The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin is a thrilling novel set during World War II. In Berlin, Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel, Berlin's most glamorous hotel. For its wealthy guests, it is an escape from the destruction outside, with its elegant piano bar and fine amber brandy. But Lili is Jewish, a secret she is terrified will end in tragedy for her and their beloved little girl.

Lili's only choice is to hide in plain sight, her heart racing each time uniformed officers step through the Edel's grand entrance. As Berlin becomes a more frightening place, Lili pleads with her husband to help shelter those in danger. However, Marius is adamant: he will not risk the lives of his wife and daughter. Until the day he is called to the front - and goes missing in action.

Hokin does a wonderful job creating an inspirational story of bravery and courage during World War II. The Secret Hotel in Berlin had me turning the pages to the very end. This book is an easy 5 stars. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves historical fiction.

I received a free advanced copy and all opinions are my own. I would like to offer my sincerest gratitude to Bookouture and NetGalley for the advanced copy.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin is a dual timeline historical fiction of Berlin during WWII and in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reuniting of East and West Berlin. Lili is Jewish, but changes her identity, moves to Belin, opens a flower business and eventually marries Marius, whose family owns the Edel Hotel, one of Hitler's favourite haunts. In 1990, Lucy is sent to Berlin by her boss, the owner of a chain of successful hotels. He wants to purchase one of Hitler's hotels to add to his chain, that are owned by the East German government. When she walks into the Edel, she knows this is the place. When she hears about the history of the previous owner being Nazis and friends of Hitler, she has to figure out how to work the PR surrounding this history. As these two stories come together, we learn not only about Lili's history, but what happened to her family after the end of WW2.

Catherine Hokin weaves the two storylines together in a way that had me flipping the pages. I enjoyed both timelines, but liked learning about the lives of those living in East Berlin, what happened when a family member escaped to the West, and how many of the people who lived there felt about reunification. With the help of a journal found in the basement of the Edel, Lucy was able to put together some of Lili's story, but she eventually gets help from others. That storyline is told from Lili's POV, so we know what information Lucy is looking for. Lucy has an eventual love interest in the person of Lili's grandson, which makes it more important to find out the truth of her story. Lucy also has her own story with secrets and sadness, that gives her some motivation to find the truth, but I would have been fine without that particular storyline. There are a lot of threads to be pulled together as the story progresses, and they are tied together nicely. There were times I was almost in tears, but I closed this book with a satisfied feeling and a smile knowing the so many strong and courageous people may eventually be recognized, although these characters are fictional. If you enjoy historical fiction and are interested in Germany after the war and during reunification, you might want to pick this book up. I do recommend it.

I liked this a lot. It was a tough read, but so interesting. With multiple timelines, the interwoven stories come together so well. Lili was such a great protagonist, and so brave. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in a war zone, and to be a target, and to be that brave. I will definitely read this author again.

*The Secret Hotel in Berlin* by Catherine Hokin is a historical fiction novel that weaves together mystery, romance, and the deeply emotional narratives of war and family secrets. Set in two timelines—during World War II and the post-war period—the book captures the dark and haunting atmosphere of Berlin, exploring the ways history shapes people and places.

In the heart of the story is a secret hotel in Berlin, a place that holds many untold stories. The novel’s narrative alternates between two protagonists: Fania, a Jewish woman navigating the perils of wartime Berlin, and modern-day Grace, who uncovers Fania's story when she inherits an old hotel with a mysterious past. Hokin uses this dual narrative structure effectively, keeping readers intrigued as both stories unfold simultaneously and begin to intersect in unexpected ways.

Overall, *The Secret Hotel in Berlin* offers a captivating blend of history, mystery, and human drama, making it a memorable exploration of the hidden stories that shape our present.

I am huge fan of Catherine Hokin. Her books are always well-researched, intriguing, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. The Secret Hotel in Berlin is no exception.
The dual timeline nature of the story gives readers a bonus – it’s almost like two historical novels woven into one. The intricacies required to give both timelines their own due are handled beautifully, and each is equally engaging. The transitions between time periods are never clunky.
Ms. Hokin also creates realistic characters who are relatable, even as they are in positions that are completely unrelatable to a reader. The characteristics and personalities jump off the page.
It may seem like a small thing, but I found Lili’s original profession to be quite telling. As a florist she knew how to make things beautiful, creating bouquets that had the perfect flowers for the right occasion.
I choose to believe that she used that knowledge and adapted it as her situation changed. I think she still believed in finding beauty (good) in chaos and creating/supporting methods that helped others survive.
Even though the whole book was fascinating, the last third felt accelerated if only because the reader gets answers to questions that built throughout the rest of the book.
Yes, reading about WWII Germany and 1990s East Berlin is difficult, knowing the pain and suffering experienced by millions of people. But Ms. Hokin reminds us that amid tumultuous times, strength and resilience are imperative.
The Secret Hotel in Berlin is a must-read book.

I enjoyed reading this page turner historical fiction novel and reading the dual timeline of Lucy and Lily. I highly recommend it for lovers of WWII historical fiction aficionados. It will move your heart and keep you on the edge of your seat. I received this book as an ARC for my honest opinion. .

This book took me a while to fully engage with, largely due to the dual timeline structure. The shifts between Lili's and Lucy's stories felt too brief, making it difficult to connect with either character or fully understand their motivations. As a result, the first half of the book struggled to draw me in. However, by the halfway mark, Lili's story became compelling, and I found myself engrossed in her narrative. Unfortunately, this made the switches back to Lucy's story feel more like interruptions than necessary plot developments. While I understand the intent behind the dual timeline, it ultimately shortchanged both characters. The rushed ending further diminished the overall impact, leaving me wanting more resolution for both storylines.

In The Secret Hotel in Berlin, author Catherine Hokin returns readers to the fictional Edel hotel mentioned in The German Child. Hokin notes that prior to World War II, Berlin boasted some of the grandest hotels in the world, most of which were built in the early twentieth century. She modeled the Edel after and pays homage to, among others, the Adlon, which was plagued by “scandal and intrigue, including a thwarted bomb attempt” during the society wedding of the then-Kaiser’s daughter. None of those hotels still exist today. But Hokin says she has always loved the grandeur of luxurious hotels “because there is nowhere like a hotel when it comes to keeping secrets. They really are places where different worlds can exist.”

Less glamorous than the real Adlon, Hokin fashions the Edel as Hitler’s favorite hotel In Berlin. There, he presides over meetings with his top leaders and closest advisers. The stages of the hotel’s existence mirror those of Berlin itself. It is depicted before and during World War II, as well as in 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Having long languished in a state of decay, the Edel is about to undergo a major renovation and reopen. According to Hokin, over the years, the Edel houses beauty, fear, darkness . . . and secrets.

At the heart of the novel is “a story which has been told so often it has become the truth and, in the telling, has ruined countless lives probably because nobody ever thought to ask who told the story in the first place or why they told it.” The “quest” for the truth compels Hokin’s fully formed and engaging characters, whose lives are transformed when long-concealed and forgotten answers are finally revealed.

The story opens in 1929. Lili Krauss arrives in Berlin from her native Leipzig. She lost both of her parents – her mother succumbed to Spanish flu in 1919 and her father, an elder at the Leipzig synagogue who endeavored to be the “very best German he could be” and raised his daughter to do the same, was tragically killed. Just eighteen years old, she is a young woman with sufficient means to purchase a flower shop and procure papers granting her a new identity and name, Lili Falck. Intent on building “a life no one can touch,” she quickly realizes how naïve she was to believe that she could escape danger.

She soon meets Marius Rodenberg who, at twenty-three years of age, already manages his family’s hotel, the storied Edel. At first, Lili’s only interest in him is strictly professional – she has a lucrative opportunity to supply flowers to the hotel and its guests. But their relationship deepens, and she cannot bring herself to tell Marius who she really is and gives him no reason to suspect that she is Jewish. They marry, have a beautiful daughter, and Lili settles into a life of comfort and safety.

But as the political climate in Germany grows increasingly treacherous, Lili lives in terror as the Edel hosts Hitler; Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda chief; Heinrich Himmler and Herman Goring, architects of the Holocaust; and other party leaders. Marius is a proud German intent on protecting and preserving both his family and they successful business they have created, but Lili is horrified when he salutes the officers, oblivious to the threat they pose to his wife and child, along with many of his employees. “Marius had saluted the officers back without thinking – that was the problem. His arm had shot up and her jaw had dropped. . . . The encounter had left him as untouched as it had terrified her. Because he didn’t see the threat – why would he? He’s never lived in a world where you can lose your footing overnight.” Gradually, life in Germany becomes exponentially more dire for Jews as the Nuremberg laws are enacted and complete Aryanization is mercilessly implemented.

A second narrative begins in 1990, four months after the Berlin Wall falls. Lucy has traveled to Belin for the first time, assigned by her employer to oversee restoration of the Edel hotel and bring it back to life. As she walks through the door, she feels the structure’s magic. “This place has lived through so much history, the past is soaked through its walls. There’s a story here waiting to be uncovered,” she observes. When she meets the lead architect on the project, Adam Wendl, she is surprised to learn he is the grandson of Marius Rodenberg. Adam was raised by his mother, Gabi, in East Berlin, who told him little about his family, including his grandfather who went missing in the 1943 battle for Stalingrad and has for many years been presumed dead. Lili, Adam’s grandmother, gained a reputation during World War II as not just a devoted Nazi, but a close friend of the Fuhrer and his closest advisors because of their frequent patronage of the Edel. When the war ended, she was reviled and classified as a Belastete – a person who profited from their connections to the Nazis. Adam’s relationship with Gabi is fractured for reasons that Hokin discloses as the story proceeds, and he dreads telling his mother that he is the architect in charge of revitalizing the Edel. Gabi grew up believing in the communist philosophies of the German Democratic Republic and has lived an austere life adhering to its principles. Lucy close relationship with her parents was shattered and caused them to become estranged. She is haunted by that development, as well as other circumstances that brought her heartbreak as a young woman that have thus far prevented her from entering a healthy and satisfying romantic relationship.

Alternating the two narratives, Hokin takes readers on Lili’s journey, showing the truth about it that has been lost to history. Spurred by outrage over the growing atrocities and guilt-ridden about successfully concealing her identity and living a comfortable life inside the Edel – while so many others are losing everything, including their lives – Lili becomes determined to provide share her haven, even if only for one night. Lili could “no longer live with being powerless. She could no longer pretend that the world outside the Edel couldn’t impinge on their lives as long as she kept the world inside it safe.” So she joins a secret network transporting Jews to safety. After all, what better place could there be than a than a hotel to hide someone for a night or two before they continue on their way? With Marius away, she begins journaling as a way of “unloading the secrets she can’t voice,” and communicating with the husband she misses desperately. She plans to ask him to read her diary when he returns home after the war so that he will understand why she had to act when Jews were “being erased, and the city papered over the gaps as if we were never here.” She writes that her father “would be proud of me for making this stand,” even as the Resistance demands that she engage in increasingly risky efforts.

Hokin has crafted a uniquely inventive and gripping tale. In one narrative, she reveals to readers exactly what is happening in Lili’s life. She is a sympathetic, fully developed character and Hokin compassionately illustrates how she reacts to a world gone mad. Initially fueled by a youthful desire to protect herself, time passes, and she matures, falls in love, and becomes a mother. She fully comprehends the duality of her life. She is both sheltered and fed, and in grave peril should her past and true identity become known. She loves her husband and daughter fiercely, as is loyal to and protective of the hotel’s employees. As the Nazis carry out unthinkable atrocities, Lili is repulsed by having to host the architects of those vile acts, and her revulsion, guilt about hiding in plain sight, and moral convictions compel her to join the Resistance. “I’ve been a coward, living my safe life while so many others have had that right stripped away. It’s not enough. I owe my father more than my silence,” Lili says. But Lili is not experienced in espionage. Is she courageous and convincing enough to carry out the dangerous mission into which the Resistance presses her?

Hokin’s more modern characters are equally fascinating. In 1990, as Lucy and Adam grow closer, sharing details about their respective pasts, Ludy discovers Lili’s journal among many abandoned items in the hotel basement. Lucy becomes entranced and, as she reads the entries, it becomes clear that Lili’s legacy has been misrepresented. Intent on piecing together, to the extent possible, what really happened to Lili, Adam joins her in the search for evidence. He also helps her take steps to reconcile her past, while hoping that learning more about his grandparents will facilitate healing in his relationship with Gabi. Adam and Lucy both carry guilt about choices they made as young adults have reverberated in their own and others’ lives. For Adam, his inability to accept the limitations of a life in East Berlin had far-reaching consequences not just for him, but also for Gabi, “a dowdy and functional-looking woman,” is bitter and ailing. She grew up feeling abandoned by her parents and ashamed of being the daughter of a woman condemned for aligning herself with and profiting from Nazis. “Everything Gabi’s done in her life was to redress the shame of having a Nazi for a mother,” Adam notes, even though that characterization of Lili has always been at odds with the loving mother who resides in Gabi’s early childhood memories.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is well-researched, set against the backdrop of actual events and depicting historical figures, although, as noted, the Edel is a fictional counterpart to the real hotels of the era. Hokin’s riveting story is moving, poignant, and thought-provoking. She explores the various ways in which childhood beliefs impact decision-making and how choices fueled by self-interest have the capacity to profoundly affect those we love. She also examines how the discovery of new evidence disavowing matters previously believed to be true can be life-altering in myriad ways.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is another beautifully constructed, richly emotional, and memorable work of historical fiction from the exceptionally talented Hokin. She again challenges readers to consider how they would react if placed in challenging circumstances such as her characters face. In the case of Marius and Lili, their contrasting responses merit consideration. And as in The German Child, Hokin invites readers to explore the extent to which one’s identity is derived from family and how much of one’s self-concept is independently formed by acquired beliefs and values. It is definitely one of the best volumes released in 2024.

Catherine Hokin tells the story of the von Rodenberg family as their story spans out over two timelines. The first timeline that’s set in the 1930’s and 1940’s tells the story of Lily von Rodenberg and Marius Rodenberg, the owners of the glamorous Edel Hotel in Berlin. Lily and Marius are apart of the elite high society in Berlin, and the hotel is known as a Nazi hotspot for the Third Reichs highest officials, including Hitler himself. But Lily is keeping a very dark secret of her own, and if anyone finds out, it could mean instant death for her. The second timeline starts just four months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and we meet Lucy and Adam. Lucy is a hotel manager for a famous hotel group and Adam is one of Berlin’s most well-known architects. Adam and Lucy meet as Lucy’s company acquires the once prestige Hotel Edel and Adam’s company takes on the restoration and renovation, hoping to restore it to the elegance that made is so popular since it was built in the 1920’s.

As Lucy finds out more about the hotel when she stumbles across old photos, boxes, and Lily’s diary, she starts to piece together what tragic fate Lily met. Adam has a secret of his own about the Hotel Edel, and as he and Lucy get closer, the truth comes out and before Adam and Lucy know it, what happened to Lily and Marius von Rodenberg over 50 years prior brings them closer than ever and helps them overcome their own personal struggles.

Catherine impeccably intertwines both timelines providing riveting character development on all four major characters that will keep you turning each page as she ties all the strings together to form one amazing storyline. If you love WWII historical fiction, and love stories based upon bravery, tenacity, resistance, forgiveness, trials and tribulations, and suspense, than this is the perfect book for you.

Really enjoyed it and would give the book 3.5 stars. Love the dual time line of Lili during WWII and Lucy in 1990. I enjoyed reading about East Berlin after the war and also after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Gabi was hard to love at first, but she went through so much at such a young age. Plus, she grew up in East Berlin with strangers. She believed her parents were dead and that her mom was a Nazi sympathizer. Her relationship with Adam was never the best. Gabi followed the East German rules and never strayed. She couldn't understand Adam wanting more. I never realized what family members might have gone through after someone secretly crossed into West Berlin during Soviet occupation. The Edel sounded like such a beautiful hotel. The Nazi's must have been infuriated when they found out the truth about Lili. They never once realized what she was hiding from them. Lucy's parent's kept so much from her. Why not forward the letter's to her?

Definitely recommend the book. Loved the story, characters and writing style. It was a great historical fiction. Marius and Lili's story was my favorite part of the book. The ending was perfect. Look forward to reading more books by the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bookouture through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

It was such an intense and gripping story, I finished it at 2:30 am although I had to get up a few hours later for work, I simply couldn't put the book down. It's full of emotions, fear, courage, heartbreak, hope and love. The pace was good and both timelines were extremely well written. I also liked that we learned a little about Gabi and her life in the DDR.

Thank you to the publisher who provided me with an e-copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gripping and sad. A beautiful story which tells you about Germany in WW2 and present day. A very good story. It describes how the Jews were hunted down and sent to concentration camps. Very thought provoking. My thanks to netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

This gripping & heart-wrenching novel is set in different timelines; one set during WW2 novel. It’s a heartbreaking story of bravery, love & sacrifice which may cause you to need tissues. You’ll be invested into the details, feeling so many emotions as you read through what’s an unforgettable historical fiction story.

Thank you, Catherine Hokin, Bookouture, & netgalley for my early copy! All opinions are my own.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is written by Catherine Hokin. This is my first book by this author, and it will not be my last. The author transports readers back in time and we see Lili and Marius Rosenberg. They run the Edel Hotel. This hotel caters to the more wealthy and prestigious customers. However, The Hotel is in Berlin and Lili is Jewish.

You can feel Lili's fear radiate off the pages. Every time that a German officer comes throuh the doors, she is terrified her secret will be discovered. She knows that she has to do something. She convinces her husband to allow her to hide Jewish neighbors and others that are trying to escape the wrath of Hitler.

When her husband is sent to the front lines, he goes missing in action. She suddenly finds herself alone and trying to stay brave while she is terrified on the inside. The author captured such raw emotions. My heart broke for the cruelty that was a reality for so many.

The author has done careful research, in order to bring this portion of history to life. Her descriptions allow readers to close their eye and visualize the hotel unfolding around them. Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me to read a copy of this book - all thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed the Secret Hotel in Berlin because I don't often read about the collapse of the Berlin wall and the impact of that wall on East Berlin. My heart ached for Adam and his mom, especially seeing the trauma she went through after he escaped to the West. That isn't something I know much about and enjoyed reading.

The Marius chapters were a little clunky because I got so involved in Lili and Lucy's timeline that it feels like Marius's chapters come out of nowhere.

The tie between the two timelines was well thought out and integrated. Even though Lili's timeline is a different twist on the typical WWII fiction, it didn't resonate as much Lucy's timeline because I haven't read much about Berlin after the wall came down.

One thing to note: I wish the description would have something about Lucy in it. I was surprised by the inclusion because nothing in the blurb of the title mentioned her.

This was a dual-timeline story of Lili during WWII and Lucy during the 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall as she gets ready for renovations and reopening of the Hotel Edel. I enjoyed the story and I learned more about what it was like to live behind the Berlin Wall, after WWII. It was an inspiring story of love and bravery during treacherous times as well as the effect it had on the families. I look forward to reading more by this writer.


Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC

My Review: I don't even know where to begin, as a woman who grew up/ lived in Germany from 1979 to 1996, I can relate to some of the energy in this book, especially the East and West Germany parts and the fall of the Berlin wall. This book is set in different timelines. The years around and during WWII and 1990 after the fall of the wall. We follow Lilly (WWII) and Lucy (1990) on their journey's. Lilly is Jewish and desperate to save her life, she swaps Leipzig for Berlin, her parents dead, the anonymity her hope to thrive and survive an ever darkening Germany under Hitler. Lucy is living a life with a lot of buried guilt and secrets, she buys The Edel Hotel with the hope of refurbishing it and breathing fresh new life and memories into the place, which is where we meet Adam and Gabi. The past and present mesh together. Stories are retold and corrected, what if what you thought you knew is a lie, will the truth set the past free, reframe it or make it worse? You'll have to read this gripping story. It's disturbing, inspiring, shacking and heart-warming, there's just so much packed into the page pages you won't be able to put it down. A recommended read.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I completely lost track of time as I was pulled into this story, flipping through the pages at such a rapid speed, that I couldn’t stop reading. Get ready to be transported to Berlin during WWII and then jump ahead to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Many secrets lie in the Edel Hotel. Lili lives there with her husband, Marius. Lili is Jewish, but she has hidden her identity. While her husband is on the Eastern Front, Lili, helps Jews escape out of Germany. Lucy is in Germany and meets Lili and Marius’s grandson, Adam. Lucy and Adam work together to discover the truth about Lili and the Edel.
I am happy to be part of Bookouture’s Books on Tour. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheSecretHotelInBerlin #CatherineHokin #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInBerlin #BooksSetDuringWWII

I enjoyed the dual timeline of this one, especially that the second was present day, but still historical.

Lili’s timeline fascinated me. As a Jewish woman in Germany, she redevelops herself early in Hitler’s regime so no one knows she’s Jewish. Falling in love with hotelier Marius Rodenberg brings her right in Hitler’s path. He frequents their hotel, the Edel, with his entourage. Right under his nose, Lili is determined to help the Resistance.

Lucy’s timeline shows Berlin right after the fall of the Berlin Wall. She’s at the Edel to revamp it and reopen it. She encounters Marius and Lili’s grandson and together they are determined to find the truth about his grandparents and what happened to them. I love reading about what loved ones had to go through to find out what happened to their family members. I couldn’t imagine going through the process but it intrigues me. Without technology they had it so much harder than we would today.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

As a reader, there are authors whose work you automatically know will tick all your reading boxes and Catherine Hokin does that for me in spades. I feel Catherine Hokin is the queen of a dual timeline and has gotten it down to a perfect science.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin brings us into the world of The Edel Hotel in Berlin. If only the walls could talk they would reveal so much. We get to meet Lili and Marius as they fall in love but Lili’s secret could break their love and so she must live with the angst. Although LIli and Marius’s story is fictional it did make me think about how much this must have happened during the war and how heartbreaking it must be.

Before, the war style reads that I really enjoyed mostly for the human stories and the comradery that were so long ago and in the past. Fast forward to today and reading them is a different experience with so much going on right now in the world. It makes the suffering both physically and mentally for the people more real. Less fiction and more reality. It is an added dimension that I wish was not happening.

The book is harrowing and brutal as was that time. I can’t imagine your family and friends being removed from society just because of their religion. Then understanding that they were murdered. I just don’t understand and never will.

All the characters in the book are flawed in their own way and most of them are carrying the burden of things not said or done. I loved Lili and I think she will be a strong heart stay character for me. Her strength to do the right thing at whatever cost was so inspiring and beautiful. It just all wrapped up so well at the end and like having a really good meal where you are so full and content. That is how the book left me.

The book is so layered and done in such an easy, non complicated manner. You are not bogged down with historical information. But you are welcomed to ghost along with the characters. I felt myself flying through the book as I had to know what happened. I hate to use the term emotional rollercoaster but it really is.

There is only one thing I really don’t like and I feel it does a disservice to the book and that is the title. The hotel is not a secret, it doesn’t make sense. Hotel Berlin, The Hotel in Berlin, In Plain Sight are all examples of titles that could be. I know the author has no say in the title. But that is the only thing that I have to critique.

If you enjoy books by Beryl Kingston, and Maureen Lee and The Storyteller by Jodi Piqoult, you need to have Catherine Hokins books on your autobuy.

All the stars and more, well done. It's a superb read.