Gilded Age NYC romance meets Ghost Hunters meets...HGTV! The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller absolutely bedazzled me.

This book is quintessentially THE ROMANCE you want to read this fall. Snuggle up beneath a luxuriously soft blanket and read it with a warm mug of apple cider or a pumpkin spice latte in hand as the leaves flutter past your window…Or, for my friends in the southern hemisphere, read on the beach with a frozen margarita? Whatever it takes. Just read it!

Sensual, honest, and with a delightfully quirky cast of dynamic characters, The Widow of Rose House will break your heart and then stitch it back together again. And it might even scare you a little too! October romance perfection.

Since I’m always interested in debut romances, I was delighted to get the Widow of Rose House offered for a review. And the blurb was already very promising: a strong woman, Alva, who decides to take fate into her own hands and buy a house and restore it. She uses her ‘fame’ to convince a publisher to publish her book, she is going to write about the restauration of her home.

Although she is warned that the house is haunted, she doesn’t believe this. So, when the funny, clumsy professor Samuel Moore tries to convince her to let her investigate her haunted house, she refuses. But when the workcrew she has hired, leave the house in a hurry and when she thinks she sees her dead ex-husband, she gets a little scared.

So, maybe she should ask for the help of the persistant professor. Of course, it has nothing to do with the attraction she feels for the cute professor, but all with his experience with ghosts and haunted objects. Together they embark on a journey to discover the truth about her home.

A wonderful, funny read, full of suspense and plot twists. Absolute a great debut and I’m looking forward to reading more from Diana Biller. Hopefully she’ll extend the stories about the Moore family, because they are hilarious. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing the arc.

young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age debut novel It's 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh start, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time. However, fresh starts aren't as easy as they seem, as Alva discovers when stories of a haunting at Liefdehuis begin to reach her. But Alva doesn't believe in ghosts. So when the eccentric and brilliant professor, Samuel Moore, appears and informs her that he can get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds Liefdehuis, she turns him down flat. She doesn't need any more complications in her life―especially not a handsome, convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, though Alva is loath to admit it, Sam, a pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva's new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva's history―and her heart.

My thoughts
Would I recommend it?yes
Would I read anything else by this author? Yes
Rating :5

First off I want to say thank you to St.Martin's for letting me know about this book as soon as I say it and read some of the description I was like yes please , because it's every thing I love to read, a haunted house , a ghost or maybe more , and a romance . And all I can say is wow because when I started to read it I didn't want to put it down at all, it was amazing. It's spooky but not to spooky,which mixes well with the story because it's also a historical romance but the spookiness doesn't take anything away from the story in fact it helps brings it to live , and the characters while some are not wroth mentioning there are some that will make you laugh and shake your add at the way they act, if I had to pick a favorite from them I would say that Sam is mine, because of how his character seems to be absent minded when he gets into his work or how he put his foot in his month at times. With that said I want to thank once aging St.Martin's and Netgalley for letting me read and review it exchange for my honest opinion

I enjoyed this book filled with romance, scientists, insane asylums, suffragettes and ghosts. I love how each of these items are woven into one great story. These are wonderful characters. I really liked how Alva and Sam become friends and lovers. I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This story had chills, humor, a little wackiness, science, attraction, and of course, love. Alva and Sam were wonderful people separately and as a couple. The danger surrounding Alva had me waiting to see how it would end. Sam's confidence that he could help Alva before he fully knew her and her problems had my heart thumping a little faster. He was an absent-minded professor with a gentleness and protectiveness inside. I loved the two of them, and I highly recommend this story.

I received an ARC of this story through Netgalley, and this is my unsolicited review.

I didn’t know what I was expecting when I started reading The Widow of Rose House. I was interested in reading the book. Anything with ghosts and romance in it, and I am reading it. But, I was a little iffy on the Gothic description. I haven’t had the best luck when it comes to reading books in that genre. That was my only hold back from being delighted in reading The Widow of Rose House. I am happy to say that, I was pleased to read this book. I did have an issue with the ending, but other than that, it was a great read.

The Widow of Rose House’s plotline was medium paced. It wasn’t too fast or too slow. Which was perfect for me, and it made reading the book enjoyable. There were no dropped storylines. But there were storylines that I felt needed clarification like how Henry ended up with the Moore’s or why Alva’s mother hated her. The latter gave me a feeling that there was more going on in that relationship than what was said.

Alva was such a complicated woman, and I found her hard to get to know in the beginning. The author held back a lot when it came to her marriage to Alain. There was a point in the book where I did wonder if she was as scandalous as the gossip made her out to be. Then the author explained that Alain was abusive. That is when she started to come to life in my eyes. Alva was vulnerable but at the same time had a backbone of steel. She was damaged goods, and she knew it. She had such a hard time trusting people, after what her husband did, and it took her forever to trust Sam.

I loved everything about Sam. He defined the term absent-minded professor. People could be standing in front of him, and if something caught his attention, bam, they would cease to exist for him. It was awesome!! Take, for instance, the serving tray conversation. I was dying laughing as I read that scene. It was hilarious. I also loved how deeply he loved his family. They were everything to him and vice versa.

Sam and Alva’s romance was unique. I say unique because Sam knew right away that Alva was his other half. But, he also saw that she was damaged. He did pursue her, but everything that happened was on her terms. On Alva’s side, she fought her feelings for Sam tooth and nail. It was amusing and sad to read. Amusing because she blustered a lot and sad because she felt she wasn’t good enough for him.

I didn’t get any sense of sexual attraction or chemistry between Alva and Sam. So when they had sex, it was a surprise. It was a clean sex scene. Nothing explicit. It was descriptive but didn’t go over the line. I loved it!!

The ghost storyline was interesting. I say interesting because I enjoyed the search that Alva and Sam did on the previous owners of the house. I also enjoyed seeing how paranormal research would have looked like in the late 1800s. But then the ghost storyline took a weird turn that involved possession and being able to see slightly into the future. I was a little “eh” on that part, but it did add a unique flair to the storyline.

The storyline with Alva’s brother-in-law and Alva’s marriage was sad. I liked how the author didn’t get graphic with the abuse that Alva and her mother-in-law suffered. Alva’s brother-in-law was skeezy. He was trying to blackmail her into giving him money each month. Considering how divorce was looked upon in that century, I didn’t blame Alva for caving into him. But, I wasn’t expecting what happened to him at the end of the book.

The end of the book was alright. But I got a sense that it was rushed. But overall, it was a good read. I do hope that there will be other books about the other Moore siblings!!

This one was so much fun to read. A lot of romances are being touted as part of the#MeToo movement, but this one truly fits the bill. I love that it's not a regency but rather is late Victorian period. It has a smart heroine who leaves her abusive husband, puts up with the resulting scandal, and figures out how to earn a living designing homes. It also has a smart hero, who is a lovable, sexy inventor that is a bit of geek instead of just brawn. Did I mention there is a fantastic ghost story mixed in as well? It doesn't overwhelm the plot if ghost stories aren't your thing, but it does add a unique element. Biller, who is a debut author, manages to balance the humor, suspense, supernatural elements, and domestic violence without overshadowing what has to be the best romance of this year. LOVED IT! I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thanks to Netgallery and St. Martin's: Griffin for the ARC.

I absolutely adored this book! Sam was the most charming and adorably scattered Hero. His family was just as fantastic. So awesome, in fact, Alva didn't know what to do. It was the complete opposite of anything she had experienced. I loved the ghost story that brought them together and I was fascinated by the history sprinkled through out. I googled so much while reading! A fantastic debut and a new author to add to my favorites!

As a lover of a historical novels, I was excited to be able to review this novel. Diana Biller is a new to me author, but I will tell you this. After reading this debut novel, she will definitely be one I will read again. From start to finish, she had me entranced with this novel.

I absolutely loved her characters! She chiseled Alva and Sam so perfectly. The fact that their story takes place in, shall we say a haunted house, really drew me into the heart of the story. I’m all about the paranormal! The details that Biller used to portray the “haunted” mansion was incredible. I felt like it was within the home myself! That was incredible!

Watching Alva’s past come to light really tugged at my heart. The past is the past and should be left there, but much like the house, it was determined to haunt her. But, seeing Sam’s feelings spark from the pages really made me smile. I loved watching them together!

For a debut novel, this exceeded my expectations. I am so happy to have had the chance to read this one! It’s worthy of 4 stars and two thumbs up from this reader. I am very much looking forward to seeing what Biller has in store for us with her next one! Well done!

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher, St. Martin's Press and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*

The Widow of Rose House does not fit any one genre. It is a very good mix of romance, humor, mystery, novel and many more. Diana Biller writes the characters as if she knows them personally. You can see them walking down the street, arguing or not. The back story, with all of it's challenges, is perfect for setting the characters into a haunted house that needs more than new wallpaper. Although I enjoyed the book and was pleased with the ending, I'd like to think Ms Biller could find these characters another chapter or two. Maybe a sequel?

4.5 Stars! The Widow of Rose House was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it did not disappoint! I'm not going to go much into plot so as not to spoil anything. I'm just going to tell you how I feel about it.

First, it's hard to believe this is a debut novel. The characters are fantastically drawn. While I may not have made the same decisions Alva did, I found her to be admirable. The poor thing tried so hard not to show vulnerability and not to rely on anyone else. To watch her seize control of her life and learn to trust again was very rewarding. You can't help but root for her happily ever after. And if you don't fall in love with Professor Sam Moore, well, there's no help for you! I certainly hope his siblings (including Henry) will be getting books of their own? Please? Pretty please? The banter among the boisterous Moore family is delightful, and I love their dynamic. They need their own books. Just sayin'. But seriously, Sam's a genius from a family of geniuses, and he's also a big old sweet potato. I love the way he thinks and the way he observes everything, including Alva, and how he can't help but want to find solutions to problems, often to humorous effect. But the story does have several very serious and tragic aspects, and it's all balanced together really well, hitting all the right notes in all the right places.

I'm very tempted to give this five stars just for the feels alone. My only real complaints are that it's a little wordy (and I found myself skimming a page here and there), and I do feel the ghost story could have been a bit more developed and played a larger role in the story. While it is the mechanism that brings Alva and Sam together, it's far into the book before they really start making any progress. The spook factor is rather tame, though surprisingly unpredictable. But when the meaning of the house's name and its purpose were revealed at the end, I shed a tear. I'm bumping it up a notch just because of my reading experience, alternating from having a goofy grin on my face to crying to needing a cold shower.

Disclaimer: This is a straight-up romance. I say that for those readers who don't like romance. I'm not one of them. I love romance and gobble it up whenever I can. It's not quite fair to the book to market it as suspense or even romantic historical fiction, as I've seen in some places, because then people who don't normally read romance end up marking the book down in their reviews. But if you love romance, this is a breath of fresh, crisp winter air. The perfect combination of humor and heavy themes and madcap genius and serious widow and ghost story and true love. So much fun!

The Widow of Rose House is so much more than a gothic romance. Diana Biller paints a love story lush with mystery, ghosts, and facing one’s demons. All while having a second chance at love.

The novel sets in New York during the year 1875. Alva Webster is a widow recently returned from Paris. And the rumors are abound she is a loose woman who cheated on her husband, engaged in orgies, and some dare to say had a hand in his death. But gossips are brutal and as the reader, we know this is far from the truth.

When she returns, she hopes finally to be free from her controlling husband. She purchases a rundown mansion called Liefdehuis. Though rumors quickly spread that the house is haunted.

Enter Professor Samuel Moore. He’s a brilliant scientist and member of a much loved and respected family. While Alva does not believe in ghosts, Sam does. And he’s determined to help her figure out the mystery of Liefdehuis, if the hauntings are indeed real, and how to rid the home of the ghost so she can restore the home.

As Sam researches Alva’s home, their attraction for one another grows. And where Sam is keen to begin a relationship, Alva is trigger shy, having just left an abusive relationship. And the more Sam tries to convince Alva, the more she hides away, from her own secrets and from the love Sam has to offer. But dear readers, in the end, Sam and Alva both break through the walls of fear surrounding Alva. And what I love so much about this novel is the how the consent between the two is so beautifully written. How attune Sam is to Alva and her past. Recognizing there are pieces he doesn’t understand but needs to respect. And their physical and emotional relationship is built on trust and complete support. Sam’s a lovely hero and one I hope many men emulate.

In a nutshell, if you’re in the mood for a moving, well-written, gothic-feeling romance, The Widow of Rose House is for you. It’s got mystery, paranormal activity, a hero who fights for the woman he loves without smothering, and a heroine who faces her fears, which allows her to eventually move on. I definitely recommend and can see why it’s one of the anticipated romances of 2019 for BookPage.

I was invited to read this story and after hearing good things from a trusted friend, I was excited to get to it.

I loved Alva and Sam. She’s trying to find herself again and keep a low profile. He’s a genius and basically famous. Together they have fantastic chemistry and conversation. I loved his persistence and her reluctance. I especially loved how he always listened and prodded her for ideas and opinions. His family was absolutely one of the best ever written and I’m ready to hang out with them.

Plot wise, there are a few moving parts here, but the core of this story is a romance. I was expecting a bit more of a thriller, but I’m in no way disappointed. The tension was between Alva and Sam and it was delicious. The ghost part sort of felt like an afterthought at times and the resolution was wrapped up much more than I would have expected.

Overall, it was a captivating story with characters I was instantly rooting for. I could happily read these two forever and cannot wait to read this again.

**Huge thanks to St. Martin’s for providing the arc free of charge**

Wow! This is a stunning debut with an entertaining storyline that has a bit of the paranormal and a lush romance. But the really stunning parts are the spectacular characters and their interactions. Alva as the disgraced widow with a backbone of steel is a heroine for any age but in this time of women being little more than their husband’s chattel and the beginnings of women's suffrage rights she is outstanding. Feisty, strong, beautiful and so smart she doesn’t have to use her beauty to survive. A chance meeting with our divine hero changes her life. Oh, Sam! He’s marvelous and brilliant and smitten from the first encounter with the infamous widow. It’s the combination of brains and beauty that keeps this uber intellectual man enthralled...as well as her haunted house. The banter between the oh so charming and handsome Sam and Alva is a delight. Smart dialogue from this new author had me from the first chapter and I had to see where this relationship went and if there really was a ghost in Alva’s house. The house is as much a character as the people. Speaking of people...Sam’s family of whacky, quirky scientists with big brains, including his “brother” and faithful friend, Henry, is hilarious and wonderful. Poor Alva has no one in her corner until Sam finally makes some in roads to her heart. The romance was thrilling and steamy and funny. Go figure! There’s nothing like well placed humor in the bedroom. The paranormal and Sam’s research was believable for me until the very end. It sort of went a little far and seemed rushed but didn’t deter from my enjoyment of the overall story. Sure, if you don’t believe in the supernatural, ghosts or afterlife on earth it may be a stretch for you but that’s only a small part of this beautifully written story about love, loss, survival along with a ghostly mystery. The author paints vivid pictures that reach out grab you from the beginning all the way to the last page. The details of everything from the movement of muscle on a man’s back to rotting decay of a house left to long on its own are exceptional. I felt like I was in the moment. Absolutely fantastic. I look forward to more from this new author. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an advance copy.

The Widow of Rose House is the debut book of author Diana Biller, and it’s the perfect book to read during the Autumn season. It’s not a spooky book but does involve ghosts and mystery. I was excited to read Diana Biller’s debut novel because of the synopsis, but also the beautiful cover. This is one book I plan on buying in paperback so that it can be included in my library.

The main female protagonist Alva Webster has purchased the Liefdehuis house, which is supposedly haunted to renovate it hopefully. She wants the designs from the renovation of the house for her book that she is planning on having published. She doesn’t believe in ghosts, though. The male protagonist Samuel Moore does believe in ghosts and will do anything to discover the spirits of the Liefdehuis house. Unfortunately, Alva doesn’t want anything to do with Samuel and his quest. She is haunted by her past thanks to her late husband. She’s a widow, and rumors had spread about her due to what her husband told everyone when she separated from him and tried to divorce him. Instead, though, he is killed in Paris, and now she is back in New York to hopefully live a better life after being married to such a monster. Her family doesn’t want anything to do with her, and everyone chooses to believe the rumors of Alva thanks to her late husband. Although Sam is fascinated with her and doesn’t believe the rumors, he will do anything to win her over in this story.

I enjoyed every minute of reading Diana Biller’s debut novel not only because of the storyline but because of the characters. Although I’ve marked this as a Historical Fiction novel, it has romance in it. There are some very steamy moments between the characters, and let’s say that Alva needed Sam. Sam won me over in this book. He is the perfect book boyfriend. He’s a smart, sexy genius who I adored every minute in this book. Whenever Alva was turning him down, I wanted to go into the book and slap her silly for her nonsense.

Sam is always trying to make things better for everyone with his scientific discoveries. He comes from a family of geniuses, and everyone knows who he is and his family. Alva, in the book, has never known real love until she meets Sam and his family. I loved how Sam stood up for Alva several times in this book, and he also bluntly made it clear he was in love with her.

Let me not forget about the crazy storyline of the ghosts that haunt the house that Alva owns. There is the mystery behind the spirits, and Alva and Sam will discover what happened. I loved how everything came together at the end of the book. I would recommend this book for readers that enjoy Historical Fiction (Victorian Gothic flair) with romance elements in it. Forewarning, you will fall for the male protagonist. I know I did.

WIDOW OF ROSE HOUSE by Diana Biller (dcbiller) Paranormal Romance set in 19th century NY; hunky scientist, spunky widow +a ghost. HIGHLY recommend.

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

I had read a sample of this book in the Buzz Books Romance collection and liked it. I also really love the cover, though the key that’s featured on it plays an important but much shorter role than I expected. I really enjoyed the book though – mostly because of Sam and his family. Sam was perfectly quirky, funny, and devoted to Alva. He was enchanting and every sort of endearing and I just loved his character. And his interactions with his equally quirky and endearing family were hilarious. Alva’s character was alright but some pieces of it just didn’t work for me personally for a couple reasons. The ghost story was pretty good in this book, I was sufficiently engaged in finding out the ending for it, but I did find that the romance side of the plot wasn’t as well developed as I thought the ghost side of the plot was. Overall though I really liked the book and I can’t wait to read more books by this author!

The Widow of Rose House is more romance than paranormal, although that's definitely in there too. This one is a bit of a hodge-podge of genres and tropes that Diana Biller has tossed together and somehow made it all work wonderfully. The characters are developed and relatable, and the writing style gives us an engaging tale. The romance is full of fun banter between a too-cute couple that you just can't help but root for. I've read a number of these creepy old house stories lately and going by what I've found so far, I wasn't holding out a lot of hope. So, I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. I can't say that I was scared by anything in this one, but we do get some suspense, and it certainly held my interest. And as the icing on the cake, it's a debut and an excellent one at that.

The Widow of Rose House is a debut novel and a perfect paranormal romance for the season. The story follows Alva who has returned to the US to start over after her husband is murdered. She originally left the US under an umbrella of scandal. Determined to make a life for herself, she buys a house that is rumored to be haunted with the intention of making it over and publishing a book about it.

The best part of this book is Sam and his determination to woo Alva. I loved this character and he is on my book boyfriend list. He's a genius, inventor, sometimes scatterbrained and hopelessly enamored with Alva. Their first love scene was so refreshing. His patience and understanding of Alva 's past made me love him more. I was just so fun to watch these two fall in love. I also loved Henry and Sam's family. I'm not sure if this is going to be a stand alone, but I would love to see Henry, Benedict and Maggie get their own books.

As for the ghost story, I liked the twist on the ghost and how it worked. That's all I will say about it so I don't spoil anything. The setting was sufficiently creepy and good way to get you in the mood for the spooky season. I highly recommend this debut novel. I am excited to see what this author some up with next!

I was just expecting a late Victorian/Edwardian romance, but I got much more; a really strong, rather gothic storyline, a wonderful, smart, wounded heroine and a lovely inventor/science geek hero. First of all, the setting was somewhat unusual for a gothic. Rather than being set in England or Europe, it was set in the Hudson River Valley of New York. That's where our intrepid heroine, Alva, an infamous widow thanks to the lies her late, unlamented husband spread about her, buys an old estate with the hopes of renovating it so that she can write a design book aimed at making interior design accessible to the middle classes. Unfortunately, her new house comes complete with rampant ghost stories and hauntings.

It's this reputation that attracts Sam, an absent-minded but brilliant inventor who comes from a brilliant, eccentric family made wealthy and famous by dint of the various inventions and patents. Sam is a bit obsessed with investigating ghosts in hopes of quantifying them and proving that they actually do exist. As soon as he hears the rumors, he introduces himself to Alva and requests permission to investigate her ghosts. He's also absolutely thunderstruck by a strong attraction to Alva. Unfortunately for him, she does not want to get involved with him, refuses his requests to come and investigate her house, and doesn't believe in ghosts. However, she arrives in upstate NY to find that her workmen have all run off and if she's to have any hope of getting them back, she will need Sam's help to try to get to the bottom of it all.

Alva had a horrible childhood, and was married off at 16 to a monster. Now that she's finally free, she has plenty of trauma to deal with and just wants to get on with her life. Sam meanwhile is everything sweet, light and easy to Alva's darkness and the two of them together were just magical. Their romance was swoony, there were plenty of sparks, and Sam was so considerate and so in love with Alva, although admittedly, he was sometimes a bit dense when he got caught up in one of his inventions. There were just enough spooky moments for me without overshadowing the romance, and I felt the ghost elements were very well done. I absolutely loved this book and am having a hard time believing that this is the author's debut.