By Kelly Bridgewater
About the Book
Book: The Ice Swan
Author: J’Nell Ciesielski
Genre: Historical Romance
Release date: July 6, 2021
Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian monarchy, a
princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.
1917, Petrograd. Fleeing
the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes
to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling
under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they
have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are
forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the
jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape.
Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title
Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel
to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical
science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana
for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter.
Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and beautiful woman, Wynn follows Svetlana
to an underground Russian club where drink, dance, and questionable dealings
collide on bubbles of vodka.
Out of money and options, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of
convenience with the handsome and brilliant Wynn, who will protect her and pay
off her family’s debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn
cannot help but hope the marriage will turn into one of true affection. When
Wynn’s life takes an unexpected turn, so does Svetlana’s—and soon Paris becomes
as dangerous as Petrograd. And as the Bolsheviks chase them to Scotland and
beyond, Wynn and Svetlana begin to wonder if they will ever be able to outrun
the love they are beginning to feel for one another.
My
Thoughts:
The
Ice Swan by J'nell Ciesieski is a mixture of the Ice Swan
with a little bit of Russian history during World War I and after. The plot was
a different, but it captured my attention. There were moments that I flipped
through the story in the second half because nothing was happening, but a
little thoughts and pondering on their relationship and where they should go
from here. It featured the early stages of cardiology, so I found that
interesting. There was instances of the threat of influenza that killed many
people during World War I, so it was nice to see history played out before my
eyes. Other than that, I, personally, wanted to see more with the Bear bar. It
held more intrigue than the rest of the plot. Underhand deals. Gambling. Sex
trade. Not that Ciesieski showed any of these things. She did keep the story
in the safe category, but the reader can allow their imaginations to run wild
and catch what was hidden off stage. Overall, The Ice Princess was an okay
story, but it was not my favorite story about World War I. It was definitely
different since it featured the Russian side to World War I. If readers enjoyed
this story, they might want to pick up Romanov's
by Nadine Brandes.
I received a complimentary copy of The Ice Swan by J'nell Ciesieski from
Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
My
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Purchase The Ice Swan
About the Author
With a passion for heart-stopping adventure and sweeping love stories, J’nell Ciesielski weaves fresh takes into romances of times gone by. When not creating dashing heroes and daring heroines, she can be found dreaming of Scotland, indulging in chocolate of any kind, or watching old black and white movies. Winner of the Romance Through the Ages Award and the Maggie Award, she is a Florida native who now lives in Virginia with her husband, daughter, and lazy beagle. Learn more at www.jnellciesielski.com.
More from J’nell
When we think of the Great War we often only think about events happening right on the battlefield of France, Belgium, and Germany. It was a time of great upheaval for so many people and countries, none more so than Russia. It was during the Great War that the Bolsheviks rose up against the monarchy, assassinated the tsar and his family, and plunged Russia into civil war. The country was in such chaos that they pulled out of the war to deal with their own revolution. The Russian Revolution was the result of centuries of oppression and imperialism that finally boiled over. As the Bolsheviks seized power, nobles and anyone associated or favorable to the monarchy were stripped of their privileges and homes, many killed, and still thousands of others fled in fear of their lives where they became the great wave of White emigres.
The stories of the ill-fated Anastasia and the evil Rasputin are legendary, but it wasn’t until recently when I watched a Russian miniseries called Road to Calvary that I became fascinated with the nobles and their struggle and from all that an idea sparked that would become my upcoming release, The Ice Swan. It’s about a Russian princess fleeing the Revolution to Paris in 1917 where she meets a handsome surgeon who is breaking new grounds in cardiology. We see the plight of the White emigres who have taken refuge in Paris and founded their own little Russia in the heart of the city, the exhausted City of Light after four years of war, the overflowing hospitals, and highly controversial advancements in surgery. Plus, a romance to prove that true love can overcome any difference and who doesn’t need a little more love these days?
Blog Stops
Rebecca Tews, July 19
Where Faith and Books Meet, July 19
Books and Everyday Life, July 19
Texas Book-aholic, July 19
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, July 20
Reflections From My Bookshelves, July 20
All-of-a-kind Mom, July 20
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, July 21
She Lives To Read, July 21
The Write Escape, July 21
Lakesdielivingsite, July 22
Remembrancy, July 22
Inklings and notions, July 22
For Him and My Family, July 23
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, July 23
The Christian Fiction Girl, July 23
deb’s Book Review, July 24
Rachael’s Inkwell, July 24
Life, love, writing, July 24
Locks, Hooks and Books, July 25
Life of Literature, July 25
Inside the Wong Mind, July 25
Betti Mace, July 26
Bliss, Books & Jewels, July 26
Older & Smarter?, July 26
Ashley’s Clean Book Reviews, July 27
Connect in Fiction, July 27
Mary Hake, July 27
Connie’s History Classroom, July 28
Back porch reads, July 28
Mypreciousbitsandmusings, July 28
A Modern Day Fairy Tale, July 29
Blossoms and Blessings, July 29
Genesis 5020, July 29
Musings of a Sassy Bookish Mama, July 30
Splashes of Joy, July 30
Simple Harvest Reads, July 30 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Through the fire blogs, July 31
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, August 1
Labor Not in Vain, August 1
The Adventures of a Travelers Wife, August 1
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, J’nell is giving away the grand prize of a paperback copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/10fa9/the-ice-swan-celebration-tour-giveaway
