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Super Host
A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
A deeply funny and shrewdly observed debut novel about being lost in the very place you know by heart.
Bennett Driscoll has had better days. A Turner Prize-nominated artist, Bennett was once a rising star. Now, at age fifty-five, his wife has left him, he hasn't sold a painting in two years, and his gallery wants to stop selling his work, claiming they'll have more value retrospectively...when he's dead. So, left with a large West London home and no income, he's forced to move into his artist's studio in the back garden and list his house on the popular vacation rental site, AirBed.
A stranger in his own home, with his daughter, Mia, off at art school, and any new relationships fizzling out at best, Bennett has trouble finding purpose in his day-to-day. That all changes when three different guests--lonely American Alicia; tortured artist Emma; and cautiously optimistic divorc�e Kirstie--unwittingly unlock the pieces of himself that have been lost to him for too long.
A deeply funny and shrewdly observed debut novel about being lost in the very place you know by heart.
Bennett Driscoll has had better days. A Turner Prize-nominated artist, Bennett was once a rising star. Now, at age fifty-five, his wife has left him, he hasn't sold a painting in two years, and his gallery wants to stop selling his work, claiming they'll have more value retrospectively...when he's dead. So, left with a large West London home and no income, he's forced to move into his artist's studio in the back garden and list his house on the popular vacation rental site, AirBed.
A stranger in his own home, with his daughter, Mia, off at art school, and any new relationships fizzling out at best, Bennett has trouble finding purpose in his day-to-day. That all changes when three different guests--lonely American Alicia; tortured artist Emma; and cautiously optimistic divorc�e Kirstie--unwittingly unlock the pieces of himself that have been lost to him for too long.
384 pages, Paperback
First published February 9, 2021
339 people are currently reading
9992 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 580 reviews
January 31, 2020
Until two years ago, Bennett Driscoll, was a full time artist: a painter, and married to Eliza. Their daughter, Mia, 19, just moved out and was going to art school.
Bennett use to paint nudes. They sold well. He was even was nominated for a prestigious British visual arts award.
However,
Bennett didn’t think it felt right to have women come to his house and remove their clothes, while raising Mia.
So, he switched to painting fruits and veggies instead.
His business took a downward dive.
His marriage took an even faster dive. After a 20 year marriage, Eliza asked for a divorce. She moved to New York with her lover.
Bennett never saw that his marriage was in trouble....he had been blind as a bat!
Bennett was a funny middle age English bloke. He could be clueless...but he was basically a caring sweet, lovable guy.
He never use to stutter over answering the question,
‘What do you do?’.
... ‘Failed artist turned AirBed host’?/!
After Eliza moved out,
Bennett rented out his suburban London family home on ‘AirBed’..... while he slept out back in a room the size of a shed.
He was recently awarded the status of ‘Super Host’ on the AirBed website— an honor he earned for having a quick response rate and excellent reviews.
Angela, was the first guest we meet. We’re invited into her thoughts;
“She’s got to stop feeling sorry for men who can’t get their shit together, but she liked Bennett when she met him yesterday, even if he is, for reasons beyond her comprehension, was living in a potting shed”
“He was kind, eager not to be in her way. She thinks she wouldn’t mind sharing the house with him. When he came home last night, she swears he was staring through the window like a sad puppy left out in the rain, but he was quick to disappear when she spotted him”.
I wanted to read this book - for fun - [it was fun] - because I, .....stutter-stutter.... > am a > stutter stutter .....
Suuuperrrr hooooost, ( Super Host), too.
Unlike Bennett- Paul and I are still married - 41 year.
For the past three years we’ve been renting out the guest house ( not a shed), in the garden, in the back of the house.
Unlike Bennett- we sleep in the family house.
Our guests are either
singles or couples who visit from every corner of the world. We have a half dozen regulars as well.
One guy visits us twice a month - 4 or 5 nights each stay.
He comes to town for work, and is gone all day.
We get many couples from San Francisco and locals who come for a staycation - spa retreat....
who want a city/fog break. Our private garden oasis serves a purpose.
....We a have authors who come here to write.
....We have administrators from colleges who come to town to recruit at the local High Schools for their colleges.
....Business people of all kinds...
....yoga enthusiasts, clothes designers, high tech folks...
....Google, Apple, eBay, Facebook, being near us - keeps us very busy.
....Our guests have a sauna to use, warm and cold pools, an outdoor private shower, and a large yard to relax in. We give them coffees, teas, variety of drinks are stocked in the fridge, protein bars, nuts, chocolates, and books.
....We’re booked 95-100% every single day of the year.
As a retirement job, it’s a surprisingly profitable business....
which almost runs itself.
....We’ve got the routine down smoothly.
....Not much drama...
(a coffee cup melted in the microwave once).
Kate Ross’s book, “Super Host”... is much more fun than anything I could write. It was especially fun being taken through the city of London.
She gives us ( raunchy sometimes)... page turning funny stories about the guests, (Bennett’s spying on them), English cocky blokes, visits to the pub, his daughter’s art school, etc.
but the real heart of the book is a look at love, loss, loneliness.
Bennett was an old fart luv bug!!!
Kate Ross is funny -
she has that British humor down cold.
I died laughing when Bennett sees the five foot painting of a clitoris that his daughter painted—
“Jesus was it hers”?, he wonders
Ha... no!
Laugh out loud funny scenes!
At the same time Kate Ross is
insightful, wise, and compassionate with her characters.
Bloody Good fun!
Bennett use to paint nudes. They sold well. He was even was nominated for a prestigious British visual arts award.
However,
Bennett didn’t think it felt right to have women come to his house and remove their clothes, while raising Mia.
So, he switched to painting fruits and veggies instead.
His business took a downward dive.
His marriage took an even faster dive. After a 20 year marriage, Eliza asked for a divorce. She moved to New York with her lover.
Bennett never saw that his marriage was in trouble....he had been blind as a bat!
Bennett was a funny middle age English bloke. He could be clueless...but he was basically a caring sweet, lovable guy.
He never use to stutter over answering the question,
‘What do you do?’.
... ‘Failed artist turned AirBed host’?/!
After Eliza moved out,
Bennett rented out his suburban London family home on ‘AirBed’..... while he slept out back in a room the size of a shed.
He was recently awarded the status of ‘Super Host’ on the AirBed website— an honor he earned for having a quick response rate and excellent reviews.
Angela, was the first guest we meet. We’re invited into her thoughts;
“She’s got to stop feeling sorry for men who can’t get their shit together, but she liked Bennett when she met him yesterday, even if he is, for reasons beyond her comprehension, was living in a potting shed”
“He was kind, eager not to be in her way. She thinks she wouldn’t mind sharing the house with him. When he came home last night, she swears he was staring through the window like a sad puppy left out in the rain, but he was quick to disappear when she spotted him”.
I wanted to read this book - for fun - [it was fun] - because I, .....stutter-stutter.... > am a > stutter stutter .....
Suuuperrrr hooooost, ( Super Host), too.
Unlike Bennett- Paul and I are still married - 41 year.
For the past three years we’ve been renting out the guest house ( not a shed), in the garden, in the back of the house.
Unlike Bennett- we sleep in the family house.
Our guests are either
singles or couples who visit from every corner of the world. We have a half dozen regulars as well.
One guy visits us twice a month - 4 or 5 nights each stay.
He comes to town for work, and is gone all day.
We get many couples from San Francisco and locals who come for a staycation - spa retreat....
who want a city/fog break. Our private garden oasis serves a purpose.
....We a have authors who come here to write.
....We have administrators from colleges who come to town to recruit at the local High Schools for their colleges.
....Business people of all kinds...
....yoga enthusiasts, clothes designers, high tech folks...
....Google, Apple, eBay, Facebook, being near us - keeps us very busy.
....Our guests have a sauna to use, warm and cold pools, an outdoor private shower, and a large yard to relax in. We give them coffees, teas, variety of drinks are stocked in the fridge, protein bars, nuts, chocolates, and books.
....We’re booked 95-100% every single day of the year.
As a retirement job, it’s a surprisingly profitable business....
which almost runs itself.
....We’ve got the routine down smoothly.
....Not much drama...
(a coffee cup melted in the microwave once).
Kate Ross’s book, “Super Host”... is much more fun than anything I could write. It was especially fun being taken through the city of London.
She gives us ( raunchy sometimes)... page turning funny stories about the guests, (Bennett’s spying on them), English cocky blokes, visits to the pub, his daughter’s art school, etc.
but the real heart of the book is a look at love, loss, loneliness.
Bennett was an old fart luv bug!!!
Kate Ross is funny -
she has that British humor down cold.
I died laughing when Bennett sees the five foot painting of a clitoris that his daughter painted—
“Jesus was it hers”?, he wonders
Ha... no!
Laugh out loud funny scenes!
At the same time Kate Ross is
insightful, wise, and compassionate with her characters.
Bloody Good fun!
May 18, 2021
I have had Kate Russo’s Super Host on my library hold list since it became available in 2020 and just finished it after my library finally purchased it. It has a cheerful cover and Ms. Russo’s team must include an incredible PR person because I heard about this book through multiple national outlets.
What I expected based on PR, book blurbs and the cover design: a cheerful, charming and funny exploration into being an Airbnb host, and the amusing characters and situations one comes across. Possibly some funny and fictional travel relationship stories woven in.
What I got: well over 50% of the book is a depressing and meandering novel fraught with unresolved mental health problems and actual violence that warrant trigger warnings, and completely do not jibe with the cover art or description of the book. The second 50% highlights a passive, immature man who needs therapy and becomes super annoying in his dufus-y approach to bachelorhood and fatherhood.
This book has only the slightest passing connection to the Airbnb hosting experience, and isn’t an interesting novel in and of itself. Not charming, not super, sorry, not sorry.
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What I expected based on PR, book blurbs and the cover design: a cheerful, charming and funny exploration into being an Airbnb host, and the amusing characters and situations one comes across. Possibly some funny and fictional travel relationship stories woven in.
What I got: well over 50% of the book is a depressing and meandering novel fraught with unresolved mental health problems and actual violence that warrant trigger warnings, and completely do not jibe with the cover art or description of the book. The second 50% highlights a passive, immature man who needs therapy and becomes super annoying in his dufus-y approach to bachelorhood and fatherhood.
This book has only the slightest passing connection to the Airbnb hosting experience, and isn’t an interesting novel in and of itself. Not charming, not super, sorry, not sorry.
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March 24, 2021
3.5 stars: I listened to Kate Russo’s debut novel, “Super Host”. I wanted an easy story that makes me giggle. I loved it, with a couple of exceptions, and look forward to more work from her.
Russo has a talent for hilarious banter and inner musings. She uses her main character, Bennett Driscoll, a 50 something has-been artist, who is fumbling along in an attempt to find relevance. His marriage and his career have gone south, and he is bordering on desperation, especially with regard to money. He decides to put his West London home on the rental site, AirBed. He is classified as a Super Host because of his ratings. As the novel opens, he spends an inordinate amount of time trying to keep his high status, hence his income.
The first renter is a young woman from New York. Her story is the sad, and it ended very oddly (one of my complaints). The next lodger is an American couple. The husband leaves the wife to attend to family in the US, and the wife, Emma, has some odd mental health “issues”. She’s an artist herself, with some serious OCD. There is a bit about an avocado, and how it should be laying in the fruit bowl which is funnier than I make it sound. Emma provides a lot of humor and her part in the novel, I loved. Yet, again, her story ended oddly.
While Emma is occupying his home, Bennett meets a bartender who he begins a romantic relationship. This is amusing because she’s attractive, and much younger than he is. Of course, he notices his love handles and all his elderly flaws. Russo does a fantastic job with Bennett’s inner dialogue and insecurities. One can’t help but root for poor, hapless Bennett.
After Emma leaves, the last lodger in the story is Kirstie, who is a British woman around his age who is trying to rebuild her life after a public divorce. While Kirstie is there, Bennett is trying to find out how his bartender girlfriend fits into his life.
So the story is about Bennett and his midlife struggles along with redefining himself. So many stories about the new beginnings at midlife generally center around women, but Russo has found a voice in Bennett. He is funny, self-deprecating, with good intentions. It’s fun to get inside a man’s head when he feels lacking.
Maybe Russo wanted this to be in vignette form of three stories with one common thread. I enjoyed it and recommend it as a fun romp.
Russo has a talent for hilarious banter and inner musings. She uses her main character, Bennett Driscoll, a 50 something has-been artist, who is fumbling along in an attempt to find relevance. His marriage and his career have gone south, and he is bordering on desperation, especially with regard to money. He decides to put his West London home on the rental site, AirBed. He is classified as a Super Host because of his ratings. As the novel opens, he spends an inordinate amount of time trying to keep his high status, hence his income.
The first renter is a young woman from New York. Her story is the sad, and it ended very oddly (one of my complaints). The next lodger is an American couple. The husband leaves the wife to attend to family in the US, and the wife, Emma, has some odd mental health “issues”. She’s an artist herself, with some serious OCD. There is a bit about an avocado, and how it should be laying in the fruit bowl which is funnier than I make it sound. Emma provides a lot of humor and her part in the novel, I loved. Yet, again, her story ended oddly.
While Emma is occupying his home, Bennett meets a bartender who he begins a romantic relationship. This is amusing because she’s attractive, and much younger than he is. Of course, he notices his love handles and all his elderly flaws. Russo does a fantastic job with Bennett’s inner dialogue and insecurities. One can’t help but root for poor, hapless Bennett.
After Emma leaves, the last lodger in the story is Kirstie, who is a British woman around his age who is trying to rebuild her life after a public divorce. While Kirstie is there, Bennett is trying to find out how his bartender girlfriend fits into his life.
So the story is about Bennett and his midlife struggles along with redefining himself. So many stories about the new beginnings at midlife generally center around women, but Russo has found a voice in Bennett. He is funny, self-deprecating, with good intentions. It’s fun to get inside a man’s head when he feels lacking.
Maybe Russo wanted this to be in vignette form of three stories with one common thread. I enjoyed it and recommend it as a fun romp.
March 5, 2022
Bennett was a successful artist who lived in a large home with his wife and daughter. Now he's a 55-yr old divorcé, his days as a successful artist are over, and he lives alone in the family home. What's he to do with a large house and no job? He rents it out on AirBed. Bennett's life is at a low point, but at least he's reached Super Host status. He also gets to meet a variety of people this way ... and we get to meet them too.
This is a quirky, character-driven novel that really surprised me. I was expecting something light, but quickly settled into this funny yet sometimes dark story. If you enjoy wry humor and gritty stories about relationships and human behavior, I think you'll enjoy this one.
The story is unique, but it reminded me of some recent character-driven stories I've enjoyed recently:
🔹Early Morning Riser
🔹Good Eggs
🔹We Are the Brennans
If you've enjoyed any of those, give this one a try.
This is a quirky, character-driven novel that really surprised me. I was expecting something light, but quickly settled into this funny yet sometimes dark story. If you enjoy wry humor and gritty stories about relationships and human behavior, I think you'll enjoy this one.
The story is unique, but it reminded me of some recent character-driven stories I've enjoyed recently:
🔹Early Morning Riser
🔹Good Eggs
🔹We Are the Brennans
If you've enjoyed any of those, give this one a try.
March 18, 2020
Kate Russo's charming and engaging debut centers on a formerly successful artist turned Airhub Super Host, Bennett Driscoll. The novel manages to entertain while exploring how people manage to reclaim their lives from loneliness, make art, and find new purpose. I love the light tone of satire, the emotional honesty and the sharply rendered characters. You'll be rooting for Bennett even as he wallows in indecision and cluelessness because he is so well-meaning underneath it all. Even he struggles to know if trying to be better is good enough. The women surrounding, him: love interests, daughter, ex-wife, and Airhub guests are all wiser than he is, but have their own struggles that put Bennett's privilege in perspective. Forget Russo's pedigree, read her because she is a beguiling novelist in her own right.
December 11, 2019
Oh my goodness, Kate Russo debut is so freaking good!
It’s sweet, charming, poignant, and contemporary.
I could easily have lingered in any one of the guest live’s for far longer, but she deftly gives you just enough to want more.
Bennett’s character development is also fun to watch, in the emotional roller coaster ride, steered by the women in his life!
When we’re paid to be critical readers- it’s a pleasure when your enjoy it just for the pleasure :)
Galley borrowed from the publisher.
It’s sweet, charming, poignant, and contemporary.
I could easily have lingered in any one of the guest live’s for far longer, but she deftly gives you just enough to want more.
Bennett’s character development is also fun to watch, in the emotional roller coaster ride, steered by the women in his life!
When we’re paid to be critical readers- it’s a pleasure when your enjoy it just for the pleasure :)
Galley borrowed from the publisher.
July 27, 2023
Bennett Driscoll is a 55 year old divorced artist who hasn’t sold a painting in a few years and isn’t creating many new pieces now. With his ex-wife gone and his daughter Mia now an adult, living on her own, he lists his large London home on the vacation rental website, Airbed, as a primary method to generate some income. While guests rent his home, Bennett lives in the artist studio at the back of the property.
Super Host follows Bennett as he hosts three different guests, wondering about them and interacting with them, while also maintaining his relationship with Mia and contemplating his future. The guests renting the house are dealing with their own challenges too, some more forthcoming than others.
For the most part, I liked Bennett and I enjoyed this story, including the guests’ backstories and their interactions with Bennett. I was easily able to picture the scenes throughout Super Host and Julia Whelan did a great job narrating the audiobook.
Super Host follows Bennett as he hosts three different guests, wondering about them and interacting with them, while also maintaining his relationship with Mia and contemplating his future. The guests renting the house are dealing with their own challenges too, some more forthcoming than others.
For the most part, I liked Bennett and I enjoyed this story, including the guests’ backstories and their interactions with Bennett. I was easily able to picture the scenes throughout Super Host and Julia Whelan did a great job narrating the audiobook.
April 2, 2021
Painfully mediocre, lacking any real heart and soul. This was a mostly joyless read in which every character tries too hard to be quirky and is instead just obnoxious and not worth investing in.
December 27, 2020
What a fantastic novel! I read it in one sitting this afternoon and when I clicked onto the last page on my Kindle I let out a sound similar to a child being told it is time to turn the tv off and go to bed. Please Kate Russo, from one Kate to another, please can we have a sequel??
This book sits somewhere between chick-lit which isn’t a genre I particularly like, and serious literary fiction. It is light, easy to read and plain speaking it doesn’t demand that you search constantly for hidden meaning and metaphor but it is a very intelligent novel with a lot to say about how the self that we believe we are is very different from the self that those close to us think we are.
Bennett is a fantastic protagonist and I was pleased to see that in her acknowledgments Russo says to the artist who’s music appears in the novel “Thank you for soundtracking Bennett’s life and mine.” she sees her character as a fully real person and is invested in telling his story. I like to imagine that Bennett still occupies part of her brain now (go on Kate... sequel!)
The women in his life, from the very brief glimpses of Alicia and Emma to Mia, Claire and Kirstie are slightly on the periphery of the story as Russo’s lens is aimed squarely at Bennett but nonetheless they are well drawn, real and 3 dimensional characters that you really feel for.
The only other men, Richard the overly tactile gay best friend of Mia’s and Carl the annoying yet strangely loyal fellow artist are both equally strong.
When the final crisis comes Bennett does not instantly leap to do what is ‘right’ or the most romantic thing something that would have been easy to go for as a writer, and the reason that chick-lit isn’t for me; but he remains Bennett: torn, indecisive and prone to burying his head in the sand and when he does act you can’t help but be proud of him as well as slightly exasperated at his prevarication.
A wonderful novel, Kate Russo is definitely an author I will now be following!
This book sits somewhere between chick-lit which isn’t a genre I particularly like, and serious literary fiction. It is light, easy to read and plain speaking it doesn’t demand that you search constantly for hidden meaning and metaphor but it is a very intelligent novel with a lot to say about how the self that we believe we are is very different from the self that those close to us think we are.
Bennett is a fantastic protagonist and I was pleased to see that in her acknowledgments Russo says to the artist who’s music appears in the novel “Thank you for soundtracking Bennett’s life and mine.” she sees her character as a fully real person and is invested in telling his story. I like to imagine that Bennett still occupies part of her brain now (go on Kate... sequel!)
The women in his life, from the very brief glimpses of Alicia and Emma to Mia, Claire and Kirstie are slightly on the periphery of the story as Russo’s lens is aimed squarely at Bennett but nonetheless they are well drawn, real and 3 dimensional characters that you really feel for.
The only other men, Richard the overly tactile gay best friend of Mia’s and Carl the annoying yet strangely loyal fellow artist are both equally strong.
When the final crisis comes Bennett does not instantly leap to do what is ‘right’ or the most romantic thing something that would have been easy to go for as a writer, and the reason that chick-lit isn’t for me; but he remains Bennett: torn, indecisive and prone to burying his head in the sand and when he does act you can’t help but be proud of him as well as slightly exasperated at his prevarication.
A wonderful novel, Kate Russo is definitely an author I will now be following!
December 13, 2020
The first thing I need to say about Super Host by Kate Russo is that it wasn’t meant for a senior citizen audience; too much blue language among other things. Secondly, it was less about being a Super Host for an Airbnb-like agency than I thought it was going to be. Instead, it was three short stories about women who rented the home of painter Bennett Driscoll while he stayed in his garden shed turned studio.
Basically Bennett’s mid-life crisis is peppered by a wife who has left him for another man and by his sagging career. Once a star in the art world, he has not sold a painting in some time, thus the need to rent out his house for income.
He entertains fantasies about each woman who rents his house, although he has a flesh and blood relationship with a local bartender who seems to care more about him than he does about her.
Described as funny, I did not find it so; I found it to be a sad tale about all the lonely people who have been abandoned in their marriage and have to start over. The one uplifting aspect of the novel was the warm relationship Bennett had with his daughter Mia.
Kate Russo is an author and an artist. Super Host is her debut novel.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting December 13, 2020.
I would like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.
Basically Bennett’s mid-life crisis is peppered by a wife who has left him for another man and by his sagging career. Once a star in the art world, he has not sold a painting in some time, thus the need to rent out his house for income.
He entertains fantasies about each woman who rents his house, although he has a flesh and blood relationship with a local bartender who seems to care more about him than he does about her.
Described as funny, I did not find it so; I found it to be a sad tale about all the lonely people who have been abandoned in their marriage and have to start over. The one uplifting aspect of the novel was the warm relationship Bennett had with his daughter Mia.
Kate Russo is an author and an artist. Super Host is her debut novel.
My review will be posted on Goodreads starting December 13, 2020.
I would like to thank PENGUIN GROUP Putnam for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.
May 31, 2021
It's fair to say that I started out liking the tone, tempo, and theme of the book -- an artist who is no longer popular makes money by renting on his large family home while he lives in the detached studio. His wife has left him and he is trying to navigate the world of his nineteen-year-old-daughter with whom he is attempting to be close in her world of gay friends, rap music, and open sexual innuendo. The book started out with the main character (Bennett) being declared a Super Host by the online AirBnB type rental app where his property is listed. I expected a lot of humor and, ultimately, a plot where there is growth.
At the beginning of the book, a friendless, lonely woman (who has emerged from a bad relationship) stays on the property. I thought the focus of the book would be on those two and perhaps ultimately wind up with Bennett and her (Alicia) finding themselves through each other and the world of of AirBnb. I was wrong.
The book soon turns into a focus on the imperceptive and stalker-ish Bennett, who seems to take an unhealthy interest in the women who stay on his property. Alicia disappears pretty quickly and then Emma appears. Then Kirstie, the ex-wife of a famous actor. In between, Bennett finds himself a girlfriend, but he is no more perceptive with her than he had been with his wife or Kirstie. The book is pretty much all about Bennett not being able to love properly or notice much about the women he becomes fixated on. Why they bother with him is beyond me. He needs more help in understanding the emotions of others than anyone could possibly give him.
Throughout the book, Bennett acknowledges that he is not very good at noticing the women in the relationships that he is in. I think the author was trying to muster sympathy for Bennett, and thus muster rooting for Bennett as he was moving forward trying to be better about his ability to commit. For me, it didn't work. The book does end with Bennett making a commitment to one of the women in his life, but it was angering that the woman even answered him after what occurred. The sequel to this book would presumably the second act of Bennett noticing nothing but himself and the next woman who failed to change that.
At the beginning of the book, a friendless, lonely woman (who has emerged from a bad relationship) stays on the property. I thought the focus of the book would be on those two and perhaps ultimately wind up with Bennett and her (Alicia) finding themselves through each other and the world of of AirBnb. I was wrong.
The book soon turns into a focus on the imperceptive and stalker-ish Bennett, who seems to take an unhealthy interest in the women who stay on his property. Alicia disappears pretty quickly and then Emma appears. Then Kirstie, the ex-wife of a famous actor. In between, Bennett finds himself a girlfriend, but he is no more perceptive with her than he had been with his wife or Kirstie. The book is pretty much all about Bennett not being able to love properly or notice much about the women he becomes fixated on. Why they bother with him is beyond me. He needs more help in understanding the emotions of others than anyone could possibly give him.
Throughout the book, Bennett acknowledges that he is not very good at noticing the women in the relationships that he is in. I think the author was trying to muster sympathy for Bennett, and thus muster rooting for Bennett as he was moving forward trying to be better about his ability to commit. For me, it didn't work. The book does end with Bennett making a commitment to one of the women in his life, but it was angering that the woman even answered him after what occurred. The sequel to this book would presumably the second act of Bennett noticing nothing but himself and the next woman who failed to change that.
March 29, 2021
Disappointing. I went into this one in need of a light, feel-good, enjoyable and fluffy read. The way it was marketed, that is also what I expected. But I found it to be strangely dark, depressing and unfortunately inconsistent novel. There were violent moments and loads of mental health issues -- none of which I expected. I also found the main character unlikable to the point that I couldn't find any compassion or empathy for him.
Read
December 27, 2021Bennet, an aging newly divorced father, whose artistic career is on the downturn, becomes an AirB&B host, renting out his ex-marital home, as he sleeps on a futon in his tiny garden studio. As we encounter three very different women staying at his home, each lonely or stuck in their own way, he embarks on a new relationship with a woman, struggles with inspiration, and makes a connection with his artistic daughter. I loved the character studies of each of the women, and could have spent more time in their complicated lives. And even with all his flaws, I ended up rooting for Bennet, in all his cluelessness and ineptitude! A story of love, loneliness, art and finding renewed inspiration in work and life. I was really charmed by this simple, contemporary novel. Nothing much happens, but I enjoyed the ride. Funny, poignant and perceptive.
December 27, 2021
I’m trying to forgive my library system for placing a Romance genre label on the spine of this book because it is most DEFINITELY not that. However, I did find it surprisingly addictive and I’m still trying to decide just why I found Bennett so damn likable. But nevertheless, I certainly did and I devoured this book in half a day. Maybe because he was just so so REAL. And the reality of the women’s lives surrounding him hit hard as well, and he just never pretended to be anything he wasn’t ~ a 55 year old artist trying to make a comeback while bumbling and stumbling with everyone around him. It was endearing I guess. Not a “light and charming” read by any means as some of the blurbs seem to suggest, but quirky and sometimes very dark and sometimes bleak but ultimately triumphant.
CW: sexual assault, OCD, alcoholism, domestic assault ~ all in side characters
CW: sexual assault, OCD, alcoholism, domestic assault ~ all in side characters
September 25, 2023
When i heard about this book the first thing i did was look up Kate Russo to see if she was the daughter of my favorite author, Richard Russo. (She is.)
I really liked this book. Bennett is a newly divorced lonely guy who used to be a rather famous painter but now runs an Airbnb to support himself. He lives in his tiny art studio while different guests (who we get to meet in different chapters) inhabit his large home. I liked the character of Bennett very much. He is sensitive, charming, funny, vulnerable, polite, uncertain and excruciatingly obtuse. We all know men who are like this. (In fact, the character reminded me of my youngest brother.) My favorite guest, Kirstie, at one points ask him why he never asks questions. I liked Bennett, but i would never want to be married to him.
The whole time i was reading this book i kept thinking about Kate being Richard Russo’s daughter. Richard writes women as protagonists very well and Kate does very well writing a man as the main character. Her writing reminds me of her father’s and I can’t help but feel that she and her father must have a very close relationship. I wondered often how much Bennett is like her father.
Another character that figures prominently in the book is Claire, the bartender Bennett meets and who becomes his muse and lover. Bennett becomes conflicted between Claire and his Airbnb guest, Kirstie, who has her own demons but is a nurturing soul and friend.
I liked both Kirstie and Claire. I felt that Kate Russo wrote Bennett’s indecision about what he wants in a very real way that i think we can all relate to and at the same time want to smack Bennett to come to his senses and figure it all out. I was rooting for Bennett all the way.
I really liked this book and i look forward to reading more from her.
I really liked this book. Bennett is a newly divorced lonely guy who used to be a rather famous painter but now runs an Airbnb to support himself. He lives in his tiny art studio while different guests (who we get to meet in different chapters) inhabit his large home. I liked the character of Bennett very much. He is sensitive, charming, funny, vulnerable, polite, uncertain and excruciatingly obtuse. We all know men who are like this. (In fact, the character reminded me of my youngest brother.) My favorite guest, Kirstie, at one points ask him why he never asks questions. I liked Bennett, but i would never want to be married to him.
The whole time i was reading this book i kept thinking about Kate being Richard Russo’s daughter. Richard writes women as protagonists very well and Kate does very well writing a man as the main character. Her writing reminds me of her father’s and I can’t help but feel that she and her father must have a very close relationship. I wondered often how much Bennett is like her father.
Another character that figures prominently in the book is Claire, the bartender Bennett meets and who becomes his muse and lover. Bennett becomes conflicted between Claire and his Airbnb guest, Kirstie, who has her own demons but is a nurturing soul and friend.
I liked both Kirstie and Claire. I felt that Kate Russo wrote Bennett’s indecision about what he wants in a very real way that i think we can all relate to and at the same time want to smack Bennett to come to his senses and figure it all out. I was rooting for Bennett all the way.
I really liked this book and i look forward to reading more from her.
March 15, 2021
Thank you to Goodreads and Putnam for a digital copy through Goodreads giveaways. I wanted to love this book so much as I loved the premise. Kate Russo knows how to write, but this is a very inward novel. We spend a lot of time in these charcters' heads and as they are ALL in crisis, it was a little bit too much. The viewpoint shifts and the outcome seems to be that Bennett the main character needs to come to terms with his selfish egotistical self. The women in this book have been wronged by men, but there does not seem to be a decent man in the book, except for the gay barrista. At the end, Bennett may be self aware, but ultimately, these characters and myself could have parted ways sooner.
August 29, 2021
Our hapless protagonist, going through a mid-life crisis in his love life and work, rents out his house on Airbnb - cue for an engaging series of guests and their emotional problems. The humour is subtle, underscored with character-revealing dialogue and sardonic inner musings. And although there’s a poignant underlying theme of loss and loneliness, it is entertaining, raunchy, and enormous fun - with the added bonus of lessons in creating art.
Read & reviewed for Whichbook.net
Read & reviewed for Whichbook.net
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February 13, 2021I didn't finish the book. I kept waiting for it to become funny and/or satirical, as the blurb advertised, and I just didn't find any humor in it at all. I found it offensive in places and depressing in others. I certainly wouldn't recommend it to anyone who prefers milder language in their books.
March 4, 2021
Super Host was for the most part a fun book to read during the pandemic, as we are all about our homes, and this book is very much home-based. The premise is that "Airbed" Super Host and and trying-to-make-a-comeback-as-an-artist Bennett Driscoll supports himself post-divorce by renting out his large house in a posh Chiswick neighborhood (London) while he paints and lives in a small artist studio behind the house. Though he advertises that renters will not even know he's there, he becomes interested in all of his female renters, all of whom are very much aware of his presence just steps away from their house.
I enjoyed the interactions between Super Host and his female "Airbed" guests.
The book was quite funny, and Bennett's dry sense of humor made me laugh out loud several times.
But when disaster strikes with his girlfriend the book takes a nosedive. While the ending is supposedly uplifting and hopeful, real-world experience tells the mature reader that he's heading for a calamitous life filled with pain and sorrow with someone who is immature, impulsive and unable to communicate honestly. Bennett has supposedly finally figured out what he wants at the end, but it's too abrupt and not believable. I was left thinking that he will soon discover his mistake, again, and will have tremendous regrets, again.
Additionally distracting was the fact that Penguin Audio used an American to narrate this English story. Julia Whelan is a great narrator (and author in her own right) but her English accents are inconsistent, and she never decides whether to narrate the English characters' texts with an American or English accent, so she does some in each.
I would seek out other books by author Kate Russo, but in my opinion Super Host was a near miss.
I enjoyed the interactions between Super Host and his female "Airbed" guests.
The book was quite funny, and Bennett's dry sense of humor made me laugh out loud several times.
But when disaster strikes with his girlfriend the book takes a nosedive. While the ending is supposedly uplifting and hopeful, real-world experience tells the mature reader that he's heading for a calamitous life filled with pain and sorrow with someone who is immature, impulsive and unable to communicate honestly. Bennett has supposedly finally figured out what he wants at the end, but it's too abrupt and not believable. I was left thinking that he will soon discover his mistake, again, and will have tremendous regrets, again.
Additionally distracting was the fact that Penguin Audio used an American to narrate this English story. Julia Whelan is a great narrator (and author in her own right) but her English accents are inconsistent, and she never decides whether to narrate the English characters' texts with an American or English accent, so she does some in each.
I would seek out other books by author Kate Russo, but in my opinion Super Host was a near miss.
February 9, 2021
Bennett Driscoll's life changed when his daughter left to attend art school, and his wife just, well, left him. Formerly a successful artist, he traded painting nudes for vegetables( what, there is a story here, I promise). So what does Bennett do? Rents out his house on AirBed and moves into his studio out back.
The interactions between Bennett and his guests were charming and often laugh out loud funny. Did I mention that I am thoroughly enamored by British humor, yep, I am almost certain to crack up! It was great to see Bennett overcoming his sadness and loneliness, and figuring out what comes next.
A very funny debut that I read on a day when self-isolating (5 months, 12 days) had me feeling down and suffering from a reading slump. This feel-good book was just what my face needed to remember how to laugh and smile.
The interactions between Bennett and his guests were charming and often laugh out loud funny. Did I mention that I am thoroughly enamored by British humor, yep, I am almost certain to crack up! It was great to see Bennett overcoming his sadness and loneliness, and figuring out what comes next.
A very funny debut that I read on a day when self-isolating (5 months, 12 days) had me feeling down and suffering from a reading slump. This feel-good book was just what my face needed to remember how to laugh and smile.
March 30, 2023
Peut-être Kate Russo a-t-elle voulu écrire les femmes et leur sensualité. Peut-être la traductrice n'était-elle pas d'accord avec ce point de vue et a tout saccagé. Peut-être l'autrice est-elle foncièrement problématique. Je n'en sais rien. Ce que je sais, c'est que ce que j'ai lu est un condensé de mysoginie. De nombreuses femmes gravitent autour du personnage principal, et elles sont toutes vues par un biais sexualisant au possible. Il n'y a bien qu'avec sa fille qui ne s'imagine pas coucher. Le roman est bourré d'à priori sexistes et misogynes, de pensées malaisantes et problématiques. Kate Russo aurait mieux fait de se concentrer sur le processus créatif de son personnage, peintre, car c'est là les seuls moments humains du livre. Il n'y a pas la moindre remise en question de la part de Bennett, qui pourtant se dit deux ou trois fois qu'il a des pensées sexistes, avant de conclure par un tant pis. Ce livre, décrit comme malin et plein d'humour par les critiques, n'a pour avantage que la rapidité à laquelle il se lit.
January 6, 2020
If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be charming.
This is a story about a rental home in the UK, the people who stay there, and the Super Host in charge. It flips between their storylines much like a rental gets turned around every few days. Our Super Host, Bennett, is an aging artist struggling with the sudden departure of his wife to America. He's trying very hard to be there for his daughter and struggles with complacency when doing nothing seems like the easy way to live. However, each guest that stays at his house sparks something in him to get him moving and push forward, realizing that life still has so much more to offer him. His guests also have great stories of their own and their stay at Bennet's house is an adventure on it's own.
Fill with warmth and heartbreak, every character feels real -- like someone you'd pass on the street or have a drink with at a bar. They construct this fun story that will leave you with a smile.
This is a story about a rental home in the UK, the people who stay there, and the Super Host in charge. It flips between their storylines much like a rental gets turned around every few days. Our Super Host, Bennett, is an aging artist struggling with the sudden departure of his wife to America. He's trying very hard to be there for his daughter and struggles with complacency when doing nothing seems like the easy way to live. However, each guest that stays at his house sparks something in him to get him moving and push forward, realizing that life still has so much more to offer him. His guests also have great stories of their own and their stay at Bennet's house is an adventure on it's own.
Fill with warmth and heartbreak, every character feels real -- like someone you'd pass on the street or have a drink with at a bar. They construct this fun story that will leave you with a smile.
February 3, 2020
I struggle with what to say about this book, because I think it’s well-written, and I cared about the characters, but I found Bennett himself less and less likable as the book went on. I really liked his daughter, and all the Air Bed women - in fact, I would happily read a novel about any of them, especially Kirstie, although all of their stories were pretty sad.
April 3, 2021
Super Host was SUPER disappointing! Yuck! This wasn’t even a story, but just vignettes of different people who come in and out of Bennett’s life. Their stories are weird, uninteresting and even upsetting. Also I felt the author went out of her way to see how many times she could say f$&* and d#$& for no apparent reason. Pass on this one.
May 10, 2021
I was expecting a fun, light read, based on the marketing for this book, but instead found it dark and depressing. I could not bring myself to care at all about the “problems” of the well off middle aged middle class white man main character, who I found to be creepy, especially from the point of view of basically all of the female characters. I don’t recommend this one.
February 17, 2021
There's no shortage of oddball characters in this novel featuring a British Airbnb owner, but for me, it just didnt come together. Probably a good beach read
June 3, 2021
I quit at 35 pages in. The unnecessary language and sexual references just didn’t warrant reading any more. Too many actual good books out there to waste my time in this one.
January 21, 2022
So many lonely people. I struggled under the weight of them. But the last 1/4 of the book surprised me in its depth - a true character study. It stuck the landing.
December 10, 2025
A couple of things to know:
1) Roots Manuva is a real artist. Those lyrics that are so repetitive and nonsensical throughout the book are really but really do not translate well from their songs to the page
2) this is not a cutesy collection of fun characters brought together through airbed
3) Bennett Driscoll is a sex-absorbed weirdo that does not get better the more you read the book
1) Roots Manuva is a real artist. Those lyrics that are so repetitive and nonsensical throughout the book are really but really do not translate well from their songs to the page
2) this is not a cutesy collection of fun characters brought together through airbed
3) Bennett Driscoll is a sex-absorbed weirdo that does not get better the more you read the book
February 8, 2021
Super Host by Kate Russo. Thanks to @putnambooks for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Bennett Driscoll is recently divorced and hasn’t sold his artwork in years. He rents out his nice home, living in his art studio on the property. As three women consecutively rent his home, they each have an effect on his life.
This is one of my favorite type contemporary fictions, a bit depression, a bit funny, and maybe even slightly uplifting at times. I enjoyed reading it and loved the hilarious moments that were scattered throughout. The three women that rent out Bennett’s house almost are like short stories within the story. I did enjoy reading about them, but I wish it all tied in a bit more. I was hoping the ending would do that, but it still left me a little unraveled between all three of the women and Bennett’s life. It was interesting seeing how they each affected his life, but I was still left a bit wanting at the end. Overall, still an enjoyable read and I am thankful for this surprise mail that I received.
“His house might be nothing more than a conveyor belt of single women who come into his orbit and leave again. It’s a perfect setup, really. Amazing more single men haven’t thought of it.”
Super Host comes out 2/9.
Bennett Driscoll is recently divorced and hasn’t sold his artwork in years. He rents out his nice home, living in his art studio on the property. As three women consecutively rent his home, they each have an effect on his life.
This is one of my favorite type contemporary fictions, a bit depression, a bit funny, and maybe even slightly uplifting at times. I enjoyed reading it and loved the hilarious moments that were scattered throughout. The three women that rent out Bennett’s house almost are like short stories within the story. I did enjoy reading about them, but I wish it all tied in a bit more. I was hoping the ending would do that, but it still left me a little unraveled between all three of the women and Bennett’s life. It was interesting seeing how they each affected his life, but I was still left a bit wanting at the end. Overall, still an enjoyable read and I am thankful for this surprise mail that I received.
“His house might be nothing more than a conveyor belt of single women who come into his orbit and leave again. It’s a perfect setup, really. Amazing more single men haven’t thought of it.”
Super Host comes out 2/9.
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