Lucy a hotýlek v Bretani

by Dee Ernst, Dee Ernstová

Lucy potřebuje nový životní začátek. Devětačtyřicetiletá hotelová manažerka z New Yorku, toho času bez práce a peněz kvůli podvodu, kterého se dopustil její bývalý šéf a partner, má soukromý i pracovní život v troskách. Přišla o práci, bydlení i přítele a přežívá u rodičů. Není divu, že s nadějí skočí po jediné nabídce, která se objeví – vedení malého stylového hotýlku v bretaňském Rennes. Představuje si nablýskané lustry a galerii portrétů předků majitelky v životní velikosti, ale skutečnost je jejím představám na hony vzdálená. Ke svému překvapení na místě zjistí, že hotel byl naposledy v provozu po válce. Té první. A že jejím úkolem je dát ho nejprve dohromady a teprve pak úspěšně rozjet.

Lucy, která nemá jinou možnost, v sobě objeví netušenou sílu i dovednosti. S obrovským nasazením, citem, ale i humorem pracuje na tom, aby kouzelný hotýlek Paradis mohl znovu otevřít. Pomáhá jí v tom partička zdejších svérázných starousedlíků, taková rodina náhodně poskládaných přátel různého věku i povolání. Někde mezi malováním stěn, repasováním nábytku, vytvářením webovek a sbližováním se s atraktivním, byť poněkud protivným autorem dětských knih, hvězdou amerického knižního trhu, si Lucy uvědomí, že se tu začíná cítit jako doma.
Najde Lucy v Bretani profesní restart, a možná i novou rodinu a lásku?

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Contemporary Romance, Rom Com, Adult

304 pages, Paperback

First published August 16, 2022

About the author

Dee Ernst was born and raised in New Jersey, which explains a great deal about her attitude towards life. She loved reading at a very early age, and by the time she was ten she had decided to become a writer. It took a bit longer than she expected.

She went off to college, moved around a bit, had a job or two, a husband or two, and a daughter or two. It was the birth of her second daughter at the age of forty that got her thinking about what to do with the rest of her life. That was when she decided to give writing a real shot.

Dee loved chick-lit and romantic comedy, but hated the twenty-something heroines who couldn’t figure out how to go and get what they wanted. She began to write about women like herself — older, confident, and with a wealth of life experience to draw upon. She got an agent but no sales, and took the plunge into self-publishing in 2010.

In 2012, Better Off Without Him became an Amazon bestseller. She signed with Montlake Publishing, which went on to re-release Better Off Without Him and launch A Slight Change of Plan in 2013.

Since then she has written across several genres (cozy mystery, YA/fantasy, women's fiction) gone from full-length novels to short stories, and has written for Lake Union Publishing. She self-publishes under the 235 Alexander Street logo.

She is still in New Jersey, where she writes full-time. She lives with husband #2, daughter #2, a few cats and a needy cocker spaniel. She loves sunsets, long walks on the beach, and a really cold martini.

Reviews

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay! I needed this book in my life! When you hit forties at some days in your life you feel like the air you breath sucks out your body ! At those depressing, tired and bleak times, reading something feel good and inspirational is a natural effect like deploying a lifebuoy ring to survive!

Lucia Gianatti who needs a fresh start at the age 49, moneyless and jobless, accepting a challenging mission to turn a rundown hotel into bustling touristic attraction is my kind of heroine!

Once upon a time she was running one of the most upscale and gorgeous hotels of Big Apple! But you know the rule: you shouldn’t mix business with pleasure! She actually paid too much for this mistake!

Now she’s in France! Hurray! But her impossible task to work on that dilapidated place might be struggling when she also deals with personal issues like finding her place in the universe!

It was relaxing reading! I loved the romantic parts! I loved encouraging tone the author used to inspire the readers how they should see the world as their oyster. Everything is possible and you just have to chase your dreams at any age because life is still full of possibilities!

Well, I needed this book! I’m so happy I read it at the right time!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

[chan ☆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

if you want to read a fiction book about a 50- something in france renovating a hotel, this is for you. otherwise... skip.

[Terrie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Lucy Checks In" by Dee Ernst is Contemporary Romance - Women's Fiction!

Forty-nine-year-old Lucia Giannetti has worked in hospitality management forever. That is until NYC luxury hotel owner, Tony Fielding, her boss and boyfriend, stole millions and disappeared leaving Lucy looking guilty and feeling vulnerable. Is this what can happen when you mix business with pleasure?

Fighting litigation and unemployed for two years, flat broke and living with her parents, Lucy accepts a position to manage a luxury boutique hotel, in Rennes, France. The opportunity is appealing!

What she imagines is not what she finds when she arrives at Hotel Paradis. Lucy sees a building that's been dormant for decades and her in charge of breathing new life into this run down, century's old piece of history. The opportunity is...overwhelming!

Then there's Bing - an attractive, irritating, and arrogant artist-writer who lives in the hotel as one of the half dozen long-time residents.

What has Lucy gotten herself into?

My second read from this author, like her previous book, hooks me in quickly. I love her knack for creating strong, independent, mature female main characters. It's refreshing to discover a contemporary romance author that doesn't cater to New Age demographics.

I love Lucy's persistence and determination to carve a new beginning on her own terms and her first-person POV solidifies this as 'her story'! She rolls up her sleeves to dive into things she never thought she would. And her snarky exchanges with her 'love interest' Bing is one of the best parts of this story.

The bounty of primary characters, some a bit grumpy, all quite quirky and definitely set in their ways, pull together to make Lucy's renovation project their project, too. They welcome her as one of their own.

A 'second-chance' story with picturesque French settings, mouth-watering cuisine, and centuries of historical landmarks and culture. Humor mixed with new friendship-family, minor bickering mixed with romance and heartbreak, and an ending that feels right for this story and seems to leave room for more from Hotel Paradise!

An enjoyable second read I definitely recommend and I'm looking forward to more from this author! 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 'second chance' stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Dee Ernst for a free ARC of this book. It has been an honor to give my honest and voluntary review.

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Women's Fiction/Chick-Lit. I found the very beginning to be ok and a little hard to get into, but it took a turn quickly and had me totally pulled into this story and characters. The characters in this book's characters are not the lovable cute characters, but they grow on you and they feel real. I really loved Lucy. I really loved getting to know all these characters, the setting in this book, and storyline in this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (St. Martin's Griffin) or author (Dee Ernst) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Madison Warner Fairbanks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Checks in by Dee Ernst
Women’s fiction/ chick lit. Light romance.
Lucia accepts a general manager job in Rennes, France hoping to get her career back on track. The Hotel Paradis is centuries old as expected of buildings in France, but needs remodeling and renovating before opening to guests. This job is way more manual work than Lucy expected but with all the permanent residents chipping in to help, the work goes fast while she makes friends and learns the lifestyle of this city in France.

Lucy must come to terms with her broken heart and trust issues. While she works through that, she rediscovers the joy of a job she loves. I found this touching and beautiful. I enjoyed the connections she made with the self made family and though she’s cautious, those relationships go we’re rich and fulfilling. There is bit of heartbreak but the aftermath is so sweet and loving.
I loved this story. It’s rich in life, beauty and family.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
4.5

[Chris C - A Midlife Wife · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lovely woman’s fiction with a touch of romance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sometimes you are looking for a light read. Nothing too heavy but in-depth and interesting. A fun story to get lost in. Well, if that sounds like you, this is a great choice.

As mature women, many of us will find something in common with the main character. Working like crazy and then the worst thing hits you from nowhere. Forced to move back home?? UGH

But from the ashes rises a new woman by taking a leap of faith. With hard work and a dream job in France what seems to be a crazy situation becomes an amazing story.

Ernst gifts us with wonderful characters and a very slow to grow romance that bring a delightful ending. The descriptions of the area will make you want to hop a plane and immerse yourself in the culture. Lovely and inspiring story.

* copy received for review consideration
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/lucy-checks-...

[Dee (in the Desert) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this - the MC Lucy was professionally & personally betrayed at mid-life, and restarts herself at a run-down but very charming small French hotel full of quirky characters (and a cat!) It felt a bit long occasionally but overall recommend! Thanks to NetGalley & the publisher for the DRC, exchange of which did not affect my rating/review...

[⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ Kim ⋆˚୨ৎ˚⋆ · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just wanted to say that this is the first ARC I've read since I signed up for NetGalley a couple of days ago, so a big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for offering this book to read immediately in exchange for an honest review!

*Get ready for a long rant review because I have a lot to say about it*

Takes deep breath Okay, I honestly have no idea where to begin with this review for Lucy Checks In and I'm not saying this in a good way. I suppose the first thing I should get out of the way is that this isn't really a full-on romance book even though both GoodReads and NetGalley classified it as one. Was there romance? Of course, but it wasn't at the forefront of the story. I would barely even classify it as a rom-com even though it gave me huge Hallmark movie vibes.

If you're also the kind of person who looks for smut in their romance novels (even just the slightest amount of it that comes in most rom-coms), this isn't the book for you because it was mostly a clean novel. There's one non-detailed scene towards the end of the book and you can tell what was happening but it's definitely not something to swoon over (unless you're into 50-year olds getting it on, I guess).

Speaking of 50-year olds, that's about the average age of the characters in this book. You wouldn't think that from the cover of the book, though. I'm assuming the girl on the cover is supposed to be our main character, Lucy Gianetti, and at first glance I thought she was this young, 20 or 30-something-year-old woman trying to make it big in her hotelier career in France until I read the synopsis and found out she's 49 going on 50 and going to France to turn around a smaller hotel and escape a national scandal that involved her last workplace at an upscale hotel in NYC. On top of that, in the book it's mentioned that she has "salt and pepper" curly hair, which if you don't know what that means, it means her hair is graying. That is nothing like the girl on the front cover with the long, brown, wavy hair!

Getting into the story itself, I didn't really like Lucy as a main character at first. She went in with her expectations of Hotel Paradis way too high even though she had email correspondence with the owner of the hotel, Claudine, clearly outlining her expectations for the job and what it entailed. Lucy imagined getting picked up from the airport in a Bentley towncar (bruh) to be taken to some high-end luxury hotel for wealthy vacationers to live in a penthouse suite (which comes as part of her perks as GM of the hotel) and all she'd have to do all day was order the employees around and have them do all the hard work. Then, she essentially made the equivalent of the shocked Pikachu face when it wasn't what she expected even though SHE KNEW what she was getting herself into.

To be fair, this is what her previous job at the hotel in NYC entailed and that's where she worked for the majority of her career so I don't blame her for not thinking anything different, but when you have emails that clearly outline the expectations of the job and where Hotel Paradis is located, it's hard to laugh at anything in the first chapter of the book and easier to roll your eyes because I'm not really sure what she expected from a small hotel (closer to a small bed and breakfast) sitting in the countryside outside of the city of Rennes. If anything though, I think the experience of having to be a part of the physical labor of remodeling the hotel humbled her and took her ego down a few notches which made her character a lot more bearable to read about in the second half of the book. She went from being the person who told people what to do vs. actively being a part of the renovations because she's not the top dog at Hotel Paradis, it's Claudine as the owner.

Moving onto Lucy's love interest, Bing (it's a nickname), I didn't really feel much chemistry between the two either. He doubted Lucy from the start and thought that she wouldn't be able to turn the hotel around into a bustling tourist attraction. As for Lucy, she spent the majority of the book going back and forth about her feelings for him and as far as I can tell, the majority of the reason why she even likes him is because he's attractive and made her laugh a couple times.

The pacing of the book was somewhat slow as well-it had a lot to do with Lucy and the other employees renovating the hotel and preparing it for its launch so there were times where I felt like I was forced to continue reading because this is an ARC and I'm like, obligated to get a review out on the book before its publishing date. It's not that I expected anything different from a book that's mostly about turning a failing hotel around to become successful; I just didn't expect it to be as slow as it was.

As for the ending of the book, it was somewhat chaotic with a lot of events unfolding all at once regarding Lucy's family back home in the US and some of the legal stuff that occurred from her previous place of employment in NYC. A lot of that stuff wasn't really touched upon or explored enough in the book until the last 2 chapters or so, almost as if the author forgot she wrote about that and was like, "Oops, I have to tie those subplots up now!" The ending was somewhat abrupt and I wish that there was an epilogue that took place a few months or a year into the future to see how everything was going for the characters and the hotel.

If there was anything I remotely liked about the book (and this isn't a long list), it was the description of the French countryside, Paris, the culture, and especially all the food! I think reading the book made me hungry lol.

Overall, I was somewhat disappointed by this book. It was a cute little short story (the book was 288 pages long) and while I appreciate the setting being in France with food and learning a bit about the culture there, the romance between Lucy and Bing had no chemistry, the pacing was somewhat slow, and not liking Lucy's personality at the beginning of the book made this kind of hard to finish.
---
2.5 stars (rounded down to 2)
Trigger warnings:Alcoholism, death of a family member/loved one

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do not let the cover of Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst fool you, the girl on the cover may look young, but our MC Lucia (AKA Lucy) is actually forty-nine years old. Now, this doesn't make a difference to me, but I thought it was an interesting creative liberty taken by whoever illustrated the new cover (which in all other rights, I love). I am not too far away from 40, and something I have come to love is reading books that have an older female lead. Lucy along with many of the other characters in this novel completely stole my heart (some of them took a minute!), and I loved the wittiness and heart Ernst uses to tell Lucy's story. There are definitely some romcom qualities to this book, but overall, it felt a bit more like a romance to me and wasn't quite as funny as I was expecting it to be (this is NOT a bad thing though!).

Gillian Vance is the narrator extraordinaire for the audiobook and I loved her just as much as the setting in France. Her voice was fitting for Lucy’s character, and if you want a new audio to check out, I would definitely recommend this one! I loved the message that Ernst conveyed in Lucy Checks In, basically that age doesn’t matter, and you can do anything you set your mind to, and the fact that she had a mature and self-sufficient woman as the lead in this story. While I was expecting it to be funnier, and you will most likely have to suspend some disbelief, there were still plenty of times that this book made me laugh, and it warmed my heart as well. If you love strong female leads, some romance, and a story you can use as a getaway from everyday life, Lucy Checks In is for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

LUCY CHECKS IN
by Dee Ernst
St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin
Pub Date: Aug 16

Such a heartwarming and fun story about Lucy Giannetti, starting over again at 49.

Before, she was a respected manager of a stunning New York hotel. After the owner runs away with millions, she's left with only one choice: Accept a job in Rennes, France, to turn a rundown hotel into a glam tourist magnet.

Can she do all the hard work needed to redo Hotel Paradis? Can she traverse the tricky relationship with Bing, the handsome artist who might become something more? Can she find home "in a place she's never been before?"

No spoilers here. But romance lovers take note: This is one swoony second chance tale you won't want to miss. Enjoy!

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.

#LucyChecksIn #DeeErnst #StMartinPress #StMartinsGriffin #NetGalley #NYCHotelManager #RennesFranceHotelParadis #secondchanceatlifeandlovenovel
#romanticfictionnovel
#bookstagramcommunity

[Denise Wilbanks | This Is My Everybody · Rating 5 out of 5]

BOOK REVIEW: Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst
2022 Publication Date: August 16

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐⭐️

T.I.M.E. Favorite Books To Read
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T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Contemporary Romance
T.I.M.E. Most Anticipated Books Of 2022

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T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW:
Are you looking for a new best contemporary romance book to read?

Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst is the perfect best contemporary romance novels choice for anyone who loves a good second chance love story. With a strong female lead character, this book takes us on an amazing journey that starts from the lowest point of her professional and personal life. Making this a great best book club book selection for book clubs!

One caveat... Clear your calendar because you won't be able to put this book down! With its fast-paced and thrilling storyline, you'll find yourself rooting for the characters every step of the way. And when it ends, you'll be begging for more.

Dee Ernst has done an amazing job creating Lucy, a multi-dimensional female lead character that you can’t help but root for. You’ll love following her on this journey as she starts from the lowest point of her life and fights to get back up on her feet... Both professionally and personally.

Thank you, thank you, thank you... Dee Ernst! For delivering a book filled with a multi-dimensional strong female character lead who takes us on a splendiferous journey that captured my heart, mind, and soul from the first page to the last.

And reader rewards bonus?... Our amazing female romantic lead is in her 50s! This is my second Dee Ernst book to read and both books are contemporary romance books that explore second-chance love with more mature romantic leads at the center of the story.

With witty banter from our main characters, the character development is a delight to read.

Additional themes with a childhood best friend who is always ready to serve up "best friends to the very end" advice... And an unexpected "opposites attract" connection that is filled with undeniable chemistry as a potential relationship develops.

I loved her first book, Maggie Finds Her Muse, and knew Dee was an author to keep an eye on as she continues her writing journey. With Lucy Checks In, she is now landing on all four of my best books of the year lists with her second book... Brava, Dee!

Naturally, I can not wait to see what she has in store for us in contemporary romances next!

Perfect for readers looking for a complete escape in reading romance that will likely send you straight to your favorite travel app to book a trip to France toot suite!

This book may be the "kick in the pants" you are looking for to start your dream adventure, life, business, or relationship... Whatever your dream is, I hope you discover the faith you need to get there...

As for me... I will have a great glass of wine waiting for you. And I can't wait to hear all the details!... ✨😎✨

Pages: 277
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Sub-Genre: Second Chance At Love Romance
Time Period: Present Day
Location: Rennes (France)

IF YOU LIKE THIS BOOK THEN TRY…
Book: Maggie Finds Her Muse by Dee Ernst
Movie: Chocolat

BOOK SYNOPSIS:
Lucia Giannetti needs a fresh start. Once the hotel manager of a glamorous NYC hotel and intimately involved with the hotel's owner, Lucy had her entire future planned out. But when the owner disappears, taking millions of dollars with him, Lucy's life as she knows it falls apart.

With her world in shambles and her reputation in tatters, Lucy decides to start over by taking a job managing a small hotel in the quaint French town of Rennes. It's not the NYC hotel she dreamed of, but it's a chance to rebuild her life.

But the Hotel Paradis is in worse shape than she expected. Can she succeed in bringing the Hotel Paradis to its former glory? And will her new life in Rennes be everything she's hoping for?

A heartwarming and feel-good contemporary romance novel about second chances, new beginnings, and finding love in unexpected places.

BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION:
Second chances are possible no matter how low you might feel you've sunken in your life.
It's never too late to start over, find love or create a new home for yourself, even if it's in a place you never thought you'd end up.
Sometimes our lowest points are the touchstones for launching us into our best life.
You are capable of much more than you give yourself credit for — often we just need a kick in the pants (or a big life change) to discover our hidden strengths and pursue our dreams.

BOOK QUOTE:
"It's funny how you can be going along, perfectly content, thinking that this is what your life is supposed to be, and then suddenly, someone comes around that makes you look in another direction. Suddenly, everything is new... And, I knew I would never settle for mundane again." - Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst

--------------------

All my book reviews can be seen at This Is My Everybody | Simple Living | Denise Wilbanks at thisismyeverybody.com/blog/what-book-...

♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

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And let's be friends here on Goodreads too!... ✨😎✨

[Wendy W. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four and a Half Stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭑
Lucy Checks In by Dee Ernst is about a woman who after a devastating career loss, has to remake herself and her career in hotel management.

Lucia Giannetti has been hiding out in her parent's home for almost two years. After a devastating scandal where the owner of the hotel she managed ran off with millions of dollars, she’s been hounded by the press and the FBI until finally, she’s been exonerated. However, the press and the hotel industry have a long memory and she can’t find a job anywhere due to her association with the scandal. It doesn’t matter that he also ran off with all her savings and her pension fund.

When she’s contacted by a small boutique hotel in Rennes, France, she’s ecstatic, and can’t wait to get back and manage a high-end hotel. But, what she finds in France is very different than what she thought she was getting into. The hotel hasn’t been a hotel since the war, and WWII, and there are several permanent guests who live in the hotel beside the owner. The property is run down and needs a lot of work. Can Lucy turn the old run-down hotel into a boutique hotel in time for the summer holidays?

I enjoyed this book and I also learned a lot about the hotel business. The setting in Rennes, France was beautifully described and I loved this varied cast of side characters. This is about found family, and friends supporting each other with a dash of romance. I also enjoyed Lucy’s journey from an uptight career driven individual to a happier person with more to live for than just her career. I also liked that Lucy is a bit older, she’s almost fifty, and I enjoyed her more mature outlook on life.

It was a little bit slow in the middle, but the end was worth it. I enjoyed how this book finished, and I liked all the characters very much.

I highly recommend Lucy Checks In to anyone who enjoys Women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read and loved from this author. I love that her books feature middle-aged women who aren't matronly or old. They have been around the block but also don't have it all together and that is okay! It's nice to see a woman in her forties and fifties discover new love, feel beautiful and sexy, and have a passionate love affair while also making changes professionally. I found Lucy to be a very relatable character. Her struggles with trusting herself and others made so much sense given the circumstances and despite tragedy, I was happy to see her have it all - passionate love, family (blood and found), and a thriving career.

I also read some of the reviews where people say they were misled by the illustration of the woman on the cover because she looks young. You can't even see her face! And she is described as having gray roots - not a full head of salt and pepper hair. When my own gray hairs come in at the roots of my brown hair, you can't see them from the back either. I just find it a really superficial thing to complain about. If you read the blurb, you'd know it was about a middle age character.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.

[morgan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭑ I thought this was a cute book! I will say- I would only recommend this novel if you are looking for a slow burn, "heart felt" story about a woman who is middle aged. I'm used to reading romance novels about men/women in their 20s-30s (my age group) so this was a bit outside of my comfort zone. Nonetheless, I found this story to be well-written and interesting enough to keep reading.

My main critiques of this book would be Lucia's character (she is quite boring and stuck up at the beginning) and the slow relationship development between Lucia and the love interest. The romance sub-plot felt dragged out for the first half of the book and suddenly rushed at the end. I felt like Lucia's character was rather immature for her age and difficult to read-- though she does have a redeemable character arc. I was much more intrigued by the side characters (Marie Claude and Phillipe in particular).

If you can look past those flaws, this novel has some phenomenal lessons on love, betrayal, and maturity. There were plenty of moving quotes sprinkled in to this novel that I really enjoyed.

Overall, 3.5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for sharing a copy of this in exchange for an honest review!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a delightful second act, women's fiction story full of a cast of quirky secondary characters as Lucia Giannetti travels to France to help renovate a new boutique hotel after her career and love life in NYC went up in flames.

I loved these characters! This was such a fun story. Highly recommended if you enjoyed One Italian summer but wanted more of the mom's story or liked the movie, The exotic marigold hotel. We need more stories about women finding success and love later in life and this one is excellent.

Great on audio too narrated by Gillian Vance and perfect for fans of Maggie finds her muse (also by Dee Ernst). Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advance digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

[Olivia Caridi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, I have a couple things to say about this book. I'll start by saying that I enjoyed reading it - it's a quick, easy, entertaining read if you want to learn about the hotel industry and what goes into renovating a hotel. If you're looking for a romance novel, which is the classification for this book, then...I don't know what to tell you. The "romance" doesn't start until 90% through the book, and before that point, you see only a few interactions at all between the eventual couple. It's like he holes himself up in his room, the main character goes and visits him a few times, they magically fall in love, and then when you're about to finish the book, they finally kiss. The entirety of the book is about this hotel and how it is redesigned by the main character - not about how the main character falls in love. Just a heads up there. Secondly, based on the cover of the book, and some of the writing, to be honest, I would have never known the main character was in her 50's until it was explicitly stated - not that that's a bad thing, but I guess the saying goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover." And lastly, I reeeeaaallly wish the ending of the book was different - *spoiler* the main characters brother, who struggles with alcoholism, gets in a car accident and dies and she becomes the mother of his two children, and this, once again, all happens in the last 90% of the book. We're FINALLY getting this love story, we have one romantic scene, and all the sudden the main character is on a flight for a funeral and then bringing two children back to the hotel in France and they go from a lovey dovey couple to a couple that's going to have to like, schedule sex. I don't know, I felt that ending was unnecessary, rushed, and took away from the romance of it all. Anywho, not a "bad" read, but I just feel like there were some major flaws!

[Jen Ryland (jenrylandreviews & yaallday)]

For some weird reason I love books about renovation and especially about renovating hotels and inns. I don't know why as I have NO desire to do this myself, but I guess I just love a good starting over story with a home makeover plot.

Lucy Checks In has a charming setting, and it was refreshing to have a heroine who wasn't 28 years old and bemoaning her old age.

Loved this and will check out this author's next book.

[Brittanica Bold · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was ok. I was looking for more of a Romcom than what this was, but it was still fine.

I liked that the main character was almost 50 years old. I also liked the premise of having to start over, and finding a more accurate version of yourself in the process.

While I did feel the found-family atmosphere in this book, the romantic aspect just didn't do it for me. I didn't feel Lucy and Bing had much chemistry, so I found it really hard to keep looking for that to work out better.

I will say, I now want to go to France and do nothing but eat bread and butter and cheese because of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. I review above is my honest opinions.

3 stars!

[Katy O. · Rating 5 out of 5]

(free review copy) I absolutely adored this! Almost-50 female lead ✔️ France ✔️Renovation ✔️ Found family ✔️ Mature relationship that was only a small part of the overall story ✔️ A happy, quick, mature and sensible solution to the conflict late in the book ✔️ This is one of my favorite reads of the season 🥰

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy has to start over in her late 40s. This book follows her journey and it’s a lovely trip. A hotel management professional, Lucy finds that her finances and professional reputation are in tatters (even though she was innocent in the financial scandal that ruined her) and so she’s happy to be offered a job managing a historic hotel in Rennes, France. When she arrives there, she realizes that the job is restoring a historic hotel, not just managing it! And that means she’s going to have to do a lot of the work herself, painting, etc.

Dee Ernst seems to have a knack of writing wonderful stories about women in their 40s. I loved the other book of hers that I’ve read (Maggie Finds Her Muse), so I was delighted to see a new book by her.

You will fall in love with the locals who live at the Hotel Paradis and you will root for Lucy to succeed in turning the hotel into a showplace. Along the way, you will also root for her relationship with Bing, an artist who lives in the hotel, but the romance is a bonus and not the main point of the story, in my opinion. (And for those who care about these things, this is definitely a closed-door sort of romance.) So along with the idea of a second chance, we also have the theme of “found family”, one of my favorite themes.

Rennes is absolutely now on my list of places I want to visit!

(One quibble about the cover - it makes Lucy look way too young.)

[Julia Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very sweet book, and a must-read for lovers of Paris, small French towns, and home transformation. The narrator is called in to turn a crumbling, historical French hotel into a thriving concern. All of the little moments that make up the transition from bad to beautiful are a pleasure to read, and the author throws in delicious French food and wine, lovely gardens, and beautiful art. Add to that the pathos of family struggles and a burgeoning romance or two, and you get the gist.

[Stephanielikesbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A delightful, feel good story about Lucy, an almost 50 year old woman whose professional (and personal) life is in tatters but who gets a second chance when she moves to Rennes (northwestern France) to manage a small, rundown hotel. Lucy is so relatable and likeable and the other characters are very charming - it is so nice to see a story with strong, vibrant middle-aged main characters. The story flowed along at a good pace and was very easy to read - the descriptions of the hotel were very vivid and I felt that I was right there with the characters both at the hotel and Rennes. A very calming, feel good read that put a smile on my face that stayed there until the very last page. The perfect summer read!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Midnight · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the Arc! Here is my honest review.

I really struggled to get into this at first, I'm not entirely sure why but it took me considerably longer to get through this than it typically takes me to finish a book. However, I'm happy that I did finish. I really enjoyed this book.

Lucy is a well-known hotel manager who lost her job and fame because the man that she fell in love with stole all of the money from their famous hotel and ran away. Unable to find another job in America she jumps at the chance to work at a hotel in France and goes there with high expectations. Unfortunately, the hotel was run down and didn't exactly offer her the same amenities that she was used to receiving. Despite feeling lied to about the condition of the hotel she decides to stay and help renovate the hotel and in the process begins to grow and open up to new possibilities in her life.

I did go into this thinking it was a romance and while the romance that was present was nice, this is not a romance book (slow burn romance is sprinkled into the story here and there). Despite that, I did enjoy this. Reading about the progression of the hotel and seeing Lucy begin to open up was really heartwarming and lovely. I also really enjoyed the relationship she had with everyone and just how much they were like a tight-knit family. It was also really interesting reading about an older mc when I'm used to reading about teenagers or people in their early twenties. (and Bing, I absolutely adore him despite his moments where he's a pain in the butt lol). I will probably read this again, especially since it's a fast-paced book, and I'm already adding it to the list of books I need to purchase when they're finally published.

(3.5/5 stars)

[Lisa Leone-campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy Checks In is a deliciously satisfying uplifting story about a woman after a horrendous scandal and heartache who had accomplished so much and was now starting from scratch learns that true meaning of hard work, friendship and love.

Lucia Giannetti and her wonderful life turned into a disaster. A hotel manager at a fancy NYC hotel, she lived in a beautiful apartment within the complex and had fallen in love with the owner of the hotel. Then one day the owner of said hotel disappears and along with him are the pensions of all the employees and much more, leaving Lucy to pick up the pieces and unfortunately, heartbroken, being looked at as his accomplice, and also jobless.

After fighting for her reputation, having no money and living with her parents at the age of 50, Lucy is approached to manage a hotel in France. It is a hotel in a small town called Hotel Paradis. She arrives with sugar plums dancing in her head. Unfortunately, what she finds is a pretty dilapidated hotel with a group of eccentrics living there who are employees of sorts and quite the cast of characters! The rooms need painting and beds, and she is now responsible for not only fixing up the rooms, but establishing a website, with pictures!

The owner, Claudine, who speaks no English believes Lucy is the lifeline to the hotel’s future, while the other employees see her packing her bags and fleeing! With little money, Lucy and the gang must pull together and be as creative as possible to figure out ways to improve the interior and exterior of a rundown flophouse.

But as Lucy starts to envision what could possibly be a gorgeous, cozy hotel and as she enlists the help of the workers who are beginning to accept her as a friend, one in particular who makes her blush, she soon begins to see a boost in her confidence and begins to believe she can succeed.

But her happiness and success are interrupted by a devastating event back in the States and leaves Lucy trying to figure out where her home and her heart truly belong.

Lucy Checks In is an unforgettable, feel-good story with loveable characters and powerful messages for anyone who has ever been down on their luck.

Thank you #NetGalley #St.Martin’sGriffin #DeeErnst #LucyChecksIn for the advanced copy.

[Jena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lucy Checks In is a cute quick read, but I wish it had a bit more sustenance. I like that the protagonist is in her late 40's, as that isn't super common in the genre. I also enjoyed all the scenes of her redoing the hotel (They were weirdly satisfying. I love a good makeover), however there were a few too many of them. Most of the book was just Lucy working on the hotel. There wasn't a ton of romance, and when there was some, it was a bit underwhelming. So although this book had a really nice atmosphere and premise, I wish it had a bit more than that going for it.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick thoughts about Lucy Checks In

-Definitely more womens fiction than romance.
-an underdeveloped backstory of Lucy’s previous job and family (especially relationships)
-under 300 pages and could have used 50 more to strengthen the plot.
-a hotel ghost? That felt weird and out of place. Didn’t work.
-I liked the banter between Lucy and Bing, but it was very stale in the middle of the story. I think the book would been a much better read if the romance with her and Bing happened sooner and had more tension.
-sweet ending and a happily ever after which I was happy with!

[Pastels Passions · Rating 2 out of 5]

I felt this may be one of those the covers does not match the content? I was expecting to see Lucy's reflective journey as she grows, but you would not be able to tell she's almost 50 based on the cover. It was more of a "whelp this is where I am" kinda story...which is a hard sell for me honestly.

I received an ecopy of this book through Netgalley; however, my opinions are my own.

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

"We were famous for that, weren't we? Women, I mean. We believed in the second act, the next great thing, the moment when fortunes would change for the better. We reinvented ourselves all the time."

LUCY CHECKS IN is a story of reinvention with a little bit of romance thrown in. At almost 50, Lucy's life has fallen apart and her second chance takes her to Rennes, France where she's been hired to rehab an old hotel filled with quirky residents. The setting is fantastic and the characters are fun but I never found myself invested. Lucy has a fraught history with her family that's never quite explained and the majority of the book is spent detailing the renovations on the hotel which I suppose were supposed to mirror the changes happening to her as well but none of it was very compelling. And then there's Bing, Lucy's love interest (who apparently tosses his head back every time he laughs - I counted at least eight instances of that description). They circle each other for the majority of the book and then boom - insta-love. I was happy they found each other but wanted to care more when they did.

I was excited to read a book with a middle aged heroine (even if the cover makes a woman who describes herself as having greying curly hair and a thickening middle look like a svelte 20-something with new highlights!) but I wish her second act had given more reason to check out LUCY CHECKS IN.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press for the copy to review.

[Danielle B · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hotel Paradis absolutely SHINED in this novel! I went into this book knowing that I'd like it but I thoroughly enjoyed it! Lucy (Lucia) is our MC and almost 50 -which we don't see that often I feel -and is starting all over. Her ex left her with no money, a lost sense of security, and the FBI in her business. (Craziness I tell ya) When she accepts the management position at a boutique hotel in Rennes, France, she starts envisioning what it will be and how it will look. Let me just tell you, she was incorrect. The hotel is old, run down, and the owner has no money. Can Lucy really breathe new life into this charming hotel?

My favorite, FAVORITE, thing about this hotel was all of the unique people who lived here that quickly became family. A place for every character and every character in it's place...am I right?! At first the sheer volume of characters was a little confusing and daunting but I assure you -they are all meant to be there. No one lifts out and I truly adored them. Especially Karl. I'd very much like to enjoy a conversation in his garden with a hot cup of coffee.

*Sighs* I highly recommend this if you enjoy women's fiction, a touch of romance, and a magical setting.

[Caroline Bartlett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the pun in the title, intentional or not. She's checking hotel guests in, rather than checking in from France!

I was introduced to Dee Ernst a couple of years ago with Maggie Finds Her Muse. Lucy Checks In had the same incredible French setting, but was an altogether different book. I love the atmosphere of this old hotel in this little French town. Ernst does a great job of painting a picture, and I can picture myself in this country town I've never been to. I'm a big fan of the save-the-small-business plot, and this book pulls it off effortlessly.

The other hallmark of Ernst's books is that the MC's aren't young and dumb. Lucy is 49 and therefore has a handful of worldly experience under her belt. So many books are about heroines in their 20s, and I often find myself frustrated with childish antics. It's refreshing to read from the POV of someone whose relationship mistakes are in the past!

I did expect a bit more romance from this book, but it was carried on its own without it. There's a hint of a flirtation between Lucy and another resident of the hotel, but it takes a backseat to Lucy's story.

I loved the ending!