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 ...
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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. " The Ice Swan is a ray of light in the middle of a Europe that was sinking into darkness. Ciesielski's talent for storytelling from the heart is a feast for the readers' eyes." --Mario Escobar, international bestselling author of Remember Me and Children of the Stars
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Good. MP3 CD in MP3 format. You'll receive this performance on MP3 CD that CONTAINS THE ENTIRE AUDIO PRODUCTION! Enjoy this PRESENTABLE MP3 CD edition for your home and library.
The Ice Swan has numerous elements which sets it apart from the historical fiction I have read of late. It is set during the Great War, and includes a story line based around the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, neither of which have been prevalent in my reading. Ciesielski does a wonderful job of creating empathy for those displaced by the Revolution while drawing a clear line between the elite who learned to cope and improve themselves in their new circumstances and those who relied on their sense of entitlement. Her wordsmithing is lovely in her description of the beauty and grace of Princess Svetlana Dalsky's dance and demeanor. Through the character of Doctor Wynn MacCallan, Ciesielski informs readers of the difficulties associated with improvements in medical procedures in the early twentieth century. A criminal element known as the Black Claw adds an edge of suspense to the story as one of their leaders seeks revenge on the elegant Svetlana.
I found it truly difficult to do this book justice in this review, and hope that you will experience The Ice Swan for yourself. I am grateful to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson via NetGalley without obligation. All opinions expressed here are my own.