4.5 stars. I am awestruck at this book.

Obviously any book centered around WWII is going to be complicated and intense. I enjoyed that this story focuses on the war at home, and June is such an incredible character with emotional depth. At one point she says she wasn’t happy but complacent and MAN I felt that in my soul a bit.

I of course adored Tucker and his arc as well. This book does a great job of balancing personal stories amidst a complicated backdrop. I felt invested in everyone’s outcome. Except for the literal Nazis. Obviously.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie Stiefvater, and Viking Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Imagine eavesdropping on a ghost who's also a poet with a Tumblr account. That's The Listeners in a nutshell. Maggie Stiefvater's prose is as dreamy and mysterious as ever—she could describe a haunted parking meter and make it sound like Shakespeare. But somewhere between all the beautiful metaphors and existential musings, I lost the plot... literally. The vibes? Immaculate. The pacing? Like being stuck in a foggy elevator with your most introspective thoughts. I think I liked it. I know I was confused. This one’s for readers who enjoy mood over momentum, lyrical sadness, and whispering “what the heck just happened?” after every chapter.

June Hudson grew up impoverished in an Appalachian holler before working her way up to become the general manager of the Avallon Hotel & Spa. At the Avallon, she caters to eccentric guests accustomed to luxury and learns to listen to needs and desires that go unexpressed. Then, in January of 1942, she’s given orders to clear out the guests to make room for Axis diplomats who’ve been secretly invited to engage in negotiations by the U.S. State Department–and in this way, the war arrives on June’s doorstep. With a richly realized setting, a bit of romance, and a hint of magic, Stiefvater alchemizes painstaking research into a beautiful and riveting novel. This is a must-read for fans of Even As We Breath by Annette Clapsaddle and books that take place in cloistered settings.

The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater is an ok story but overall doesn’t have much staying power and fails to last past finishing the book.

It’s 1942 and June Porter Hudson is the general manager of the Avallon Hotel in West Virginia, but everything changes when the family who owns the hotel makes a deal with the state department. Now, the hotel takes in captured Axis diplomats and suspected spies while the various countries negotiate for their safe return.

Tasked with keeping the hotel running while tensions rise, she must convince her staff to serve enemies of war. As FBI Agent Tucker Minnick listens for secrets, June faces a dangerous choice that could put everything at risk. Meanwhile, the literal undercurrent of the hotel, the sweetwater, is a magical stream that feeds off the emotions of those who interact with it. June needs to figure out how to keep the sweetwater balanced as well as her guests.

Trigger Warnings
War

Why Kirsten loves it
The subtle magical realism of the sweetwater helps to heighten the tension of the already elevated stakes of the story. Read the author’s note where it’s clear the incredible amount of research Stiefvater did for this story and the wonderful way she incorporated real historical events into the novel.

The dynamics of the hotel guests, the love triangle, the sweetwater, and the incredible characters all combined to create a narrative unlike any other.

June runs the Avallon Hotel for the Gilfoyle family, tucked in the mountains of West Virginia during WWII. However, it shows up on their doorstep, when they are told that they will be housing Axis diplomats until they are traded for taken Americans. June is given little time to prepare her teams for the upcoming change: how can they go from being a luxury hotel to essentially a prison, trapped together, tensions are bound to rise. Something unique to the hotel is the water, but June knows how to handle it; one person who struggles with it is FBI agent, Tucker, who is stationed at the hotel. He is also from West Virginia and was hesitant to return. Pennybacker is also assigned to the hotel and is in charge of the trade. As their time in the hotel progresses, Tucker and his team find different ways of listening to everyone within the hotel to gather intel. What will happen to June and the staff at the hotel when the trade is completed?

Every time I open a Stiefvater, I know I'm in for a treat. Her mastery of language and metaphor leaves me awestruck--she can convey the most vivid images and emotions in a way that is immediately understandable and relatable and so perfectly worded that you have to stop and marvel at the craft. I frequently find myself re-reading lines because they just make me so happy, and I immediately want to read them out loud to let others experience their perfection. Her decision to branch out into adult fiction is very exciting, and the fact that she's chosen a historical setting even more so. We're taken to a very unique point in American history--just after America joins WWII, while the country is still scrambling to decide what this will mean (a draft? rationing?)--and to a very unique group of people--the foreign ambassadors of all the various enemy countries--and to a very unique location--a luxury hotel in the mountains of West Virginia. Those three things together are interesting enough, but in signature Stiefvater fashion she throws in a bit of gothic supernatural threat lingering like a Sword of Damocles.
It's very obvious that intense research was conducted into both this critical diplomatic conundrum experienced by the US State Department and into the operation of the ultra-luxurious resorts at this time period. The world of high-end luxury was at a turning point, from the remnants of the Gilded Age levels of service expectations into the more modern era where service is a profession, not a lifestyle. We get to see exactly how much work went into providing a guest experience at these levels through the eyes of June, the general manager of the fictional Avallon Spa. The setting of the resort is also expertly woven in, clearly conveying what it was like in these poverty-stricken Appalachian regions, in direct contrast to what is provided for the millionaires just up the hill. While that alone would have made for an interesting portrait of an uncommon point in history, Stiefvater ramps it up with the lingering mystery of the "sweetwater" that permeates the spa and the cost it extracts from June. I was captivated from start to finish, with the hotel, the sweetwater, the characters, and with their relationships.

I enjoyed Stiefvater's Raven Cycle and was intrigued to read The Listeners, her first adult novel with a compelling synopsis that focused on a piece of history I know little about. However, I found the book to be nonspecific and lacking depth. I had a hard time following who different characters were and by 50% in, I started to skim to finish the book because I wasn't getting much out of it.

gorgeous writing from maggie! atmospheric and mystical, but ultimately felt underdeveloped.

thank you to netgalley/viking for the earc!

I started the book several times. The plot is intriguing and I love historical fiction, but there were too many characters introduced. That’s something I find confusing. I intend to finish reading, but I will have to give it my full attention.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

"The Listeners" hooked me with a really intriguing premise—a slew of foreign diplomats forced to gather in a West Virginia luxury hotel in the throes of WWII, with a staff who struggles emotionally to accommodate them?! Sprinkle in some romance, family feuds, and an army of daschunds, and we've got what sounds like the recipe for a perfect historical drama.

The book did take a while to get going, and I found my interest waning before it really picked up. It did get more engaging as we went though, and the more we got to know the main characters the more I was captivated by them. June is a rare calm, collected, but still interesting leading lady, and I really appreciated her role as a steadying force throughout the narrative. I think we could've spent a smidge more time getting to know some of the other staff more intimately—we spent a LOT of time with June—but again, I wasn't upset by focusing on her.

I also definitely appreciated the wartime drama, which is what most excited me about the book, but I honestly wish there had been more of that in exchange for less time spent on the mystical Appalachian sweetwater. I really wanted to dig into the relationships between all the diplomats, but I felt like those instances were few and far between while June constantly ruminated on the mood of the hotel's water. This part of the story honestly just didn't do it for me... we didn't need this kind of magical realism element to illustrate June's deep connection to the hotel, and it took me out of the harsh historical reality of war to keep talking about magic water.

I'm glad I powered through and it was worth the read, but I'm a little disappointed because I also see the potential for what could've been a really exceptional book. 3.5/5 stars.

[Thanks for NetGalley and Viking for an advance reader copy of this book!]

Whatever I was expecting from Maggie Stiefvater's adult debut, it was not The Listeners. The novel follows the luxurious Avallon Hotel as it is forced to host to Axis diplomats in the midst of World War II. I am not, generally, a fan of historical fiction, especially in this time period, but I am a fan of Maggie Stiefvater. While I do not think The Listeners will appeal to probably the majority of her existing fan base, it is still a solid novel. Stiefvater is a master character writer, her prose is excellent, and the magical realism element appeals to her strengths as a fantasy writer. However, the overall plot left me a little underwhelmed. Much of the tension of the book is understated, which is cohesive with the novel's themes, but did make for a bit of a slow read. While I definitely enjoyed the novel, I would probably only recommend this book to fans of historical fiction.

It's early 1942, Pearl Harbor was bombed a month ago, and the United States needs to do something about the German, Italian, and Japanese diplomats still in the country. It is agreed that they should be sent to luxury hotels in the United States while they await passage back to their countries in exchange for U.S. diplomats. The Avallon, a luxury hotel in West Virginia with its sweetwater flowing freely, is the fictionalized setting for this book. June is the general manager who deals with the FBI, the State Department, and the foreign diplomats while still delivering high-quality service. The premise of the book is excellent; however, the back story of how June became the manager and some of the supporting characters bogged down the narrative. I also didn't care for the nod to fantasy with the water, but I'm sure Stiefvater's fan base will appreciate it.

Thank you to Penguin Group Viking Penguin and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will be honest, I had no idea what this book was about. I saw Stiefvater's name on it, knew I loved all her previous works, and decided it didn't matter and I'd give it a chance. I'm so glad I did. It was totally different from what I know from her and a great joy to read.
Normally, historical fiction is not my cup of tea. I struggle with it, especially for the WWII time period. However, this one was totally different from other WWII books I've read. While it does take place during that time period and the basis of the book revolves around what was happening during the war, it was about so much more than that. It was about relationships and how they grow and change, morphing into what you need when you need it. It was also about priorities and putting yourself before others while still showing empathy and care for those who surround you.
The history of the government using large hotels as a house for captured Nazi's in America was fascinating. I knew this happened but I didn't know to what extent.
June's point of view delves into the daily routines of the hotel, catering to it's guests, and how this is applied to the prisoners of war, because that is exactly what they are. They are treated to top notch service from her staff while still being restricted to what they can have and where they can go. Her connection to the waters that run under and around the hotel in West Virginia speak to the lore that often comes from this part of America. WV is rich with folklore steeped in the paranormal. While the waters definitely give off a paranormal vibe, I will say I never fully understand their presence or what they truly meant for the hotel. They are magical but they are not. They are healing but they also take away. I did understand the waters took from those who chose to submerge themselves: taking the good and expelling the bad to keep the hotel happy.
Tucker's character was my favorite. I loved his history with WV and how he buried it, only for it to grab at him as soon as he was back. His connection with the water is different than June's but not any less important. And the slow burn romance that ensues between the two is expected but comes upon you in bits and spurts. Their friendship grows first and then they find attraction. I was not surprised by this in the least.
I loved that Stiefvater made this book in several POVs. It was nice to see it well rounded rather than just from June's POV, even though she really did take up about 70% of the book.
The pacing is a bit slow with this. And I will say there were times I was confused by the conversations that were happening. I know much of what was presented was to be mysterious given the nature of the spies involved, but even the idea of the sweetwater was confusing at times. This dropped by rating a bit.
I will say, the one secret with the little girl Hannelore I figured out early on. Not sure if that was intentional or not but it was not a surprise to me at all when it was revealed.
Overall I enjoyed this one. It's not my normal genre but it kept me interested and wanting to turn the pages, especially during the last 30% or so when things really ramp up and start to unravel. If you love historical fiction with a bit of magical realism sewn in, and Maggie's lyrical writing, give this one a try!

June is the manager of The Avallon Hotel & Spa, and it's January of 1942 - June has done a good job of making sure her guests don't feel the effects of the war going on, but things are about to change. The owners of the hotel made a deal with the State Department to house captured Nazi diplomats, and June is expected to give them service with a smile.

I wanted to love this book, because I'm a big fan of Maggie Stiegvater's YA novels, but I had a very hard time getting into it. I know this book will be someone's cup of tea, and I will definitely be recommending it during Readers' Advisory and my library already has a copy on order.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @40%

This was beautifully written and ultimately relatively well done, but in the long run, it just didn't grab me. I always feel bad DNFing ARC copies, and I really love Maggie Stiefvater and her YA books, so I was anticipating this one. I do think I'll give it another go sometime - the writing is absolutely stunning and the story seems like it'll be interesting. I enjoyed the themes - of complacency and goodness vs evil and motivation - and I think the characters WILL develop eventually (it is super clear that this is a character driven novel, which I usually LOVE) and the plot will pick up alongside this. However, for right now, where I'm at in my life, I just couldn't get into it, and I wasn't sure I was doing the writing justice skimming the slower sections. So, I will be buying this for my library and probably the library I'll be in next school year, too, and I will absolutely be giving it another shot sometime in the future (maybe when we're not so close to summer break, I'm not in the middle of moving to an entirely new country, and I am ready to dive into this and give it the attention it deserves.

If you're in the headspace for a slow book with great settings and a fantastic main character (I really, really enjoyed June), then give this a shot, because I think you'll like it! I absolutely will be giving it another shot someday. That day is just not today.

I was excited to receive an early copy from the publisher, and for the most part, I enjoyed this book. The story was atmospheric and intimate, exploring complicated relationships in depth. However, the pacing felt slow throughout most of the narrative—I found myself missing the banter and urgency I had expected. The story maintained this leisurely pace until the final quarter, when it suddenly blazed toward the conclusion. While I appreciated the book's intimate character work, I wanted more tension and magical realism.

This is a fascinating spin on WWII spy/mystery novels! I really enjoyed June’s perspective and the immersive West Virginia resort setting. The magical/supernatural elements were a surprise (and not my usual reading genre) but fit in with the story. Would recommend!

Thank you Netgalley & Viking for an eARC ♥️♥️♥️

You know that feeling when you finish a book and immediately want to flip back to page one, just to live in its world a little longer? ♥️That’s how I feel about this one—like I left part of myself in the Avallon Hotel’s lobby, listening to the whispers of diplomats and the creak of floorboards under FBI shoes.
June Porter Hudson is the kind of character who sticks with you. She’s not a rebel with a gun or a spy in a slinky dress—she’s a woman who’s worked her way up from nothing, who knows how to fold a napkin just so and which wine pairs with betrayal. And now she has to serve Nazis afternoon tea while her staff’s sons are off getting shot at. The sheer, quiet horror of that—the way war slithers into places that should be safe—made me put the book down more than once just to stare at the wall.
And Tucker. .That man has *layers*. The coal tattoo, the way he watches June like he’s trying to solve her, the way they both know they’re playing games but can’t stop—it’s the kind of slow burn that makes you want to shake them both. (Just kiss already! But also, no, take your time, I love the agony.) 🤭
But here’s the thing that really got me: the sweetwater. It’s not magic, not really, but it’s *alive* in that way Stiefvater does so well. It heals, but it also remembers. It’s a character in itself, this silent witness beneath the hotel, and by the end, I was half-convinced my own tap water had secrets.
I’ll be honest—I cried. Not the dramatic, gasping kind, but the slow, aching kind that comes when a book reaches into your ribs and squeezes. It’s not just about war or spies or even love. It’s about what we’re willing to swallow to keep the world running smoothly. And how sometimes, the most dangerous thing isn’t a bullet, but a choice made in silence, behind closed doors. 💔
So yeah. Read it. But maybe don’t start it at midnight like I did, unless you’re okay with being haunted by fictional hotel managers until sunrise.🫣

A more serious, less snarky Maggie than I am used to. The plot wasn’t my cup of tea, but it was a good read. I just wasn’t a fan of any of the characters.