As much as I wanted to like this story, it just wasn’t for me. I had a hard time relating to the main character and her storyline. Others who can relate more to the protagonist will really enjoy this read! The writing was beautiful, with a clear voice from the author. This book is built for fans of romance. I did really like reading about a woman in her late 40s who gets her second chance.

This is a story about second chances, when Lucy moves to France after she loses everything. While Hotel Paradis isn’t what she was expecting, the tenants and employees are more than willing to help her restore the hotel to its former glory. Purpose isn’t the only thing she finds along the way, there’s also a chance for love in the mix.

You will find yourself cheering for Lucy and falling in love with the hotel tenants. This is definitely a fun, summertime read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this uplifting story about an almost-50-year-old woman starting over in a new country! There aren't many romance books centered around couples in this stage of life and I am here for it! When Lucy is betrayed by her employer (and partner) and loses everything, she is devastated. But then a job offer came along that she couldn't refuse. She packs up and moves to France to become the general manager of a soon-to-be hotel. She meets all sorts of characters in France, but the 50-something man living in the hotel catches her eye immediately. The romance is there but it's not the main focus of the story. Believe it or not, there was a lot of other stuff going on to keep me interested. I loved all the characters in this book! I could see my book club reading this and enjoying it. It's just a refreshing story that makes you have a little more hope in humanity.

Unfortunately, this one just did not work for me. I am going to chalk it up to me not connecting to the main character. I enjoy rom-coms and "comeback" stories, but this one had an element of cheesiness that I just couldn't get beyond. I didn't love the last novel I read by Ernst, so I think this is my cue to move on. I'm sure this novel will be much loved by another group of readers.

Although I was expecting a romance, it was not the prevalent aspect of the story. The hijinks of Lucy made this book a really fun read. Definitely worth the read!
Thank you Dee Ernst, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy for my honest feedback.

This was not what I was expecting, but ended up being an enjoyable read. Lucy's experience starting over and renovating the hotel mixed with the found family at Hotel Paradis was a nice read with an fun cast of characters. If you're looking for a light read set in France, this is for you. Thank you St. Martin's Griffin Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.

Lucy was not in a great place - and change is as good as a rest isn’t it?
While the romance was not the highlight of this book, I enjoyed the mishaps and adventures as Lucy discovered a new place and a new way of life.

This book hit every mark for me. The cast of characters was so wonderful I felt like they were my personal friends. I did take a little while to warm up to Lucy, the main character, but once I did I loved her. I appreciated that the romance was a very minor subplot and that the author let the cast of characters, including the hotel, shine. I loved loved loved this one and have recommended it to everyone!

Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

Sometimes you are looking for a light read. Nothing too heavy but in-depth and interesting. A fun story to get lost in. I thought this was a cute book! I will say I would only recommend this novel if you are looking for a slow burn, heart felt story about a woman who is middle aged.

This was my first read by the author
Hope you enjoy it.
And as always Happy Reading!

This book was a huge letdown for me. I love the cover and it’s what drew me to the book initially! I thought the description sounded cute and the setting sounded fun. I think this book has the potential to be a really fun read but it just fell flat for me.

It was classified on NetGalley and Goodreads has a romance but while there is a romance, it’s found it more to be a side plot than a main plot.

I found the cover a little misleading because I feel like the girl on the cover seems to be in her 20s to 30s but the main character is in her late 40s turning 50.

I didn’t love Lucy as a character. I just didn’t connect with her much. There were some parts of the book I just found her annoying. I didn’t really like the love interest much either. He didn’t believe that she could turn the hotel around at the beginning. I didn’t think the two of them had much chemistry and thought and the end their romance felt very rushed.

I found the ending very rushed and felt like the author tried to squeeze way to many things into the last few chapters.

The main things I did like about this book was the description of the French countryside, the culture and the food.

Overall, I just found the pacing to be slow and the romance lacked chemistry. I ended up listening to this on audio where I was able to listen to it on a higher speed. I honestly think I would have DNF this had I not listened to it. I don’t think I am the target audience for this book which is why I didn’t like it. This was a weak 2.5 for me, rounded down to two.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love how this one had the cutest protagonist who was venturing out in the world. Really enjoyed this.

This sounded super cute, and I am probably being over picky but I didn't love it. I was a huge fan of the story line or the Writing.

Overall, I was let down by this book. It was not what I expected. The storyline was a little all over the place, with Lucy's previous background and her boyfriend's (was he though) involvement in a major fraud case and her moving overseas away from her struggling family didn't make the most sense. Then when I discovered she was in her 50s, I was even more lost and disconnected from the character. The other people at the hotel were an attempt at adding interest but I still found them all a little dull. By the end, I didn't see much growth or change and wasn't invested in the success or failure of the inn.

I think the romance portiIon of this book really lacked and that was what I was expecting when going into this one. I think we got a better in depth look into the hotel industry than romance. I loved the setting and was immersed in that portion of the book. Also the ending of the book felt very sudden and we didnt get a deeper look into the horrific accident that happens and the aftermath of that accident.

I enjoyed her last book, Maggie Finds Her Muse, but I think I enjoyed this one even more.

Lucia Giannetti used to manage a very upscale hotel in NYC until a massive scandal basically saw her blacklisted in the entire industry. When she gets a job offer to run a hotel in Rennes, France, she jumps at the chance...not looking too closely or asking too many questions.

She arrives to find that the Hotel Paradis is in very bad shape and hasn't been open to guests in a long time. Turns out it's her job to fix it up and get it running again. Painting, maintenance, and everything else that gets thrown her way is not exactly in her wheelhouse, but she's determined to make the best of it. There are several live-in tenants, including an irritatingly gorgeous artist, Bing, who lives on the top floor. The two spend more and more time together, and the crumbling hotel starts to feel like an actual home to Lucy.

The book was sweet, and funny and I particularly enjoyed all of the secondary characters. The timing was perfect for me too because I read the book while spending a week in the south of France at an old property that had been turned into a hotel. I really felt like I was living the book as well as reading it.

I look forward to seeing what this writer publishes next, and where in the world it will be set.

I enjoyed the story line of this book. I felt transported and felt like I was a character on the sidelines while reading.

Another case of it's me, not you. This book just couldn't hold my interest. There was a lot of description of decor and it just pulled me away from the story. It just slogged on for me so I had to call it. Check out other reviews though if you like hotel stories.

I spent the first section of this book feeling lost. The character knew something major, and only hinted at this BIG THING (losing her job), but gives enough for us to just feel annoyed that everyone around us knows what’s happening and is talking about it in front of us.

Not for me!

I received an advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

This book didnt seem like a romance, more womens fiction. Which is fine! I was hoping it was more of a romcom which I was wanting to read. The story of Lucy did seem tragic, and unrelatable, but it was a unique story so I can appreciate that,

When Lucy takes a job at a hotel in Rennes, France, she gets... less than she bargained for. The hotel is not up and running, it is a disaster. The owner tasks her with getting it ready for customers with the help of the misfit crew that lives on property. The characters in the book were so charming. Dee Ernst has become a must-read author for me!