The Widow of Rose House: A Novel

Written by Diana Biller

Narrated by Samantha Desz

** A "MOST ANTICIPATED ROMANCE" of 2019 (BookPage) **

A young widow restores a dilapidated mansion with the assistance of a charming, eccentric genius, only to find the house is full of dangerous secrets in this effervescent Gilded Age romantic comedy debut

It’s 1875, and Alva Webster has perfected her stiff upper lip after three years of being pilloried in the presses of two continents over fleeing her abusive husband. Now his sudden death allows her to return to New York to make a fresh start, restoring Liefdehuis, a dilapidated Hyde Park mansion, and hopefully her reputation at the same time.

However, fresh starts aren’t as easy as they seem, as Alva discovers when stories of a haunting at Liefdehuis begin to reach her. But Alva doesn’t believe in ghosts. So when the eccentric and brilliant professor Samuel Moore appears and informs her that he can get to the bottom of the mystery that surrounds Liefdehuis, she turns him down flat. She doesn’t need any more complications in her life―especially not a handsome, convention-flouting, scandal-raising one like Sam. Unfortunately, though Alva is loath to admit it, Sam, a pioneer in electric lighting and a member of the nationally-adored Moore family of scientists, is the only one who can help. Together, the two delve into the tragic secrets wreathing Alva’s new home while Sam attempts to unlock Alva’s history―and her heart.

Set during the Gilded Age in New York City, The Widow of Rose House is a gorgeous debut by Diana Biller, with a darkly Victorian Gothic flair and an intrepid and resilient American heroine guaranteed to delight readers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Oct 8, 2019
• ISBN: 9781799750871

Diana Biller

DIANA BILLER lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their very good dog. The Widow of Rose House is her debut novel. Visit her at www.dianabiller.com or follow her @dcbiller.

Reviews for The Widow of Rose House

[Blind Blend · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The dialogue and mannerisms and social mores the characters in this story display is far too modern for the time period. It continually took me out of the story. Otherwise quite a sweet little tale.

[jring183 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Strong female lead. Great story. Highly recommended . Just charming

[Dana J. Moore · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This completely captivated me. Lovely writing. Great story. Delightful romance.

[Nancy Vieth · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you like stores about the late 1800’s, or romances, or ghost stories, you have to read or listen to this one! I absolutely loved it! Characters were well developed with good back stories. There was enough intrigue and action to keep things moving. This is a must read. I can hardly wait for the next one in the series!

[tsmom1219 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this a lot but the characters’ speech patterns were too modern, which pulled me out of the story occasionally.

[whatsmacksaid · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Simple, sweet, and lovely. I enjoyed this so much. The characters were all fantastic and the dialogue was very well done. This is a perfect pandemic read and I can’t wait to see what else Biller publishes.

[gpangel_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller is a 2019 St. Martin’s Griffin publication. My kind of ghost story! Alva Webster has returned to New York City amid scandalous rumors surrounding her about the death of her estranged husband. Ready to put the past behind her, she purchases Liefdehuis, and old mansion she intends to refurbish, then feature in book about interior design.The house, unfortunately, has a reputation for being haunted. This scares away the workers Alva needs, so she eventually succumbs to the overtures of one Sam Moore, an attractive man who is interested in studying the potential paranormal activity in the house. The chemistry between Alva and Sam is undeniable, but Alva has dark secrets in her past that makes her wary of romantic entanglements. Meanwhile, it would appear there really is a ghost, prompting intensive research to uncover the truth behind the haunting. If my memory serves, I added this book thinking I would read it around Halloween, but I never got around to it. Now, over a year later, I’m finally pulling it up to the top of the TBR pile. While this would be a nice book to read at Halloween, any time is a good time for a good ghost story. I had forgotten the premise of the book at first, but soon found myself immersed in the history, the mystery, and the red-hot attraction between Alva and Sam! Whew! This book surprised me! I didn’t have any expectations one way or another, but this book turned out to be more than I bargained for! The author painted a vivid historical portrait of the time period, created a spine-tingling atmosphere, with shades of Gothic horror, added compelling commentary on mental illness, and provided a wonderful love story to cap it off. Although this one was a bit steamier than I usually feel comfortable with these days, I really, really liked this story!! Tackling the TBR list is turning out to be a whole lot of fun!!

[alanna_reads · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Set during "The Guilded Age of New York", this book focuses on a young widow returning to New York City to restore an abandoned and supposedly haunted mansion. Enter Professor Samuel Moore, a handsome inventor and expert with his own interest in the house. I absolutely adored the main characters Alva and Sam! The rich sense of time and place in NYC in the 1870s appealed to my historical fiction side. But ultimately this was a 3 star read for me. The "haunted" part of this book was a bigger plot point than I cared for, and I had to suspend belief to keep reading. I wish I could read another book with the same characters, but meeting under different circumstances. I would read another book in this series and/or by this author.

[samnreader · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ultimately choppy for me. Probably because the plot underpinning the romance was terribly lackluster for me. The romance overlaying the plot then had no grit or tension, really. It left me feeling this was unbalanced and didn't have a strong pull for me. It was like stop & go traffic, and I never found my groove despite two lovely characters and sparkling light writing.

[kbranfield-837433 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Set in 1875, The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller is a charming romance with ghostly elements.

Widow Alva Webster's scandalous reputation precedes her  as she returns to New York following the death of her husband, Alain. She has recently purchased a purported haunted house which she plans to restore. Alva also has a publishing deal to write about her restoration but when her construction crew walks off the job due to ghostly appearances, Alva turns to Professor Samuel "Sam" Moore for help.  With a surprising attraction simmering between them,  can Alva guard her heart and her secrets while she and Sam get to the bottom of the ghost's identity?

Alva is more than ready to move on from her abusive marriage but rumors still follow her. She is focused on renovating her new home and starting over. Alva has no plan or desire for a new romance and she is surprised by how much she enjoys spending time with Sam and his family. With serious trust issues due to her past, is there any way she can risk heart again?

Sam is an absolutely delightful man. He is the epitome of the absent minded professor as he is continually distracted by thoughts and ideas for new projects. Sam is genuinely kind-hearted and compassionate and he is quite smitten with Alva right from the first time he sees her.  Is there any way Sam can gain Alva's trust and win her heart?

The Widow of Rose House  is an engaging novel with a slow burning romance and an intriguing ghost hunt. The storyline is appealing but the pacing is sometimes a little slow. Sam is a wonderfully patient man who is absolutely perfect for emotionally wounded Alva. The search for the ghost is quite interesting and perfectly complements the overall story.  Fans of historical romances are sure to love this endearing debut by Diana Biller.

[spinsterrevival · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Loved this; wonderful blend of spookiness without too much scary, and a perfect romance. Also Sam the hero was just the Best Guy, and I adored his family and hope we get to see more of them.

[virginia51-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed this book filled with romance, scientists, insane asylums, suffragettes and ghosts. I love how each of these items are woven into one great story. These are wonderful characters. I really liked how Alva and Sam become friends and lovers. I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

[cherylk_44 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This debut novel from author, Diana Biller is worth your time. Yes, the paranormal aspect of this book, is good but it was all about Alva and Sam. These two really made the book a treat for me. Their witty banter and Ava's bold attitude had me cheering for her. She really could have just let all of the rumors beat her down but instead she rose above it to come out on top. It is her bold attitude that attracted Sam to her. Which, speaking of Sam; he is a bit of a nerd. An adorable nerd. His family are eccentric and a hoot. Good for some laughs. I do agree with some of the other readers that the romance between Ava and Sam felt modern. The rest of the vibe of the story was not modern so this was a little of a take away form the overall story. However, the romance is good. I was feeling it between Sam and Ava. The Widow of Rose House is not to be missed!

[juju2cat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A truly lovely story with romance and a haunting! I enjoyed the read.