Looks like I’m the nay-sayer here, but I found this book very difficult to get in to and quit at about 20%. There are too many inconsistencies in the time line. There’s too much jumping around in the place. There are too many main characters and too many disparate characters wandering in and out of the storyline. And lastly, there are too many people speaking in the first person.

As a lover of novels rich with historical facts, I was looking forward to this one set during WWI. I was disappointed not to be able to get into it.

I appreciate receiving this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher, Random House - Ballentine, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to review this book! My review can be found on Goodreads beginning today, 3/13/19, and will be posted to Barnes & Noble and Books a Million's websites beginning 4/9/19.


Lost Roses is a beautiful story set during World War I, and skillfully ties together the stories of three women from very different situations in life, whose lives become intertwined through the war and the struggle of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. I love that this story is inspired by true events!

Sofya Streshnayva is part of a well-off Russian family - they are cousins of the Romanovs, and her father has a very important job handling finances. As the situation in Russia goes from bad to worse to treacherous for the wealthy, with the rise of the "Reds" in the Bolshevik Revolution, Sofya and her family must flee their home for their estate far out in the country, hoping against hope that revolutionaries do not discover them there while her father works to acquire documents so they may flee further to Paris. Her husband is an officer in the Russian army, and they have a beautiful baby son, Max.

Eliza Ferriday is a Manhattan socialite, and good friends with Sofya. During a visit to St. Petersburg with Sofya she had urged the family to flee much earlier, pleading with the family who from inside the conflicted country, seemed unaware of the imminent danger that was rapidly coming their way. When, back in New York, Eliza one day stops hearing from Sofya as she had regularly for so long, she fears the worst and begins a months-to-years long mission to help fleeing "White Russians" who have come to America and to locate her dear friend.

Varinka comes into the story as the daughter of a fortuneteller deep in the woods near Sofya's country estate. Her family is very poor, and she cannot find work in town - no one will hire her because her father's apprentice lives with she and her mother even after her father's death - surely that means the girl must be "soiled." However, after Sofya and her family move back into the country estate, Sofya needs a new nanny for her sweet son, and Varinka eagerly accepts the position.

This story gets so much more complex even than what I've just laid out; but the stories of all three women here come together so beautifully, and in ways that will both warm and break your heart. Their stories are compelling and just pull you in, leaving you dying to know what happens next! This is a story of three strong women and their determination to survive and overcome. I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

For fans of historical fiction and strong women characters, this book hits the mark. While I was somewhat confused in the beginning between the characters, once I kept reading, the book jelled and it was hard to put down.
It goes back and forth between two friends, Eliza in America, and Sofya in Russia during WWI. Both of them are from the upmost priveledged classes. Sophia being a cousin of royality tells of the class resistance to the Russian uprising at this point in history. Eliza desperately tries to fiind her friend in the first stages of WWI in Russia from America.
I enjoyed this book as I did The Liliac Girls from the same author.

I absolutely LOVED Lilac Girls, so when I had the opportunity to get an advanced copy of Lost Roses, I jumped at the chance. And, let me tell you, Martha Hall Kelly did not disappoint.

Go back a generation before Lilac Girls to WWI Russia, and follow Eliza Ferriday, her childhood friend, Sofya Streshnayva, and a worker in Sofya's home, Varinka. Martha does an excellent job at keeping the suspense going throughout the novel. I kept wanting to turn the page as I ended a chapter! I could not put it down.

I can't imagine all these women put up with - heartache, death, imprisionment, hunger, losing a child, the list goes on. But as Caroline Ferriday did in Lilac Girls, Eliza sees what she can do to change the world in her small part. It's an inspiring story.

Also, in the author's notes Martha alludes to already working on a third book, following the same family, during the Civil War. I already cannot wait! Go get this book on April 9th, 2019!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group, Ballantine Books, and Martha Hall Kelly for the advanced copy of this novel. All opinions are my own.

I absolutely LOVED Lilac Girls when I read it a couple years ago and couldn't wait to read the latest from Martha Hall Kelly.

Beginning at the onset of World War I, Lost Roses follows a new trio of strong women. Eliza Ferriday befriends a cousin of the Romanov's, Sofya, and becomes worried in America when her friends letters' stop arriving from Russia fearing that the worst has happened to her and her family. Eliza does her best to help displaced Russian women in America as she awaits word from Sofya. Meanwhile, Sofya is faced with mounting danger in her home country as revolution stirs and they bring the local fortuneteller's daughter, Varinka, into their house as a nanny.

I always enjoy reading historical fiction, but I haven't read much set during WWI which made this book even better. The author's ability to weave multiple story lines was as evident in Lost Roses as it was in Lilac Girls and I loved the shifting points of view.

My only complaint with this one was that I felt it was lacking a bit of the drive and emotional punch that Lilac Girls had, but overall another fantastic read!

4.5/5

A touching story of the lives of 3 women, set around the first world war. Eliza is an American socialite who befriends Sofya in Paris. Sofya is related to the Russian royalty. Eliza travels to Russia with Sofya and stays until it is no longer safe to do so, returning to America and helping refugees. Sofya loses her husband in the war, and is left with their son Max. Sofya and her extended family travel to the countryside hoping to be safe from the revolutionaries. Sofya hires Varinka as a nanny to Max. Varinka falls for the boy, and when the countryside home is attacked and the family taken hostage, Varinka takes the boy. After the war, the 3 women will meet up again in Paris, with Sofya trying to get her son back.

LOST ROSES by Martha Hall Kelly is a compelling work of historical fiction based on the true story of Eliza Ferriday, the mother of Caroline Ferriday, a main character and heroine in the author’s previous bestselling novel, LILAC GIRLS. LOST ROSES is set a generation earlier, between 1914 and 1921, around the time of World War I. The story is told from three viewpoints, those of Eliza, a well-known philanthropist in the US, her Russian friend, Sofya, a privileged Russian aristocrat who is related to the tsar and Varinka, a poor young Russian girl that works for Sofya’s family. The lives of these three women end up intertwined in ways that could never be imagined based on their backgrounds and social classes. Eliza works tirelessly to help the “White Russian” emigrés who wind up in America, stripped of their titles and wealth after being driven out by the Bolsheviks in 1918. All three women demonstrate remarkable strength and resilience in the face of the life and death circumstances they encounter. The vivid details in the descriptions of the settings bring the story to life. The strong themes of family, friendship, love, loss and survival kept me engaged from beginning to end. LOST ROSES is a well-written and fascinating novel and I highly recommend it. I am grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Lost Roses brings to life the story of Caroline Ferriday’s mother from Lilac Girls. I immediately fell in love with Eliza and the work she did to help Russian immigrants, especially her friend Sofya. Sofya’s story was truly inspiring - the strength she needed to have to survive in Russia during WWI and the determination she had to find her son. Varinka’s story was deep and complex - she wasn’t a bad person, but was taken advantage of at a young age and perhaps made some wrong decisions later in life. Combining the three women’s stories beautifully, Martha Hall Kelly once again brings to life another incredible story.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly. I so looked forward to reading this book because The Lilac Girls was a 5 star read for me. Absolutely loved it. If I am to be completely honest I just can’t get into a rhythm in Lost Roses. I am not connecting with the characters and am 35 percent through the book. I am definitely in the minority on this one so I hope if you are reading this you will give it a try. Maybe it is just my state of mind and I will come back to it at another time.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. I loved Lilac Girls and was so excited for the prequel. Lost Roses is another historical fiction novel that focuses on three different women during the Russian Revolution and World War I. The women are from different countries and backgrounds but their lives intersect and it's very interesting to see each of their perspectives. This could be a standalone novel and not prequel. I did find this book tough to stay invested, engaged, and interested. The story and characters were not as appealing for me as Lilac Girls but definitely still worth a read.

Lost Roses is a prequel to the wonderful Lilac Girls. Both are historical fiction novels by Martha Hall Kelly. Lost Roses centers on three very different women during the Russian Revolution and the First World War. These women are from different countries and have vastly different backgrounds but their lives become intertwined. You see excess wealth and devastating poverty. You travel the globe from the United State to Russia to Europe. I felt like a time traveler witnessing this time from three very different perspectives. I think you will enjoy the travels as much as I did. Then if you have not read Lilac Girls, I suggest you read it to see how someone from the next generation experiences the next World War.
I was lucky enough to get an advanced copy from netgalley. It did not influence my review since I already loved this author and Lilac Girls.

Set in 1914 when the world is readying for WW1, we follow along with Eliza Ferriday, Sofya Streshnayva and Varinka Kazlov. Eliza is a New York society woman living in Manhattan and Southhampton, Sofya an aristocrat and cousin of the Romanovs and Varinka a poor woman whose family is connected with the Bolsheviks. There is turmoil all around, not only with war imminent, but there is danger in Russia as well as with more local uprisings, more killings by the Cossacks. Yet with all that surrounds the terrible times in Russia and the advent of war, Sofya as well as her country men are not too concerned. It is during Eliza's visit to St. Petersburg, that war is declared. Returning to America, Eliza is left upset and worried for her friend.

This novel gives us 3 different women, yet they all have strength with so much in common.... it offers compassion and strong women and is compelling in its tale. Taking us back in history, we see the times through the eyes of these characters. We are able to connect with each one of them, the socialite, the aristocrat, and the poor peasant struggling to survive. They are all, in their own way, wondering what the future holds for them. Three women whose voices ring loud and clear above the din, sharing their war time experiences, and how they will be ultimately reunited, makes this a novel you will not want to put down.

Exquisitely told, wonderfully researched, this novel is not one to miss. I will confess I hadn't read "Lilac Girls," and while this is a standalone novel, I most definitely will be reading the first book.

My thanks to NetGalley and Random House for this ARC in exchange for an honest

After reading Lilac Girls, I was intrigued by the Ferriday family. This book is a prequel to Lilac Girls and follows the exploits of Eliza as she connects with her cousin Sophia during the Russian revolution. The story is compelling and Kelly has captured the splendor of Czarist Russia as well as the poverty and hopelessness that led to the uprising. Following Sophia's journey to freedom is compelling.
The culture and politics in this historical period is insightful.
This book is appropriate for anyone interested in historical fiction and especially from the viewpoint of women's history.

This is a story about 3 women and their families during WW1 and how the circumstances of war changed their lives forever. One is an American Heiress, another Russian aristocrat and the third is a Russian peasant. In the story each of them face incredibly harsh circumstances and tragedy.

Historical fiction is generally not a genre I read. However after reading The Lilac Girls by this author, and loving it, I had to read her next book. I had some trouble getting into the story but once I did I couldn’t put it down. It is extremely well written with strong women characters and a compelling story line. I highly recommend this book and her previous book The Lilac Girls. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

It took me a bit longer to get wrapped up in the story. I don't feel it was as good as The Lilac Girls, but in the end, I did enjoy the story. It shed some light on the happenings leading up to the Russian Revolution which I found fascinating, as I did not know too much about it.

Martha Hall Kelly's Lilac Girls is one of my favorite books. When I saw there was to be a prequel I put it at the top of my To-Read List. Lost Roses is the story of three women and how the events of WWI brought changes to their lives. Sofya is a Russian aristocrat, Eliza is an upper class American and Varinka is a Russian peasant. Circumstances of the war alter their lives, change how they view the world as well as shape what kind of human beings they evolve into. Ms. Kelly is an artist with her words, making it so easy for me to picture the people and places she writes about. It is evident that she does her research and although this is historical fiction, you will learn a great deal of the circumstances that lead up to WWI and the hardships that people faced not only in Russia but France and America as well. Most historical fiction that I read is centered around WWII or the American Civil War so this was a nice change of pace. I was sad that I read it so quickly but was delighted to see at the end that Kelly is working on yet another prequel. I thank Martha Hall Kelly for writing about and sharing the lives of the Ferriday women. If you haven't read Lilac Girls I suggest you do so, you will not regret it. (You do not need to read them in order.)

Have you read “Lilac Girls” by the same author who wrote this book? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it!

Martha Hall Kelly’s second novel, “Lost Roses,” is not quite as good as Lilac, but it’s a great read. I had trouble getting into it, but once I got to about page 50, it took off like a rocket.

The story begins in 1914 and ends in 1921. It’s less about World War I and more about the Russian Revolution. The story focuses on three women. First there is Eliza Ferriday. A real-life heroine, Eliza, spent many years doing her best to help the “White Russians,” immigrants from Russia who had been aristocrats, but who lost everything when the Bolshevicks came into power. Eliza organized the American Central Committee for Russian Relief by finding them homes, including her own New York City apartment and Southhampton cottage.

Eliza’s BFF is Sofya Streshayva. While not a real-life person, she is a combination of many of the former aristocrats Hall Kelly researched in writing this novel. Her part of the story is the most compelling. Her distant relation to the Romanov family isn’t helpful during this time period. The scenes were she and her family are captured by the Bolshevicks are intense and some rather disturbing.

The third woman, and my least favorite, was Varinka, a Russian peasant with ties to the Red Army. At first she is a sympathetic character, but when she takes the one thing Sofya loves the most, she becomes the novel’s antagonist, along with the Russian Revolution. Varinka is completely fictional.

Ultimately this story is about friendship, love, and loss during one of the most turbulent times of the 20th Century. I enjoyed the different voices of the three women. I found them easily distinguishable. This, to me, is another one of the forgotten stories of human beings and the bonds they forge during difficult times. “Lost Roses” receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Lovely writing as always from this author. An interesting story about historical events I didn’t know about. I loved the characters and found myself completely engrossed in the time period. Rich with detail and character portrayal.

Lost Roses is a very well-written and researched novel set during WWI in Russia, NY, and Paris. Narrated by three female characters an American heiress, a member of the Russian aristocracy and a Russian peasant, it focuses on the end of the Tsarist Russia and the rise of communism. Each of the voices is unique and fascinating. I really appreciate the strong female characters. I've always been interested in the last Tsar of Russia and his family, so loved all the details here. Lost Roses is a prequel to Martha Hall Kelly "Lilac Girls". I haven't read "Lilac Girls" and did not feel like I was missing anything...I plan to read it soon though. Highly recommended! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy.

Thanks to #netgalley #randomhouse for my free review copy of #lostroses by @marthahallkelly1 in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Fans of Lilac Girls will be interested in the prequel, Lost Roses, as it shares the story of Caroline Ferriday’s mother, Eliza. The story is told from three perspectives: Eliza Ferriday, a New York socialite; Sofya, a Russian aristocrat and cousin to the Romanovs; and Varinka, a Russian peasant and fortune teller’s daughter. The story begins in 1914 when Sofya comes to the U.S. to visit her best friend, Eliza. Later when Eliza accompanies Sofya back to St. Petersburg, they find Russia on the brink of revolution. Unsettled by the conflict, Eliza escapes back to the U.S. Because her heart is with the Russian women, she creates a charity to help support women and children as they flee Russia. After some time when she hasn’t heard from Sofya, she becomes deeply concerned. Meanwhile in Russia, Sofya has hired a peasant girl, Varinka, to help with the household tasks but this decision brings additional danger. In a dramatic and tense conclusion, Eliza travels to Paris in search of Sofya while Sofya risks everything in Paris to find Varinka.

As we learn of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka, we experience life from three extremely different perspectives. The most obvious difference is that Eliza and Sofya come from privilege while Varinka is a peasant. Eliza and Sofya often use their privilege to care for others while Varinka is focused on survival. All three are strong and independent and willing to take risks to ensure their survival.

Martha Hall Kelly writes an engaging and well researched story filled with fascinating characters, relevant historical details, danger, and vivid setting descriptions that describe Russia before the Revolution and the devastation after. As the author weaves together the stories of three interesting and different women, she takes us on a journey through privilege and poverty, beauty and violence, trust and betrayal, love and sacrifice, friendship and loss, and hope and despair. Through the reading of this story, I was completely transported to a different time and place. I felt the beginning was a slow start (some other reviewers have not noted this) and I reminded myself to trust the author and where she would take me. The latter half of the book moves at a fast and engaging pace and the conclusion is a page turner. Overall, the story is well written and structured.

Important themes include using our privilege to help others, using our life to make a difference in the world, loyalty, friendship, family, love, loss, taking risks, determination, charity, privilege/poverty, survival, and fortitude. Because of strong themes, this would make an excellent book club selection. It would be particularly interesting to discuss Varinka's options and choices.

I highly recommend Lost Roses for fans of well written historical fiction, for readers of Lilac Girls, and for those who appreciate stories of determined and strong women who are difference makers. If you read Lilac Girls and found parts of it difficult and disturbing, you will want to know that Lost Roses is a gentler read. It can also be read as a stand alone. In Lost Roses, we find out that Caroline Ferriday (Lilac Girls) had an activist mother that modeled compassion and helped others. Furthermore, it’s exciting that the author is working on another prequel! I’m sure we’ll learn that women pass down these traits in families from generation to generation. I encourage you to place Lost Roses on your spring TBR!

Pub Date: April 9, 2019.
This prequel can be read as a stand alone.

Review posted on blog 2/22/19 readingladies.com
https://readingladies.com/2019/02/22/lost-roses-a-review/