Best part about historical fiction is when you are drawn back into a period of time and see it through eyes which makes it entertaining as well as education. In this case, I felt like I was in the time. And the characters kept me interested in the book from start to finish.

A delightful mix of historical romance, mystery, and intrigue set in the glamorous world of 19th-century Vienna. The chemistry between Maria and Eli is electric, with witty banter and heartfelt moments that make their romance shine. The lush descriptions and rich historical detail immerse you in a world of secret plots, lavish ballrooms, and family scandals. If you love smart, swoon-worthy romances with a dash of suspense, this book is an absolute must-read!

Loved this book!
I will be having our book club have this as one of the books we do this year!
Thank you so much for letting me read it!

"No man should look that good while experiencing severe spiritual anguish."

It's New Year's Eve, 1877, and Maria Wallner is hosting a party for the ages. It's the shiny beginning of the Hotel Wallner's comeback, and Maria wants nothing more than to capture the magic as manager that her grandmother once did. During her mother's tenure, the hotel floundered, and Maria has her work cut out for her. Even now, only the smaller of the two ballrooms is fit for entertaining, and Maria herself takes on odd jobs around the place to make up for not having enough staff.

After cleaning up from the raucous party, Maria takes to Vienna's streets with a bottle of champagne to salute her hotel and the start of a brighter year. Caught up in the magic of the moment and the alcohol, she misses the carriage hurtling toward her on an ostensibly closed-off street. She's rescued by a mysterious dark-haired man, one she's determined to not find attractive since all of Viennese high society just saw the Hotel's resident occultists predict she'd meet "the man" this year... a tall, handsome gentleman with dark hair. "The man" is something of a family legend, each successive Wallner woman finding "the man" who will give her the next and only daughter in their line, the one to take up running the hotel when it's her turn. Maria is annoyed by the idea of having this fate in front of her, particularly because of everyone in high society's interest in it. She only cares about the hotel and its deserved glory.

Luckily for her, this particular dark-haired man has no interest in sweeping her off her feet. Eli Whittaker is an American in Vienna on a mission for the Department of the Treasury. He usually investigates counterfeiting operations, so this latest task to find out who at Hotel Wallner is stealing American codes is outside the norm. Known at work for being serious and dutiful, Eli's dedication to justice leaves no space for a romance with a strange Austrian woman.

I love how this historical romance stands outside the norm for time and place in the genre, even though it might not seem so major. To be honest, it goes to show how narrow the field is that you can place a book in an unexpected European city and it feels like a major shift. There are (obviously) places and eras more farflung whose stories would make an even bigger splash, featuring underrepresented stories and voices. I wish we saw more of that, but I digress. The setting of luxurious Vienna, with its imperial history at odds with political tensions and recent economic collapse, makes for a fascinating backdrop. The ambiance of aristocratic frivolity is all the more enjoyable with Eli stuck-- bewildered, horrified-- in its midst. The excesses are paired with more open flouting of social convention than we would see in a London Regency story or in Eli's American home base. Maria's family drama is an open secret: her mom is her dad's mistress, and they refuse to be discreet about it. She has a good relationship with her half-brother, Mac, stoking the fury of both their mothers. And then there's the history to unravel about how the Wallner women came to own a hotel... That imperial mistressing (mostly) paid off.

The romance is just a freaking delight from top to bottom. When the pair isn't actively trying to prevent Maria from being murdered, they're being stranded in the countryside and attacked by a wild boar. It turns out that Eli's case might have a particular intersection with the unhinged proprietress of his hotel, and while he first suspects her of being the spy, he eventually finds himself signing up as a volunteer bodyguard instead. Attraction to competence is at an all-time high in the story. Both are excellent at their careers and used to juggling everything largely alone, so despite their different personalities, they see something familiar in one another. I've also decided that one of the hottest things is a taciturn gentleman willingly engaging in socializing and even a picnic with others to get them away from his lady when she's emotionally burnt out. The *romance* I tell you. And what consent complainers can never understand is how reassuring and lovely it is to even read a scene where characters are clear with their intentions and boundaries before starting a relationship. It doesn't ruin the mood, etc. blah, blah, blah. It positively sets the mood so everything can feel safe and welcoming. What's unattractive about that, weirdos?

The romantic tension comes from a) the attempted assassinations for unknown reasons and b) the ticking clock. Maria is trying to throw a ball on a shoestring budget that will save the family hotel from the brink, Eli's trying to do his job and protect Maria even if it's not ~exactly~ a part of that job, and they're both trying to not get killed. There are plenty of TLC nursing moments on both sides for people who like those sorts of things (me). Once the two decide to pursue something romantic and develop an emotional attachment neither is used to, they both feel unprepared to ask for more-- Maria because of a fear of attachment (her mother has not been a great example of what healthy attachment looks like), and Eli because he has to return home (he's a workaholic with his own fraught family history).

I want to throw in some final, fun things to get you excited about the book. There are some nice bits of queer representation around the edges. I love the detail that both have a pair of sapphic elders they look up to. It might be a cute little historical nod that Eli's live in Boston, re: Boston marriages. Journal entries from the venerable line of Wallner women introduce each chapter, and one toward the end reveals the hotel founder, she of imperial mistress infamy, was actually aroace, shattering expectations about why people take on that role. In another vein, I don't want to say too much about Eli's past, but I think it's handled with compassion and turns certain tropes and social expectations on their head in a powerful way in the bargain. Side characters deserve their own shoutout, from Maria's best friend and chef to an obvious and unconcerned about it French spy to the neighborhood occultists lying in wait to give their opinion on anything and everything.

I recommend this book based on the tender-hearted romance, historical vibes, action-packed drama, and heart-warming characters. If you like any of those things, give it a try. Thanks to SMP Romance for my copy to read and review!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the e-ARC of the book.

Maria Wallner is trying to get her family’s hotel in order just for the ball season in Vienna but it seems like everything is getting in the way- spies, assassination attacks and family drama.

This book had a great mix of spies, romance and suspense. I enjoyed that almost all the time there was some action going on whether it was a love story or assassination attempt. I don’t read many historic fiction books but this book makes me want to give this genre another try.

This was a new author to me and I'm glad I took a chance because I really enjoyed this one. I loved most of the characters and all the twists and turns. I'm not usually a fan of when the H is inexperienced but I like how it was written and it definitely was hot and spicy!

This was a fun and interesting historical fiction set in Vienna, Austria! Main character Maria wants to restore her family hotel to its former glory and meanwhile US government investigator Eli is in Vienna undercover. Their pats cross and sexual tension-- then sexual chemistry blossoms. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy a good historical romance/historical mystery.

Well. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this story...I think that maybe 3 stars could be too high.

I really liked Maria and Eli. They're both seemingly on their own and looking for some sort of purpose: for Maria, it's the hotel, for Eli, it's working for the Treasury. Together they have a fun meet cute that morphs into a begrudging acquaintance into friendship to more. I loved reading them try to figure things out and especially loved all of the exasperation each had for the other.

Plot wise, it was half good, half so very boring. There's a lot of history (I don't know if it's real or not) and the sections of journal entries at the beginning of the chapters became something I skipped. I wanted to know what happened to everyone, but wasn't really concerned with the so-called mystery of the story.

Overall, it was the characters that I was invested in, but I likely could have just skipped to the end and saved myself some time.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

A historical romance with a side of mystery sounded really interesting and exciting to me, but unfortunately, I found both aspects in this book to be disappointing. It was difficult to follow at times which made the storyline frustrating rather than intriguing. Based on the way the characters acted and spoke, it also didn't really have the true feel of a historical fiction book for me, which also took away from my overall enjoyment.

This book has it all. Mystery, romance and hot spicey parts too. Great writing. Will definitely recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Diana Biller for the chance to read this lovely book. The book centers around the Viennese social scene of balls and intrigue when the main characters are swept up in a world of secrets and mystery. Maria only wants to bring her family hotel back to its former glory. Eli on the other hand, wants to find out who is selling American secret codes across Europe, arrest them and then go home.
This is a fun filled book with lots of action and romance with lovable characters that genuinely make you happy for every moment in their life.

I am normally not a historical fiction kind of girl, but I so enjoyed this book. I felt like I was there with the characters and was nervous for them. I was yelling at them to be careful.. LOL I would definitely recommend this book to all my family and friends.

This was an exceptionally well written historical romance. The characters were superbly done, each having their own fantastic personalities and motivations. The dynamics between them were perfect. The setting was unique and historical details on point. The mystery subplot was very well done and was weaved into the romance in the best way. I highly recommend this refreshing historical romance with a twist.

This was a beautiful historical romance set in Vienna with amazing characters that I couldn't help but fall for!

Maria Wallner is the owner of Hotel Wallner and is hoping to restore it to its former glory while taking her first steps towards this goal during the hotel season. If only someone wasn't intent on attacking her. And in comes Eli - an American agent who is investigating some leaked codes. Except neither were the codes a secret nor was his undercover status kept hidden for long 😂 lol. He manages to save her multiple times and goes from suspecting her to helping her 😆 Despite all of this Maria is determined to host the Hotelkeeper's Ball though they haven't found out who is behind her attacks.

Maria and Eli are quite different from each other as Maria is confident, charming and more experienced while Eli is quieter, more stoic and protective(& celibate 😆) but I loved how they connected with each other. They're both very dedicated when it comes to their job and the people they love. They're used to taking care of everyone around them while forgetting to take care of themselves, so I loved it when they took care of the other person while encouraging each other to do their best! There's no deception here because they never hide anything from each other! And Eli is so sweet because not only does he rescue Maria from danger but he's observant enough to see when she's tired or hurt and helps her get away when needed. As if that wasn't enough he even does his 'research' to make sure Maria is *ahem* happier. Gosh, I can't stop gushing about him.

There's also a intergenerational story with the Wallner women and as we get to meet Maria's mother and grandmother we learn more about them and Maria's great grandmother too in snippets from their journals at the beginning of every chapter too. This was done so well and I loved how different they were but with a hidden strength that they all shared. I wasn't a fan of Maria's mom at first but she did surprise me by the end! The setting with the undercurrent of the political and historical events that shaped their lives was also described beautifully! The mystery plot runs parallel to the romance but I'd say that the romance is the main focus here!

I don't have much to complain about here except for the lack of epilogue, because who doesn't love a good epilogue?😆 But, anyway if you're in the mood for a beautiful historical romance set in vibrant Vienna with amazing characters and a little bit of mystery, you'll love this one!❣️✨

diana biller writes such beautiful and emotional historical romance, I am always impressed by her books, and this was no exception! so good!

This is one of my new favorite books!! Seriously, Diana Biller can do no wrong in my book. I absolutely adored the setting and the group of characters at the center of this story. And Eli was entirely too precious! He and Maria were *chef's kiss* together. Biller just has such a way of bringing the setting to life and creating an incredible group of characters and making the whole story so incredibly romantic!! I cannot wait to see what she has planned next, as I've loved each book more than the last!

Hotel of Secrets was an enjoyable read. What I think I loved most was that this is an APPROACHABLE historical fiction novel. Despite taking place many, MANY years ago, the language didn't feel stilted or forced. I was able to appreciate learning about this time-period in Vienna in an easy way. It was also fun to make connections to another book I read in the last year or so about Empress Sisi from Vienna!

I loved the characters in this story. Every single one of them had a role to play and they did it well. I want to travel through time and visit the Hotel Walner! I want to go to balls and dance the waltz and meet the spies!

The romance was fine. I appreciated that Maria was the dominate partner and Eli was more subdued. I appreciated the backstory that Eli had, and the familial issues for Maria. They were very in-depth characters. At one point I made a note on my Kindle, "Eli reminds me of Mr. Darcy in the 2004 version of Pride & Prejudice!" (Because of his reserved nature.)

I felt like the mystery took a while to really get going, but I didn't care because I was enjoying every moment with the characters. I was rooting for Maria to get the hotel fixed up for the ball. I was enjoying Eli being forced into situations by the other spy and Maria's half-brother.

So yeah, this was a really fun book. I knocked down a star because of some really cringe sexy scenes that IMO didn't add to the story.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ what happens when a staid government agent is ordered to Vienna to search for who is leaking American codes and saves a drunk woman from getting run over by a carriage on his first night? He realizes that everything happens for a reason and this woman is connected to his case, but also, maybe not.

Hotel of Secrets had it all. There was banter, romance, mystery, crazy families, crazier friends, a woman in charge of her life, and a hotel coming back from the brink of ruin. The first 1/3 dragged for me but after the first, yes first, attempt on Maria’s life, it picked up from there.

I wanted to like this story but the characters just didn’t do it for me. The story, the characters, and the setting weren't engaging in my opinion, I didn't even make it to half the book, I had

Wow, what a way out of my reading slump! This has all of the catnip I could possibly put together, and I’ll attempt a more fulsome review soon. But this book made believe I can take chances on new books again.

Maria, the lead, is driven, passionate, smart, and vulnerable. Eli, the male MC, is a workaholic punishing himself for his parent’s sins with all work and no play. They come together and their various jagged edges just for together. The relationship is beautiful, but rebuilding a hotel and planning a grand ball is even more fascinating.