A sweet story with a rich cast of characters. The side characters are integral to the story, and they have a lot of depth. It gives a very strong foundation for the main plot, and really creates a world of found family. The romance moved a little slower than I prefer, but it made sense for the heroes. The interactions between everyone made me laugh out loud several times, it is very funny. I think humor is more difficult to pull off in a historical romance.
All of the subplots wrapped up nicely in the end, and I was left with a warm, fuzzy feeling. I wasn't sure what to expect, but this book has a lot of heart!

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hotel of Secrets is a fun listen. This book draws you into the past with touches of luxury and a Venetian setting. I enjoyed the descriptions and touches of mystery. In the first chapter, there were so many names and intertwined connections, I did have to realisten to this chapter a few times. I'm not sure it was difficult because it was an audiobook or perhaps it was just a bit too overwhelming with so many names early on. However, I still enjoyed the story and the following chapters were not nearly as dense.
In terms of narration, she did a great job with the voices. I would definitely listen to this narrator again.
This book has some saucy romance bits, so be aware of that.

A unique plot with sweet characters at its heart.

From the opening line I was completely hooked! Diana Biller is a great writer with a fresh voice. This book is so cozy in such a unique way. It really wasn’t like anything I’ve read before, in a good way!
Also I adore a hero named Eli! He was amazing. The love story really was swoon worthy.
The audiobook was great, and the narrator did spectacular.

Star Rating: 3.5/5
Tropes: Bodyguard, competence
CW: Toxic relationship, death, violence

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This novel was a funny, romantic, and intriguing historical fiction! There was no lack of family drama and intrigue. Was cool to have a romantic male interest that was a virgin. Very different and refreshing!

Hotel of Secrets
by Diana Biller
Narrated by Carlotta Brentan

Rating: 4.4/5.0 Stars

First, I must say that Carlotta Brentan is a phenomenal narrator. I was continually blown away by the quality of the narration and by her effortless switching between Eli's American male accent and Maria's German female accent. WOW! It's been a long time since I've been so impressed with a narrator.

I really enjoyed this story. Ms. Biller created a fantastic world within a hotel. A unique cast of characters, from the guests to the family running the hotel, there were plenty of players in this story that could have been the ones trying to sabotage Maria and the Hotel Keeper's Ball. Eli, an American agent sent to figure out who had stolen some codes, meets Maria and becomes involved in her troubles.

Side note, if there ever make this into a movie, I think the guy that pays in Night Agent would be perfect. I kept imagining him as Eli.

I would recommend this novel to anyone looking for a mystery-suspense novel with a bit or romance and bit of historical flare. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to and review this book!

I enjoyed this book "Hotel of Secrets, by Diana Biller" in the audio book format. I truly enjoyed this book! I'll admit that it took me a ways into the book before I was truly absorbed into it. I almost quite reading it a couple of times, but am really glad I persevered in the end! I enjoyed the story of Maria and Eli. To be honest, I just enjoy books a little more when they aren't quite so constant and descriptive of all things sex. I enjoy a little more left to the imagination, but that is my personal taste. Other than this, I enjoyed the historical flare, and the mystery! Several encounters were totally unexpected, and I LOVE this in a book! I would absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the history and mystery genre's. Just don't be surprised that it is also very much erotica. This last part (the severity of it), as well as the amount of time it took to get drawn into the book, were my only reason for losing one star. This book was very much worth the read!

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, and Diana Biller, for allowing me this audiobook edition of this wonderful story in exchange for an honest review. I greatly appreciate this opportunity!

This was a fun book with some great characters and some funny scenes. A little bit of historical fiction with a bit of mystery combined with some spicy scenes. I loved the hardworking, bad-a** Maria and how she kept everything functioning and in-line. Eli was also a fun character especially when Maria broke him out of his shell.

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to review this audiobook.

Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller, narrated by Carlotta Brentan, was one of the most fun listening experiences I've had in a while!

Maria Wallner is trying to return her family's Viennese hotel, once known for its intrigue and catering to the well-connected, to its former glory. Eli Whittaker is an American agent sent there to discover who is selling American codes across Europe. Their worlds collide. Sparks fly, even if Eli has found himself entirely out of place in a world he finds frivolous, and Maria has little time for entanglements or the assassins suddenly trying to kill her.

A lush, atmospheric historical romance set during ball season in 1870's Vienna, full of danger, mystery, political plots, humor, complicated families, and trysts. This was my first book by Biller, but it will not be my last! I loved the characters, the period detail, and the exciting plot. Maria and Eli were well-developed characters with palpable chemistry, and the secondary characters were also memorable.

This story translated SO well to audiobook format. Brentan's narration was amazing! She brought every character to life, slipping easily into different accents, genders, ages, etc., even within conversations and scenes. If you like spicy historical romance, you'll want to check this out!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to review this ALC. I enjoyed it!

This was excellent. I've always loved Historical Fiction, specifically when there's a bit of romance and mystery involved. It wasn't until I was halfway through this book that I realized I had read the author's previous book "The Widow of Rose House" a few years ago and randomly posted about it on Instagram, beginning my gradual transition to Bookstagram. So, I might be a bit biased because Biller will forever hold a special place in my heart! I did greatly enjoy this book, though. I thought it had a unique story with a wonderful cast of characters who were all well-developed and complex. I did feel like there were times it moved a bit slow with some filler, but I didn't mind too much because of the intrigue and mystery that were slowly being stirred into a boil. The setting in Vienna during Ball Season was stunning and the descriptions of the scenes brought the setting to life.

Recommend to any fan of Historical Romance / Mystery.

While this book was on my most anticipated list for 2023 and I knew I'd most likely enjoy it, I wasn't sure that this was going to be a new favorite read. Call me pleasantly surprised that I absolutely adored this book. This was such an enjoyable romp. It had intrigue, great supporting characters, a beautiful backdrop, and of course a magnificent and swoony romance.

The romance in this was absolutely terrific. It unfolded in such a natural and beautiful way. Watching them care for each other's well being over and over again was really just so sweet. An while it was a bit slow burn, their intimacy was so touching and also pretty damn hot. I loved that Maria was the more experienced one and how they both safeguarded each other's experience. And then when Eli went and bought books to learn how to pleasure Maria, I swooned. Their sexual encounters were some of the most healthy and hot scenes I've read in a while. And I can honestly say that Eli is a new book boyfriend for me. You just have to applaud the effort that man took towards Maria's pleasure. I also really loved that both characters were in their thirties and there weren't romantic expectations. Even in the end when they confessed to each other, it ended on a hopeful note that they'll figure it all out together as a team.

I also loved the setting of Vienna, Austria. I can't think of another book that I've read set there, especially not during the 19th century. It felt full of life and like a place where rules are lax and made to be broken. The imagery alone ticked my wanderlust bone and while I already wanted to visit Vienna, now I desperately want to hop on a plane.

Overall, I couldn't put this down once I started and I enjoyed my time with it so much that of course it had to be a five-star read. There are so many laugh out loud moments that I couldn't keep a smile off my face. I thoroughly recommend this to anyone who was a truly hilarious, sweet and swoony historical romance with a touch of spy thriller.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for the audio-arc of this book!

Hotel of Secrets by Diane Butler is a historical drama that’s full of everything I love. Give me all the mystery and throw in romance and it’s a WIN for me. I
highly recommend this escape into 1870s Vienna! The trip you and your heart didn’t know you needed. 🥳🥳🥳

📬A huge thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for this advance copy. This book is not only beautifully written but again it’s full of everything I love - romance, scandals, spies and murder attempts!
4.5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

http://Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller My rating: 4 of 5 stars My thanks to Net Galley, Dreamscapes and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this audiobook. [3.5].

1877 Vienna, Austria - Maria Wallner is desperately trying to get her family's hotel back to it's glory days despite the years of neglect. A "gift" falls in her lap as her hotel is chosen to have the Ball of the season. As she begins work restoring the hotel and making preparations for the big event, strange and dangerous things begin to happen. In the midst of her work she meets a mysterious American staying at her hotel. Along with stories of French spies, her estranged father and half-brother showing up and an attack on her in the flower house all lead to the intrigue of the story which is also a romance (a bit too spicy and open-door for me). The gowns, references to Maria looking like Empress Sisi, a handsome American all set the stage for this beautiful setting. I enjoyed the history and setting a lot and the mystery kept me reading to find out who was behind trying to stop her and destroy the Ball.{NG audio} View all my reviews

This was my first Diana Biller's book, and won't be my last. This is a great historical romance. Maria and Eli's story is entertaining, and engaging. I liked the characters, the sweet romance, the intrigue, and suspense. Carlotta Brentan did an excellent job bringing this story to life. I enjoyed it. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley, a Dreamscape Media Audio production, for an honest review.

A fun and witty who done it romance historical fiction that keeps you interested and intrigued. The setting adds a lot to the book and makes me want to travel to Vienna during their carnaval.

Hotel of Secrets takes place in Vienna during ball season and main character Maria is on a mission to restore her family’s hotel, Hotel Wallner. She is determined even when faced with family secrets, multiple assassin attacks, and an American foreign agent, Eli Whittaker.

Historical fiction/romance is not my go to genre, but I absolutely fell in love with this book. I really enjoyed the personalities of Maria and Eli, the attempted murder mystery aspect, and the steamy romance scenes. This book truly has it all.I listened to the audiobook so this could be different if you choose to read it, but I sometimes found the journal entries confusing.

Overall, I very much enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it!

4.25/5. This is my introduction to Diana Biller and my GR friends did not exaggerate. She is a helluva writer.

American Eli Whittaker finds himself in Vienna during its famous ball season, much to his irritation. An austere loner who doesn't deal with frivolities much, he now has to interact with an endless stream of party goers and endure listening to endless waltzes - and God forbid, even partake in a spin or two around the room. Tasked with finding the culprit behind the leakage of American secret codes, he finds himself pulled into the whirlwind of Viennese society and especially the entanglements of Maria Wallner, an ambitious hotelier whose life gets threatened far too many times for his liking.

Maria has a hotel to resurrect, her family business now finally left in her care after the disastrous mismanagement by her predecessor, her mother. She is a woman on a mission and not even a few attempts on her life will stand in her way of seeing Hotel Wallner back on top where it belongs. Convenient therefore that the American hotel guest is very good at keeping her alive so that she can go on attending to her hotel business with minimum interruptions.

Maria is ridiculously capable, a can-doer for whom nothing is impossible because she never wants to have to rely on anyone for her own happiness and comfort. Her mother has spent her entire life loving someone she could not have, Maria's father. Maria will not make the same mistake. The hotel is her life long devotion and only love.

Eli spends a lifetime apart from others, forgoing intimacy and human connections and preferring the simple things in life. Both he and Maria have some familial traumas to work their way through. Slowly, the life they have each envisioned for themselves no longer appear fulfilling enough.

I love the charming and quirky characters who provide not just amusement but also more meat to the storyline. Eli's slow thawing is a joy to follow, his acquiescence to the men's impromptu picnic particularly hilarious.

There were modern terminologies and sentences interspersed throughout, but maybe the Viennese society was ahead of their time back then. The research into the era and the political landscape in continental Europe at the time was very thorough and impressive. The narration was good and entertaining, although Maria's voice lacked warmth.



has been assigned the


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. She’s not going to let anything get in her way—not her parents’ three-decade-long affair, not seemingly random attacks by masked assassins, and especially not the broad-shouldered American foreign agent who’s saved her life two times already...no matter how luscious his mouth is.

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. He disapproves of all of it! But his disapproval is tested as he slowly falls deeper into the chaos—and as his attraction to said hotelkeeper grows.

Diana Biller's Hotel of Secrets is chock full of banter-filled shenanigans, must-have-you kisses, and romance certain to light a fire in the hearts of listeners everywhere.

I really enjoyed this story! It was adventurous and fun and luscious. I enjoyed the strong female character, the vivid details of Vienna, and the romance. I really loved the narrator's voice--I feel as if she added some layers to the characters. Recommended!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing a copy of the audiobook of Hotel of Secrets by Diana Biller in exchange for an honest review.  The narrator, Carlotta Brenton uses a variety of accents and genders seamlessly which makes this story flow.  This book is set in the late 1800s Austria and I found that I was quite fascinated by the historical events in this story.  This book features spies, assassination attempts, and romance.  Austria is well known for the Waltz, and this book takes place during Ball Season in Vienna and Maria Wallner wants her family hotel back on the Ball circuit.  The women in her family have been notoriously independent with marriages being optional. After some assassination attempts directed at Maria, American Eli steps in and saves her life, more than once.  Eli is in Vienna to find out who is selling American codes to Europeans and finds himself wrapped up in Maria’s story.  Eli and Maria’s love story is unusual as Maria has more romantic experience and no interest in relationships.  I found some of the spicy scenes in the book took away from the overall story, and the sexual inexperience of Eli and his backstory didn’t always mesh for me.  Overall, I really enjoyed this story and learning more about Vienna before the world wars.

Diana Biller does a fantastic job of taking a historical romance and flipping it on its head. This time, she puts us in 19th century Vienna. Eli has been sent there as an American spy to track down the person selling secret information and jeopardizing American security. His focus is on the Hotel Wallner. Maria has recently taken control of her family's rundown hotel and wants to restore it to the prize that it once was. She is solely focused on this and has zero plans for men other than enjoying a night or two with them until she runs into Eli and she just cannot help herself.

This is a fun, adventurous read. Eli and Maria could not be more different and the contrast is invigorating. He is super protective and cautious while she has little care for her safety and is willing to take chances. He is a virgin and she is decidedly not. He likes order and she is chaos. I loved watching him try to "handle" Maria as much as I loved seeing her open Eli up. There are a ton of characters in this book but the story was mostly easy to follow. I enjoyed the adventure and mystery that ran alongside the romance. It was fun to learn of some of the history of Vienna and see all of Maria's hard work and determination to get the hotel back to its glory.

The audio is well done, despite my not loving the accents. I had a tougher time following along with the audio version than with eBook but that is just me and nothing to do with the narrator and more so to do with the myriad of characters in the book. I did particularly enjoy the way she handled Eli's American accent.

If you are a fan of strong women in your historical romance paired with equally competent men, this would be a stellar book for you. While I don't think any book will overtake The Widow of Rose House by Biller, this read is a great addition to the library. Definitely recommend!

Loved this audiobook, the mixture of the history of Vienna and the mystery of what happening was great. The love story of Maria and Elijah and will they or won’t they made the story more intriguing. The side characters and flash backs of the past managers of the hotel added so much more to the story.