If you loved I Was Anastasia by Ariel Lawhon you won’t want to miss this novel about her sister, Grand Duchess Maria. What really happened to this lost Romanov daughter? A new novel perfect for anyone curious about Anastasia, Maria, and the other lost Romanov daughters, by the author of The Secret Wife.
1918: Pretty, vivacious Grand Duchess Maria Romanov, the nineteen-year-old daughter of the … Romanov, the nineteen-year-old daughter of the fallen Tsar Nicholas II, lives with her family in suffocating isolation, a far cry from their once-glittering royal household. Her days are a combination of endless boredom and paralyzing fear; her only respite are clandestine flirtations with a few of the guards imprisoning the family—never realizing her innocent actions could mean the difference between life and death
1973: When Val Doyle hears her father’s end-of-life confession, “I didn’t want to kill her,” she’s stunned. So, she begins a search for the truth—about his words and her past. The clues she discovers are baffling—a jewel-encrusted box that won’t open and a camera with its film intact. What she finds out pulls Val into one of the world’s greatest mysteries—what truly happened to the Grand Duchess Maria?
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A remarkable novel… I loved Maria’s courage in the face of revolution and war, and adored her fierce determination to protect her family. The history is fascinating, the love story passionate and the characters moving.
This is an amazing well-researched novel by an author who excels at historic fiction. In this novel, she brings us a story about the Romanov family in Russia who were slaughtered in 1918 by the Red Army who opposed the royal family. There has long been speculation that one of the four daughters survived. This book is a ‘what if’ story – what if Maria really survived the massacre.
I enjoyed both time lines in this novel and really liked the characters of Maria and Val – even though their time periods were very different, their love for their families was strong in both of them. I also enjoyed the Russian setting.
This wonderful novel takes us from Russia to Australia to China with well researched background on how people lived in each part of the world. If you enjoy historical fiction, you don’t want to miss this fantastic novel. Now it’s time for me to read some of the earlier novels by this author.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
I have been dying to read this book ever since first learning about it. The synopsis was very unique and intriguing. Paul did a terrific job of weaving these storylines together.
I haven’t had much of a chance to read many stories about Maria Romanov, so I already liked that I was going to get a better glimpse into her life and person. The scenes described from that fateful night in July absolutely chilled me.
Val’s story was very strong as well and really had me on edge as she had to tiptoe through her life. She was such a great character and so easy to cheer for as the book went along.
There were so many points within both storylines where anxiety over their plight took hold of me, That is truly a sign of brilliant writing to create such an emotion within the reader.
The research that went into this book and the clarity of the details was brilliantly done. Paul did a tremendous job with this story and left me completely satisfied by the end. I cannot wait for others to read this book. I know it will absolutely stick with me for quite a while.
I was able to read this book early. Again, Gill Paul has done it all. She has woven a heart-wrenching love story with a gripping historical and modern mystery of the last czar’s family.
The story line and wonderful characters create an opportunity to see a part of history that would normally be entirely unknown to me. Being a fly on the wall as the characters live through some of the most horrendous circumstances and make it through as people of character and joy was inspirational.
I loved this book. Original take on an old story. Really enjoyed this book.
A great mix of historical research and fiction. My favorite genre. I have read a number of historical fiction books on Tsar Nicholas and his family during the last days of
their lives. I found this one to be so different from the others because he portrayed Maria Romanov, the Grand Duchess as the main character and a survivor of her family’s fatal night. The author portrays her as a lively and vivacious and as she matures Maria becomes a strong and independent woman. She is blessed with a loving and caring husband, Peter and has a large family. Her life is not easy and she clings to the belief that her sister Tatiana is also still alive. To add more intrigue, the author adds another character, Val who is from Australia and is trying to piece together her father’s life especially before and why he left Russia. She knows very little as they were not close and she makes it her mission when Russian artifacts are found in her father’s estate after his death. I am looking forward to reading other books from this author.
Liked the book very much. I try to read all I can about the Romanov family. This was a very original idea for a book. A lot of history as well as a good story.
I loved the mix of history and fiction
Pretty much predictable but interesting and entertaining.
Great way to learn the history of Russia! Dawn
A riveting story of Maria, one of Czar Nicholas’ daughters and how she escaped the slaughter of her family, yet seeks to find out more about what happened to them in their final days. How a princess finds happiness and fulfillment living as a peasant in very uncertain times.
What a spin on historical figures! Loved this book and thank you Gill Paul for making us think “what if?”
Interesting take on the legends surrounding the last Romanovs.
Great historical fiction that keeps the reader enthralled.
I love the what if scenarios that look at what might have happened if any of the Romanov children survived the assassination/murders. This one had a great twist to it.
Excellent historical book, fiction but based on real characters. Swept me in from the first page and I couldn’t put it down !
I have always been fascinated by the Romanov family and love reading stories of how the daughters’ lives may have been had they escaped the firing squad that fateful day. The Lost Daughter is the imagined life of Maria after she is rescued by one of the guards. I love reading a Gill Paul book because her research shines through in the details. I also love the extensive author notes she always writes!
I really enjoyed The Secret Wife, but The Forgotten Daughter was equally — if not even more engrossing. The story begins with the murder of the Romanov family in 1918 and spans decades after with the premise that Maria, one of the daughters, survives. Her imagined story is nothing short of fantastical, contrasting from a life of riches and luxury to a life of modest survival, with excellent atmospheric tones and historical details as the backdrop.
Another great story of the mysterious deaths of the Romanov family with so many twists and turns you don’t want to put the book down.