Thank you for this ARC. This wasn’t the easiest read but it was a quick one for me. The character are all so unlikable (in a good way?) and the premise was a slow build, but the ending definitely made up for it. Very dark social satire.

Liz Jacobsen does a solid job of setting the atmosphere for this dark, social satire! An inkling of something not quite right, a slow burn that is starting to go out of control, the events taking place at the Pink Hotel are a parallel to the fires are were burning all around Los Angeles. I felt a distinct sense of foreboding throughout the book.

I loved the way she described things. Simple descriptions that set the scenes were so satisfying. “The lemons are yellow, the lavender purple” “The linens were light, the pillows were puffy”

“The path meanders through a small garden, past a sitting area, rattan sofas with plush pink pillows shaded by palms and giant wild banana. Hummingbirds darting from flowering shrub to creeping vine, dragonflies droning in the tea roses.”

And I felt like I could see the characters:

“Kit quiet and polite, her bobbed hair framing her face in such a way that the men gazed at her openly and unabashed. One even offered her a coffee candy from his pocket, which she accepted. The hoteliers watching her unwrap the candy, it’s foil crinkling in her soft palms, and then placing it in her mouth to be sucked on and then swallowed.”

“A petite woman with silver hair blow-dried into an extraordinarily curly coif appears from within the darkened foyer. Her face so pale it’s almost translucent, her skin so tight that Kit can trace the skull beneath. She has on large sunglasses, which make her nose look even more fragile and delicate, much too small for the rest of her face. And the caftan—Kit has never seen anything so luxurious. Like delicate porcelain at high tea, or villa fountains in foreign countries. She watches it sweep around the woman’s bare feet.”

“Marguerite’s friends, who were an exaggeration of contrasting angles, wild-eyed and slim; or Mrs. Lacey and her ilk, their skin buffed and shining, lips as exquisite as tulips. Even Mimi Calvert’s clan of blue hairs and spectacles had a certain elegance, reminiscent of intricate ironworks with their impeccable craftsmanship.“

Some reviewers have said there is no plot but I disagree, it’s not a “whodunnit” with plot turns and twists. It’s a slice of life story, taking place in a small corner of the city, amongst a group of eccentric “elites” seeking refuge during a catastrophic event. There are many different plot lines that merge into one. I think it was well done.

A very enjoyable, yet disturbing read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Farrah, Straus and Giroux and Lisa Jacobs for the ARC.

i’m a bit disappointed in this because the premise was so good and it had so much potential to be so juicy and fun and just such a good summer read, but unfortunately it fell flat. it felt like there was so much description of all these boring mundane things and then something truly wild would happen but it would get brushed over or not even fully explained in the first place, and none of the fallout of these events was ever really explored. i think too much time was spent on the wrong aspects of the book, which made it a very frustrating read, and i was tempted to dnf multiple times. the end definitely served some ~drama~ (although it still felt super rushed and like it only scratched the surface in terms of really going into what was happening) but not sure that it was really worth my time.

Thank you to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The Pink Hotel by Liska Jacobs is a fun social satire that will appeal to fans of Kevin Kwan's Crazy Rich Asians series. The story revolves around newly-married couple, Keith and Kit, who are staying at the luxurious Pink Hotel in Los Angeles. The couple are surrounded by eccentric, wealthy guests as wildfires in the surrounding area prevent anyone else from coming in. Trapped in an enclosed environment, what will the guests do? Will order be maintained, or will chaos break out?

Here is a luxurious excerpt from Chapter 1, when Keith first enters the hotel:

"The hotel’s perfume struck him first. Made his blood hum. Everywhere massive flower arrangements loomed—birds of paradise, fuchsia anthuriums, monstera, and elephant ears the size of an artist’s canvas. Every type of lily. It was exquisite, the mixing of tropical and floral. The sweeping carpet softening their footsteps, the curved walls unfurling them into the grand foyer like a petal on a breeze, depositing them beneath an elaborate Venetian glass chandelier. That humming heightened. He had to press his hands together to keep them from shaking.
Luxury with a capital L. A bit naughty. Like the glossy photos of the Condé Nast Traveler or Town & Country magazines he kept under his bed, hidden from his elderly parents, who had expected him to follow them into academia. Into denim and tweed, perhaps cotton twill for the new generation, but certainly not hospitality. How could he explain his visceral reaction to velvet and silk? To them transformation was about science. The sun turning nuclear energy into heat and light, human bodies converting food into energy. Metamorphosis was reserved for caterpillars and tadpoles. Not for boys with polyester sheets who pine for Egyptian cotton."

Overall, The Pink Hotel is a delightful book that would make the perfect beach read! One highlight of this book is the detailed look into the habits and fashion brands that the hotel guests enjoy. Many people, including me, are fascinated by celebrities, so I enjoyed reading a book about them. I did take off 1 star, because I felt that the plot of this book was rather slow for a long time. I think that the description of this book promised a bit more tension than doesn't really show up until the end. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of books about the lives of the rich and glamorous, I recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in July!

I liked this book. While it was definitely a slow burn (a little slower than I prefer), the ending made up for it. I enjoyed the tone of the story and the cover is beautiful.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

I loved the cover and blurb, the story didn't disappoint but felt I couldn't really get on board with some of the characters and need a few more likeable characters to really grab my attention.
I also found the writing style a little more difficult to get the hang of but admit after a while, I understood the flow better and the world-building at the hotel captured my interest.

I think it also needed a little more action throughout than solely towards the last third.

An interesting read and would recommend but didn't fully hit the mark for me personally.

Yay! Before January ends, I was able to squeeze in and finish this book. I devoured myself to experience the energy that this book had shared with me. Its plot was a satirical work of fiction that addressed a lot of current social issues like socioeconomic divisions and riots in the streets. The environmental impacts of raging wildfires are also included.

Apparently, I almost DNF the book, because the pacing of the storyline was too slow. Although my reading experience was unpleasant, I still chose to stick myself with the book until the end. I was still curious because the story was unpredictable. When I reached the end, the ending was unclear. But, it had made me think about what truly matters. You have to be really careful on what you wish for. Kudos to the author, Liska Jacobs, you got me hooked on that part.

Overall, the book is an interesting read especially for readers who are keen in dark humor and satire novels. This is for sure a something to look forward to read this summer 2022.

Thank you to @netgalley and Farrar, Stratus and Giroux, MCD for providing me an ebook copy in exchange with honest opinion.

I got an ARC of this through NetGalley - it's out on July 19, 2022. If you watched The White Lotus on HBO, that's kind of what this book reminded me of. Kit and Keith are newlyweds, and are given the chance to have their honeymoon at a super discount at the opulent and infamous "Pink Hotel" in LA, as a sort of rial run for Keith working there. Because Kit and Keith are straddling the line between guests and staff, they see both sides of the hotel - the ultra rich guests living out the wildest, most exorbitant fantasies (often unhappily), and the staff who works hard to make it all happen, seemingly effortlessly. Keith wants nothing more than for this to become their future, but Kit is less sure that this is what she wants in life. When you add in literal raging wildfires right outside the hotel's confines, it all begins to seem like a powderkeg about to explode.

i didn't think id like the book as much as i did. the characters were well written and the story had a solid ending. the only thing i was confused about was the time period. overall, well written thank you for providing me with an ARC

Kit and Keith Collins are staying at the Pink Hotel in Beverly Hills for their honeymoon. While Kit just wants to relax, pretty soon it becomes clear that Keith chose this hotel for other reasons. He is basically interviewing for a job and trying it out. While Kit doesn’t know how she feels about leaving their hotel/restaurant in Northern California, she also feels totally left out on what was supposed to be their honeymoon. She befriends a young socialite, Marguerite, and the cabana waitress, Coco, who give her a taste of wealthy life. Meanwhile, wildfires are blazing through LA, people are rioting and protesting, yet the guests at the Pink Hotel are unbothered. Kit and Keith grow further apart as Keith answers to every whim the guests have. The antics of the ridiculously rich guests get crazier and crazier throughout the book until one night it all becomes too much.

I have never read anything like this book. This social satire shows just how ridiculous the lives of the 1% are. While the reader is focusing on the lives of Kit and Keith, we are also introduced to some very wealthy people, the Laceys. They throw extravagant parties, give away or destroy designer clothes, and take so many drugs- all while the rest of the city is engulfed in flames. I was furious for Kit. How awful would it be to go on your honeymoon and not spend a single moment alone with your husband?? I just felt so bad for her. Especially because Keith just didn’t get why she was upset. I also felt for Coco, who was just trying to please everyone and make it in this world. I really loved how the book was broken up into days, and then chapters. It made it so easy to read! I’m still a little confused with how the book ended, but I think that was the author’s intention. Overall this was such an interesting book and I was hooked from page one.

A really good read a look at this famous hotel and the rich people who stay there.This was so much fun so well written characters that come alive.Liska Jacobs writes really entertaining novels will be recommending.#netgalley #randomhouse

This book was so twisty I really liked it. I was sucked in by the cover and as a formed hospitality employee I loved the vibe and atmosphere. I did find that some of the characters lacked some depth but the ending was solid and I’d recommend it to others for sure.

Want a cast of characters you’ll hate and an impossibly messed up story that just continues to go off the rails the more you read on?

I couldn't stand any of these characters, except *maybe* the construction worker. He seemed like the only normal guy there and that was probably done on purpose as part of the social commentary, I don't know. This book probably has a deeper meaning about the perceived ridiculousness of the 1% but I thought it was just too muddled to get there.

Edit: I can't stop thinking about this book and not in a hateration way...It definitely made an impact on me in some way, shape, or form. I'm changing my rating to 3.5 stars because of that...

Books that take place at a motel or hotel are always my favorite because I know that it's going to be an interesting read with interesting characters that may or may not have something in common. So when I saw The Pink Hotel I was really excited to read it because. It did not disappoint. Reading this book was like a mini vacation itself.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read Advanced copy.

I had to DNF this book at about 30% because I just couldn’t connect at all with it. Although the premise sounds amazing, the lack of plot drove me nuts. Also, Keith and Kit were extremely bland characters and I didn’t care about them at all.

Confined in the opulent Pink Hotel due to wildfires, a newlywed couple is caught in the tension between the privilege guests and the staff.
I wanted to read this book for the social satire and the cover. I think that if it was written in a faster pace, it would be more according to the scenes described. Overall the story was a dark picture of our reality where entitled people aren't bothered by the problems they can get away from.
The guest remind me a lot of the characters of The Great Gatsby. They're in a critical situation where everything is burning but they feel secure in their powerful position above, unbothered by the help they could provid or the harm that can be done to them. There's also major White Lotus vibes. The tension is there, the disastrous ending is foretold, the reader can feel it, but the characters just ignore it.

4,5/5
First of all, can we talk about the cover?. Because i'm absolutely obsessed with it.
The pink hotel follows a young married couple, Kit and Ketih Collins. They both own a business (a hotel) and for their honeymoon they decide to go to L.A. Once they are there, they want to stay in the most famous and luxurious one in the city: The pink hotel. It's located in beverly hills and it's a change of scenario for Kit and Keith. After a few days the owners (the beamount family) decide to hire keith so he can work for them and learn a few tips. Soon enough the couple will be immersed in the Beverly Hills life, full of luxury, wealth and also mysteries. I was fascinated by the concept of this story and the setting. i found it very unique and realistic and i loved the portrayal of the rich lifestyle in a city like L.A. I love seeing the character's development and their journey, not only as individuals, but also as a couple. The ending w.as strong and i really love the message that the book is sending out there. I can not wait to read more books by the author

This cover of the book was beautiful and so aesthetically pleasing! The synopsis had me intrigued. But 35 percent in,
I’m over it. The characters are well developed and I find no reason to continue reading. I wanted to love Kit, Keith and The Pink Hotel. Sadly, it is not one I want to waste time finishing.

I went into this book not really sure what to expect and it really wasn’t like anything I’ve ever read before! A story of classism, greed and the monster that power can turn you into. It shows how easy it is to become consumed by trying to become rich, at the expense of everything that actually matters in life!

I must admit, I struggled with the first half of this book. It felt quite boring, nothing really seemed to happen, and it felt like there as missed opportunities; parts of the story that could have been expanded and turned into something exciting but just didn’t go anywhere.

The writing style was also difficult to read at times, it felt ‘clunky’ in places and some parts of the story just felt cringey!

About halfway through I did let go of expectation that something ‘big’ was going to happen and decided to just enjoy the story for what was actually happening rather than hoping for more and I did find it enjoyable from then on. The ending especially was really good, showing that even money, drugs and power isn’t what really makes people happy!

Overview: Kit and Keith Collins are newlyweds from a small town in Northern California. After meeting the manager of the Pink Hotel at the hotel where Kit and Keith work, they opt to honeymoon in LA at the Pink Hotel. Soon after arriving, the wild fires rage around them causing the hotel to close their doors. What follows is a chaotic stream of extravagant parties and shows that soon go downhill.

Honestly, I really wanted to like this book but just couldn't get into. The characters didn't captivate me and their stories didn't resonate with me. The plot had potential but I was bored for much of the book. I will also note that third person narratives aren't usually my favourite either.

Thank you Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for my copy of this book.