Unfortunately I haven't been able to read and review this review book by Suanne Laqueur, A Small Hotel, that released on September 28, 2021.

Every time I finish one of Suanne Laqueur’s books I can’t help but wonder if I finished the book or if it finished me? I can never speak about her books because they always touch me on such an emotional level that it becomes exceptionally difficult to talk about them. Some might say I need time to “digest” the book first and that’s actually pretty accurate. Still, I finished reading “A Small Hotel” months ago and I still haven’t figured out how to write about it, which in its own way is testimonial to Laqueur’s amazing writing skills.

And she can write. Boy, how she can write. Right from the first moment of the book we’re already thrown into the middle of the Fiskare family and to take in everything that was happening was quite a challenge. The Fiskare family isn’t only a huge family but also a loud one and it takes a little time to get to know all the different members. Especially because almost none of them is called by their actual name which was such a relatable thing if you come from a huge family in which everyone is named after their father or mother. You get creative with nicknames and I loved that the author made this a part of her book. It gives a personal touch, it makes you relate to the characters and it causes you to love them like your own family. By the end of the book you feel like you’re a part of the family and you’re heartbroken when you have to leave them behind.

See, that’s what I mean with Laqueur’s great writing style. You get so immersed in the story by all those little details and you can’t help but fall head over heels for her characters. But that’s not all; the historical aspect of the story was done so amazingly as well. The research that went into this book must have been extremely extensive and I can only salute the author for fighting through all the historical books she must have read in order to write this. The names and dates of all the fights the characters had to go through, the historical accuracy when it comes to the route the soldiers took, from the way gay soldiers in the army were treated, right to the ammunition and rifles they used. As someone who’s interested in history and read their fair share of history books as well, I can’t help but be in awe of the author.

What Laqueur truly excels at is the emotional aspect of her stories though. You feel with the characters, you cry with them when a comrade falls, you’re angry on their behalf when you see them suffer, you want to pick them up and hug them tightly. I swear, there were moments I just wanted to jump into the book and tell them that everything would be alright. And all the while you wonder if all the boys of the family will make it back home, if they’ll survive the war they were thrown in, if they’ll be able to embrace their father and siblings again. And in Kennet’s case if he’ll finally end up with the person he loves.

I swear, the love story between Kennet and Astrid was so heart-breaking and the strong and healthy relationship with his father and siblings had me crying more than once. This family is as thick as thieves and my heart bled for all of them. The brotherly bond between Kennet and Minor actually had me weeping and for a while I wasn’t even able to see the pages of my book. But Suanne Laqueur doesn’t end her book with the war. She continues to tell her character’s story, she gives them room to process the war and to work through their traumas and even more importantly she gives them time to heal. We get the chance to witness their recovery and for me - as a reader - this was so important.

All told “A Small Hotel” was an emotional roller coaster that hit me with the force of a hurricane, knocked the breath out of me and caused me to blink away my tears. I’m still not sure if I finished the book or if the book finished me, but quite honestly it doesn’t matter. I fell in love with the Fiskare family and they’ll always have a special place in my heart. And in the end, that’s actually all that matters.

4.5 stars

This was an epically heartbreaking story balanced with beautiful moments of finding love and supporting family (by blood and by bond). But I didn’t expect anything less from the talented Suanne Laqueur. It’s definitely not a requirement to read her Fish Tales series first but I do think it made me more invested in this family. This follows the story of Kennet Fiskare in three parts. The beginning is pre-war where we meet his family and his first love, Astrid. Next was the crushing time at war (so hard to read but very well written) And finally the emotions continue with the post traumatic struggles of returning to a post war home that’s changed just as much as you have over the last few years. I won’t go into details but like always there were tears mixed with joy. Highly recommend.

This makes me sad, but I can't rate this higher than 3.
Wonderful writing, and good defined characters, but the plot was so slow!
As this was the highest rated book on my NetGalley shelf, I was saving it for my recovery from a procedure as I knew I would need great fiction to distract me.
I spent the first 20% pretty baffled by the high ratings, and wondered if it was just me. I just didn't get it. The second half certainly redeemed it for me, and I think it may be just my mindset at the moment that it is going to take me longer to get a stronghold in a book whilst my concentration levels are so low.

Outstanding historical fiction, sensitive portrayal of the brotherhood of war and the yearning to return home to life and love. World War 2 takes Kennet far from home, but the bonds are strong to return to the family hotel and the life that he wants to make for himself and Astrid.

An exceptional story told with extraordinary prose, it's about coming of age, familial loyalties, and leaving your brothers at home to find your band of brothers in war. It's richly imagined, exquisitely written, a Sweeping saga of a boy's journey into manhood, that enthralls and endears at every page.

"Saudade. The longing for things lost"

A passionate summer love affair unfinished and ripped apart, sends ripples down the lives of Nyck Fiskare & Astrid the visitor.
Throughout the book Nyck rides the waves of the ripple, going far in the world, his travel thread chronicled by pins on the board.
War is the main villain in the book, as it always is.
Nyck gains perspective, hardens into a soldier, toughens his shell, tries to muffle his heartbeats that crave home. Only One good thing comes out of the carnage is his band of brothers, his new family

"Nothing takes the place of a brother, but your men are a different breed of brothers. Family isn’t only blood. It’s also who you bleed for."

But fate pockmarks his life with so many partings, Fiskare is left wondering if it all was worth it.
Suanne is now synonymous with life altering, perspective changing stories and this one is no exception. My beloved Fiskares get their background family history. Almost bittersweet and utterly heartbreaking twists and turns had me tearing up. I shoved my face in my hands and wept.
For Fisk, for Nalle, for Hook, for Jock, for Fisha, for O'Hara, for Astrid, for Emil. Oh Emil, the helpless father hanging on to his faith and charms for his dear life. He's the most poignant character of the story and the most inspiring.

"I guess that’s the one good thing I got out of the war—figuring out what matters and what doesn’t. What’s worth fighting about and what isn’t.”"

I have to emphasize something here. Suanne's use of Italics are used in the most effective way to highlight echoes of memories, making the prose more haunting, more nostalgic. Cause what else is there to do when the war takes a break? except to breathe and dip your tongue in sweet memories to keep you facing forward.
This book is, i think, THE BEST WORK of Suanne's...yet. She constantly tops herself so I'm sure her next will be better than this one. I'm profoundly moved, it's unnecessary to fight the force of tears that build and spill over from my eyes, too late to be unaffected, too invested to be unattached with these humans.

“Bra som guld, hm? Good as gold.”

I'm just..... speechless. Yes..that's the right word. A thing of beauty that takes a moment getting used to, eliciting a giant lump that found its permanent place in my throat.
such a page turner, flawed characters trying to survive in their own circumstances as their paths cross - the difficult balance of staying alive and yet numbing their existence. Pulled at my heartstrings as Fiskare & Astrid fell in love, knowing the impossible odds against them.
I recommend you read the author's notes at the end to find out her inspiration for the book as well as the historical events that may have been changed for the flow of the story

"The pain of his long-ago beating was nothing compared to the agony of this forsaken place, where hundreds of thousands of family trees were sheared to the ground. Lives ended. Names ended. Nobody left to tell."

The historical details show the care Suanne has taken about accuracy. Her research is impeccable. The moral dilemmas of peace time life with day to day survival in a war zone in glaring contrast, Suanne streamlines the characters of Fiskare and his Band Of Brothers from sensitive humans to desensitized, numb soldiers.
Highly recommend,it's a #MustRead, Infact I'll shove it down your throats - READ IT!!
Youre an easy person to love Laqueur 💜
All the stars,as many as there's fish in the sea. Desenrascanco, Darling

In a Nutshell: A mind-blowing piece of historical fiction!

Story:
Young Kennet Fiskare, eldest son of a Swedish-origin hotel owner, is having one of his best summers in 1941. He has fallen deeply in love with their housekeeper’s visiting cousin Astrid, and almost everything seems to be going well. However, the relationship is forcibly cut short by Astrid’s familial obligations and Kennet is left to mend his broken heart with the support of his big, loving family.
When America enters WWII, Kennet finds the rigidities of military life helping his forget his pain, but not Astrid. What helps tremendously is the unbelievable bond between the soldiers, the likes of which he had never found anywhere outside of his family. It is these friendships and joint experiences (of both joy and shock) that sustains him till the end of the war. What kind of life now awaits Kennet, now a battle-worn and heartbroken soldier with just his family to look forward to?

The book begins with this verse of “There’s a Small Hotel”, a Rodgers-Hart composition:
“There’s a small hotel
With a wishing well;
I wish that we were there together.”
This represents the theme of the book superbly. The Fiskare’s small hotel serves as a home not just to the family but to so many more. And when even they are away, it is the hotel that acts as their beacon of hope for the future.

I rarely, if ever, go beyond the first 2-3 chapters of a book in my story summary. But this story is such that each of the three broad sections (pre-war, war, post-war) deserve a separate mention. The cheer and pathos of first love is so beautifully captured in the first section that you can’t help feeling happy along with the young couple. When the second section started, I was a bit saddened because I wasn’t in the mood to read yet another typical WWII narrative. Boy, was I wrong and how! This is unlike any WWII story I’ve ever read before. It was traumatic and as real as can be. It doesn't show you the glories of war. Rather, it reveals the gory side that is never ever revealed in history textbooks or in general historical fiction. The whole war section was severe on my emotions and this was the only section for which I was forced to keep the book aside in between chapters to steady my inner turmoil. The post-war section is also well-written, capturing the post-war angst perfectly. I can’t pick a favourite of these three because each of them is treated with the same attention and written with the same intensity but they are so very different in essence.

This book is about 510 pages long. But I complete it within two days flat. (With my schedule, it’s not easy.) This is a testimony not just to the beauty of the story but to the captivating writing and memorable characters. Each and every character is so well-sketched, too good to be true, at times. With Kennet, his four siblings, his parents, his uncle, the housekeeper, Astrid, and a couple of friends, it takes some times to remember who is who, especially as many of the characters have the same names. (The family chart at the start of the book helps tremendously, but also contains a spoiler.) But because of the precise writing, you will soon understand each of them and identify with them.

I can’t think of a single point of criticism against the book. (If you know me, you’ll realise that this is a minor miracle. 😉) This is a family saga, a heart-wrenching war story, a coming-of-age, a historical fiction, and a young romance – all in one. And each of these genres is done perfect justice to. Goodreads tells me that this is the first in series, and I’m eagerly looking forward to see where the author will take the Fiskare family and their small hotel next.

Are you still waiting for my recommendation? Isn’t my opinion clear? 😊

4.75 stars. (The highest I go for contemporary adult fiction.)

Thank you to Cathedral Rock Press and NetGalley for the ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely relished this book.

Suanne Laqueur does amazing things with words and A Small Hotel is another reason to read those words. Set in the early 1940s, we get to know the Fiskare family as war looms closer. The focal point is Kennet Fiskare as he falls in love, gets his heart broken, and goes farther away than he ever thought he would go, to fight a war.

Beautiful and terrible things happen in the world of war as Kennet and his brothers are sent to different parts of the world. Kennet has his heartbreak riding alongside him as he trudges through battlefields seeing the worst of humanity. He does make deep lasting friendships with a few other soldiers but the reminders of what happens in war are all around him. The scenes are not overly graphic, but still written in a way to give you a perfect visual to what Kennet sees.

If Kennet’s name is familiar, readers of Laqueur’s Fish Tales series will recognize him as part of Erik Fiskare’s family tree and the family scenes reinforce the tales told from that series. This book does completely stand on its own and for evocative and lush writing set around war, everlasting love, and the bonds of family, it’s a fabulous book you will want to read.

A Small Hotel is a beautifully written novel by Suanne Laqeuer. An historical of gigantic proportion! While an especially enriching read that has a connection with the Fish Tales Trilogy, this novel is a complete standalone where it can be loved and savored on its own merit. I was especially thrilled knowing the Fiskares are the heart of the story. We go back a few generations where we learn more of the Fiskare lineage, (thank you Suanne Laqeuer for the Fiskare Family Tree). The story embeds deep within you and you quickly come to see that these Fiskares are rich in sentiment, history, love and loyalty. The story is divided into three sections, before WWII where we are introduced to Kennet and Astrid and the family Fiskare! The next section is Kennet’s experience in WWII. While at times difficult to read, it was an excellent portrayal of that period of history. And the last section of course is the aftermath of the war, moving forward. I was completely immersed from the first page to the last. And long after reading, as with any Laqeuer novel it stays nestled in your heart and soul. An extraordinary story! I can't wait for more.

I haven't read any of Suanne's books before but after reading this one, I will be picking up her other books. The blend of emotions and experiences the characters go through was really well-written.
You can find yourself being close to the characters as they live through the war and how it shapes them individually. If you are into historical fiction and/or romance, you will enjoy reading this.

Thank you NetGalley and Cathedral Rock Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this.

A Small Hotel is magnificent. Suanne Laqueur has upped her writing game to a whole other level with this extraordinary tale. Her gift of storytelling has rendered me a bit speechless as I was consumed by the Fiskare family and their sweet life in the small town of Clayton, N.Y. And I say sweet because despite all that occurs in a span of 4 years, most being during WWII, that this remarkable brood remained hopeful when they thought of giving up. That they remained close-knit even with thousands of miles between them. But most of all, that they remained dedicated to one another no matter what would befall them.

I am awestruck at the resilience of each and every character of this book, as I heartily held tight to all of their fears, dreams, and realities even when it caused tears to fall readily. The life pre-war held huge aspirations for happiness for Kennet Fiskare and the love of his life, Astrid, and I so enjoyed watching them fall for each other, stolen glances and light touches showing their feelings when each was careful not to go tempt fate. Their summertime affair and everything that is set into motion afterward are definitely at the center of this book. But it's all things Fiskare and that decidedly cocoon-like river that they know so well that sits on the sidelines and edges of this book if you will and continues to provide comfort and stability in times of triumph and tragedy.

Kennet's time in the Army sets the stage for a good part of the narrative, Laqueur cleverly using the musings in his journal as a way to experience his life during a most brutal time in history. What he endured, what his good friends endured is enough to make one sit back and realize just how brave our soldiers were and continue to be in the fight for freedom. It's a wonder any survived at all with harsh weather conditions and the enemy always at their backs. Kennet proves himself to be a true warrior even when the unthinkable occurs at his own hand and I was grateful to him and for him that he had the fortitude to continue on. Knowing that Paps Fiskare had not only Kennet but two other sons fighting this godforsaken war was definitely a humbling moment for me. With the ravages of war a significant component of Kennet's life in the aftermath of 1945, the rebuilding of his soul was a truly remarkable albeit grueling process, and the fact that he could share it with his beloved brother Minor somehow made it slightly tolerable for both men.

I think what enamored me most was that this family was completely accepting of each other's faults and desires no matter if they were acceptable or not. Sure, punishments were doled out when actions could've proved almost too awful to consider as they were growing up but there was no mistaking that they were loved wholeheartedly no matter what occurred. You can't help but want to be a part of this proudly Swedish clan and get to feel as swell as they did when the others were around.

With all that happens in this book and some of it is downright horrific, it's the smaller moments that managed to make those tears of mine fall even harder. Whether it was an overdue and sympathetic heart-to-heart between father and son, the smile of a young boy finally free to live a better life or the gift of two pennies from a devoted younger brother, it's those gestures that make this book the masterpiece it is. It may have been a small hotel that provided a bit of respite from a busy life but its larger-than-life presence is what brought a bit of magic to those who stopped by.

I could write 10 pages about this book and how much of a gift it is for the lucky readers who pick it up. But I kept my thoughts purposely vague since it is a story you need to experience firsthand for yourself. You will fall head over heels with each of the members, whether blood or not, of this ever-expanding Fiskare family enjoying their pursuits of love, laughter, a bit of well-deserved spirits from time to time, and the chance for a better life surrounded by those they hold dear.

I am in complete love with this book and happily give A Small Hotel a huge 5+++++++ stars!! It is truly a must-read of epic proportions.

“A Small Hotel” blends fairly seamlessly the story of an American family running a hotel off the St Lawrence River in upstate NY with a fictional first hand account of WW2. I knew I was in for great writing, amazing historical details, romance, some heartbreak, and amazing characters when I pick up this book.

The book mainly focuses on Kennet Fiskare, the oldest of the Fiskare children. The book starts in the golden summer of 1941 and we watch Kennet fall in love with the cousin of their housekeeper, Marta. All the characters are amazing, but I had my favorites. I would read any book written about Minor (“Minor, mine, you are so fine.”), Junior, and Major. I loved all the folk lore and superstitions the family had, and really enjoyed learning their history.

The book follows Kennet through WW2 where we follow his story and his family’s story through journal entries, letters, even telegrams, as well as Kennet’s thoughts and experiences. I really loved this part as it focused heavily on the friendships soldiers make during war. If you love, “Band of Brothers” then you will likely love this part of the book and connect to it.

I would rate this a 4.5 but am rounding up in my stars due to the absolutely amazing characterizations that carried the whole book for me. I see that this is listed “Small Hotel #1” so this makes me hopefully I will see more from this world.

I had seen this book reviewed on a Facebook NetGalley group and once I read their review I knew I wanted to read this myself.

I’m so glad I did. I cried, I laughed, I loved. Absolutely adored the characters. Kennet really was someone who was likeable and his story was heartbreaking although I’m glad of the happy ending!

I liked how the tale was told through Kennets journal entries. It made it feel more real and the detail of the war was heartbreaking. It really went in depth about emotions and feelings and all the confusing feelings that the soldiers would feel.

At first I found it rather confusing with all the names and Swedish language but once I got into it, it didn’t impact the story at all.

It was a really heart warming tale and I’m so glad I was able to read and review this book.. Thank you NetGalley and Canoe tree press for allowing me this opportunity.

4.5 Stars!

I’ve never read The Fish Tales. I own it. I’ll admit to being too scared to put my heart through the all heartbreak. Instead I thought I’d try it from another angle. Begin with the family that started it all. Of course, A Small Hotel was written after The Fish Tales. A build up of sorts, I thought. I’m so glad I did. A Small Hotel is fantastic. A bit of a family saga and a love story all rolled into one. I loved Ms. Laqueur’s use of language. She beautifully manipulates words and phrases and strings them together in a way that intensifies and enhances their meaning. Her characters are bold and deep. The Fiskare family and those in their circle are wonderful and real. This is a family and story to fall in love with.

The story set in the islands seems idyllic. The family of Fiskare is close knit, lovable and part of a
Swedish community. The ethnicity is quite marked and when a exotic relation from Rio turns up you know
sparks will fly and they do.

Then the equalizer of the Great War starts and the boys enlist, the household gets broken up, Astrid gets
torn away from the love of her life Kemmet by her vindictive mother and there is general heartbreak around.

The story continues in the setting of wartime Europe and extremely harsh it is most of the time. One of the
sons dies, another is wounded and only one escapes unscathed physically, changed completely mentally. The war
descriptive and brutal and all episodes in the various villages were quite difficult to read, fathom and
accept. War however is never pretty and this was very harsh.

We then go back to peacetime, back to the islands, back to a reconciliation and trying to pull together
broken strands of everyone's life to make it all whole and complete again.

The settings were different - from the peace and calm of a backwater island, to Europe and everything in
between. A family of young men, peaceful and kind and basically good were returned in slightly different
form after the ravages of war. Acceptance of being different was an important feature of the story.

An unusual book in unusual settings. The horrors of war well told.

Family isn't blood. It's who you bleed for.

Suanne Laqueur is a born story teller. She can write whatever she wants to write, and I'll read it.
I'm a reader of a specific genre, namely mm romance (and the wide variety within - historical, suspense, as long as the basics of the story is the (falling in) love between two men). But Suanne is the only author who is able to lure me away from the only genre that gives me joy and pleasure these days. There's something about her books that make it impossible to put down, they pull you in, and no matter the amount of pages, or the time of day: YOU JUST NEED TO KNOW!
She's this exceptional, unique and brilliant author and I really believe every reader should have at least one of her books on their (fictional) bookshelf.

So, I needed a few days to gather my thoughts together about this mind-blowing story, trying to at least make some sense when writing my review.
When I finished this book, and analyzed my feelings, the heartbreak, the journey I took with Kennet Fiskare, everything about him felt real - like it never was a fictional story. It was as if he, in his old age, had come to the author, told her his story and asked her to be the ghost writer of his memoir. As if he could have come to her door on a Sunday afternoon, sat down next to her, patted her hand after she made him his strong tea, and started telling her about his family and his life. The life he knew before the war, and the one after it had changed him into someone different. Someone he hardly recognized as himself. He didn't hold back and told her everything he remembered. How he felt, how he dealt with the trauma's of what he had seen, losing his combat brothers, the horrors and traumatic experience when he reached Mauthausen. His love for Astrid, the love for his family - his father and his brothers, his sisters, his uncle. It's all part of this book, every memory as significant as the other.

When we open the book, we meet the Fiskares. At first I was a bit confused by all the names and the monikers, but that didn't last long. (there's a family tree included in the book). And I simply fell in love with all of them. I knew this book wasn't going to be a simple love story just between Kennet and Astrid (the girl he already fell in love with before he even met her in real life), but I then realized it was also a love story about Kennet and his Swedish family, the Fiskares. When he does meet Astrid, the feelings are immediately there. But Kennet is a gentleman. He takes his time to court her, to tell her about his feelings. And they are mutual. There is just something between them, something destined to be.
Then Astrid has to leave, and the loss of the love of his life leaves Kennet devastated, regretting the fact that he let her go, that he didn't do everything he could to keep her.
And then the war in Europe calls and he leaves all his loved ones behind, believing the war won't effect him the way it did his Paps and uncle Nyck.

"You're not built for war. I don't say that as an insult. I know you're a fine soldier and you'll do what's expected of you. I mean your soul isn't made to process war. Nalle has his principles to sustain him. Minor will get by on sheer personality. But you...You were always the one who liked to sort and label and name everything. This was this. That followed this. If this, then that. You like rules to define the edges of your life. You like people to behave within those rules. And war blows all those things to shit. Absolute shit. You'll see people doing abhorrent, unspeakable things. You'll find yourself doing things that go against every rule, every standard, every ethic you ever held. War rubs against the very grain of who you are, and some just can't..."

So off to war he goes. The changes in Kennet are evident when he writes his fictive letters to Astrid in his notebook. He starts out politely explaining her what he is doing, what is happening in his life. He was this gentleman who hardly dared to kiss her when they were home, before she went away, before he went to war. But after the things he's seen and been through, Kennet knows that man does no longer exist.

So badly, Asta, I want you so badly. I think I might be going crazy with it. The desire waxes and wanes between lofty and obscene. One moment I'm staring at you all moon-eyed, quoting romantic poetry. The next moment I'm on my knees at your feet, unhooking your garters and begging to f*ck you. Is that shocking? It shocks me. Look at how my handwriting jostles around the word 'f*ck'. I winced writing it, but now it's settling on my eyes and the sound of it is getting comfortable in my brain. It's disengaging from the sordid and crass, and slowly turning divine. Intense. Even beautiful. I want to be your lover again and feel that sweet understanding between us when I'm f*cking you into beautiful pieces...

To me, this entry in his journal marks the first changes in Kennet. It was a brilliant way to show us how Kennet changed from this polite, well mannered gentleman into the soldier who has seen too much, who has done too many things that he never thought he'd do.

The character development in this story is just outstanding, as well as the research the author did. Her attention to detail transported me back in time, planted me right there in the middle of that war, on that battle scene, right there at the moments that made Kennet believe he lost his sanity. The vividly description of the ugliness of the war, it made me ache, it made me cry, shiver, wanting to look away from the horrors we see through Kennet's eyes. I even thought I smelled what he did when he entered Mauthausen concentration camp. It was horrible, this ugliness and the de-humanizing, brutal results of this war. I can't remember ever having read a book that grabbed me by my throat like this book did, like Kennet's story did. The love for his brothers in combat was as beautiful as it was painful, knowing how much he was going to get hurt, knowing he would lose most of them. Their morbid banter and humor was almost just as painful.

"Goddammit, where's my helmet?" Hook said.
"You just had it."
"I must've thrown it out."
"Stay down."
"I'm just gonna look for it quick. I can't sit out here bare-headed, darling. You know how easily I catch cold."
"Well, don't lose your fucking head. I already looked at one shot-up face today and you know how it upsets me, sweetheart."
Maybe we can just joke and curse this whole goddamn war away...

I finished reading this book a few days ago and I can't stop thinking about it. It's such an epic, gripping, engaging, heartfelt family tragedy that I just can not seem to shake all the feelings that were stirred inside of me when reading. That's what this book did to me, what Suanne Laqueur's writing does to me ALL THE TIME!
So, I guess all that's left for me to say is: GO READ THIS BOOK.
That's all

A Small Hotel is simply a fabulous read. It's more than fabulous. It's beautifully written and everything we expect from this extremely talented Author. We find ourselves in a time when life seemed easier, more simple but as we meet the various members of the Fiskare family it is anything but. It's a journey of love for Kennet and his Astrid and in so many ways a coming of age story for him in particular. With WWII looming and Astrid having to honor her father's wishes, the path of true love is anything but smooth but we get there in the end. If you have read Suanne Laqueur before you know that she evokes every emotion you have and if you haven't read her before you should know that she writes characters that will wake you up at 2.10am because they know you need to know a little bit more about what they are going through before you can finally hush them up. There's a lot going on with this family. Each of them has a backstory which would be a joy to read in more detail but A Small Hotel is Kennet's journey and it's quite the journey. Love wins the day in every shape and form just as it should.

A Small Hotel by Suanne Laqueur is an amazing book. It documents the journey of two young people who fall in love just as World War II in Europe is heating up. Her family is poor and circumstances cause a separation. Fish, the hero, and teller of the story is the oldest of several brothers. He and his 2 elder brothers are drafted. Fish keeps a diary and uses it to tell his lost love the amazing stark and the very real story of being an infantry soldier in World War II. From losing friends and war brothers, to the liberation of a concentration camp his diary contains heartfelt and emotionally disturbing accounts of his company during the liberation of the European theater of the war.
Fish's brothers, one in the Navy, the other in the Alps are also fighting. Fish's long-lost love is always close to his heart even while they are apart and only communicating thru letters on occasion. He holds dear the memories of their short but strong love connection. After a slow start that introduces Fish's family, this book which follows Fish's World War II journey is one of the most realistic that I have read of historical fiction from the era. While the diaries he keeps are raw and explicit the author manages to use her narrative skills to open the reader up to the trauma, death, and danger that soldiers were exposed to and how that changed many of them. War is Hell and her realistic prose gives the reader an honest but uncomfortable insight into that era. This is also one of the few accounts in historical fiction or otherwise, that documents the very real love between male soldiers occasionally romantic and always brotherly, who were daily exposed to trauma and life and death. I highly recommend this book. Thanks to #ASmallHotel#NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

What an absolutely wonderful book.

This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last.

My usual book style is like my movies - Pulp Fiction is my favorite movie. I like action, I like the author to get to the point. A friend pointed out that I like dead bodies..lol

This book was more like Under the Tuscan Sun - it might be beautiful, but not my normal style. But I didn't care - I truly loved this story. It was beautifully written, and full of thought, and you could just feel the heart of the people in the story.

When the story started out, it felt like an episode of The Waltons (for you fellow old people...lol) There was a big confusing family and they were all close and supported each other. It was truly well written, but not my cup of tea. But I kept reading. Then war came, and it wasn't such a sweet, easy read. It was still beautifully written, but it was also heartbreaking. I may have teared up a time or two....or more... Then I realized I could NOT stop reading this - I ha to know what happened next. I also fell in love with this family and wanted to just stay immersed in this story. I wanted it to go on and on and on..

Another thing that I loved about this book was that I learned something new. I really appreciate when historical fiction gives me something new to learn. This time I discovered how our country treated gay men who served in the war and it was honestly shocking to me. (I'm not sure why - it's not like we are all accepting now - but these men were willing to sacrifice their LIVES for our country).

This book was beautiful, it was engrossing, it was sad, it was sweet, it was everything you could want in a book.

I want to thank the author, the publisher and #netgalley for the ARC which did not impact my review at all. I had true tears in my eyes while reading this.

I have never read this author before, and that is a mistake I am going to remedy right away. What a beautiful, beautiful novel brimming with passion and history. The writing is beyond superb. This novel was just incredible. I can't describe how much I enjoyed reading this. The romance is breathtaking. If you read one historical romance this year, make it this one.