This book took placed its hands inside of my chest, removed my heart, reconstructed it and cleaned it out, and put it promptly back inside my chest - shiny and new. Reading stories that make you believe in love again when real life love feels so short sighted, is a true treasure. I adored Louisa's character, and though some may not understand the behaviors of someone with BPD, I felt that part of her to feel extremely real in her attempts to keep her mother safe. She's a new favorite FMC, for sure. I can't wait to hear more from Ellen O'Clover!

A bed-and-breakfast for the brokenhearted might just hold the key to another chance at love in this achingly hopeful debut romance. When a breakup leaves Lousia unable to afford rent on her Colorado mountain home, she’s desperate to stay in the one stable place she’s ever called home. Lou strikes a deal with her reclusive landlord, Henry Rhodes: she’ll run the house as a bed-and-breakfast in exchange for free lodging. She doesn’t expect Henry to be a handsome, quietly grieving veterinarian or to take issue when she markets the inn as a retreat for the recently heartbroken. But as the “Comeback Inn” opens its doors to a motley crew of guests, Lou and Henry find themselves navigating a fragile new beginning, closely guarded secrets, and a love that could heal them both.

This was such a cute read. I couldn’t decide what to pick up next, but after seeing someone rave about this one, I decided to give it a go. I loved most of the story, and I’m always a sucker for a cast of quirky, mismatched characters which this book delivers in spades. By the end, though, it reminded me a bit of Katherine Center’s The Love Haters because of the initial setup, and certain late-in-the-book moments gave me Abby Jimenez vibes (I won’t say which books to avoid spoilers).

I still really loved the fun, heartfelt way Louisa works through her grief. Her sister was… the worst, and honestly never redeemed herself in my eyes. Henry, on the other hand, was the sweetest, and my heart ached for him and the weight he carried. What stood out most was how the story balanced romance with deeper themes. Louisa and Henry’s slow-burn chemistry was good, but the book truly shines in its exploration of grief, self-doubt, and the unexpected ways life can surprise you. The supporting cast: B&B guests and especially Mei, add warmth and humor, making the cozy Colorado mountain setting feel wonderfully alive.

While this is a romance, it fell more into the women’s fiction arena for me. And while I did really enjoy the story (I binged almost the whole thing in an evening) and it’s a quick read, it just felt similar to other stories I’ve recently read. Still recommend especially as we head into ‘cozy mountain getaway book’ season! Definitely a great debut!

The Heartbreak Hotel comes out September 23, 2025. Huge thank you to Berkley for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
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a heartwarming (& heart-aching) gem!

The slow-burn connection between Louisa and Henry was so beautiful; romantic, emotional, natural, tender, real and full of tension.

The concept of the Comeback Inn was both clever and comforting, a place that felt like a character in its own right. I adored the guests who passed through its doors, each one adding something special to the story.

This book had everything I look for in a contemporary romance: emotional depth, a vivid setting (I love Colorado and Estes Park!), and characters I couldn’t help but root for. I’m also such a sucker for love stories that explore grief, and Ellen O’Clover handles grief, heartbreak, and family dynamics with such tenderness and care. The emotional nuance and beautiful prose made this story linger everytime I had to (reluctantly) put it down. It moved me deeply and left me with a quiet, lasting sense of hope.

If you’re in the mood for a romantic story about fresh starts, healing, and home, I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR!❤️ (just be sure to check content warnings and read with care)

A huge thank you to Berkley for the ARC! I am SO looking forward to whatever is next from Ellen O'Clover!

3.5 rounded up.
This book is very sweet and has much more depth than you might initially think. I appreciated how it showed different kinds of heartbreak and the ways people heal differently. I also liked how the author highlighted Lou's mother's diagnosis and the difficulty of parenting a parent. There was a lot I related to.

One trope I don't particularly like in books is when the MMC says he's wanted the FMC since the first time he saw her, even when they go years without ever speaking a word to each other. So while I liked Henry a lot, I didn't love that part of their romance. Otherwise, I found the book to be very charming.

This story took me be surprise!! I went in thinking I knew the plot and was shocked at the beautiful story of grief, love, friendship, and family. I highly recommend this for readers who enjoy complex emotions and friends/family dynamics along with the romance.

I laughed, I cried, I blushed. There’s so much going on with this story, and the author did a fantastic job at navigating it all. We have our FMC, Louisa, who is dealing with the fall out of her ex boyfriend and figuring out the new path for her life. When she asks Henry to turn the house into the heartbreak hotel I loved the idea. The story that unfolds is so beautiful with the guests staying at the hotel and Lou finding her footing again. I loved her journey and found it so easy to love and root for her. Henry is complex to me, in a way I found myself a little mad at him for hiding so much, but then it’s also understandable once he does open up. I love that these two found each other.

The sister relationship with Lou and Goldie along with their relationship with their mother captivated me. I love a story with sisters who are so opposite and can find common ground by the end of the story.

Over all, read this book!!!!!

CW: death of a child

Thank you so much Berkley for the arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Y’all, stop what you’re doing and add this book to your TBR, I’m so serious 👊If you’re a lover of Abby Jimenez then you are going to LOVE this book. This was such an incredibly sweet and heartfelt (no pun intended). It had me giggling, swooning and tearing up throughout the whole book. I really really loved Lou, she was super relatable with her caretaker traits and having to learn how to take care of herself/let others take care of her. And Henry…my Shayla…if you have gotten a chance to read this yet then you know what I mean when I say I wanted to reach through my kindle and give this man a hug because HE NEEDED ONE. The way grief was touched on was super beautiful and had me tearing up quite a few times. Loved loved loved!!! Thank you to NetGalley, Ellen O’Clover and Berkley (cannot believe I got an arc from them lol)

I absolutely loved The Heartbreak Hotel.
It was such a sweet and emotional read that completely pulled me in. It was so easy to fall in love with Lou—her caring heart, quiet strength, and resilience made her incredibly relatable. Despite everything life threw her way, she never let it bring her down, and that made her story all the more inspiring.

A truly heartwarming book that stays with you long after the final page.

♾️ stars!!!! this story will bring you heart aching pain, but in the most beautiful way. this will forever have a special place in my heart and a top read of this year. i could not put this down, i was so invested into the story and the characters. lou is such a relatable fmc that i feel a lot of readers will be able to relate to and feel for her between her breakup, career setbacks, family trauma, etc. now, henry, henry, henry. i love this man. his heartache jumps off the page and you can feel every ounce of his emotion. the idea of an inn for broken heart people to “retreat and recover” was what made this story so unique. this story was so tender and full of emotion about love, loss, heartbreak, friendship, and finding your way back to yourself when you’ve been lost.

the author does a wonderful job at bringing the setting and atmosphere to life. i’ve never been to colorado but i could picture everything, the inn, the seasons, the aspens, etc. each character brings this story together and i really loved the friendship between lou and mei so much.

louisa, tumultuous childhood, has a degree in counseling, was dumped by her wealthy boyfriend and left unable to afford rent on their beautiful house in the colorado mountains. she refused to lose the place she calls home and comes up with a plan with her reclusive landlord henry. she wants to stay for free in exchange for renting out the house as a bed and breakfast for the recently heartbroken. as it opens, lou and henry end up spending more time together and dance around their undeniable connection and start opening up with one another but their pain and trauma, but both have their painful secrets.

i will be annotating the heck out of a physical copy because this was truly something beautiful. thank you to berkley for the e-arc and my new favorite read. “you didn’t remember me, but i couldn’t forget you. not in all this time” HENRY!!!!!!!

tropes: he falls first, grumpy x sunshine, mental health rep, colorado setting during autumn, age gap, found family, broken hearted

4.25 🌟

Must read for romcom readers.

This book surprised me - I planned for your typical romcom but this book was so much deeper. The stories of growth and redemption were so heartwarming. I found myself hoping this book never ended because it was so good.

Thanks, Netgalley for the ARC of this book.

SOMEBODY TURN THIS INTO AN EARLY 2000s ROMCOM RIGHT FREAKING NOW! 🎥 not only was this a beautiful slow burn romance but also a story about grief, finding love when you least expect it, healing and how homes play such a big part in our lives. i do think if you like a women's fiction read w/ a slice of romance you will love this one!

This book was delightful. It gave me all of the warm and fuzzy feelings I was after while reading it. I now have the biggest soft spot for Louisa and Henry. Honestly, I loved the entire found family more than I loved the characters who were actually related to each other (except for Lou and her nephew. Cutie patooties). If you want a romance book that feels like a warm hug, this is for you.

I couldn't put this book down! It was a romantic comedy with so much heart and depth. It dealt with serious and difficult topics with care and attention. Nothing felt rushed for the plot, this slow-burn took it's time which made the payoff so worth it! Honestly, my favorite romance of 2025 so far.

There are so few words to describe the emotions woven into every page of this book -- every line, every sentence. From beginning to end, it's a stunning showcase of healing, humanity, heartaches, and all the ways we connect through our stories. There's so much beauty in it, I wouldn't even know where to begin. But the last chapter? Every single word of that last chapter will stay with me for a long, long time.

I loved Louisa’s character development throughout the course of this book! Her growth throughout the story felt so realistic and not at all forced. Her relationship with her mother and her sister were my favorite parts of this book! I also loved all of the side characters we get to meet at the Heartbreak Hotel. I do wish Henry and Louisa’s relationship was maybe a bit slower overall. To me it almost felt unrealistically fast, but I am also a sucker for a good slow burn. I think I would’ve loved to see them closer emotionally before Henry began to share parts of his life with her.

First book by Ellen O’Clover!

This is such a cozy read!

I was in a bit of a depression and reading this helped me out of it.
Dont you love those books that without thinking help you out in the most beautiful way?

Mointains, Men who love animals😍, he falls first, historical homes!!, feminine friendships, and the best mental health rep

Ok, I really liked this one! I don't know why I held off starting it for so long but it ended up being a great read. I think what makes this book special is the cast of characters. The main characters, Lou and Henry, are both very well written and have a lot of depth. There is fun banter and interaction between the two and you can feel the chemistry from the start. But in addition, the side characters add an element of fun to the book. The hotel guests are all unique and interesting. There are various types of relationships that form throughout this book and you are able to see the importance of each one. This was a great, lighthearted book that still had depth and lots of emotion!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a good, emotional romance. Both Lou and Henry were such well-developed and realistic characters, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their story unfold. I thought Lou was a great main character, and her struggles and her character development throughout the book were very well thought out and executed. I also really liked Henry, and he had good character development over the course of the story as well.

The setting of this book was very atmospheric and cozy, and I thought the premise of this book was very interesting! I loved the side characters, especially Mei and Nan, and I had a good time reading this book. I absolutely loved the ending, and I thought it wrapped up the whole story in a very satisfying and fitting way. Overall, I would definitely recommend this book, and I look forward to reading whatever Ellen O'Clover writes next!

“The Heartbreak Hotel” by Ellen O’Clover was such a joy to read. The story had me both giggling and taking moments to digest the more serious aspects of the plot. Louisa, the emotionally intelligent almost-therapist, and Henry, the dependable animal-lover, had me rooting for both characters from the very start. This books shines in the way it highlights the different forms that grief and healing can take through both the main plot and the side stories. I’d like to thank NetGalley and Berkeley publishing for this ARC and look forward to reading similar stories in the future!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ My review: I loved this journey. Lou was hurt and betrayed by her (now famous, of course) college love. But her plan to keep the rental house they shared is to make it a haven for hurt people. You can tell the second landlord/veterinarian Henry enters that he is hurt. Some of my theories were right about him, some not. He wants to move on, Lou wants to move on. But her constant need to "fix" everything and please everyone gets in the way.
We root for Lou and Henry (and her heart broken guests at the Inn) while they try to fix themselves and help each other. The lessons about time healing, talking helps, ask for support when you need it, and it takes a village, shine through and are good reminders. I really wanted Lou to be happy but I really, really wanted Henry to find peace.

Wonderful book, engaging characters that draw you in. Everyone experiences heartbreak, but it's how you get through it or past it that matters.

Several triggers that happen off book: mental illness, death of a loved one, abandonment by a parent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advance digital copy in exchange for my review.

never been through heartbreak but this book might have brought me close to that

wowowow, this book had me feeling SO MANY EMOTIONS. i read this in one sitting, it had me pulled in from the start. it tackles many real-life events and how to find yourself after grief and heartbreak. i was holding back tears while reading this on the plane.

and also LOVEDD the romance! they had so much tension right at the start but i loved the build up to their relationship. also a man who SHOWS UP! literally say less like what a man!! i also loved all the different characters who stayed at the inn and how their stories influenced lou and henry.

this book was heartbreaking but also beautiful and uplifting. i loved it!

thank you to netgalley and berkley for sending me a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review!