This is Beth O’Leary at the height of her powers. Hypnotically good, fresh, fun and moving, with one-liners that made my sides hurt, characters I want to take out to dinner, and one of the best endings I’ve read in some time. This is not just a great rom com, this is a Beth O’Leary rom com, and in my opinion there is no better writer out there.”―Gillian McAllister, New York Times bestselling author of Wrong Place Wrong Time It's the most entertaining, laugh-out-loud read among Beth O'Leary's works, with fewer dramatic and angsty moments. There is no denying I love Beth O'Leary's writing. Bonus points for this one being unexpectedly set around the holiday season! But this particular story didn't work for me.

The palpable chemistry between Izzy and Lucas, along with their witty banter, completely engrossed me in their love story. Izzy's vulnerability in opening up her feelings after being crushed by Lucas' rejection a year ago, and Lucas' efforts to make her fall in love with him, his patience, and his inner sweetness made me sigh and smile countless times.

Become a Member

A fun and cute rom-com with an enemy to friends theme. The setting is around the Christmas holiday season in England at a dilapidated, but wonderful hotel. The hotel employees and guests were like a close-knit family the way they supported each other, creating a warm atmosphere. Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to review this cheerful and cozy book. The book mentions sex, but it is a closed door romance without graphic content. Adult readers will find the material suitable. I really needed a strong romance read and this one was it. O'Leary took her time setting up why Izzy and Lucas did not get along and the slow turn from enemies to lovers was realistic. I loved both characters, and other characters like "Poor Mandy" and Mr. Townsend. The writing really snapped in this one and the humor was great. I felt like I was getting a great romantic comedy movie in book form and I just wanted more. The ending was very sweet and I loved it. I think O'Leary had some misses the past few years so I was hesitant to buy this one, but am glad I did.

It's a sweet enough story as long as all you want is a love/hate romance for most of the book. Its filled with misunderstandings, misreading and some very dubious set pieces that were a bit on the cringey side. The supporting characters at Forest Manor Hotel are nothing short of perfection! From Mrs. SB and the unpredictable Mandy (who's like a wild card in the story) to Arjun and the potentially godsend Mr. Townsend (if this book ever gets adapted into a movie, please cast Bill Nighy for this role), not to mention the lively Hedgers family, Barty, and Ollie, they all make you feel like a part of their family.Set in a struggling countryside hotel, this story follows co-workers and sworn enemies, Izzy and Lucas, as they set themselves on a mission to save the hotel from financial ruin in the lead up to Christmas. The fact that there was a lot of miscommunication here was vexing to me, as a usual loather of such tropes in my romance reads, but something in the way these characters were written, all complex and very human in their insecurities and past hurts, made reading their story—even with all the miscommunication—a very easy and necessary experience, on my part. And, Beth O’Leary always manages to make me smile-there are definitely a few clever revelations that bring this Christmas story full circle by the end. I have a love-hate with romances revolving around a miscommunication that could easily be solved with one conversation. In this case, it's a yearlong miscommunication that has convinced Izzy her coworker, Lucas, is the bane of her existence. On top of that, there was an enemies-with-benefits situation. Absolutely sizzling, yes, but it only furthered my annoyance that these two simply didn't clear the air sooner. Witty, clever and full of heart―Beth O’Leary has done it again with TheWake-Up Call. I adored this cast of characters and had so much fun with them. This is escapist fiction executed perfectly, I loved it.”―Laura Kay, author of Wild Things

The Wake-up Call is utter perfection: it’s everything I love about romance books in a seductive, funny, big-hearted and masterfully told story.”―Cressida McLaughlin, author of The Staycation Such a clever, finely woven sweet and heart-rending story that I found myself utterly enchanted by’Bolu Babalola The good news is not only is that plot line not a dealbreaker for me but that this also features grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers, a hotel in need of saving, a mission to find the owners of a lost and found Tupperware container of wedding rings and a culmination of events that all ends the following year with the aforementioned holiday event. It’s Hallmarky romance goodness and sweetly delightful. Beth O’Leary knows how to write a feel good story. I struggled a lot with Izzy’s often immature behaviour and responses to things happening around her, but I absolutely ADORED Brazilian-expat and gentle-giant Lucas, and the way he yearned for Izzy to see him in a different light. I also loved the wider cast of quirky characters who made up the other staff and long-term residents of the hotel, as a full cast of great characters always goes a long way for me.The Wake-Up Call by Beth O'Leary is a fun read. O'Leary's writing style engaged me throughout the book. My eagerness to read from chapter to chapter was kept alive by clever dialogue and entertaining plot twists. O’Leary’s is full of heart, humor, and a sprinkle of holiday magic. While this will easily find a spot on holiday displays, it will also appeal to readers who love enemies-to-lovers storylines with supporting characters who shine.”― Library Journal The whole Ring Thing was just plain stupid. They should have kept the rings, sold them, used the money to fix the hotel and moved on...Problem solved. If they loved the hotel so much why wasn't that plan put into place right away? Bottom line, this was just too cutesy for my personal taste but I am glad I finally gave this author a go...it is my year of thinking outside the box as far as giving different genres go, and I can't expect all of them to work for me. One problem: Izzy and Lucas “hate” each other. She’s bubbly … he’s stoic … apparently that’s a deal-breaker. Well, that and the fact that Izzy actually IS attracted to Lucas and his oft-mentioned muscles and wrote him a Christmas card a year ago confessing her feelings, only to find him kissing her roommate instead.