

Release Date: August 16 2022

📖📖📖📖📖

Lucy was on top of the world as the general manager of a plaza-esque hotel in NYC, until her boss and boyfriend stole all of the hotels and employees money. While Lucy is acquitted of know anything about the plot she is also persona non grata in the hotel industry. Lucy leaps on the chance to run a French hotel in the countryside but when she gets to the hotel and find it to be less than what she imagined, can she find it in herself to reinvent the hotel and maybe, just maybe, reinvent herself as well?

This book creates such a rich beautiful world that when I was done, I had to remember that I wasn’t actually in France. I enjoyed this book immensely. I have two small complaints; one is that Colin just sort of disappears after his talk with Lucy and is not mentioned again. Like at all. Even the ghost gets a shout out toward the end of the book but no Colin. My other complaint is the cover. Lucy talks at least twice in the book about her gray curly hair…so who is the girl on the cover? It’s not Lucy. Marie Claude has blue hair so is it Claudine? Doubtful. The cover should be fixed. Neither of these effect the story and I would highly recommend this book! But also where did Colin go?!?

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

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I was drawn by this cover and excited to dive in. I loved the setting in Rennes and the storybook French getaway plot and think this book has a lot of appeal. In practice, though, I struggled with the pace of the book, and did not finish the book. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

LUCY CHECKS IN
by Dee Ernst
St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: Aug 16

Such a heartwarming and fun story about Lucy Giannetti, starting over again at 49.

Before, she was a respected manager of a stunning New York hotel. After the owner runs away with millions, she's left with only one choice: Accept a job in Rennes, France, to turn a rundown hotel into a glam tourist magnet.

Can she do all the hard work needed to redo Hotel Paradis? Can she traverse the tricky relationship with Bing, the handsome artist who might become something more? Can she find home "in a place she's never been before?"

No spoilers here. But romance lovers take note: This is one swoony second chance tale you won't want to miss. Enjoy!

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

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