Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs.
Defying the Queen’s dire warnings, Ella weds the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Serge. Cultivated, aloof, and proud, Serge places his young wife on a pedestal for all to admire. Behind palace gates, Ella struggles to secure private happiness.
Alix, whisked away to Russia for Ella’s wedding, meets and captivates Nicky—heir apparent to the Russian throne. While loving him deeply, Alix hears a call of conscience, urging her to walk away.
Their fateful decisions to marry will lead to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.
Firstly thank you to Random Things Book Tours, William Morrow Paperbacks and Clare McHugh for having me on this tour and sending me a copy of the book.
I've really enjoyed diving into this book, my knowledge of the Romanovs is sparse. I knew that Tsar Nicky's wife was a granddaughter of Queen Victoria but I didn't realise one of her sisters had also married into the family, so from the off this book held my attention. It's clear from reading it that the author has definitely done their research because they have brought to life the time period, especially the extravagance and opulence of the Russian court, it felt like you could step off the page and back in time. I enjoyed getting to know the princesses, especially as I really knew little about them. I know that Queen Victoria had family among all the major European royal families, that she's connected to them through her children and grandchildren but past knowing her children's names and Tsarina Alexandra the rest are a mystery to me, or were until I read this. It's really made me want to do more reading about the family, it's hooked the history nerd in me. Clare McHugh's writing style is fantastic, she draws you into the world she puts on the page and makes you feel like you are there watching this unfold, I especially loved the Afterword she included I liked knowing what happened to Ella and Victoria, as we already know what happened to poor Alexandra.
I definitely plan to pick up Clare's other book, her level of research already tells me that that one will be brilliant too.
Krystina xx
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