It was very cute, but something was missing that I can't quite put my finger on. I couldn't quite pin the target audience

Really cute story about beginning again. I loved all the characters and the setting. Entertaining plot and just enough drama to keep you reading.

I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from NetGalley and the Publishers. "Lucy Checks In" was absolutely adorable. Lucy is an affable and realistic character. I feel like more cute, chick-lit, rom-com characters tend to be in their early to mid twenties or early thirties. It was extremely refreshing to have an older protagonist in Lucy. The vivid descriptions of Rennes made me want to immediately plan a trip to France. I found all the secondary characters from Bing, to Lucy's parents/nieces, Claudine, etc. to also be very well-developed and entertaining in their own ways. This story has an incredible message, you can always begin again. In these times we need more books that portray that message. "Lucy Checks In" is a breath of fresh air on many levels for that reason.

I loved this book! It truly was attention-grabbing from the first chapter. It's a neat plot/feel-good story that hits you right in all the feels. It's definitely not something that I'm used to with the main character being a bit older than what I'm used to reading about but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

If you’re a fan of Under the Tuscan Sun, then this novel, about a hotel manager who moves to France after her life in the US falls apart to take a job at what she thinks is a small chic hotel and what turns out to need to be restored first.
Getting a glimpse of France is lovely, and I definitely want to stay in the world that the novel creates. But there are so many things that feel like plot contrivances. Like taking a job at a hotel (and doing lots of research!) but not having any idea of the state of it, like the hotel owner who has of course kept meticulous care of its electrical and plumbing, despite dishelved appearance, and who magically has charming furnishings for all of the rooms. Rather than spring up organically, the book’s obstacles feel like they are included because they are the next plot points on an outline. There is a love interest, but this doesn’t feel like a romance so much as women’s fiction where the heroine ends up coupled.

I didn’t dislike this book. But upon finishing it, I was a little confused as to who the target audience is. It didn’t feel like the story an author who needed to write this story would tell. Rather, it felt like the work of an author passionate about Rennes would tell.

This ARC was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy needs a fresh start. She’s been (wrongfully) involved in a work scandal at a swanky NYC hotel where she lost all her savings and her boyfriend. When she gets the opportunity to manage a boutique hotel in France, 49 year-old Lucy jumps at the chance.

Once there she realizes she’s in over her head. The hotel needs a lot of work and she’s expected to handle it all. As she begins the long days of painting and dusting, she slowly embraces her new lifestyle and the colorful hotel tenants. Yes, not only is this a hotel for guests, but a few quirky characters live there too. Lucy eventually finds a new home within Hotel Paradis.

To me, this isn’t really a romance book. Yes, there’s a romantic subplot, but it’s more about picking yourself up and starting over. Learning that you aren’t your past mistakes. Finding yourself and realizing all family doesn’t have to be blood-related.


Recommended if you like:
-renovations/fixer-uppers
-small French towns
-found family
-Under the Tuscan Sun
-older MCs
-love after divorce
-slow burn romances

CW: alcoholism, death

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. Lucy Checks In is out August 16th!

I absolutely adored this book! It was so easy to read and hooked me from the first paragraph, which is rare for me. Such a fun and super cute read! I'd recommend to anyone!

A charming French town, an ancient fixer-upper hotel, a heroine looking for a comeback after a disastrous work scandal, plus an enchanting cast of supporting characters… “Lucy Checks In” by Dee Ernst is absolutely delightful.

Lucia Giannetti is the manager of a luxury hotel and has a shining future ahead of her… until scandal erupts leaving her blacklisted from the hotel industry. She has almost given up on finding work when she gets a fresh opportunity: to help bring to life a French hotel that hasn’t operated since before the Second World War. With nothing to lose she embarks on a journey to a charming town in France, where she finally has the chance to prove herself again.

A story about an ancient hotel needing renovations is enough to grab my attention anyway, but what really made this book a winner for me was the cast of supporting characters. The Hotel Paradis has not been a hotel in a while, but it has been home to an eclectic group of people who came into the hotel owner’s life in varying ways. Their interactions with each other and with Lucy were my favorite part of this book. I became invested in their lives as well as Lucy’s, and felt just as connected to them as our main character. I gave this book four stars for being a quick and delightful read, that managed some slightly heavier emotional topics while still feeling like a relatively light read, which is just what I was after.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced digital copy, which was provided to me as a complimentarily. The opinions expressed here in this review are my own.

While the book is a well-written slow burn about starting over, I struggled to relate to the main character. Now, I am in my twenties, yes, and that may be it- but being in your twenties also harbors a plethora of new beginnings, such as the ones this book addresses. There were also many comments about weight that just didn't sit right for me. Overall, a quaint, cozy Sunday afternoon read to distract you from the world for a bit.

Lucy, unemployed and implicated in a scandal, accepts a job at a hotel in France only to find that she wasn't told exactly the truth about the job that awaits her. Who wouldn't feel for Lucy as she tries to rebuild her career as well as her trust in others and in herself. This book was an enjoyable, well-written read.

I enjoyed this book but it wasn't something I would run to my friends to rave about. It was quaint and cute, with a promising plot, but I felt a little bored while reading it. I think it would be best suited for someone who is middle aged and might find themselves having more in common with the main character. Overall, I would give this book 2.5/5 for my personal tastes, but would definitely be open to reading more from this author in the future.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Once I started I could not put it down. I loved every second of it. I was absolutely thrilled that the main character was in her fifties. It is a cute feel good romance that makes to feel anything is possible.

It took me a long time to like the story (almost half the book)
First point, all the comments on the weight almost makes me quit the book. Seriously we’re in 2022, this shouldn’t be in book anymore, especially when it doesn’t serve the story. She talked about it at the beginning (way too much) and it never came back. It really doesn’t have a point in the story, a lack of confidence should be something else than the weight.
I liked the love story. The male character changed to be more respectful and that’s a good point. This should be categorized as a romance but the love story is good
The relationship between the characters in France are mostly great (but the racism seems to be there just to throw a black character, this is the only part I would have skipped). I love that we learn about Bing and Claudine slowly, it’s not all throw at our faces. Marie-Claude choices is also well written, we feel for her.
One of the point is that Google existe, that the character Google the hotel and since she was not able to find it only, she imagined a whole scenario. Why if she doesn’t find it, she doesn’t aka question to Claudine ?
Overall it was an ok read, but the first third/half really disappointed me.

I was very intrigued by the idea of this novel, the French setting and its aesthetic seemed to be very inviting. This novel has a strong potential to be a great book. I got really lost when it came to all the characters and their storylines. The only one I could truly follow was Lucia's. Even though this book was a slow burn it was way too slow and short, by the time I got to the ending I was unsatisfied. This novel felt to be more of a mid-life story about a woman rediscovering herself and not a rom-com. I would recommend this book for people who are closer in age to the main character.

This book, while well written and engaging, should not be labeled as a romance book. This is ultimately womens fiction with a side of romance. That being said, I enjoyed this and Lucy’s journey, and I appreciate her not only being older than the typical women’s fiction/romance lead.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this novel. I love books with French settings and the ambiance was there. However, I didn't really feel like this book delivered on all that was promised within the description. It was too short for me to truly feel connected to the characters. In addition, this novel was a little too slow-burn for me to the point where the ending didn't feel rewarding. The plot felt a little directionless for me and I really had to push through to complete this book. I wouldn't really call this book a rom-com. It's more of a journey of starting over and self-discovery as one overcomes hardships and obstacles in their life.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Lucy is a hotel manager in need of a move. The owner and boyfriend of her last hotel disappeared taking millions of dollars with him and leaving Lucy to take the blame. Two years later she gets offered an opportunity to live and work at a new hotel in France and find a way to find herself again in the process.

This story is categorized as a romance but I would not say it was one. Yes, there was a small romance but with such a slow build that the first kiss happens 80% of the way through the story. The main focus of the book was Lucy finding and learning to trust herself again after being hurt by what was the most important person in her life.

I did like reading about a character who was older and knew what she did and didn’t like. Lucy shows you that you can start over and find a version of yourself you never knew existed and might even like better.

The atmosphere in the book has you wishing you were in France but with the Romance tag, I want there to be more chemistry and scenes of the romantic relationship. Otherwise, this was a nice, quick, clean read that if you wish you were in France gives you that feeling. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Dee Ernst has created a lovely cast of characters in this light and lyrical story about Lucy Gianetti . Lucy is a disgraced hotel executive whose life has slipped out of her control due to reasons that are completely out of her control. Trying to recover from a failed relationship with her boss who absconded with millions of dollars, Lucy finds herself in France helping to restore an old hotel to its former grandeur so that it can open to the public. Is Lucy up for this job? Can Lucy open herself up to the challenge and for the potential of new friends as well as new love? This book was a perfect book to read if you need an escape from reality! Light and uplifting with a heap of hope!

Thanks NetGalley for this arc!

I liked this book . The age of the main character was 50 which is good I’m surprised most books have young main characters.
Honestly the main character and bing wasn’t doing it for me. I didn’t feel any chemistry.

Lucy Checks In
By: Dee Ernst

Synposis: At almost 50, the last thing Lucy thought she’d be doing was starting over. After a scandal forces her out of the career that she devoted her life to building, Lucy finds herself to be a bit of a professional pariah. She takes a job at the only place that will have her- a crumbling hotel in Rennes, France.

Review: I found this book to be "just fine." There are people who will love this book. Based off the description and cover, I was expecting more of a romcom/Emily in Paris vibe but if you like more hygge, cozy romances (reminded me of something by Beth O’Leary), you may like this one.

What the author really excelled at was describing the setting. This book created the prettiest picture in my mind and it was so vivid it was like I’d been to the Hotel Paradis and was pulling from memory. It was beautifully described and the renovation wasn’t just a “fade to black” type thing. They described picking furniture and painting walls- I felt like part of the team!

What I didn’t like was the disconnect of the main character and the characters around her. I never really got to a point where they were believable or where I felt connected to them. There are so many quirky side characters, I’d like to have seen them fleshed out a bit to be more dimensional. I didn’t even know there was a romance blooming until the main character quite literally told me there was. They had talked like four times for a matter of seconds each time! Where was the deep eye contact, the accidental brush of hands- the build up? The book felt slow through the middle yet the ending felt so incredibly rushed. Honestly, the plot line thrown in about Lucy’s family was unnecessary and really only made the story less believable.

Also, the word “appartement” is in here so many times that it became incredibly distracting by the end.

If you like a cozy-style romance, a relaxing story with a gorgeous setting, an older female protagonist, and you want to spend some time imagining beautiful old hotels filled with quirky characters, good coffee, and yummy food this book could be for you.