"...The man really did do excellent work with walls..."

It’s ball season in Vienna, and Maria Wallner only wants one thing: to restore her family’s hotel, the Hotel Wallner, to its former glory. Eli Whittaker also only wants one thing: to find out who is selling American secret codes across Europe, arrest them, and go home to his sensible life in Washington, DC. He has one lead - a letter the culprit sent from a Viennese hotel. But when he arrives in Vienna, he is immediately swept up into a chaotic whirlwind of balls, spies, waltzes, and beautiful hotelkeepers who seem to constantly find themselves in danger.

God this book just enchanted me. It was just so wonderfully perfect I don't even know where to start my review. The setting of 1800's Vienna, family secrets, a straight-laced american, multiple assassination attempts, very steamy time in linen closets, and not to mention the fact that the mmc goes to an erotic bookstore to get books for 'research' on how to properly please her!?!?!?! HELLO!! I loved the romance between Maria and Eli; the build up was just as juicy as the sexy scenes and I enjoyed every interaction these character had. Also the fact that Maria wanted to see him undone?! I need more of them!!! The mystery and spy element fit perfectly with the narrative and kept me guessing the entire book. All of the Wallner women were badass and strong; honestly I could read endless books about them.

This eARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Hotels of Secrets is romantic mystery set in Vienna during the last 1800's The pages transport the reader to the Hotel Wallner as it prepares for Vienna's biggest ball in a dilapidated ballroom about to be transformed into a fairyland. Only, someone keeps sabotaging the work and trying to kill the lovely hotel manager, Maria.

Maria has taken over the management of the family hotel after her mother failed to uphold its lush landscape. She is throughly committed to restoring the hotel to its glory, a time when her grandmother was the manager. Eli has arrived from the America's on special assignment from the government to uncover who's selling codes to the Russians. He soon becomes Maria's hero, saving her life not once, not twice but multiple times over the course of story. Each time he's drawn into her orbit, he's besotted.

Eli is a solutions guy, seeking sources so he can achieve the best outcomes. This man is so damn adorable with his studious readings of erotic literature. My new favorite romantic passage:

"The books said ---" he started, breaking off when she giggled, throwing her arm over her face. He waited patiently. "It's just the first time a man who had me under him cited his sources. Please do go on."

Maria's family is complicated, and there are many family members and hotel staff that provide for a strong supporting cast. Linens closets will hold a new meaning for the reader too.

I look forward to future works by Biller. Thank you St. Martin's Press for the complimentary copy.

Hotel of Secrets is Diana Biller’s new historical novel set in the 1870s of Vienna. This is the first time ever I read a historical romance set in a location that’s not in the US or the UK, so of course the literary setting of Vienna was very refreshing. Apart from that, the book encompassed everything from social scandals, imperial dynasties, political discourses and the drama surrounding it all.

My favorite part was of course the existence of the Hotel Wallner, and how Maria Wallner was so focused on throwing the ball of the season while managing little mishaps happening inside the hotel. At the same time, she has to manage the various assassination attempts on her life, while getting distracted by the new American agent guest, Eli Whittaker, staying at her hotel.

This book managed to surprise me in the best way possible, and taking into account that this is my first time reading anything by the author, I have had a wonderful experience. The first thing that sold me was the setting of the hotel since I thought it was very unique, and the second thing was the mention of anything resembling spies. Add romance to the mix and you’ll have yourself a happy reader that cannot put the book down until getting to the bottom of it all.

I had a blast seeing the romance of the book come to life since Maria and Eli were two VERY likable main characters with equally interesting backstories and personalities, coming together into the most perfect relationship that I could read about. Also worth mentioning is the varied set of secondary characters that took part in the story and made it all enjoyable in the end. I wouldn’t mind seeing a book coming out focusing on Mac and Hannah.

Content warning: mention of an abusive father.

*ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3.5. I don't read much historical fiction (or romances) set in nineteenth-century Vienna, so this felt like a unique opportunity to learn something about that era. There's a lot more drama, steam, and mystery than historical accuracy (and the mystery takes a backseat to the steam after a while), but it's still a charming read with appealing characters. I particularly loved Maria, who runs a hotel with a firm hand and despite the interventions of her mother, Elisabeth (who's flighty in a particularly annoying way), and other "accidents" that damage the building. Spy/love interest Eli is a well-balanced mix of highly competent and shy, so if you enjoy that then this will work well for you. It feels a little long, but it's entertaining enough and worth a read, especially if you enjoy historical romance.

Thank you so much for allowing me to read and review your titles. I really enjoy the opportunity!

I do appreciate it and continue to review books that I get the chance to read.
Thanks again!

1877 Vienna - a city of music, grand balls and spies. Maria Wallner is the manager of her family’s hotel. After years of poor management under her mother, she has held the hotel’s first New Years Eve ball in several years. Celebrating its’ success with too much champagne, she stands outside toasting her ancestor who established the hotel when the first attempt is made on her life. Luckily, Eli Whittaker, a US treasury agent, is there to save her. He is also there when two more attacks take place. Eli is on an undercover assignment to discover who is selling access to American codes to foreign agents. A letter concerning the codes was sent from Maria’s hotel, placing her, the employees and her family under suspicion. Eli is dedicated to his job and he has no patience for the glitter and merriment of the city. He wants to finish his assignment and return to Washington. At first he is frustrated by Maria and her ability to attract trouble but there is a spark of interest that continues to grow the longer he has contact with her.

Maria comes from a line of strong women who have never married but each has had a daughter to carry on the business. Their liaisons have been with powerful men. Each generation has kept a journal detailing hotel activities and secrets that have kept the family safe until now. After the success of the ball, Maria has a chance to revitalize the hotel when she is asked to hold the annual ball for hotel managers. Someone is attempting to sabotage her preparations. Eli believes that the attempts are unrelated to the attempts on her life. However, he does look for any connections that they could have to his own assignment.

Diane Biller has created a cast of characters to fall in love with. Claude, the French spy, befriends everyone and acknowledges Eli as a fellow spy, letting him know that everyone in the city knows that he is undercover. Mac is Maria’s half brother. With no career of his own, he must discover his own strengths to break away from the example set by his father. Hannah has been Maria’s best friend while growing up. She designs and bakes the wonderful food that will help Maria save the hotel. Maria loves the family hotel and will do anything to save it. Then there is Eli, the brooding character with a secret in his past that hangs heavy on his heart. It is Maria who must get through to him and show him the joy that life can bring. Together they form a group that makes this story so charming. Intrigue, romance and a beautiful setting is a winning combination that makes Diane Biller’s Hotel of Secrets a pure delight. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book or my review.

Hotel of Secrets, set in 19th century Vienna, follows Maria Wallner as she attempts to save her family hotel at the height of Fasching by hosting a ball. Eli, an American in Vienna trying to discover who is stealing codes, stumbles into Maria's world after saving her life a few times. Mystery, intrigue, and love abound in this delightful new book by Diana Biller.

I love the determination to succeed above all odds that defines Maria in the face of family scandal, financial strain, and threats on her life. The relationship that develops between Eli and Maria is sweet and full of heat scattered throughout the novel. The hotel really is full of secrets that are slowly revealed to readers, and the slow reveal is well-worth the wait.
The plot moves as a nice pace, the supporting characters are a great addition, and the setting sweeps you into a 19th century Vienna worn hotel.

If you love historical fiction romance full of mystery and intrigue, then be sure to pick this one up.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the digital ARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

If I ever meet Diana Biller, I may cry. I love her books so much so when St. Martin's said here's an early copy of Hotel of Secrets, I said yes thank you, I need it in my life. Set in Vienna, during ball season, Maria is just trying to keep her hotel afloat. First of all, ball season? I love it. Anyway, enter Eli who saves her life and is cranky about it. He is so grumpy and she's not and the two of them together are flammable.

Spies, death threats, assassination attempts, sexy times in a closet, balls, carriage rides and ugly fountains all make up this fun love story between Maria and Eli. Also I might die for Maria's grandmother. Please pick this book up. I cannot tell you how many times I smiled while reading it, especially once all Eli's secrets are revealed. I think I was giddy for most of the story.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I love you forever.

The chandelier created drops of luminescent gold on the patrons of the ball. The swell of music fueled couples on the dance floor as they twirled and dipped in each others’ arms. She stood along the side and watched as the magic of the ball reflected in everyone’s eyes and smiles. She felt such a sense of pride, but in the back of her mind something bad lingered, so she held on to this joyous moment before it all came crashing down.

Hotel of Secrets is a historical mystery with a beautiful romance tied in. Maria is in control of the family’s hotel, a once famous hotel that has crumbled and now she must bring back to life… but her plans for restoration are being thwarted and now she’s being threatened. Will she get the hotel back to regency status?

This was such a fun, entertaining read. Loved reading in the era of the late 1800s and watching Maria run her family’s hotel business. All the secrets within the hotel’s walls as well as within her family leaves the reader guessing. The romance was a bit insta-lovey for me, but it was sweet (and don’t let the cover fool you… quite steamy too!). Overall a great read.

If you’re looking for a historical mystery with a strong female MC, some steamy scenes, and a lots of family drama and secrets, then I recommend picking this one up!

“Capable. Competent. She wouldn't have thought, before meeting him, that she'd find those words so appealing.”

Diana Biller is the queen of unconventional historical romance. In Hotel of Secrets, she’s taken the majesty and opulence of Vienna and combined it with hotel blunders, major family drama and assassination attempts while still managing to give us a healthy dose of humour, wit, cheek & spice.

Eli, our celibate spy who isn’t actually a spy who’s cover is blown basically as soon as he lands in Vienna, is as straight laced as they come. Yet, soon after he succumbs to his attraction to the brilliant and capable, Maria, we find him at an erotic bookstore looking to give himself an education on female pleasure.

Maria is resilient and resourceful in a way many women can relate to. She also contrasts beautifully to our virgin hero as an experienced heroine and has no problem giving him a little show one morning when he startles her in her own apartment {I love, love, love this scene}

This book, it’s gradual romance and it’s mystery are as lush and captivating as the Vienna ball season.

Thank you to @NetGalley @StMartinsPress & @DianaBiller for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date for Hotel of Secrets is March 28th and is available for preorder from major retailers.

“She didn't know when it had happened: maybe love didn't work that way. But now that she recognized it, she found it everywhere; it had climbed inside her like a flowering vine on an arbor.
Everywhere she looked, love bloomed back.”

I really enjoyed this unique take on a historical romance - there is such fun mystery and intrigue woven throughout! I think the location and the description of the hotel really made the story that much more magical. Maria is an interesting character, though it's hard to believe she would have been so accepted during this timeframe with her unique lifestyle. Eli was an interesting character, and quite different from many historical romance male lead characters. Overall this was a quick and interesting read with lots of characters and moving parts and I zoomed through it. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

4.5 Stars

What a gem of a novel. This book was absolutely lovely. I originally thought it was a historical fiction with a romance subplot but it turned out to be a historical romance and I couldn’t have been more pleased. That romance was beautiful. It was so sweet and fun and sexy (oh my god did it get sexy). Eli is a perfect man and I wish he really existed. And Maria and her wittiness complemented him perfectly. I also loved the friendship and family dynamics throughout that made the story all warm and fuzzy at parts. There’s a lot of mystery, action, and intrigue that had me on the edge of my seat and I loved all of that as well. The writing and the setting was stunning and I wish I could actually stay at the Hotel Wallner now. I do wish their was a little epilogue or something at the end, because I wanted to see where everyone ended up. I also think some plots got tied up a little too quickly and neatly. But I really, truly recommend this to any historical romance fans. Amazing.

With a charming start, interesting characters, a mystery, a Vienna setting and amusing dialogue, I found myself smiling and really enjoying the story. Somewhere in the middle of the book, the mystery took more of a back seat to the steamy romance and preparations for the Hotelkeeper's Ball. I found myself skimming over steamy scenes that seemed gratuitous. The story did pick up after that with a suspenseful ending. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I was a little disappointed since I have loved her other books.

Thank you @StMartinsPress, @Dreamscape_Media and @Netgalley for the #gifted ARC/ALC of HOTEL OF SECRETS!

I absolutely adored Diane Biller’s THE WIDOW OF ROSE HOUSE and was so thrilled when I saw she had a new book coming out. Thankfully HOTEL OF SECRETS did not disappoint.

The banter and chemistry between hotel proprietress Maria Wallner and American agent Eli Whittaker is off the charts. I absolutely swooned as these two fell for each other.

And on top of this love story, we also have historical fiction set in 1870s Vienna aka the golden era of Viennese balls and parties as well as a bit of a spy novel. After all, Eli is in Vienna to track down whoever is selling American codes across Europe. And someone keeps trying to murder Maria.

Don’t let this cover fool you into thinking this is just another historical romance. It’s so, so much more than that. There is Maria’s fated “dark haired man”. A running joke about what one can get up to in hotel linen closets and how Maria can best outfit them for her guests. And a celibate spy who does the research so that he can please his lover… and cites his sources. ;)

This book is long at 400 pages but I didn’t want to leave this gorgeous world that Biller has written or the two MCs that captured my heart.

HOTEL OF SECRETS comes out on March 28!

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5094536079
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqIwjeZrFu5/

✨When he cites his sources during sex✨

Hotel of Secrets was everything I was anticipating and more. I mean if you tell me there’s going to be a large and stern and competent virgin hero I’m all yours, but I also loved the plot and complex family drama all housed within Hotel Wallner. It was such a cozy read—I mean there was definitely murder but like…all is fair in love and hoteliering.

While the first two books by Biller were (in my opinion) saddening overall, Hotel of Secrets balanced the somber with the sparkling. The Hotel Wallner and the varied guests and mishaps made a wonderfully lush Venetian backdrop for such a fluffy romance. I’ve always been a fan of how Biller writes heroes, but she really pulled out all of the stops for Eli.

Overall, this was the book I’ve been waiting for from Biller. I’ve loved the writing in all three, but everything came into place for me in Hotel of Secrets. I think it would make a great book club read and a solid addition to my “stranger has asked me what to read and I need various recommendations” arsenal!

Note: From what I could tell, this book has no relation to the characters or world of The Widow of Rose House and The Brightest Star in Paris.

As for the audiobook, I’m so happy I waited to read until I received a copy! I adored the narrator and all of her voices, but especially Eli’s voice. For some reason I’ve got no fondness for the American accent until the hero is the only American to be found in a foreign land. (Hello Matthew Swift’s impact.) The narrator also performed the book’s humor and cheek so well.

My only quibble is that there were a lot of character names and a pretty tangled web of family relationships, which made it a bit hard to follow while listening. Never fear, I got there eventually.


*Mild spoilers below for plot things unrelated to the mystery or anything like that…basically just things that Eli did that I loved. They could be spoilers just because you may prefer to discover them for yourself!*

My favorite running theme was <I>the</I> dark-haired <i>man</I> fated to be Maria’s future husband. (Her family had a long line of women marrying and producing one daughter, so all do Vienna speculates on who her <I>man</I> will be.) The book opens with characters speculating that <I>the man</I> will be dark haired. So naturally Maria runs (literally) into Eli (handsome)(large)(dark haired) on the street. Hijinks obviously ensue.

My second favorite running theme was the bit about linen closets and equipping them for elicit entanglements. Maria really just wanted to get ravished in a linen closet and she was so real for it. Eli, ever a man of duty and service, was quick to assist. God bless America. 🫡

But the rest of the book was just as fun. Like when Eli thought he was being a sneaky spy who spies but literally everyone knew he was an unsneaky spy who spied. I simply had to laugh. Or when he bought erotic literature to study. Or when he walked in on Maria touching herself, only to ask her to continue… Yeah that was iconic. Or when he said she didn’t touch herself efficiently. Or when Maria’s family did anything. Oh and the curse, naturally. And I can’t forget the third act non-breakup as it was more of a hiccup and totally worked for me.


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶️🌶️.5*/5

*There were around three open-door scenes where both characters orgasmed, all in various locales and situations. I wanted one more scene to round the book out at the end.


CW: Eli’s backstory revolves around an abusive father who used religion as punishment and a severe moral code.

ARC copy kindly provided by NetGalley but all my thoughts are my own.

Maria has inherited her family's hotel and is trying to bring it back to former glory in Vienna. Eli is an American treasury agent sent on a wild goose chase to find out who is stealing American spy codes. Maria is constantly being almost murdered and Eli is constantly saving her.

What worked for me? This was so damn lovely I could cry. Eli is the buttoned up competent virginal hero we all want and is so damn sweet I could melt. watching him unfold was my undoing as much as it was maria's. Maria is a capable young woman who sees people having romantic trysts in her linen closets and wants to make the linen closets more suited for it. oof. so much! This was a Capital R, Romance! All the family especially the no BS grandmother. this had banter in spades and sweetness and steam as well.

What didn't work for me? The plot needs some tweaks. I think the prophesied storyline about her meeting a dark-haired man could be removed entirely. but I like books with a lot of plot and romance and this had both.

Why you should read it? Eli Whittaker. Or if you want an intricate plot and a swoony lovely romance!

I totally loved this book. Late 19th century Vienna with a mystery. The love interest Eli was a little wierd. Maria abd her grandmother were fascinating. Historical fiction with romance and mystery. What's not to like.

I wanted to like this more but maria and Eli had little chemistry and the other characters were not fully developed. One plot seemed to overshadow another until it got picked up again near the end. And the overall conclusion happened so fast it seemed implausible.

DNF

I just could not get into this book at this time! It’s still nicely written just not for me! It’s worth taking a look at and it could be for you! As I said nicely written but just not what I was feeling and could not finish.

I’m a huge fan of Ms. Biller’s work, and was thusly very excited when she announced Hotel of Secrets. This was quite an intriguing story, and I read it very quickly. I just seem to gel very well with Ms. Biller’s style of writing, it resonates with me and before I know it, I’ve consumed the whole book and am sad the story is over.

I truly loved Maria and Eli together. He was such a stalwart gentleman, and very pragmatic. Maybe overly so, as he often came across as blunt and uncompromising. But Maria quickly saw right through him and knew how to handle his eccentricities. Maria was a very strong woman, who has had a very unconventional upbringing. The legend of the Wallner women and hotel Wallner in Vienna was often the fodder of society, particularly Maria’s mother, Elisabeth and her lover Heinrich, who had a whole other legitimate family.

I would have to say, the era in which this story took place is not a time in history I would have wanted to live, at least not in Vienna. The partying all night into the wee hours of the morning, the numerous extramarital affairs, Vienna was quite scandalous! And the secrets! Oh, the secrets! So many that were meant to kept private but were well known to many.

I truly enjoyed the mystery aspects of the story, both how Eli had been sent to Vienna to discover who was selling American codes, and the numerous attempts on Maria’s life. Too many close calls to be deemed mere accidents. Eli was well suited to solve both mysteries. I also enjoyed the slow burn between them, and how it finally came to a scorching climax.

As I mentioned, I flew through this story. It was very well paced, nothing dragged, and the mysteries truly kept me glued to the pages. I loved quite a few of the secondary characters. Granted, Maria’s mother Elisabeth really grated on my nerves for the majority of the book, as did Heinrich, but those two had satisfying conclusions for me. I wanted more of Eli and Maria at the end, but perhaps we’ll see them again in the future? Hopefully?

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.