The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover

⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 🌶️ (1.5/5) | Sometimes healing happens in the most unexpected places

Vibes We Are Tracking
🏠 Cozy bed-and-breakfast sanctuary
💔 Healing through helping others
🦋 Grumpy veterinarian with hidden depths
🌸 Found family feels
✨ Slow-burn yearning that makes you ache
🫖 Chamomile tea and fairy light therapy

This one blindsided me. Lou's desperate plan to save her home by creating a retreat for heartbroken guests sounds almost ridiculous on paper, but O'Clover makes it feel so real.

Henry gutted me—this quiet, grieving man who agrees to Lou's wild scheme while fighting his own demons. Their connection builds so slowly, so carefully, that when they finally let their walls down, I found myself completely invested.

What moved me most was how this isn't about fixing anyone. It's about sitting with people in their pain, creating space for healing without rushing it. The writing made me believe in the magic of found family and second chances.

Releases: September 23, 2025

What if your rock star boyfriend broke up with you, and instead of disappearing you decided to stay in the house you once shared, but turn it into a B&B for the recently dumped or bereaved? That’s the original premise of The Heartbreak Hotel, set in the Colorado mountains where Lou is desperate to hold on to the beautiful cabin she’s made into a home. So she convinces her landlord Henry to let her stay and turn it into a destination. Henry is also distractingly handsome and a veterinarian, as though he wasn’t attractive enough without being kind to animals, too. But he seems sad.

Lou and Henry are lovely together, but I was also frustrated with both of them. They’re each holding back some critical information that the other one needs to know, and their reasons don’t seem good enough to cause that much extra drama.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

*Thank you to Berkley Romance for the arc, all thoughts are my own*

I'm a huge fan of Ellen O'Clover and look forward to reading whatever she publishes; there's a lush, soft, visceral texture to her writing that I truly can't get enough of. That said, The Heartbreak Hotel suffers a bit from slight false advertisement for me. The romance is a huge component to the book, and I do love Henry well enough, but the book is Louisa's story as opposed to Louisa and Henry's story. We follow her journey, and she's a compelling enough character to me that I have zero qualms over that. A solid read with filled with grief and growth, and a cute romance story to boot.

Oh my god, 5 huge, broken hearted stars!!! Thank you Berkley for the arc. This is without a doubt a new favorite that I will keep close to my heart.

This book gripped my heart in the most painful, bruising, and wonderful way. I love when a book packs a punch that feels like a literal brick has been thrown at my chest. Not only that, but this was a book that I DID NOT want to put down, that as I was approaching the end of the novel, I PHYSICALLY DID PUT DOWN because I didn't--couldn't--let it end. I wanted this book to last forever. The book as a whole was poignant with a melancholic yearning and longing for peace, happiness, and acceptance, which the author handled with so much tenderness and care. It was everything I wanted in a romance and everything I didn't know I needed.

The Heartbreak Hotel opens with Louisa fresh off a breakup with her college sweetheart-turned famous singer, Nate, who cheated on her. We are introduced to her best friend, Mei, who is the sweetest and most perfect best friend in the world. I really appreciated and adored how their friendship was written, and how they showed up for each other time and time again. Since Louisa is studying/has studied to become a therapist, she reaches her hands out for everybody to grab but never extends hers when she needs help. This was particularly impactful for me and I resonated so deeply with Louisa's tendency to ignore her own emotions and focus on others (though I am not a therapist, I had thought of it as a career path, and still love helping people, so Lou and I had this in common). 

The Inn is an immediate hit, and Lousia has patrons coming week after week. With this comes a range of people with different heartbreaks seeking Louisa out to help. I loved every single character that came through the Inn. Nan, Rashad, Grace, Kim and Bea. They were all unique and had great personalities. They extended their hands to Lou, and after a while, the people who came there were just family helping family. The author did such a fabulous job at building this up. While I couldn't relate to the way any of them were so open to talking to each other (especially early in the morning? social anxiety who?), this sounded like a dream scenario I would love to do (if I were better at socializing lol). 

Well, where's the romance, you might ask? I would argue that it's best to go into this blind (since I literally did and didn't read the synopsis ofc. what's new.) Henry just absolutely stole the show for me after a certain point. The Heartbreak Hotel (The Comeback Inn) was a place for all of the brokenhearted. Henry belonged there. Hell, he created the heartbreak. Because he broke my heart. 
The relationship between Louisa and Henry was a timid, slow-cooker release. Since I didn't read the synopsis I didn't know the love interest would be the landlord, so it threw me for a little, but then his quiet gestures and his long glances and his helping Louisa for all the many disasters that running an inn (and being a landlord) would produce, I saw the chemistry weave between them like a braid getting thicker from every interaction. He is a quiet lover, an acts of service lover, and a total freaking sweetheart. Their romance isn't a jumble of cliche and recycled tropes and quotes that you could find in a million other books. (I didn't roll my eyes once! while reading this entire book! I deserve a medal!) Their relationship felt less like a book being written and more like a story begging to be told. Henry was dependable, sweet, loving, and so, so caring. He was so broken and I just love the way the story unfolded until the mosaic of his pain painted the full picture. Because whew. This one hurt!

Louisa also deals with parental conflict with her mom, who has BPD. I don't believe I've read a romance where a character explicitly states they have BPD, but I really appreciated the representation as someone who has much overlap. I thought the conflict was present but not overdone. Louisa dealt with a lot of guilt, but she was taught by her loving friends and family that her having to take care of her mom wasn't her job. Goldie, Louisa's sister, was most relatable in this aspect: the very blunt, honest, and angry sibling. In the end, I'm glad they were both able to kind of meet each other in the middle. I love when more than just our main characters have their own arc. 
The setting was idyllic and beautiful and this is the perfect book to add to your fall and winter tbr. In a beautiful little cottage in Colorado, the emphasis on the change of seasons, the weather, the smells, the flowers and firs and aspens, was like drinking a warm cup of hot cocoa. The transformation of the house into an inn was something plucked out of my wildest dreams. The house was utilized so well for Louisa too and her character growth. The writing was also just beautiful. It was the perfect amount of descriptive and beautiful but it didn't feel like it was trying too hard to prove it. It just was. 

There are so many quotes I want to include but I don't want to reveal anything too far from the release date. But this would be the perfect book for anybody who loves books about grief. Fans of Jessica Joyce and Emily Henry (maybe a little bit of Ashley Poston, too!) will adore this.

What a beautiful and emotional story about love, heartbreak, grief, and healing.

When Lou finds out her boyfriend cheated on her, she ends the relationship—but is left wondering if she can afford to keep their cozy rental house. With help from her best friend, she decides to turn it into a “heartbreak hotel” for other people going through breakups.

As she helps others heal, Lou starts to find herself again and builds a quiet, sweet connection with her landlord, Henry, who has his own heartbreaking past. There’s also family drama and deep emotional moments—but it’s all written with so much care and heart that I couldn’t help but love it.

This book made me feel so many things, and I didn’t want it to end. Highly recommend if you love stories about healing, friendship, and finding love when you least expect it.

When Louisa's longtime musician boyfriend breaks up with her, she negotiates with Henry, the landlord of their beautiful Colorado home, to stay in the house if she can run it as a bed and breakfast. Louisa's a budding (unlicenses) therapist with bigtime family issues; Henry is secretive about his past and his connection to the house. You can see where this is going.

I liked the pretty Colorado setting, I liked the descriptions of the wonderful house, I liked the guests of the bed and breakfast and reading about each of their stories. The beginning of the book was good but about 40% of the way through the pacing started getting wonky. That one of the main characters is an aspiring therapist but has some serious issues (mom with mental illness, neglected during childhood, raised by her older sister) that she handles rather badly is frustrating. The emotional scenes didn't quite pack the punch that I think the author was going for. I personally don't like reading romances that involve children unless it's peripherally; this one had too much kid for me.

DNF at 37%.

I give all my thanks to Ellen for the opportunity to read this early as an eARC. I have been following her since before her debut book was published. I read arcs of both her YA books and adored both of them. Ellen has become a favorite YA author for me so I was ecstatic at getting the opportunity to read her adult romance debut early.

I am so saddened to say that The Heartbreak Hotel was not for me. Adult romance has been very hit or miss for me lately and I am going to try to give some insight as to why this one didn't work for me. There may be SPOILERS up to 37%.

From the getgo, it felt like Louisa's depression was seeping out of the book and into my head. I've seen other books say this feels cozy but I didn't get any cozy vibes to where I stopped. Louisa is so very in need of help. One example is that she wants Nate to want her back, not because she wants to get back together but because she wants the validation of being wanted. I couldn't wrap my head around this woman who herself needs therapy making a bed and breakfast so she can give other people therapy... Which brings me to my first major issue with this book: Louisa should not be giving therapy to people when she is not a licensed therapist. As a licensed professional myself (in engineering), I found it VERY difficult to read her "advertisement" where she listed her degree as her credentials. It was so misleading and it upset me. Honestly, just the words "working toward her licensure" would have made me feel better.

Following up with that is the moment where I decided not to continue (spoiler at 37%). <spoiler> I don't understand how a woman who is working toward her dream career and about to take an exam that will determine her life would let an out-of-context photo of her boyfriend kissing someone distract her from her goal. At this point, I couldn't continue. I am a woman in STEM. I worked my butt off to get to where I am and no man will ever take that away from me. Louisa said something like "I wish it was because I didn't study hard enough, but it was actually because of Nate." She is blaming a man for her not being able to take an exam that she needed to pursue her dream job. And it hit me the wrong way. Which is why I had to stop.</spoiler>

Besides those things, I did not feel like the romance was what I wanted. Henry and Louisa are making goo-goo eyes at one another from the moment they meet. She is lusting after him from the start. He makes a very heavy comment at 29% into the book that should have been at 60% in. This isn't a slow burn and I usually like my romances to be slow burns.

I really want Ellen to be successful. And I'm seeing all of these other wonderful reviews and I am so happy and proud of her that she's finding her audience. I just don't think that I fit into that audience for this particular book.

I found the newest book to become my personality. I cannot explain how much I adored this story.

The Heartbreak Hotel follows Lou, after she finds out that her boyfriend of several years has been cheating on her. Knowing she can't afford the rent on the only home she's ever known, she goes to her landlord with a plan to open an inn to people needing refuge after grief and heartbreak.

The idea of this book was delightful to me. I had never come across a book that had such atmosphere and a unique premise like this. I greatly enjoyed reading about Lou's journey and all the people she finds and helps along it. Henry, her landlord, is such a wholesome male lead and I really really appreciated his back story, however please please please if you are looking to read this check the trigger warnings because they are big ones. The metal health representation and how Lou supports people who are struggling with their own pain, whether acknowledged or not, is masterfully written with both care and grace. You can tell the author went into writing knowing she wanted to be sensitive to these topics and I think it was well beyond a success.

There are few books that I don't agree with the ending, but still rate a 5 star review. The beautiful thing about reading is it gives you a window into other writers' and readers' heads. You will never handle a situation the same as the person next door to you. So even though I feel like the ending feels wrong and I had hoped for a different direction for our lovely Lou, that doesn't make it the WRONG decision. It jut makes it different from what I would have chosen. And I can see the validity in that.

I highly recommend this book to so many readers, romance, contemporary, healing fiction, or women's fiction, I think all these genre readers will love this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF at 45%

I was initially drawn in by the premise a hotel designed as a refuge for the heartbroken sounded heartfelt, unique, and full of potential. I really liked the idea and expected a cozy, emotional read about healing and second chances.

However, due to certain content and themes that didn’t work for me personally, I found myself struggling to stay engaged and ultimately decided not to finish. I really didn't enjoy reading about a gay man trying to flirt with a straight man.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early copy.

Oh my gosh this was one of my favorite books of the year so far! The emotions felt so real and so relatable especially with Lou’s mom. This book felt so original and just so heartfelt. I enjoyed every character and will be looking forward to having this book on my shelf.

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!