The Widow of Rose House

Author: Diana Biller
Genre: Historical Fiction
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: St Martin's Press
First Published: October 8, 2019
Opening Lines: Alva Penrose Renssaelaer Webster had been inside Delmonico's for nine seconds before Mrs. Henry Biddington asked the maître d'hôtel to throw her out.

Book Description from GoodReads: 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 debut novel

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.

My Rating: 3 stars

My Review: My interest for this book was piqued by just a few words: dilapidated mansion, widow and Gilded Age. That's all it took to snag me.

The story started off strong with some humorous banter, an absent-minded gent and a delightfully creepy old house. But the story soon ventured into 'less haunted mansion' and 'more bodice ripper romance' with a detailed and quite lengthy sex scene that felt a little out of place. My interest wavered soon afterward as the focus became muddled and there was a distracting disparity with how the characters spoke and the time frame the story was set. I began to skim pages in earnest at the halfway mark. It just wasn't holding my attention. 

But there is an interesting array of characters. While I can't say I connected with Alva, I liked Sam and absolutely loved his family. The Moores are a delightfully eclectic, intelligent, chaotic and nerdy bunch. I was surprised they weren't used more. 

In addition to the historical romance and haunted mansion, a paranormal aspect is included but it appears quite late in the book and is wrapped up rather suddenly. I think I would have warmed to this paranormal aspect if it had been explained more clearly to the reader and given more page time. 

Overall, I give kudos to this debut author for an interesting premise, a story that is a mix of genres and an interesting group of secondary characters. It was a good read but not as compelling as I had hoped. 

Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this title in exchange for my honest review.