Heartbreak Hotel by Deborah Moggach
Reviewed by: Diane Soffietti, Reference Assistant
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: Buffy, a senior actor, who at the moment is alone in his London digs, receives a shocking gift from a dear former lover, Birdie. Birdie bequeathed Buffy her Bed & Breakfast in a quaint small town in Wales. Although, Buffy has grown children and quite a few ex-wives, he is lonely and tired of the bustle of modern London. He decides to start a new life. With the help of some locals and his children, he tries to make ends meet by offering week long courses for the public. Romantic liaisons occur, and everything seems to be going well for a motley crew of locals and lonely seniors, who place their trust in Buffy’s hands at the Heartbreak Hotel.
My review: Judi Dench and Maggie Smith are two of my favorite actresses, and I loved the movie Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. When I saw that Heartbreak Hotel was written by the screenwriter of that movie, I decided to try it. And I really, really liked it. It has a similar format to many of Maeve Binchy books, in that there are quite a few characters, and each chapter has that person’s point of view. The main character, Buffy, was the center study of another book called Ex-Wives, in which his complicated love life was revealed. Heartbreak Hotel is a very honest look at the feelings of people who are trying to make a go at life in general and their love life in particular. Moggach is a very popular British author, and hopefully her works (other than her screenplays, such as Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth and the Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with Richard Gere) will become popular here in the States, as well.
The book deals with romantic and sexual activities, but is not explicit or graphic in its tone. Some might be ‘put off’ by British slang and popular culture references, but this is also true of American chick lit that has its name dropping and brand identities. This is a lovely, funny romance novel with hope eternal for the older generation, who might be interested in second, third or fourth chances at love.
Rating: 4.5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!