This was unlike any book I have ever read. Our protagonist, June, is the manager of a hotel that caters to your every need, but when war breaks out her hotel becomes a haven for captured Axis diplomats...Nazis. What I love about Stiefvater's writing is the way she slowly unveils more and more of the story while keeping you wholly entranced by the world she is building around it. Stiefvater has described this as her most vulnerable novel, the novel of her heart and when an author says that I KNOW I am in for a treat, and I was not let down. Filled with a wonder that makes even the most commonplace of settings ( a hotel--even if it is a luxury hotel) seem extraordinary in a way that I have only seen Stiefvater do, this is an adult debut you do not want to miss!

5 stars

I’m blown away! Stiefvater perfectly captures the emotional weight of a woman tasked with holding everything together in a world that is falling apart. The setting, both the physical hotel and the historical moment, is rich with atmosphere and sharply observed. It’s not just a story about a hotel; it’s about the people inside it, the choices they must make, and the secrets they keep. This is a book for readers who love character-driven stories, historical fiction with real stakes, and a romance that’s both unexpected and deeply poignant.

I enjoyed this book very much. I liked how the staff were trained throughout the years to treat each guest special and remember their likes and dislikes from year to year and how this very same staff then had to learn to deal with the enemies staying within this same luxury resort. The same enemies that have already killed some of their husbands, sons, fathers and knowing there were more deaths coming and yet treating the diplomats and their families like they were royalty.

I liked the back stories going on and was especially surprised by the ending. Shhhhhh, no spoiler!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book by Maggie Stievfvater. It was my first. book of hers, but won't be my last!

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group, Viking Penguin and the author for an ARC of this book. I am under no obligation to give a review of this book.