Hi there! I’m back today to talk about a sequel I didn’t know was releasing so soon and got the chance to read early. **And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.**
Back at the beginning of 2021, I read a book called Float Plan, an adult romance about a woman (Anna) who, after losing her husband to suicide, leaves on a sailing trip they were supposed to take together and embarks on a journey to find herself again. Looking back, I thought I had read an early copy of it through NetGalley, but it turns out I was actually declined but later purchased a signed copy through a local indie. Recently, I was looking through the site and realized that Float Plan had a sequel coming out, The Suite Spot, which features Anna’s sister. I requested to review it, but honestly didn’t think I would be approved (since I was denied access to the first one), but was surprised to find myself approved a week before release date. So I put my current read aside to pick it up and now I’m here to talk about what I thought!
Rachel Beck feels like she’s hit a brick wall – she’s a single mom still living at in her childhood home trying to keep a dying relationship alive. When she is wrongfully fired from her job at a luxury hotel in Miami Beach, it seems like she’s running out of options. When a friend approaches Rachel with a management position at a brewery hotel in Lake Erie called Kelleys Island, she inquires about the job on impulse, and when she’s hired immediately packs up her daughter and embarks on a cross-country move. But what Rachel finds on Kelleys Island is a building not much more than foundation and studs, and handsome, moody Mason who knows everything about brewing beer but nothing about running a hotel. It’s not at all what Rachel had been expecting, but Mason offers her the opportunity to help build a hotel – and, in turn, rebuild her own life – from the ground up.
*as per the author’s note, be advised some of the themtic content within the novel contains sexual assault and mentions of child death and suicide*
I really loved Rachel and Mason and what they came together to build on Kelleys Island. There was such a small town feel, where almost everyone in town was convinced that Rachel and Mason were together considering the positive changes in Mason’s behavior after Rachel arrived. Both are so knowledgeable about their fields but need each other to succeed, because you can’t create a a brewery hotel lacking in either aspect. It was lovely seeing them geek out about their passions, and be encouraged by the other to pursue them. We also got to see how Anna and Keane are doing, as they pop in for Rachel’s trip back home to help her mother pack and celebrate Maisie’s birthday. I think Rachel needed to get away from Florida for a while, after not being believed as a victim and getting fired from her job and to really make her ex wake up and decide if he wanted to be a part of his daughter’s life, and in what capacity. And Mason really needed some guidance as well, both with the hotel (he is hopelessly clueless and left everything pretty much up to Rachel) but also with opening up again after losing so much. It was absolutely sweet to watch them grow and their relationship progress. I also appreciated the conversation when Mason’s family came around to visit – they talk about how when they first came to Kelley’s island, the residents weren’t so open to newcomers, especially people of color. Small-town mentality can be detrimental sometimes to those who are different, as long-time residents might feel threatened by them. But they owned land and deserved to be there just as much as anyone, and it was great to see how the town’s mindset has shifted in the years that Mason has lived there.
Both The Suite Spot and Float Plan have been slow-burn romances, and, in my opinion, that slow burn has fit the pace for these novels, because the main characters both have their own issues that need to be addressed before they feel comfortable commiting to another person. Rachel has been a single mom putting her daughter’s needs before hers ever since Maisie was born, and has often felt like her ex is checked out from his parental responsibilities. Mason is dealing with the loss of his own daughter (prior to the start of the novel) and divorce from his wife, after the grieving led to fighting and it benefitted them both to separate. He wants to allow himself to love being around Maisie, but it hurts when she does something to remind him of his own daughter. He also wants to open his heart to Rachel, but the first time he admits his own attraction he is hesitant. Rachel tells him the attraction is mutual, but she doesn’t want to start anything until he means it, until they both can mean it. And I think it’s incredibly important to acknowledge when you’re not emotionally or mentally ready to be in a relationship, not matter if attraction is present or not, because it wouldn’t be fair to you or your partner if you entered into one prematurely.
In conclusion, I have loved seeing the Beck sisters get their happy endings after dealing with so much hurt in the past. These romances are sweet and slow-burn, and I can’t wait to readers to pick them both up. The Suite Spot is set to release on March 8th, 2022, which is the day this post goes live so please join me in wishing it a happy book birthday and consider checking it out if you’re interested! And stay tuned, because I hear that Trish Doller is working on another installment with Anna’s best friend, Carla, and Keane’s brother, Eamon (and it’s a whole lot steamier than the previous two, if that’s more your thing). *Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Griffin, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find The Suite Spot:
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Storygraph
Macmillan
Trish Doller’s site
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