The description of Hotel Portofino, with it's historical time period and Italian setting, had me pretty excited, but the audio fell short for me.

In Hotel Portofino , drama abounds for an English family running a hotel in post-WWI Italy.

Bella fell in love with the Italian Riviera on her honeymoon and always hoped they’d get back there. She finally convinced her husband Cecil that they should buy a hotel there, for English tourists summering in Italy. She knows that running a hotel will be a great deal of work, but she’s hoping that it may distract her adult children, both of whom were drastically affected by the war.

She’s also hoping that the hotel might save her crumbling marriage. But right now she can only concentrate on the chaos around her—a wealthy, old ladyfriend of Cecil’s is bringing her daughter to the hotel as a possible love match for their son. There’s a new nanny on her way, and the Italian housekeeper is acting suspicious. And Bella is not prepared for the theft of a painting or a local acolyte of Mussolini looking to make a name for himself by targeting the hotel.

I read this with a friend and we both agreed that while there was a lot of potential with this book, it really fell flat. The plot was mostly melodramatic and very typical of the Downton Abbey -type programs I think this wanted to be like. I found most of the characters unlikeable (and honestly, couldn’t tell them apart at times) and wanted something unexpected to happen to shake things up, but to no avail.

This is going to be a PBS series later this year so it’s possible the book was written after the show was filmed, and that might explain the hollow feel of the story, almost like it was the novelization of a performance. Still, I had a good conversation about the book with a good friend, so not all was bad!

I had very high hopes for this one and, unfortunately, it just didn’t live up. It just felt like there were all these characters, but no real theme. It wasn’t a terrible book, but it certainly wasn’t gripping, If I hadn’t been reviewing for NetGalley, I would have abandoned it early on. I’m still incredibly grateful, of course, for the advanced copy.

Hotel Portofino is set in the Italian Riviera in 1926. Bella Ainsworth has moved her family from England to the Italian Riviera to run a beautiful seaside hotel. With her first guests arriving, Bella is struggling with financial issues, growing fascism in the area, and a gambler for a husband. Additionally, her husband's former girlfriend is visiting with her daughter to determine whether a marriage match can be made with Bella's son. There are many interesting characters in Hotel Portofino and some interesting twists. However, the book seemed to end abruptly, with lots of open storylines. It makes me think that this must be the beginning of a series.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Bella Ainsworth has just opened her hotel in Portofino, but she is already facing trouble – unruly guests, blackmail, and some business about a Rubens…

This was my second stab at this book. I received an audiobook ARC originally, but I found it could not keep my attention so I went with an ebook for the library instead and it coasted by fast enough. Normally I like soapy stories, but it’s got to be the kind of drama that engages you, and this, unfortunately, wasn’t it.

The writing was facile and created a great sense of place, though not really time. I liked the diversity of this book, and the way the author engaged with themes of class and race through the interactions of the characters. I also liked how many of the women in the book uplifted each other, especially when so many of the men were rather lacking in heart. I saw a lot of complaints about the size of the cast, but I thought the author did a good job juggling them, and I could tell them apart readily.

However, the plot of the story was definitely a let-down. There’s lots of little dramas, mysteries, and romances going on – but for the most part I found them deeply boring. I was not interested in Lucien’s romances, the dysfunctional nature of the Ainsworth marriage, the business of the Rubens. The plot of Nish and the anti-fascists felt shoehorned in as a nod to the era. And some parts of the story just felt odd, like Bella’s affair and Alice’s religious fanaticism. I couldn’t help but think that Alice was deeply unwell, the way her perspective sounded, yet this was never resolved.

In a lot of ways, this book felt more like the first season of a soap than a book, which I suppose works because this book was indeed made into a show. The trouble is that I don’t much watch TV.

3.5

My Interest

If I watch tv (on my laptop–I don’t own a t.v. and don’t subscribe to any streaming service except the pretty lamentable Amazon Prime [no extra channels]) I watch PBS. Masterpiece is a favorite though I don’t watch every show–less and less of them appeal to me these days. I found this book on Netgalley (it was still available even though it was already published) and learned that it was on PBS (I’ve linked below to the trailer). I haven’t looked into whether this is a “real” novel or the “script” novel from the t.v. show. No matter–I loved the script novels of the original Upstairs, Downstairs (I still have them) and of The Duchess of Duke Street (ditto). If it tells a good story, I’m for it.
The Story

How do you cure a tired marriage being lived in a tired country? Move. What to do with an over-age son lingering in the house? Arrange a marriage for him. Bella Ainsworth, husband Cecil and “shell-shocked” son, Lucien, have upped sticks and moved to the Italian Rivera to open a seasonal hotel aimed mostly at British tourists. They’ve brought their servant and her teen-aged son to help them. Along the way, affairs are started, Mussolini’s thugs threaten, art is dubiously sold and much, much, more! And all on the gorgeous Italian Riviera just outside Portofino.
My Thoughts

I listened to the audio and it was a great story! No Dowager Countess, but otherwise fans of Downton Abbey really will like this one. This was a fun addition to my summer and I look forward to bingeing the show! And, apparently the show is going to have a season two–so stay tuned.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Confusing and all over the place.

The blurb says, "perfect for fans of Downton Abbey". All it is is the people with money staying at a place with servants. There is no way to get attached to the characters because of how many there are. There are also tons of descriptors and fillers. I didn't like the audiobook reader either, which never helps if you are trying to make it through a boring book. Overall, it just wasn't a good fit for what I enjoy in a book.

Thank you Blackstone Publishing for the review copy!

I was drawn to Hotel Portofino by the Downton comparisons and by hearing it would soon be a tv show! The audiobook was enjoyable though I think I would have kept up better with this cast of characters if I had read it as a book.

The summer season is upon Hotel Portofino, and proprietor Bella Ainsworth is determined to make their opening season a success. After all, she's waged everything on this gamble to move to the Italian Riveria for a fresh start with her family. The Great War took so much from them, like so many other families. She wants nothing but the best for her family, but her husband's ways are making it hard for her to make end meet. But opening day is upon them, and Bella has a hand in everything, working alongside her staff to create the most pleasant stay possible for her intended guests. The pressure is on Bella and her staff. It doesn't help that most are hard-to-please British aristocrats, but that is the clientele she hoped to attract, right? Over the course of the next few weeks, Bella, her staff, and her guests will all get better acquainted whether they like it or not. Some might even get a little too acquainted. And with Fascism breathing down everyone's neck in Italy, the stage is set for drama. ⁠
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I'll be honest, I had super high hopes for this one given how much I love Downton Abbey, but, unfortunately, this was a tough listen for me. I truly think I would have had a different experience with this book had I read a physical or e-reader copy. There were SO many characters, which is what you want from an upstairs/downstairs drama, but the audio version left my head spinning. I found it difficult to stay focused on what was happening because I was constantly trying to remember who that character was the narrator just mentioned. On a positive note, I liked many of the characters, as well as the story. The plot was dramatic and sorted, exactly what I want from a post-war English drama. This reads like watching a Downton Abbey episode, so if you're a fan, give it a shot. I would suggest reading it rather than listening, however.

Well, the book just ended. The reader is left wondering what happens next. An average read! The premise is great, but the execution was not very successful. Facts should have been checked more carefully by the editor. At one point Bella goes to the garden and gets roses and camellias. Camellias in the summer? They are a fall and winter flower, just sloppy! Some of the characters were interesting but not fully develop. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance copy.

Hotel Portofino by J.P. O'Connell is a slowly moving drama. There are some very bright spots including the character of Constance, and the tender moments that Bella brings to her guests. However, I was unimpressed with the many loose ends, or downright unsatisfying endings that many of the characters got. Also, while I loved the narrator's natural accent, the American accent she put on unfortunately just did not work. It took me right out of the story and was not believable at all. Overall, I wasn't a fan of this book, however, others may be.

A typical book with a typical plot written in straightforward prose. I had to make myself finish the book. The characters were not endearing, quirky or all that well rounded out developmentally. It was just an OK read for me.

I really, really enjoyed this book! It hooked me from the very beginning and kept me hooked the entire time.

I really enjoyed this book and was thrilled to find out it was turned into a tv show for PBS that will be on in June 2022! I loved the characters and the whole backdrop of being in Italy.

I couldn't get into this book and never finished it.

I received the audio and an e-copy. I do plan on trying to finish it soon.

I was drawn to Hotel Portofino because I love Historical Fiction, and I was fascinated by this post-war story about an English family seeking a new beginning in Italy.

From the Italian coast setting, the food descriptions, and the way of life for a hotelier, I really enjoyed this character driven story with the hotel at the very heart.

I alternated between the physical book and the audiobook, and thought the narration was great. Esther Wane was narrator, and really brought the story to life!

*many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley / Blackstone Audio for the gifted copy and Audiobook for review

2 1/2 stars rounded up to 3

I was so excited for this book... It had so much potential from the seaside Italy setting to the cast of characters. I figured I'd read the book and then eagerly await the PBS series. Unfortunately, the book was a bit of a letdown for me and I found myself mostly just waiting for it to end.

To be fair, I listened to the audio version of Hotel Portofino and it's possible I would have enjoyed it more if I read a hard copy instead. There are SO many characters in the book, more and more seem to keep popping up and I had a really though time keeping everyone straight. And for a book that takes place on the Italian seaside, I wanted so much more scenery, food, etc. I was a bit bored by the characters and didn't find any of their stories very interesting.

That said, I DO think this will translate pretty well to a PBS series. I imagine the series will give us a bit more time to be introduced to and to get to know the characters. We'll see their storylines play out in a way that will likely make them more memorable than how they were written. There's no overarching plot in the novel and though this doesn't usually bother me, it did here. But I can see how this will work in a show with each of the character's having their own plots.

I recommend only listening to this one on audio if you have a really good attention span and are good at sorting through and remembering various characters. And definitely only read this one if you like character-driven books and aren't so stuck on needing an overarching plot.

Very hard to get into…lackluster characters. I might have liked reading the book more than listening to the audiobook. I kept losing interest and had to “rewind”.
Advanced reader copy courtesy of the publishers at NetGalley for review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook of Hotel Portofino. This book has already been released, but I was interested in the subject matter.

I read this was going to be made into a TV series, so I was interested in listening to it.

Hotel Portofino takes place after the Great War, in the 1920s in Italy. I imagine it to be like the Regency Hotel or the Grand Hotel. It’s a modern, beautiful hotel with beautiful views. Parts of the story reminded me of A Room with a View. The guests are wealthy, fancy and used to luxury. However, underneath all the glitz and glam, they have their issues.

Constance is hired as a new nanny. She has a few secrets of her own.

To be honest, I sometimes got the characters mixed up. Rose was a little annoying. I feel like there wasn’t a lot about the owner Bella. I thought she’d be featured more. Lucian was a bit underwhelming. There was an Italian man learning English, but I’m not sure where he disappeared to. Some of the guys gave off creep vibes. I didn’t like that. Sometimes it didn’t feel like there were enough morally good characters. I’m not sure if there are meant to be more books. The ending was a little open-ended.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, but I think I was expecting something different. I thought it would be more about the glamorous times of the 1920s. There wasn’t enough Italy featured as a character.

I would recommend this to people who enjoy historical fiction and hotel novels.

There are plenty of characters and most have a secret. There are plenty of plot twists and events, but none if it is that exciting. Motivations are unclear for most. Cruelty is obvious from the start, and everyone is either good or bad with no real development with one exception.