The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan is an amazing, moving, emotional tale that focuses on friendship, families, belonging and love. Written using multiple POVs, giving insight into each of the four main women in the story, lives and thoughts, how they all intertwined, and getting to see their own challenges and journeys. This is a story of three friends, nearing forty, who met in college and have maintained their friendship since. Each year they get together for a week, discuss a chosen book, as well as catching up on each other’s lives. Events in their lives moved this year’s summer adventure to December and Erica booked a quaint inn, in Vermont, with all the holiday feels of a Christmas. Claudia and Anna are overjoyed with the Maple Sugar Inn but wonder why Erica has chosen this place; it’s quite unlike her. Each friend is dealing with life changing issues that the others are unaware of, but as each dilemma is revealed, the true meaning of friendship carries them through. Hattie is the Maple Sugar Inn's owner and is dealing with issues of her own; shortly after opening the inn her husband died in a freak accident. She is now struggling to keep his dream alive while dealing with temperamental staff and the stresses that go along with running the inn on her own, while also raising her five year old daughter, Delphi. When more crises develop and she is at her breaking point, Erica, Anna and Claudia step up to help. Secrets are revealed, new bonds are made, friendships develop, a found family is created and love is discovered; having been there all along. This is a wonderful story with amazing characters that will make you wish you belonged to their book club.

Ms. Morgan wrote a story that illustrated the soul and growth of her characters. I loved this wonderful, heartwarming, humorous tale of friendships, family and romance. A lovely, cozy, holiday read, I highly recommend The Book Club Hotel to other readers.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

The Book Club Hotel was such a fun women's friendship holiday book set at an amazing inn in Vermont. I liked each of the 4 women's stories and while there was a little romance, this book was more about personal growth and friendship.

The December setting and talking about Christmas was enough for me to get into the holiday spirit but I wouldn't necessarily call this a holiday book.

If you love women's fiction check out The Book Club Hotel!

This was a cozy Christmas-y read with nice characters who have all in one way or another found solace through reading. All four of these women - Erica, Claudia, Anna and Hattie - are all at watershed moments of their lives. They're four different women who have all chosen very different paths yet I couldn't help but feel connected with each one of them.

The setting could not be more gorgeous. My only complaint is that I wish Maple Sugar Inn really existed. Between the Christmas trees and the library and all the other details it sounds like the absolute perfect place to spend a holiday.

This is a cozy story about found family and facing change while finding out what you really want and it made for a delightful read. This book just demands a cozy chair, a fluffy blanket, a nice hot mug of tea (or maybe hot chocolate), and a crackling fire.

It's September now and even though it's still very warm in many places, you can cool off with a Christmas themed-book and Sarah Morgan's charming The Book Club Hotel is a great place to start.

Hattie is a 28 year-old widowed mom of a five year-old daughter and owner of the Sugar Maple Inn in a small town in Vermont. Christmas season is upon her and while the inn is full, Hattie is feeling overwhelmed. Her head housekeeper gives her constant grief, and the celebrity chef her late husband hired has an ego and temper that makes the kitchen an unhappy place to be.

Three 40-year old best friends- Erica, Anna and Claudia- are planning their annual Book Club Hotel week at the Maple Sugar Inn this year. Erica, a hard-charging workaholic consultant, chose the Maple Sugar Inn this year for their week, surprising Anna and Claudia, as she usually wants to stay at a big city hotel.

Anna is dreading becoming an empty-nester when her twin son and daughter head off to college next year. Claudia is blindsided by her live-in boyfriend of ten years when he leaves her for a younger woman, and then she loses her job as a chef.

Sarah Morgan draws the reader right into these characters lives, we want to know more about them. Hattie is attracted to her handsome and kind neighbor Noah, who would love nothing more than to become Hattie's boyfriend. Anna needs to find a way to cope with her sad feelings, and Claudia's has to figure out where she goes from here.

We gather that Erica is hiding the true the reason why she chose the Maple Sugar Inn, but readers should be able to figure it out before it is revealed (or her friends figure it out).

Many readers will relate to the longtime friendship of the three women, how they care about each other and know each other so well. We can also relate to the stage of life they are in.

The description of the Maple Sugar Inn sounds so charming that I wanted to immediately go online and book a holiday week. I especially want to spend time in Hattie's library, it sounds so cozy.

My only criticism of this delightful novel is that since Sarah is a British author, she uses many words and phrases that Americans don't. While Hattie is British and would use words like range cooker for stove, advert for ad, and tv presenter for tv personality, Erica, Anna and Claudia are Americans and would not use those words. It can be a bit jarring.

I loved The Book Club Hotel, and I plan on picking up more of Sarah Morgan's novels. It's a wonderful book club choice for the holiday season, and the descriptions of food had me nearly drooling. It would be fun to recreate some of the recipes for a book club meeting. I highly recommend The Book Club Hotel.

Thanks to Harlequin for putting me on their Fall 2023 Blog Tours.

What a charming and insightful book! The story of widow Hattie Coleman who runs the Maple Sugar Inn and her dynamic meeting of three lifelong friends is one that was memorable, bringing tears to my eyes as the four women learn to live life in the best way as friends. Erica, Anna and Claudia are friends and each year take a trip together to discuss a book. This year, instead of their usual summer trip, they plan a Christmastime trip to a rural inn, complete with snow and hot chocolate and all of the decorations that anyone could want to have. The town near the inn is picture perfect and is a magnificent backdrop to the inn itself and the drama that unfolds in the lives of these young women. This is the first book that I have read by Sarah Morgan and I am a totally enraptured new reader of her style and the way she drew me into the story, making me second guess as what some of the surprising outcomes would be. I really enjoyed getting to know the three friends, but my favorite was Hattie because she is a strong and vulnerable young woman who has had to overcome many challenges, not the least of which is being a widowed mother of a young, intuitive girl. Delphi, the child, made the story sing with realism as she added her loving wisdom to some of the most dramatic scenes. The story was well-paced, engaging and a winsome look at how all of us would like our friendships to be. I loved the realistic characterization that let me know the real hearts of the main characters and the setting was a place that I would like to step into and visit. My first book by Sarah Morgan will definitely not be my last as I sped through this novel and enjoyed every minute I spent getting to know the characters and the places that they hold dear. The themes of friendship and being willing to step out of your comfort zone are evident and well portrayed in this delightful and winsomely magical book.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley.I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16th CFR, Part 255, “Guidelines Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

The owner of the Maple Sugar Inn is Hattie, a tired, widowed mother. When a trio of book club friends to stay, her life takes a new turn as she finds her story is intertwined with theirs.

This would be a good resort read (instead of beach since it takes place in winter). It has that easy to read, lightness while still tackling deeper meaning.

This one got 3.5 stars but I’m rounding up to 4 stars. This one was a very good story following 4 different women at different stages of their lives and I loved the dynamic that was formed.

Hattie, a widow and single mother, meets three best friends who come to visit her Vermont Inn for their book club week. Can I just say, out of the MANY things I liked about this book, I want to belong to a book club that meets at an amazing hotel for a week each year! Seeing the friendship between Erika, Anna, and Claudia was beautiful. The author showed how they’re friendship had grown and changed since college and it was very relatable.

The start of the book seemed a little bit slow BUT the foundation that the author created of the characters helped with the rest of the story. There was a bit of mystery to get me through those first few chapters. Then once the mystery was revealed, I was invested. A beautiful story with found family, wonderful character growth, and friends to significant other (not calling it friends to lovers, the author has closed door romance and the characters don’t cross that bridge during this book) story too!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for allowing me an electronic arc of this book.

THE BOOK CLUB HOTEL
by Sarah Morgan
Release date September 19, 2023

Another great Sarah Morgan book!

Three college friends, Erica, Claudia and Anna meet up every year at a different hotel. They do read a book to discuss and to catch up with each other.
Erica is usually the one that chooses the hotel. This year she has Claudia and Anna really wondering. Erica generally looks for a nice warm atmosphere. This year she chose a winter wonderland. There is definitely an ulterior motive behind this choice of hotels.

I highly recommend this book, and this is my honest opinion

A sweet story in a lovely setting. The multiple perspectives lent some depth to an otherwise surface-level story . Lacking in some substance but pleasurable, nonetheless. 3 Stars.

Sarah Morgan is one of my favourite Christmas authors. This was another great edition by her. I loved that we followed 4 women through the journey of their life, and really see the growth. I felt like it was all realistic too. The Christmas vibes added to the story for me, like a nice Hallmark Christmas movie.

Friends since college Erica, Anna and Claudia work hard at their friendship despite their lives going in different directions. Each woman is close to 40 and is experiencing major changes. They meet together for a week and discuss a book as well as spend time together. This time Erica picks a place that is totally out of character for her. The reason is a major part of the story that changes everything she thought she wanted in life. Anna is facing an empty nest and realizes she keeps thinking about what she is losing rather than what remains. Claudia's relationship of 10 years has ended and she lost her job. She is floundering and needs this time away. Hattie is the owner the the Inn and is trying to maintain everything she and her husband started before his death two years ago. A wonderful story of friendship, second chances in an inviting setting of Vermont.

Sarah Morgan's Christmas novel is a sort of tradition like panettone or Christmas tree. I enjoyed this sweet and festive story, rooted for the characters and had fun.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan is a captivating novel that offers an ideal escape for readers seeking self-discovery. Overflowing with warmth and charm, this book is a must-read for anyone whose life has been unexpectedly turned upside down. Set in a cozy inn during the enchanting Christmas season, this delightful tale explores the themes of friendship, romance, and, of course, the love for books. Just like a magical snowfall, The Book Club Hotel will transport you to a world filled with joy and wonder.

A great cozy read with an inn, book club and women whose lives are interwoven. The perfect book to curl up with and escape. Definitely want to read more from this author.

I thought this book was very cute! Who doesn't love a Christmas story set in a cozy inn? I personally only found myself connecting with 1 out of the 4 main characters, and so I was a bit bored with chapters that weren't from that character's point of view. That could just be me though, and I will definitely be recommending this book to people that come into the shop looking for new cozy Christmas read. :)

I enjoyed the book. The plot was fairly predictable but the characters were likable. It was an easy read and kept me entertained.

Three college friends who are now in/approaching 40, meet at Christmastime for their annual book club week long get together. The friend who planned the trip had a hidden agenda-to see her stepsister whom she has never met. Off to Vermont, the Maple Sugar Inn is the perfect location, as well as being in a cute little town where everyone knows everyone. Hattie (said stepsister), has been running the inn since her husband passed with their little girl. Each woman has her own drama to deal with during the story, they come together, and it is a all ends well Christmas make you feel good story. Having never read anything by Ms Morgan, I would recommend this book to others.
Thanks to NetGalley, Ms Morgan and Harlequin Trading Pub for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Mother Daughter Murder Club by Nina Simon
This tale takes place in Monterrey Bay, California and is the story of family, relationships, murder while rebuilding a relationship between mother Lana and daughter Beth.
Beth welcomes her sick mother into her house and nurses her through a cancer diagnosis. Beth is also a single mother to 15-year-old Jack, a budding naturalist who gets mixed up in a murder investigation.
Nina Simon weaves the murder of two local characters with the backstory of Lana, helping the reader to understand the strained relationship between the two. Relationships begin to heal and understanding of the past is found while murders are solved by these strong female characters.
#netgalley

It’s always the right time of year to read a cozy Christmas book! I wish i could check into the Maple Sugar Inn, it sounds dreamy. Thank you for the ARC NetGalley!

While it's true that I don't usually read Christmas themed stories unless it's December, I can also never seem to resist a good contemporary with a bookish/travel element. The Book Club Hotel seemed to be offering both and I've enjoyed Sarah Morgan's writing in the past, so in the end I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to read this newest story early. And I think this might just be my new favorite book by this author! The Vermont setting, the characters, the bookish references... This turned out to be a wonderful Christmas romance.

As far as Christmas stories go, the Vermont setting couldn't have been more perfect. The snow, the small town, the many descriptions of Maple Sugar Inn and its surroundings; they made for the perfect backdrop for this story, and it made me wish I could visit there myself. I also liked how the Christmas season was present, but not the main focus of the plot itself... Instead, The Book Club Hotel focuses a lot on family, friendship, relationship issues as well as a dose of romance. There were more serious moments than expected incorporated into the plot, but as a whole I still thought it was quite balanced out with the lighter elements.

The Book Club Hotel uses a multiple POV structure, switching between the four female main characters in play here. Each of them has their own problems and background, and it was interesting to see them react to the things happening in the plot. True, certain aspects were a bit cliche, and I did see some of the 'twists' coming from the very beginning, but as a whole I enjoyed spending time with them. I could have done with some of the twists that seemed to have been incorporated simply to create tension and conflict for the sake of conflict... But those are only minor niggles.

The main focus is on the character development, and most of them were both flawed and surprisingly easy to like. Sure, there were certain aspects about some of the characters that annoyed me, but there is no denying that I was invested in what happened to them. I especially liked the growth in Erica and the little Delphi was a true delight. The romance wasn't as present as expected in The Book Club Hotel, but I appreciated how it was a slowburn romance and I liked the couple together.

If you are looking for a Christmas contemporary to read this holiday season, and like your stories to focus on more than just romance, The Book Club Hotel will be an excellent choice. While there are more serious topics incorporated as well, as a whole it still gives off that feel-good vibe and holiday cheer.