The Secret Hotel in Berlin

by Catherine Hokin

Berlin, 1944. ‘It is a great honour to have you here, Herr Hitler.’ Lili doesn’t stumble over the lie, her hand steady as she pours champagne. Everything must be perfect, no one can suspect a thing…

Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel, Berlin’s most glamorous hotel. For its wealthy guests, it is an escape from the destruction outside, with its elegant piano bar and fine amber brandy. But Lili is Jewish, a secret she is terrified will end in tragedy for her and their beloved little girl.

Lili’s only choice is to hide in plain sight, her heart racing each time uniformed officers step through the Edel’s grand entrance. As Berlin becomes a more frightening place, Lili pleads with her husband to help shelter those in danger but Marius is he will not risk the lives of his wife and daughter. Until the day he is called to the front – and goes missing in action.

Left in sole charge of the Edel, a heartbroken Lily fixes her smile as she serves men who would have her killed in an instant if they knew the truth. She decides she must fight back, hiding Jews in the hotel’s wine cellar before moving them to safety. Though she is seized with terror, it gives her the strength to carry on.

But her courage catches the attention of the Resistance. What they ask of her is impossible.

Lili has protected her daughter by living a life full of secrets. Can she risk it all now and put her child in danger for the sake of her country?

An absolutely unforgettable and heartbreaking story of bravery, love and sacrifice that will keep you turning the pages and reaching for the tissues. Fans of The Nightingale and The Book of Lost Names will be swept away by this stunning novel.

Readers love Catherine

‘Phenomenal… Literally broke my heart… Unputdownable… I was drawn into the story at the flip of the first page and I went through an entire box of Kleenex by the time I arrived at the last page. This masterpiece of a story is one that I highly recommend.’ Page Turners, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Simply extraordinary!… I was hooked before reaching the bottom of the first page until I finished the last with a satisfied sigh… It was a privilege to read it… One of the best books I’ve read.’ Goodreads reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘So gripping… so shockingly absorbing I couldn’t put it down… Omg what a rollercoaster of a ride... Fantastic.’ Netgalley reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Heartbreaking… An eye-opener… This page-turner World War 2 novel pulls you in and won’t let you go… Such a gripping and unputdownable book… One of the best WW2 historical fiction books I have read.’ Short Book Thyme, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

‘Amazing… I was totally absorbed in the story… 10 stars. One of my best reads this year.

Genres: Historical Fiction, World War II, Historical, Fiction

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 12, 2024

About the author

Welcome to my author page and my novels, including the Hanni Winter series which is the newest of the pack. I write books set primarily in Berlin, covering the period from 1933 up to the fall of the Berlin Wall and dealing with the long shadows left by war. I am a story lover as well as a story writer and this period really fascinates me. Writing about it also means that I get to spend a lot of time in Berlin, which is my second favourite city - my favourite is Buenos Aires.
I am from the North of England but now live very happily in Glasgow with my American husband. If I'm not at my desk you'll most probably find me in the cinema, or just follow the sound of very loud music.
I'd love to hear from you and there are lots of ways you can find me, so jump in via my website https://www.catherinehokin.com/ or on my Cat Hokin FB page or on twitter @cathokin

Reviews

[linda hole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dual.timeline. a strong heroine. Family secrets and healing from old wounds. It sure sounds right up my alley. I really likes this book, i loved the 1990s timeline , better that the 1930s 1940s. Timeline. The past timeline felt a little bit flat at times. But I still recommend this book.
Thank you to netgalley for letting me read this e arc in exchange for an honest opinion

[Wendy Hart · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Set in Berlin during the dark days of WW2, it had an interesting storyline.
The research is meticulous, and the author has produced a page-turning, suspenseful read I recommend this book..

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin is a dual timeline historical fiction of Berlin during WWII and in 1990 after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reuniting of East and West Berlin. Lili is Jewish, but changes her identity, moves to Belin, opens a flower business and eventually marries Marius, whose family owns the Edel Hotel, one of Hitler's favourite haunts. In 1990, Lucy is sent to Berlin by her boss, the owner of a chain of successful hotels. He wants to purchase one of Hitler's hotels to add to his chain, that are owned by the East German government. When she walks into the Edel, she knows this is the place. When she hears about the history of the previous owner being Nazis and friends of Hitler, she has to figure out how to work the PR surrounding this history. As these two stories come together, we learn not only about Lili's history, but what happened to her family after the end of WW2.

Catherine Hokin weaves the two storylines together in a way that had me flipping the pages. I enjoyed both timelines, but liked learning about the lives of those living in East Berlin, what happened when a family member escaped to the West, and how many of the people who lived there felt about reunification. With the help of a journal found in the basement of the Edel, Lucy was able to put together some of Lili's story, but she eventually gets help from others. That storyline is told from Lili's POV, so we know what information Lucy is looking for. Lucy has an eventual love interest in the person of Lili's grandson, which makes it more important to find out the truth of her story. Lucy also has her own story with secrets and sadness, that gives her some motivation to find the truth, but I would have been fine without that particular storyline. There are a lot of threads to be pulled together as the story progresses, and they are tied together nicely. There were times I was almost in tears, but I closed this book with a satisfied feeling and a smile knowing the so many strong and courageous people may eventually be recognized, although these characters are fictional. If you enjoy historical fiction and are interested in Germany after the war and during reunification, you might want to pick this book up. I do recommend it.

[Robin Rashcovsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read

[Caroline|Page~Turners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel Hotel. It’s a prestigious hotel located in Berlin. Its guests are among the most wealthy. The war is raging on just outside the beautiful, grand entrance. There seems to be no end on sight. Lili is Jewish, hiding in plain sight, walking among the very people that she despises. She knows that if any of the German officers find out her secret of being Jewish it would surely be the end for her and her family. Even thought they fear of being caught they use their wine cellar to hide Jews in until they can be transported to a safe location. Shortly after her husband Marius is called up to fight in the war, he is soon missing in action. Lili must do everything she can to protect her daughter, search for her husband and protect those she is hiding.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin written by author Catherine Hokin is a heartbreaking historical fiction that will leave you inspired. I was captivated from the very first page and was engaged until the last page was turned. I felt such empathy for Lili and Marius. They risked everything to keep others safe. And my heat broke again when Marius went missing. I am always amazed at the risk that people took and knowing the tragedy that would come if they were caught. I loved this story of hope, courage and sacrifice and I highly recommend it.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a reader, there are authors whose work you automatically know will tick all your reading boxes and Catherine Hokin does that for me in spades. I feel Catherine Hokin is the queen of a dual timeline and has gotten it down to a perfect science.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin brings us into the world of The Edel Hotel in Berlin. If only the walls could talk they would reveal so much. We get to meet Lili and Marius as they fall in love but Lili’s secret could break their love and so she must live with the angst. Although LIli and Marius’s story is fictional it did make me think about how much this must have happened during the war and how heartbreaking it must be.

Before, the war style reads that I really enjoyed mostly for the human stories and the comradery that were so long ago and in the past. Fast forward to today and reading them is a different experience with so much going on right now in the world. It makes the suffering both physically and mentally for the people more real. Less fiction and more reality. It is an added dimension that I wish was not happening.

The book is harrowing and brutal as was that time. I can’t imagine your family and friends being removed from society just because of their religion. Then understanding that they were murdered. I just don’t understand and never will.

All the characters in the book are flawed in their own way and most of them are carrying the burden of things not said or done. I loved Lili and I think she will be a strong heart stay character for me. Her strength to do the right thing at whatever cost was so inspiring and beautiful. It just all wrapped up so well at the end and like having a really good meal where you are so full and content. That is how the book left me.

The book is so layered and done in such an easy, non complicated manner. You are not bogged down with historical information. But you are welcomed to ghost along with the characters. I felt myself flying through the book as I had to know what happened. I hate to use the term emotional rollercoaster but it really is.

There is only one thing I really don’t like and I feel it does a disservice to the book and that is the title. The hotel is not a secret, it doesn’t make sense. Hotel Berlin, The Hotel in Berlin, In Plain Sight are all examples of titles that could be. I know the author has no say in the title. But that is the only thing that I have to critique.

If you enjoy books by Beryl Kingston, and Maureen Lee and The Storyteller by Jodi Piqoult, you need to have Catherine Hokins books on your autobuy.

All the stars and more, well done. It's a superb read.

[Vicki F · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin is a dual timeline historical fiction of Berlin during WWII. Hokin has intricately woven facts from inner Berlin during WWII with the 1990 reconstruction of reuniting East and West following the fall of the Berlin Wall. With fictional characters who hid their Jewish backgrounds in order to survive, who also helped in the underground escape of Jews, and had lived in communist East Berlin. So many threads to tug in this gut-wrenching historical fiction. Such realistic characters that have the reader feeling the pain, the sorrow, the confusion of such a chaotic time in history.

Releases July 12th. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Sue Plant · Rating 5 out of 5]

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this awesome book

its a dual time line but man is it heartbreaking to read.... the war years and 1990 oh man i cried buckets over this storyline

berlin... at the height of the war with the extermination of the jews and one womans attempt to help those in need but with her own background in jeopardy and her role within in the hotel ...hiding in plain sight never got any easier for her....oh the risks she took

this one will have you on the edge of your seats....its a compelling read....

[Gene Erhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emotional, riveting, beautiful!

[Thomas Heidel · Rating 5 out of 5]

extraordinary

An extraordinary read, that I couldn’t lay down! I didn’t know so much crying over a book would be possible! Dankeschön

[Janie Hickok Siess · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Secret Hotel in Berlin she returns readers to the fictional Edel hotel mentioned in The German Child. Hokin notes that prior to World War II, Berlin boasted some of the grandest hotels in the world, most of which were built in the early twentieth century. She modeled the Edel after and pays homage to, among others, the Adlon, which was plagued by “scandal and intrigue, including a thwarted bomb attempt” during the society wedding of the then-Kaiser’s daughter. None of those hotels still exist today. But Hokin says she has always loved the grandeur of luxurious hotels “because there is nowhere like a hotel when it comes to keeping secrets. They really are places where different worlds can exist.”

Less glamorous than the real Adlon, Hokin fashions the Edel as Hitler’s favorite hotel In Berlin. There, he presides over meetings with his top leaders and closest advisers. The stages of the hotel’s existence mirror those of Berlin itself. It is depicted before and during World War II, as well as in 1990, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Having long languished in a state of decay, the Edel is about to undergo a major renovation and reopen. According to Hokin, over the years, the Edel houses beauty, fear, darkness . . . and secrets.

At the heart of the novel is “a story which has been told so often it has become the truth and, in the telling, has ruined countless lives probably because nobody ever thought to ask who told the story in the first place or why they told it.” The “quest” for the truth compels Hokin’s fully formed and engaging characters, whose lives are transformed when long-concealed and forgotten answers are finally revealed.

The story opens in 1929. Lili Krauss arrives in Berlin from her native Leipzig. She lost both of her parents – her mother succumbed to Spanish flu in 1919 and her father, an elder at the Leipzig synagogue who endeavored to be the “very best German he could be” and raised his daughter to do the same, was tragically killed. Just eighteen years old, she is a young woman with sufficient means to purchase a flower shop and procure papers granting her a new identity and name, Lili Falck. Intent on building “a life no one can touch,” she quickly realizes how naïve she was to believe that she could escape danger.

She soon meets Marius Rodenberg who, at twenty-three years of age, already manages his family’s hotel, the storied Edel. At first, Lili’s only interest in him is strictly professional – she has a lucrative opportunity to supply flowers to the hotel and its guests. But their relationship deepens, and she cannot bring herself to tell Marius who she really is and gives him no reason to suspect that she is Jewish. They marry, have a beautiful daughter, and Lili settles into a life of comfort and safety.

But as the political climate in Germany grows increasingly treacherous, Lili lives in terror as the Edel hosts Hitler; Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi propaganda chief; Heinrich Himmler and Herman Goring, architects of the Holocaust; and other party leaders. Marius is a proud German intent on protecting and preserving both his family and they successful business they have created, but Lili is horrified when he salutes the officers, oblivious to the threat they pose to his wife and child, along with many of his employees. “Marius had saluted the officers back without thinking – that was the problem. His arm had shot up and her jaw had dropped. . . . The encounter had left him as untouched as it had terrified her. Because he didn’t see the threat – why would he? He’s never lived in a world where you can lose your footing overnight.” Gradually, life in Germany becomes exponentially more dire for Jews as the Nuremberg laws are enacted and complete Aryanization is mercilessly implemented.

A second narrative begins in 1990, four months after the Berlin Wall falls. Lucy has traveled to Belin for the first time, assigned by her employer to oversee restoration of the Edel hotel and bring it back to life. As she walks through the door, she feels the structure’s magic. “This place has lived through so much history, the past is soaked through its walls. There’s a story here waiting to be uncovered,” she observes. When she meets the lead architect on the project, Adam Wendl, she is surprised to learn he is the grandson of Marius Rodenberg. Adam was raised by his mother, Gabi, in East Berlin, who told him little about his family, including his grandfather who went missing in the 1943 battle for Stalingrad and has for many years been presumed dead. Lili, Adam’s grandmother, gained a reputation during World War II as not just a devoted Nazi, but a close friend of the Fuhrer and his closest advisors because of their frequent patronage of the Edel. When the war ended, she was reviled and classified as a Belastete – a person who profited from their connections to the Nazis. Adam’s relationship with Gabi is fractured for reasons that Hokin discloses as the story proceeds, and he dreads telling his mother that he is the architect in charge of revitalizing the Edel. Gabi grew up believing in the communist philosophies of the German Democratic Republic and has lived an austere life adhering to its principles. Lucy close relationship with her parents was shattered and caused them to become estranged. She is haunted by that development, as well as other circumstances that brought her heartbreak as a young woman that have thus far prevented her from entering a healthy and satisfying romantic relationship.

Alternating the two narratives, Hokin takes readers on Lili’s journey, showing the truth about it that has been lost to history. Spurred by outrage over the growing atrocities and guilt-ridden about successfully concealing her identity and living a comfortable life inside the Edel – while so many others are losing everything, including their lives – Lili becomes determined to provide share her haven, even if only for one night. Lili could “no longer live with being powerless. She could no longer pretend that the world outside the Edel couldn’t impinge on their lives as long as she kept the world inside it safe.” So she joins a secret network transporting Jews to safety. After all, what better place could there be than a than a hotel to hide someone for a night or two before they continue on their way? With Marius away, she begins journaling as a way of “unloading the secrets she can’t voice,” and communicating with the husband she misses desperately. She plans to ask him to read her diary when he returns home after the war so that he will understand why she had to act when Jews were “being erased, and the city papered over the gaps as if we were never here.” She writes that her father “would be proud of me for making this stand,” even as the Resistance demands that she engage in increasingly risky efforts.

Hokin has crafted a uniquely inventive and gripping tale. In one narrative, she reveals to readers exactly what is happening in Lili’s life. She is a sympathetic, fully developed character and Hokin compassionately illustrates how she reacts to a world gone mad. Initially fueled by a youthful desire to protect herself, time passes, and she matures, falls in love, and becomes a mother. She fully comprehends the duality of her life. She is both sheltered and fed, and in grave peril should her past and true identity become known. She loves her husband and daughter fiercely, as is loyal to and protective of the hotel’s employees. As the Nazis carry out unthinkable atrocities, Lili is repulsed by having to host the architects of those vile acts, and her revulsion, guilt about hiding in plain sight, and moral convictions compel her to join the Resistance. “I’ve been a coward, living my safe life while so many others have had that right stripped away. It’s not enough. I owe my father more than my silence,” Lili says. But Lili is not experienced in espionage. Is she courageous and convincing enough to carry out the dangerous mission into which the Resistance presses her?

Hokin’s more modern characters are equally fascinating. In 1990, as Lucy and Adam grow closer, sharing details about their respective pasts, Ludy discovers Lili’s journal among many abandoned items in the hotel basement. Lucy becomes entranced and, as she reads the entries, it becomes clear that Lili’s legacy has been misrepresented. Intent on piecing together, to the extent possible, what really happened to Lili, Adam joins her in the search for evidence. He also helps her take steps to reconcile her past, while hoping that learning more about his grandparents will facilitate healing in his relationship with Gabi. Adam and Lucy both carry guilt about choices they made as young adults have reverberated in their own and others’ lives. For Adam, his inability to accept the limitations of a life in East Berlin had far-reaching consequences not just for him, but also for Gabi, “a dowdy and functional-looking woman,” is bitter and ailing. She grew up feeling abandoned by her parents and ashamed of being the daughter of a woman condemned for aligning herself with and profiting from Nazis. “Everything Gabi’s done in her life was to redress the shame of having a Nazi for a mother,” Adam notes, even though that characterization of Lili has always been at odds with the loving mother who resides in Gabi’s early childhood memories.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is well-researched, set against the backdrop of actual events and depicting historical figures, although, as noted, the Edel is a fictional counterpart to the real hotels of the era. Hokin’s riveting story is moving, poignant, and thought-provoking. She explores the various ways in which childhood beliefs impact decision-making and how choices fueled by self-interest have the capacity to profoundly affect those we love. She also examines how the discovery of new evidence disavowing matters previously believed to be true can be life-altering in myriad ways.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is another beautifully constructed, richly emotional, and memorable work of historical fiction from the exceptionally talented Hokin. She again challenges readers to consider how they would react if placed in challenging circumstances such as her characters face. In the case of Marius and Lili, their contrasting responses merit consideration. And as in The German Child, Hokin invites readers to explore the extent to which one’s identity is derived from family and how much of one’s self-concept is independently formed by acquired beliefs and values. It is definitely one of the best volumes released in 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.

[Kayla Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Hokin tells the story of the von Rodenberg family as their story spans out over two timelines. The first timeline that’s set in the 1930’s and 1940’s tells the story of Lily von Rodenberg and Marius Rodenberg, the owners of the glamorous Edel Hotel in Berlin. Lily and Marius are apart of the elite high society in Berlin, and the hotel is known as a Nazi hotspot for the Third Reichs highest officials, including Hitler himself. But Lily is keeping a very dark secret of her own, and if anyone finds out, it could mean instant death for her. The second timeline starts just four months after the fall of the Berlin Wall, and we meet Lucy and Adam. Lucy is a hotel manager for a famous hotel group and Adam is one of Berlin’s most well-known architects. Adam and Lucy meet as Lucy’s company acquires the once prestige Hotel Edel and Adam’s company takes on the restoration and renovation, hoping to restore it to the elegance that made is so popular since it was built in the 1920’s.

As Lucy finds out more about the hotel when she stumbles across old photos, boxes, and Lily’s diary, she starts to piece together what tragic fate Lily met. Adam has a secret of his own about the Hotel Edel, and as he and Lucy get closer, the truth comes out and before Adam and Lucy know it, what happened to Lily and Marius von Rodenberg over 50 years prior brings them closer than ever and helps them overcome their own personal struggles.

Catherine impeccably intertwines both timelines providing riveting character development on all four major characters that will keep you turning each page as she ties all the strings together to form one amazing storyline. If you love WWII historical fiction, and love stories based upon bravery, tenacity, resistance, forgiveness, trials and tribulations, and suspense, than this is the perfect book for you.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another stunning novel by Catherine Hokin and she tackles several emotional subjects. Set mainly in Berlin, the book begins in the early 1930s with the rise of Hitler and the demonization of Jews. This is Lilli's story as she hides her ethnic background while socializing with the highest-ranked Nazis at the ritzy Edel Hotel. It's also a story of the Berlin Wall, growing up in the DDR, and the residual trauma that must be overcome. In an unrelated to WW II thread, there is an emotional tale of teenage pregnancy and the dreams it shattered. The Edel Hotel is what brings all of these storylines together, along with a high-octane plot of hiding Jews and plotting to kill Hitler. The writing is so smooth, weaving each of these threads through empathetic characters that coalesce in one gorgeous hotel.

This book clearly shows how fascism takes over a country, slowly & insidiously. A Jewish survivor said, "We had such full lives; we were such good Germans. We'd no idea how fast that could change. That we could be reduced to nothing." Let's hope we're paying attention.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin provides the reader with a fascinating insight into life in Berlin during World War Two. It’s told in a dual timeline format which effortlessly moves back and forth between Berlin in 1990 not long after the wall has come down and the early 1940’s as a prominent hotel in the city plays host to the powers that be that have inflicted untold violence, brutality and terror upon so many. It’s not often a story in this genre focuses on the aftermath and is set in the 1990’s so I found this aspect of the storyline to be informative and very interesting. Although, I will say the elements of the plot set in the past held my attention ever so slightly more. Not that there was anything wrong with reading with Lucy’s modern day storyline as it helped to bridge the gap between the past and the present and deliver much needed answers but the past always seems to draw me in and refuses to relinquish its grip.

March 1990 and Lucy has arrived in Berlin to scout locations for new hotels her boss Charlie hopes to buy as the city reopens itself to tourism following 50 years of a split between East and West. The scars of that time are still clearly visible and there are a lot of stories to be unearthed. Lucy visits the Edel Hotel, one of several on her list, and once she steps through the doors despite its state of disrepair there is something that speaks to her. There is history soaked into its walls and clearly an important story waiting to be told. Once it’s decided this will be the next hotel the company wants she sets about overseeing it’s transformation. Little does she realise upon beginning this journey that many remarkable and shocking things happened there during the war and now is the time to attempt to right many wrongs and injustices.

Lucy throughout the story was the conduit linking the past and the present. She too is suffering from her own emotional trauma and in taking on this job she begins to see some small similarities to her own story and it only serves to fuel her fire in uncovering the truth and hopefully clearing someone’s name. She meets architect Adam who turns out to be the grandson of Marius the owner of the hotel during the war. Adam did not know he had any ties to the hotel until the wall came down. His history has been kept from him. But why? Adam initially, remained aloof and distant regarding learning more about his family and there must have been a reason that he didn’t jump at the chance to discover more. As the renovations begin and Lucy finds out that the last recorded owner of the hotel, that being Lili Rodenberg, was murdered by the resistance because of her connections to Hitler and his inner circle she is desperate to learn more and to see how it connects to Adam’s family and of course whether this was true at all.

I loved the subtlety of the connection/friendship that developed between Lucy and Adam and with the discovery of a diary their story goes on a different trajectory. One which will see them both work together attempting to uncover the exact truth. For the Lili represented in newspaper articles is painted as a demon and someone who betrayed so many but he can not reconcile with that fact. Soon the hotel and its renovation became more than just a job for Lucy it took on a more personal level and as the layers of the past were slowly and deftly pulled back I became completely engrossed in the story and thoroughly enjoyed the chapters set in the past.

Lili arrives in Berlin from Liepzig in 1929. She is Jewish and attempting to shed her old skin and keep her heritage a secret. She lost her mother to Spanish Flu and her father to a braying mob outside the synagogue and this hurt and pain will be a driving force for everything she does for the remainder of the book. Lili was a brilliantly written character so full of drive and ambition and as the years pass by and she acquires her own flower shop and meets and marries Marius and becomes an expert at playing hostess and running the Eden Hotel the reader sees her grow and mature. Yet that need for revenge never dulls inside her and with the rise of Hitler and his National Socialist party and all the laws, brutality and degradation inflicted upon the Jewish population she knows she can play a vital role in eliminating such cruelty from the world. Usually, I would find it disconcerting for a timeline to be moved forward quite rapidly over the course of just a few chapters but here it worked perfectly. I understood its necessity in setting the scene in how Lili came to be in Berlin, what fueled her and how her marriage to Marius developed and led to the birth of her daughter.

The details of the Eden Hotel during the war were incredible. It seemed to be a place out of this world where every need and whim of the German elite were met with little fuss and Hitler and his cronies could meet knowing there business would never be passed on. The descriptions of the hotel were stunning and I could picture everything so clearly in my mind. What really struck me though is the way life continued on as normal in this area whilst probably just mere streets away so much pain and suffering was being inflicted on anyone who was Jewish. Lili herself was in a very dangerous position and even more so when Marius is forced to enlist in the fighting and she is left to manage the hotel herself. If anyone had discovered her true heritage everything would have been over in an instant.

Instead, I admired her resourcefulness in how she used her position to her advantage. She put on a brave face day after day serving those who would have her killed in an instant had they known who she really was. I don’t know how she did this but it just goes to show the strength of character and fortitude that she possessed. I loved how she became involved in Resistance work and that she was able to glean information whilst serving Hitler at his private lunches. It was almost like a kick to his face that someone who he would have despised so much was right under his nose and he had no idea. Fear had made her run from her faith and hide who she was but she never forgot her roots and was determined that those who wrecked her world would one day pay.

The plot itself moved along at a good pace and there were plenty of twists and turns especially as Lucy and Adam edged further to the truth in the present. I felt we learned things in the present that at the time didn’t make sense given what I was reading about in the past and I did wonder how would things be explained. But the author had everything so carefully planned and I really enjoyed the last quarter or so of the book as things began to become clearer and in particular one aspect started to make itself known and I was thinking how was this possible? Would it seem laughable for it to come true but Catherine Hokin made it work very well. Lili is an inspirational character, whose story will stay with readers for a long time once they have read the final word. The ending was deeply satisfying and I felt like I had been taken on a rollercoaster of a journey packed full of emotions, devastation, heartbreak, resistance, hope and love. The Secret Hotel in Berlin is a book I would definitely recommend as you’ll be caught up in the bravery and sacrifice of some inspiring and impressive characters.

[Tripfiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dual timeline mystery set in BERLIN



I recently went back to Berlin and of course I like to curate my reading around setting. So I picked up The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin (and also added Kairos by Jenny Erpenbeck (TR: Michael Hofmann) which won the International Booker Prize 2024) and both novels proved to be set in different times in the history of the city during the 20th Century, which gave an expansive feel to my reading selection.

The Secret Hotel in Berlin was a very good read and it certainly felt well researched. My family originated in the city and we still have strong links to this day. It is very refreshing to see an intelligently presented and factually accurate backdrop to the unfolding events within the novel.

The first story is that of Lili, who is Jewish and she is living in Leipzig during the earlier part of the 20th Century. Her father is trampled and killed by mob, looking for trouble on the steps of her local synagogue. The reverberations of anti-Jewish sentiment are already being felt and with the death of her father, she inherits some money and decides to open a florist shop in Mitte in Berlin. She is soon wooed by Marius who happens to own the very grand Edel Hotel. The author at the end describes her interest in the fate of the grand old hotels in Berlin, which formed such an important part of the city pre-War. The Adlon, for example, which also inspired the novel, is still very much a feature of modern-day Berlin, although it has been rebuilt since WW2 – in fact it burned down just a few days after the end of the war and the last wing of the old building was demolished in 1961. The modern reconstruction still has the feel of historical grandeur, even in its modern manifestation.

In the run up to WW2, Lili keeps her provenance a secret, even once she is married but the pressure starts to mount as the Nazi party chooses to favour the hotel for its conviviality and discretion.

In 1990s Berlin, Lucy is tasked with finding a property for Compton Hotels, at a time when great properties were available for the taking – the Wall fell on 9 November 1989 and speculators were starting to look at availability in the Eastern Sector of the city.

“Lucy had stepped off the plane at Tegel Airport with her knowledge of Berlin wrapped round two fixed points: the Nazis and the Wall. It took her less than a day to realise that nothing about the city was that easily anchored. That history in Berlin was instead a shifting, rewritten, continuing process, with as many gaps as certainties in its telling”. In many respects that is still true today.

She alights on the Edel Hotel, the legalities are formalised and soon she is supervising its refurbishment. The architect, Adam, has his own reasons for working on the property and adds another level of interest to the story, forming a cohesive vehicle to bring historical context the narrative.

This is a truly well-woven and engaging story that is a must-read if you want to understand more about the city and its people. I loved reading this in situ because I could imagine the characters on the Karl Marx Allee, where Adam’s mother lived, who then moved to Marzahn (and if you want to get a deeper feel for that part of the city, I recommend Marzahn, Mon Amour by Katja Oskamp, TR: Jo Heinrich). The author really manages to dovetail the stories with skill and creativity.

(If I was being pernickety, I would amend the various “There’s…” when referring to plurals, ‘there are..’ would be correct; it is common parlance nowadays to write the former but it might have felt more era-correct in grammatical terms to use the latter).

Highly recommended and an exceptionally good novel to read in situ!

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel In Berlin by Catherine Hokin is a powerful dual timeline historical novel that I read in just two sittings.
The action is set in Berlin, mostly surrounding a hotel, during World War II and in 1990. The hotel was a favourite of Hitler and the leading Nazis in the war years, then fell into Soviet hands as it was in East Berlin. After the wall came down in 1989, it was privately purchased. Now it has the opportunity to be renovated and brought back to life.
Walls came down in hearts too in 1990. Families torn apart by the Soviet controlled East Berlin, had erected walls to protect hearts but it had the opposite effect and actually hurt hearts. Now these hardened hearts need to be softened, renovated and brought back to life. Now is the time to build bridges instead of walls.
Sacrificial love was a major theme. There was love that let go, in order that others might thrive. The love remained when all else was gone. The memories remained. And a hope for restoration one day remained.
We witness the bravery during the war years as a young Jewish girl fled her home town due to Nazi persecution, re-invented herself and hid in plain sight, right under the noses of the leading Nazis. Dismissed as ‘just a girl’, she was able to learn of secrets to help disrupt the Nazis plans. She also had a social conscience and wanted to help Jewish people trying to flee the Nazis.
Even towards the end of the war, the Nazis were re-writing history as they tried to bury the truth. With the destruction of the Berlin wall, comes the hope that the truth will finally be found and a character vindicated, and a life celebrated instead of smeared.
Hurting people, hurt people. A daughter kicks back against her mother. A son also kicks back against his mother. Neither realise the sacrifices their mothers made in order to keep their offspring safe. “It’s never possible to fully understand a past you haven’t lived through.”
We see that there is no glory in war. “War started with hope and ended with horror, regardless of whether victory was won or lost.” There are no winners, only death and destruction, and ruined lives. “War was pain and fear and dying men screaming for their mothers.”
All the characters were wonderfully drawn. They were easy to empathise with, and their bravery was inspirational.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Secret Hotel In Berlin. I always love Catherine Hokin’s books.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my stop on the book tour for the Secret Hotel in Berlin.
Book Description:
Berlin, 1944. ‘It is a great honour to have you here, Herr Hitler.’ Lili doesn’t stumble over the lie, her hand steady as she pours champagne. Everything must be perfect, no one can suspect a thing…


Lili Rodenberg and her husband Marius run the Edel, Berlin’s most glamorous hotel. For its wealthy guests, it is an escape from the destruction outside, with its elegant piano bar and fine amber brandy. But Lili is Jewish, a secret she is terrified will end in tragedy for her and their beloved little girl.


Lili’s only choice is to hide in plain sight, her heart racing each time uniformed officers step through the Edel’s grand entrance. As Berlin becomes a more frightening place, Lili pleads with her husband to help shelter those in danger but Marius is adamant: he will not risk the lives of his wife and daughter. Until the day he is called to the front – and goes missing in action.


Left in sole charge of the Edel, a heartbroken Lily fixes her smile as she serves men who would have her killed in an instant if they knew the truth. She decides she must fight back, hiding Jews in the hotel’s wine cellar before moving them to safety. Though she is seized with terror, it gives her the strength to carry on.


But her courage catches the attention of the Resistance. What they ask of her is impossible.


Lili has protected her daughter by living a life full of secrets. Can she risk it all now and put her child in danger for the sake of her country?


An absolutely unforgettable and heartbreaking story of bravery, love and sacrifice that will keep you turning the pages and reaching for the tissues. Fans of The Nightingale and The Book of Lost Names will be swept away by this stunning novel.

My thoughts:
This was a dual-timeline story of Lili during WWII and Lucy during the 1990s after the fall of the Berlin Wall as she gets ready for renovations and reopening of the Hotel Edel. I enjoyed the story and I learned more about what it was like to live behind the Berlin Wall, after WWII. It was an inspiring story of love and bravery during treacherous times as well as the effect it had on the families. I look forward to reading more by this writer.


Thanks to @bookouture, @netgalley, and the author of this ARC

[Barb · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel in Berlin by Catherine Hokin was one of those books that you just cannot put down. I was hooked by the subject matter because I always find something about the Second World War that intrigues me.

This book flips from the 1930’s to the 1990’s. In the 90’s, the hotel was sold and the owner wanted to bring it back to its previous elegance. However, there is a history that needs to be understood about this hotel and its glamor during the war. To understand the story of Berlin’s most glamorous hotel, you must understand the family members’ lives also.

In the early 30’s Marius and Lili Rodenberg ran this hotel. Lili was reinvented from a Jewish girl to a good German girl. She kept this secret for years and did not tell her husband until the Nazis forced her confession to him as they increased their power and anti-Semitism. Marius and Lili had to be VERY careful not to draw attention to themselves or their hotel. However, Hitler and his cronies made it their favorite place and Lili played the role of her life in turning herself into the darling of the Reich.

Marius was guilted into joining the Wehrmacht and left Lili to run the hotel. Eventually, she was drawn into helping the resistance. This was when the dangers increased for Lili and their daughter Gabi. Gabi was caught behind the Iron Curtain and thought her parents abandoned her. Of course, there was no way to know what had happened.

I found this story to be mesmerizing. I felt that if I missed a page, I missed a great deal. I thought this novel was very well written and sensed that a great deal of research went ahead of its writing. Ms. Hokin is to be commended for a wonderful read. I wholeheartedly recommend this novel.

[J_McA 251 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am huge fan of Catherine Hokin. Her books are always well-researched, intriguing, thought-provoking, and heartfelt. The Secret Hotel in Berlin is no exception.
The dual timeline nature of the story gives readers a bonus – it’s almost like two historical novels woven into one. The intricacies required to give both timelines their own due are handled beautifully, and each is equally engaging. The transitions between time periods are never clunky.
Ms. Hokin also creates realistic characters who are relatable, even as they are in positions that are completely unrelatable to a reader. The characteristics and personalities jump off the page.
It may seem like a small thing, but I found Lili’s original profession to be quite telling. As a florist she knew how to make things beautiful, creating bouquets that had the perfect flowers for the right occasion.
I choose to believe that she used that knowledge and adapted it as her situation changed. I think she still believed in finding beauty (good) in chaos and creating/supporting methods that helped others survive.
Even though the whole book was fascinating, the last third felt accelerated if only because the reader gets answers to questions that built throughout the rest of the book.
Yes, reading about WWII Germany and 1990s East Berlin is difficult, knowing the pain and suffering experienced by millions of people. But Ms. Hokin reminds us that amid tumultuous times, strength and resilience are imperative.
The Secret Hotel in Berlin is a must-read book.

[Shivar Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Secret Hotel in Berlin is a captivating historical fiction novel set against the backdrop of World War ll. It is a timely tale of love, forgiveness, and redemption. The story is centered around the opulent Hotel Edel in Berlin.

Lilli Krauss moves to Berlin following the death of her father. With her inheritance money she purchases a floral shop at the early age of seventeen. While in Berlin, Lili becomes acquainted with Marius Rodenberg and they marry, but Lili is hiding a secret- she is Jewish. Marius and Lili run the Hotel Edel together and it becomes the desired location for Hitler’s regime.

As Lili witnesses the death and destruction in the city, she hears rumors of the SS rounding up Jews and taking them away to camps. She finally reveals her secret to her husband as is determined to do something to help protect the Jewish refugees.

As the story unravels, you learn how Lili’s bravery puts her life at risk and the lives of her child and husband. It is a heroic tale of bravery, determination, and selfless love against all odds. It is an extraordinary story that you will not be able to put down!

Catherine Hokin has crafted a historically accurate World War ll story that is heart-wrenching a times. Lili’s story carries through to the 1990’s when her journal is discovered by the hotel’s new manager during the restoration of the Hotel Edel. It is a beautifully inspired novel that is a must read for lovers of historical fiction.

[Sue Garland · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE SECRET HOTEL IN BERLIN by CATHERINE HOKIN is a well told story of tenacity and courage, with a beautiful love story, which takes place in Berlin from the years running up to the Second World War right up to 1991, giving us insight into the horrors of Hiller’s regime, the fear he and his henchmen instilled into the citizens of Germany, especially the Jews and anyone who dared to help them. We also sees the horrors of the war with Russia and the hardships caused by the erection of the Berlin Wall……
There are unforgettable characters, perhaps the most stunning of which is the Edel Hotel……..
The relationships between the characters are well portrayed, with love, fear, and guilt playing a part. The way in which Lili acts the admiring hostess whilst hiding her real feelings is admirable. In fact, Lili’s life shows unconditional love and self discipline from start to finish.
There are secrets, many of which are uncovered when Lucy Stretton finds Lili’s diary and shares it with Adam Rodenberg, with whom she is bringing the abandoned Edel Hotel back to life for her boss Charlie Compton…….
There is so much to say about this inspiring novel, but I will not say any more……
I cannot recommend the book highly enough.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Bookouture. The opinions in this review are completely my own.

[Melissa * bookedwithmel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the dual timeline of this one, especially that the second was present day, but still historical.

Lili’s timeline fascinated me. As a Jewish woman in Germany, she redevelops herself early in Hitler’s regime so no one knows she’s Jewish. Falling in love with hotelier Marius Rodenberg brings her right in Hitler’s path. He frequents their hotel, the Edel, with his entourage. Right under his nose, Lili is determined to help the Resistance.

Lucy’s timeline shows Berlin right after the fall of the Berlin Wall. She’s at the Edel to revamp it and reopen it. She encounters Marius and Lili’s grandson and together they are determined to find the truth about his grandparents and what happened to them. I love reading about what loved ones had to go through to find out what happened to their family members. I couldn’t imagine going through the process but it intrigues me. Without technology they had it so much harder than we would today.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for my ARC of this book.

[DianeLikesToRead · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I completely lost track of time as I was pulled into this story, flipping through the pages at such a rapid speed, that I couldn’t stop reading. Get ready to be transported to Berlin during WWII and then jump ahead to the fall of the Berlin Wall.
Many secrets lie in the Edel Hotel. Lili lives there with her husband, Marius. Lili is Jewish, but she has hidden her identity. While her husband is on the Eastern Front, Lili, helps Jews escape out of Germany. Lucy is in Germany and meets Lili and Marius’s grandson, Adam. Lucy and Adam work together to discover the truth about Lili and the Edel.
I am happy to be part of Bookouture’s Books on Tour. Many thanks to the author, Bookouture and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
#TheSecretHotelInBerlin #CatherineHokin #NetGalley #Bookouture #BooksOnTour #BookLove #Bookstagram #NewBook #ILoveBooks #BooksSetInBerlin #BooksSetDuringWWII

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, my heart!
The more I read of this book the more I knew I had to continue it. The characters are so realistic in this dual timeline book. Taking place during the turbulence of WWII and more modern times we see an emergence of some characters during both timelines. I loved the grand elegance of the Edel Hotel in Berlin. I love books with hotels and this one was exciting: this hotel kept made me want to cry buckets and it's new and improved resurgence was unexpected but welcome with visions of days gone by full of glamour linger in the corners of my mind. It was uplifting to see such strong female leads The story has such a heartwarming ending, it'll uplift your spirits. This is one you'll not want to miss.

I was given a complimentary copy of this book.
All opinions expressed are my own.

[Kate Cedras · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4 stars

I really enjoyed The Secret Hotel in Berlin. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the etc copy provided.

This historical fiction story follows a dual timeline between ww2 and the 90s after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

I felt like the writing was absolutely engaging and descriptive and made me feel truly part of the story. I also enjoyed the strong female main characters as well as her story during a time when it was truly a scary time during ww2- and the risks lots of people took to keep Jewish people safe at the risk of their own lives.

I would’ve finished this book sooner had I started it not so close to a busy holiday with family- and was so excited each time I picked it back up to find out more and follow more of the story.

This was absolutely an awesome read and will definitely be a recommendation for any fellow book lovers who enjoy historical fiction.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read about courage, fear, hope and love set in Berlin. The story has dual time lines and moves from past to present day effortlessly. The writing is beautifully descriptive, and the story flows well with the author portraying her characters so vividly they jumped out of the pages and became alive in my mind when reading. I thoroughly enjoyed the two story threads that fit the plot perfectly and in my opinion makes this such a good book to read. The ending is exactly what I hoped for and gives The Secret Hotel in Berlin great closure. If you're a fan of WW2 historical fiction give this a go. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

4 stars

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, this isn't one of my favourite Catherine Hokin novels. The dual timeline is set during WW2 and the 1990’s. The WW2 timeline was interesting a story filled with courage, bravery, resistance and love. The1990 part, I felt Lucy's side story wasn’t needed and her relationship with Adam was missing the chemistry. Lily's story was inspirational and gripping. The love for her husband and daughter was beautiful. The ending was heartfelt. 3 ½ stars

I would like to thank Bookouture, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this complimentary copy for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
#TheSecretHotelinBerlin #NetGalley

[Janilyn Kocher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lili walks a treacherous fine line as someone who reinvented herself after she moved to Berlin and then as an affable person and “friend” to the despicable scum of the earth that controlled the city in the 1930s and 40s.
I liked how Hokin connected the two stories between Lili and Lucy between the first part of the 20th century and then in the last decade of the century.
I wasn’t too keen on Marius but toward the end he grew on me. I felt the sorriest for Gabe because she had been robbed of so much and no wonder she was the way she was.
Once again the author immerses readers into one of the most truly frightening times in history.
Thanks to Bookouture and NetGalley for the early copy.

[AlexisVI · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderfull read, Lili and Lucy are very well thought out points of view. And even though they are made up characters they feel real. I loved the oldschool glamour that The Edel represented.
I always tend to like novels that play out in a hotel because hotels are always fascinating. Unfortunately The Edel is not an existing place because I would love to visit it.
I knew close to nothing about the DDR but this did made me go for a deep dive again. Thats exactly what made me love this book. A fictional story with enough real life woven through to make it believable

[Beverly Hales Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hotel in Berlin is the setting of a story of love, loss and redemption. Lucy seeks to restore a hotel in the former East Berlin after the fall of the Berlin Wall. In the process of research, she uncovers journals of the previous owner, a woman by the name of Lily. Who is Lily? - a friend of Hitler or a smuggler of Jews out of Germany under Hitler’s nose?
This story really does a great job demonstrating the chaos of war and post war. It gives examples of how stories are spun in all types of directions to suit the desires of the ruling party- even in loss. So very good!!!!