Hotel of Secrets

De: Diana Biller

Narrado por: Carlotta Brentan

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.

©2023 Diana Biller (P)2023 Dreamscape Media

Slow start but interesting finish

At first I didn’t think I would enjoy this book as my first by this author. In the end it drew me in and was worth the listen.

Delightful!

Everything about Hotel of Secrets sparkles like a Vienna ballroom in the height of ball season. The witty banter between Eli and Maria, the camaraderie and sheer hilarity of Eli, Claude, and Mac on their escapades, and the eye-rolling drama of Elizabet create a story that’s as charming as it is entertaining. And let’s not forget—a virginal hero who cites his sources during intimate moments? Absolute brilliance.

The narrator does a great job with the German, French and American accents, differentiating characters to keep the story clear for listeners.

This book is a gem and easily one of my favorite listens in a long time.

Cute romance.

This book is pure spoon-fed entertainment. It requires no thinking on the part of the listener/reader and sometimes that’s exactly what I want.

Spicy historical fiction

A great story! A time period piece with a bit of mystery and a spicy romance!

We Love a Virgin Hero

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!