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.

Listening Length

9 hours and 57 minutes
Author

Diana Biller
Narrator

Samantha Desz
Audible release date

October 8, 2019
Language

English
Publisher

Brilliance Audio
ASIN

B07XGBJM5K
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	9 hours and 57 minutes
Author	Diana Biller
Narrator	Samantha Desz
Whispersync for Voice	Ready
Audible.com Release Date	October 08, 2019
Publisher	Brilliance Audio
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B07XGBJM5K
Best Sellers Rank	#76,589 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) #217 in Gothic Horror Fiction #1,179 in Gothic Romances #1,441 in Gothic Fiction

Customer reviews

5 star		53%
4 star		26%
3 star		16%
2 star		3%
1 star		2%

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Amazon Customer

Interesting, but not worth $9.99

Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2020

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I found myself growing more disappointed as I read the book. The plot was interesting, and the two main characters obviously had very strong chemistry. But I was distracted by the underdeveloped descriptions and dialogue (although some of the wittier dialogue was very good). For one thing, I honestly don't understand why newly published writers seem to be in love with the word "smirk." I counted 9 uses of it in this book. To me, it's a very immature word to use when describing the behavior of two adults, especially those romantically involved. And what does this passage mean: "... after they'd ogled over the gloves..." How does one *ogle* over gloves? Finally, the writer made very little effort to make the dialogue fit the 1875 setting - it was very modern, talking about "stuff," getting "kicked out," and being "on lock-down." I think I would have let all of this pass without a review if the book were on the Kindle Unlimited list, but to pay $9.99 for it made me want to warn others of its distracting flaws (to me).

45 people found this helpful

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Autumn - Agents of Romance

Witty and Atmospheric Debut!

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

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Alva Webster isn’t the woman that all the swirling society rumors proclaim her to be. She’s just trying to leave all of scandal surrounding her husband’s death far, far behind. After fleeing Europe for America, she purchases an old mansion with plans to chronicle its glorious renovation in her upcoming book. Until the disarmingly handsome Professor Moore offers to help her find out why no one wants to work in Liefdehuis.

Samuel Moore comes from a long line of scientists. He’s eccentric, brilliant and utterly irresistible. He wants to somehow find an explanation for the strange happenings at Alva’s mansion. And if everything goes as planned, that means that he gets to spend endless hours with the alluring widow.

She’s a mystery that he is determined to solve. Behind her carefully constructed wall is a woman with equal amounts of beauty and strength.

If only he can help her overcome the ghosts of the past – both corporal and otherworldly – and find the love of a lifetime.

Diana Biller makes her witty and atmospheric debut with The Widow of Rose House. It doesn’t matter that the story is set in 1875 because her characters are light years ahead of their time.

Alva is a modern woman who can stand proudly on her own and Samuel is the perfect quirky combination of brains and fiery passion. I love how they embraced the unconventional - in each other and in the world around them. Their strength as individuals is only complimented by their strength together - never diminishing and never overshadowing. A truly amazing blend of past and present.

Add a touching ghost story into the mix and the result is a sweetly charming, whip-smart love story that’s simply perfect for Halloween.

15 people found this helpful

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GildaMack

Explicitly Sexual

Reviewed in the United States on January 26, 2020

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If you like explicitly sexual novels, this is the one for you. I could have probably plodded through the melodramatic weak plot if it hadn't degenerated into a sex scene that covered the last half of one chapter and the first half of the next. I quit reading it when I skimmed ahead to see how long it was going to last. Just a stupid book.

13 people found this helpful

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A wonderful historical with a pinch of paranormal

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

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Will the open to life scientist be able to break down the defenses of the lonesome widow.

Twice in a short span of time I have read the first published book of a new historical author. Twice if was left stunned by both story,
With one only expectation, to read more about these awesome talented writers.

Mrs Diana Biller is one hell of a gifted with words person. She has crafted a moving and transcendental story of healing and redeeming the wrong done to others.
She brought all her characters to life, they are more blood and flesh than paper with their shortcomings and successes.
Sam and Alva are two sides of the same coin, they need to trust on each other and themselves to make things work between them.

Sam is one man to love so easily, the perfect portrayed scientific, losing himself in his work, very singleminded when focused to get what he is looking for and rebuffs do not deter him. With his sole smile as his weapon, he disarms anyone his simple and quite naive view of life, not influenced by rules, gossips and expectations.
Alva never experienced love even in her young years, every aspect of her life controlled by her overbearing family, so when a handsome man seduced her, she mistook it easily but too late, she was already in an other gilded cage. To break free, she confronted scandal and nearly lost everything. But now she is ready to wipe the slate clean of her past if only it hadn’t the wrong habit to jump at her face.

It was a tale about darkness and light, Sam is the light source in this tale with Alva, only surrounded by gloom and as her past is slowly revealed, will Sam’s life force be enough to pull her out of her nightmares. When she drowns in her fears and doubts, he brightens and alleviates the whole scene. With his truthfulness close to candor and his humor, he slowly brings back Alva on the side of the livings, opening her to a colorful avenir instead of the dreary one she was designing for herself.

This was a big five stars read to slowly devour to appreciate all its various depths and layers, the painful past of Alva, Sam’s appreciation of life, the Moore family’s humor, eccentricities and their shared love and the mystery behind the ghosts tale. Everything combined a wondrous journey beyond love and time.

I was granted this advance copy through Edelweiss via the publisher St Martin’s Griffin. I so loved it I purchased my own copy.
Here is my true and unbiased opinion.

7 people found this helpful

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Big_Foot_Girl

Best Book I’ve Read In A While

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

I had a blast reading The Widow of Rose House. It was my first five star read in many months. What is there not to love? The hero is a sexy, passionate inventor. I don’t know how anyone cannot love him. The heroine hasn’t had the best time in life, but she is so courageous by doing what it takes to change it. There is ghost hunting. This book is just perfect for a person like me that doesn’t want anything too scary. If you don’t pick this up, you are doing a disservice to yourself.

I voluntarily read an early copy.

10 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer

Worth the price

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 10, 2020

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I absolutely loved this book. More importantly, I loved Sam. This was a well written book which blended the paranormal and romance genres with a bit of interior design thrown in. Definitely a keeper for my book shelf and one I will re-read when I wish to visit with Sam😊❤️

One person found this helpful

La veneziana

Il passato di Liefdehuis house

Reviewed in Italy on August 18, 2021

Verified Purchase

Cercavo una buona storia di fantasmi...e l'ho trovata!
Questa storia è in realtà piena di fantasmi, ma non tutti infestano la casa in Hyde Park, New York. Alcuni continuano a tormentare l'anima di Alva Webster, una affascinante vedova di ricca famiglia che nel 1875 decide di tornare in America e, seguendo la sua passione per l'interior design, decide di acquistare una bella dimora in rovina per ristrutturarla secondo il suo stile e ricavarci un libro. Solo che Alva ha un passato che non le lascia respiro e che la segue fino a New York; e inoltre la casa è veramente infestata!
Qui entra in scena uno dei protagonisti maschili a mio avviso meglio riusciti, il Prof Simon Moore, brillante giovanotto da una nota famiglia di notevoli e riconosciuti inventori e scienziati (tra cui la madre e la sorella).
La curiosità di Simon verso i fenomeni paranormali lo porta ad avvicinare Alva con la ferma intenzione di ottenere la possibilità di studiare il fantasma. I no non gli fanno effetto e alla fine Alva deve cedere. E qui incomincia un rapporto particolarmente ben descritto fra un uomo molto amato dalla sua famiglia e professionalmente riuscito e pertanto molto sicuro di sé e una donna ferita ed abbandonata dalla famiglia di origine e da quella del marito e che ha rischiato di perdere il rispetto di sé e la sua sicurezza. Ovviamente Simon si innamora perdutamente di Alva e i suoi sforzi per rompere il muro che lei ha eretto intorno a sé sono allo stesso tempo insoliti nel metodo e implacabili nella perseveranza; Alva non ha alcuna possibilità di sfuggire a questo insolito corteggiamento!
Poi c'è il mistero di Liefdehuis house e anche questo è particolarmente ben svolto.
L'unica pecca che posso trovare è che a tratti la narrativa rallenta e si fa fatica a procedere. Tuttavia sono piccole cose e il finale ripaga, eccome se ripaga.

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J. Welling

Somewhat intriguing novel.

Reviewed in Canada on September 8, 2021

Verified Purchase

For the most part, this was an interesting historical romance. I was expecting more of the story to focus on the “haunted house” that Alva purchased in order to renovate but, it is a secondary plot point at best. We are introduced to some amazing characters. Sam and his family are intriguing, quirky and full of adventure. Alva is definitely a product of the times. Women were not always treated well by their families and were left with little means to defend themselves. The romance between Sam and Alva always seemed to take a back seat to Alva’s past. Every time the story progressed, the writer dragged us into Alva’s sordid past - again. It got to be very tiresome and boring. A little more haunting and a lot less lamenting would have made this a fantastic read.

M.R.

Precio muy bueno

Reviewed in Spain on August 22, 2020

Verified Purchase

Conseguí este libro por 3€. Le tenía echado el ojo en Goodreads y cual fue mi sorpresa al llegar aquí y ver ese precio. No es una historia de fantasmas, ya que lo que se narra es la relación amorosa entre los protagonistas con la premisa de un fantasma. Es entretenido.

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Annie Fauve

Lush subdued goth romance

Reviewed in Canada on February 3, 2022

Verified Purchase

Apparently, based on the cover (photo-style rather than illustrated/cartoon-style), some readers expect this book to be more horror/mystery than romance, and okay, those elements are there, subtly. But the pinch of paranormal, the smattering of New York's Gilded Age, along with a perfectly- judged amount of fashion and lust--oh, this definitely adds up to a helluva a fine Historical Romance, deserving its caps. Loved on first read, recently reread & loved just as hard!

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