The Stats

Title: Hotel Portofino

Author: J.P. O’Connell

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing (18 Jan, 2022)

Genre: General Fiction (Adult), Historical Fiction, Historical Drama

Trigger Warnings: Nazis, Fascism, PTSD, Discrimination

Read if you like: Downtown Abbey, The Crown, Bridgerton, Emma

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Thank you to J.P. O’Connell, Blackstone Publishing, and NetGalley for providing me with an electrical Review Copy of Hotel Portofino by J.P. O’Connell, set to publish THIS WEEK January 18th, 2022. All opinions mentioned in this review are my own.

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The Review

The rights have been sold and filming has already begun by PBS for a series based on this novel before it even came to publish. Premiering later this year (2022), Hotel Portofino (TV Show) has created a rather big hype around this novel and getting to be one of the few approved for an ARC. Thankfully, I was one of the lucky ones selected by NetGalley – even though my blog has come more of a past-time instead of my driving hobby. I must say though, this novel did not disappoint.

The Great War [WWI] has ended, and much of England is feeling the effects of the Trench War. Many have lost loved ones, and those lucky enough to have returned have been experiencing a touch of shell shock. Bella Ainsworth, our protagonist, decides that the best decision for her family is to start life anew by opening a luxury bed and breakfast in the Italian Riviera. After searching the newspaper classifieds, the perfect property is finally found – The Hotel Portofino.

I must say, this story is extremely character-driven, very stylistic of the novels of the time period, and can become a little confusing. The high volume of characters too means that plenty of them seem rather flat then well-developed. This also limited the amount of character development in a few of the guests.

Overall, I give this novel a 4 out of 5 stars!