Book Review: The Heartbreak Hotel
Here’s my review of The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’ve read it or plan to read it, or if you have any other book recommendations to share.
The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover is a perfect romance novel to read during the autumn months. It’s heartwarming and charming with a dash of spice and mystery and will delight any reader who enjoys a slow-burn romance that’s character-driven and offers emotional depth.
This novel offers a beautiful scenic autumn backdrop that will have you wanting to visit a bed and breakfast in the Colorado mountains as soon as you can. And, as someone who lives in Colorado, I can attest to the authentic ambiance it offers. The Rockies are truly beautiful and therapeutic, as demonstrated in this novel.
This novel is also great for readers who appreciate characters who have complicated family relationships and dynamics. At first, I was frustrated with Lou and how she engaged with her self-absorbed, absent mother and somewhat controlling sister. But toward the end of the novel, I grew to better understand and appreciate Lou’s strengths as an empathetic healer through these complicated relationships, once she learns how to trust and rely on others as much as they trust and rely on her.
I especially loved Lou’s relationship with her friend Mei. Their banter was often hilarious but also heartwarming and sincere. And I loved reading about the relationships Lou formed with the unique guests at The Comeback Inn, as they demonstrated how each person deals with heartbreak differently, and that heartbreak can bring people together in extraordinary ways when they’re willing to be vulnerable with others and want to heal. In a lot of ways, this novel was as much about building healthy friendships and family bonds as it was about romance, which I appreciated, as you often can’t have one without the others.
Lou’s budding relationship with Henry was also interesting and enjoyable to follow, as they both learned how to trust themselves and each other. Their relationship was riddled with secrets and mysteries, however, which kept me curious and turning pages. I had to find out what was behind Henry’s sometimes odd behavior, and how Lou was going to handle it in the end. There was also a major plot twist involving Henry that I did not see coming at all, which made his character even more intriguing and compelling.
Overall, I would recommend this book to those looking for a scenic, heartwarming read that offers sincere emotional depth via complex characters. Prospective readers should be aware of the heart-wrenching situations covered in this book before they decide to read it, however. This book includes narratives involving the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse, broken families, and individuals suffering from mental health conditions. So, please read with caution if you believe you will be sensitive to one or more of those storylines.
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