Summary from Goodreads:
Stay Tonight. Stay Forever.
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn't have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.
The more Audrey learns about the new people she's met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between life in a place that is so much more than it seems…
Welcome to the Ruby.
When Audrey Casella arrives for an unplanned stay at the grand Hotel Ruby, she’s grateful for the detour. Just months after their mother’s death, Audrey and her brother, Daniel, are on their way to live with their grandmother, dumped on the doorstep of a DNA-matched stranger because their father is drowning in his grief.
Audrey and her family only plan to stay the night, but life in the Ruby can be intoxicating, extending their stay as it provides endless distractions—including handsome guest Elias Lange, who sends Audrey’s pulse racing. However, the hotel proves to be as strange as it is beautiful. Nightly fancy affairs in the ballroom are invitation only, and Audrey seems to be the one guest who doesn't have an invite. Instead, she joins the hotel staff on the rooftop, catching whispers about the hotel’s dark past.
The more Audrey learns about the new people she's met, the more her curiosity grows. She’s torn in different directions—the pull of her past with its overwhelming loss, the promise of a future that holds little joy, and an in-between life in a place that is so much more than it seems…
Welcome to the Ruby.
Review
Hotel Ruby is a fast paced mystery that kept me intrigued through the very last page. After facing a tragic loss, the elegant and extravagant parties, setting and guests at the Hotel Ruby captivated both Audrey and myself.
The enchanting characters and wild events have such an odd vibe to them, it was easy to tell something was not right but I could not place what exactly was off about the characters. I wanted to know more and understand what the book had in store, I read Hotel Ruby in one sitting. At times it reminded me of The Shining, if The Shining met The Great Gatsby. It was such a different and unique blend of glitz and creepiness that made for a complex, well done story.
Hotel Ruby is unlike most books I have read before, it gives off an almost movie-like vibe to it. As the mystery unfolded, I guessed some aspects but overall I was surprised until the very end. Even though the characters are develop and parts of the story focus on relationships, Hotel Ruby is ultimately a plot driven book. There are hints of romance, sadness, loss and an overall good vs. evil vibe throughout combining a wide array of emotions. I recommend it if you are in the mood for something different and a bit darker and heavier.
The enchanting characters and wild events have such an odd vibe to them, it was easy to tell something was not right but I could not place what exactly was off about the characters. I wanted to know more and understand what the book had in store, I read Hotel Ruby in one sitting. At times it reminded me of The Shining, if The Shining met The Great Gatsby. It was such a different and unique blend of glitz and creepiness that made for a complex, well done story.
Hotel Ruby is unlike most books I have read before, it gives off an almost movie-like vibe to it. As the mystery unfolded, I guessed some aspects but overall I was surprised until the very end. Even though the characters are develop and parts of the story focus on relationships, Hotel Ruby is ultimately a plot driven book. There are hints of romance, sadness, loss and an overall good vs. evil vibe throughout combining a wide array of emotions. I recommend it if you are in the mood for something different and a bit darker and heavier.