There are two-to-three genuinely terrifying scenes that had me breathless with fear and dread. Even when they’re in the vicinity, no one actually sleeps in the dilapidated house). But the entire book does not take place in Liefdehuis (approximately half. The scenes in Liefdehuis are spooky because of the ghost. Let me break down exactly what I think The Widow of Rose House is. The book defies categorization because it doesn’t neatly fit into a preexisting box, but historical romance readers will nonetheless love it. While these are normally useful descriptors for setting tone and expectations, the combination of buzzwords might be confusing to the reader. The blurb hints at more romance, but it contains seemingly contradictory phrases such as “effervescent Gilded Age romantic comedy debut” and “darkly Victorian Gothic flair.” I’ve seen The Widow of Rose House described as “spooky Gothic rom-com” in one breath and “horror ghost romance” in the next.

Based on the cover alone, it looks like a historical mystery a la Lady Sherlock. Desperate and determined to convince the crew to resume work, she turns to eccentric inventor Samuel Moore - who cheerfully believes in the existence of ghosts and is eager to conduct scientific experiments - to help rid Liefdehuis of any specter.īefore I start singing praises, I want to spell out reader expectations clearly: the publicity surrounding this book is confusing. Alva doesn’t believe in the existence of Liefdehuis’s ghost, but her crew does and refuses to work on the house. Unfortunately, the restoration is upended by rumors (and sightings!) of a ghost. Alva has a plan for the next chapter in her life: she wants to publish a book about interior decoration and aims to restore the derelict mansion Liefdehuis for her case study. Her parents have all but disowned her after reports of her shocking misdeeds ruled the scandal sheets for years. Notorious widow and social pariah Alva Webster returns to the United States after twelve years spent in Europe during her marriage.

I love this book so much and want to hand-sell this funny, spooky, and magnificent Gilded Age romance to everyone I know. Rest assured, The Widow of Rose House is 100% a historical romance, complete with charming sequel-bait family members, protagonists smelling like sandalwood (it’s the heroine this time!), sex scenes with protection (more of this in historicals, please), and a central love story that is the embodiment of heart eyes emoji. Ignore your first impressions of the cover - yes, I’m already frantically googling that dress for the inevitable closing date of my Gothic mansion, but the cover doesn’t exactly scream romance novel. CW/TW: heroine is a victim of physical and emotional abuse in former marriage discussion of murder, suicide, violence, and mental institutions (not related to the protagonists).

The Widow of Rose House by Diana Biller