Are you kidding me?! This is exactly what my heart needed!!! I didn’t know what to expect when I started this but I loved every second!! This book deals with grief, loss and heartbreak and the slow but beautiful journey of healing! The writing was amazing and had me feeling allll the emotions of these characters hardships.

This is definitely a must read for all you romance lovers looking for a book with not only love but SO much depth! The plot was so different than anything I’ve read and made it an instant hit!

♥️

“I want to tell him that I could spend my whole life learning him. My whole life seeing only him, and it wouldn’t be enough.”

“Home isn’t a place; it’s a feeling. It’s a rootedness that we make for ourselves. The deep knowing that no matter where we go, we belong.”

What a beautiful story! The Heartbreak Hotel is so much more than a contemporary romance. It's a novel about finding yourself, hope and recovering from hurt.

Louisa is such a relatable heroine. I think most readers will feel a kinship with her and where she's at in the beginning of the book. We've all felt loss, grief and self-doubt so I think her character will resonate with many. Henry's character as well. He has his own demons to work through. O'Clover does a great job writing these characters and making them feel real. I fell hard for these two and even harder for their slow burn romance. Watching these two become closer and feeling the pining between them was intense. I couldn't get enough of Louisa and Henry.

The side characters were also great.

O'Clover pens a wonderful story here. I really fell in love with her writing. I highlighted so much!

This book shines. It's heartfelt, emotional, cozy and romantic.

5 glowing, heart-squeezing stars

Let me start by saying this: The Heartbreak Hotel absolutely owns September. If it's not already on your TBR, go fix that immediately.

I went in expecting a cozy, slow-burn romance with a little emotional flair-and instead, I got a story that held me captive, ripped my heart open, and stitched it back together with tenderness and quiet grace. I was not okay by page 100, and definitely not okay at 1 a.m. when I was sobbing into my blanket, clutching my Kindle like a lifeline.

At its heart, this book is about Louisa Walsh-recently heartbroken, emotionally adrift, and trying to find her footing again-and Henry Rhodes, a reserved, gruff veterinarian with just as many emotional scars as he has rescued animals. When Louisa returns to the only place that's ever felt like home, she proposes a deal: she'll turn the house into a functioning B&B if Henry lets her stay rent-free. What unfolds from there is not just romance, but deep emotional restoration.

This isn't a love story that rushes. It simmers. It aches. It yearns. And it delivers.

What made this book so unforgettable?
* The writing. Ellen O'Clover writes with a lyrical, immersive quality that feels like breathing in fresh mountain air. It's soft yet sharp, warm but unflinching.
* The tension. The chemistry. Every stolen glance, every word unsaid-Louisa and Henry's connection is electric in the quietest, most meaningful ways.
* Grief and growth. This is where the book shines.
The romance is beautiful, yes, but the emotional depth? Next level. O'Clover doesn't shy away from hard things-loss, self-doubt, emotional wounds-but approaches them with nuance and grace.
* Found family. From meddling neighbors to endearing guests, the supporting characters add so much life to the story. And Lou and Mei's friendship? Absolutely radiant.
* Tropes done RIGHT: slow burn, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity, age gap (26/34), and yes, a very swoony, very stoic MMC.
* That Colorado mountain setting. It's giving cozy firelight, golden mornings, and fairy lights strung across healing hearts.

Though it leans more into women's fiction than traditional romance (Henry's POV is limited, and Louisa's journey of self-discovery takes center stage), I loved that. This book isn't just about falling in love with someone else-it's about coming home to yourself after being broken wide open.

This was my first book by Ellen O'Clover, and I am now officially obsessed. If her other work carries even half the emotional punch this one did, I'm clearing my calendar.

I'll be thinking about the final three words of this novel for a long time.

Healing, romantic, and quietly powerful-The Heartbreak Hotel is everything I didn't know I needed.

Pre-order it. Highlight it. Hug it. This one's going to stay with you.

Thank you Berkley the advanced copy through NetGalley—opinions are my own! :)

The Heartbreak Hotel is a quiet stunner—a slow-burn romance that gently unfolds into a moving story of loss, healing, hope, and second chances.

Lou is heartbroken and adrift after a bad breakup, and finds herself having to fight for the only place that’s ever felt like home to her. In order to stay, she comes up with the idea of turning it into a B&B alongside Henry, a guarded, wounded vet who also happens to be her landlord. As they work together, you slowly see walls coming down, and something real and tender begins to grow.

This book hit me right in the feels—in the best possible way. It’s not just a love story; it’s about heartbreak, grief, healing, and those quiet, real moments that stick with you. The cozy setting and lovable side characters (Nan! Mei!) just make it all the more comforting, like a warm blanket you never want to let go of! The house itself was so well written, I felt like I knew the exact layout and exactly what it looked like.

The third-act-breakup was a little unnecessary and felt too rushed, but everything else was just perfect.

4.25 ⭐️

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 | 🌶️

I absolutely adored this story, the perfect heartwarming romance! Everyone needs to add this to their TBR, it is going to be a wonderful fall read.

The tension between the MCs had me hooked! I loved how their relationship unfolded and how they healed each other along the way. The concept of the bed and breakfast for the broken hearted was so sweet and I loved all the side characters that came through the house and played a role in the MCs development. My favourite has to be Nan.

While I saw the twist before it was revealed, I still was excited to confirm my suspicions! I would definitely check the trigger warnings before going into this one, there are some very sensitive topics. I do think Ellen did a wonderful job of weaving those harder themes into the story and it was heartbreaking but beautiful. I definitely cried, a lot (but I am a very big crier lol).

🗓️ 09.23.25

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the early review copy!

I enjoyed this book a lot. Thank you for letting me read it early! I would so recommend this book to anyone who asks. The cast of characters really helped make this story the gem it is.

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover is a sweet and slow-burning romance that explores grief, friendship, and love.

The writing is heart-wrenching and will make you feel all the feels.

This book felt like a warm hug. Henry and Louisa's romance felt so soft and tender and I was absolutely obsessed with Louisa's inner dialogue when it came to Henry. It was so sweet that it felt sickening!! (Complimentary). I also love love love the fact that this book took place in Estes Park CO, one of my favorite places in the country. The setting for a story like this is so perfect and I could picture it so easily!

This book was everything I needed! It has romance, friendship and heart. This book was equal parts sell y and full of emotions. Easy 5 stars! This one will stick with you long after you are finished reading it.

The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O'Clover is angsty second chance romance done at its best!

I really loved this book. It has the perfect mix of sweet, emotional and angsty romance. They were best friends, lovers and then nothing and now they are together in this project. I loved seeing the past and present and seeing the way they fell and then what happened and how they get back together, all the tension, misunderstandings, heartbreak and music as well. I thought this was such a clever way of putting a fresh spin on second chance romance. a must read for the true romantics!

4.5 stars. This book is soft, but packs a punch. Wow.
This has it all: romance, family struggles, grief, supportive friendships, and more.
Lou’s relationship with her rockstar boyfriend ends, and she doesn’t want to leave the house that they shared. She proposes an idea to her landlord about making the house into a b&b for people dealing with heartbreak.

Henry was such a gentle and soft mmc!! I loved Lou and how she loved to care for those in need. The strangers that booked the b&b were fun, and I loved the sense of community. I think what touched me most was the relationship Lou had with her sister. It was a little TOO relatable and truly hit for me.

The last three words in the book🥹 everyone needs to read this!!


Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

This book unfurled like a film behind my eyes—each scene rendered in lush, cinematic detail. It was steeped in a stunning atmosphere, rich with tender romance, and wrapped in the kind of cozy moments you dream of sharing with your favorite people… and even unforgettable strangers. From the first page, I was spellbound by the writing. The prose felt so intimate, immersive, alive. I could taste the peppermint tea, feel the golden heat of the fire on my skin, see the soft twinkle of fairy lights overhead, and sense the quiet, growing ache between Henry and Lou.

Their connection was something radiant. They met each other in their brokenness, held space for the weight of one another’s pain, and gently helped carry it. There love was honest. Healing. So incredibly beautiful.

And then there was Lou and Mei. Oh, their friendship🥹. A luminous thread woven through the story. The way they lifted one another, steady as a heartbeat, even when the world felt unkind. Always cheering, always present, always knowing the other’s heart like their own. One of the most touching, soul-deep friendships.

If I could step inside the pages of any book and stay there, it would be this one. I loved it so completely, and I truly believe it belongs on everyone’s “must read” list.

This story was full of hopeful moments! I needed that type of book in my life at the time. It worked well with Ellen's storytelling abilities and the banter she wrote for the main male and female characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

This is an instance where choosing a book based on its beautiful cover completely paid off, because this was one of the easiest 5 stars I have ever given.

From the incredibly atmospheric and detailed descriptions of our setting, to the soft hearted, people pleasing fmc, and the grumpy but extremely kind mmc. It has a great build up to the romance, it has the emotional punches that make the readers feel seen, it has the funny moments, the beautiful writing, the sense of community and found family aspect. I love this book so much and I will be thinking of Louisa and Henry forever. I miss them so much already and I can’t believe they’re not real. Thank you so much Berkley and NetGalley for this beautiful arc. I’m so grateful to have found this wonderful book.

Just wrapped up The Heartbreak Hotel by Ellen O’Clover and whew—my heart feels like it’s been cracked open and stitched back together, all in the best way. This book is tender, messy, and full of soul. It captures the ache of letting go and the magic of starting over with such quiet beauty. If you’ve ever been brokenhearted or just human, this story will meet you right where you are.

This work of art. What a beautiful, heartfelt love story. This was so cozy, human, emotional and just overall stunning story surrounding all types of grief. I loved every second of it and I am itching to get my hands on a physical copy. My favorite romance read of the year!!

WYM I have to wait until september so I can discuss this with the rest of the world!??

From the moment it started I just knew it was going to be a good one.
I really think this book has it all, theres romance, friendship, sooo much drama, and of course, heartbreak but not just the romantic type. It explores heartbreak through grief and family relationships.

I’ll be honest, I was here for the title and the pretty cover, but this one took me by surprise in more than one way. I read this in one sitting cause there was no way I could stop.

This is the first book I’ve read from Ellen and made me an instant fan of hers.


Extremely thankful to Netgalley, Berkley and Ellen O’Clover for this ARC ✨

I'm going to need every single person I know to read this when it comes out in September because IT WAS SO GOOD. It was full of tender moments that make your heart physically ache, perfect tension between our main characters, lovable side characters and all the goodness of an emotional romance with a HEA. The first chapter smashed my heart to pieces and then every chapter after slowly put it back together. The epilogue filled me with all the warm fuzzy feelings.

The low down: Lou and her rich, long term bf break up leaving her without her first love, jobless and in a home she adores but realistically cannot afford. Her solution? Lou is going to open a B&B for the brokenhearted (like her!!). That is, as long as she can get her grumpy landlord to approve her plan first.

There was so much goodness in this one, but above all I loved the way the home became a character that shined. Lou's descriptions of her home brought it to life so tremendously and I felt so attached to it in the same way she did. Set up in Estes Park (which I can attest is beautiful!!), it's a special mountain retreat that embeds itself in the hearts of those who stay in it.

The biggest forehead kisses go out to Berkley for the eARC. I feel honored to read this one in advance!!

Louisa and Henry’s story is a slow exploration of grief—of getting lost within it, stumbling through the dark, and slowly finding your way back to yourself. The exploration of grief in this book feels especially unique. It is a quiet reminder that mourning someone doesn’t always require their absence through death; sometimes, it is enough that they’re simply no longer who they once were to you.

Louisa and Henry’s relationship is not wrapped up in a neat little bow, and that is exactly what makes it feel so beautifully real. This book doesn’t pretend that love fixes everything. Instead, it lets the cracks show—it allows space for the hard parts, the missteps, and the quiet work of understanding one another. While many stories try to smooth out every wrinkle between prologue and epilogue, this one lingers in the mess, showing Louisa and Henry still learning each other’s routines and needs. It is the perfect ending 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.

🏠 Tropes
🐶 Age gap (8 years)
🐶 Slow burn
🐶 Found family
🐶 Death of loved one
🐶 Mental health rep

The heart break hotel. What a great book. When we are heartbroken and rejected, we need a soft place to land. It takes a village of friends to help you heal. People who will let you be angry and sad You need people who will let you be who you need to be to heal all the wounds