Louisa Walsh’s recent breakup has left her doubting not only herself but her life choices. Desperate to keep the only place that ever truly felt like her home, Louisa comes up with the concept of a “heartbreak hotel.” A place where the heartbroken can find solace and begin to heal.

Henry Rhodes, her landlord (a handsome and unexpectedly young veterinarian), reluctantly agrees to a six-month trial period. Lou is determined to make the Comeback Inn a success, but her growing attraction to Henry is a complication she cannot afford.

I loved the sweet and slow progression of Henry and Louisa’s relationship and how Louisa quickly recognized the closely guarded heartbreak Henry carried within. I loved how Henry was so obviously smitten with Lou, how he called her Louisa, and his careful consideration of her feelings.

I loved how Lou found strength and safety in Henry. I loved Louisa’s unquestionable love for her sister despite their complex relationship. I loved the friendships and connections she formed with the guests of the Comeback Inn.

Henry and Louisa’s story was about love, loss and emotional healing and one that I will definitely revisit often.

Thank you Ellen O’Clover, NetGalley and Berkley Romance for an eARC of this book!

Reading this book is like watching a hallmark movie in my head. The characters are wholesome, the setting is picturesque. There’s small town charm set in fall/winter. Chef’s kiss!

Following the main characters as they heal from their unique heartbreaks, we learn that the deepest heartbreaks don’t come from romantic love. There were moments I cried, laughed and felt all warm and fuzzy inside.

The story is a little slow to start so don’t give up I promise it gets better!

I really enjoyed this story. I simply couldn't put it down! Louisa insisted that I finish the book. Im so glad I did!
How easily Lou and Henry made me fall in love with them. Such a cool couple! Ive really enjoyed in getting to know them.
The story was so well written that I felt like I was there with them. The cover is so cute. What a perfect name for it. Comeback Inn.
I'm a lot like Louisa. Always caring about others and wanting to help them but not sure how. I related to her very well.
There are some tough subjects like grief and heartache. Sometimes they were so real that I felt them coming from the pages of this book. I love it when an author can do that for me. I was so invested in this story that it was over too quick. I was sad when it ended.
There were a few things that I didn't like along the way. Some of it felt kind of forced but most of this story was truly delightful.
This would be a wonderful Hallmark movie. Such awesome family dynamics which is my favorite thing in a book. I love seeing how the characters work things out.
5 stars from me for a job well done! I highly recommend!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

A warm hug of a book. I loved every moment spent at Louisa's heartbreak hotel and I look forward to returning again and again. Ellen O'Clover is a master of her craft and I am jealous of every word she's ever written.

I enjoyed this book!

After being cheated on and dumped, Louisa is left with the only house that has ever felt like home, which she cannot afford to keep renting without her wealthy ex. Lou approaches her reclusive veterinarian landlord Henry with a proposal to turn the house into a bed and breakfast in exchange for free rent. This idea soon morphs into a retreat for the brokenhearted, which gives both Henry and Louisa a chance to confront their own heartbreaks. Along the way, Henry begins to come out of his shell and find excuses to see Lou at the house as their feelings for one another blossom.

You might like this book if you like:
- an MMC that's good with kids and animals
- quirky background characters
- landlord x tenant romance

While I mostly enjoyed this book, there were some choices made by the characters that I disliked.

Thank you so much to Berkley for the free ebook!

The Heartbreak Hotel by @ellenoclover 💕

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

The Heartbreak Hotel is simultaneously heartbreaking and hopeful, and I just ate this book up. It is just the perfect cozy fall read. While The Heartbreak Hotel definitely exudes those autumnal vibes with its old house, MMC-is-a-vet, mountain vibes, it also brought so much depth, so much emotion that I felt connected to this book almost immediately. You get not only sweet and shy romance but also the power of female friendship and sisterhood.

Louisa is relatable and thoughtful while Henry is the sweet, sad, beautiful man that dreams are made of.

Our story begins with our FMC, Lou, learning that her suddenly famous musician boyfriend has been having an affair, and as brief of a moment it was in the book, I genuinely felt the pain and grief of her discovery. Usually cheating doesn’t hit me like this, but I felt it like a punch in the gut and I chalk it up to Ellen O’Clover’s beautiful writing. I felt the emotions that Louisa was experiencing right along with her throughout this story, right up to the very end as those last few words made me tear up.

As adults we’ve all experienced heartbreak, in some form in our lives, and this book is a cathartic and relatable read while also being the perfect, cozy hug for a fall day. The Heartbreak Hotel is unputdownable and serves up enough drama to keep things interesting.

O’Clover’s prose, her beautiful analogies, it really stands out that you are experiencing a book written by a truly gifted author. This book is indeed a “soft landing place” for the reader and I can’t recommend it enough.

🧡 As my very first ARC, I absolutely loved this book and all future ARCs have their work cut out for them because this was such a beautiful story.

The Heartbreak Hotel releases September 23, 2025!
___
Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley Romance for this eARC. All opinions are my own.

Trigger Warnings: Graphic: Grief, Child death, Death

4.5/5 stars

Wow! This book was so good. I didn't read many reviews going into it and I didn't know what to expect but I'm left wanting to read anything Ellen O'Clover writes. I loved the setting, it was so dreamy and I want to visit this hotel (not for a broken heart), just for fun!

Short synopsis: Lou and her rich (and famous musician), 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.

This grief + romance book was filled with so many shining moments that left me pondering the quotes and knowing they would stay with me for a while. I loved the side characters and the relationship Lou had with her best friend and the way she learned to stand up for herself throughout the book. We love a good female character growth book filled with empowerment!

Henry, he is filled with grief and slowly opens up and he is such a strong man for what he's been through. I'm so grateful for the house and their story unfolding the way it did.

Read this book if you like:
-forced proximity
-enemies to lovers
-centered on grief
-female friendship
-fun cast of hotel guests
-age gap (26/34)
-Veterinarian MMC and therapist/inn keeper FMC

A sweet escape to the mountains of Colorado - such a great setting! Definitely a cozy romance and a slow burn. I liked the concept and the setting, but for whatever reason did not like the main characters very much. I'm not sure why!

This book was so much MORE than I expected it to be. Ellen O’Clover has delivered a tender, romantic, and heartfelt novel about the most difficult of topics. Grief and heartbreak arrive in many forms, and are dealt with in a myriad of ways, by the tenants that move into the Comeback Inn, and Louisa is the conduit of their healing. When she gets to know Henry, the shy landlord of the house, her compassion extends to him, and is reciprocated in kind. As Louisa and Henry discover each other, they will be faced with healing their own inner demons. Charming, funny, and oh so swoony, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment with this book. Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

I had this book saved to my Want To Read section after reading the description online. I was super lucky to snag an advanced copy from NetGalley. I loved this book and the characters. It had a unique premise which drew me in. The author did an excellent job of navigating the passage of time throughout the book with the ebb and flow of different guests at the inn. I felt that the characters had a lot of depth and the author handled their pasts with care. I also appreciated that the FMC had a network of people to support her and it wasn't only about the MMC like in a lot of other romance novels. I will be watching for more from this author in the future!

Thanks again NetGalley and Berkeley for the ARC of this book!

i hate a third act breakup so it will always lose points w me but this was so cute!! he loves his animals sm😭😭

ARC review
Publication date 23 September 2025.

"The Heartbreak Hotel" by Ellen O'Clover is a debut romance about heartbreak and second chances at love.

I received an e-ARC from Berkley Publishing Group (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

Louisa and Nate were together for 6 years when she found out he was cheating on her.
She wants to keep living in the house they shared and convinces the owner (Henry) to let her transform it in an inn and live there rent-free.

What you can expect:
- veterinarian x therapist/inn keeper
- age gap (8 years)
- slow burn
- dealing with heartbreak and grief
- single POV
- female friendship

I read this book in one day because I just could not put it down.
It is very well written and I fell in love with the characters.
Louisa is so sweet, calm and caring. She also has a lot of empathy so she is able to help others deal with their issues.
Henry is dreamy, kind and patient. Even if he doesn't talk a lot, just his presence made me swoon.
I also liked the tension and the chemistry between them.
There is a slow building of the romance, that fit the story.

Also, I liked a lot the connection that Louisa has with her friend Mei and then with the women that came to the inn.
Only her sister got on my nerves. At least her nephew is cute.

I usually like more romance in the books I read, but in this case the whole story was good that I did not feel the need for more.

Thank you to Ellen O'Clover, Berkley Publishing Group, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this incredibly touching book! I flew through this book but also didn't want to finish it, so it wouldn't end because I loved it so much.
The story centers on Louisa, who has for years rented a gorgeous house in the Colorado mountains with her boyfriend. When they suddenly break up and he moves out, Louisa must quickly figure out a way to afford the home. She comes up with the idea to turn the large house into a somewhat B&B for people grieving a relationship.
With the help from her best friend Mei and the handsome and reclusive veterinarian Henry, who is her landlord, Louisa is able to turn her years of heartbreak into a chance a healing and love.
The plot was creative and original. There were moments of humor and devastating sadness. There never felt like a moment of filler. Every page felt essential and contributed to the story and complex characters.
There were so many vivid and individualistic characters. Louisa is charming, calming, and caring. Her empathy is both a gift and a curse from a traumatic childhood and is the center force of the story. Henry is introspective, supportive, and swoonworthy.
The house itself is its own character. It is a healing balm for some and emotionally destructive for others. Mei was everything you want in a best friend. Goldie, Louisa's sister, is complex, frustrating, but also sympathetic. The variety of guests at the inn was entertaining and provided different examples of heartbreak and recovery.
This book was so wonderful. It gives every type of feeling in the best way. It was a funny, reflective, inspiring, and emotional read. I highly recommend it and can't wait to read more by this author!

The heartbreak hotel was such a cosy heartwarming read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher that I got to read the arc!
We‘re following Louisa who’s going through a break up (fuck nate at this point!). She left her relationship brokenhearted and the only thing she wanted to keep was the house they rented together. This house is becoming a safe haven for the brokenhearted and the found family we get because of that is so adorable! Louisa connects with so many different people, with her landlord, with her best friend and her sister. She goes through so so much and I really love how she learns that her feelings are worth feeling and that its okay to ask and accept help throughout this story. This was also so fast paced, i flew through this book and I‘m so glad I finally read it!

5 / 5 Stars
This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. I loved it so, so much. Quick synopsis: Louisa and Nate have been dating for six years until she finds him cheating on her backstage at one of his shows. And while being cheated on sucks (even if they had been growing apart for years), potentially having to move out of their house sucks even more. Their house in Colorado became Louisa’s home and she does not want to give it up, even though she can’t currently pay rent for it. So she makes a pitch to the landlord: turn the house into a bed and breakfast in exchange for staying for free. Henry, her landlord, isn’t against the idea surprisingly. And also surprisingly, Henry is very handsome and quiet and unreadable. Lou decides to market her bed and breakfast as a place for those going through heartbreak and loss, which Henry doesn’t love, but goes along with. As guests arrive, Henry and Lou’s chemistry is undeniable but are both of them ready to love again?

You will probably like this book if you like:
🏡 Veterinarian MMC x therapist/inn keeper FMC
💔 Yearning, swooning, tension, chemistry
🏡 Fun cast of hotel guests
💔 Female friendship
🏡 Acts of service love
💔 Age gap (26/34)
🏡 Beautiful setting in Colorado
💔 Healing from heartbreak and grief

I felt so deeply taken care of with Ellen’s writing. This is a romance but there are heavy topics around heartbreak and grief in many forms (make sure to read the content warnings) and through everything, I felt held and cared for. Every topic was written with thought and carefulness but without shying away from the ugly parts. And the prose is the perfect balance of simplicity and lyricism. The writing is rich without being dense. You get beautiful details about the setting and the home so that everything feels alive and then you get the perfect analogy or metaphor or simile for a feeling. Just beautiful.

Lou and Henry. Ughhh, I love them so much. You get to read two people become inevitable. Henry is gentle, sturdy, kind, and patient. Lou is soft, empathetic, funny, and caring. Their chemistry was off the charts. The tension between them was crackling and bubbly. It felt magnetic and exciting and scary and fun. I genuinely got butterflies and the man said two words tops. Oh, and he perfectly articulates why Lou matters to him and it isn’t all about her looks (like what a revolutionary idea!).

All of the side characters were so fully developed too. Mei, Lou’s best friend, is a wonderful example of female friendship. Goldie, Lou’s sister, is complex and complementary and antagonistic to Lou. Their relationship was flawed but exactly how it should be given their childhoods. The guests at the house were all tiny treasures and even those that only have a small appearance felt alive. Quinn is a precocious child and who doesn’t love a tiny, adorable child in a book?!

Because the characters are so well written, Ellen was able to take two of my least favorite tropes and make me buy into them (no spoilers, DM me if you want to chat about it). There are no flaws in the characters’ logic, so all of their actions make sense. Even if I didn’t want them to do something, it was the exact right thing for them to do.

Lou’s journey was really special too. She gives more than she takes but she needs to be needed which is a vicious cycle. And unfortunately, the cycle is comfortable in its pain (the devil you know kind of thing). She is a mental health counselor so caring for others feels right, but watching her grow into herself and figure out her boundaries and her needs was really lovely.

Basically, I inhaled this book and couldn’t put it down. I hope it speaks to those who need it because it was a true gift for me. I already preordered my paperback copy.

Thank you Ellen O'Clover and NetGalley for providing this eARC.
Publication Date: September 23, 2025

This book was adorable & I’m obsessed now. Louisa and Henry really felt perfect for each other. Louisa deciding to run the b&b as a compromise to keep the house and essentially have a job was such a fun ride to follow along on! And the way the author had it come full circle at the end with Lou realizing she started the heartbreak hotel without the experience needed until everything happened with Henry was just *chefs kiss*.

The Heartbreak Hotel snuck up on me and left me absolutely amazed! I truly had no idea going into it that it would turn out to be one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. I literally put off reading the last ten percent because I didn’t want it to end!

Despite dealing with some heavier topics, it’s a heartwarming and beautiful story that hits you in all the right places.

What I loved about it:
- The cozy Colorado setting
- The found family of side characters (Mei and Nan were my favorite!) and the exploration of leaning on others to heal
- How human and nuanced each character felt—especially the FMC, Louisa. If you’re a people pleaser, you’ll definitely see yourself in her!
- The romance!!! Tender, slow-burn, and achingly sweet. Quiet but caring Henry was the perfect MMC and stole my heart.

I think fans of Emily Henry and Jessica Joyce would love this, and I personally can’t wait to read more from this author. An easy five stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my review!

This book wedged itself into my heart, broke it, and then put it back together.

The Heartbreak Hotel is a voice of fresh air and a beautiful exposition of grief (of all kinds) and relentless hope. Henry and Louisa are my new favorite characters. I truly think this book will change lives

This book was so sweet and I loved the “minor characters”- especially the dogs! The author definitely tugged on my heart strings with the storyline of the MMC.

What I think bothered me the most is that It just felt like the FMC and MMC had a relationship built on nothing- as in there wasn’t really a true connection between them. Also it felt like the mom of the FMC’s storyline could have been written with a little more nuance and/or explanation instead of what felt like fragmented thoughts and not a whole plot point. The FMC is a therapist and doesn’t seem aware of how to fix any of her familial problems which irked me.

However loved the premise of the book and I think if there had been just a little more emotional development between the FMC and MMC this book could have easily been 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley publishing for the eARC- all opinions are my own.

I posted a story and saved the story under my 2025 ARCs underneath my Instagram profile on 8/5/25. I also posted a review on goodreads on 8/5/25. Also posted a review on StoryGraph on 8/6/25.

I had no context going into this book other than seeing one author I like blurb it and oh my god this will probably end up being one of my absolute favorite books of the year!!! As soon as they describe the mmc as having grey hair at his temples and sadness in his eyes IM A GONERRRRR. ITS MY KRYPTONITE. Seriously though, this is beautiful. Heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. Achingly tender. Soft and patient and HOT and I fell completely head over heels in love.