The Wake-Up Call is an entertaining, sweet and often invigorating rivals to lovers story.
Synopsis
Two hotel receptionists–and arch-rivals–find a collection of old wedding rings and compete to return them to their owners, discovering their own love story along the way.
It’s the busiest season of the year, and Forest Manor Hotel is quite literally falling apart. So when Izzy and Lucas are given the same shift on the hotel’s front desk, they have no choice but to put their differences aside and see it through.
The hotel won’t stay afloat beyond Christmas without some sort of miracle. But when Izzy returns a guest’s lost wedding ring, the reward convinces management that this might be the way to fix everything. With four rings still sitting in the lost & found, the race is on for Izzy and Lucas to save their beloved hotel–and their jobs.
As their bitter rivalry turns into something much more complicated, Izzy and Lucas begin to wonder if there’s more at stake here than the hotel’s future. Can the two of them make it through the season with their hearts intact?
Review
4 stars
First I want to than PRH International for my free copy of The Wake-Up Call!
I have read all of Beth O’Leary’s published books so far and I think the Wake-Up Call is closest to The Flatshare.
The Wake-Up Call is an entertaining, sweet and often invigorating rivals to lovers story. I read it in record time as I was amused by Izzy and Lucas antics. I wanted to know who would win the race for the Ring Thing!
Let’s back track.
Nearly one year ago, at Christmas, Izzy confessed having a crush on Lucas through a Christmas postcard. Both work at the reception of that charming old manor. Lucas replied with laughter and kissed Izzy’s roommate under the mistletoe.
From that moment on, Izzy does her best to antagonize Lucas and when both have to work at the same time, you’d better come with a bullet proof vest.
Lucas finds Izzy “tacky“, from her clip-in highlights to her baby pink trainers and her love of supernatural teen drama. Izzy is bright and cheery, a people’s person. The one to soothe all angry clients. She is optimistic and romantic.
Izzy thinks Lucas is too “contained”, a human robot with no heart. He loves organizing everything on the computer whereas she prefers writing in the hotel books. Bulging with muscles, always impeccably dressed and …never smiling to her.
So total opposites!
When part of the ceiling falls before Christmas, that could be the last straw to send Forest Manor Hotel bankrupt! Unless, finding the owners of lost wedding rings can bring in some cash as a reward.
That’s when Izzy and Lucas will try to be the first to find the owners and save the hotel.
I smiled often while reading the Wake-Up Call but I also had misty eyes when diving into Izzy’s past and her loss. The heated rivalry is not the only asset of that story as it’s served by a great cast of side characters, from the sweet and old Mr Townsend to the brilliant but irascible chef Arjun going to Izzy and Lucas’s friends. All these people gave a strong “found family” vibe and explained why Izzy and Lucas considered Forest Manor as their “home away from home”, ready to go the extra mile to save the hotel instead of finding new jobs.
This is romantic, bittersweet, fun to read with no dull moment.
#PRHInternationalPartner #sponsored #prhinternational
Thanks for reading!
Sophie
I’m so excited for this book!!
Yesss!
This does sound like a sweet, funny romance
That’s exactly what it was!
This sounds amazing! I really need to give this author a try.
Oh please do!
I definitely felt for Izzy and totally understood her affection for the hotel – this was her family now, but Lucas was so misunderstood. I loved him.
I’ve only read The Flatshare by O’Leary so hearing that this one has a similar feel to that one definitely piques my interest!
It absolutely gives that vibe!
I got denied an earc of this and I was sad! But I’ll buy when it comes out!
Oh I am so sorry Caro!