This was the Teachers and Friends Book Club selection for July. If you've read any of my reviews for Book Club choices, you know we try to match characters/settings to our meeting location. Originally the plan was to do a "beachy read" and meet on the beach. But, that week turned out to be oppressively hot and humid, so others asked we postpone. Our meeting is tonight at Oak Beach Grill, so at least we got the "beach" part in even though it's raining.
I'll be the first to admit, when this came I kinda eye rolled. I just knew this wasn't going to be my cup of tea. It looked romancey and "girl reinvents herself"ish. However, the cover flap blurb said one of our main characters is the hotel's resident ghost, so I figured I'd try to get through it.
I was so very wrong. I loved this book.
The titular hotel has been in disrepair for some time. Once a grand vacation spot, a fire in the 1920s left it damaged and supposedly (actually) haunted. A series of owners, less invested than the last, have left the property in ruins. Until a British billionaire decides to make it his pet project. He hires a local woman, most recently a restaurant manager fresh off a bad breakup, to manage with the goal of an elusive 5 star review from a social media influencer.
This was both funny and heartwarming (especially as Grace the ghost learns modern colloquialisms). From a giant pitbull to a child chess prodigy to a rich kid turned maid to a show tune signing gay bellman, I smiled way more than I thought I would, and did not roll my eyes once. This was Fawlty Towers meets The Birdcage meets Clue.
I'll be adding this to our collection when we return!
All opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of Mrs. W.
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