The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio
Published by Lake Union Publishing on March 5, 2019
Genres: Domestic Life, Historical, Women’s Fiction
Pages: 320
Format: ARC, eBook, Paperback
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A legendary hotel on the Pacific becomes a haven where dreams, love, and a beguiling mystery come alive.
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.
I wanted to read today’s book – The Beautiful Strangers by Camille Di Maio – primarily because I thought the cover of the book was very pretty and it drew me in. I hadn’t even read the synopsis of the book when I requested the opportunity to read and review it on NetGalley, so it was a fun surprise to read when I was approved!
The luxury beachfront Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego, California is the mecca for two women many years apart from each other. Many years ago, a woman died tragically on the steps of the hotel leading toward the beach and still haunts the hotel to this day. Then, in 1958, Kate Morgan is working in her family’s failing restaurant in San Francisco and is looking for a way out. Thanks to her grandfather’s insistence, Kate sells her grandmother’s ring, takes the money and goes to the Hotel Del Coronado to work in the kitchen on a set for a movie called “Some Like It Hot”. The storyline is cool because readers are placed onto a movie set, they meet Marilyn Monroe and other actors while following Kate on her journey.
Kate is anxious in her journey and tragically, as she is traveling, her suitcase is stolen, she is without food and hungry and isn’t very presentable upon her arrival. She learns the story about the ghost who lived at the Hotel Del Coronado with the same name as her. Readers learn about Kate Morgan from today and the Kate Morgan from the past as they tell their stories each in alternating chapters and time periods which allows the story of who the beautiful stranger is becomes apparent.
The Beautiful Strangers is told with two points of view – the ghost Kate Morgan and the young Kate Morgan, which really ties together the stories of the two generations. I read this book cover to cover in one sitting. The characters were well written, the story line flowed well, and it was a very enjoyable afternoon spent reading a great book!
Camille recently left an award-winning real estate career in San Antonio to become a full-time writer. Along with her husband of 21 years, she home schools their four children. She has a bucket list that is never-ending, and uses her adventures to inspire her writing. She’s lived in Texas, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California, and spends enough time in Hawaii to feel like a local.
Camille studied political science in college, but found working on actual campaigns much more fun. She overdoses on goodies at farmers markets (justifying them by her support for local bakeries), and belts out Broadway tunes whenever the moment strikes. There’s almost nothing she wouldn’t try, so long as it does’t involve heights, roller skates, or anything illegal.
Camille’s novels include her debut novel, The Memory of Us, second book released in 2017, Before the Rain Falls, third book released in 2018, The Way of Beauty, and her fourth book, The Beautiful Strangers was released March 5, 2019!
Connect with Camille on social media ~~
WEBSITE // FACEBOOK // TWITTER // INSTAGRAM // GOODREADS // AMAZON
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book from Lake Union Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for my review. A positive review was not required and my views are my own.
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