Overview

Powerful and haunting . . . an intimate and unforgettable tale that transports the reader to the heart of Imperial Russia.” —Chanel Cleeton, New York Timesbestselling author of The Most Beautiful Girl in Cuba

This sweeping novel takes readers behind palace walls to see the end of Imperial Russia through the eyes of Olga Nikolaevna Romanov, the first daughter of the last tsar

Grand Duchess Olga Romanov comes of age amid a shifting tide for the great dynasties of Europe. But even as unrest simmers in the capital, Olga is content to live within the confines of the sheltered life her parents have built for her and her three sisters: hiding from the world on account of their mother’s ill health, their brother Alexei’s secret affliction, and rising controversy over Father Grigori Rasputin, the priest on whom the tsarina has come to rely. Olga’s only escape from the seclusion of Alexander Palace comes from the grand tea parties her aunt hosts amid the shadow court of Saint Petersburg—a world of opulent ballrooms, scandalous flirtation, and whispered conversation.

But as war approaches, the palaces of Russia are transformed. Olga and her sisters trade their gowns for nursing habits, assisting in surgeries and tending to the wounded bodies and minds of Russia’s military officers. As troubling rumors about her parents trickle in from the front, Olga dares to hope that a budding romance might survive whatever the future may hold. But when tensions run high and supplies run low, the controversy over Rasputin grows into fiery protest, and calls for revolution threaten to end three hundred years of Romanov rule.

At turns glittering and harrowing, The Last Grand Duchess is a story about dynasty, duty, and love, but above all, it’s the story of a family who would choose devotion to each other over everything—including their lives.

Looking for more historical fiction from Bryn Turnbull? Don’t miss The Woman Before Wallis. For fans of The Paris Wife and The Crown, this stunning novel tells the true story of the American divorcée who captured Prince Edward’s heart before he abdicated his throne for Wallis Simpson.

Review

This novel follows one of Nicholas’ daughters, Olga. She is a normal young lady with love interests and hidden secrets. She is very sheltered and the only time she is outside the palace without her family is when she is at her aunt’s lavish tea parties or when she is nursing the wounded soldiers.

After her father’s abdication, Olga realizes her life will never be the same. She also understands the terrible danger her father’s decisions has placed her and her family.

Give me a book about the Romanovs and I will almost be guaranteed to love it! And this book has a different take! It was more about the Romanovs as a family. This made their tragic death more appalling and heartbreaking.

This also shows the tragedy of Tsar Nicholas’ reign. How removed from the Russian people he really was. I knew a great deal of this. But Bryn Turnbull makes it so real. And I felt the loss of this royal family deep in my heart.

Need a fantastic book about the last royal family of Russia…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Purchase Here

Barnes and Noble

Amazon