🎧 Book Review 🎧 Title: Hotel Laguna Author: Nicole Harrison Publisher: St. Martin’s Press @stmartinspress Genre: Historical Fiction
As you know, Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres. But, for some reason, I don’t find myself gravitating to it as much in the summertime. Enter: Hotel Laguna by Nicole Harrison. This is the perfect lighter Historical Fiction to add to your summer #tbr or beach bag. It comes out this Tuesday 6/20. Thank you @macmillanaudio for the listening copy. It’s narrated by Carlotta Brentan and she did a great job balancing the emotions of post war, a mysterious scandal and a little bit of love too!
In 1942, Hazel, left Wichita, KS for California determined to do her part in the war efforts. At Douglas Aircraft she became one of “Rosie the Riveters” helping to construct bombers for the US military. But as soon as the war was over, she lost her factory job to the men returning from war.
Hazel is not your typical girl and her factory job only confirmed that she has no desire to return to the midwest for traditional woman’s roles. Out of money, she stumbles off the train in the quirky town of Laguna Beach and finds herself at home. Desperate for work, she takes the first job she finds as an assistant to a famous artist in town, Hanson Radclliff. Hanson is well loved and respected by the locals, but lives quietly alone thanks to a scandal that haunts him.
Hazel has her work cut out for her managing such a cranky boss! And when she hears the whispers of Hanson’s scandal does she even want to work for him? Does she have a choice? Thankfully she has friended the bartender Jimmy at the Hotel Laguna and they have become very fast friends.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I really enjoyed a post war story! This had a coming-of-age feel for a woman in her early 20’s at a crossroads. I was absolutely invested in the scandal of this book and believe the audio really works for that storyline. Again, this one comes out Tuesday, 6/20.
Purchasing from the link below supports independent book stores and my site! If you do decided to go the audio route; after all June is Audiobook month - My favorite subscription is Libro.fm