Customer Reviews

Heartbreak Hotel: A Novel (Twilight Cove Trilogy)

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Heartbreak Hotel By Jill Marie Landis is a deeply moving tale of heartbreak and second chances.

Wade MacAllister is running from his past. It's something so terrible that he can't outrun the pain. He comes across the hotel. It seems like the perfect place for him to come to terms with his life. He signs in under a fake name not planning to stay long. But he is slowly drawn to the quiet strength of the owner Tracy Potter.

Tracy wasn't planning to be a widow at 33 nor a hotel owner. With the sudden death of her husband over 6 months ago, her world fell apart. She is untangling the huge financial mess her husband left. She decides to ready the hotel she inherited for sale.

Her first guest is a mysterious man named Wade Johnson. She doesn't know much about him but is compelled by the sadness she sees in his eyes. Both Wade and Tracy fill a void in each other's life. Their journey through past hurts to a second chance is something to treasure.

Heartbreak Hotel is a wonderful conclusion to the trilogy. Jill Marie Landis an auto buy for me.

HEARTBREAK HOTEL by Jill Marie Landis

April 2, 2005

HEARTBREAK HOTEL by Jill Marie Landis is the third novel in this trilogy that takes place in the fictional beach town of Twilight Cove, California, located along the coast near the city of San Luis Obispo. Tracy is a widow at age 33, raising a 9-year old son, with a stepdaughter in college. While Tracy is still in shock over the death of her husband, she is also aware that their marriage had not been very good the past few years, and now she was dealing with a lot of debt that she had not known about until now. In order to make ends meet she is renovating an old hotel called the Heartbreak Hotel, and hopes to make a living in the hotel business.

One evening, a stranger named Wade "Johnson", comes to her hotel despite the fact that they have not yet opened for business, and asks if he can spend the night. She tries to refuse him but he offers her a lot of cash, and she cannot say "no". What was to be a one-night stay turns out to be longer than that, and while at first Tracy is very nervous around Wade, as he seems to be very introverted and mysterious, she soon learns that he's someone she can talk to, and they eventually come friends.

Wade is hiding something from Tracy and the world, but in order to preserve their growing friendship, Wade chooses not to confide in her. Tracy, in the meantime, finds that she can talk to Wade and she goes to him for emotional support when she finds out about her deceased husband's secret life. What she finds out is devastating to her, and while she has only known Wade for a few days, she finds that she can go to him for comfort.

Other characters in this novel include Chelsea, the stepdaughter who visits them during the summer and Tracy's son with Glenn, Matthew, a 9-year old who misses his father very much. Chelsea has a lot of anger toward Tracy, while at the same time tries to accept Tracy as her stepmother, but the addition of Wade in Tracy's life puts a strain on their relationship. Matthew on the other hand is happy to have met Wade, and sees him as a possible new role model in his life.

While HEARTBREAK HOTEL is a romance, it also has elements of suspense and intrigue with the subplot surrounding Wade's past life. The reader will find that this is the story line that keeps one interested in the book, especially when Tracy's life is put in danger due to Wade's involvement in a series of murders.

I enjoyed reading HEARTBREAK HOTEL as much as I enjoyed reading the previous book, HEAT WAVE. I didn't enjoy all elements of the plot, however, that which pertained to the ghost story of Captain Ezra Poole, but I really enjoy Landis' writing style. I hope to read the first book in this series, LOVERS LANE.

Young widow Tracy Potter is dumbstruck when she finds out that the opulent lifestyle that her late husband Glenn insisted they live has left them broke. The only thing left of his estate is a modest turn of the century hotel atop a mountain outside of the fictional town of Twilight Cove (near San Luis Obispo).

With her modest family inheritance, she fixes the hotel up with the intention of making it more marketable. While in the midst of renovation, she receives her first guest. He is a mysterious man on a Harley, and his intention is to end his life, but something about the Heartbreak Hotel keeps him from doing the deed. Tracy is fearful of ad-man Wade Johnson, unaware that he is a novelist with a past he would rather forget. But cash is cash, and she lets him stay.

Soon, a day turns into two, then a week, then a month, then the entire summer, and he eventually assists with the renovations. Her son Matthew seems to blossom with a man around the place, but her college-aged step-daughter is fearful that Wade will replace her father in Tracy's heart. As Tracy starts to gain financial ground and ready for an open house, a family friend offers to take a look at her husband's books, and makes a startling discovery of a secret that Glenn kept from his wife.

Wade has wanted to keep his identity a secret, and when he sees a chance to help Tracy make a go of her business, he grabs at it, not knowing what it will cost either of them.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was a welcome gem to end the Twilight Cove series, managing to capture the magic of and proving that the first book in the series, "Lover's Lane" was no fluke.

I enjoyed this little romance. Jill Landis is a good writer. A good beach-read for the summer.
How I Met My Spouse

I couldn't get past the enormity of Glenn's many betrayals of both Tracy and their kids. The plot would have worked just as well if it was less extreme. Glenn came off as someone with no redeeming qualities. Tracy's decision in the end only a saint would have made.

It was great to return to Twilight Cove and catch up on some of the characters from the first two books of the trilogy. I liked most of the main characters and Tracy's courage and positive attitude was awesome.

Six months ago Tracy's husband of ten years, Glenn, died suddenly from an aneuresyum. He was a successful real estate developer, they had a beautiful home and Glenn always wanted the best of everything for his family. Tracy knew they were having financial problems and tried to help by doing the books but Glen said no, we find out later on why. Tracy was a real estate agent until two years ago when Glenn wanted her to stay home with their son Matt. Glenn was working himself ragged, gone more and more trying to make as much money as possible. When Tracy asked him the obvious question, several times, if he was having an affair he denied it. He was hurt and insulted and she ended up apologizing to him. He told her over and over, "I love you Tracy. I'll always love you. You're my rock. My oasis."

When he died he left Tracy, their 8 year old son Matt and his 19 year old daughter Chelsea by his first wife penniless. He had a 3rd mortgage on their house, credit cards maxed out and loans everywhere. Glenn had provided nothing for their future. No money for Chelsea's college or car, just enough life insurance to bury him. They found out the only thing he had left was a broken down hotel that no one had lived in for 40 years that Glenn had put in Matt's name. Whoopee. They had to sell almost everything, even personal possessions and move from a beautiful home to a shabby apartment above the hotel. But Tracy, being a positive person is determined to make a go of the hotel and hopefully sell it as they have nothing left. She pours the last of her small family inheritance and her heart and soul into trying to make it habitable.

Wade MacAllister is a best selling author and wrote a book about 12 women who were murdered by the same killer, each in a different way. Unfortunately, a serial killer murdered 12 women in the identical way as in the book after it was published. Wade is interrogated by the police to find out if he did it and is sued by families of the murder victims. The press is always after him, he's being vilified and is afraid to write again because he feels so much guilt. At the end of his rope and planning to commit suicide he runs across the Heartbreak Hotel, which isn't open yet but he persuades the beautiful owner, Tracy, to rent him a room. He had changed his appearance drastically with died hair and contacts and is a lost soul. He finds himself caught up in the Potter family and falling in love with Tracy but fears she will hate him when she finds out who he really is.

Wade begins to have dreams about a sea captain named Ezra Poole who lived in the 1800's. Ezra's wife Violet begs Ezra not to leave on his last voyage while they're standing on the widow's walk of their home. He promises her this is his last voyage and he will come home to her and the child she is carrying.

Wade writes down the story, and begins research on the Poole's but is uneasy for fear someone in the town will recognize him. He spends time on the widow's walk of the Heartbreak and feels a closeness to Ezra. Ezra and Violet's love story is heartbreaking. As Tracy and Wade fall in love, they face problems. Chelsea's resentment and Matt's longing for his dad. The course of true love never runs smoothly. But the end is always well worth the trip!

SPOILER ALERT
Glen was "working" so hard because he'd had a mistress, a friend of Tracy's, for three years. He bought her a multi million dollar home in an exclusive subdivision, had it remodeled and furnished expensively. He gave her an expensive car, paid all her bills, gave her a hefty monthly allowance and she lived lavishly. He had an illegitimate child with his mistress who was well provided for by the enormous equity in the house he'd bought. Maybe if we'd "known" Glenn other than the few conversations Tracey played in her mind or the third party input, we could have understood him a little better and he would be less despicable.

So many unanswered questions. How did this affair start and why? He told his mistress repeatedly that he loved his wife and would never, ever leave her. Did she have no pride? Did either one of them have a conscience? Why wouldn't he have practiced serious birth control as he had no intention of staying with her? Did she get pregnant intentionally? Did he stay with the mistress because of guilt as she was ill? Did their intimate relationship continue after her illness? Why didn't he tell Tracy when she asked him? Why did he want Tracy to quit her job at the time his illegitimate child was born? Wouldn't if have been smart to have her income since he was pouring everything he had into his mistress and illegitimate daughter? Why was it necessary for him to spend so much money on her? Were his mistress and illegitimate daughter more deserving than his real family? How could he have lied to Tracy for three years? While he was giving his mistress and her daughter everything he had to know how close it was that his real family would have nothing. Oh and his mistress, still living her lavish lifestyle, actually visited Tracy and saw the near poverty she and Glen's legitimate children were living in, Tracy working herself half to death, but never for one second offered any help. And wasn't the least bit remorseful or guilty when Tracy found out. She was every bit as disgusting as Glen

Three of four of the last books I've read, the husband cheated and it wasn't necessary to any of the plots. What's with that? Certainly gives a dim view of marriage!

Widowed six months ago, Tracy Potter discovers her late husband had a secret life. Not only did he leave her with little money, he had a child with his mistress.

Tracy's world is completely altered but she doesn't have the time to pitch a fit or even be angry - she has to provide for her ten year old son and 18 year old step-daughter. She decides to invest all her resources in the Heartbreak Hotel, a run-down investment her husband never got around to fixing up.

The hotel isn't officially open for business when Wade MacAllister checks in. Wade has every intention of killing himself there. He's a best-selling author, traveling incognito because of the notoriety from a serial killer using the plot from one of Wade's books to murder 12 young women. Not only does Wade feel guilt for their deaths, some of the families sued him over the murders of their loved ones.

Wade has been traveling the country and trying to work up the nerve to commit suicide. But Tracy's courage and generosity move him and he gradually falls in love with her. Tracy is slow to trust again and is faced with a difficult decision involving her husband's mistress.

A good emotional story, strong characters. I cared about Tracy and Wade. At 438 pages it was a little too long and at times very slow. The action near the end was just ordinary and predictable mayhem.

I read almost all of this year's top ten romances recommended by the American Library Association - and this one is wonderful. This is a continuation of the author's Twilight Cove saga and it really tugged my heart-strings. I highly recommend this one as well as MJ Putney's Stolen Magic, Lynn Kerstan's Dangerous Passions, and Lord Will & Her Grace by Sophia Nash. All of them were almost impossible to put down.

Six months ago her spouse Glenn Potter suddenly died leaving his thirty three years old widow Tracy broke and alone raising their preadolescent son Matthew and trying to help her stepdaughter Chelsea pay her college tuition. The only assets the IRS could not take away was the nineteenth century run down Heartbreak Hotel, overlooking the Pacific as that was in Matt's name and a trust fund her grandparents left her. A desperate Tracy and Matt move into the hotel with Chelsea residing with them when she is not attending school.

Since the Twilight Cove Historical Society got the Heartbreak Hotel listed as a historical landmark, Tracy cannot sell that is if she could even find a buyer. Using her trust fund, she begins renovations when Wade Johnson arrives and asks to spend the night paying with cash. Needing the money she agrees; that one day stay turns into a week. Wade and Tracy are attracted to one another, but he knows nothing can come of it as long as he must hide from his fame, his past, and mostly his dreams that inspire the words that frighten him to hole up in offbeat places.

HEARTBREAK HOTEL is a strange, very interesting contemporary romantic thriller with a gothic feel to the plot. The story line is character driven by the lead couple and enhanced by a solid cast including her son and the source of the dreams. Wade will intrigue the audience as they will wonder if he is the romantic hero or a dangerous person on the lam perhaps from himself and ponder whether he harmed others. Jill Marie Landis keeps the suspense and romance high as fans will contemplate which will ultimately win out.

Harriet Klausner

Suffice it to say, Ms. Landis is a wonderful author. You can read the storyline from a review here or elsewhere so I won't repeat. You must read this book. There is a lot going on in it - I could not put it down. And oh, yes have some tissues on hand. Hope she returns to this town again soon with another wonderful tale.

JML just keeps getting better in my opinion. I've kept up with the current trilogy & was, in a word, thrilled to read this latest book. Although pairing a sad widow & a tormented novelist isn't a real stretch, JML makes it work in a BIG way. Tracy & Wade are, by fate it seems, thrown together & manage to find peace with themselves & fall in love. The good part is watching them get to that place. The "Heartbreak Hotel" itself is intriguing, you get to meet Carly & Jake from "Lovers Lane" again, and Tracy's son and stepdaughter make a wonderful addition to the story. You won't be disappointed. JML is on my watch list for any new novels & her books are all keepers!