The Bronze Horseman

Written by Paullina Simons

Narrated by James Langton

The golden skies, the translucent twilight, the white nights, all hold the promise of youth, of love, of eternal renewal. The war has not yet touched this city of fallen grandeur, or the lives of two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha Metanova, who share a single room in a cramped apartment with their brother and parents. Their world is turned upside down when Hitler's armies attack Russia and begin their unstoppable blitz to Leningrad.

Yet there is light in the darkness. Tatiana meets Alexander, a brave young officer in the Red Army. Strong and self-confident, yet guarding a mysterious and troubled past, he is drawn to Tatiana—and she to him. Starvation, desperation, and fear soon grip their city during the terrible winter of the merciless German siege. Tatiana and Alexander's impossible love threatens to tear the Metanova family apart and expose the dangerous secret Alexander so carefully protects—a secret as devastating as the war itself—as the lovers are swept up in the brutal tides that will change the world and their lives forever.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperAudio
• Release date: Mar 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9780062468581

Paullina Simons

Paullina Simons is the author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman, as well as ten other beloved novels, a memoir, a cookbook, and two children’s books. Born in Leningrad, Russia, Paullina immigrated to the United States when she was ten, and now lives in New York with her husband and an alarming number of her once-independent children.

Reviews for The Bronze Horseman

[wendytrim · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Whatever you're currently reading...just put it down and start this book immediately. It's so good--and I'm happy to say is the first book in a trilogy about Tatiana and Alexander. Such a powerful story set against the German invasion of Russia--specifically Leningrad. Can't say enough good things about this book--getting the second book in the trilogy started tonight.

[tinkerbell4726 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tatiana is one of the most amazing characters EVER written. She is so strong, and selfless and the story Paullina Simons told inspired so many emotions. I have a ton of favorite books but this one is the one that I hold closest to my heart.

[emmabtate · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Epic sweeping historical romance, couldn't put it down!

[misfit_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The Bronze Horseman begins in 1941 as the Germans have just invaded Russia, but seventeen year old Tatiana Metanova still stops to enjoy the day with an ice-cream, and as a bus passes she sees a soldier staring at her from across the street. Alexander Belov is mesmerized from the first at the sight of Tatiana, but is in for a surprise when he follows her home and finds her sister is a woman he's met before - and that sister thinks Alexander is in love with her. Out of love for her older sister, Tatiana keeps silent and encourages Alexander to court Dasha. Much of the story continues as the Germans advance on Leningrad, finally resulting in a siege of the city as Tatiana and her family struggles to survive amidst the ever growing shortage of food and fuel, along with the oncoming Russian winter. When on leave Alexander continues to involve himself with the Metanova family, not able to stay away from Tatiana even though he must hide his feelings for her, although his "friend" Dimitri openly courts Tatiana. Since I am not into book reports and spoilers I'm not going to reveal much more of the plot, although Alexander does have a deep dark secret from his past that Dimitri holds over Alexander's head that threatens both his and Tatiana's eventual happiness, and finally culminates in a hair-raising attempt to escape from Soviet Russia. The good - the scenes in Leningrad were chilling, as people literally starved to death and dropped where they were (and left there) as bombs rained down around them daily. Alexander's devotion to Tatiana was very endearing, and I loved the scenes where he dealt with her injuries after the bombing. Sigh... The problematic - Tatiana's never ending suffering at the hands of her family as she sacrifices all during the siege without a word of complaint (you know any seventeen year old who would put up with that??). Just stepping aside and letting her self-centered sister have the man she loves? Tatiana getting a private hospital room in overcrowded Leningrad? Once the cast came off her leg she was pretty much healed and able to trudge up and down icy stairs and streets with no discomfort or slowness? But the worst for me was the idyllic setting around page 600 that went on and on and on and on - I got the picture already and I did not need 100+ pages of nothing but sex and sex and more sex. Where was the editor? So why am I still giving this one four stars even though I agree with the flaws pointed out by the critical reviewers? Since I flat out couldn't keep my nose out of the book and the carpet didn't get vacuumed and the floors didn't get mopped this weekend, I guess that's a good indication that despite the flaws I was pretty much sucked into the story and thoroughly enjoyed it and plan on reading the next in the trilogy Tatiana and Alexander. Just be warned that if you're not able to get past the nitpicks and the author's somewhat repetitive style, I suspect this is not the book for you.

[purpledog-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is an epic romance novel in a historical setting with a tragic ending. If you are looking for a feel good type romance this is not for you. If you want a love story that will make you cry and yet feel joy The Bronze Horseman is a must read. The love between the main characters, Alexander and Titiana, is love in its most pure form and the sacrifices one is willing to make for that love.

[mandolin_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good book and I enjoyed the time period and history. There were times I became frustrated with the pace and the main characters, which is what kept me from giving it 5 stars, but otherwise it is a solid read. Looking forward to starting the sequel.

[nikirayven · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Leningrad 1941: the white nights of summer illuminate a city of fallen grandeur whose beautiful palaces and stately avenues speak of a different age, when Leningrad was known as St Petersburg. Two sisters, Tatiana and Dasha, share the same bed, living in one room with their brother and parents. It is a hard, impoverished life, yet the Metanovs know many who are not as fortunate as they. The family routine is shattered on 22 June 1941 when Hitler invades Russia. For the Metanovs, for Leningrad and for Tatiana, life will never be the same again. On the fateful day, Tatiana meets a brash young officer named Alexander. Tatiana and her family suffer as Hitler’s army advances on Leningrad, and the Russian winter closes in. With bombs falling and the city under siege, Tatiana and Alexander are drawn to each other in an impossible love. It is a love that could tear Tatiana’s family apart, a love that carries a secret that could mean death for anyone who hears it. Confronted on the one hand by Hitler’s unstoppable war machine, and on the other by a Soviet system determined to crush the human spirit, Tatiana and Alexander are pitted against the very tide of history, at a turning point in the century that made the modern world. Mesmerizing from the very first page to the final, breathtaking end, The Bronze Horseman brings alive the story of two indomitable, heroic spirits and their great love that triumphs over the devastation of a country at war.I found this book on the shelf at the thrift shop (My usual place for rescuing books) and I have to say that I was intimidated by it. I don’t usually read books from war time. My usual is Victorian or time travel sci-fi- romance. The Bronze Horseman was a wonderful surprise.In the first two hundred pages of this book I was hooked. Family love, sisterly love, true love. I felt the words that I was reading deep in my heart. I cried and I laughed and I also felt their pain. The Bronze Horseman is a heart stopping and heart starting love story that I will never forget. The character of this book will remain with me for a long time to come. They things that they struggled through, they things that they sacrifice and Tatiana big loving heart throughout this book is one of the things I enjoyed most, and the love… oh the love story. Truly an unforgettable story written so wonderfully by Mrs. Simons. “Tatiana: I found my true love on Ulita Saltykov-Schedrin, while I sat on a bench eating ice cream. Alexander: You didn't find me. You weren't even looking for me. I found you. Long pause. Tatiana: Alexander, we're you .... Looking for me ?Alexander: All my life.”I cannot wait to read the conclusion to The Bronze Horseman, “Tatiana and Alexander”.

[hollysing · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The international bestseller, The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons reenacts the horrors of the German World War II attack on Russia and the fates of star-crossed lovers.Take a Russian family of five living in one cramped, narrow room. Add an officer in the Red Army with a secret who seems to play between two devoted sisters. Dose heavily with Hitler’s blistering push into Leningrad. Set it in a cold winter with food rationing, bombings, depravation and desperation. Sprinkle liberally with steamy scenes of forbidden desire. Add a favored son lost in the war. Setting for a page-turning epic novel? Yes. Alexander and Tatiana are bonded not only by love, but by fidelity to Russia evidenced by their esteem of Pushkin’s poem, “The Bronze Horseman.” Their love story is engrossing. The addition of a secret in Alexander’s life adds an enticing twist. They dance around the fulfillment of a passion they deny themselves because of Tatiana’s loyalty toward her sister, Dasha, who is in love with Alexander.Prolific author Simons, born and raised in St. Petersburg, displays a great love and knowledge of her setting. There is immediacy to her writing and she delivers a rip tide epic that will delight lovers of this ilk. The reader is vividly transported into war torn Russia within twenty pages and the momentum builds quickly. You will become emotionally connected to the characters and keep turning pages to learn more of their fates.No novel is without its faults. The dialogue here, although fast paced, is often repetitious. The siege seems to overshadow the development of the main characters a bit. Many descriptions of potatoes, onions and other foodstuffs could have been cut. The love story seems drawn out unnecessarily. All in all The Bronze Horseman is a heartrending, compelling novel for a reader willing to sift through all the detail. For this reader, it was worth it.Reviewed by Holly Weiss, author of Crestmont

[avidreaderlisa · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are so many levels to this book, it is quite hard to know where to begin in this review. I loved this book, but at times was frustrated, happy, sad, once I even thought Is it ever going to end.

Let me walk you through this book carefully-

The main character Tania, or Tatia, or well she had so many nicknames but they all fit her by whomever used them. I could relate to her, I could relate to her naivety, her innocence, her being scared of finding love for the very first time (even though it hasn't really happened for me.) The first day of war, she is sent out for groceries and finds a solider instead, but that small happiness quickly ends for her.

It seems that her older sister has fallen in love with Alexander first.

Can I understand this sisterly bond, oh so very well, even though my sister is closer to me in age. Would I give up on love just because my sister found the guy first, I did have that thought, and I really did think it through. My reaction or should I say my action would probably have been the same as Tania, she said it best when she said that there were many men out there but she only had one sister. Would I have lied about my feelings and hidden them inside the deepest part of my heart...oh heck yes. I can't say though as things got worse for everyone if that would have changed.

The dynamic of family in Russia, it was very hard for me to understand. Maybe this is why Alexander was so mad at everyone for taking advantage of Tania.

We travel through heartache, disaster, starvation, death, hope, and yes even love before the two main characters can finally let go of their lies and just be with each other. And oh were they with each other...reading through those 28 days of pure happiness seemed almost like they had stepped into a different world altogether. The war had stopped for them, and you start to wonder if there was still a war going.

You wonder about if their happiness is going to last. No wait you forgot, he is a soldier and yes there still is a war going on. Things may have gotten better (with having less people to feed and less people to worry about because they were all dead), but death was still an ever present force.

I am rambling...

I am not going to give away any details on the end, but this is just a first in a trilogy (Which will also include a prequel at the end of February) The history was rich, and the story was fabulous. Take it one page at a time though and don't give up.

[theinvernessie · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I give this two stars because there were only a few pages I liked. It was dreary, sad and Typical.
Tatiana reminds me almost EXACTLY of Claire Beauchamp from the outlander series. I didn't enjoy the bronze horseman, and won't be reading the sequels.

[a_reader_of_fictions · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This is going to be one of those reviews, so prepare yourself right now, okay? This is going to be a three star book review that reads like a rant of hatred, but, honestly, it's not. Every so often, there's a book you like, but that you have a lot of issues with, and you have to be up front about all of them. So, take this to heart: I did like The Bronze Horseman overall, despite my myriad issues.The Bronze Horseman and I were somewhat doomed from the start not to have as happy a relationship as hoped, sort of like Russia and communism. Basically, I looked at this gorgeous, highly recommended book, and I made a set of assumptions. Based on the size, I believed this would be a historical, an epic one, full of feels and delicious historical factoids. I was wrong, which isn't really the book's fault necessarily, but that still colored my enjoyment of it.Though historical fiction, The Bronze Horseman is first and foremost a romance novel. Now, I do not have anything against a good romance novel, but I really do not see the call for an 800 page romance novel. That just feels a mite excessive. A lot of readers are going to burn out along the way, I suspect. The first few hundred pages are romance, followed by some history, then a couple hundred pages of sexy times, and then more war-focused stuff. Readers here for historical will find the romance mind-numbing, and those just looking for sexy times will not appreciate the break to discuss starvation.Unsurprisingly, the bit in the middle where Alexander disappeared for a good chunk of time was my favorite. The romance took a back burner to a depiction of life in Leningrad during the Siege. Simons does a brilliant job portraying the hunger, the desperation, and the hopelessness of that experience. The realities of survival, and how most people didn't, are conveyed unflinchingly.Unfortunately, most of the book wasn't hard-hitting historical fiction: it was a romance that I just couldn't ship. From the beginning, I found Tatiana and Alexander's relationship off-putting, and I still haven't been able to forgive them for what assholes they were for so long. Now, I hope I can eventually so I can enjoy the next books in the series, but, for the moment, I'm very displeased with them.To explain why, I have to delve into some SPOILERS, so now's the time to look away if you don't want things spoiled.Tatiana and Alexander meet when she's just 17 and he's a soldier in the Red Army, several years older. The day they met, she was upset, unable to find food for her family on the day of the declaration of war, and comforting herself with creme brulee ice cream, when a soldier with eyes the color of her ice cream strikes up a conversation. His eye color already had me rolling my eyes with abandon, but it gets worse.Alexander does what any red-blooded (Soviet pun!) soldier would do for a pretty girl he's just seen licking a cone: takes her to buy food for her family from a special store for the military. Once she has what she needs, he escorts her home, only to discover that he has flirted with her sister Dasha in the past. Dasha, who likes to hang around with soldiers if you know what I mean ;), immediately latches onto Alexander, with whom she believes herself to be in love. He exits swiftly, feeling really awkward, and Dasha proceeds to tell Tatiana how perfect he is and Tatiana fails to mention her own attraction to him.Everyday, Alexander shows up to meet Tatiana after work and they fall in love. Meanwhile, whenever he visits her house, he pretends to like Dasha and even brings along his skeevy friend Dimitri for Tatania. To be fair, Alexander just wants to tell the truth and let the chips fall where they may, but Tatiana is unwilling to hurt Dasha's feelings. This charade goes on forever, and Alexander eventually proposes to Dasha. Head, meet brick wall.All this time, Alexander's hooking up with both sisters, and I basically want to murder all of them. To make things worse, Alexander and Tatiana never have to fucking come clean about the deception to anyone. Conveniently Tatiana's whole family dies except for her, with Dasha the last hold out. Gag me, okay. Ugh. No love triangle should ever be resolved by the death of one of the people in the love triangle. It's the coward's way out. Characters should have to face the consequences of their actions.Instead, Dasha dies and the two reunite and then have mind-blowing sex approximately fifty times a day for a month, until Alexander has to go back to work. While they're enjoying their honeymoon, he berates her for giving to much of herself to others and urges her to never leave his side. Of course, serving others is wrong, but she should do everything for her husband, because, you know, gender roles. Alexander is controlling, codependent, rude, and occasionally violent, not to mention a guy who would cheat on both his fiancee and his love for months. I can't root for that relationship. I just can't. Had I read this when I was a bit younger, perhaps when I was a teen, I would have been swept away by the romance and concern for the main characters, but now, as a jaded adult, I kept hoping for them to obtain comeuppance for their actions. The Bronze Horseman is a well-written romance in a historical setting, but do not come to it expecting to learn much about the Siege of Leningrad. This novel has more in common with Diana Gabaldon than Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn; that's not a bad thing, but was not what expected or wanted.

[readerscandyb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Oh Gosh, I honestly could not swoon more over a book! This one is an epic love story that should not be overlooked. My heart ached and my gut wrenched several times. Everything felt so real and even when the book was closed I was still consumed in the characters lives.

It is a story of hardships, war life, and forbidden romance. The main characters will grab your heart and hold it captive. The romance is so intense. It's not a mushy kind of love, but more of a I'll do anything to be with you kind of love. The sexual tensions pours off the pages and leaves you begging for more. It was intimate, intricate, and just flat out EPIC.

Normally, I have the urge to skim when books are long, but this one held my attention and sucked me in one word at a time. Even now, three days later, I cannot get into another book because my brain is still with Alexander and Tatiana. They were a couple like no other and the story was one I will never forget.

The Bronze Horseman will leave you appreciating the life you live and it will have you holding onto your loved ones a little longer. It is a fictional story based on a past time reality. It will mess with your mind and heart so be prepared!

I can't wait to start book two.

[carolesrandomlife · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have had a really hard time deciding how to rate this book. I went into the book with incredibly high expectations. I just knew that I would fall in love with this book largely because I had been told that I would love it. I didn't love it. I liked it though and there were parts of it that I liked a whole lot. There were some sections of the book that didn't work for me nearly as well. I did enjoy reading this book overall despite my issues.This book is set in Russia during World War II which is a really interesting period of time to read about. I did really enjoy the setting and the descriptions relating to the war. That was really the best parts of the book for me. The parts of the book set in Leningrad that deal with the hunger and desperation of the characters was incredibly done. This book would have easily been a 5 star read for me if the whole book had that same level of impact. I also really liked the last section of the book that was more war focused.There were other sections of the book that didn't work for me nearly as well. Tatiana seems really immature during the first section of the book and kind of drove me nuts. She is young at the start of the story and it really showed. I also had some issues concerning Alexander's relationship with Tatiana's sister, Dasha. Alexander is actually Dasha's boyfriend during much of the book so Alexander and Tatiana keep their feelings for each other a secret. I didn't care for this aspect of the story at all.This was a book that I think may have been a bit too long. I found myself growing tired of some parts of the book. The third section of the book that really focuses on the romance between Alexander and Tatiana was nice but it went on for too long in my opinion. During that part of the book, they were so removed from the war that it really changed the impact of the story. I think that the first section of the book could have been cut back as well.I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance. There were parts of this book that were really strong and I did enjoy it. I do plan to continue with the trilogy soon to see what else happens.

[lollypop917 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

 The Bronze Horseman was so much more than just a love story. This book was historical fiction at its finest. It completely transports you into Stalin's Soviet Union during the period of Hitler's invasion in a gripping tale of love and loss which is unforgettable. The characters are so well drawn and the descriptions so vivid it will bring you to tears. Fantastic!

[booklovers2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is a mixture of sorrow and hope but basically a beautiful Russian Love Story that gets very, very heated. Set during the War; Leningrad and invasion of Hitler. Very detailed of what life was like in Russia during the war, the rationing, typhoid and communal living. A mix of betrayal and sacrifice for love and family. Listened to this on audible audio. Part 1 of a 3 part story - moving on to the next installment!

[raisedbybooks-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I decided to pick this book up based off of the glowing reviews and my love of historical fiction. I am also a sucker for a really great love story. This book...ugh. This damn book annoyed the ever loving hell out of me. Honestly, I don’t even know how I managed to read it long enough to get to the point of anything good actually happening!

So, we have Tatiana. She’s a seventeen year old girl living in Russia during WW2. On the day her family finds out the war is literally heading their way they ask Tatiana to please get some food and other necessities that morning. Which Tatiana does, after she reads for a bit, gets super dolled up in her dress and heels, and stops for a freakin’ ice cream. UGH, girl, get your shit together.

BUT the ice cream is important, because this is where she first meets Alexander, the man of her dreams, and it is obviously love at first sight! But wait, this is an 800 page epic love story. It can’t be that fast, can it? Nope...

Dasha is Tatiana’s older sister, and she is also in love with the man of her dreams. Who just happens to be-can you guess?-ALEXANDER! Oh Em Gee! Now, let’s forget about the fact that Dasha and the whole family kinda treat Tatiana like shit, because that doesn’t matter. Tatiana has to be a good sister, so she tells Alexander that he absolutely cannot break her sister’s heart under any circumstances. SO, Alex and Dasha continue dating, and Alex and Tatiana just meet in secret and talk and go on walks whenever they can.

Tatiana spends the majority of her time going to get her family’s rations (because they can’t), cooking for her family (because they can’t), and thinking about Alexander (because love, duh).

Every so often, someone dies and people cry and Tatiana gets yelled at some more.

Alex continues professing his undying love and devotion to Tatiana while screwing her sister whenever he comes to visit.

And this goes on for over half the book.

So, why did this get a decent rating from me? I really don’t know. I guess I’m a glutton for punishment. Also, once the entirety of Tatiana’s family dies, and some of the unnecessary drama disappears, it gets a bit better. As morbid as that sounds. I absolutely loved reading about the war and Soviet Russia and Alexander’s crazy backstory. I thought the writing was absolutely breathtaking, and it’s obvious that the author did her research. I am a sucker for a great historical novel, okay?!

I am also currently reading the second book, because I don’t like cliffhangers and I also like to torture myself. Would I recommend this to someone? Probably not. You really don’t want to get sucked in to the madness.

[shannonrose4 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best epic love stories I've read in a long time.

[tap_aparecium · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fantastically woven love story mixed in history. I spent the whole book hoping that everything would just get out of their way. The book was long in parts but I don't think the story would have been what it was without asking the reader to be so patient... again and again.

[marie113 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I can't even say how much I love this book. 4th time reading it and love it even more each time I read it.

[jenniferelizabeth2 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Over the top, yet couldn’t stop reading.

[salgalruns · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This read in a very young adult kind of way for me and I'm not sure why. You definitely have an element of historical fiction rolled into a young romantic storyline.

Tatitana and Alexander are destined to be together. That's not really a spoiler, you can pretty much tell from the moment they lock eyes across a creme brulee ice cream. However, they couldn't have picked a worse time. Hitler has invaded the Soviet Union and everything about war - the rations, the starvation, the war, and death in general surrounds every bit of their life. Yet...you have to believe in that whole "destiny" thing, which you do.

Even though it's history, you DO find yourself sort of cheering for the young couple, no matter how many obstacles they face. Ridiculous number of obstacles, mind you. As a result, the suspension of disbelief is a little high. Likeable book - and for me, a pretty fast read, even with a boatload of pages.

[dylkit · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Not off to the best of starts... frankly I can't see why people think this book is so fabulous. I've been put of by Alexander's big secret is that .. he is American.. what, the siege of Leningrad did not provide enough dramatic tension to set characters against ? That he is a Red Army officer in WW2 provides more than a hint of danger, I would of thought. And of course he is taller, has cleaner hands and broader shoulders and most importantly whiter teeth than any Russian..even though he has been in the country since he was 11 and was presumably subjected to the same dental care and smokes like a lum.It also gives Tatiana a chance to think about thinks like if she gets evacuated to the artic circle she'll be closer to Alaska (not sure why she cares - it wasn't a state until the 1950's) and to insert some religious glurge. It just seems like a cynical marketing ploy and there is no reason why a non-Russian character needs to be there at all.. hey, it worked for Pasternak and Tolstoy.

But still I keep reading....
Update - on about page 400 now (for some reason Goodreads thinks this book only has 320 pages, but I'm afraid there are many, many more. It's only 1942) So far our Tania has survived a leg broken in several places (leaving a slight limp) and broken ribs while going to rescue her beloved brother who is gone by about page 5 in the book. She has also had scurvy (picturesquely bleeding slightly from the corner of her mouth : no suppurating wounds, spongy gums or loss of teeth) double pneumonia and a "slight" case of TB. And survived a winter in Leningrad where other people keel over just walking to the shops. She gets evacuated to some sylvan paradise (its OK for the people left in Leningrad, the Americans send in food parcels, hooray!)and is re-united with Alexander (sister is conveniently dead). She has made him several white linen ensembles but apparently only has enough cloth to make herself backless, midriff baring dresses with short skirts. Much tension building arguing, heavy breathing etc, etc. Why do I suspect long lost brother will hove into view? Godreads thinks I'm done, I'm done.. there are too many books out there for me to waste any more time with this.

[booksandbutter · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I LOVED this book. It was the best book I have read in a long time. I could not put it down. It was a great story about russia in world war two and a girl that just wouldn't give up. It will stick in my mind for a long while. I loved the way it was written. I can't wait to get this book for my library and read it again.

[jenreidreads · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This series came highly recommended by several friends of mine. I love other epic historical romances like Outlander and The Tea Rose, so it was a safe bet I'd love these novels, too. And overall, I did. The Bronze Horseman is set in Russia during WWII, a setting with which I wasn't terribly familiar (I kept referencing Wikipedia to learn about the history). At the beginning of the novel, I found Tatiana very annoying. She's so innocent and naive; that eventually becomes endearing, but I was frustrated by some of her actions - instead of buying food for her family, she buys herself an ice cream. Once I thought of Tatiana as kind of like Scarlett O'Hara, I liked her more. Tatiana's and Alexander's romance is, well, very romantic. When they finally get together, there are plenty of very steamy scenes. Almost too many, actually. Honestly, how many times can one couple have sex?? I thought Alexander was a great character, ranking nearly as high as Jamie Fraser (from Outlander) for sex appeal. Recommended.

[nadinecrawf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A friend lent me this book and I had no preconceived ideas about it. I had previously read one Paullina Simons which I thought was pretty silly but tried this one anyway. I was captivated from the start. Its the sort of book that stays with you when you are not reading it and makes you ignore your family when you are. The historical aspect of the book was done in such a way as to really emphasize the human aspect of what went on, while not making the story mundane. It was beautifully written. Imagine my surprise when I found out there was more.....

[adallascat · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful romance set in 1941 Russia. You can't put it down!

[charleneheins · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was such a good book. I felt like I was in their life. I dreamed about their life. I can't wait to read the next book. Tatiana and Alexander.

[clara53_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are books that overwhelm your senses by the beauty and finesse of their language, and there are those that depend mostly on the plot (there are rare ones that do both, of course). This book is of the second variety. What I liked about it is an excellent plot, as well as historical evidence of astounding mistakes that Stalin made at the start of and throughout the Second World War. What I didn't care about is the quantity over quality (it's a large volume), repetitiveness, and the fact that almost every character except for the two main ones (who were idealized) carried a huge chip on their shoulders, some ugly trait. That said, the plot does carry the book, and I am looking forward to the sequel that just came out.

[lisadelu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I would have given it 4 stars but it was looong!

[rainrunner · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Haven't cried over a book in awhile. This goes on my favorites list. Although it was excellent, I can't recall loathing another character more than I do Dimitri Chernenko.