Listen to a sample
Hotel Portofino
- Author
- J. P. O’Connell
- Narrator
- Esther Wane
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 18 January 2022
- Run Time
- 11 hours 44 minutes
- Format
- x-book®
What to expect
For fans of Downton Abbey and The Crown … welcome to Hotel Portofino, where romance, revelry, and intrigue await.
Hotel Portofino is now a six-episode TV series on PBS
A heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the Roaring Twenties
Hotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy.
To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don’t go to plan, which will have far-reaching consequences for the whole family.
Set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of personal awakening at a time of global upheaval and of the liberating influence of Italy’s enchanting culture, climate, and cuisine on British “innocents abroad.”
Critics Review
-
“If you love period dramas like Downton Abbey and The Crown, then you need to read Hotel Portofino by J. P. O’Connell immediately.”
PopSugar
-
“Set in the stunning Italian Riviera and reminiscent of Downton Abbey, and soon to be a PBS original, Hotel Portofino will capture your heart and have you flipping through the pages faster than you’ll ever be able to make hot cocoa.”
Women.com
-
“O’Connell’s historical novel, brimming with drama, romance, and intrigue set on the beautiful Italian Riviera during the 1920s, is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey. It also includes a diverse cast of characters and deftly addresses the prejudices of the era.”
Library Journal
-
“Scenes are short, the movement swift, and the language draws less from impressionism than pointillism in its ability to build sweeping emotion from a few pointed strokes. The action moves gracefully from comedy to heartbreak, melodrama to dramatic suspense. Charged adventures involving late night escapes, assignations, and art theft balance quieter moments that capture human kindness and the beauty of a passing world. A charming, moving, and memorable debut, highly recommended.”
Historical Novels Review
See more reviews See fewer reviews
-
“In the genre of Agatha Christie, Henry James, Edith Wharton, this story delights. The author’s descriptions of Portofino are lovely, the characters fully formed. And the story whispers a warning—beware the subtle ways in which freedom can be lost.”
Pamela Binnings Ewen, bestselling author of The Queen of Paris
-
“A lovely, character-driven story set in 1920s Italy…Hotel Portofino is a well-written, leisurely pace, slice-of-life story, and a charming read.”
A Book Junkie Reviews
-
“This book will likely become another hit period drama series for PBS in 2022, after its British launch last year, and it will be no surprise to anyone who listens to the audio version of this book…The period evokes the style of Downton Abbey with the charm and warmth of the Italian coast. With so many characters, it takes a great voice actor to help listeners keep them straight. Esther Wane does just this with a delightful British accent as well as dialects that are appropriate for the characters. Highly recommended.”
Library Journal (starred audio review)
User Reviews
No reviews yet.
Details
- Author
- J. P. O’Connell
- Narrator
- Esther Wane
- Duration
- 11 hours 44 minutes
- Release Date
- 18 January 2022
- ISBN
- 9798200816675
- Format
- x-book®
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Historical fiction, Family life fiction, Family life fiction, Narrative theme: Love and relationships, Historical romance, Fiction: general and literary, Romance, Fiction: general and literary
Synopsis
For fans of Downton Abbey and The Crown … welcome to Hotel Portofino, where romance, revelry, and intrigue await.Hotel Portofino is now a six-episode TV series on PBSA heady historical drama about a British family who open an upper-class hotel on the magical Italian Riviera during the Roaring TwentiesHotel Portofino has been open for only a few weeks, but already the problems are mounting for its owner Bella Ainsworth. Her high-class guests are demanding and hard to please. And she’s being targeted by a scheming and corrupt local politician, who threatens to drag her into the red-hot cauldron of Mussolini’s Italy. To make matters worse, her marriage is in trouble, and her children are still struggling to recover from the repercussions of the Great War. All eyes are on the arrival of a potential love match for her son Lucian, but events don’t go to plan, which will have far-reaching consequences for the whole family. Set in the breathtakingly beautiful Italian Riviera, Hotel Portofino is a story of personal awakening at a time of global upheaval and of the liberating influence of Italy’s enchanting culture, climate, and cuisine on British “innocents abroad.”
About xigxag and the x-book®
xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK's only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.
Our x-book® format is the only fully integrated listen-and-read experience available. See the text on screen as you listen, look up words, take notes, search within the book, and share quotes. It is especially useful for accessibility, language learning, and getting more from non-fiction. Look for the purple x-book® ribbon on the cover, or filter your search by "x-book" to find them.
There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at $13.95. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from $7.95. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.
Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.
Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.