I was really hoping for an intriguing exciting quirky book but that is not what I got. Whomp whomp.
It was draggy and did not keep my attention.

Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this in advance to publication.

This book was well-written and interesting, and funny at times, but it wasn’t for me. I found the narrative voice difficult to connect with, and for the most part I didn’t find the characters very likable or interesting.

This story is about a bunch of women who live in a Women’s Hotel, something that does not exist here anymore but is kind of like a college dorm-type environment for adult women. For the most part, these women’s stories are not connected to each other in any way until the very end, which was a little disappointing.

There was not much plot, as each chapter feels like its own separate story. I’ve seen it compared to all the chapters being like different episodes of a tv show, which seems accurate. Sometimes I don’t mind if a book is “no plot, just vibes,” but in this case I wish there had been a little more going on.

Overall, this book wasn’t bad by any means, and I’m not opposed to reading more by this author in the future, but this wasn’t my favorite. 2.5 stars rounded up.

This book is a captivating and immersive read that hooks you from the first page. The writing is beautifully crafted, with vivid descriptions and strong character development that makes the story come alive. The plot is well-paced, balancing moments of tension with quieter, reflective scenes that allow the characters to grow. The themes explored are deep and thought-provoking, resonating long after the final page. Whether it's the emotional depth, the twists and turns of the plot, or the unforgettable characters, this book is a must-read for anyone who enjoys rich, engaging stories. Highly recommended.

I feel so duped by the summary of this book. I was promised very very funny and immersive like Marvelous Mrs Maisel. It’s impossible to be immersed when the sentences drag on for miles and become completely incoherent. I usually love stories about groups of people who are connected through a building/bus/neighborhood etc but the characters here led completely compartmentalized lives from each other. I wanted there to be a through line.

Fascinating, engaging characters set in scenes that don't really have a bigger narrative arc but all work together to show a snapshot of this world. Loved it.

I did not find a connection to this story as I had hoped. The story fell flat and very monotone overall. Nothing seemed to be happening throughout until the very end. Felt hard to want to pick this up and finish this one, which is disappointing because I really wanted to love it. Thank you to NetGalley and the HarperVia for the early copy!

This might be the worst book I read in 2024. The prose is stiff, the narrative ridiculously jumbled. I do not understand how this book got published?

If you love character driven, slice of life, fish out of water, 1960's NYC stories then Women's Hotel will be your cup of tea. Following the women who live in The Biedermeier there is less plot than voyeurism as we see s portion of their lives unfold. From the rules of the hotel, to the relationships of the inhabitants, to jobs and romances and the daily struggle of surviving in NYC. It's very stream of consciousness and sometimes difficult to connect with, but the writing is delightful and it's a really enjoyable read,

like a string of pearls, a story driven more by the place than by the people, and more by the people than by any form of a plot. i found it interesting, but your read may vary. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

Full Disclosure: I received an Advanced Reader's Copy of Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery from HarperVia via NetGalley. The book is available now.

I was really intrigued by the premise of Women's Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery. I have read about women's hotels in New York before. Having grown up in a small town in the Midwest, I often wondered what it would be like to pick up and move to the big city on my own. I would do that in my own way later, but these women were truly courageous to take such a chance. Even the concept of women's hotels is so fascinating with their rules to keep women's virtue intact. Although this is a fictional account about the different women living in one of the hotels, I'm sure it rings true for some who lived it. You get an interesting array of characters, all drawn to the city for different reasons, and with varying problems and life circumstances. I would be the woman who secretly has a cat in her room and also a hidden hot plate. It also made me excited for my next trip to New York! So much interesting history there to explore! If you like history, herstory, or New York, you should check this book out.

I’ve loved Lavery’s previous work, especially his most recent, Something That May Shock and Discredit You, which is part cultural criticism, part humor, and part memoir about his gender identity and trans journey. This new one is quite different in subject—it’s a novel set in 1960s New York City that follows the residents of a fictional women’s hotel called The Beidermeier. If you’re a plot girlie, I’ll go ahead and tell you that not much happens. But also, everything does. People move in, they look for jobs, they secretly go to AA meetings, they get arrested and have to be bailed out of jail, they befriend fire escape cats, they riot when the Beidermeier stops serving daily breakfast, they get bad haircuts, they get married, they move away. The focus here is on relationships and group dynamics, and the writing is incredible. Lavery is SO smart and wryly funny. I would definitely recommend Women’s Hotel if you like the dry humor of Jane Austen, the ensemble cast of Girl, Interrupted, or the way The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel puts a fresh spin on a past era.

This book has a fascinating premise and sharp, clever writing, but it didn’t fully come together for me. Set in a 1960s women’s hotel in NYC, the characters are intriguing, but the shifting perspectives and stream-of-consciousness style made it hard to stay connected.

While I enjoyed the rebellious, slice-of-life tone, the narrative felt too scattered to leave a lasting impact. Still, fans of character-driven historical fiction might find it rewarding.

I'm going to start by just saying that I don't think this was the book for me. I struggled to get through Women's Hotel—it's not the longest book by any means, but it still took me close to a month to finish it when normally I can finish a book within a week.

I actually quite enjoy slice-of-life novels and I was excited to get a peek into the various characters that lived within this fictional hotel. But, the writing felt erratic in a way that didn't quite work, I never felt invested in any of the characters, and often it felt wordy just to be wordy. The last chapter was by far the most interesting but, it shouldn't take the entire book to get there.

All that to be said—I was grateful to finish the book and finally move onto something different.

In the 1960's it was rare for a woman to live alone. The Women's Hotel provided a space for those in NYC that preferred a different life.

Plenty of interesting stories and vignettes are shared in this novel including the life of Katherine, the first floor manager and an ex-Ohioan and addict
What's most interesting to me is how hard the life was and the true lack of food. The tone was erudite and erratic in a sense that we only touched on people for a moment. This slice of life filled with eccentric, unruly and rebellious characters is a an interesting read - great for history lovers and heavy literature fans. Also highly recommended by Roxanne Gay!

#harpervia #thewomenshotel #danielmlavery

Women's Hotel was such a breath of fresh air in my Kindle library. The writing felt so personal and unique - unlike anything I've read lately. A must-read for this fall season (well, now, almost winter - but still, it fits).

Set in 1960’s NYC, The (fictional) Beidermeier is one of the last of the dying breeds of women’s hotels. Living there are quite the cast of characters from a woman looking for more partying than work, a woman who’s a terrible hairdresser, a political activist, a woman looking for a husband, and Stephen, the daytime elevator operator.
Initial write-ups of this book say it is funny (couple scenes, maybe) and as captivating as “Lessons in Chemistry” (nope). In 2016, Fiona Davis’ debut novel “The Doll House” about the Barbizon in 1952 which, in my opinion, was better.

Well-written but this was definitely a slice of life book where almost nothing happened (except in the final fantastic chapter) which is not usually my choice of book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!

I've been a fan of Daniel Lavery's for years and was really excited about this book! My experience reading it was weird because I put it off for a long time due to other life stuff, and so by the time I started it I was stressed about finishing it in time. I ended up switching to the audiobook really early on mostly due to the time constraint (and the several Netgalley books I needed to read in a short time period lmao). I do think that was a good choice for me because while the book is good and very interesting, I think I would have gotten a little bored with reading it not in audiobook form. I would have struggled to keep up momentum I think. That said, I think the book is really funny, entertaining, and well-written. I love Lavery's voice and style of writing and I'd definitely read another similar book by him.

Thank you to Netgalley and HarperVia for the chance to read and review this ARC.

This was really fun. I recommend this to anyone in a female book club because everyone will be able to relate to a character and guessing each others character would be fun.

I have always liked Daniel Lavery's work; I think he is very smart and funny, and his humor tends to be rather subtle but successful. I loved this book, I loved all the eccentric characters, and I particularly liked getting deeply involved with their inner worlds. I think this was a fantastic read~!