Book Review – The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio

Goodreads Synopsis:

1958. Kate Morgan, tethered to her family’s failing San Francisco restaurant, is looking for an escape. She gets her chance by honoring a cryptic plea from her grandfather: find the beautiful stranger. The search takes her to Hotel del Coronado, the beachfront landmark on the Southern California coast where filming is underway on the movie Some Like It Hot.

For a movie lover like Kate, it’s a fantasy come true. So is the offer of a position at the glamorous hotel. And a new romance is making her heart beat just as fast. But as sure as she is that the Coronado is her future, Kate discovers it’s also where the ghosts of the past have come to stay. Sixty years ago a guest died tragically, and she still haunts the hotel’s halls.

As the lives of two women—generations apart—intertwine, Kate’s courageous journey could change more than she ever imagined. And with the Coronado wending its way through her soul, she must follow her dreams…wherever they may lead.

My Opinion:

Kate Morgan lives and works with her family in San Francisco. Money is tight and getting worse as Granddad George’s dementia worsens and the bills are beginning to pile up. She and her family work in her uncle’s restaurant and her future seems to be predetermined. Kate is a dreamer and loves her family dearly, but she wants more. She is tired of doing the same thing day in and day out. She has Hollywood dreams and stars in her eyes. When an opportunity arises to live out her dream, work at the Hotel Del Coronado, and be amongst movie stars, she simply cannot resist.

I found Kate’s drive and spirit infectious. She is determined to see her dream through no matter what obstacles get in her way and face her fears head on.

I love the use of the iconic Hotel Del Coronado as a backdrop to this story! I have always wanted to visit this hotel, but have never had the opportunity. After reading this book and the beautifully vivid description of it and the surrounding area I plan on making a point to visit it someday.

I loved the budding romance and the mystery that is woven throughout this book. I did feel that it was a bit too “Hollywood” at times, but appreciated learning about what goes into making a movie on location and the amount of work that goes on behind the scene to help make everything run smoothly.

Torn between the love of her family in San Francisco and the life she has always dreamed of in Southern California – Kate has some tough decisions to make and only six weeks to do so!

This book has it all! Romance, mystery, a beautiful setting, Hollywood glitz and glamour and more.

*Thank you NetGalley, Lake Union Publishing, and Camille Di Maio for the opportunity to read and review this book for my honest opinion.

Other Camille Di Maio books I have reviewed:

The Way of Beauty
Before the Rain Falls

Book Details:

My Rating: 3.5/5
Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: None
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publication Date: 3/5/2019 (US & UK)

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