Oh, I enjoyed this book so much! Ms. Cooperstein began her working life with hopes of becoming a sports journalist. When that did not pan out, she asked her cousin to speak up for her at his employer, The Rittenhouse in Philadelphia. She landed a position on the concierge team with little to no experience and learned from the ground up. After some years at The Rittenhouse, she became the concierge at a luxe highrise in Philly that catered to some very interesting people of wealth and means.

Her education in the art of guest hospitality makes for fun reading, as the book is written in a personable and engaging style. She tells hilarious stories about her time as a concierge, from wild weddings to mediating dispute to some very specific requests from guests and tenants. She had to thread the needle between "the rules" and exceeding the expectations of her clients. Her quick thinking got her out of a couple of tough situations that made me laugh, and I know I wouldn't have been as cool as she was when things went sideways.

I definitely recommend this book for folks who enjoy memoirs and would like an inside peek behind the concierge podium!

Ms. Cooperstein now heads up her own consulting business, educating companies and their staff in the fine art of hospitality. I appreciate Girl Friday Productions and NetGalley for giving me an advance copy to read and review!

I have always been a fan of memoirs from people with unusual jobs. This memoir is all that and more. The great thing about cooperstein is that she has a sense of humor about all she encountered which really makes you more ingrossed in her story.

An easy fun read. I enjoyed the vignette structure. The author traced the growth of her career as a concierge in two different settings - the Rittenhouse Hotel (and residence) in Philadelphia and a high-end condo building in the same city. Ms. Cooperstein must have been the hardest working concierge in the country. And she seems to have done it all with lots of charm and smiles. I learned about the duties and skills that are required in that job. (As it happens, I stayed at the Rittenhouse several years ago and experienced the level of service expected of their staff. It was impressive. I also shared elevator rides with some of the residents of advanced age at the Rittenhouse and got a sense of the sort of clients she worked to satisfy. Respect to Ms. Cooperstein!)
I see from her biography that the author has become a sought-after speaker at conferences in the hospitality industry. She has certainly earned her position as an expert in that field! This should be required reading for anyone who lives in a concierge building or wants to use the services of a concierge in a hotel.

Jamie Cooperstein was plunged into the most unexpected journey in her life — from dreaming of becoming an anchor to working in a high end Hotel in Philadelphia. She talked about how her career shaped her perspective on human connection and the intricacies of the hospitality industry.
From the most outrageous requests from the guests to heartwarming moments, this book is filled with real life anecdotes. Cooperstein provides us with an insider view of what it is like to work in a high-end and exclusive hotel, dealing with people — from celebrities to high-profile individuals that would throw lavish weddings and all the last minute emergencies she had to take care of and the unglamorous realities behind the scenes.
With her witty and engaging storytelling, Cooperstein highlights the job taught her; the power of connecting with human, making them feel valued not just in her workplace but also in her daily life.

This was a wonderful book!! I loved the insight into another career and the things you never think about. I really enjoyed the writing, stories, and progression of the story. I would love to read more true and upbeat stories like this!

I have always been fascinated with hotels and especially the concierge desk, as I remember these people seem to be able to answer any requests. I actually had one of those conversations with the concierge of a high end hotel in Boston.

This book reminded me of this. Fun read and, at times, almost unbelievable, but yet believable.

Great pace and entertaining.

This book was a really interesting, quick read. I loved learning more about the concierge industry. I never thought about how much pull a concierge has until reading this book.

This book lost stars because I felt like the chapters could have gotten more in-depth. They always felt a bit incomplete. I also really wished we have gotten more insight into the authors life after becoming a consultant. I didn't even know this was a job. It would have been interesting to learn more about the progression from concierge to trainer, as well as what exactly the author does in her current job.

Similar to the other chapters, the ending felt unfinished to me.

I requested this book to reminisce about my days as a concierge and commiserate on the hard days with the author, Julie Cooperstein. True Hospitality is a simple approach to what work is like as a concierge in 5 star luxury accommodations. It’s an engaging and quick read that I think anyone starting out in hospitality should read. This will give the reader an excellent jumping off point into what they’ll expect to encounter on the job and if it’ll be a good fit for them.

I wished the author would have gone deeper with the work and her personal life because it all came across rather surface level. Don’t bring up a crush on a co-worker and then almost immediately after causally mention you no longer have a crush on them without elaborating more. Why mention it at all then? The author does this with a number of people in the book. She gives the impression certain people she’s mentioning will hold favor as the story is told but then throws them away a few paragraphs later. I know the main point of the book is the work she did, along with how she evolved, but the book needed a deeper personal connection and if she didn’t want to give that, then don’t mention any interpersonal relationships. Work-wise I’d have liked her to describe what giving her notice at the Rittenhouse felt like, and how her co-workers reacted.

She definitely knows the hospitality industry and its expectations. She really rang true when she stated hospitality is gray and sometimes rules are meant to be broken. It was nice to read about a vulnerable moment where she made a mistake and learned from it. When the book ended, I wanted more. I wanted to know about her business and her lectures and what life was like after leaving Two Liberty. Did the book club keep going? I felt like it ended too abruptly.

Thank you to Girl Friday Productions for this ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.