New favorite Diana Biller romance. There's something I just simply adore about Biller's writing; it is so atmospheric and lush without being over complicated or prose-y. She sets a scene that immediately spins you into a decaying ballroom that's being renovated with gumption and a hope but is still the most wonderous room you've ever stepped foot in. She builds tension SO WELL that by the time the two love interests touch you have been dying for that moment for pages and pages. this is the type of slow-burn i live for, one with huge payoff.

Heck, there's a scene where these two don't even touch each other and I about combusted out of house into the stars. yeah, that's craft.

I also personally adore the here is a line of women who have a "curse" or "mythos" about them, one that is a huge problem for our love interest, in this instance will he be "the man" and the mythos around the Wallner women is so delicious. the three generations still living together at Hotel Wallner and the Wallner women of the past. Just give me all of their stories.

And Eli Whittaker. What a starchy, blushing, completely besotted man Maria finds when she crashes into him tipsy, in Vienna. The whirl of the waltz is ever present as Eli has to find his spot and not spin out with lust and love, and figure out that he deserves it no matter what his awful family put him through. I love that he's a numbers guy, a paperwork guy. he's going to solve the problem that is Maria, but Maria isn't actually a problem at all. She's the answer to all of his everything.

ANYWAY I hope this review make sense, i just loved this one so much you all should buy it immediately.

thank you to the publisher for the print ARC

Narrator Carlotta Brentan is super great - I really loved her accent work, with maria's slight german//austrian accent and Eli's american accent all while also juggling the large cast of secondary characters. this is great work, and i never felt lost or wondering who was speaking. i just love this book so much. THIS MAN ELI HE STUDIED.