My honest review is freely provided in return for the kindness by NetGalley and the author/publisher in providing me with this book.

Hotel Laguna introduces Hazel Francis and her journey from Kansas to California, and how she came to be employed by the famous Hanson Radcliff, a cranky and beloved local artist. They both have perceived scandals they are distancing from.

The characters are memorable and quirky, and I found Hazel boldly pursuing what she wants, and how she dealt with Hanson was well done. Also, the refreshing side of WWII history from the “Rosie the Riveter” angle was refreshing for this time in history.

I would consider this a great beach read!

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook version of this book. I am not compensated in any way for my review. Everything I write is my own personal opinion and feelings.
I loved this book! One lady is on a journey to find out about her grandmothers past. In doing so she falls in love with her grandmothers best friends great grandson. She also helps a older man come to peace with his past and his original painting is finally found and recovered. This book is beautifully written.

I'm not going to lie, historical fiction is not usually my jam but the cover of this drew me in and I just had to read/listen to it. This was such a fun and fascinating story! I loved the narrator and she did a wonderful job bringing Hazel to life. There were a couple of things I found fascinating in this book. First, I loved (but also hated the patriarchy) following Hazel as a Rosie the Riveter-esque character and her struggles after the war was over. This is def a time in history that was pivotal in changing perceptions of women in society. I was so mad for her, and all women, when everyone just expected her to be happy going back to just being housewives and mothers when she wanted to work. I also am always intrigued and fascinated by artists colonies. I myself am not an artist but I loved reading about Laguna Beach and all that went on in the community. As much as I love Hazel, I also love the curmudgeonly Radcliff. He's just one of those characters that you know has a heart of gold beneath all that gruff, cranky exterior. While there is a hint of romance this really is more of a story about Hazel making her way in the world as a single female in a time where that meant everything was harder than it should be. If you want to be transported back to the 1940's in California I highly recommend this one!

Hotel Laguna was an amazing book. I really enjoyed Hazel’s WW2 era story that takes place in Southern California. She was a driven character that faced some difficult choices, but followed her heart. Having been to Laguna Beach, made this even more interesting. If you’re a historical fiction fan, you will definitely enjoy this one.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillian for my ALC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to publication date.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hazel Francis leaves her hometown to work in California constructing bombers for the U.S. military. She finds great joy in working for a greater purpose and being in community with her fellow "Rosie the Riveters." Once the war is over, Hazel's work abruptly stops. No war means no need for bombers. This works for most of Hazel's female colleagues, but not Hazel. She has nothing or no one to return home to. Refusing to go back to her old life, she reluctantly accepts a job as an assistant to a famous artist.

I thoroughly enjoyed this historical fiction. There are so many layers and different relationships going on, but the story had great flow and I never felt lost along the journey. My favorite part was Hazel's time at Douglas Aircraft. I wish there would've been more on that and maybe some interactions between her and her colleagues. I was captured by the description of this book when I saw "Rosie the Riveter" in the description, so I wish there was more of that.

This is a whimsical summer novel that transport readers to a free-spirited artists’ colony and a hotspot hotel in Laguna Beach. Hazel finds herself there after her job as a riveter at an airplane factory ended when the men returned from war. She is desperate to be useful, feel needed, and find work to stay busy and support herself. Doing her part to the best of her ability brings her satisfaction and a sense of community.

Hazel struggles with modesty and confidence when she responds to an ad and becomes an artist’s model. The artist had a complicated past and a reputation he can’t seem to escape. He desires to capture beauty as he sees it and not portray a vision that is unrealistic. Hazel feels compelled to help him. And despite his gruff exterior, she grew to care about him.

I absolutely love Historical fiction novels that focus on art. I was so intrigued by the “Pagent of the Masters” art festival that Hazel volunteers at that brings art to life, by using Laguna beach locals in costume posing in sets the recreate scenes from well-known pieces of art that I Googled to find out if this happened. I was pleased to learn that this is an annual event that is still being held. It started in 1935, and other than being halted from 1942-45 during WWII, it has been a celebrated event ever since.

I rooted for Hazel to set things straight and bring appreciation to her artistic and generous employer, with the aid of her handsome bartender friend, Jimmy, while she tries to find her place in life.

Fans of Nicola Harrison’s other novel, The Showgirl, will enjoy this historic fiction gem. I was also attracted to the stylistic cover art of a 1950 pinup girl, that was a perfect representation of some of the art described in the story.

I absolutely devoured this audiobook. I was enchanted by Hotel Laguna (the hotel itself) as well as the town of Laguna. The writing was wonderfully descriptive and I could clearly picture the hotel and the surrounding areas. There were fantastic characters and great character development as well. Hazel was such a go getter! I loved her drive and determination and was eager for her to find her place in Laguna. I quickly became fond of Hanson despite his sometimes gruff demeanor. This book was such a great reminder that the right mentor plus hard work can change our lives in incredible ways.

During WWII women were called to work and help the men across the seas, Rosie Riveter and support the war effort. At the end of the war women were again displaced by men returning home from the war and expected to go back to fulfill the woman role in the home. Many could not do this and looked for something else to fulfill that feeling of becoming something more. This novel follows Hazel on her journey from helping to becoming something more for herself in the world. Hazel Francis finds herself at loose ends, when she loses her job building airplanes, as WWII comes to an end. Out of work and with no family to return to, she makes her way to Laguna Beach and finds a job with an elderly broken artist. She has to learn to deal with his eccentric personality, but finds comfort in the people she meets in the small beach town. As she slowly learns his story, she tries to help this broken man and finds it very difficult not to feel affection with him. She’s young a naïve and gets herself into more than one mess, but slowly adapts to the lifestyle and involves herself in the community, falling for a local young man, Jimmy. Really enjoyed the characters, setting and the role of Hazel in going after what she wants.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and publisher.

As summer approaches my beach reading mood kicks in. And honestly this cover screams summer reading. I enjoyed this jaunt into mid-1940s Laguna Beach and the artistic town it once was.

Hazel was a character who had a difficult life and was trying to find her place in the world. I was rooting for her, but will admit at times grew a bit frustrated with her decisions and her inability to stick up for herself. The evolution of her friendship with Hansen was a high point for me as it truly brought together two lonely souls.

The audiobook flew by for me and the narrator fully formed.Hazel, Hanson and the crew within my mind. I do feel there were several points in the book that could’ve been more concise but overall, this was an entertaining tale for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the free audio book in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Carlotta Brentan and very well done! I was drawn into the story by the narration and just could not put this down!

This is a fantastic historical fiction that starts at the end of WWII when all of the Rosie the Riveters were let go and told to go home as the men were back. This happened to Hazel Francis who came to California from Kansas to do her part. Without a family or fiancée, she had no where to go in LA and no job prospects. So she finds herself in Laguna Beach, an artists' colony of sorts working for a famous painter as his assistant. She quickly assimilates into the town life and trying to please her new employer that is a bit hard to handle. As the story progresses, each are faced with life decisions that will shape the course of life for them both.

I really enjoyed this character driven novel. I loved the juxtaposition of the cranky older man and the innocent young woman, who both became family to each other! I loved the life in Laguna Beach and how Hazel made her circumstances work for her.

Such a different and refreshing read about life from both the beginning and the end viewpoints. Highly recommend!!

Hotel Laguna never grabbed me and I hate that because the concept was super intriguing and the overall structure of the story was good but I felt that several pieces of this audiobook hurt it. One of the key reasons is the narrator who I felt was not the best choice because I felt more bored listening to her than invested in the overall story or events. I also felt that unlike her other books, Nicola Harrison just isn't writing as well in this one.

After the end of World War II, Hazel Francis, who has been working on an aircraft assembly line in California, has no desire to return to the traditional role she’s now expected to fill back in Kansas. Instead, she finds work as an assistant to the controversial artist, Hanson Radcliff. She quickly becomes part of the little community at the hotel, falling for the bartender, but she still longs for more. Hazel wants to work on airplanes again, maybe even become a pilot herself. Can she achieve her dream without sacrificing her personal life? An inciteful look into how women were forced back into traditional roles after World War II and their subsequent rebellion

A sweet historical audiobook. The majority of the book takes place during WWII in So. Ca. Hazel Francis from Kansas heads to CA to assist in the war effort by working at Douglas in the manufacturing of bombs for the aircrafts. She loves her new life, then the war ends. The women loss their jobs to the soldiers returning home. Desperate for a new job, she end up taking an assistant job to an artist in Laguna Beach. The story is filled with an interesting cast of characters. I throughly enjoyed this novel. It’s a light, easy listen.

Thank you #NetGalley, #MacmillanAudio, #NicolaHarrison, #CarlottaBrentan and #HotelLaguna for the advance copy for my honest review.