Sunday, July 18, 2021

The Ice Swan

About the Book

Book: The Ice Swan

Author: J’Nell Ciesielski

Genre: Historical Romance

Release date: July 6, 2021

IS cover Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian court, a Russian 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.

Born the second son of a 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. While treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter and underground Russian clubs where drink, culture, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana is forced into a marriage of convenience with Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn can’t help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. As the Bolsheviks chase them to different corners of the earth, Wynn and Svetlana begin to see they will never be able to outrun the love they have for one another.

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About the Author

J'nell Ciesielski official 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?

MY REVIEW

I had such a hard time getting into this book at first. I don’t know if it was the Russian language throughout the story, the broken English or the fact that I didn’t like Svetlana. I thought she was snotty and I was getting tired of being reminded that she was a princess in her country of Russia. Then I spoke to a dear friend who was reading the book also. She gave me a different perspective of the princess. Maybe she was being snotty to people because she was in fear. Wow. That made a lot of sense. When we are afraid we put up defenses to protect ourselves. Well no wonder she was acting the way she was. After all she had to flee her country to survive. With nothing but the clothes she had along with a few jewels and her mother and her sister she had to lean on her instincts to keep herself and others alive.

I enjoyed getting to know Wynn the most. His ability as a surgeon is much needed as the war rages on. When he finds himself helping Svetlana and her family their journey begins as we witness destruction and danger. It was interesting to read about how difficult it was to hide out and not be recognized as Svetlana tries to keep her family safe from the enemy. Finding shelter was hard and at times they did without warmth and food. There is one part of the story that I really liked. Wynn performs a surgery that others question and it does take a toll on him as his surgery comes into question by the board.

Although there is a lot going on in the story I just could not connect with Svetlana. I did like how we see pride becoming a stumbling block for the two main characters. They each had to find a way to let go of hurt and accept that sometimes change is to help us not hurt us. It is a good story that shows how determined people are when faced with struggles and I did like how Wynn was there to protect Svetlana. This is not one of my favorite books by this author, but I do think there were some great moments in the story that shows how important trust and forgiveness is.

I received a copy of this book from Celebrate Lit. The review is my own opinion.