I will always pick up a piece of historical fiction that involves switching back and forth between two different characters and timelines. However, I usually prefer one character/timeline over the other. This book is one of those rare cases where I was equally invested in both. I enjoyed every page of this book and even audibly gasped multiple times when various twists were revealed. If you like historical fiction, especially historical fiction about the Russian revolution, then I highly recommend reading this one.

The cover is very striking and makes me think of a fantasy book.
Beautifully blended work of history,mystery and romance.
Dual story line connecting a mother and daughter. Set during the Russian Revolution and 1940's post war New York. The story revolves around a hidden tiara and the secrets her mother kept .
The writing is vivid and very descriptive and I found the book hard to put down.


Pub Date 02 Feb 2021
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

A dual-POV historical fiction mystery that jumps between a daughter in post-WWII America and her mother in revolution-era Russia. Both POVs are easy to connect with though I will say I gravitated more to the daughter's of the two. The love interest has his own subtleties as well which is good when compared to many that aren't built out as their own characters.

I enjoyed the writing immensely, as I always do with this author. I did find it a bit different than Rose's typically more luxurious style but that's not a bad thing though. The pacing in this one is also quicker which suits the plot well. The ending was satisfying and sweet. Overall, a wonderful read that I'd suggest to anyone interested in historical fiction.

Note: I received a free electronic edition of this book via NetGalley in exchange for the honest review above. I would like to thank them, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to do so.

Sophia's past was almost unknown to her daughter. Other than the fact that she escaped almost at the very end, arriving in New York and joining Aunt Lana her daughter Isobelle knows very little.

When Sophia dies suddenly in a freak accident, Isobelle is left grappling with her absence. Turning to refurbishing the apartment she lives in, Isobelle discovers hidden niches containing clues to her mother's past.

The story is told in two time lines - that of Sophia and her Russian past and the New York present and then her daughter Isobelle's present. Isobelle is at a cross roads professionally - being a female architect in 1948 New York was no easy task, especially dealing with a male chauvinist like her boss, who uses her one lapse as blackmail against her. Isobelle despairs of ever finding love and building a strong relationship and she also hankers to know more about her father. The subject of her father was a taboo subject and no amount of persuasion could get Sophia to talk on the subject.

With the discovery of the frame of the tiara, Isobelle goes to the jeweller who handled the transaction and slowly layer upon layer is uncovered of her family's history - the so traumatic past and how her father was betrayed by his own. The world of famous jewellers is also part of this story - albeit small but intriguing.

Several strands from the past - not just personal to Sophia but also history of the Tsars and the Revolution are woven together bringing it to present times very satisfactorily.

The Last Tiara is historical fiction set around a tiara. The piece was supposedly ordered by Czar Nicholas and created by Faberge as a final gift to the Grand Duchess Olga.

Isobelle Moon is a young architect, living in New York City with her mother, Sofia Moon. After Sofia passes away after a freakish accident, Isobelle begins demolition prior to redecorating the apartment. Hidden inside a wall in her mother's bedroom, Isobelle finds the skeleton of a tiara with all the gems removed. In another wall, she finds the business card of a jeweller, and becomes obsessed with discovering the history of the tiara.

I loved this book and read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this title to anyone who loves historical fiction.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received a free digital copy of this title to review from Net Galley.

#TheLastTiara#NetGalley

Perfect blend of mystery, history and romance. This split time novel focuses on Isabelle's discovery of a family heirloom and the journey it takes her on as she uncovers secrets of the past. While I enjoyed their stories, I did not quite feel a connection with either Isabelle or her mother, Sophie. It was the mystery surrounding the tiara and its rather surprising ending that kept me turning the pages, lost in the world of the art and jewels that disappeared during the Russian Revolution and WWI. Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction and a love for stories surrounding the Romanov family.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author/publisher through netgalley and was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This gem is absolutely striking from beginning to end. What a journey to take with this mystery filled historical fiction that will pull you in as you travel back in time with this piece.

This was a fun trip discovering Isobelle's Russian roots with the tiara and the secrets or mystery that she has to discover after her mother's death.

I loved the Russian history and it made so curious that I continued my research after I finished this book.

Thank you so much for the ARC.

This was a wonderfully done story of Sophia and her daughter Isobelle and Isobelle's search for clues of her mother's former life.
It is a dual plotline story of Sofiya in 1920's Russia and Isobelle in 1940's post WWII NYC. Sofiya was close to the Russian Grand Duchesses and attended many of their balls because her mother was their art teacher. Sofiya works in a hospital in WWI and meets several soldiers that she allows to become close to her. One soldier has amnesia and she helps him remember who he is. He wants her to remain a part of his life even though he was previously married in the other life he lived.

Isobelle has just lost her mother after an unfortunate accident and she decides to remodel their apartment only to discover something very unexpected from her mother's past.

This story has a little romance, some Russian history as well as some mystery thrown in. It was a well done story that held my interest until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC to review

This meticulously detailed story weaves the history of a mother and daughter through two different timelines, by alternating narrators. This can be tricky for an author to pull off.

MJ Rose traveled back and forth between the last days of the Romanov Empire and Post WWII New York City seamlessly

1915 Petrograd: Young Sofiya Petrovich works as a nurse, alongside her best friend the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna of Russia tending to wounded soldiers when the Winter Palace was turned into a makeshift household. She falls in love with an “unknown” soldier suffering from amnesia.

1940s New York: Isobelle Moon knew she wanted to be an architect the day she visited her Uncle Paul at the construction site of the Empire State Building. For a woman in a “man’s world”, earning respect from her peers is bitterly impossible.

Following her mother’s sudden and mysterious death, Isobelle throws herself into the task of remodeling the apartment they shared. When the skeletal remains of a gemless tiara is found in the wall of her bedroom, so many unanswered questions loom before her. Sofiya Petrovich, later Sofia Moon, never discussed the past. So many details of their life, her father, and Russia are unknown to Isobelle.

Desperate to uncover the story behind the mysterious tiara, Isobelle is increasingly frustrated and angry about all the things she doesn’t know. Who was her father? Why did her mother refuse to discuss the past?

This glimpse into the last days of the Romanov Empire was well written. I like how the author centered the story around the still missing Romanov Tiara to create a wonderful version of where it ended up. I would have enjoyed Sofia’s character being developed more into this story; to read more about her life in New York. I sympathized with Isobelle and her desire for answers that she may never have. At times her insecurities around her boyfriend seemed childish and annoyingly like a teenager with a crush.

@mjroseauthor @netgalley #blueboxpress

In 1915 Russia, Sofiya Moon volunteers to assist wounded soldiers at a makeshift hospital in the St. Petersburg Winter Palace. When she meets a wounded soldier, they fall in love, but he has no memory. When he remembers working for the House of Fabergé, they head there to get some answers as to who he was.

In 1948 New York, Isobelle Moon finds a tiara hidden in the apartment she shared with her late mother, Sofiya. She begins to research it to try to get a better understanding of who her parents were. Isobelle meets a young jeweler who also wants to find out the origins of the tiara, but for his own personal reasons.

The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose is a beautifully written historical fiction novel. Told from two perspectives, I really enjoyed both Sofiya’s and Isobelle’s journeys. I loved the dual timelines, and I enjoyed trying to figure out how their stories would come together. The premise of this book was wonderful. I loved learning about the historical aspects, but at times, they could be a little hard to follow. I cannot say much more without giving the story away so I’ll just say that I highly recommend this book if you like historical fiction.

Thank you NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest review. I actually decided to listen to the audiobook, and I’m glad I did. Tavia Gilbert beautifully narrated it.

I LOVE historical fiction and this one was no exception! Though the story was captivating and I loved the characters, the pacing or maybe the writing style was a little off so it could have been more engaging, but ultimately I still enjoyed the story.

This is such a outstanding read that I highly recommend for all that love historical fiction. The author has crafted her charcters and story so well to each timeline that she transports the reader to her world. The story is told from the two timelines of 1915 Russia and 1948 post war New York. I loved the atmospheric descriptions and the rich charcters.

The story is centered around two strong woman protagonists. Sonia, a restorer of art and furniture. Sophia was friends with Russian royalty one of whom gave her a precious tiara. The tiara is the focus of the story when Sophia finds it stripped of jewels leading her on a quest to answer unknown questions about her Mother. At the core of the story is the Mother daughter relationship, romances and lives lived well in their time.

A rich story well crafted to each time line and enjoyable to conclusion. I loved this book and hope to read more by this author.

The Last Tiara by MJ Rose, is a blend of historical fiction, romance, and mystery. It has a dual storyline. One is set during the Russian Revolution and the other in NYC in the 1940’s. It tells the story of a tiara minus the jewels. When daughter Isabelle finds it while renovating her mother’s apartment, she decides to investigate how her mother came to have it. Her mother was struck and killed by a car and had shared very little about her life in Russia. Isabelle is on a quest to find out more about her mother and the tiara. I enjoyed this novel as well as Cartier’s Hope, another book by this author.

I received a free arc from Net Galley for an honest review.

Content Rating: 16+
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance, Mystery
Published: February 2, 2021, by Blue Box Press

The Last Tiara, written by M. J. Rose, is a beautiful story that weaves the touching relationship between mother and daughter while intertwining 1915 Russia and 1948 America. The Last Tiara is expertly research and well written. Ms. Rose writes this book with sharp attention to historical detail but also laced with romance and mystery.

Isabelle Moon is a young architect in post-WW2. She is living and working in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, where she is transforming the secrete cities tasked with making the first nuclear bomb back into livable cities. On December 9, Isabelle gets a frantic phone call from her aunt informing her that her mother was hit by a car and has died. Isabelle then rushes home to New York to morn her mother. When she returns to her job, she begins to feel lost. When an opening becomes available in New York, Isabelle jumps at the opportunity. She moves back into the apartment she shared with her mother. While renovating their shared apartment, she stumbles upon a tiara stripped of all its gemstones. This begins her journey of discovering what her mother’s life was like during the fall of the Romanov’s rule.

This story alternates between mother and daughter and between their respective times. I have always been obsessed with all things Romanov, so that part was a real treat for me. I also loved that the author wrote with wonderfully rich historical detail. Although this didn’t necessarily add to the plot, I feel that it added to the enjoyment of the whole book, and I learned a bit of history. I thought the mystery element was well developed and thought out, and it did keep me guessing throughout the whole book. I would have liked to see the author develop the two main characters a bit more. But overall, The Last Tiara is a well-written book that I enjoyed and would recommend it.

So this is a 4.5 upgraded to a 5. I’m a big fan of this genre and I love mid century era novels set in the backdrop of the first or second World Wars. So, I found this story intriguing from early on, when we meet Sofiya Petrovitch, a young woman born in Russia around 1900. With the outbreak of WW1, Sofiya and her friends, who also happen to be Russian Royalty, are conscripted into nursing and they attend to the many wounded soldiers coming back from the front. It is here that Sofiya meets the love of her life, a young Russian soldier who just happens to have amnesia. While their love story is a fairytale early on, nothing can last forever and as war ravages Russia, Sofiya and her beloved are forced apart. She eventually finds shelter in America and her beloved is eventually imprisoned. The storyline shifts forward 30 years and we meet Isobelle Moon, Sofiya’s daughter, who lives in New York City. Isobelle is a woman without a family history because her mother spent her whole life keeping it hidden, and after Sofiya’s untimely death, Isobelle is left to find that history on her own. A renovation of her mother’s room yields one clue that could unlock her past, an old tiara, long picked clean of any gems that could be considered valuable. With nothing else to go on, Isobelle vows to uncover the tiara’s importance and what secrets it may hold about her mother’s past. While the pace can be a little slower at times, the plot is always interesting, weaving important historical events and figures with the fictional characters of this tale. I quite enjoyed this story. If I could wish for anything else to add to this tale, I wish we knew more about what happened to Isobelle’s father. There isn’t much here, and it would have been interesting to know what happened to him. Review posted to Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Litsy and LibraryThing.

I'm on such a huge historical fiction kick and as someone who is lowkey interested in Russian history more than she thinks she is -- this seemed to sound right up my ally.

It was a little hard for me to get into this title, I'm not sure why. It just started off a little confusing and I found myself having to back track pages to figure out what was happening. I'm not sure if it was the writing style or there was A LOT of info to take in within the first few pages.

I'm sad I struggled with this title the way I did. Maybe down the road I'll pick this one back up because it does sound like something I would really enjoy.

Thank you to the publisher and NG for allowing me to read and review this title!

This isn’t my usual type of read, but I enjoyed it a lot. I liked the different time periods described and was really rooting for both women’s relationships along the way. It was a little overly sentimental but I think it worked for the style and genre.

An entertaining historical fiction story about secrets in the past and a mysterious tiara linked to the end of the Russian dynasty. Definitely recommend for fans of Russian history or a good art heist plot.

Isobelle Moon is searching for answers after her mother dies. She never knew her father, he supposedly died in the Gulag after her mother fled Russia. Isobelle follows a trail left by her mother but to what, she does not know. This story describes the hardships of Russian life during and after World War I. It is a heartbreaking tale of survival and love. Highly recommended.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.