Hello and welcome to my stop of the The Book Club Hotel blog tour! A huge thanks to Justine Sha for inviting me to be part of this blog tour. I’ve enjoyed Sarah Morgan‘s writing in the past, and I always love a contemporary with a bookish angle… So of course I couldn’t resist this newest story. And I’m happy to announce that ended up having an excellent time with this Christmas romance! Want to know why? Please join me while I share my thoughts.

Title: The Book Club Hotel
Author: Sarah Morgan
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
First published: September 19th 2023
Publisher: Canary Street Press
Finished reading: August 13th 2023
Pages: 385

“Sometimes, she’d discovered, remembering the best of times sustained you through the worst.”

*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and Canary Street Press in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***

REVIEW

While it’s true that I don’t usually read Christmas themed stories unless it’s December, I can also never seem to resist a good contemporary with a bookish/travel element. The Book Club Hotel seemed to be offering both and I’ve enjoyed Sarah Morgan‘s writing in the past, so in the end I simply couldn’t resist the opportunity to read this newest story early. And I think this might just be my new favorite book by this author! The Vermont setting, the characters, the bookish references… This turned out to be a wonderful Christmas romance.

As far as Christmas stories go, the Vermont setting couldn’t have been more perfect. The snow, the small town, the many descriptions of Maple Sugar Inn and its surroundings; they made for the perfect backdrop for this story, and it made me wish I could visit there myself. I also liked how the Christmas season was present, but not the main focus of the plot itself… Instead, The Book Club Hotel focuses a lot on family, friendship, relationship issues as well as a dose of romance. There were more serious moments than expected incorporated into the plot, but as a whole I still thought it was quite balanced out with the lighter elements.

The Book Club Hotel uses a multiple POV structure, switching between the four female main characters in play here. Each of them has their own problems and background, and it was interesting to see them react to the things happening in the plot. True, certain aspects were a bit cliche, and I did see some of the ‘twists’ coming from the very beginning, but as a whole I enjoyed spending time with them. I could have done with some of the twists that seemed to have been incorporated simply to create tension and conflict for the sake of conflict… But those are only minor niggles.

The main focus is on the character development, and most of them were both flawed and surprisingly easy to like. Sure, there were certain aspects about some of the characters that annoyed me, but there is no denying that I was invested in what happened to them. I especially liked the growth in Erica and the little Delphi was a true delight. The romance wasn’t as present as expected in The Book Club Hotel, but I appreciated how it was a slowburn romance and I liked the couple together.

If you are looking for a Christmas contemporary to read this holiday season, and like your stories to focus on more than just romance, The Book Club Hotel will be an excellent choice. While there are more serious topics incorporated as well, as a whole it still gives off that feel-good vibe and holiday cheer.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.

USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes lively, sexy contemporary stories for Harlequin.

Romantic Times has described her as ‘a magician with words’ and nominated her books for their Reviewer’s Choice Awards and their ‘Top Pick’ slot. In 2012 Sarah received the prestigious RITA® Award from the Romance Writers of America. She lives near London with her family.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Author Website // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram // Goodreads

BUY LINKS

BookShop.org // Harlequin // Barnes & Noble // Books A Million // Amazon

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