This is a dual timeline, historical fiction novel. In 1948 (i.e., 'the present'), we meet Isobelle, a New Yorker who is an early-career architect and one of few women in that profession. She is working on a project in Tennessee when her mother dies in an accident in New York. Months later, she returns to live in New York after the architecture firm offers her a chance to transfer back to the New York office. There, she moves in to the apartment that she shared with her mother, a building on Madison avenue that her mother and her Aunt Lana co-owned.

In 1915, we are in St. Petersburg, Russia and Isobelle's mother, Sofiya, is 19 years old. She is best friends with the daughter of the Czar, with whom she has grown up because her mother was a tutor for the Czar's children. We meet Sofiya and the Czar's two daughters as they are beginning their volunteer duties as nurses at a makeshift hospital in the Winter Palace to care for wounded soldiers. The young women are quickly subjected to the harsh realities of war that has upended their life of comfort and privilege. In this timeline, we follow Sofiya and her lover (a soldier who was wounded and under her care) through dark years in Russia during the Bolsheviks' rule. Jobs are scarce, people are starving and anyone opposing the ruling party risks imprisonment or death. Her perseverance and eventual escape from Russian is chronicled with depth and passion.

In the present, Sofiya (now Sophia) leaves behind a daughter who was never told the story of her mother's tragic life in Russia or much about her father who died in a Siberian prison. Although Isobelle has had a good life and education in New York, she hasn't escaped sexual abuse and fear of retribution by her male boss. Once back in New York after her mother's death, Isobelle decides to remodel the Manhattan apartment she grew up in and now owns. Because, what else would a young, grieving architect decide to do? (That was a positive comment, not a negative one!) Soon, questions about her mother's past and emigration from Russia are newly encountered when Isobelle discovers an exquisite tiara hidden in the wall of her mother's bedroom. The jewels that belonged in the tiara are gone and were sold, as evidenced by a receipt from a local jewelry shop found with the tiara. Sophia decides to visit the jeweler in hopes of understanding more about the tiara's history, and by doing so, learning about the past her mother never revealed. Sophie'a journey for the truth of the past leads her to realize her own truth about who she is in the present.

This was a very enjoyable book that maintained my attention throughout. The characters in the past felt more authentic to me than Isobelle and Jules in the present. Jules seemed undeveloped without much of a personality. I also got a bit tired of how much the author reminded us of Isobelle's insecurities about herself. Diving into the world of high-end jewelry and issues of provenance was fascinating. The ending had a surprise regarding the tiara and was very satisfying. This was a solid four-star read for me. I thank NetGalley and Blue Box Press for a copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

This book ended for me much better than it started, primarily because I had to get names and characters straight in my head. It was well written and thought out. However it did take me a bit longer to read than normal. It did have a lot of little details.

I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishing house and the author for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book in return for a review based upon my honest opinion.

I love the way this author wound together a fictional story with a true event. The fate of the Romanovs has always captivated me, from the mysteries around their story, the cruelties they faced in exile and the horror of the whole family being executed; the hope that somehow some part of them survived has always fascinated me.

In 1925 when the Romanov jewels are photographed, four pieces are missing from the original 1922 cataloging; three of these pieces have never been seen again; including a tiara. This author takes one of the lost Romanov treasures, a tiara, and weaves a fictional story about it. The characters are captivating, I adored Isobelle Moon right from the beginning. As we followed her as she tried to discover her mother, Sofiya’s story, I was in the edge of my seat. I loved it. So well written and so enjoyable. I was transported to the past hoping that all would end well and pleasantly surprised at the ending.

This author always writes a great tale. This book is no exception.

An entertaining story revolving around a mysterious discovery of a tiara belonging to the Grand Duchess Olga. The plot alternates between the dire years immediately following the Russian revolution in Petrograd and New York City in the years after WWII.

This was a wonderful book! This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won't be my last! I loved the dual timeframes. Sometimes these can be difficult to follow, but not in this book. I loved the view into post-revolution Russia and post-WWII America. The characters were very well crafted and it was such a sweet love story. The twist at the end really surprised me! I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction. I received a free copy of this book from netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Finding a stripped tiara after her mother's death, Isabelle is drawn into her mother's past and her involvement with the Romanovs in their last days in the Winter Palace of St. Petersburg. Well written historical fiction.

I've always been fascinated by the story of the Romanovs. M.J. Rose weaves a fascinating dual timeline story filled with detail, history and mystery. A must read!

Oh, I wish this story were true. This is such a wonderfully engrossing tale; I hung on to every word! My favorite subject to read about is anything Romanov! and this totally fits the bill. Olga, one of the Romanov sisters, gifts a tiara to her friend Sophia, and thus the story begins! and what a story! M.J. Rose has written a beautifully descriptive book, that takes place in the late 1940's and back again to the Russian Revolution, 1917. I so wish the story she tells at the end of the book (no spoilers here) were true. That would be incredible. You'll have to read the book to know what I'm speaking about. It is a fabulous read, I couldn't put it down! Thank you to M.J. Rose for her incredible and what must have been, laborious research. Thank you to Netgalley and to Blue Box Press for the egalley!!

This book was good. I enjoyed the historical and recent parts similarly. The characters were well defined and overall a solid read.

This historical thriller bounces back and forth from Russia in 1915 and the United States in 1948.
Sophia Moon never told her daughter, Isobelle, much at all about her life in Russia. When Sophia is hit by a car on a New York Street, Isobelle discovers a silver tiara, with the jewels removed, hidden in their apartment.
Isobelle begins to research the tiara with the help of a local jeweler, who is also a member of a covert international organization whose mission is to return lost or stolen antiques, jewels and artwork to their original owners.
Isobelle doesn’t know if she can trust her new friend, but doesn’t see that she has much choice.
The story of Sophia’s early life is revealed as Isobelle tries to solve the mystery of the tiara. How did her mother end up with it and who did it belong to in the first place?
There is a nice surprise thrown in at the end for good measure.

Thank you to the publisher & GetRedPR for a copy of this book!
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What I Enjoyed: The plot was a good one. I liked reading about the historical references to Russia and the way that art work and jewels were taken and smuggled. It was interesting to read about and the author did a great job of going into just enough depth that you knew what was going on, but not so much to slow down the plot. The characters were well written and I truly liked both of our main protagonists. I enjoyed the dual time lines-- to a degree.

What I Didn't: I wish the epilogue would have been more focused on Isobel's after. I actually was not a fan of the epilogue at all. Also, I enjoyed the dual timelines for the most part. But near the end, I would have liked to see them less often, and stay in the present. I truly think the rest of the story could have been developed there.

Overall, this was a solid historical fiction novel!

THE LAST TIARA relates the story of Isobelle Moon, a New York City architect’s quest to unravel the mystery behind a tiara she finds hidden in a wall of her late mother’s Manhattan apartment in 1948.

Her mother, Sophia Moon, had always been hesitant to discuss her life as an art restorer in Russia as well as her relationship with Russian royalty which might have offered some explanation as to how she came to possess a tiara belonging to the Romanovs. Fearing that her mother’s secrets have died with her, Isobelle begins an investigation into her mother’s background.

The saga is related via the two women (mother and daughter) as it moves back and forth in time taking the reader on a wonderful journey that possesses all the best components of an engrossing read.

Part love story, part mystery, part art history lesson, and part an exploration of the history of Russia, the narrative offers something for every bibliophile as the tale is unraveled and the truth revealed. 4 1/2 stars

The Last Tiara is a gem of a novel. It is well written with exquisite details. The Last Tiara skillfully combines romance and mystery. The author moves back and forth between the stories of mother and daughter, between Russia at the end of the Romanov dynasty and New York mid 20th century. Excellent storyline. Great characters. I loved it.

“We take a million steps, but it is only the one that leads to change that we recognize as being fateful.” The Last Tiara by M. J. Rose

3 stars. I was intrigued by this because it has traces of the Romanovs and the history surrounding them.

The book happened to be in the periphery of that royal family, where Isobelle’s mother Sophia l, was the friend of Grand Duchess Olga, the eldest daughter of the Tsar. Sophia was gifted ma tiara by Olga. And the discovery of the tiara prompted Isobelle to finally tackle the mystery of her mother before she migrated to America.

I liked the book. It’s told in the POV of Isobelle and Sophia when she was still in Russia as a young girl. The extra mystery near the end was surprising and makes me think a sequel won’t be amiss here.

Thank you Blue Box Press and NetGalley for the copy of this book!

This was such a fascinating story. It is told by Sofia who left Russia pregnant with her daughter, Isobelle. Isobelle tells her part of the story which begins after her mother has died. Sofia was given a tiara by the Romanov Duchess Olga when they are together serving in the Winter Palace after it has been turned into a hospital for the injured men in the first world war.
Isobelle knows nothing of the tiara until she is going to renovate her mother's bedroom a year after her death. Isobelle is one of the few women architect at the time. Her mother never told her much about her life in Russia. Now Isobelle is wondering what she can learn about the tiara.
The story takes us back and forth from Sofia's life before coming to America and Isobelle's life in her present time. I wasn't sure I would like the story but the further I went the better it became.

A woman flees Russia with a treasured package in her possession and builds a new life under a new name in America. Her secrets stay hidden, even from her own daughter, Isobelle Moon, and when she dies in an accident, Isobelle is at a loss about her mother’s past.

While remodeling the apartment they shared, Isobelle discovers the skeleton of a tiara hidden within the walls, the jewels no longer in their settings. This takes her on a journey to discover where her mother had acquired such an item and in doing so, learning the truth of her mother’s past.

The Last Tiara is a beautiful story told in alternating time periods as it unravels the secrets of the past. As Isobelle struggles in a man’s world in 1947 as an architect, she begins to learn of her mother’s struggles in Russia during the war and of all her mother lost before beginning again in America. Beautifully written and intriguing, I highly recommend this wonderful story of love, loss, and dedication to family.

2.5 stars.
It was a interesting story, that as other reviewers have pointed out was almost written as a diary but too much info dump and not enough character development.

This book is a good mystery surrounding a real object from the Russian Romanov family. If you know nothing about this family, just know they ruled Russia for many centuries and came to a tragic ending. Their legacy lives on through their jewelry and items they had commissioned. The tiara that went missing was the item most mysterious, and this story surround that missing tiara.
In the story, Sofiya Petrovitch is friends with the Romanov daughters'. During the war, many injured men have returned and are in desperate need of care. The hospitals are overrun, so they use the palace to house the sick and injured. The girls decide to take on a job to help these poor men as the nursing staff is few. Sofiya helps a man and becomes enamored with him. He becomes a companion of sorts to Sofiya.
Jump 30 years into the future, Isabelle Moon is mourning her mother in New York City. A tragic accident has taken her life before she ever got the chance to learn of her mothers Russian past. Her mother never wanted to speak of the past. She kept Isabelle in the dark, always saddened by the memories. All she has left is the necklace with the most beautiful Faberge' eggs attached, and the mystery of an object she finds hidden in the walls of her room. Isabelle is determined to find out more of her mother and the mysterious father she never knew.
I am so thankful I received this arc from #netgalley. The start of this story took me a bit to get into. The background of the characters and how they ended up where they were in the current timeline. Once the tiara was discovered, the story took an incredible direction of mystery and intrigue. The story jumps between past and future and it was a great way to unveal this mystery. I cant say how much I enjoyed this book. The author has such an incredible imagination of what happened to the tiara from the 1900s. The discovery of how Isabelle came into possession of it and the way the story was told was a page turner. Its contents flew by, and I was sad when the story ended. Incredible read, highly recommend.

The Last Tiara follows a mother and daughter as they go through their lives. The mother's life is in Russia during the revolution that brought down the Romanovs, while the daughter's is during post-WW2 New York. The only thing that connects the daughter to her heritage after her mother's death is the skeleton on a tiara.

Honestly, this was so much better than I thought it would be. It felt overly descriptive in the very beginning. The daughter, Isobelle, is an architect, so one chapter was spent describing the exact architecture of a building. It felt insanely over the top. But then we finally get to the heart of the story-the tiara.

We see life and death, profound loss and intense love, and more through Isobelle's and her mother Sofiya's stories. This was a beautiful tale of mystery, built around real history. The reader never quite knows what is going to happen, and the mystery draws you in.

The entire novel was beautiful and heartbreaking. I would reread it in a heartbeat.

When I sit down to read a book there are a few things I look for, and one of them is, does the story flow. The premise of this story is great. Daughter is away working for the government on a too secret assignment. She is an architect and after the war goes to work for a firm where she is unhappy and one male co-worker consistently takes credit for her work. This part really has no bearing on the story and there are things like this throughout this book. For me it takes away from the story and adds a bunch of information that distracts from the true plot. Sofiya( the mom) was given a gift of the tiara by the Russian tsar's daughter. Later Sofyia volunteers at the hospital during World War 2. She meets a soldier who will later become an important part of her life.

Isobelle Moon, Sofyia's daughter is renovating her mothers.a when she finds hidden in the wall the remnants of the tiara, but the jewels are gone. From there Isobelle goes on a journey that will help her know her.mother a little.better and to finally meet her father!!

This book was a challenge to read, but overall a sweet story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.