Very cute book with some real, heavy elements for both main characters. I loved the supporting characters and how they became such an unlikely chosen family. If the Comeback Inn really existed, I’d absolutely want to go if I were heartbroken.

“Maybe I don’t want to call you what everyone else calls you.”

This is one of the loveliest, warmest, most heart-wrenching books I’ve read recently. It’ll break you wide open and stitch you right back up. Louisa and Henry are absolute perfection. Perfection! The Heartbreak Hotel is certainly going to be in one of the top spots for my favorite books of the year!
—

this and that:
♡ a hotel for the heartbroken
♡ close proximity
♡ Colorado x natural environments
♡ complex family dynamics
♡ found family
♡ healing journeys
♡ hurt x comfort
♡ love after loss
♡ single pov
♡ vet x therapist

triggers:
☞ challenging family relationships
☞ death of a loved one
☞ infidelity (not between MCs)
☞ mental health difficulties

Louisa finds out that her popular musician boyfriend, whom she’s been with for six years, has been cheating on her. She doesn’t want to leave the beautiful house in the Colorado mountains they once shared, but she can’t afford to pay for it on her own. That’s when an idea strikes her—to turn the house into a hotel for people going through breakups. The landlord agrees, and soon the two of them start spending more and more time together.

This book is a true gem—from the stunning cover to the feelings it leaves you with after the final page!

I absolutely fell in love with the characters—Louisa is such a kind and genuine person who always puts others first. And Henry completely stole my heart and soul. He’s a wonderful vet, a handyman, and the kind of guy who always shows up when you need him. Trust me, you’ll fall for him too!

It’s a beautiful, deep, and heartbreaking story. Some of the plot twists hit me so hard I read through tears. But despite the heavy topics the author touches on, this book feels incredibly comforting and warm—like a ray of sunshine on an autumn day.
I’ll definitely return to this story again, and I highly recommend it to everyone! I can’t wait to read more from Ellen!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓slow burn
✓he falls first
✓age gap
✓trauma & healing
✓found family

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group (Berkley) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

While this book is a cozy read, it does cover heavy topics such as grief, heartbreak & trauma. The realness of the struggles the characters in this book was what drew me in. Louisa, our FMC, goes through a breakup but doesn’t want to give up the home she is living in because for the first time in her life she feels like she has a home. So she approaches the landlord Henry, our MMC, and pitches the idea of turning the house into a Bed & Breakfast for those going through heartbreak.

Throughout the book we learn not only of Lou’s struggles between the breakup but her familiar struggles with her mom, who suffers from BPD and a sister who doesn’t always feel like she is supportive. We learn about the struggles Henry has been facing for the last several years. We also get many side character’s visiting the B&B who are all going through different struggles.

I loved that through this book both Lou & Henry overcome their struggles, both together and separately. Their romance is sweet & enduring and feels absolutely real.
Thank you NetGalley Berkley for the ARC!

Louisa loves the house she lives in. But when he longtime boyfriend breaks up with her she realizes she won't be able to afford it anymore. She goes to her landlord Henry to pose a deal where she will run it as a bed and breakfast,. He is hesitant at first, but something about Lou makes him say yes.. She and her friend Mei come up with an idea about doing the Comeback Inn, where people come to get over a heartbreak, because Lou is good with helping people with heartbreak, as she went to school to become a therapist. What ensues are some fun times at the Inn and her and Henry getting closer along the way.
I adored Lou, she has such a big heart and loves to help people. Her friendship with Mei is so real and I loved how they support each other. Her sister Goldie doesn't always support her and they have some family issues, but they still help each other. There is some family drama involved.
There are so many great characters that come and stay at the Inn and Louisa is able to make some new friends and build new relationships.
As all of this is happening she gets closer with Henry and their romance blossoms. Henry is a mystery at the beginning, but Lou draws out more information from him as they get closer. I loved how their relationship fell into place.
The Colorado setting of this book is great, and I loved the descriptions of the house and the surrounding area.
A fun, cozy romantic read, filled with love and friendships.

Thanks NetGalley for this ARC.

The Heartbreak Hotel was a cozy read. If I had to give this book a rating, I'd probably give it 3 stars. My favorite part of the story was Louisa's journey. I enjoyed her character arc and watching her build a community for grievers. I liked her insights and POV. The central theme of this book was grief. The story was focused around Henry and Louisa's grief. I appreciated that the story wasn't cookie cutter perfect. It felt real and vulnerable. I did find myself wishing there was more of a focus on Louisa's feelings regarding her ex. I felt like her grief wasn't as deep as I wanted it to be. Henry and Louisa's relationship took more of a backseat in this story. I wanted more from Henry's character. A lot of his buildup was through nonverbal communication and I felt like I didn't fully know his character. The drama/plot twist with Henry was not shocking to me. I saw that one coming right away. The pacing in this book felt uneven. I did find myself losing interest towards the end of the story. The mother side plot added good depth to the story; however, I did feel like that storyline ended rather ambiguously. I liked that The Heartbreak Hotel was set in Estes Park. Having spent a summer there, I felt immersed in this story. I do wonder if I would have felt the same if I didn't have a prior connection to the setting. I felt like the setting could have been described better. Overall, this was a decent read. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.

“I loved him like a fever, with an intensity that left me sleepless.”

There were so many things to love about this book. I absolutely loved the idea of a B&B where you can go to stay and heal after heartbreak. I loved that there were returning guests that gave it a sort of found family vibe at times, and I really enjoyed watching Lou not only help others but also be helped herself in the process.
In the beginning I really appreciated the instant connection and chemistry that she and Henry had. I was all in. There were so many tender moments and I loved the build up of their relationship. One of my favorite moments was when she asked why he always called her Louisa, everyone calls her Lou. His response was “Maybe I don’t want to call you what everyone else calls you.”
Excuse me while I melt.

Unfortunately I found the time of their first intimate moments sort of strange, and I’m one of those people what can get the ick from something like that quite easily and have a hard time shaking it. I felt that Henry’s past was so deep and layered and we weren’t given enough time to explore it. It felt like we ripped the bandaid off and then went right on to making out and counting their relationship. I just wasn’t a huge fan of that.
While I enjoyed the resolution she had with her mother, I do wish we had more with Lou and Goldie hashing out their issues. Goldie really frustrated me and I would’ve loved to see Lou stand up for herself more.

Wow! I thought this book would be a fun, light romance. It is really a very thoughtful women’s fiction with a lovely slow burn romance. Touching on grief, loneliness, heartbreak and difficult family dynamics, this truly exceeded my expectations. Beautiful story, stunning location and an interesting diverse cast of characters all add up to a wonderful adult fiction debut. I finished 90% of this book in one day and it was the perfect way to spend an afternoon. Highly recommend and I look forward to more from Ellen O’Clover. 4.5⭐️

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for providing a DRC of this title for review.

Very much into the poignant contemporary romances that are so on-trend right now, so this one sounded right up my alley. I really loved the characters in this one, although the pacing felt a little uneven and something about Henry and Lou’s relationship didn’t 100% click for me (maybe because this is all in Lou’s POV and much of Henry felt unknowable?). Though the relationship was hitting all the expected story beats, there were parts where the depicted emotional and relational depth felt a little unearned... All in all, though, I did enjoy this author's writing style and would definitely still recommend to my patrons looking for a contemporary romance with themes on grief and loss.

3.75/5 stars.

This book is devastating but yet so lovely! Really a feat. Excited to see what she writes next. Thanks to berkley for the arc!

After Louisa experiences a breakup, she needs a way to pay for her home. So, she decides to turn it into a bed and breakfast for the heartbroken. Given the shift in the use of the residence, she has to connect with her landlord Henry who she's never actually met. And as you can infer, things go from there. I will say that I loved the premise of the B&B. It was a unique spin on a story of heartbreak, and I loved how this was woven in. That said, Louisa and Henry have some "stuff" in their backstories that they are each working through, and there was some heavy stuff in there. That's not a critique, rather just a heads up on the vibe. Overall, it was an enjoyable story of navigating through and finding love (again). Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the look at this September 2025 release!

Omg this was such an emotionally beautiful read! A slow burn romance that will grab your heart and will not let go. The way these two characters came together and healed gave me all the warm fuzzies I was looking for when I started the book. You will not want to miss this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Books for the opportunity to read and review the ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

very beautifully written, poetic and raw. there were some things lacking and some pacing issues but no doubt ellen is on my radar in the future

I adored this book - it was such a good story, great characters and overall a very enjoyable read. I read this book in one day and fell in love with the characters, rooting for Henry and Louisa to get together. I really enjoyed the ending, that they moved out the house to have their own start together. This book handled some heavy topics really well.

gorgeous, tenderhearted, and deeply romantic. With lovingly crafted prose and a love interest that makes your heart ache, The Heartbreak Hotel is a hopeful exploration of life after loss and that healing doesn't have to happen alone.

This book intrigued me, as a professional counselor, because it addressed so many issues. I love how Louisa wanted to help others although she struggled with self esteem issues, as most of us do. Henry was a wonderful character dealing with his own grief and pain. The whole concept of creating a healing hotel where people can visit and take care of themselves with guidance is a lovely idea full of hope.

This novel is the reason I love reading romance! After the first chapter, I KNEW that “The Heartbreak Hotel” was going to be a 5-star read for me, and boy, was it ever! Ellen O’Clover wrote an emotionally driven novel that was packed with all the feels.

Louisa Walsh is navigating her public breakup with her rockstar ex in the best way she can—by opening her home to fellow heartbroken people. Realizing she couldn't afford the rent on her own, she convinced her landlord to let her open the Comeback Inn!

Enter Henry Rhodes, the single and very handsome town veterinarian who is also Louisa’s landlord. Initially, Henry is apprehensive about Louisa’s bed-and-breakfast plan, but after witnessing her passion and emotion, he agrees! At this point, I was completely captivated by this fabulous novel.

I have absolutely no notes for this book because it is perfection! I haven't read Ellen O’Clover before, but now I will be seeking out everything she writes. In fact, I would love for her to develop this book into a series—I would LOVE that! Simply put, if you are a romance fan, this book is a must-read!

The Heartbreak Hotel is an exceptionally unique read that stands out for its compelling tension, sharp dialogue, and richly developed characters. From the very first chapter, the story pulls you in with a sense of emotional urgency and doesn't let go. I loved the little bit of mystery with Henry's character, which added such an element of surprise. The character development in this story was top-notch, with back stories to support those character flaws. The side characters were a highlight for me, each added depth, humor, or heart to the narrative in meaningful ways, making the world of the novel feel layered and alive.

Everyone has a second chance at happiness, Louisa is driven to provide that with a bed and breakfast proposal to her landlord Henry. She knows first hand what it feels like to be blindsided and broken hearted, she has studied it. Putting her skills to good use, Louisa is delighted when grumpy Henry allows the Comeback Inn to open its doors to customers.

What Louisa does not expect is to be attracted to Henry and it be reciprocal.

Louisa and Henry finding each other completes the journey in this story. A solid discourse on all things that people deal with from heartbreak, loss, grief and sadness. The topics were imbedded within a sweet romance budding between the two main characters. Well done Ellen, I really enjoyed this bed and breakfast book.

<i> Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with an e-ARC of this via Netgalley.</i>

I did not expect this book to tug at my heart so much 😭 I went in expecting a light, fun romcom, but was surprised by how emotionally deep and thoughtful it turned out to be.

The story follows Lou, who is dealing with a heartbreak after she finds out her boyfriend of 6 years, cheated on her. After her breakup, the only thing she wants is the house she was renting with her ex-boyfriend. Enter Henry, the quiet and mysterious landlord who agrees to her idea of transforming the house into a heartbreak hotel. Henry and Lou start spending a lot of time together and come to realize they both have a lot in common.

The relationship development was beautiful, heartbreaking and so raw. I just thought it was a beautiful story, overall. It deals with grief, loss, mental illness and familial problems. Watching Lou and Henry mature and change, as individuals and a couple, throughout the story was one of the most rewarding parts of the book. 🥹

What to expect:
-Age gap
-Yearning
-Slow burn
-Found family
-Family drama
-He falls first and HARD