Series: N/A
Traits & Tropes: virgin hero; spies; competent hero; intrigue/mystery
Publication Date: 03.28.23
Genre/Setting: Historical; Victorian; Vienna, Austria
Heat Level: 2
Rating: 5/5
Narration Rating: 4.5/5
At the start of another ball season in Vienna, Maria Wallner is determined to see her family’s hotel, which she manages, restored to the prestige it once held. She won’t let anything stand in her way, despite facing plenty of obstacles: her parents’ embarrassing thirty-year affair, apparently random attacks by assassins, and a disturbingly handsome American agent to whom she already owes her life twice now.
Eli Whittaker just wants to reveal the source of a leak of US secret codes, arrest them, and return to his well-ordered life in Washington, DC. His one lead is a letter sent from the Hotel Wallner, but when he checks in, he finds him swept into sheer madness awash with balls, spies, and a beautiful hotel manager in the middle of everything, one who just happens to keep finding herself in danger. Eli is prepared to disapprove heartily of all this frivolity and chaos, but he’s soon swept away by it all as his attraction to her grows.
Eli was just the sort of strong, quiet, somewhat broody hero I love, and it didn’t hurt that he was utterly competent and also happened to be a virgin. The intimacy that developed between him and Maria was incredibly well drawn and I was thoroughly convinced that they had indeed fallen completely in love and established a trusting bond despite the relative shortness of their acquaintance. Maria struggled to accept help, having never truly been able to rely on anyone before, but Eli showed her what was truly possible when it comes to relying on another person and in turn she showed him how to trust someone else with his heart and vice versa. In fact, Maria challenged Eli’s views and assumptions about everything, showing him just how much more he could truly have. I loved the give and take of their relationship, as well as Maria’s courage in revealing her feelings and the sheer maturity demonstrated by the openness of their communication. There was also plenty of intrigue and court secrets floating around to keep my interest peaked, though I would still say this was a very character-driven story. Even the supporting characters felt fleshed out and the narrator did a great job of making them come alive. I’ve never read anything from this author, nor have I read a romance set in Vienna, but I loved this one and it won’t be my last.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and its audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3125979030
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5014894336
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