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A review by simplyalexandra
The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller
5.0
Full Review:
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction, historical romance, and anything with a bit of a spooky feel to it.
When the infamous Mrs. Webster buys a dilapidated mansion in New York, a eccentric scientist asks to study it's ghosts. Alva Webster isn't interested in people who want to hear about her supposed scandals, or really anyone who will get in her way of starting her new life. She turns down Professor Samuel Moore's persistent attempts to study her home. When her contractor and working crews up and leave her home, with their tools inside, saying they will not finish the work, she decides to work with Sam to remove the ghost, and hopefully resume work on the renovation. Despite her tumultuous romantic past, Alva finds herself drawn to the professor, despite her best attempts. Will they discover who or what is haunting her home? Or will the ghost drive them to their ruin?
Wow! This was such a fun book to read. I didn't really know what to expect with this one, and I found it to be a fun mix of historical fiction, horror, mystery, and romance. It had a very Gothic feel to it overall, much like du Maurier novels, or Jane Eyre. I enjoyed the Gilded Age setting in New York and the moves from the city to the country. It was nice to be out of regency England for a bit... I also enjoyed that while the character were wealthy, they had fairly normal professions and that made it feel different from all of the Dukes and Lairds common in historical novels. I really loved the spooky atmosphere that a lot of the book has, but also the contrast of the funny characters and clever dialogue. I enjoyed the "grumpy + sunshine" trope with the unusual slant that the male MC is the sunshine one. I thought Sam was really adorable and quirky, and he brought a lot of light to the story. I also like Alva and how she had overcome so many of her demons, and tried to change her life. Sam's relationship with his family and Henry were so wholesome and charming. I hope I get to read more books set in this world. While I'm not 100% sure I would classify this as solely a romance... it did have some really good chemistry, a fairly large romantic plot, and some steamy scenes. Le Swoon, I loved it! Overall I liked where the story went, and found the conclusion to be really satisfying. I think this was an incredible debut novel, and I cannot wait to read what else Diana Biller writes.
Right After Reading:
I really enjoyed this!! Full review to come!
This title was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!
4.5 Stars - I highly recommend if you enjoy historical fiction, historical romance, and anything with a bit of a spooky feel to it.
When the infamous Mrs. Webster buys a dilapidated mansion in New York, a eccentric scientist asks to study it's ghosts. Alva Webster isn't interested in people who want to hear about her supposed scandals, or really anyone who will get in her way of starting her new life. She turns down Professor Samuel Moore's persistent attempts to study her home. When her contractor and working crews up and leave her home, with their tools inside, saying they will not finish the work, she decides to work with Sam to remove the ghost, and hopefully resume work on the renovation. Despite her tumultuous romantic past, Alva finds herself drawn to the professor, despite her best attempts. Will they discover who or what is haunting her home? Or will the ghost drive them to their ruin?
Wow! This was such a fun book to read. I didn't really know what to expect with this one, and I found it to be a fun mix of historical fiction, horror, mystery, and romance. It had a very Gothic feel to it overall, much like du Maurier novels, or Jane Eyre. I enjoyed the Gilded Age setting in New York and the moves from the city to the country. It was nice to be out of regency England for a bit... I also enjoyed that while the character were wealthy, they had fairly normal professions and that made it feel different from all of the Dukes and Lairds common in historical novels. I really loved the spooky atmosphere that a lot of the book has, but also the contrast of the funny characters and clever dialogue. I enjoyed the "grumpy + sunshine" trope with the unusual slant that the male MC is the sunshine one. I thought Sam was really adorable and quirky, and he brought a lot of light to the story. I also like Alva and how she had overcome so many of her demons, and tried to change her life. Sam's relationship with his family and Henry were so wholesome and charming. I hope I get to read more books set in this world. While I'm not 100% sure I would classify this as solely a romance... it did have some really good chemistry, a fairly large romantic plot, and some steamy scenes. Le Swoon, I loved it! Overall I liked where the story went, and found the conclusion to be really satisfying. I think this was an incredible debut novel, and I cannot wait to read what else Diana Biller writes.
Right After Reading:
I really enjoyed this!! Full review to come!
This title was given to me by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. These reviews are my own opinion, and based on the edition of the book I was given at the time. Thank you Netgalley!