Member Reviews
I was pleasantly surprised by this romantic novel. The setting for the novel is a Greek island. A couple is tricked into getting married while also inheriting a struggling hotel. The novel takes many twists and turns while the couple get a second chance at love, life and careers. The people and places of the island are actually more interesting in the book than the romance.
This would be ideal for readers who enjoy slow burn or closed door romances. It’s not for those who want steam.
I hybrid read this book. The audiobook was narrated by Ri Paige. The narrator does a good job with the voices and reading the action of the book. I received an advanced copy of the book from Kaye Publicity and an audiobook from the publisher via Netgalley.
I went into this one without re-reading the synopsis so I wasn’t totally sure if I was walking into a romance or just a standard women’s contemporary fiction. I loved not being sure how things were going to end up and whether Amelia and James would make it or what would happen with the hotel. I loved this story though and found it to be a charming, heartwarming, inspirational story with lovable characters and beautiful a beautiful setting.
I enjoyed listening to this story, I don't believe if this was just the ebook and not the audio I would have enjoyed it as much or would have even finished it. But i can still say I enjoyed this book
First, the narrator did a great job and kept me in the story even when I hit some rough and slow patches. So I’d definitely recommend it.
An up and down romantic Grecian adventure. It was absolutely charming and funny for a while after a semi-rocky start. I mean, when the leading lady abandons her best friend’s wedding and MOH duties for all the weeks leading up to said wedding, and it’s not for a life threatening reason, well, it’s not a good look.
Then we’re on a picturesque Greek island, with quirky characters and meet-cutes, and delightful misunderstandings fueled by boozy days. It’s fun, it’s rom-com, it’s a perfectly great time.
… and then it slows down. It’s a little less fun and little more frustrating. Not bad but it felt like we lost the great vibe. And besides attraction, that neither one really follows through on or communicates in the second half, the romance was erratic.
Additionally, and this is totally a me thing, the ending is too Hallmark for my tastes. I could expand but I’ll refrain for spoilers.
Mostly, it was the location and secondary cast that kept me invested in the book. I wanted to see the island and its people thrive. Even while they were frustrating me they were far more interesting and engaging than the main plot. So, in the end, there was good and bad points, but I didn’t regret reading it.
Ultimately sweet but I never really warmed to Amelia.
Amelia is fired from her job after throwing a mug at her ex-boyfriend's head when he sabotages her work. They had planned to go to Europe, so on the spur of the moment she jumps on the first plane out of the US--never mind that she will miss being the maid of honor in her best friend's wedding. After a few months traveling around, she heads to the small island of Asteri where her parents spent their honeymoon many years ago. There she finds the hotel a bit run down, but still comfortable and relaxing. Only one other traveler is present, James, another American. Through a humorous set of events, James and Amelia find themselves both married and the new owners of the hotel. What do they do to get out of this mess?
I thought this was an enjoyable book with a heartwarming ending, but it took a very long time to get there. I absolutely disliked Amelia at the beginning, she was rude and selfish and I couldn't believe she did what she did by leaving right before her best friend's wedding. After I got to know Amelia a little better, I understood some of her reactions to things, but it took much longer for her to grow a backbone, compassion, and self awareness than I would have preferred.
The book has many laugh out loud moments, particularly with the misunderstandings and the members of the community, who become like a found family to James and Amelia. You do have to suspend a bit of disbelief that Amelia had seemingly endless amounts of money to travel Europe for months on end, even with staying in hostels, etc.
I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a great job keeping me invested in the story. There are some pretty steamy scenes so I recommend ear buds or listening to it in a private space. Overall I do recommend this for a light, fun romance.
I honestly adored this book. I went in with no expectations as I have not heard of the book or the author previously. The beginning was interesting, I did not really like the main character initially - she seemed selfish and immature. But maybe that was the whole point? As she got to the island and met James, she started transforming, and from then on was a very likable character in my opinion. I liked both of the MCs as well as the secondary characters, it felt like everyone became one big family. I thought this novel was very well written and I felt like I was in Greece with Amelia and James. I could imagine everything perfectly as I listened to the narrators, especially the beautiful views and delicious food! This made me dream of summer and traveling, truly a perfect vacation/summer read. Overall, a very heartwarming, funny and beautiful story. The narrators were also pleasant to listen to.
I hope this gets turned into a movie!
Thank you so much to Netgalley for a chance to review this audiobook!
Good food, good friends and an even better love story! This is what you will get when you read The Second Chance Hotel by Sierra Godfrey. Prepare yourself to go on a journey of self-discovery and healing with Amelia. Running away is what Amelia does when things get hard and this time she runs away to Europe final destination Greece. What she doesn't expect is to inherit the hotel she is staying in, or to marry her hotel-mate after imbibing a bit too much. How do two people that are lost find themselves and each other? Is there such a thing as second chances?
This was a poignant, and at times hilarious contemporary romance. The characters immediately have so much depth. Such a great romance with a bit more. What is not to love about a little bit of found family and second chances?
Overall, this was a lovely romance and story. I didn't particularly like Amelia though, she is not a nice person and her indecisiveness was driving me crazy. She didn't care about anyone but herself and was so mean to James, who was just absolutely lovely. I ended up thinking that he deserved a lot better than her.
This book hits the contemporary romance genre completely. If you like a good redemption story than this is for you. The audiobook was very well done and I would highly suggest that as the format you read this in.
This took me a little while to get through, but I really enjoyed it. At first I was a little annoyed that the plot was basically an episode of Full House, but the more I read it, the more I enjoyed the characters and storyline. I liked the way it wrapped up in the end too. I will definitely check out more work by this author.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Who doesn't want to live on a Greek island, a paradise? Both running from something in their pasts, the protagonists Amelia and James have no clue the collision crash they are about to embark on. Can you say you have ever known anyone to get married and not know it, or to obtain ownership, together, of a resort without a word of negotiation or acknowledgment? And to top it off, do they even like each other. Read to find out what transpires, and then book your ticket to Asteri.
Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks for my advanced audiobook in exchange for my honest review.
Let's talk about a vacation gone wrong! When Amelia decides to take a 3 month vacation to travel to and tour Europe, she never dreams she will end up married and owner of a hotel on a small Greek Island. But indeed, that is exactly what happens. When Amelia and fellow guest James start flirting, they are tricked into drinking too much, getting hitched and signing the deed to a local hotel.
This was a really fun audiobook to listen to. The bickering and bantering between Amelia and James was totally relatable. Godfrey did a great job of building some secondary characters that really brought some depth and even more humor to the story. While I certainly did enjoy this, it was extremely predictable, which is what kept me from rating it 4 stars.
Overall, I would totally recommend it for some good laughs!
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I loved the audiobook version of The Second Chance Hotel by Sierra Godfrey. Her writing lent itself beautifully to the audiobook medium. I felt like I could really see everything she was describing. This book was so fun for walks, chores, and driving around! What are you waiting for? Get to listening!
Nothing about this book was believable. I mean, you really have to suspend your disbelief. But it was fun and I would recommend it! I liked the couple and the sweet old man and the location was lovely.
This is really a cute book and a well-executed audiobook. I have never read Sierra Godfrey before, but the cover appealed to me and I was in the mood for something light and sweet, and especially something that took me as a reader to an exotic location, like a Greek island!
Protagonist was spunky, stubborn, smart, skeptical, and overall a great gal to root for. I felt that her journey to love, marriage (the accidental one and the intentional one) moved at a charming and fairly believable pace, My only gripe or confusion about the book was how (accidentally?) ironic it seemed that she would find her future at a hotel where her now divorced and hating each other parents once honeymooned. I assumed there would be a reconnection on the family front once she got settled at the hotel, but alas no. Maybe the author plans a part two or just ran out of time.
Amelia Lang is having an early mid-life crisis. Her horrible ex-boyfriend finally drives her to her breaking point and she throws a coffee mug at his head in a meeting at work, gets herself fired, and decides it’s time to take a break from life. She runs away to Europe, knowing she is going to miss her best friend’s wedding and ruin their friendship.
I discovered this book after being slightly obsessed with blue zones and wanting to immerse myself in all things Greek culture. This was the perfect book to pick up! A small Greek island, the local food, the local community and traditions, and a love story to boot. It was exactly what I needed. Once Amelia lands in Greece, she learns that the owner of the hotel she is staying in leaves the hotel to her and another hotel guest, James, who she has formed a friendship with. Amelia and James try navigating the world of hospitality, neither of which have experience, with the help of a comical and quirky cast of characters from the Greek village on the island of Asteri.
This book had me all over the place with emotions, it made me crack-up, had tension you couldn’t help but feel, had moments where the main characters drove me crazy and I wanted to slap some sense into them, but it was also adorable and made me smile. I wasn’t really feeling the chemistry between Amelia and James until the end of the book, but all in all, It was a unique story set in a beautiful location that I couldn’t put down.
Surprise inheritance? Check!
Forced proximity? Check!
Slow burn? Check!
HEA? Yup!
The Second Chance Hotel checks all the boxes! When Amelia Lang's life isn't going the way she had planned, she leaves it all behind to escape to a Greek Island. But when one drunken night turns into an accidental marriage and the inheritance of an old hotel, Amelia must decide what to do with her life, and quickly!
I enjoyed this book. It is a cute HEA with only a little spice. I did feel that there were a couple of times when the story seemed a little too slow, and I wish there was even more out of the relationship of Amelia and James, but overall, I enjoyed it.
I also want to mention that I listened to this book on audio. The narrator is great, and I had absolutely no problems with the pacing, volume, or diction of the narrator.
*****A HUGE thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing - Audio, and Sierra Godfrey for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.*****
I adored this fantastic story of two people finding each other, discovering themselves in very unique circumstances, and eventually falling in love. James and Amelia are so good together and I love that they both need to find a little bit of themselves in the process of becoming a couple. The descriptions of Greece are beautiful and I had lovely images in my head of the views. Sierra's writing style is just so good and hilarious. I laughed out loud 1many times in this book and found much of it very relatable. I listened to the audiobook and it was incredibly well done. I had such a good time in this story and I didn't want it to end!
I just didn't like this book. I found it to be boring. Amelia makes very bad decisions and is not a character that I want to read about. Everyone else in the story felt characterless, I couldn't tell one from another.
I wanted to love this book and in some parts I got my wish, but that's about it. I don't LOVE this book, but it's a story that I would suggest to only certain groups of my reader friends.
There are parts of this novel where the reader will have to suspend disbelief for a moment, or five, and although I'm okay with that in general, it needs to be done well. If you want me to suspend disbelief for your story, please make it for more than just a silly reason. Now I'm afraid to ever go to a wedding... thanks.
I think that my biggest problem with this book is the ups and down, side to side whiplash that I felt from Amelia. James seems pretty consistent in his feelings from the start, but Amelia just gives me the ick... if a man was to ever pull the hot and cold like she does in this book we would be taking offense to how a MAN should NEVER treat a woman that way. Go away, Amelia. ICK, ick.
The Second Chance Hotel by Sierra Godfrey
•swipe for synopsis
This one hooked me immediately with a great opening scene - funny and so relatable! If you have ever wanted to quit your boring life and run a hotel on a tiny Greek island (has anyone not dreamt of this??) , then I think this book is exactly what you need!!
What to expect::
•Escaping reality
•Both MC starting over
•Gorgeous Greek island setting
•All of the best townspeople
•Fixing up a dilapidated hotel
•Major Mama Mia vibes
•Hero who is a bit nerdy, but so steadfast
Something about this book just had me hooked beginning to end. Loved it!
Loved the narration!
I truly loved being whisked away to the Greek Islands and this one was such fun adventure and escape! And who doesn’t love a accidental marriage trope?!
I enjoyed how touching and insightful it was times but was also able to be quite humorous throughout as well. Amelia and James had some great chemistry that felt relatable and therefore swoon worthy. The supporting cast featured some truly eccentric characters that were quite entertaining and certainly heartwarming!
Warning - this book will definitely leave you craving for a Greece vacation!!