Edith Hope (a.k.a. romance author Veronica Wilde) has been banished by her friends to a stately hotel in Switzerland. During her stay she befriends some of the other guests, each of whom has his or her own tale. Edith struggles to come to terms with her career and love--the lack, the benefits, and the meaning thereof.

Into the rarefied atmosphere of the Hotel du Lac timidly walks Edith Hope, romantic novelist and holder of modest dreams. Edith has been exiled from home after embarrassing herself and her friends. She has refused to sacrifice her ideals and remains stubbornly single. But among the pampered women and minor nobility Edith finds Mr Neville, and her chance to escape from a life of humiliating spinsterhood is renewed ...Winner of the Booker Prize in 1984, "Hotel du Lac" was described by "The Times" as 'A smashing love story. It is very romantic. It is also humorous, witty, touching and formidably clever'.

2006-10-14 Still the best Booker prize winner

Beautifully written and hugely entertaining. Pity that Miss Brookner never wrote another high comedy of quite the same order...