The Honeymoon by Gemma Rogers is a sharp, emotional, and suspenseful story that delves into the complexity of betrayal and self-discovery. The protagonist’s idyllic wedding day quickly shatters when she discovers her husband, Ryan, in a compromising situation with his best friend’s wife, Liza. Overcome with shock and heartbreak, she flees the scene, desperate for space and clarity.

What follows is a surprising twist as she decides to go on the honeymoon alone, hoping that a few days on the beautiful island of Crete will help her find peace and a sense of direction. However, things take a turn when Ryan unexpectedly shows up, denying the affair and hiding even bigger secrets.

Rogers expertly captures the emotional rollercoaster of the situation, with the protagonist’s journey from heartbreak to empowerment being both compelling and relatable. The luxurious honeymoon setting contrasts sharply with the unraveling of the protagonist’s life, creating a tense, unpredictable atmosphere. The twists keep coming, and the reader is never quite sure where the story is headed, which makes it an engaging and thrilling read.

With themes of betrayal, secrets, and healing, The Honeymoon is a rollercoaster of emotions that will keep readers hooked until the very last page. Fans of intense, character-driven stories will appreciate the book's depth and suspense.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

Alan Orloff's "Late Checkout" plunges readers into a thrilling and darkly humorous mystery, featuring the uniquely charismatic protagonist, Mess Hopkins. As a former security consultant turned amateur sleuth, Hopkins finds himself embroiled in a high-stakes investigation that kicks off with a shocking discovery at a luxury hotel.

When a prominent guest turns up dead under suspicious circumstances, Hopkins is reluctantly pulled into the chaos, navigating a labyrinth of secrets, lies, and danger. Orloff's deft hand at creating an engaging and unpredictable plot shines through, as Hopkins must untangle a web of deceit while confronting his own troubled past.

What sets "Late Checkout" apart is Orloff's brilliant character development and sharp wit. Hopkins is a refreshingly flawed and relatable hero whose blend of street-smarts and vulnerability makes him an instantly likable and compelling figure. The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, each with their own quirks and hidden agendas that add depth and intrigue to the story.

Orloff's prose is crisp and evocative, capturing the glitz and grime of the hotel's opulent yet shadowy world. This novel's pacing is impeccable, balancing moments of intense action with quieter, introspective scenes that explore Hopkins's personal struggles.

"Late Checkout" is a masterful blend of suspense, humor, and human insight, making it a standout entry in the mystery genre. Orloff's storytelling prowess ensures that readers are hooked from the first page to the last, eagerly following Hopkins's journey to uncover the truth.

Highly recommended for fans of mystery novels with a strong, character-driven narrative. Alan Orloff's "Late Checkout" is a must-read for anyone who enjoys a cleverly crafted and thoroughly entertaining whodunit.

Late Checkout by Alan Orloff had an intriguing setup and moments of suspense that kept me curious about how the story would unfold. The mystery was well-crafted, and the pacing was steady, but I found it a bit difficult to connect with the characters or fully immerse myself in the story. While it didn’t completely grab me, there were definitely parts I appreciated, and fans of cozy mysteries or library-themed whodunits might find it a solid read. Overall, it was an okay experience for me, earning a respectable 3 stars.

Late Checkout (A Mess Hopkins Novel)
By Alan Orloff
Publish Date October 22, 2024

Review:

This is book 2 for the Mess Hopkins series. I do highly recommend starting with the first book in the series, Sanctuary Motel. You will enjoy the characters more.

One day Mess wakes to seeing the one person he thought he would ever see again. That is, because he was dead… but six years later after being presumed dead, Finn walks into the hotel. This is when everything changes for Mess. Not just because Finn is alive but because of why he has been hiding.

This book will take you on a crazy ride as Mess helps Finn.

Thank you Netgalley and Alan Orloff for the advance reader.

Description:

Motel proprietor Mess Hopkins is more interested in helping others than turning a profit, so he opens the doors of the Fairfax Manor Inn to those seeking refuge from a bad situation. But when his cousin Finn shows up in trouble, his world is rocked, because Mess had thought Finn was dead, having run away six years earlier.

Unfortunately, Finn was in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw the wrong thing—an incident with deadly consequences.

It’s up to Mess, his girlfriend/newspaper reporter Lia Katsaros, and buddy Vell Jackson to solve the crime before some bad men achieve their goal—killing the only eyewitness.
Mess’s frightened cousin Finn.

Another delightful visit to Mess Hopkin’s world! There is so much to love about this character and his old-style motel. After reading the first book in the series, I was excited to delve into the second.

Late Checkout introduces us to Finn, another of Mess’ family members, one who has been missing, his whereabouts unknown for six years. Dysfunctional families, being estranged, and the fear of losing someone you love is a theme many readers will relate to. When his cousin shows up at the motel, Mess ends up dealing with not only his family’s drama, but a threat to their lives. The mystery of where Finn has been becomes overshadowed with his current dilemma—someone wants him dead.

Mess is a likeable character, more concerned about caring for those in need than he is about making money. His out-dated, but charming, motel sets the stage for plenty of action as people come and go, needing a temporary refuge. Although his uncle and his manager are concerned about his lack of business acumen, Mess makes up for this with his philanthropy.

A fast-paced, fun read with a touch of humor, Late Checkout will plunge you into Mess’ chaotic world from the first pages and keep you gripped to the end. Author Orloff’s flowing writing style and distinctive voice make this a great series to immerse yourself in.

Alan Orloff does it again with another suspense-filled story featuring everyone’s favorite innkeeper, Mess Hopkins!

After disappearing six years ago and being presumed dead, Mess’ cousin Finn turns up at the Fairfax Manor Inn with the unlikely story that two men are after him. Although Finn’s story is hard to believe, Mess, along with his best friend Vell and girlfriend Lia, works to figure out what exactly is going on and to protect Finn. After all, you do what you can for family.

Orloff does an outstanding job with character development and leaves readers invested in Mess and his mission at the inn. I have thoroughly enjoyed both books in this series and look forward to reading more!

I thought this was okay, it wasn’t ground breaking or anything.
Characters well likeable enough and the plot kept me reading.

Motel proprietor Mess Hopkins is more interested in helping others than turning a profit, so he opens the doors of the Fairfax Manor Inn to those seeking refuge from a bad situation. But when his cousin Finn shows up in trouble, his world is rocked, because Mess had thought Finn was dead, having run away six years earlier.

Unfortunately, Finn was in the wrong place at the wrong time and saw the wrong thing—an incident with deadly consequences.

It’s up to Mess, his girlfriend/newspaper reporter Lia Katsaros, and buddy Vell Jackson to solve the crime before some bad men achieve their goal—killing the only eyewitness.
Mess’s frightened cousin Finn.

Loved it. Will recommend to others

Late Checkout, the second Mess Hopkins mystery by Alan Orloff, is a laidback thriller with a solid mystery and just enough action to keep the pages turning. Mess operates his retired parents’ roadside motel, the Fairfax Manor Inn, on Route 50 in Fairfax, Viginia. The Inn is outdated and unprofitable—Mess will give anyone in need a room for a night, a week, or more without charging them a cent. Which is exactly what Mess does when his cousin, Finn, shows up on his doorstep.

Six years earlier, Finn had disappeared after arguing with his parents—Mess’s uncle and aunt—about being gay. It had been so long since anyone had heard from Finn, the family believed he was dead. So Mess gives his cousin a room and tries not crowd him with questions about where he was (and what he was doing) during all those lost years. But when Finn finally starts talking, he tells an unbelievable story about two men trying to kill him. Mess, skeptical but trying to be supportive, goes along with Finn’s crazy tale. But he soon realizes that, while Finn is being less than candid with him, there is some truth to what his cousin is saying. Mess enlists the help of his girlfriend, the newspaper reporter Lia Katsaros—who is waist-deep in the biggest story of her life about the murder of a local land developer—and his best friend Vell.

Late Checkout is a comfortable, thoughtful, and well-crafted thriller, with a dash of whodunit. The primary characters, Mess, Lia, and Vell, are likeable and believable. A handful of side characters are charmingly odd, including Mess’s Uncle Phil and the Inn’s manager, Fareed. The story is complicated—there is murder, politics, an assortment of family tensions and weirdness, and more than one false lead. The narrative builds slowly, with Finn annoyingly holding back and sometimes lying outright about what he knows, but it is never dull or uninteresting. And the solution is surprising, with enough clues in the narrative to make this reader wonder why he didn’t figure it sooner.

Great book that follows the main character Mess Hopkins, who runs a hotel for the down and out. I didn't realize this was part of a series, and will definitely be reading the 1st book of this series. This author is great and held my attention!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

Mess is back and hip-deep in another mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed Orloff’s Sanctuary Motel where he introduced Mess and his motley cast of characters at Fairfax Motel. Mess is the affable but tough guy who reluctantly wants to help, and he’s definitely in such a position here. I enjoy Orloff’s writing style which reminds me a bit of Carl Hiassen. Nicely done.

I really wanted to like this one but it was incredibly slow, where the story just wasn't moving along until the very end. It dragged out where little was actually happening. Finn who came back was just frustrating to me, we never really found out what happened during his time on the streets which is what I was hoping to find out by the end of the book. It all lead up to something that was lacklustre and finished within a paragraph or two.

I was so excited to dive into a new Mess Hopkins mystery, and this didn't disappoint in the slightest. Mess, Lia, and Vell are back, and this time things are hitting even closer to home. I love the varying character personalities, and how well they mesh and play off each other while still being unique. Then there's Mess's uncle, who isn't the actual villain, but sort of villain lite, who doesn't see the value in what Mess is doing. (I swear I'd like to get a few moments alone to try and knock some sense into him - or at least send someone to point out how un-Christian he's acting despite acting very holier-than-thou). Finn was an interesting new character, and the way he's presented makes him feel more intriguing than anything at first. The story moves along at a good pace, with enough twists to keep you guessing until the very end. There were heart-pounding moments where it felt like you could cut the tension with a knife. Orloff does an excellent job painting a vivid picture, making it feel like you were watching a movie unfold instead of reading a book. Although this is a sequel, you don't need to read book one, but there's a lot of foundation laid out for the characters, so you'll have a better understanding of them and their motives if you read book one first.

As a reader, and as a writer, I put a lot of stock into themes. For me, multiple plot lines need to come together, not just to build the plot, but to pull all of the thematic strings together. 

Late Checkout by Alan Orloff is a crime mystery thriller that follows Mess Hopkins, the owner of a motel who helps those who are down and out. When his cousin, who has been missing for years, shows up out of the blue, it sets off an investigation involving local politicians and celebrities that seemingly has him at its center. The idea of Mess Hopkins is a good one. A charitable motel provider who becomes embroiled in the affairs of the people he tries to help has the potential to be a brilliant drawcard, but I feel like Late Checkout didn’t quite hit the mark here. 

The plot moves along at a pace that is to be expected of a novel of this kind, but it seems to move from plot point to plot point without any regard to thematic cohesiveness. Mess’s personal conflicts don’t feel as though they are inline with the main conflicts of the plot and feel a lot more like they’re thrown in for the sake of it. While I found the plot to be intriguing, I didn’t feel like it did quite enough to keep me wanting to read the next chapter. 

For its genre, the prose is exactly where it needs to be. Thrillers thrive on simple writing because this allows the action and intrigue to shine through. However, I felt as though the dialogue needed some work, with characters often talking for a bit too long, or saying things that didn’t need to be said. Over all, I think that Late Checkout is a decent read if you’re looking for a simple thriller to burn through quickly.

It wasn't a bad book, persay. Just not a good one.

The characters were kinda flat, the mystery incredibly slow. I skipped large portions of the book and was able to pickup the story with no difficulty.

No method, professionalism, or common sense. Finn didn't make any sense, neither did Mess or Lia. They all just ran around like idiots trying to get themselves killed for nothing. I thought the reveal was stupid and, given the time and patience invested, I deserved more than one paragraph to wrap things up. It was like a passing thought. Once the Three Stooges were done the author didn't seem to care about the story itself. Vell was okay but we didn't get a chance to know him, which is sad. He had FAR more potential than any other character.

I wanted to love this. I was surprised in the first few chapters of the mystery unfolding, but then the story slipped into a lull. It never quite climbed back out. Both the story and the characters felt flat and not much more excitement happened.

In Late Checkout, motel proprietor Mess Hopkins runs the Fairfax Manor Inn, a sanctuary for those in distress rather than a money-making venture. When his cousin Finn unexpectedly arrives, having been presumed dead for six years, Mess is drawn into a dangerous situation. Finn witnessed a violent incident, making him a target for those who want to eliminate the sole eyewitness. Teaming up with his girlfriend Lia Katsaros, a newspaper reporter, and his friend Vell Jackson, Mess must unravel the mystery and protect Finn from those who mean him harm.

While the premise of Late Checkout is intriguing, I found myself feeling a bit disconnected from the characters. Although it’s clear this is a sequel, it’s not necessary to have read the previous book to follow the plot. However, I wonder if familiarity with earlier events might have added depth to the characters, who often felt one-dimensional and flat. Mess's name, “Mess,” seemed oddly glossed over, leaving me puzzled about its significance.

Unfortunately, I didn’t find myself particularly fond of many characters. Finn struck me as whiny, and I wished for more insight into his backstory to elicit a bit more compassion. Mess's sanctimonious attitude was frustrating, and I found myself irritated by his girlfriend Lia, especially when she discussed "outing" people under the guise of public interest—it really made my blood boil. Vell was the standout for me; he seemed like a genuinely cool character, but once again, he wasn’t fully fleshed out.

The plot itself was serviceable but didn’t deliver any major surprises. I also had issues with the portrayal of MMA in the book. It presented MMA fighters as bloodthirsty monsters, which is a stark contrast to the reality of the sport. MMA is a competitive sport, not merely a violent spectacle.

In summary, while Late Checkout had potential and an engaging premise, it fell short for me in character development and plot execution.

Thank you to Level Best Books, Alan Orloff, and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC.

LATE CHECKOUT by Alan S. Orloff

It was good to reconnect Mess, who just wants to help people but manages to live up to his nickname. The motel can’t turn a profit if he keeps giving rooms away, but then, it might not anyway, in its shabby state and in a poor economy. Meanwhile, he keeps offering sanctuary to wayward souls, including the most wayward of all, his own cousin Finn, who has been missing for six years with no contact, running from the bullying disapproval of his dad, dear old Uncle Phil. Family strife pales in comparison to Finn’s other woes, an affair that has to be secret, marginal employment possibilities, and, oh yeah, two bad guys after him because he may have witnessed a murder . . . another fine mess, Mess.
None of that counts as spoilers, as they are presented at the very beginning. There are, however, many surprises in store that I will not spoil and which I did NOT see coming. I love the loyalty of Mess and his cadre of friends, and I enjoy the humor in quips and observations, and I was quite caught up in the mysteries of “who done it.” A well-executed (puns intended) and adventurous tale, recommended without reservations.

This is the follow up to Sanctuary Motel, the first in the Mess Hopkins series. Both the series, and indeed the characters are, shall we just say, a wee bit quirky, so I'd do yourself a favour and read that book first...
So... as per the first book, Mess is still fighting to keep the Fairfax Inn as a bit of a sanctuary for anyone who needs it, any waif and stray, moneyed or skint and to heck if the place is haemorrhaging money... and to heck with Mess's uncle who is supposed to be overseeing the place in his parents' absence... He is dealing with such a summons from his uncle when a blast from the past lands at his door. His cousin Finn. Who he hasn't seen in 6 odd years when he supposedly ran away. It transpires that Finn has broken his cover as he needs Mess's help. Apparently he has seen something that has put him in danger. He can't tell a coherent story though, and what he does say doesn't add up. Irrespective of all this, he needs Mess's help, and they were very close once. But Mess can't do it alone and calls on his girlfriend Lia and best friend Vell to assist...
And so begins a cat and mouse game that led me all over the place as Mess and his crew try and make sense of what Finn is saying. Aside from the main story which is playing out in the present, we also return to the past, to witness Finn and Mess as they grow up, and the shenanigans that ensue along the way. Whilst this doesn't really add too much to progress the main story, it is lovely to sneak a glance at Mess's past, and does add credence to the times that Mess gives Finn the benefit of the doubt along the way in the present... And it isn't too intrusive... Oh and we also obviously have the prodigal son's return and his parents reactions to contend with!
As you can tell from the 5 glorious stars I blooming loved this book. It ticked every box for me: great characters; an interesting and intriguing story that held my attention all the way through; no superfluous waffle or padding so said story got on with itself very well indeed; an ending that delivered complete satisfaction. In fact the only bad thing about the book was finishing it and having to say goodbye to all the characters again! Hopefully book three will not be long coming.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I was super excited to see another Mess Hopkins book published. Mess is a great character. Always looking out for the little guy and helping those in need, often to his own detriment.

This installment has Mess trying to help his cousin Finn, who until recently had been missing for six years and presumed dead. Finn is hiding from dangerous men for seeing something he should not.

This is not just a really good thriller, its a powerful story of the importance of standing by and helping family (and friends who are chosen family). Mess is always a stand up guy. If you're a Robert Crais/Elvis Cole fan then you seriously need to check out this series. I hope Alan Orloff keeps rolling these out. It's become one of my new favorite crime series.


Thanks to the author and NetGalley for the advanced copy. I sincerely appreciate being the opportunity to read and review this.