Hotel of Secrets by Diane Biller
Historical drama with mystery and romance.
Maria Wallner is third generation owner and manager of the Hotel Wallner in Venice. The hotel has fallen on difficult times and business is down. Maria is trying to get a bank loan to refurbish the hotel but with business down and hard times all over in 1877, they aren’t lending. Strange accidents are befalling Maria and foreign agent Eli Whittaker has come to Maria’s rescue. Eli is smitten with Maria but really just wants to find the spy who is selling secrets and go back home.

An intriguing family drama and mystery with a steamy romance thrown in. It moves quickly as the mystery is drawn deeper and the characters get depth with history and unexpected problems.

🎧 I alternated between an ecopy and an audiobook. The narration was done by Carlotta Brenton who did a wonderful job with voice variances, emotional expression and timing. I especially liked her voice for Maria. It seemed to bring her to life. The passion in the story was done with a breathlessness that truly had me mesmerized.
I listened to the audio at a speed of 1.5 which is my preferred.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.

What's it about (in a nutshell):
Hotel of Secrets is an entertaining mashup of genres that had me laughing, shocked, on the edge of my seat, and sometimes all those things at once. The story mixes a spy thriller, an upside-down regency romance, a cozy-like mystery, and a historical fiction setting for a purely enjoyable reading experience.
My Reading Experience:
I had the best time reading this novel. It reminded me of a Finlay Donovan or Stephanie Plum thriller in a historical setting, with all the thrills, spills, red hearings, and a shocking conclusion followed by a second shocking conclusion. I don't know what else I could ask for regarding an entertaining story.

I especially loved the setting – Vienna in the late 1800s- full of beauty and splendor. The hotel was once the epitome of all things opulent until Maria's mom mismanaged it into disrepair. Maria has a plan to revive her hotel, and I enjoyed her moxy and know-how at a time when women were still the 'angels of the hearth' or the spiritual epicenter of the family unit. She did want she wanted when she wanted and how she wanted. All of the women in her family did.

This independent mindset of Maria comes into play in terms of her romance with Eli, the American spy too. The two of them take the traditional Regency-style romance and turn it on its ear, which amused me to no end. I won't say anything about that because discovering it for yourself is half the fun. If you are looking for a fun read with the fast pace and danger of a thriller, loads of laugh-out-loud moments, and a uniquely fascinating romance, Hotel of Secrets has all this and more.

I loved this book so much!

It’s set in 1878 Vienna, and the scenes and the descriptions are fantastic! The storyline is full of mystery and intrigue and scandals, all whole being funny and sweet and quite steamy! I mean, who doesn’t appreciate a good supply closet tryst?

And the characters were incredible!!! Loved the main characters and the secondary characters?!?
Oh my goodness… I want a sequel.

This book is set in 1878 Vienna with the first chapter the 1877 New Year's Eve Ball at Hotel Wallner.

Maria Wallner is the current manager of the hotel, she lives there with her mother and grandmother, but the hotel has been passed down through daughters starting with her great grandmother Theresa Wallner. It flourished under her grandmother, Josephine, but unfortunately under her mother Elizabeth the property had gone to near ruin. Maria is determined to bring the Hotel back to its original beauty and popularity, beginning with this ball.

There are plenty of scandals but the one that involves her parents, Elizabeth and Heinrich is one of the biggest as they dance and flirt in front of his wife. Maria pleads with her half-brother Macario 'Mac' to get his mother to leave but she won't because Count von Kaufstein is there and his son is engaged to Mac's sister Annalise. Needless to say there are many more affairs and such going on.

There is also this thing about the Wallner woman finding not her man but 'the man'. Supposedly, this man would father the next daughter to inherit the hotel but wouldn't necessarily stick around.

Earlier on this day Eli Whittaker had checked in to Hotel Wallner, it's the only clue in his investigation of the stolen codes from the United States. He's puzzled by the population's one-track mind when it comes to Balls. He's there to work, not party.

He's out observing the activities of the early morning when Maria shows up and stands in the middle of the road looking back at the hotel.

Although he saves her life, Eli doesn't introduce himself and neither does she. It's not until later when he saves her live once again that they truly meet.

Now obviously there is attraction between these two, but Maria and Eli are fighting it hard.

There are several incidents that are life threating, and others damaging to the hotel as these two embark on a very interesting relationship while he's investigating.

I couldn't put this book down, it's quite the journey for everyone involved. The journals that begin each chapter give insight into the Wallner women and their lives, times, and scandals. Every page draws you deeper into the intrigue of the times and a step forward into the mystery and relationships that are somehow entwined.

✨ Review ✨ Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller

It's 1878 in Vienna and Maria Wallner's primary mission is to restore her family's hotel, Hotel Wallner to greatness. Maria and the three generations of women that preceded her have run the hotel and maintained its secrets for decades, but Maria's efforts to bring the hotel back are setback by a series of calamities. Repeatedly, Eli Whittaker, an undercover agent for the U.S. Treasury (lol) shows up, and his investigations repeatedly overlap with Maria's travails.

I love historic romances, and it's always wonderful to read one set outside of the UK/US. It so perfectly blended the characters' shenanigans, strong female characters, mysteries and investigations, balls and Viennese nightlife, found family, and more. I loved Maria's character and how she connected with Eli, and the trope of experienced-female-character/not-experienced-male-character. The Wallner family dynamics, the layers of aristocratic subterfuge, and the openness but also dangers of Vienna in this era made this a fascinating read!

I flew through this book -- I could hardly put it down. It brought us everything from sugar flowers to open marriages to wild boars to linen closets, and it was just so divinely colorful!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: f/m historical romance
Location: Vienna, 1878
Pub Date: 3/28

Read this if you like:
⭕️ 19th c. historical romance outside of the UK
⭕️ feisty and fascinating historical women
⭕️ balls and extravagant events
⭕️ historical romance + mystery & suspense!

Thanks to St. Martin's Griffin and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

Going into Hotel of Secrets, I was expecting a swoony historical romance with a hint of mystery. However, two things quickly became clear: One, the mystery is more action-packed than I’d anticipated, and more multi-faceted. Two, the tone of this book is quite lighthearted and even kooky. It combines intelligent themes with a silly sense of humor that keeps things easy and fun from start to finish.

Maria Wallner has recently taken over as manager in her family’s hotel, and she’s working hard to bring it back to its former glory. With only a few people on staff, she plays many roles, and with her ambition and determination, she’s happy to do so. Her family tree is a bit of a mess, and her parents (who were never married) have been acting strangely lately. Her father is married to another woman, so why do he and Maria’s mom keeping making their affair so public? And why does Maria keep finding herself in dangerous (read: life-threatening) situations?

Eli Whittaker has just arrived from America on a mission to solve a strange case, and his only lead is the Wallner Hotel. Maria is his main suspect, but after he saves her life time and time again, he starts to realize she’s not the culprit… but she is somehow linked to his case. Eli takes it upon himself to keep Maria safe, and through spending so much time together, they both start to feel deeper feelings for each other.

Hotel of Secrets gets surprisingly complicated! Eli may only be there to solve a specific case, but he’ll soon realize that not everything adds up. Maybe there’s more than one mystery on his hands? Maria’s complicated family tree and history is another messy web, adding to the sense of confusion early on. It might take some time to get her family straight in your head.

I mentioned before that Hotel of Secrets maintains a tone of fun, randomness, and humor. This is not my usual preferred style, but it works here and makes for a quick read. However, this novel also doesn’t shy away from harder themes. Eli’s backstory, in particular, is heart-wrenching.

Both Eli and Maria are compelling characters. Maria is a generally spirited woman with a lot of energy and determination. She’s also pretty fearless and action-oriented. In contrast, Eli is much more closed off, even rather stiff at first, but he slowly opens up. He’s analytical and a quick learner, but also genuine and caring. I like that he’s an atheist and doesn’t drink alcohol—just like me! His mannerisms led me to read him as possibly being autistic. I don’t know if that’s what the author intended, but I liked reading him as such. With their dissimilar personalities and experience levels with romantic partners (Maria: a ton; Eli: none), they make for an engaging couple! These opposites attract, and they truly complement each other.

Hotel of Secrets is unlike any other historical romance I’ve read, especially compared to others that are also set in the late 1800s. It shows another side of the genre, with characters that feel modern and a levity that keeps the book fun. I love that it highlights characters who are working class and have unusual family situations. I also enjoy its setting in Vienna—so different from the historical romances that are mostly set in England and Scotland! It lends a new atmosphere that works perfectly with this story.

Hotel of Secrets is a diverting and mostly lighthearted affair, bringing thrills in its mysteries and sighs for its sweet love story. It’s action-packed and maintains a silly, carefree tone. If you enjoy perplexing chaos and jokes even in the midst of more serious topics, this is a book worth reading.

Hotel of Secrets is Diana Biller's third book and once again she has given us a wonderful couple to root for. She has also chosen an entirely new setting - 1878 Vienna, the epicenter of the slowly fading Austro-Hungarian Empire and the party and cultural capital of Europe. This is once again an entirely refreshing and different setting for a 19th century historical romance.

Eli Whittaker is an agent for the US Treasury who specializes in tracking down those who flaunt the law no matter how highly placed they are. He's stern, upright, morally uncompromising, and incorruptible, so much so that when his presence becomes inconvenient after he's instrumental in the arrest of a sitting US Senator, his superiors arrange to get him out of town by ordering him to track down the theft of secret government codes in Vienna. This puts him squarely in the path of Maria Wallner, the fourth in a line of women running the Hotel Wallner, in the middle of Vienna. Maria is strong, capable, experienced,, and determined to restore the hotel to its former glory after her mother practically ran it into the ground in just 8 years.

Initially, Eli is completely put off by the controlled chaos of Vienna, and by the chaos in Hotel Wallner. He's staying there because an important piece of evidence that is his main lead was mailed from the hotel. He quickly gets drawn into intrigues, finds himself saving Maria's life several times and quickly realizes that he needs and wants to protect her far more than he wants to solve the case. Maria doesn't really care about all of these strange happenings, she just wants to save her hotel but she also finds herself attracted to him (especially his stern yet beautiful mouth), and can't stop thinking that she really needs to revamp the hotel's linen closets to make them more amenable to illicit assignations.

Unlike the author's first two books, there's no paranormal activity in this one, just a fun, fluffy, inventive romance with two wonderful and well-matched leads, lots of humor, but also plenty of action and mystery to move the plot along. Maria's competence in rescuing her hotel and Eli's general overall competence at pretty much anything he sets his mind to are a joy to read. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

"Hotel of Secrets" by Diana Biller is a historical fiction novel that follows the story of Adelaide "Addie" Morrissey, a young woman who takes a job at the luxurious Hotel Savoy in Los Angeles in the 1950s. As Addie becomes embroiled in the scandalous secrets of the hotel's wealthy guests, she must navigate a web of intrigue and danger in order to protect herself and those she loves.

While "Hotel of Secrets" has an intriguing premise and setting, the execution of the story may leave some readers wanting more. The pacing is slow, with the story taking a while to build momentum and the action not really picking up until well into the second half of the book.

Additionally, the characters in the novel can be somewhat one-dimensional, with motivations that may feel shallow or underdeveloped. The romance between Addie and one of the hotel's guests also feels rushed and lacking in chemistry, which may be disappointing for readers who are looking for a strong romantic subplot.

Despite these flaws, Biller's writing is evocative and descriptive, creating a vivid sense of place and atmosphere that transports readers to a bygone era of glamour and intrigue. The historical details are well-researched and add depth and authenticity to the story.

Overall, while "Hotel of Secrets" has some shortcomings, it may still be worth a read for fans of historical fiction who enjoy stories of scandal and intrigue in glamorous settings.

Hotel Of Secrets was an excellent story. I enjoyed the setting of Vienna and the intrigue and romance between the two main characters.

The story starts with Maria Wellner throwing a ball at her family hotel. A hotel that she is desparately trying to save from ruin. Enter Eli Whittaker a US Government official trying to smoke out a spy who is selling America’s secrets. Maria and Eli are swept away into the glittering Viennna social scene where mystery and mayhem ensue. The banter between Maria and Eli is one of the best parts of the book.

This was a great mystery/romance novel and I would recommend it to lover’s of a light-hearted book for an afternoon.

Thanks to Netgalley, St. Marin’s Press and the author for the chance to read and review this book.

Honesty, Diana Biller is an author who has consistently slayed with her books. From a gothic ghost story to post Franco-Prussian war Paris, to 1870’s Vienna, she takes on beautifully constructed jaunts through history. Hotel of Secrets, which isn’t tied to her previous two books, brings us to the elegant and boisterous Vienna during ball season. We’re introduced to the manager of Hotel Wallner, Maria, right away as she starts the New Year with hope for revitalizing her family’s hotel. And then we meet a delightful cast of characters, her scandalously parents, her rakish half-brother, her grandmother, her best friend and cook at the hotel, staff, and long-term guests including a French spy and a set of fortune-tellers. And then we meet Eli for the first time, while he’s saving Maria’s life from a carriage! Talk about an eventful meeting! Eli, a guest at Maria’s hotel of course, and Maria are quickly thrown together as threats against her appear and intersect with the case that Eli is working on. Plus, there’s that pesky attraction between them and the urge to “explore” closets with each other. Maria is vivacious, hardworking, and determined to restore her hotel to it’s former glory. Eli is overwhelmed by both Maria and Vienna but slowly warms up to both. He’s scarred by his past and the only focus in his life is his work, until Maria pushes her way into the picture.

This book really has everything: a fantastic setting, unusual for historical romances, fascinating characters (I especially enjoyed the journal entries at the start of each chapter from Maria’s great-grandmother), historical and political intrigue, danger, and at the heart of it all, two people who fall deeply, madly, passionately in love with each other.

Hotel of Secrets had all the right ingredients that should have made me a happy reader. Gran Hotel vibes. Undercover spies. Starchy virgin hero who clenches his jaw and hands around the heroine. The right idea was there, but the execution was ridiculous and chaotic.

I was already feeling discombobulated from the first chapter. It felt like I was dropped in the middle of the story and I was expected to know all the characters and their relationship with one another. It was jarring and it was incredibly difficult to keep track of all these characters dropping on me one after the other. I soldiered on because I had faith the writing would stabilize later on because I did love Diana Biller's previous two books. I was proven wrong LOL.

Hotel of Secrets did not feel like a historical romance. The author has clearly done her research on the history, but history alone does not make a good fiction story. This is just another "historical romance" with a 21st century man and woman in disguise as the main characters 🥱 There is a lot of proselytization of modern values that felt forced and did not fit the historical period at all. You can have unconventional characters in historical romance, while still keeping true to the time period. It's not rocket science 🤡 What do I know? Maybe it is rocket science 🤡 Additionally, it's difficult to get a grasp of the setting of Vienna because it's so flimsy and superficial. The only descriptor we have of Vienna is that it's a city with inhabitants who don't do any work and only party hard. Enthralling 🥱

I didn't find any of the characters likable, including Elijah and Maria. The only interesting character in this book is Johann and he appeared for two sentences only. The spy plot is a total joke—everyone figures out that Elijah is a spy at 22%🤦🏽‍♀️and it's painfully obvious who is involved in Maria's recent brushes with death. By the time the climax hit, I was just shaking my head at the ridiculousness. Listen, I can very well suspend disbelief when it's required. But I need the story and the characters to be interesting at the very least, so I can go along with the ridiculousness. On top of the unlikable characters and ridiculous story, this book glorifies cheating through multiple characters. It left such a bad taste in my mouth 🤮

I started reading this book, but then I switched to the audio at 23% just to see if it would get better. The narration is decent, but the story is still crap. I guess I just prefer Diana Biller's somber and angsty romances with lots of feels and a dash of ghostliness.

I love diving into books blind lately. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this one, but what a fun adventure it was! Based in Vienna, the story centers around Hotel Wallner and the desire to bring it back to its former glory. This book is rich in character development and just so unique. The first thing I thought when I finished is that someone needs to make this into a television show. It reminded me so much of the series that PBS aired years ago called “The Paradise.” I loved it,
but alas-they canceled it after the second season.

Ok I digress, but my favorite thing about Hotel of Secrets is the characters. From the MC’s Maria and Eli, to Mac and Hannah, it’s wonderfully character-driven. This is a romance, but it also has thriller and mystery elements as well.

There are assassination attempts, lots of family drama, and hotel sabotage too. The most memorable thing for me- one of the swooniest, sweetest, and most patient Heroes I’ve read in a long time. This book is easy to consume in one sitting. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Sit back and enjoy this fantastic historical fiction set in 1878 Vienna! Wonderful descriptions make you feel you are there... Intrigue, wonderful characters, fun banter and a journey to romance not to be missed!!

This is the first book by the author I have read, but cannot wait to read more!!

HOTEL OF SECRETS by Diana Biller offered such promise; a faded glory of a hotel being resurrected by a young woman seeking to honor her family's legacy with parents who are forever in love and separated by reality, an American CIA operative in undercover mode charged with stopping leaks of information threatening national security, and the city of Vienna itself, glorious, indulgent and being shoved into a changing world culture. While I struggled at the beginning of the story to untangle the relationships and family lines of the characters, I fell quickly under the spell of a distant decadent city and dire circumstances. Then, I was jolted into the terrible realization this story was nothing but romance dressed up in history, but the dialogue, the situations, even the twists and turns of the plot felt contrived, predictable, and not very interesting at all. I received a copy of this book and these opinions are my own unbiased thoughts.

Thank you @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an e-arc of HOTEL OF SECRETS by Diana Biller in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Biller’s previous novel, The Widow of Rose House, so I was very happy to read her newest book! It did not disappoint!

I really liked the whole “ball” setting of this book, and how everything was geared towards hosting the most extravagant ball of the season. Seeing Maria (FMC) plan the ball was lots of fun!

True to the title of this book, the hotel and the the Wallner family are full of secrets! As you are reading, you learn not to be too phased by learning new things about this crazy family… it almost just seems like another day to them. But throw in Eli Whittaker (MMC & American treasury worker who is sent to learn the mystery of the missing codes), and we learn just how not normal this family is.

One thing I love about Biller’s books is that they have strong female characters. Even with this book set in the late 1800s, Maria runs her family hotel, hates asking for help, and despite having a “curse” over her, isn’t afraid to go off by herself to get things done for the ball that she is planning.

I also really like how the author weaves romance into her books. Eli and Maria couldn’t be more different. And at first they get in each other’s nerves. But that doesn’t stop them from thinking about each other, when they both know that Eli being at the hotel is temporary. It doesn’t stop them tho, and their romance is 🔥🔥 Maria isn’t just a strong female character, she is also a leading lady in her relationships, and watching Eli’s intense and serious focus turn towards Maria and keeping her safe and happy, is simply the best!

If you are a fan of historical fiction (that doesn’t center around WW2!), with strong female characters, lots of adventure/challenges and mystery and some 🔥 romance, I highly recommend this book!

There was a lot that I enjoyed about Eli and Maria's story, and how they brought the best out in one another as they tried to resolve the mysteries they were entrusted with figuring out. Yet at the same time, this is the first historical fiction novel I've ever read that verged on erotica. There was this wonderful mystery that needed to be solved, yet somehow, it couldn't be done without living out fantasies of trysts in linen closets and seducing a mature virgin (many times over).

The mystery and intrigue itself about who was behind the undermining of the hotel and Maria's struggle to bring the hotel back to life, despite the obstacles, were great. But they were overshadowed by all the sex to the extent that it became uncomfortable to continue reading the book at times.

So for me, there were elements of the story that were excellent and others that were pure detractions from a good story. The characters were wonderful and the mystery was complex. I enjoyed the exploration of how our past issues with parents can affect how we react to present-day events.

Thank you to Diana Biller, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, clever, steamy and I didn't want to put it down. I enjoyed this book and will look for other books by this author.

I loved this historical romance set in 1870s Vienna. The setting was gorgeous and comforting, and the characters were interesting and made me laugh out loud many times. Diana Biller writes such entertaining and enjoyable stories and I look forward to what she writes next! Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advance digital copy!

Hotel of Secrets is the charming and lovely story of Maria, successful hotel owner in Vienna. Or she would be, if her hotel wasn’t trying to recover from eight years of mismanagement from her mother. When Maria is given the chance to host a ball that could change the fortunes of the hotel for good, she vows for it to succeed by any means necessary. Even if that means avoiding sabotage, reconfiguring her entire budget, and getting to know the very handsome American spy. Eli is suspicious of Maria from the beginning, but soon finds himself captivated by the incredible feats Maria manages with ease. After several near death experiences, it becomes clear Maria is being targeted. Eli and Maria must work together to pull off the ball and discover who is attempting to take Maria and her hotel off the playing board.

I loved this book!! I felt completely transported to Vienna and its glittering, entangled society. Maria and her family are characters who it would be difficult not to root for and feel connected to. I particularly loved the relationship between Maria and her grandmother, both of whom would do anything for each other. Eli and Maria had amazing chemistry and I loved the role reversal of power that took place with Maria being more experienced. Maria and Eli go on excellent adventures, with a strong supporting cast of characters who create an ironclad sense of found family. Maria and her chef/best friend Hannah have an enjoyable dynamic similar to Lorelai/Sookie (Gilmore Girls). There is never a dull moment with multiple spies frequenting the hotel to outright sabotage and assasination attempts (plus family drama!). However, the joy and romance remained a steady constant throughout.

Diana Biller’s writing is incredibly witty, with many quotable lines. There is unquestionable queer representation, and I loved how accepted it was although I’m curious whether this would have truly been the case during the time. Regardless, it was well done and I loved it! Maria is such a strong heroine who is determined not to let her hotel and legacy crumble and instead claws her way back from ruin with the help of her family and chosen family. I was impressed with how creative she was when she brainstormed solutions to keep the hotel afloat. Hotel of Secrets is a world that I was sad to leave and hope to return to!

Hotel of Secrets would be perfect for readers who enjoy historical romance with a touch of danger, readers who enjoy Eva Ibbotson (The Reluctant Heiress), and determined heroines who refuse to let assisination attempts imperil their dreams.

Thank you so much to Diana Biller, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

I loved the setting of this book. Maria is such a fun character and I love the background of her family and how they gained their position in Vienna’s society. I also really enjoyed Eli. I think that his no fun demeanor breaking down and allowing him to see himself in a different light is quite entertaining. Together they just make the perfect pair. The mystery in this book sometimes becomes a bit stagnant, which took me out of the story a little bit. Overall it is a decent book. One that I would recommend if someone was looking for a historical romance.
Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this book.