The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose creates a an intriguing story that dips into the world of the Romanovs and explores life in America after WWII. Isobelle's mother, Sophia never talked about her past in Russia. Now that Sophia has passed away Isobelle realizes she may never know her mother's history. This frustrate Isobelle even more when she finds a tiara hidden in her mothers history.

The Last Tiara is a fun, interesting read. I loved how the author talks about the Romanovs but not Anastasia or Rasputin. When talking about the Romanovs writers usually do not focus on Olga. While this book does not center around her it does bring her to the forefront to represent the family in this book. I will say Isobelle's story was more boring compared to her mother. For me her story line was a tool to put mystery in the book otherwise this would have just been a historical novel. I liked how Rose showed the different sides of immigrant families. Some like Sophia do not talk about their past whereas Lana (Isobelle's aunt) seems to incorporate her heritage into her life in America. The pacing was fast and I devoured the book in a second.

I enjoyed this book and give it 3.5 stars with a round up for making me curious about Olga. Thank you to NetGalley, Blue Box Press and M.J. Rose for an ARC. This was an honest review.

I was excited to read The Last Tiara because I love books that involve art mysteries, and I also love books set in Russia. Isobelle Moon finds a mysterious tiara with missing jewels in her mother Sophia's apartment in NYC after Sophia suddenly dies. Isobelle is puzzled by the find because Sophia never shared many details of her life in Russia with her daughter.

With the help of a young jeweler, Jules Reed, she starts to investigate the provenance of the tiara in the hopes of learning more about her mother's early life and about her father, whom she never met. Jules and Isobelle discover that this tiara may have been a part of the Romanov jewels collection that went missing after the revolution. The question is, how did it end up in Sophia's possession?

The Last Tiara has an intriguing premise, and I enjoyed the book overall, but I didn't love it. I found the writing repetitive and info-dumpy. I also noticed few inconsistencies, especially in the usage of Russian names. This book could have been improved with more editing, in my opinion.

If you have always been intrigued by the mystery of the Romanov family (and obsessed with the movie Anastasia), then M.J. Rose's "The Last Tiara" is the book for you. Told through dual timelines we learn about how this mysterious tiara plays a role in the Moon family past.

Sofiya's early life brings her in close contact with the Romanov family, especially the daughters Olga and Tatiana. Her timeline explains how the tiara came to be in her possession and what it meant to her. Isobelle's timeline begins with her reeling from her mother's untimely death and being left with no knowledge of her life prior to living in America. During her work renovating their shared apartment, Isobelle finds the tiara hidden in the wall and begins to dig into why it was there, why her mother hid it all these years, and all the other secrets her mother kept from her.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read and loved how Rose entwined the story with the Romanov history and mystery.

The Russian Romanov family has always interested me, so I was happy to be able to read MJ Rose’s newest novel, The Last Tiara. Told in two timelines, 1915 and 1948, the story centers around Sofiya, the daughter of the Romanov’s teacher.

Sofiya and the Grand Duchess Olga were close friends, but when it became clear that the Romanov’s were to go into hiding, Olga gave her tiara to Sofiya as a token of their friendship.
Also during this time, Sofiya met and fell in love with a jeweler who had worked at Faberge before the war.

During this time of instability in Russia, Sofiya and her lover become separated and her father decides to send her to New York for a better life. Once in New York, Sophia manages to run a business and raise a daughter, Isobelle.

Readers meet Isobelle as a young woman who has recently lost her mother and ended a doomed love affair. She is a successful architect, but as the only woman in the firm, she feels destined to play second fiddle to the men in her office.

When Isobelle decides to remodel her apartment, she begins by removing the wallpaper in her mother’s bedroom, only to discover a box hidden in the wall. Inside the box, is a tiara that has been stripped of jewels. Isobelle’s curiosity leads her on a mission to discover the story behind the tiara and why her mother had hidden it away.

As she uncovers the clues to the past, Isabelle finds love, a new family member and a better understanding of her mother’s past.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for allowing me to read an advance copy and give my honest review.

It’s not just American or British history that I’m interested in, I also dabble a bit in Russian history, especially during the Russian Revolution of 1917 that led to the capture and killing of Tsar Nicholas and his family. So when I saw The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose being offered on NetGalley and Blue Box Press for my honest review, I took a chance. The Last Tiara will be released to the general public February 2, 2021.

From the publisher: “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.”

I had a hard time putting down The Last Tiara (Amazon). From the beginning of Sofiya and Isobelle’s journeys, I wondered how they would end. Of course, we find out how Sofiya came to have the tiara (a gift from Grand Duchess Olga), but Isobelle doesn’t. And we don’t know how Sofiya met Isobelle’s father until the story progresses. Isobelle is in the dark about her mother’s past, and slowly uncovers clues that lead to more questions than answers.

In 1948 New York, when Isobelle finds the tiara with two receipts from a jeweler dated 1930, she sets off on a journey of discovery of her mother’s past, including information about her father. With the help of the jeweler’s grandson, Jules, Isobelle slowly peels back the layers of Sofiya’s life. Jules and his grandfather reveal that the tiara was part of the Romanov collection, so how did Sofiya end up with it? But soon Isobelle learns that Jules has an ulterior motive: he’s a member of a secret society that vows to return stolen art and jewels to their rightful owners. Isobelle knows her mother wasn’t a thief, but proving that is another matter.

Going back and forth in narratives, M.J. Rose weaves a tale that compels the reader to continue on to find out all the secrets. Of course, the reader knows the provenance of the tiara from reading Sofiya’s story, but Isobelle doesn’t, and that’s what makes the journey so interesting. The secrets of the tiara are more than Sofiya even knows. When a man from Sofiya’s past in Russia turns up, claiming to be Isobelle’s father, long thought dead in a Siberian prison, the mystery gets more tangled.

I did not see the ending unravelling the way it did. What started out as a historical novel with a mystery and two love stories ends up like a Dan Brown novel, with intrigue and adventure thrown in. I was pleasantly surprised with the ending, although I found the very last entry unnecessary and out-of-place for the plot.

I can imagine future books for Jules and his Midas Society and would gladly read them.

Forgive me but I am lost. Having just finished this book I am confused as to what genre it belongs to. The Last Tiara is the free-handed concotion of historical fiction, romance, mystery, and #metoo piece of writing. Having read this book till the end I am yet to figure out where it belongs.

The next big confusion comes from 'cultural appropriation'. Yes, I hated this term when it first came out. But today I caught myself thinking, angrily at that, that The Last Tiara is yet another example of very arrogant cultural appropriation. I am yet to hear of or read a Russian speaking author who does something so freestyle with American or British history and culture. However, American writes do not feel any objections or obstacles when doing exactly that - freestylying Russian history and culture.

Every time I pick up an English Language 'Russian' book I hope for respect, understanding, and consideration towards material used but... fail to find it every time.

I was truly trying to read The Last Tiara from the perspective of reading a historical fiction or a romance novel. However, I can't be objective when it comes to something I hold dear. Starting from horribly mimicked names to 'fairytale' situations that could never have happened in Petrograd of 1917 and the fact that Russian emigrants wanted to delete their russianness... I found this book disappointing.

I wanted to like Isobelle but I found her boring because she was tring too much. I wanted to respect Sofiya but I could not get her at all.

The book might be based around historical fact of missing tiara and include some historical facts but it failed to take me and immerse me in the fabric of the story. One, I did not grasp what the story was truly about. And two, the story was such a one-dimensional fairytale that it was neither believable nor interesting.

I must thank Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. It was wonderful. I have become fond of reading about the Russian Revolution. The Royal family is such a sad and mysterious story.
Told in two voices, we learn the story of Sophia and her daughter Isobelle. Sophia came to New York from Russia. She was a talented art restorer. Volunteering in a hospital, she meet the man who will become Isobelle's father. He works for Fabrege. Sophia is given a tiara from the Royal Family. As the story begins, Sophia has died and Isobelle discovers the tiara, minus the jewels.
Sophia never spoke of her life in Russia. She would not speak not teach her daughter Russian. She only told her daughter that her father died in Siberia. Isabelle must find the secret of the tiara.
Isabelle is a wonderful character. A woman in the 40s working as an architect. It's a man's world and she just deal with much unfairness at work.
The ending is filled with twists and surprises.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author fir an opportunity to read this story

Book Rating : ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫
Cover rating : 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

I really enjoyed this story told from the perspective of a mother and daughter - Sofia during and right after the First World War in Russia, and Isobelle right after World War II in NYC, as she tries to piece together her mother’s past ...

What I liked :
✔️ strong female characters - both forging careers for themselves in male dominated careers
✔️ I’ve always been fascinated by Russian history, and I loved those aspects of this story - the little tidbits of the last years of the Tsar and his family
✔️ the insights into Oak Ridge - a town that was built in the middle of the desert for the scientist that built the atomic bombs used during WWII ; and the Ghost Army !
✔️ a beautiful love story and a mystery to solve
✔️All the Agatha Christie love in this book 💜
✔️ That gorgeous cover which is what made me request this book

Fascinating! The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose had it all. There was mystery, intrigue, war, jewels, friendship, a love story and a woman in a male dominated field of work during the post World War II era. What more could you want? This book grabbed my attention and wouldn't let me go. It was so interesting.

The story takes place during two times periods and told by two different women. The mother during the fall of the Romanovs in Russia and the daughter in post World War II in New York City. I especially loved the setting in Russia, learning about their arts and life. I also enjoyed New York City in the post war time period when things were returning to normal. The author did a great job of weaving the two stories together.

This was such a rich story of relationships. She made the past come alive and I felt like I was a bystander watching it all unfold. The cover of the book is beautiful and of course the synopsis only tells you so much but, I was pleasantly surprised that this book was so much deeper and richer than I imagined.

If you love Historical Fiction, I know this book is one you will want to add to your library.
It is as multifaceted as the diamonds and jewels that are a part of The Last Tiara!

I received a copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley for a fair and honest review. Thank you!

The Last Tiara by MJ Rose is told in alternating perspectives by both mother and daughter- Sophia Moon and Isobelle Moon. Sophia is a native of Russia and grows up with the Romanov family since her mother is their tutor. She joins the oldest royal daughters in nursing work at the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg but she longs to pursue her true passion- restoring artwork. While working as a nurse, Sophia meets the love of her life but the Revolution threatens everything she holds dear.

Isobelle lives in New York City in 1948 and works in the cut throat and sexist field of architecture. When her mother dies suddenly, Isobelle finds an extraordinary tiara hidden in the wall of their apartment. The more Isobelle begins to dig into to the history of the tiara, the more she realizes her mother kept almost everything about life in Russia hidden from her. With the help of a local jeweler, Isobelle must find answers about her mother and the tiara and discovers that the two are not what the seem.

I enjoyed this book although it did start off very slow.

3.5 stars!

Thank you Blue Box Press for this advanced copy. The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose releases February 2, 2021.

Isobelle Moon lives in New York, 1948, one of the few women architects working with a prestigious architectural firm. When her mother, Sofiya, is killed in an accident, Isobelle is left mourning the mother who shared so little of her past life in Russia. While remodeling their apartment, Isobelle comes across the skeleton of a tiara, and a depression-era sale of the gemstones that used to live inside it. Seeing this as her one chance to get to know about her mother's life growing up in Russia during WW1, Isobelle follows this clue in the hopes of finding out about not only her mother, but the father she has never known as well. Working alongside Jules, who inherited the jewelry store her mother sold her jewels at, Isobelle quickly realizes that her mother kept her secrets for a reason, and she may not get the answers she's looking for with all her digging.

The story behind this novel was interesting - the fact that Sofiya hid her entire upbringing in Russia from her daughter made this a fun mystery to follow along with. The dual timelines, between post-WW2 America and during and post-WW1 in Russia made for a great historical fiction, but the characters were what made this a difficult read. The history behind the Romanov family and their history within the Russian revolution was super intriguing. Isobelle was definitely struggling with the death of her mother and having no answers for who she is, or who her father is. However, her self-esteem was so jaded, that the entire book she is putting herself down, and it became really annoying. With the love interest involved, Isobelle merely sits there and tells herself she isn't worthy of love, she isn't beautiful or lovable, and it really took away from the story for me. Not that low self-esteem isn't a character trait that I couldn't get around, but when it is brought up consistently, that takes away from any development I could see. I did enjoy the characters, and the love development, but there were many aspects of the writing that I couldn't get over.

Overall, good story, good history, the ending was a surprise twist and made the whole story worth reading for me.

Unable to face the memories of her life in Russia, Sophia Moon never shared her story with her daughter Isobelle. Now Sophia is dead and Isobelle fears that she will never know her mother’s story. While renovating her mother’s room to make it her own, she discovers a hidden recess in the wall. Inside is a box containing a tiara, its’ jewels removed, and receipts for the sale of the jewels. This is the first clue to the family’s history.

In 1915 St. Petersburg Sophia is friends with Grand Duchess Olga, daughter of the Tsar, and they have volunteered at the hospital that was set up in the Winter Palace. It is here that Sophia meets the soldier with no name or memory. As she spends her time reading to him they discover a mutual attraction and she is determined to help him remember. She calls him Carpathian, for the area where he was found. His true name is Sergei and he worked for Faberge. He was also in a loveless marriage, but his heart now belongs to Sophia. As he is recovering the political situation is deteriorating. Olga fears for her family’s future and she presents Sophia with a gift to remember their friendship. It is the last tiara created by Faberge for the Tsar as a gift for Olga’s last birthday.

Isobelle is an architect, a career open to few women in 1948. It is a man’s world and she is relegated to providing designs that her team leader takes credit for. She has been betrayed in a past relationship and is now slow to trust. She is also inquisitive and finding the tiara sends her to the jewelry firm that purchased the gems. The firm is now run by Jules Reed, the jeweler’s grandson. He is intrigued by Isobelle and her story and promises to help her discover the tiara’s history. He is also a member of the Midas Society that returns stolen art and antiquities to their rightful owners.. This leads Isobelle to question whether he truly wants to help or is he working to recover the tiara.

M. J. Rose reveals Sophia’s story and Isobelle’s search in alternating chapters. She brings her characters to life with all of their loves and struggles. From the deprivations of revolutionary Russia to the lack of opportunities for women after WWII, her writing is elegant and easily allows the reader to visualize the scenes and characters. Rose is a must read for fans of historical fiction. I would like to thank NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing this book in exchange for my review.

Love love this story!!!!!!!!! The two tales of two strong women in this book was emotional, uplifting, sad, but so inspirational. This new book of author MJ Rose was a moving tale of a mother's struggles & her journey which she would never tell her daughter. Until it was too late. Thank you to Netgalley and BlueBox Press for my honest review.

Isabelle is moving back into her mother's apartment after her mother dies. They have always been close. Sophia emigrated to New York from Russia when Isabelle was a few months old. In the process of renovating the apartment she rips off the wallpaper behind the bed and finds a hidden niche in the wall hiding a leather case containing a tiara without stones. Her mother never talked about her past in Russia and she only knows her father by the name Carpathian. Her mother said she preferred to forget the bad memories. From that point the story is told in two timelines with Sophia's starting in 1913. It is the start of the revolution and she is working as a nurse with Olga, one of the Tsar's daughters. There she falls in love with a patient. He has amnesia and she is helping him find his identity. The second time line is Isabelle's in 1948. She begins to search for the origin of the tiara, how did her mother get it and what happened to the stones.

This is a time where I really felt the two timelines worked. As we went back and forth the chapters complimented each other so well and I didn't feel cheated when I had to abandon one and go on to the next. I enjoyed the growth of both the characters. Sophia was young during the Revolution, only 19, and the author really depicts the turmoil in the country at the time as she pursues her career as an art restorer and falls in love. Isabelle's story is also compelling. She is an architect, which is a rare field for a woman to be in. She is trying to move ahead in her field and as she looks for the mystery behind the tiara I see her growing in self confidence.

This is kind of a slow mystery, the ending didn't have my heart racing but it was still very satisfactory. I look forward to more books by M.J. Rose.

Thank you to Netgalley and Blue Box Press for providing me a copy of this book.

Lovely mystery of a tiara discovered hidden with the jewels missing.

Isobelle Moon is renovating her place that she shared with her recently passed mother. She discovers a tiara, jewels missing and in a blue case, hidden. Her mother Sophia never talked about her life in Russia so Isobelle had no idea where it came from.
Sofiya is a friend of Princess Olga, the Czar of Russia's daughter. They work together in the Winter Palace as nurses to help soldiers in the war recover. Sofiya will befriend and fall in love with one of the men.

This was a great mystery to follow and find out all the secrets of this tiara and Isobelle's mother and her life. It was very captivating and immersive into New York in 1948 and Russia in 1916-1922.

I love the story's premise—the mystery of the tiara from two separate timelines—that of a mother’s perspective, Sofiya Petrovitch in 1915, and her daughter Isobelle Moon, 1948.

Though it is the secrets surrounding the diadem that held my interest for almost three-quarters of the way through the book, it wasn’t enough to sustain it.

I never felt fully submerged in the narrative and the characters' lives as there was more telling than showing throughout, pulling me out of the story.

THE LAST TIARA may not have ticked all the boxes for me; I am, however, looking forward to reading more by Rose.

Thank you, NetGalley and Blue Box Press, for loaning me an eGalley of THE LAST TIARA in exchange for an honest review.

Scheduled To Release – February 2, 2021 (Subject To Change)

Wonderful dual story of Romanov Russia and 1948 NYC. A passionate quest to find an historic tiara and the story surrounding it leads characters to discover as much about themselves as the jeweled item itself.
Author consistently writes fascinating stories with intriguing characters.
Thanks to #NetGalley and #TheLastTiara for an advance digital copy.

{3.5 stars}

Sofiya is a young woman living through war in Russia in 1915, she comes from a family of means close to the royal family who is in the process of being deposed. She volunteers her time with the soldiers coming into the hospital and falls for a man with amnesia from his head injury. In this story we learn more about the politics of the time, the horrors of war and rationing and the royal family.

In the 1940's, Sofia (as she's now known in America) has died and her daughter, Isobelle, finds the skeleton of a tiara hidden in her mother's apartment. Her mother left Russia and never looked back, there were no stories for Isobelle to understand who her father was or how she might have come upon this tiara. As Isobelle begins to search she finds herself quickly drawn in by a jeweler who's grandfather helped her mother sell off the gems of the tiara. The two pair up to solve the mystery of the tiara and just who Isobelle's mother and father may have been.

Two timelines in historical fiction is always a risk, you run the risk of only being truly invested in one character and dragging yourself through the other plot. That happened to me here but interestingly about halfway through which plot I was more invested in switched. First, all I cared about was Sofiya and learning more about the Winter Palace and the war and was shrugging over the modern plotline then about halfway through I became more interested in Isobelle's quest to uncover her mother's history. I'm not sure why that flip happened but I think truthfully neither character was well developed, it was the plots I was most invested in.

This novel also suffers from something I hate in historical fiction, men who are completely put together and in control even in the worst circumstances balanced with incapable women who melt with emotion at any challenge. Isobelle was an architect making her way in a career before her time but was the most naïve person when it comes to the real world and relationships. I get that her mother sheltered her but her emotions were reflective of a teenager rather than a full grown adult.

That said, the history was phenomenal and the mystery took a turn I really enjoyed in the end. The twist was one that I figured out but I believe that was because the author laid just the right breadcrumbs along the way.

Read this one if you enjoyed Gill Paul's the Lost Daughter or Kristin Hannah's Winter Garden.

This is a must read for fans who are fascinated by books about the Romanov's, Russia's last Imperial family.

Set between Russia during the time just before and during the Revolution and New York City it is the tale of a mother and daughter.

Sophia Moon (Sofyia Petrovitch) is a friend of the Grand Duchess Olga and they are volunteers at a hospital that once was the Winter Palace. Olga gifts Sofyia with a tiara which was gifted to her from her father the Tsar.
It is the "last tiara" that Faberge (the renowned jewelers make). The tiard has diamonds and sapphires on it and it becomes a great mystery in the future years.

Isabelle (Sophia's daughter) knows nothing of her mother's life in Russia as her mother never wants to revisit painful memories.. All she knows is that her mother escaped Russia when Isabelle was an infant.

Upon her mother's death when Isabelle is rennovating her mother's bedroom she comes upon a hidden niche in the wall and discovers the tiara which at this time is missing its jewels, and a receipt for payment of the jewels. . She also finds a photograph and a letter.
She has never met her father or seen a picture of him ,, all she knows is that he was killed while in a Russian prison.

Isabelle .goes to the jeweler who paid her mother for the jewels and discovers there is a secret society whose purpose is to return stolen jewels, paintings and other artifacts to their owners. Unable to verify where her mother obtained the tiara , it is discovered to have been the property of the grand Duchess but is thought to have been stolen

There are many mysteries and secrets in this book.

This tiara actually existed and is still missing, having last been seen in 1921-22 when it was photographed for a catalog.

M.J. Rose’s latest book focuses on a tiara that was once owned by the Romanov family (and is actually still missing today), and her reimagining of what could have happened to this priceless artifact. When her mother Sophia dies in 1948 Manhattan, Isobelle stumbles across a tiara, stripped of all of its jewels, hidden in their shared apartment. As she researches the mysterious tiara, she learns more about her mother’s past, something Sophia would never speak about when she was alive. In 1915 Russia, Sofiya Petrovitch and her close friend Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna tend to injured troops on the grounds of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg where Sophia falls in love and sets in motion events that eventually cause her to flee to the United States. Told in alternating perspectives and time periods, the tales of the two young women slowly unfold as the mystery of the tiara is ultimately resolved.