Book Review :: Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel by Sophie Green

A new Sophie Green novel is always cause for celebration in my book (ha), and I’ve been so delighted to have been part of the online tour celebrating her latest release Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel. I posted a little preview of my thoughts on Instagram at the end of last month, and now I’m finally sharing my full review. I’ve loved seeing lots of photos and mini reviews of this book on Instagram – you should be able to see some by clicking here.

As always, I’m popping in a synopsis of the book and then you can find my thoughts below.

What is Sophie Green’s Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel about?

Mornington Peninsula, 1999. Wife and now grandmother Joan has checked into the grand old Duchess Hotel to find herself again after thirty-five years of being who her husband and family have wanted her to be. Peninsula local and soon-to-be octogenarian Frances is distracting herself from getting old, and avoiding her self-interested son by escaping to the warmth of the Duchess where the hotel staff treat her like the person she still is. Meanwhile Frances’s daughter, Alison, is trying to manage significant disruptions at home while hoping to finally prove to her mother that she’s just as worthy of love as her brother. New to the Duchess, hotel maid Kirrily is feeling the weight of a lifetime of responsibility, struggling to balance bills and work and family, and keeping thoughts of how there must be more to life at bay.

With its old-world glamour, sprawling seaside grounds and air of possibility, the Duchess Hotel might just be the place to help the women rediscover who they are and bring some spark back to their lives.

When Joan decides to pick up a brush and start painting for the first time in decades, she inspires Frances and Kirrily – and, eventually, Alison – to join her. Over canvas, conversation and creativity they will learn that you should always hold onto your dreams and that new friends can give you the courage to live life on your own terms.

My review of Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel

It’s no secret that I love Green’s books for the way that they celebrate women and their relationships with friends, family, and community, as well as the taking a look at the place of women in society across different times – both in terms of the calendar year the book is set in and the ages of the women themselves. I always find her characters natural and authentic and relatable – without fail I see bits of myself and my friends in most of her characters.

Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel was no exception to this. I actually really loved the story being set around a wife and mother realising she needed to find herself after so many years of being everything to everyone else. I feel like there has been a bit of discussion over the past few years for new mums about losing/finding yourself in those early years of motherhood, but I really haven’t seen a lot around mums at the other end of raising children so I really liked seeing that perspective. I also always love a mother/daughter relationship in a book, especially where we are seeing things from both characters’ point of view which gives us an insight into where good intentions are being lost in translation – Green does this so beautifully with Frances and Alison.

I have to admit to having a bit of a soft spot for Art Hour on account of the art – I’ve dipped in and out of watercolour painting classes over the last couple of years and absolutely related to the calm that the characters found in the practise of creating something from their own hands.

I think fans of Sophie Green’s previous books are going to love this one, and like her previous novels I think it’s a good one for anyone looking to read more uplifting stories by Aussie authors.

Big thanks to Hachette, and also Benson PR, for getting an early copy in my hands, and for having me along on the online tour!

I’d love to hear the comments if this one is on your radar, or if you’ve read any of Sophie Green’s other books – she has quite a backlist now, so let me know if you have a favourite!

xo Bron
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Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel by Sophie Green
Out now from Hachette Australia
Source: I received a free paperback copy from Hachette Australia (thank you!)
Category: Aussie romance fiction

Art Hour at the Duchess Hotel on Goodreads

Check out my reviews of Sophie Green’s previous books:

• Weekends with the Sunshine Gardening Society.
• The Bellbird River Country Choir.
• The Shelley Bay Ladies Swimming Circle.
• The Inaugural Meeting of the Fairvale Ladies Book Club.

Keep up with Sophie Green on her website here.