Lucy Checks In

An MC that is (almost) 50? Who has a romance? Yes please! One quibble though - does the author really think 50 is that old? When the couple finally gets together (he's 55) they have one round of not so great sex and then say "well, if we were younger we'll give it another go but hey, let's go for a walk instead?" That isn't me or any of the people in their 50s that I know. We can still go multiple rounds in a day! Especially when it's a new lover.

Otherwise, this book is about Lucy, who after having gone through a horrific personal and professional incident finds herself taking a job that challenges all the doubts that have crept in during the aftermath. We see her navigating her family, creating a new found family, and rediscovering show more just how good at her job she is. A lot of books set in France by USians writers end up being so nauseating in their gushing about that country but this one sets just the right balance in giving us a window into life there without fawning over it. It has a wonderful cast of characters and gives us strong female friendships. I just loved this book. show less

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 show more 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. show less

This isn't the first story that has taken place during a hotel renovation, but this has an interesting twist in the City of Love, Paris.

Lucia Gianetti made a name for herself as the general manager of The Fielding Hotel in NYC, making it one of the most desired places to be until a man she thought she loved, Tony Fielding, deserted her with all of the profits. "I had been in love with a marvelous, cultured, successful man who I'd thought loved me back until he ran off with millions of dollars and left me to deal with the unpaid staff, the angry guests, the FBI, the unions. and the investors." Everyone figured she must have known.

With very little in her bank account, she returned reluctantly to live with her parents. Then two years show more later, a new opportunity was presented in Paris. She was thrilled as this could be her chance to bring back her name in her early 40s managing and renovating the Hotel Paradis. But this small boutique hotel needed more work than expected without a staff. Nothing much had been done since the war. She needed to buy jeans and start painting the walls. After lots of tears, she realized with her six-month contract, she was determined to make it work. Claudine, the owner, told her, "No one works harder than a person with something to prove."

The reader got a feel for what it would be like to turn around a hotel without extra funds. But in this story, everything seemed just too perfect and predictable. There wasn't a staff; but six investors that lived in the house who were ready to work with their skills that just happened to be exactly what was needed to bring back the hotel to its glory. Of course, we were hoping Lucia would fall in love as that was part of the charm of the book. However, her age and "salt-and-pepper curls" didn't line up really well with the girl on the cover. While reading, I smiled a lot with humor that kept the story moving. I could picture the author also smiling as she wrote the words and created the characters. Overall, 3.5 stars.

My thanks to Dee Ernst, St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy with the expected release date of August 16, 2022. show less

Cute cover. A horrific scandal and heartbreak. A second chance and a nice, sweet story. Sometimes we need the light ones to enjoy when life gets hectic. I really liked Lucy and her redemptive storyline. I can't imagine starting over at 50 and I found myself rooting for Lucy at every turn. This one was cute and just what I needed!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Lucia "Lucy" Giannetti is enjoying her career as a hotel manager in NYC which also provides her living accommodations. When Lucy makes the mistake of becoming romantically involved with the hotel owner, her life takes a dramatic free fall. Apparently, the owner skipped town taking millions of dollars with him and consequently leaving Lucy unemployed. The Fielding Hotel scandal forced Lucy to move back home to reevaluate her life.

Two years later, she is 49 years-old and starting over in Renne, France where she is hired to manage Hotel Paradis. She is less than excited when she arrives and find the hotel is not what she expected. She finds she is now a manger of a charming but extremely run-down hotel in need of a make over to draw show more tourists. Fortunately, there are still some employees willing to help renovate the old building, including attractive, annoying artist, Bing. Of course, just as life starts to make sense again, Lucy receives some news from home which alters her life plans once again.

This is a lovely romance novel with the main character an older woman who seeks a new beginning in a different country with different cultures. It demonstrates how resilience and romance is possible at any age.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for sending this book for review
consideration. All opinions are my own. show less

This was a very pleasant book! A woman, beset by scandal, gets a new beginning in France. Now I want to move to France! A happy story about starting over, figuring out your own strength and finding love.

"I’ve lived long enough to know that you should never discount another person’s beliefs just because they aren’t in line with your own."

“You cannot spend the rest of your life doubting yourself because one person managed to make a fool of you.”

"Do not look backward, Lucy. Continue to look forward, because that is where your life is going. It will never go back.”

"Women, even the most independent women, need to be shown they are loved. Valued.”

“Letting a woman know how important she is to a man is a most valuable weapon.”

Lucy Checks In was the first book I read while on holiday and it was the perfect choice. It was light-hearted and feel-good while still having plenty of story substance in it. The plot follows along as show more Lucy rebuilds her life and connects with new people in Rennes, France where she is the Hotel Manager for Hotel Paradis. I enjoyed all the character development and the ending. show less