The Last Tiara is a well descriptive alternating story highlighting the past – Sofiya Petrovich’s life in Russia, and the present – her daughter, Isobelle Moon, learning about her parents and a mysterious tiara’s history. The story is well-crafted enough to take on multiple deep dives into the records of jewelers, architects, Tsars, and the Russian Revolution.

Reading Isobelle’s half of the story had me on the edge of my seat. From her perspective, we stumbled on a mystery due to this crown with no jewels in it. Why did her mother have it, and how did she get it? I was also curious why her mother decided to never tell her about her past in Russia. What happened that made her flee to America and never want to reprise Russia ever again? Learning more about the tiara gave insights about her mother’s past – and her father’s whereabouts.

The second half of the story describes Sofiya’s life in Russia in 1915. In the middle of the war, she and her closest friend (who happens to be Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna) volunteer as nurses to take care of war-ridden soldiers injured from battle. There she meets Carpathian, a soldier who lost his memory during the attack and whom she slowly falls in love with. On this side of the story, we see Sofiya’s life connected to the tiara.

Of course, it was the plot twist at the end that did it for me. I never thought a twist could come from a story like this. It made the ending come alive and helped the two points of view merge into one.

Overall I’m giving this story a 4.5-star rating. The Last Tiara is a beautiful story with an unexpected plot twist that gave the story a climatic push to a great ending, and for that, I wouldn’t mind reading another book from M.J. Rose.

A packet hidden in the seams of her bedroom wall send Isobelle on a quest to find the long buried secrets of her mother's past.  Isobelle's journey will give her an education on secret societies, looted Russian crown jewels, her parent's history and help her discover a love of her own. 
The story is told in two voices alternating chapter by chapter.  Isobelle's mother Sophie grew up with the Russian Royal family and called the arch duchesses of Russia her friends especially arch duchess Olga who presented Sophia with the tiara from which this story got it's name.  It is during the war when Sophie volunteers at a local hospital that Sophie meets the love of her life, an apprentice Faberge jeweler. Subsequently Sophia lost it all, her lover, her friendships and barely escaped to America with her baby, a chain with Faberge eggs made by her jeweler lover and the tiara gifted to her by her friend in the Russian royal family.
Heartbroken she never spoke about her life in Russia with her daughter, choosing to bury it and focus on creating a life for her daughter. When Isobelle discovers the tiara she also finds out that her mother sold the jewels in the tiara to buy her apartment and start the business that became her livelihood and means to raise her child. Isobelle has a more mundane childhood than her mother but she's a fighter as well evidenced by the fact that she chooses an occupation in a male dominated field and makes the necessary sacrifices to survive in her chosen profession.
In her journey of discover, Isobelle visits the jeweler who bought the jewels in her original tiara that plunges her into the world of looted Russian jewels and long buried lies and truths. From a slow start the story takes on twists and turns that will keep readers fascinated.  There are some twists that you'll never see coming. Given that there are so many theories about what happened to the Russian royal family and all the fabulous crown jewels and Faberge eggs that were looted and disappeared, there may be some truth in this so believable fiction. 
I recommend this book to readers who enjoy a bit of suspense with their history.

The Last Tiara is rich in history, in characters, in story, in emotions. I was mesmerized by both timelines—Sofiya’s story set in Russia that encompasses the Great War and the Revolution; and her daughter Isobelle’s story, set in post WWII New York. There are secrets, there is great love, there is tragedy and suffering—all written beautifully and passionately.

2.5 stars

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

The Last Tiara interested me, due to my fascination with all things Russian, and at least in some aspects, it delivers. The background is well researched, exploring a courtier’s life in the years leading up to the downfall of the Romanovs and the aftermath, juxtaposed with her daughter delving into that past through researching an old tiara found among her mother’s things.

However, having read a few M.J. Rose books before, I found myself let down. In some ways it mirrors the others, being an “artifact book” surrounding something from a particular time period. The plot is also briskly paced, keeping me fairly engaged in both timelines, at least superficially.

But as I went on, I found I just didn’t care. Neither Isabelle nor Sofiya grabbed me as protagonists, as both felt very surface-level and lacked depth. Stuff would happen, and I just didn’t feel invested, and that’s sad to say about a book that partly takes place during the Russian Revolution, given what I know about what happened to the Romanovs and some of those loyal to them.

This book was fine, although it’s definitely not the best book I’ve read from M.J. Rose. I do think it will work for a more plot driven reader who doesn’t require much in terms of character development, as that is this book’s strong point.

I just loved this book, it has it all: romance, mystery, history, family drama, some intrigue. Story takes place in 1918 St. Petersburg, Russia and 1948 NYC. After her mother dies, Isobel finds a tiara hidden in the wall and also a letter and picture. Her mother, Sophia, dies before she can tell her daughter the story of her father and what happened before she came to the USA. Isobel gets involved in a high stakes race to find a treasure left from the Romanov’s dynasty.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to honestly review the novel. Unfortunately, the book did nothing for me, although other readers thought otherwise. I loved the story of the tiara, but felt the book moved rather slowly until the last few chapters.

Great book. Wonderfully crafted. Romance, mystery, intrigue, and a history lesson all in one. I could not put it down.

I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was interesting going back & forth between Sophia’s point of view (1915-1922) & her daughter Isobelle’s point of view (1940s). I like that the tiara was the link that connected the stories. It was sad that Sophia didn’t share her life with Isobelle but completely understandable with it being such a horrible time. This story is a good example of why it can be important to share your history & background with your family even in small doses. Good read & I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher & NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I loved that “The Last Tiara” was narrated in two time periods. Chapters are from the perspective of both Isobelle and her mother Sophia. Dual narrated books are among my favorite and I liked that I was able to learn more about the Moon women this way. Isobelle and Sophia are both brave and strong women that are driven to make it on their own. Isobelle wants to gain success as an architect, while Sophia fought to raise Isobelle in a free world.

The ability of MJ Rose to bring to life these characters and setting through her descriptive words was wonderful. I was able to see myself on the streets of both Russia and NYC. I think what made this book even more real is the history woven throughout it. I was able to learn more about the Boleshvik’s, the disappearance of the Tsar & family, as well as the Russian crown jewels (which I was able to see at an exhibit when I was younger). The romantic lives of Isobelle and Sophia are also very important and they hooked me. I couldn't wait to read what happened next.

Thank you to the publisher, Blue Box Press, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

In 1948 New York, Isobelle Moon, an architect, starts renovating her apartment following her mother’s death when she happens upon a box hidden in the wall containing the silver frame of a tiara and some receipts showing that the jewels it once held were sold. Intrigued as to why it was kept hidden, she seeks out the jeweller, hoping to find out more about the life her mother left behind in Russia and always refused to speak of and also about the father whom she has never met. As Isobelle’s search for information intensifies, a parallel timeline unfolds in 1925 Russia, telling the story of Sofiya Petrovich, best friend to the Grand Duchess Olga, and the journey that led her to New York.

Alternating timelines are possibly my all time favourite way of reading historical fiction, especially when there’s a bit of mystery involved. It was narrated in such a fashion that there is something intriguing enough going on in both timelines which ensured that neither lagged or felt boring. The author has portrayed these time periods beautifully, from the grandeur of Tsarist Russia, and the wretched conditions caused by the war that followed, to New York after WWII. This book has clearly been well researched and it shows in the attention to detail in both timelines. In particular, I’ve always been fascinated by Fabergé eggs, so the information about them and about the famous jewellery firm were very interesting to learn. This was an impulsive NetGalley pick and I’m really surprised at how much I ended up enjoying it!

The sole place where this narrative slipped up in my opinion, was character development. There is a very strong plot and the riveting story by and by large kept things together, but it was quite hard to connect with both Isobelle and Sofiya. In the New York timeline, there is a lot of description about Isobelle’s background and role during the war, which might have been interesting under other circumstances, but my focus was on the history of the tiara. To be completely honest, I couldn’t really bring myself to care about Isobelle’s struggles as an architect and the sexism she faces, as it is overshadowed by a much more entertaining plotline, and every time the story turned to her personal life was time away from the real mystery. Sofiya’s character is more engaging, but I felt what we saw of her was still surface level. I also found it rather strange that this story chose to skip over the deaths of the Romanovs, relegating it to a brief paragraph from Sofiya’s perspective years after the fact. Considering Olga was her best friend, I would have expected Sofiya to dwell on it a little more, and the fall of the Romanovs is largely downplayed in this book.

The final twist regarding Isobelle’s father and the secret of the tiara was really well done, and although I would have liked a more conclusive ending, it’s not hard to extrapolate and imagine how things might have turned out. Overall, The Last Tiara was a very satisfying read and I will definitely be looking out for more books by this author in the future. Highly recommended!

This was one of the best books I have ever read. We hear the mother’s story occurring before and during the Russian Revolution blended with the daughter in post WWII New York. We have a mother’s secret past, the Romanovs, the House of Faberge, and a daughter’s quest to discover her dead mother’s secret. We also have, romance, lies, and a secret society. This book is never boring and very well written. I am looking forward to reading more by this author. Thanks to Net Galley for an advanced copy and this is my honest review.

This was very enjoyable, a fun and engaging read. Whilst it wasn’t a favourite I did enjoy it. I thought the storyline a little predictable and the characters a little flat compared to the authors previous works.

3.5 stars. What a journey this bookwas! I really loved both storylines - the events that happened in the past and the mystery to discover them were both really intriguing. Will definitely read more by this author!

"From New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller M.J. Rose comes a provocative and moving story of a young female architect in post-World War II Manhattan, who stumbles upon a hidden treasure and begins a journey to discovering her mother's life during the fall of the Romanovs.

Sophia Moon had always been reticent about her life in Russia and when she dies, suspiciously, on a wintry New York evening, Isobelle despairs that her mother's secrets have died with her. But while renovating the apartment they shared, Isobelle discovers something among her mother's effects-a stunning silver tiara, stripped of its jewels.

Isobelle's research into the tiara's provenance draws her closer to her mother's past-including the story of what became of her father back in Russia, a man she has never known. The facts elude her until she meets a young jeweler, who wants to help her but is conflicted by his loyalty to the Midas Society, a covert international organization whose mission is to return lost and stolen antiques, jewels, and artwork to their original owners.

Told in alternating points of view, the stories of the two young women unfurl as each struggles to find their way during two separate wars. In 1915, young Sofiya Petrovitch, favorite of the royal household and best friend of Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna, tends to wounded soldiers in a makeshift hospital within the grounds of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and finds the love of her life. In 1948 New York, Isobelle Moon works to break through the rampant sexism of the age as one of very few women working in a male-dominated profession and discovers far more about love and family than she ever hoped for.

In M.J. Rose's deftly constructed narrative, the secrets of Sofiya's early life are revealed incrementally, even as Isobelle herself works to solve the mystery of the historic Romanov tiara (which is based on an actual Romanov artifact that is, to this day, still missing)-and how it is that her mother came to possess it. The two strands play off each other in finely-tuned counterpoint, building to a series of surprising and deeply satisfying revelations."

You say Romanovs, I say hell yes!

This is a story which takes place in Russia during the revolution and in New York City in the late 1940s. It deals with the "lost" Romanov treasures as well as the lives and loves of everyday Russians forced to emigrate to escape the poverty and persecution of the revolutionaries.

What made this book interesting to me was that the author managed to inject so much information about Faberge and other jewelers and the wonderful creations they concocted for the Romanovs. Who would think that the lives of jewelers could be so interesting?

I found the story to be sad on so many levels - of paths that never crossed; information and history not shared; and trust not willingly given. However as in all good mysteries, the loose ends come to a satisfying conclusion in the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a mixture of history and romance.

With this book I've discovered that I really enjoy reading books that take place in the 1940s to 1950s. I look forward to reading more from this time period.

I enjoyed the alternating timelines. I read a book similar to this last year and learned I enjoy puzzling out the mysteries between the two timelines.

The characters made this book for me. I loved Sophia's collections and what she'd done with their apartment. Isobelle's ambition to succeed in her career and to take on the task of making the apartment her own was another thing I enjoyed reading. I loved that her aunt was just upstairs and knew Isobelle wouldn't cook for herself and make her meals.

I did not see the twist coming at the end. I knew something was up, but hadn't worked it out exactly.

The only thing I wish we had gotten was something from the author telling us how she'd come up with this story line. I know the majority, if not all, was fabricated. But I'd like some actual historical information on how the story came about. But that's just my own preference.

The jewels that once adorned the tiara have been gone for almost two decades, but the frame has remained hidden behind the wallpaper of her mother's bedroom. Isobelle begins following the clues left behind to find out more about her mother. In a dual timeline, her mother Sofiya is helping out as a nurse in St. Petersburg during WW I. How does the tiara come into her possession? What really happened to Isobelle's father? Can Isobelle trust the handsome, young jeweler who is helping her follow the clues? Or does he have ulterior motives? I enjoyed this mystery and found that the last few chapters were well worth the read. It took a bit longer to get there, though, so not a 5-star read for me.

Thank you to Blue Box Press and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Tiara was a good read that was a little slow going , but a worthwhile read for historical fiction fans. It was apparent that M.J. Rose poured a lot of energy into research and creating a beautiful story of mystery and family. Russian history is a setting that I like to see and Rose wrote a great book. 5 stars

Obviously a lot of research went into the makings of this historical fiction. Makes you really think about how much real art was forged and smuggled during war times and where is the real object. I had taken a Russian History elective in college years ago, so I found it all quite interesting. The characters were a little irritating at times and events moved a little slower than I wanted them to, but overall a really good read.The intimate descriptions could have been completely eliminated as they were not integral to the story and it is unlikely that women even thought in those tones, or likely to be with a divorced person,as divorces were rare in those days.
I was provided an advanced reader copy but was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for the ARC!

I have always been fascinated by Russian history and this book met my curiosity so well! I loved the alternating timeline between mother and daughter and the way Ms Rose revealed information one layer at a time. And the plot twist at near the end was great! I didn’t see it coming! It’s a well crafted historical mystery with a splash of romance and I truly enjoyed it!