No grazie, non per me

Just finished this book from #netgalley billed as a heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the Roaring Twenties.

The synopsis: Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting. The high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And the owner Bella is being targeted by a corrupt local politician who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini's Italy.

To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are struggling to recover from the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don't go to plan, having far reaching consequences for the whole family.

My thoughts: There were too many plot lines that didn't resolve, the ending was trite, and the drama felt fake. BUT the setting on the Italian Riviera was magical and the glimpse into Italy during Mussolini's time in power was very interesting. I think the author typically writes nonfiction, which makes a lot sense with my thoughts:

setting - amazing
history - fascinating
plot - ugh
characters - blah

Readers who are fans of Upstairs, Downstairs or Downton Abbey are almost certain to enjoy this sprawling, involving historical novel. It is already set to become a TV series on Masterpiece Theater in the U.S. and on other international networks as well.

The book has a wonderful setting in the town of Portofino on the Italian Riviera. The hotel that Bella runs is exquisitely described. (I am ready to book my room). The time period is pre-WWII and Mussolini is becoming someone with whom to reckon.

There are many characters in the story. Some are family of Bella, some are guests and some are those who work for the hotel. Readers will eagerly read all of their stories and watch to see how the characters interact with one another.

There are too many people to list here. Below are some:

Bella is the daughter of a wealthy industrialist and the owner and proprietor of the hotel. Her husband, Cedric, is from the aristocracy and does not really respect her although he enjoys her money. Bella has a connection with Henry. How will this play out?

Bella and Cedric have a daughter and granddaughter. They also have a son, Lucien. Lucien, to his father’s dismay, is a striving artist who may not want the “family pile.” Lucien has been scarred both literally and figuratively by events in WWI. A close friend of Lucien’s is Nish, a medic in the war.

Lucien’s father hopes that he will marry Rose. Rose is the daughter of a former love of Cedric. Will he? What will be the repercussions of his decision?

Some of the many guests are Rose and her mother, a querulous older woman and her niece, and an Italian count and his son.

Staff include the cook, Betty and her daughter. There is also Paola, who unlike some of the other staff, is Italian. Readers also meet Constance who arrives as a nanny.

How will all of these characters evolve over the course of the story? How will they be impacted by life at the hotel and, also, by what is happening in the world? Read this enthralling saga to find out.

I experienced a real treat with Hotel Portofino. I alternated between reading the book and listening to it when I was out and about. The audio book narration was so well done. All of the characters came to life and, as I did chores, I escaped to a fascinating place. Whether the choice is made to listen, read, or do both, give this one a place in the TBR.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Hotel Portofino is a tale of a hotel on the Italian coast in the 1920's with an ensemble cast of characters, anchored by the owner, Bella Ainsworth, and her dysfunctional family consisting of her war-scarred son, bitter and widowed daughter, and rarely present husband.

The hotel guests and staff have significant roles in the narrative, and by the end of the book, many new relationships and bonds have formed. It was a little bit like an episode of Fantasy Island, some found love, some lost it, and others just found themselves. This could easily become a series with different guests in each new title with the family present and evolving. The family is left fractured, each member with their own source of disappointment and we're left wondering if they will continue on these trajectories.

A beautiful story that meanders between characters at a leisurely pace, setting scenes and revealing twists.

Reading this book is like stepping into an E. M. Forster novel, or the PBS miniseries it’s destined to become. Set on the Italian Riviera between the wars, it tells the story of Bella, a wealthy British woman who married the cheating, gambling, drinking titled Cecil. She borrowed money from her father to purchase the Hotel Portofino, but is determined to make it profitable without additional loans. Difficult when Cecil is gambling away profits, guests are stealing petty cash, and the local corrupt politician is blackmailing her and inventing fictional fines and taxes. Add to it drama among the staff, her children, and the guests create…

Bella is such a sympathetic, likable character that it’s impossible not to want her to succeed. She is a benevolent boss and friend—able to forge friendships with difficult customers and troubled maids, but unwilling to suffer the foolish behavior of those unworthy (including the odious Cecil). The novel lacks full resolution, so I’m hoping for a sequel. #HotelPortofinoBook #NetGalley

3.5
More than "The Crown" or "Downton Abbey" "Hotel Portofino" reminded me of "The Duchess of Duke Street," that 1970s Masterpiece Theater series with Gemma Jones. Although the setting and class of the characters are totally different, it's foibles of the guests that make the connection.

This is an enjoyable read, but I think it will be a terrific TV series. The setting of English people in 1920's Italy is different and intriguing, and then there are those troublesome guests!

Set in the Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of a British family who opens an upper-class hotel during the Roaring Twenties. Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner, Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please, she's being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don't go to plan, which will have far reaching consequences for the whole family.
I loved this book. It was like a perfect mash-up of Downton Abbey and soap opera, all set in the 1920's. There is non-stop drama, and I could not put it down. My only regret was that I had trouble keeping up with all of the characters, but that could be because I am so bad with names. This is going to be turned into a TV series on PBS and I can't wait to watch it. If you loved Downton Abbey, then you are going to love this book....I guarantee it!

Oh my stars! What a captivating read set in the 1920s on the Italian Riviera as lush as that cover. What's to like? Everything! Glam histfic at its finest and a must-read before the same-named BritBox series starts January 27.

Pub Date 18 Jan 2022
#HotelPortofinoBook #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, Blackstone Publishing
and NetGalley for the ARC; opinions are mine.

The cover - what a lovely cover! I have to say that is exactly what caught my attention. The fact that it is going to be made into a TV series with an equally beautiful setting as its main character, well that sold me on requesting this book. After reading Hotel Portofino , I still am excited about the upcoming TV series but for once I would recommend that you wait for the "movie" on this one. The book felt like it was written after the script and filming began. So many characters, no real character development, and multiple story lines all which is perfect if you are provided a visual to keep the characters straight and every period drama needs multiple stories to keep it going. However, I am here talking about a novel that this kind of overkill and underdevelopment does not work. I never look at reviews prior to reading a book that I am "reviewing" myself, but once it is over I like to see what others thought. I was not alone in feeling that the overall story ended abruptly and several serious issues just swept away as if they never mattered. It appears that despite having way too many storylines in the novel the TV series has thrown in a murder just to give us that Agatha Christie feeling along with Downton Abbey, but this was not in the book. I tried researching the author.. but little to nothing actually comes up on him and he is never mentioned when you read the articles on the selling of the "rights" to be made into a TV series. I just feel overall the novel was an after thought, in order to maybe get more coins in someone's pocket. Seriously just watch the series if you are interested in this story line and setting. This was a free Advanced Reader Copy provided through NetGalley by the publishers Simon and Schuster.

Bella Ainsworth fell in love with the Italian riviera on her honeymoon. Now her children have grown, the Great War has ended and she has moved her family back to realize her dream of owning an upscale British hotel. Set in the roaring 20s during the heat of high summer this book has all the promises of a Downton Abbey-esque vibe. Handsome gentlemen, pretty heiresses, scandalous trysts with servant girls, forbidden love, blackmail! I enjoyed the storyline but wanted a bit more from the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advance copy. Book is released on January 18th. The book is also set to be a series on PBS in 2022!

The synopsis of Hotel Portofino sounded promising, however it really didn’t live up to its potential for me. While the writing itself was beautiful, there was just too many characters and storylines to keep track of. I would have loved to know more about certain characters, and felt others were unnecessary to the plot.
This would be great for fans of Downtown Abbey

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for an advanced digital copy via NetGalley in exchange for review

This book was the best escape to the Italian Riviera! There are a ton of characters introduced fairly quickly at the beginning of this book, which at first seemed overwhelming. All of them are so unique and interesting that it wasn’t difficult to keep track of them at all throughout the book, and they each brought a very interesting piece to the Hotel’s puzzle.
This book is character-driven but moves along like one with a developing plot. I found myself looking forward to picking this one up to find out how things were going to turn out for Bella and her hotel guests. This story had all of the drama I was looking for, the most incredible setting, and was full of witty humour, I was hooked from start to finish!

Hotel Portofina takes place post-WWI with an English family opening a hotel in Italy. The novel is a multi-point of view story with an upstairs/downstairs, Downton Abbey vibe but on the Italian coast. Since reading the book I've learned that it's been optioned for a TV series. I think this may be a case where the story will shine better as a TV series where we can flesh out the multiple characters better than in a standalone novel. I loved the setting and the time period, but I was a little disappointed by the story. The overall plot was on point, but very little was wrapped up in the end. Not a problem for a TV series where you can see how the choices play out in a second (or third or fourth) season.

Thank you Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for the electronic advance copy.

I would like to immediately book a week at this newly opened hotel in the Italian Riviera! Set after WWI, during the hotel’s opening weeks the reader gets a lot of drama from an array of characters! This gave me The White Lotus vibes, with its many characters and backstories. I also got some Upstairs/Downstairs drama, and was then hit with a mystery a la Agatha Christie or Lucy Foley style. There was a bit too much going on here for me, but I did love the glamorous Claudine and hard working Constance. I wish all of the characters could have been developed more. I felt like my understanding of who they were and their motivations only scratched the surface.

I had really looked forward to reading this book when I heard it was being made ino a film but I just couldn't get into it. There were just too many different characters and I did not care about any of them. The story just didn't hold my interest, although I was hoping that it would. This one went into my "did not finish" pile.. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review,.

I really enjoyed the setting and the imagery in this story! I really felt like I could see the Italian coast and the Hotel Portofino. Most of the storyline and characters were interesting, however, I did find there to be a lot of characters and it was hard for me to keep track of them all. I also the ending seemed a little abrupt. I don’t know if there is going to be a sequel but it certainly felt that way with the way it ended.

I do look forward to seeing this brought to tv, I think it will translate very well!

Thank you NetGalley for this eARC

Hotel Portofino
by J.P. O'Connell
Pub Date: January 18, 2022
Blackstone Publishing
Set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of personal awakening at a time of global upheaval and of the liberating influence of Italy’s enchanting culture, climate, and cuisine on British “innocents abroad,” perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and The Crown.
Thanks to Blackstone Publishers and Net Galley for the ARC.
3 stars

Here's what initially excited me about the book: 1) period piece set in the 20's similar to Downton Abbey/Crown, 2) Set in the Italian Riviera, 3) soon to be a PBS show. Well, the book does not disappoint. I loved the assortment of characters, and could easily picture the setting, their personalities, and the Hotel Portofino coming to life! If you're a fan of the above, then definitely dig in you - you will not be disappointed!

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/natascha-mcelhone-star-drama-itv-pbs-1234965258/

Many thanks to netgalley for the reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think charming would be the way to describe this novel. An English family is looking for a fresh start after World War I and settles down in the picturesque village of Portofino where they run a hotel for mostly British guests. Perfect for readers who enjoy a writing style with a lot of attention to details and not a lot of swearing and foul language.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Honestly, I had a hard time deciding what to write. Hotel Portofino sounded promising. I love a book that details the scenery, it takes me to the place like I’m existing in the story together with the characters. I was so excited to start reading this. However, I felt a little disappointed. I just don’t see the main plot, maybe it’s the matchmaking between Lucian and Rose but even that didn’t give me the “can’t put it down” feeling. It was an easy read, I love the way the author describes the scenery, although I think it was more focused on the setting rather than the plot. There were times when it looks like the plot will thicken only to be spoilt as another story continues. I continued reading thinking maybe the ending will be heavy and that will make up for the rest of the book but the ending was just okay. It was just the guests leaving, saying good bye with friends they met on the hotel. Other than that, nothing. Some stories didn’t have any closures as well. Lots of stories were opened with any proper resolution.
The redeeming factor for the book would be the place, the description of the hotel, the gardens, even the beach. It was a light book, relaxed. The book description said it’s perfect for fans of The Crown and as a big fan, I didn’t see much resemblance.

This book stars a large cast of characters staying or working at the new Hotel Portofino, the budding business enterprise of Bella Ainsworth and her husband. Between blackmail, political rebellions in the midst of Mussolini's Italy, an arranged marriage, and scandals galore, none of these characters will be the same when they leave.
When I tried describing the plot line of this book to someone else, it sounded massively complicated, a little confusing, and altogether immensely interesting. Unfortunately, while reading it I was bored and confused for a majority of the time.
The book begins by throwing you into Bella Ainsworth (the owner of the hotel) 's world, with little explanation as to who each character is, but more than enough backstory for the first few pages. At 3% in I was still overwhelmed with the amount of plotlines happening at the same time, and kept having to search names to remember who they were again. As the story went on I began to understand what was happening, but until 3/4ths of the way through the book it went much too slow and basically felt like a bunch of people milling around the square mile around this hotel. Each character's struggles and narrative could have been interesting and adventurous, but instead the book felt like it was dragging each person along, and only showed them when they were thinking, instead of when they were doing things. By the time the climax of the book hit, I was already ready to set the book down out of lack of excitement, but things picked up a little, making me interested to see what would happen. Unfortunately, the ending was so disappointing to me. It tried wrapping up most of the stories, but left me really dissatisfied and with a number of questions. And although I understand a non happy-go-lucky ending, I really would like something that makes me feel remotely joyful in where the characters ended up. It seemed like the author picked the path of least resistance for each storyline's conclusion, making it a bland ending with little conflict.
Although this story was not at all what I hoped for or expected, I wasn't so bored I set it down half-way through, and part of the middle of the story was entertaining enough to read while in between my classes. I would only recommend if you want something without many stakes, with lots of characters and plot lines, and are prepared for a simple, no risk ending. I rated this a 5/10 stars, and rounded it down to 2 on a 5 star scale.