This was a fun light read with a a fantastic and amusing cast of characters. Love the idea of a hotel for older people who still have a zest for life and want to learn something new. There was laughter, sadness and a dastardly deed. Shame about the flooding at the end of the book but hopefully the hotel can rise again. Wonder if there will be a second book. I will now go back and read this authors first title.

Back in December 2016, I read Caroline James’ novella, Jungle Rock. I said then that I was looking forward to Boomerville (as it was then called) as I was eager to meet some of the characters again.

Fast forward to March 2018 and The Best Boomerville Hotel. It features Jo and Hattie, long time friends, who run Boomerville, a hotel in the Lake District which caters for people of a certain age, Baby Boomers, who are those people born just after the Second World War. Jo has recently changed the hotel from a perfectly ordinary one to one which has all sorts of courses going on, from everyday things like creative writing and pottery, to the slightly more unusual such as clairvoyance and Shamanism.

It’s all great fun really and add to the mix characters such as the Mulberry brothers, Sir Henry and Hugo, all jolly hockey sticks types and quite lecherous in a fairly nice way (if you know what I mean), and it’s all very enjoyable to read about.

There’s a more serious side too, as some of the characters come to Boomerville to try and find happiness after a difficult past, such as Kate Simmons. She meets the rather suave Andy, but is he all he’s cracked up to be? You’ll just have to read it to find out.

If I’m honest, I was expecting more laugh out loud moments. There are plenty of capers and lots of fun though. It’s a light and easy read, and quite a heart-warming one too.

The Best Boomerville Hotel is a great book and I enjoyed it a lot. I think the hotel would be a fantastic place to go and stay at and you couldn’t wish for a better welcome from Jo and Hattie. Hattie, in particular, is a fabulous creation, with her lipsticks and rolling pin stuck in her bosom ready for action (Hugo’s hands do tend to wander a little, hence the rolling pin). I do think the eclectic characters are what make this novel.

Caroline James has a lovely warm writing style. I hope it won’t be the last we see of the Boomerville Hotel.

This book wants to be a fun romp in the country with an eclectic group of people. That’s a fun premise for a book. I’m always on the look out for books with middle-aged or older protagonists.

I got a bit thrown off right at the beginning of the book with her definition of Boomers. She defines them as 50-69 which is a tad young for a book published this year. She then makes her main character 50. So this is supposed to be a book celebrating Baby Boomers yet she makes the lead as young as she possibly can. Then there are several comments throughout the book about how they don’t want “elderly people” at the hotel. Older women at the hotel are described as “ageing” in a disparaging way. That all seemed odd for a book that is supposed to be celebrating Baby Boomers.

There is a party that is held at one point in the book. They decide to have Indian food. That’s fine. Then they decide to make it a costume party where all these upper class white British people will be wearing saris, turbans, and other Indian styles of dress. That’s pushing pretty far towards creepy and inappropriate. Then they decide to make it a party celebrating the British Raj. Yeah. That’s pretty out of touch.

Then there is the Shaman. He doesn’t have a name. He isn’t seen often. He has both a “gypsy caravan” and a teepee. He does sessions of some kind in there. They appear to involve getting people high. Then he starts showing up and making mysterious pronouncements of doom while also healing people with a touch before disappearing from sight. One time he turns up to do a Shamanistic wedding ceremony and the guest indulge it as “a cabaret with a difference.”

So the guests are all rich white people who can take off for weeks at a time to stay at a hotel and putter about. The entertainment is a mish mash of other people’s cultures for fun. The “romances” in the book are pure insta-love. Our main character had two men fall for her on the first day she was there. They were just overtaken by her beauty. Once people decide to look at each other as a potential romantic interest, that’s it they are getting ready to get married. This is explained as people being old and not having much time left. I get not dawdling but this felt more like, “You’re breathing. You’ll do.”

I’d love to see this idea with maybe fewer characters so each could be well developed as a person instead of a stereotype – flighty artist, dirty old man, etc.

The Best Boomerville Hotel is my first foray into the writing of Caroline James and a rather abrupt departure from the genres that I am used to reading. However, I loved this. Warm, witty and excellently written I will certainly reading more by this author.

Set in the Lake District, Jo and Hattie have decided to throw the doors of their hotel open to a new type of clientele, those of a certain age to unwind and enjoy themselves and open themselves up to new creative experiences.

The characterisations are excellent and the author manages to draw the reader in with her warm writing and makes the reader feel like one of the gang. There are humorous moments here but also more serious ones, all of which are superbly written and deftly handled.

I had thought that the characters wouldn't feel relatable as they are a fair bit older than me. This however didn't matter. The Boomerville Hotel has appeal to readers of all ages.

I was absorbed and wrapped right into the story and the shenanigans and goings on at the hotel. Overall I would say that this book is a fair bit lighter than all of the crime fiction I tend to plump for more often than not. However I enjoyed this so much I will definitely be reading more books of this type because I am still smiling when thinking of the Boomers days later.

Firstly let me say that this is not the genre of books I'd usually read and whilst I did enjoy the change I'm sure those who do read women's romance/chick lit will really love it.

A well written romantic comedy with a touch of menace, funny and heartwarming, if a little predictable, with (perhaps too many) quirky, larger than life characters.

Lots of quintessentially British humour, a light hearted summer read - perfect for the beach.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Choc Lit

Well, what can I say? Except for this is another master piece from the lovely and talented Caroline James. I knew I would love Boomerville, as I have loved all her other books. It isn’t necessary to read Caroline’s previous books, as this can totally be read as a standalone. But having read all her previous, I was delighted to see what some of the characters I remember so fondly from before have been up to.
The Best Boomerville Hotel is a hotel set up and run by Jo and Hattie, 2 bestest of friends. (Their relationship is fantastic, funny and heart warming). During the book, we hear about the various weird and wonderful guests, staff and some of the arranged activities that have been set up in the hotel.
This is pure escapism in a book. Caroline’s words made me laugh, sigh and imagine myself many years from now going on a little or longer break to a hotel like Boomerville. If this place were real, it would be booked out every season! The food also is another very enticing part of Boomerville. The Author is a total foodie like me, and you can tell that by the delicious descriptions of the food and drinks that are served in Booomerville.


“….a tray of almond fingers, fresh from the oven”
The writing flowed easily from page to page and I felt I was part of the journey of Boomerville. I would laugh along with Hattie and Jo. Imagine tickling under Bunty’s (Jo’s dog) chin, then go to devour some of the delicious hotel food made by their amazing Chef Sandra.
This book has the usual Caroline James dollop’s of laughter, smiles, cringes and licking of lips. It is a total gem of a read. I’m ready for the next dish already!

What a fabulous idea, taking a run-down hotel and turning it into a retreat just for Baby Boomers like myself! I would definitely book into this retreat and have fun meeting all the quirky characters and learning new experiences from Shaman to life models!

When Kate meets Andy it's lust at first sight, he is perfect, handsome, charming, intelligent, wealthy, but is he too perfect? I liked Kate and enjoyed being with her on her journey.

A really good fun read that I didn't want to end.

My Review: 5/5

The Best Boomerville Hotel was an enjoyable book! Jo opens a hotel that is focused only on baby boomers. During their stay, they will re-discover themselves, all while opening themselves up to new, exhilarating experiences.

Kate is going through a tough time. After recently selling her successful business, and with the passing of her father, she knows a stay at the hotel is the best thing for her.

Adventure awaits the guests at the Boomerville hotel. There is an array of different personalities. At first it was a little difficult to keep up with everyone, but soon I learned who everyone was and it was like staying with friends. The majority of the characters are appealing and such a delight to get to know.

While there were some serious topics dealt with at the Boomerville hotel, ever all it was very lighthearted. I oftentimes found myself smiling and anticipating what would happen next. Great book!

3.5 stars
The Best Boomerville Hotel isn't the sort of book I'd usually choose to read. However, I like to try something different now and again and was tempted by the eye-catching front cover which suggested a delightful quirkiness. My initial impressions were correct for this is a lighthearted novel that comes packed with eccentric characters and a series of almost farcical situations. The chapters have an almost episodic feel to them and this is the sort of book I could imagine being turned into a Sunday evening television series as I'm sure family viewers would love the romance, humour and moments of drama and heartbreak.
I have to admit that there were a few scenes that perhaps felt a little dated, the residents of the hotel have clearly never heard of cultural appropriation as they dress up in Indian fancy dress for a Taste of the Raj evening. However, given that the guests of the hotel seem to be mostly from the affluent middle class I suspect it's an accurate, if slightly exaggerated for comedic effect, portrayal of middle England. I wasn't sure too how I was meant to feel about Sir Henry Mulberry and his brother, Hugo; lecherous old men or just eccentric bygones?
Despite my reservations I did enjoy The Best Boomerville Hotel, I particularly liked Hattie who is a breath of fresh air. She's a larger lady who delights in her body and exudes a fantastic - and rather naughty - joie de vivre. I also enjoyed following Kate's journey as she progresses from being a rather lonely and vulnerable soul into a fulfilled woman looking forward to her mature years.
I'm very glad I decided to read The Best Boomerville Hotel; this genre is still probably just one I'll dip into now and again but I can understand why so many people love it and if you're a reader who enjoys warmhearted, romantic novels that are imbued with a very British sense of humour them I'm sure that Caroline James' latest book will be one you'd thoroughly enjoy.

Caroline James is a new author to me and I have to ask myself why.. this book was so funny , I laughed til I cried and I loved the shenanigans at The Best Boomerville Hotel, this book is a laugh out loud, fun, passionate story full of quirky eccentric characters and the author really had me feeling like I was on holiday visiting the country I grew up in.
Jo and Hattie open a hotel in the Lake District for the over 50’s and this book follows their story as they invite the Baby Boomers to come and stay at The Boomerville Hotel. Guests can sign up for various classes and activities amongst them cooking classes, spiritual readings and life classes with a Shaman and as you can imagine offering such diverse opportunities brings a wide range of characters and this in itself is fun to read about. The characters in this book are a eclectic mix but that’s what made this book interesting and funny. Looking forward to more from this author.

Today I'm one of the stop's on this wonderful blog tour. I would like to say a massive thank you to Rachel from Random Resources for asking me to take part in The Best Boomerville Hotel blog tour and for providing me with a copy to read and give an honest review.
What a fun cartoon style front cover, with the bus taxi trundling down the winding drive way from the Boomerville Hotel itself. The Hotel is surrounded by greenery and mountains the background, which I think give's the cover depth. The title is coloured in Red and situated beside the taxi bus. Caroline's name is in black and really stands out very well. There are a few daisy like flowers on the lawn's of the hotel giving it a nice feel. I love this cover for it's fun feel!!!!
I stumbled across Caroline's books a few years ago now. As soon as I read Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me and Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me I was kinda hooked on her very unique style of writing. I often return to those books for a re-read simply because they are packed to the rafters of drama, romance, friendships, beautiful settings and comedy; which will have you giggling while you read. (what's not to like!!!)
The Best Boomerville Hotel, is a standalone book, but if you have read Coffee, Tea, The Gypsy & Me and Coffee, Tea, The Caribbean & Me some of the characters will be familiar with the some added new quirky characters to we your appetite.
Jo Docherty the owner of the new refurbished hotel and her best friend and manager Hattie have re-branded the hotel as a Boomerville hotel. The guest's of between 50- 69; who find themselves alone at this stage in their life and are looking for a bit of companionship. The hotel is not like any hotel around as it offers a wide range of courses which they can take part in such as; writing pottery, computer, clairvoyance in an authentic gypsy waggon and there's even a Sherman in a tee-pee. (I'm not even in this age bracket and I want to go there!!!!!! sound's fun doesn't it?)
Amongst the first guest's at The Boomerville Hotel are: Kate; who has loosed both of her parent's and find's her self single and alone and made her money from inventing and selling a dating app, Lucinda a bohemian artist who try's to convince Jo and Hattie to let her run an art class at the hotel, Andy a very attractive newly widowed and retired driving around in a 'James Bond' car and then there's Sir Henry and his brother Hugo; who are previous client's of the hotel. (These two gave me the giggles the most and I adored them!)
There is lots of drama in this story that will have you entertained to the very end. They have the worst rain storm, beautiful dinner party's and some strange going's on! They also have a con person amounts them, but who is it? And will they realise in time for there are venerable guest's in the con-person's mist?
I can't tell you how much I enjoyed The Best Boomerville Hotel by Caroline James, this has to be one of my favourite books this year, and on that I will undoubtedly be revisiting again for sure!!!! All the characters are quirky and interesting; making the story really enjoyable read. I adored Jo and Hattie's friendship and the way they work well as a team and support each other. Caroline's description of the Lake District is perfect, and took me back to a place I love to visit! It reminded me of holiday's I used to have there as child.
I guess you can tell I thougly enjoyed this story from the very first page to the very last. It's so well constructed with a really great pace that suites the story perfectly. I urge you to read this heart-warming and drama packed with quirky characters to boot, what more could you wish for!

5☆ I Didn't want to Check Out!!
FANTASTIC READ!!

First of all I want to mention how much I adore the cover. It's so much fun and definitely eye catching. Drew me to it straight away.

The Best Boomerville Hotel is a heartwarming, laugh out loud, fun and Frolics, passionate, full of quirky characters and was a gem to read.

Boomerville Hotel is a Hotel for the over 50's to come and stay meet new people, relax, experience something new such as cooking classes, creative writing classes, spiritual readings and life classes with a shaman.

Hah! Where can I sign up!!
Ok I might be in my 30s but I would sign up in a heartbeat.

The characters are an eclectic mix and I loved that they kept it interesting.

Owners best friends Jo and Hattie. Hattie is more easy going and loves life. Where as Jo takes life a lil more seriously. She has a partner Pete who bought her Bunty the adorable chocolate Lab pup.

There is Sir Henry a long term guest. He is eccentric, cheeky, writes risque novels, an outrageous flirt a bit of a loveable rogue.

Kate the newest guest. She has had a tough time recently and I really felt for her. After losing her mum, then nursing her father who had Altzimers, who also passed away. Kate is looking to find herself again. It's time to meet new people and maybe find love.

In walks the very handsome, rich and charming Andrew Mack.
He is a widower looking to start a new life.
He makes a very very good impression on the ladies. One in particular!!

Kate is besotted. She's never met someone so confident and handsome and he makes her giddy.
Andrew makes her tingle in places she forgot existed!

Will Kate get her happy ever after or will it just be a Boomerville Fling!!
You will just have to read it to find out.

I adore Caroline's books. But I think this one is one of my favourites.
I adored the Characters in this story.
Each one I would love to meet in real life.

Once I started reading The Boomerville Hotel I knew I was going to get lost in it.
I was right, before I knew it the time whizzed by and it was 6am lol

There is plenty of laugh out loud moments, heartwarming moments, I was captivated and charmed by the Boomerville Hotel and I didn't want to check out!

If your looking for a fun read to get lost in, with quirky loveable characters, passionate encounters, laugh out loud moments, a gorgeous puppy.
 Then pick up The Boomerville Hotel you won't want to check out!!

4.5*
After reading Jungle Rock I was hoping there would be more from those characters, and here we have best friends Jo and Hattie realising their vision of a hotel aimed specifically at people of a certain age. The post war ‘baby boomers’. Located in the picturesque Lake District, and offering a variety of courses and treatments, the hotel attracts its fair share of colourful and eccentric characters.

Kate Simmons is fifty and single, grieving for her late father. She has a beautiful home and is very comfortably off, having sold her successful online dating agency business. Ironically, she hasn’t found love herself and despairs of ever doing so. When Kate sees an advert in the paper for a luxury hotel break with a difference, she decides to take a chance and fills in the booking form.

A very entertaining read, with a great mix of realistic and (mostly) likeable, endearing characters, from the irrepressible Mulberry brothers, over the top but fun Hattie, to a resident mystical Shaman, and we get to know them all through the course of the story. Some, like Kate, are looking for something specific missing from their lives, others for an opportunity, while new experiences which wouldn’t normally figure in their lives is also a draw. There are plenty of diverse courses for those that want them, including pottery, creative writing, art and appointments with Shaman in his tepee.

Regardless of the returning characters, this novel can definitely be read as a standalone, as enough of Jo and Hattie’s backstory is given. Humorous writing is threaded through with poignancy and an underlying threat which gathers momentum. The characters are all well drawn with their own back stories, quirks and all, and I love the interaction between them. I enjoyed The Best Boomerville Hotel very much. If it was a real place, I’d book a couple of weeks myself!

Ever since taking part in the cover reveal for this novel, I've been looking forward to reading The Best Boomerville Hotel. Had I realised just how lively and entertaining it was to be, I'm not sure I could have waited!

A superbly written and fantastically funny book, this has surpassed even my expectations by quite some bit! The characters are so well drawn that it's very easy to conjure up an image of each and every one, and the interweaving storylines are warm and wonderful. A mention also has to go to the perfect cover, which shows the flavour of the tale within! As with every great story, there is a villain of the piece and Caroline James has created such an amazing place with her sparkling style that I cannot help but thinking this would transfer well to the small screen, making an ideal piece of weekly viewing.

Anyone who knows me is aware of my fondness for labradors and the addition of Bunty, the chocolate lab puppy, was the icing on the cake for me. I really could not find fault with any aspect of this novel, and a little bit of me wishes I was opening at the first page again instead of closing at the last. Would I recommend this? You bet! Others have compared it favourably to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which, in my humble opinion, was a truly terrific book but Boomerville definitely leaves it in the shade!

My grateful thanks to author Caroline James and Rachel's Random Resources for granting my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

I had come across the main characters Jo and Hattie in one of Caroline’s previous books Jungle Rock and had already got a very soft spot for Hattie the hotel manager so I couldn’t wait to hear more about the larger than life character.

The Best Boomerville Hotel was created to show that life can begin at 50. With an assortment of courses to attend, a beautiful Lake District setting and an eclectic group of residents, where can you go wrong?

Caroline’s writing style is warm, soothing and ever so slightly naughty, like wrapping yourself in a warm blanket and sipping a hot chocolate with a good measure of brandy thrown in. The characters are lively and quirky, (no stereotypes here) and the story keeps your attention from the first page.

There are moments of ‘Did I really just read that?’ which were funny and surprising at the same time. I love this because it shows how unpredictable people can be at any age and just because the characters are over fifty it doesn’t mean they can’t have a racy, hungry zest for life just like their younger counterparts. The romance and mystery elements make a highly entertaining storyline and the characters are original and emotion provoking.

Thank you, Caroline, for showing that life goes on after middle age, and with a good sense of humour and plenty of Prosecco it can be great fun too!

Thank you to Rachel, Ruby Fiction, and NetGalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

I think I may have been a little late checking in Boomerville Hotel - I struggled to 'find my way around' and couldn't seem to pinpoint the 'oomph' of the storyline until later on in the book.

That said, once I had gotten myself settled into my room and made myself familiar with all of the other residents in the hotel, the last half of the book and I became good friends. In fact, I ended up laughing out loud several times - Lucinda is a cracking character!

I did feel sorry for Kate and the situation she unfortunately found herself in, but I have to say that I did see it coming. However, it didn't make Andy come across any less of the end of a bell. Seriously, what a boomerbleep!

'The Best Boomerville Hotel' has such a collection of colourful, memorable, and outright hilarious characters who were able to take this story on a ride of a lifetime. I am genuinely surprised that the author put such a mismatched group of people together, but it worked incredibly well and kept me thoroughly entertained.

Despite having reservations at the beginning (see what I did there?), I am pleased that I was able to have a little bit of fun in Boomerville Hotel! As soon as there is another room vacant, I'll be back, that's for sure!

An absolutely delightful read that made me laugh out loud on many an occasion, The Best Boomerville Hotel is a joyous, riotous and uplifting read I just couldn’t bear to stop reading!

Jo Docherty and Hattie Contaldo have had the most wonderful idea: they are going to open a hotel in the Lake District exclusively for guests of a certain vintage who fancy getting away from it all and indulging in a variety of stimulating and creative activities to arouse the mind and exhilarate the soul. One hotel refurbishment later and The Best Boomerville Hotel is open for business and a plethora of eccentric and quirky guests are quick to walk through the doors of Jo and Hattie’s business. However, little did the owners envisage the drama, shenanigans and mischief their first clients are going to get up to!

Fun-loving Sir Henry Mulberry and his brother Hugo are always on the lookout for a good time while artist Lucinda Brown is driving everybody potty with her diva attitude and outrageous demands – it’s just a pity that so far no evidence of her artistic talent has been forthcoming! Charming sports-car driving Andy Mack quickly has all the ladies falling at his feet and there is even romance expert Kate Simmonds, who despite having made an absolute fortune from Internet dating has so far not managed to find a perfect match for herself!

There is plenty of fun and laughter to be had at The Best Boomerville Hotel, but tears and heartbreak are never too far away as the residents and the owners of the hotel realise! Will they get more than they bargained for at The Best Boomerville Hotel? Is a happy ending in sight for them all? Or might that be too much to hope for?

I got through The Best Boomerville Hotel in a single day! A funny, heartwarming and entertaining read that is as addictive as your favourite soap and packed with juicy goings-on, rib-tickingly humour and page-turning drama, The Best Boomerville Hotel is a cheerful and compelling tale that proves that you are never too old to get into trouble and have some fun!

Caroline James is a terrific writer with a wonderful sense of humour whose book is sure to cheer up even the most dismal of days! A first-rate read that I highly recommend, The Best Boomerville is a must-read for readers everywhere!

I loved catching up with Jo and Hattie it really felt like I was meeting up with old friends. There is also a wonderful range of quirky and interesting characters that are staying at the hotel and they were just brilliant to get to know. I have to give a special mention to Hattie as she is wonderfully over the top but with a heart of gold!

The story moved at a lovely pace and I think the premise for The Boomerville Hotel is fabulous after all it's never too late to reach for your dreams and find some happiness. There are a few surprises along the way that made for some entertaining moments. Along with some light hearted parts that left me smiling away. You will also find some deeper moments as the book shows the worries and loneliness that people can experience. Caroline James struck the right balance with her writing giving the reader some really fun escapades along with a lovely bit of emotion all coming together to provide an uplifting story with a dash of romance.

The Best Boomerville Hotel is feel good, witty and a truly fun escape with a great range of lively characters!

With thanks to Rachel at Rachel's Random Resources for my copy. This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

This is an out and out life affirming and amusing read from start to finish. It is crammed with an array of characters, most of whom have their own individual quirks and eccentricities. Set in a hotel in the Lake District, with the focus on the Baby Boomer generation, there is plenty of scope for amusing interludes and British humour. Caroline James tells a good tale which carries you along at a pace. I could absolutely picture the hotel and all its inhabitants.

The friendship between Jo, the hotel owner and Hattie, her faithful friend is quite touching at times. You believe their heartfelt vision for the hotel. The guests are all looking for something or someone to fill a void in their life. Kate, who is a central guest, is at a stage in her life where she is ready for something to change, although she is afraid that it may be too late for her. As she meets her fellow guests, she steps out of her comfort zone and discovers a talent she did not know she had. The story fizzes with life but it is the humour which stands out for me. Ruby Fiction, sister to the romance centred Choc Lit Fiction, aims to bring stories that inspire emotions. As the first, it certainly does that.

In short: Quirky characters and life affirming moments- great fun!

Thanks to the author for a copy of the book.

Having previously read Jungle Rock I was intrigued to see how a full length novel would be from Caroline and I was not disappointed. The book follows Jo and Hattie as they open up the Boomerville Hotel to people of a certain age - also known as the baby boomers (hence the name) and it follows the funny adventures of their guests.

It was a brilliantly easy book to read and I can't wait to erad more of Caroline's now.