LJ Ross Chooses a Dreamy Romance for March's Book Club
Northumberland-born LJ Ross is the bestselling author of the DCI Ryan murder mystery series. Each month, she shares an exclusive Book Club pick with Living North
Hotel du Lac
Anita Brookner
It tells the tale of timid Edith Hope, a romantic novelist with modest dreams of love and family, who walks into the dignified atmosphere of the Hotel du Lac, a traditional, rarefied establishment with a reputation for welcoming well-off, retired, respected patrons reminiscent of an earlier time. Having been exiled from home following an embarrassing interlude, Edith refuses to sacrifice her ideals and remains resolutely single. But, amongst the affluent women and troubled minor aristocracy who also seek solitude and escape, she finds Mr Neville—and, with him, a chance to escape a life of crushing loneliness…
LJ’s Thoughts:
‘I could wax lyrical but, suffice it to say, I loved this book. Everything from its fine prose, atmospheric sense of place on the shores of Lake Geneva, nuanced characters and poignant, often very observational humour, was a delight to read. It’s a slim tome, really, and can be enjoyed very easily in an afternoon (if you have the luxury of time) or otherwise dipped into whenever life allows. Brookner’s ability to transport the reader effortlessly from reality and into the world of her creation is no small feat, and it’s hardly surprising that she took home the Booker Prize in 1984. Though, in her own inimitably modest style, upon receiving the news that she’d won, Brookner is reported to have said that she’d go out and get a pair of shoes resoled, in order to help keep her feet on the ground. It’s precisely that kind of self-effacing humour that shines through her main protagonist, and I would heartily recommend discovering this, her fourth novel, if you haven’t already!’
