This was a super cute read! I love the characters. They were easy to connect with and had emotional backstories.

The overall book was fab! I would highly recommend. I found myself want to get back to it every chance I had. I would highly recommend grabbing a copy to read.

Pros-
Great characters
Fun side-characters
Great story arc
Emotional arc
Slow burn with some open door

Cons-
There were some points of the story that could have been cut (mostly things with side characters)
It was hard to get a grasp on the time frame ( he says they have only "technically known each other for 10 days but months and months have passed.
The ending felt a bit rushed and tied up to neatly. I would have loved to have seen it left a little mess with these two or at least maybe more open-ended.

A fantastic story all-in-all. I did love all the british-ism! That was a fun bonus. I could I even had to look up. :)

Thank you so much to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I want to use the first sentence of this review to announce my love for the FMC, Ella! I found her to be extraordinary, actually born into fame but only thrust into limelight later in her life, she is such a vulnerable, self-aware, utterly kind and lovable character. Dealing with rumours about her with grace, while trying to figure out what she really wants in life. But first she needs to attend a wedding in a small town in Cornwall. Enter Porthkara, the town where she not only meets Callum through a hotel room mix-up but a place that helps her during her journey of self-discovery.
I also really enjoyed Callum‘s character. He was written with depth and I found the portrayal of his grief incredibly well done. Kathy Jay really succeeded in portraying deep and complex feelings with the accuracy and earnestness they deserve, which isn‘t always easy.
You‘ll see that the romance between the two is relatively slow-paced, which in this case however is just as well, because they both need to work through their past grievances and insecurities individually before they can open themselves up to something new. I loved how love doesn‘t magically fixed everything from the get go, because in real life, it doesn‘t either.

The book would have been a four star if it wasn‘t for the last chapter. You have this entire book where they go back and forth and have to work through very complex feelings and in the end, it all progressed so incredibly fast, that their story lost a bit of its charm for me. I didn‘t see the point in giving them so much time to figure out their feelings just to rush everything in the end.

All that being said, I still had a good time reading this book! If you‘re looking for a romance novel with complex characters that deal with grief, past regrets and parental issues and don‘t mind a slow-pace (and then a rushed ending) give this one a go!

The Hotel Room Mix-Up is out December 15th 2023!

Thank you to HarperCollins UK and the OMC Team for providing me with an earc through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

At first I really thought I would have a fun rom-com on my hands. I didn't. Instead, I was reading a book about one person Callum, who had been through hell and back and wasn't sure how to move on from where he is at the moment. The other person, Ella,who was looking for love but felt like she would never find it.

What started out to be a fun journey to a friends wedding ends up being a Crazy time for Ella. She goes to check in and get her room. Only to find out that they have double booked the room. She is not about to share her room with a stranger much less the man from the lobby. That man being Callum. Oh, and his ex in-laws as well! No way could this be happening!
Long story short, the hotel staff find them another place to stay. It is a two bedroom room. This is a ran down piece of property which once was beautiful! This is where they meet Jessie,the woman that owns the property. She is an elderly woman and lovely with no family. She steps up when one wedding party will not be having a wedding unless she does!
After the weddings and all is said and done it's time for life to go back to normal or whatever that is. Callum goes on his journey in his van. Ella goes on hers.
Sorry, no spoilers here!
I can say the ending was good! I am happy to report that it does end well!

Not a fan of the characters. when one of the characters stereotypes another chapter. DNF.


*************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley****************

When ex-actor/model Ella and Callum, a young widow, visit Porthkara for different weddings, they have no intention of finding love and a hotel room mishap & sharing a dilapidated cottage isn’t going to make it happen if they can help it!

Both shut down & guarded for their own reasons they try to deny the connection they feel in such a short time. Adamant that they can’t possibly give what the other needs they try to forget each other and go their own ways.

This book takes us on a bit of a healing journey for Callum who is stuck in his grief & Ella who feels unsettled & incapable of a relationship due to daddy-issue-baggage.

Add in some very likeable characters; famous people & locals and a beautiful seaside setting and you get an enjoyable story with a happily ever after ending.

Trigger Warnings: death of a family member, addiction, abuse, neglect, foster care, abandonment. Please note, the TW mention are not descriptive, however, the loss of the MMC’s spouse is a pivotal part of his story.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK One More Chapter for the opportunity to read this book.
Publish date: December 14, 2023

Absolutely loved this book!

The authors writing style is amazing!

I look forward to reading more from them!

I found “The Hotel Room Mix-up” to be a fun, engaging and heartwarming second chance at love story. Thank you again to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The hotel room mix-up follows Ella and Callum after they end up having to share the same room, due to a mistake made by their hotel because of their similar surnames.

I loved the premise of this books and I loved the setting of it, however it ended up being deeper than I thought because of Callum’s backstory. I really enjoyed the small town vibes and the people. Special shout-out to Jessie, she was truly the best!

Ella was a great main character to follow, she goes through life with such a positive outlook that was great to follow, however I didn’t really enjoy how her backstory was dealt with; it felt a bit rushed. Callum on the other hand I didn’t really enjoy as a character. Up until the middle of the book I loved him, however due to a decision taken by him I stopped liking him as I didn’t feel like he deserved Ella in the end.

The writing was super easy to read and keeps you engaged, it was such a fun and quick read. I definitely recommend this book if you’re into small town romance.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins Uk for giving me an arc of this book.

The Hotel Room Mix-Up is a fantastic book. I really, really enjoyed the personal and emotional growth from both the main characters as well as some side characters. Also the small town romance is always so good.
I loved Ella and Callum's story is so cute, but so sad that they needed so much time to realise they are each other's forever.
The book shows us a lot of commitment issues, but all is well in the end. Loved it.
When I was reading I kinda got the vibes similar so Sweet Magnolias TV Series on Netflix.
This is a great enemies to friends to lovers, small town romance. Would love to read something similar again.

5/5 ⭐️

"The Hotel Room Mix-Up" by Kathy Jay is a lighthearted and entertaining romp through the world of mistaken identities and chance encounters. The novel follows the misadventures of two strangers who inadvertently swap hotel rooms, setting the stage for a series of humorous and unexpected events. Jay's writing is infused with humor and charm, making it a delightful read for fans of romantic comedies. The characters are endearing, and their journey of self-discovery is both relatable and heartwarming. As the story unfolds, the mishaps and misunderstandings create a delightful blend of chaos and romance. "The Hotel Room Mix-Up" is a feel-good novel that reminds us of life's unpredictable nature and the unexpected joys that can arise from the most unusual circumstances.

This book is absolutely fabulous. I adored every single page and found myself smiling so many times throughout this book. Such a beautiful story, amazing characters, it was all just so perfect.

Overall this story wasn't for me. There were some moments in the book that I enjoyed reading, mainly the location descriptions of the hotel and cottage as they were easy to visualise the surroundings, but I couldn't get past how quickly both main characters were willing to share a room with a total stranger and that meant for most of the book I was questioning all of their decisions. I'd still order this for our store though as it may be a more enjoyable story to someone else.

The Hotel Room Mix-Up by Kathy Jay was a cute and very enjoyable story.
The characters are appealing and the romance was sweet.
Engaging, humorous, heartfelt, and delightful, this story is the definition of charming!

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

Thank You NetGalley and One More Chapter for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

Okay so, the cover blurb and the entire concept of the book sounded so fun that I was ready to dive into it but the writing was really confusing and hard to get into. Maybe it's because I'm reading something written by this author for the first time. I liked how Callum & Ella had to share a cottage due to a mix up in the bookings and how awkward it was going to be for them because they were total strangers and had completely opposite personalities. Ella was from Hollywood and knew success while Callum had quite a sad past. I liked how their relationship developed but the drama and push and pull that came with it was off putting tbh. I would've liked the book more of the writing was more clear and if Ella acted a bot more sensibly tbh.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

This book was just a series of sentences that detailed the actions of a couple of annoying characters. I couldn’t finish.

I must admit I did struggle with this a little. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Ella and Callum so it wasn’t a believable story for me. Reminded me slightly of Portia Macintosh.

The first half of this was captivating and I liked getting to know Callum and Ella's stories. But the second half fell a bit flat. A good Cornish setting, a good ensemble of other minor characters too. All very nice.

This book is a captivating journey through the depths of imagination. Its rich storytelling and well-developed characters kept me engaged from start to finish. With its thought-provoking themes, it transcends genres and offers something for every reader. A must-read for anyone seeking a literary adventure.

When the similarities between Ella Swift and Callum Smith’s last names lead to a hotel room mix-up, they find themselves sharing a cramped cottage in Porthkara rather than the private luxury hotel suites they expected.

Each in town for a different wedding – and carrying more baggage than just the suitcases in their hands – the reluctant roommates are forced to share a shelter from the storm surge that sweeps in off the Atlantic. But as the rain crashes down there’s a shift in more than just the atmosphere, and by the time the sun rises on a new day, Ella and Callum’s futures have already been forever changed…
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i love this book so much that i want to live in it

This review contains spoilers.


This book was absolutely wild and not in a good way. Everything about it felt slow and yet rushed at the same time. It starts as a hotel room mixup but then drags on for significantly longer than needed with plot points that didn’t have a place.

Why does her dad just randomly drive up to apologize and give her money?

Why is Callum who was not so sure of his love for her have a ring suddenly to propose?

Do we really need an entire page description of the movie they’re filming?

Overall if you like romance this book could be for you just be ready for an absolutely wild ride.