Book Review: Lost Roses

Welcome to Thinking Out Loud Thursday where once I week I spill what's floating around in my head onto this page and invite you to do the same.  If you're a blogger, please feel free to link up your latest post below and share what's on your mind.

For today, I'm thinking about the marvelous new book by Martha Hall Kelly that I just recently finished reading - Lost Roses.  As you prepare your summer reading bucket list, this one should be on it!  Actually, it would make a great Mother's Day gift!  Use your Prime account, order today, and have it in your hands before Sunday!  Don't have Prime?  No, worries.  Start your 30-day free trial by clicking HERE.

Now, back to the book review~

Click HERE to purchase

Let's start with the synopsis from Amazon ~

The million-copy bestseller Lilac Girls introduced the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. Now Lost Roses, set a generation earlier and also inspired by true events, features Caroline’s mother, Eliza, and follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg to Paris under the shadow of World War I.

It is 1914, and the world has been on the brink of war so often, many New Yorkers treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanovs. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia: the church with the interior covered in jeweled mosaics, the Rembrandts at the tsar’s Winter Palace, the famous ballet.

But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia’s imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortune-teller’s daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya’s letters suddenly stop coming, she fears the worst for her best friend.

From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg and aristocratic countryside estates to the avenues of Paris where a society of fallen Russian émigrés live to the mansions of Long Island, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways. In her newest powerful tale told through female-driven perspectives, Martha Hall Kelly celebrates the unbreakable bonds of women’s friendship, especially during the darkest days of history.

Here's my thoughts ~

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Written in the same style as Lilac Girls, the author writes each chapter to follow one of the three ladies' story, many times ending the chapter with a touch of suspense. Even with moving from character to character, the flow is smooth and easy to follow.

It's obvious that Martha Hall Kelly has done her research.  The story is woven through history and the book's descriptions of the times and places allows you to feel like you were there while the story is playing out.

The St. Louis County Library hosted Martha Hall Kelly at an author's event in April and I was able to attend.  While I had only read about half the book at the time of the event, it was enthralling to hear from her how she developed both Lilac Girls and Lost Roses.  She was extremely gracious, signing books and actually connecting with her readers.  I think this made me love the book even more!

Martha (I think it's okay for me to call her Martha since I got to stand right by her and all) elaborated on a future third book that also follows this family.  It should be released sometime in 2021 and is based in Civil War time.  She didn't let the entire title out of the bag, but offered us a hint that it will have the word "sunflower" in it.  Any guesses as to what it might be?!?

Now it's your turn.  What's on your mind today?  Link up and share!

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