I rounded up because it was well written but I had to work hard to finish as it was dry and dragged a lot for me. I might have dnf if NetGalley hadn’t given it to me to review. This could just be my personal preference as others seem to love it. Thank you to the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you enjoy slice-of-life reads, Women's Hotel is the book for you. Women's Hotel is a classic with a slow flow, making sure to cover any and all details. In my opinion, this is done very well in this book; there is little room for imagination since the reader already knows everything. Daniel M. Lavery's writing style reminds me of J. R. R. Tolkien's, minus the whimsical feel. Women's Hotel does tackle hard subjects such as being a single woman in a big city, alcoholism, and unexpected deaths. If this book had found me when I had more time on my hands, I just might have read it in a day or two.

In 1960s New York, single women often found solace in hotels like the Biedermeier. Safe, affordable, and respectable, these hotels offered many their first taste of independence. The Biedermeier became a hub for women striving to embody the modern independent ideal, with some also seeking wealthy husbands. The novel presents a vibrant array of characters: the woman trying to keep the hotel afloat, the floor managers overseeing everything, and the residents themselves, each with their own mix of humor, tragedy, and strength. This brief yet insightful novel captures the essence of the hotel's history and the shifting social dynamics of the era.

Slow moving. Disjointed ploy. Shallow, whiny characters who blame everyone but themselves for how their lives turn out.

I found this book to be so delightful and funny. The characters were enjoyable, distinct, and well crafted. The writing was also excellent. I think the story will do wonderfully once published and it was a joy to read.

I think I was hoping for a little more from this book. Nothing inherently wrong with it, but I feel like the author got caught up in some details and ignored the story itself. I kept wondering where it was going. I do like the subject matter, though.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. I loved the time period.

Sadly I did not love this book. The concept was interesting, however, it was very slow paced. It featured more of a glimpse into the life of the various characters living and working at the Beidermeier Women's hotel without much plot. I think this was an error on my part choosing a book that wasn’t as fast paced or plot-driven as I would have liked. However, for audiences interested in historical fiction and character-driven narratives, this might be a really interesting read for you.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperVia, and Daniel M. Lavery for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I never knew of the existence of these homes/hotels and I enjoyed this look at what life might have looked like for a variety of women inhabiting them. This was especially interesting because I feel like it’s so easy to think back to that time using the idyllic picture that is painted for us of women then. It’s refreshing to have that image repainted with women who are flawed enough not to fit the mold. I know the characters are fictional, but Women’s Hotel is a good (and humorous) reminder of those that did exist outside of societal norms at that time.

I enjoyed another book about young women coming to the City for work and living in a supervised hotel setting very much. I was looking forward to enjoying this book as well. However, it did not quite hit the mark. The author does a good job of evoking the "hotels for young working women" era of the 50s and 60s, as well as the culture of the time. I found than characters not very compelling. The plot was quite shallow. This book had the feel of a bunch of short stories strung together to make some semblance of a novel that didn't quite come to fruition. I would not discourage anyone from reading this book if they so desire. From a women's perspective, it is interesting to see what limitations and expectations young working women of the post WWII era who were "on their own" had , while still considered to need "supervision and protection". Thanks to Net Galley for this ARC opportunity.

As a Rona Jaffe and Mary McCarthy fan, I adored this book. I loved how detail-oriented it was, the tea rooms and the suits. Definitely one I'll purchase once it comes out. Fans of Mad Men will enjoy this book. It's obviously meticulously researched and reminded me a bit of Richard Yates at some points.

that daniel lavery is a talented writer isn't exactly breaking news, but it must be said. really great prose that i can only describe as "jaunty," like an amy sherman-palladino take on the bell jar, almost energizing to read. and, while it would be clear even to a reader unfamiliar with lavery that he's deeply familiar with the classics, and especially the classics of women's literature, i'm very pleased to read something of his that isn't fundamentally referential, and doubly pleased that it's so good. women's hotel isn't without its flaws -- it can be uneven at times, pinballing around the various hotel residents, their backstories and present exploits, without a clear central narrative or sense of progression. but these flaws were ones i was aware of, rather than bothered by. lavery could write a grocery list with enough cleverness and sensitivity that i would read it without complaint.

Daniel Lavery’s style has always lent itself well to writing about women’s interior lives from the early 1900s, and he gets to do exactly that here. It also lends itself well to diversions of light larceny, dealing with alcoholism, unexpected deaths, and the lives of the tenants of a small boardinghouse for unmarried women. Fantastic read, highly recommended for your fall.

I could not get through this book. It felt boring and drawn out. It tries to be authentic, but just used buzz words. I really wish I loved it, maybe I will try again one day, but its not for me currently.

This was a much slower book with minimal plot but a strong cast of characters. I had trouble stay engaged and immersed in the book. I do think the author did a good job setting the scene and using accurate details for the time period. Based on the description of the book I was just really hoping for more and left feeling a little let down. I was really stuck between rating this a 2 or a 3 but ultimately decided to round down. If you are more into historical fiction this might be the book for you but it just didn't work for me.

I gave this 2.5 stars, rounded down. There were a lot of moments I enjoyed throughout the book, including the ending; however, there were a lot of dry sections that took a while to get through. The lack of plot also through me for a loop and I felt created a lack of purpose to continue reading.

There is no plot here, it’s all slice-of-life in 1966 at a long-term hotel for single women in NYC. The characters are engaging and funny. I was literally cackling towards the end (Carol/Bryan/Ruth, IYKYK). A charming BBC show could be inspired by this book. 4.5 rounded down to 4⭐️

I see what this book is trying to do - and it sometimes succeeds. It is very funny, but often at the expense of the women it depicts. Obviously written by a man, this book is just not for me.

Women’s Hotel by Daniel M. Lavery

This novel is about the residents of a women’s hotel in 1960s New York City.
While I found the history of such establishments fascinating, I struggled with this book. I wanted to like it, and indeed I did like parts of it.

My struggle was that it never felt like a novel. Rather, it felt like a history of the building and a cast of characters.

I liked the history and the characters, but ultimately, I wanted more of a plot. I felt like I was looking at just a snapshot of the building and its inhabitants, which was lovely, but I wanted more of a story to move everything forward.

I still found it all interesting but was left wanting more.

Thank you to HarperVia for the Net Galley ARC.

Hilarious!! Fans of Lavery will love this one -- he brings the perfect blend of humor, plot, and heart. I thought the hotel setting was so fascinating, and loved the opportunity too get to know so many fabulous characters.

I really enjoyed this novel ,I have heard about Women’s Hotels so was interested in reading about the.I enjoyed the characters reading about their lives their reasons for living there. #netgalley #harpervia