** 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.
