Goodreads Blurb

January 1942. The Avallon Hotel & Spa has always offered elegant luxury in the wilds of West Virginia, its mountain sweetwater washing away all of high society’s troubles.

Local girl-turned-general manager June Porter Hudson has guided the Avallon skillfully through the first pangs of war. The Gilfoyles, the hotel’s aristocratic owners, have trained her well. But when the family heir makes a secret deal with the State Department to fill the hotel with captured Axis diplomats, June must persuade her staff—many of whom have sons and husbands heading to the front lines—to offer luxury to Nazis. With a smile.

Meanwhile FBI Agent Tucker Minnick, whose coal tattoo hints at an Appalachian past, presses his ears to the hotel’s walls, listening for the diplomats’ secrets. He has one of his own, which is how he knows that June’s balancing act can have dangerous consequences: the sweetwater beneath the hotel can threaten as well as heal.

June has never met a guest she couldn’t delight, but the diplomats are different. Without firing a single shot, they have brought the war directly to her. As clashing loyalties crack the Avallon’s polished veneer, June must calculate the true cost of luxury.

My Review: Rated 2 out of 5 stars

The Listeners fell short of keeping my attention. It was slow and confusing. I read this book because it was part of the Barnes & Noble book club. I was excited to read this book because it took place during WWII and in a luxury hotel. Maggie added historical details and described the hotel in a way that allows readers to picture the hotel. The magical realism of the Sweetwater made the story come alive. The hotel was not just glorious, but it was alive. Every corner of the hotel seemed to listen and wait to create chaos if given the opportunity.

June Porter Hudson was a strong female character who ran the hotel smoothly and kept the Sweetwater at bay. The Sweetwater was a threat to all but also could heal. The story included romance, an unexpected group of diplomats being observed by the FBI during their hotel stay, and an interesting little girl who needed protection. The ending was interesting, but I wish the story grasped my attention.

Author Biography

New York Times bestselling author of The Shiver Trilogy, The Raven Cycle, and The Scorpio Races. Artist. Driver of things with wheels. Avid reader.

Maggie Stiefvater plays several musical instruments (most infamously, the bagpipes) and makes art in several media (most generally, colored pencils).

She lives in Virginia with her husband, their two children, many dogs, a bunch of fainting goats, and an irascible tuner car.