The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover
Publication Date: September 23rd 2025 by Berkley
Pages: 352
Source: Publisher
Rating: ★★★★
My
Thoughts:
Louisa’s life unravels when her longtime boyfriend, a famous
rocker, suddenly ends their relationship. On top of that, she’s just failed her
therapy licensing exam, despite completing her degree. But what hits hardest
isn’t the breakup or the professional setback, it’s the thought of losing the
old Victorian home she’s shared with him for years. With her ex having
supported her financially, Lou can no longer afford to stay.
Desperate to hold on to the place that’s been her sanctuary,
Lou comes up with an idea: she’ll turn the house into an inn for the
brokenhearted. All she needs is her landlord Henry’s approval. Though hesitant
at first, Henry agrees, and as the project unfolds, the two find themselves
drawn together. Their shared vulnerability and emotional wounds slowly give way
to trust, connection, and love.
I didn’t immediately connect with Lou. Her dependence on a
man who was often absent and distant made her situation hard to sympathize
with. But as her backstory emerged, I began to understand her choices, and my
empathy grew. I also struggled with the idea of her running an inn for others
dealing with heartbreak when she seemed to be kind of a mess. But once I
realized she wasn’t offering therapy, just a safe, welcoming space for guests
to decompress and feel heard, the concept felt more grounded and sincere.
Watching Lou and Henry confront their past and grow together
was deeply rewarding. Their struggles felt authentic, and their journey toward
healing was tender and uplifting. The Heartbreak Hotel is a sweet,
emotionally resonant story about second chances, personal growth, and the
unexpected places love can bloom.
4 Stars
Book Description:
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.
She asks 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.
