The Heartbreak Hotel

By: Ellen O'Clover

Narrated by: Brittany Pressley

A bed-and-breakfast for the brokenhearted might hold the key to another chance at love in this achingly hopeful debut romance.

Louisa Walsh emerged from a tumultuous childhood with a degree in counseling, a wealthy boyfriend, and her sunny outlook on life mostly intact. But that optimism is tested when she’s dumped and left unable to afford rent on their gorgeous house in the mountains of Colorado. Even with her life in disarray, Lou knows losing the one stable place she’s ever called home is not an option.

Her plan: ask her reclusive landlord, Henry Rhodes, to let her stay for free in exchange for renting out the house’s many rooms as a bed-and-breakfast. She’s shocked when he agrees to her terms, and even more surprised to discover Henry is a handsome thirtysomething veterinarian with silver at his temples and sadness in his eyes. One who does not take it well when Lou starts marketing her B and B as a retreat for the recently heartbroken.

But as the Comeback Inn opens its doors to its weary, hopeful guests, Lou and Henry find themselves dancing around both their undeniable connection and the closely held secrets that threaten to topple this fragile new start. A chance at love, here, could be too close to home…or it could be exactly where their hearts finally heal.

Loving - Honest just a darn good book.

I loved the characters. Both of them were flawed but together so good. Even the minor characters meant something to the storyline.

Wait this is actually kind of sad

Lou, you are lucky to have dodged the Nate bullet. Plus, you got the amazing house.

The characters are realistic (dealing with real people problems), the setting idyllic (the house really should be in architectural digest), and the plot surprisingly original.

I really liked the premise, the therapy bed and breakfast in the mountains idea is genius, but Lou probably should've sorted herself out before playing therapist (or misleading people into thinking she has her license), or maybe not promise a healing getaway if she's gonna leave guests hanging (by getting freaky in the bathroom).

The book cover and summary don't give enough credit to how well this story handles grief and trauma. It's surprisingly good at tackling the heavy stuff.

Heartfelt

This was an uplifting emotional story about grieving and healing. It also was a story about believing in yourself and seeing yourself. Giving yourself the credit you deserve.

Sad to see it end

What a lovely ride. The layers of grief and love come together to give hope even in the darkest of days.

Story & narrator

Loved this story so much. Brittany Pressley has the best voice! Perfect combination! 5 stars.

GREAT Story!

Couldn't put this down. Wonderful story with believable character development. Narrator was only negative aspect - not awful, but voice got shrill and silly-sounding for some key scenes, Affected seeming maturity of main character who was otherwise quite likeable.

Devastating and hopeful. Grief and love all in one

This is the best book I’ve read in a year of devouring rom coms. I loved the characters so deeply. I cried so much in the best way.

Lackluster

I was recommended this book on booktok. I thought I would enjoy the premise. It was a messy story about a newly graduated therapist suffering a breakup. Except she has never utilized her training to understand her motivations, feelings, or family issues. Lou comes across as selfish and self serving but is supposed to be a selfless woman. She is nosey, lacks sympathy towards her love interest and essentially just wants him to be open with her while she hides the parts of herself she is ashamed of. It just fell short for me. The characters felt one dimensional.

Incredibly Relateable

Such a warm; heartfelt story. I saw myself in Lou, May and Lou’s sister. Going through a break up with someone in the spotlight. Then struggling to figure out how to make it through and then meeting someone unexpectedly. Who you literally fall deeply in love with but scared to share the chaos of your life with him. I can relate to all of that. Even the whimsical behavior from their mother. The only thing that I was a little disappointed with was at the end when Lou gave Henry the gift. I was hoping it was going to be a positive pregnancy test result. Molly’s wallpaper was a beautiful gesture but I felt it was time for a new beginning. With their own child.

Perfect

This was such a perfect story of love, loss and healing. The emotions and characters were so vivid and genuine. One of my favorite listens of the year!