THE LAST TIARA is a captivating novel about a woman, Isobelle Rose, searching for her mother’s past during the Russian Revolution. Isobelle is a New York architect in the 1940s, who discovers a hidden Tiara after her mother’s death. Her research reveals the hardships in Russia that her mother and dead father endured just to survive. As she uncovers the truths behind her mother’s lies and omissions about her life in Russia, she begins to understand the truths about herself. The author has created well developed characters, whoI felt I understood. Intrigue, romance and deception are woven into this mesmerizing revelation of how our ancestors’ histories influence who we really are. I received an ARC copy of this book for an unbiased review.

The premise is believable, but characters, although clearly described, trust one another too quickly.

This is the fourth book by M.J. Rose that I've read, and she has yet to disappoint. The Last Tiara follows alternating timelines of a woman and her daughter. In 1915, Sofiya Petrovitch volunteers at a hospital in St. Petersburg during the Russian Revolution, where she falls in love with a soldier who has lost his memory. In 1948, Isobelle Moon, Sofiya's daughter, discovers a tiara hidden in the wall of her New York City brownstone. The 1915 story follows Sofiya's experiences in revoutionary Russian, and the 1948 story follows Isobelle's investigation into the origin of the mysterious tiara. The book is written in alternating chapters, switching between these two perspectives.

I greatly enjoyed reading this book, so much that I finished it in only two days. The characters are well-drawn and engaging. The plot is well-crafted and moves quickly. I particularly enjoyed reading about revolutionary Russia and the fall of the tsars. Sofiya and Isobelle are both interesting main characters. Sofiya is a close friend of the imperial family, but also an average citizen -- she grew up with two of the princesses because her mother taught painting to them. She is also an art restorer, fascinated with the magic of returning precious artwork to its former glory. Isobelle is a female architect in the 1940s, which is certainly no easy feat. But she is not a towering force to be reckoned with. Instead, she is plagued with insecurity and self-doubt, and often feels lucky just to be in the room at all. Although it would be easy to pass her off as a poor feminist role model, I felt these flaws made her more relatable and more representative of what it was like to be a female professional in those days.

This book has a bit of everything I like in a novel - mystery, romance, and history. If you are a fan of historical fiction, you will definitely enjoy this book. Thanks to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for an advanced copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Interesting book. Loved the story line. Nice mystery. Characters are well written. Could not put this book down.

This is my first book by this author and was quite a fascinating read. It had me guessing! The fact that there was really a missing tiara peeked my interest. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Blue Box Press and MJ. Rose, The Last Tiara

The book is told with dual timelines and points of view - the first being 1916/1917 around the time of the Russian revolution and the second being after WW2 in the 1940s. The fact that I learned that there really was a missing Romanov tiara made the story even more interesting for me. No spoilers - but the tale captured my interest and kept me guessing until the end. This was the first book I have ever read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Tiara by M.J.Rose is a historical story told by two different people,the mom and the daughter. As you read the story at first I got confused at the stories but as the story went on,it started to make sense as it is really hard to tell or write this kind of book when you have two different stories going on at the same time. You can tell much research went into the telling of the stories. Fascinating story of the tiara that came up missing but then where did the jewels go? Mystery happens as the daughter traces back her mother's life. Will she be able to get all of the true story? It was slow for me at first but started to get better as it went on. It's a must read for sure,just take your time in letting the story sink in! Received from Net Gallery,they always have the best books to review!

I had a difficult time reading this book. The characters were not consistent. The female protagonists were strong women who achieved much for the time they lived in and yet they were so insecure— it did not make sense. I wanted to like this book, but I struggled with getting through it. There were also some issues that were left unresolved.

I enjoy this author’s books. This one would not be my favorite but it was enjoyable and I would recommend it.

Great book. Kept me guessing until the end. I love Russian history and was entranced throughout the entire book. Would definitely read anything by this author again. Loved the historical part of the story in the flashbacks.

This story is told from the viewpoints of a mother and daughter during 2 different timelines; the mother at the time of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and the daughter, post world war II in Manhattan. I followed every minute of the mother's story and wanted more. The daughter's story didn't capture me as much as her mother's and drags the story down a bit. I did appreciate her journey to being an architect in a man's world, but much of it was too cliched. The tale of the tiara is fascinating and I wish there weren't so many holes in the story which made it hard to follow and a bit implausible. I did like the mentions of Oak Ridge construction during World War II and appreciate those parts of the novel the author clearly researched and included. A quick read but a few parts might leave you scratching your head.

The tiara did exist and was believed to be the last one created for a Romanov Grand Duchess which disappeared during World War I.

This book is written in dual timelines.

Sofiya renounced all things Russian and told her daughter, Isobelle, very little about her past. Sofiya's story uncovers the mystery of her past, which Isobelle has been searching for.

Isobelle moves into her mother's New York apartment and decides to modernize it. She begins by removing the bedroom wallpaper. Early on she uncovers a hidden area in the wall where a jewel-less tiara is stored, along with a receipt from a NYC jeweler who purchased the jewels. This begins the journey to find the jeweler or someone who might know about the jewels. The mystery of the tiara unfolds in Sofiya's story and by the end of the novel the two stories meet.

This story is beautifully written and you are taken right into the world of these two women and their stories. I appreciated the historical accuracy of the accounts given so we know and understand the horrors of war and what people did to survive and try to 'forget'.

This story reveals the power of love and family.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by M.J. Rose but it will not be the last. Set alternatively against the backdrops of the Bolshevik revolution in Russia and post WWII Manhattan in 1948, it tells the story of two women, mother and daughter, and the dramatic events that shaped their lives.

Sofiya Petrovitch is a childhood friend of the Grand Duchess Olga Romanov. When the royal family is forced to flee, Olga gives Sofiya a precious tiara. While working in a hospital in St. Petersburg, Sofiya falls in love with a wounded soldier who suffers from amnesia. With Sofiya's help, he discovers he is a master jeweler with the esteemed Faberge company and the two embark on a passionate affair.

In 1948 Manhattan, Isobelle Moon knows nothing about her father and very little about her mother's life in Russia, only that she fled her homeland with 6-month old Isobelle, changed her name and never looked back. When her mother dies, Isobelle discovers a tiara hidden in the wall of her mother's bedroom. Stripped of its jewels, the tiara and how it came to be in her mother's possession, is a mystery. Isobelle brings the tiara to a local jeweler, Jules Reed, who agrees to help her discover the origin of the tiara and how her mother came to have it. The only problem is that Jules is a member of the Midas Society, a covert international organization whose mission is to return stolen artwork to the original owner--and he believes the tiara is stolen.

To say anything more would be giving away spoilers, so I will just say that this was a fascinating book and M.J. Rose does a fabulous job of moving seamlessly between the two generational viewpoints. My only criticism is that there are a few places where she dumps large chunks of historic detail into the story by inserting it into a character's dialogue. This felt a bit clunky and pulled me out of the story for that moment. Otherwise, the book is beautifully written and the characters were genuine and interesting and I found myself pulled into the two different storylines and rooting for a happy ending. I am looking forward to reading more from this author!

Sophia Moon is killed while trying to cross a busy road in New York. She leaves behind her daughter, Isobel. Isobel realizes how little she knows about her mother's life before she moved to New York from Russia and after finding something that her mother had hidden, she tries to reconstruct her mother's life.

Told from two time periods, the story beautifully unfolds. It starts out a little slow but it grabs your attention and doesn't let go.

Thanks to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book.

A wonderful entertaining read from the very first page through to the last! M.J. Rose introduces you to characters that are immediately likable and intriguing and weaves them into a fascinating mystery that follows the journey of the last tiara made for the royal Romanov family in Russia. When a grieving young architect, Isobelle, discovers the frame of a tiara hidden in her mother's belongings, the mystery begins to discover how it came to be in post-WWII New York, why her mother had hidden it, and what happened to the jewels that once made it a priceless treasure.

The story unravels with the poignant take of Sophia, a young nurse and friend of the Grand Duchess Olga Nilolaevna, as Russia falls into revolutionary chaos. As Sophia, a volunteer nurse befriends a young jeweler who has lost his memory from a head wound, the fascinating tale of the tiara begins and will keep you captivated. The story is peppered with interesting details of life in Russia at the fall of the Tzarist regime, and life in the male-dominated world of architects in post-WWII New York as daughter Isobelle tries to secure her place at a prominent architectural firm while trying to solve the mystery of The Last Tiara.

I was lucky enough to be able to read an advanced copy of this book, so thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this opportunity.
Isobelle's is a young female architect in Manhattan in the aftermath of WW II. Her other passed away a year ago in a tragic accident. When she decides to renovate her apartment , she discovers a hidden treasure that leads her on a journey to find out more about her mothers life back in Russia during the Romanov reign, and hopefully more about her father.
The story is told from alternating point of view: Isobelle's and her mother, and in two different time periods.
If you do a lot of reading of historical fiction , I think you would find the way this is written very familiar. It seems a lot of authors are doing it this way lately: find something old or mysterious, try to find out about, tell the story in alternating points of view, going back and forth in time. So for me, this was just another one of those types of stories not much different than many others. However it was an easy read, it came right the points of the story, and the story was interesting, especially since it dealt more with WW I vs the many that deal with WW II. And i did find it interesting to finally get the meaning of the title at the end. So a story worth the read in my opinion.

The Last Tiara a beautifully written story about love, loss, and new beginnings. Author M. J. Rose’s prose envelopes readers immediately as the uncertainties of life during the Bolshevik revolution are revealed. It keeps readers engaged once the tiara is discovered and the search for its origins begins. The characters, dialogue and emotions ring true. I loved everything about this book. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC in a exchange for an honest review.

Isobelle is a strong woman working in a male dominated profession in the 1940s. She's still grieving her mother's death when she stumbles upon a precious Tiara that belonged to her. Working to find the meaning behind the priceless jewellery takes her on a whirlwind tour of Russia during the Revolution and secrets of the father she never met.

Told from dual historical perspective, the books certainly grasps the reader's attention. While the times were different for both mother and daughter, they share the same strength and determination to tackle problems of their own times. I loved the author's attention to details, her way of writing paints a pretty picture one can't skip over. The setting is great, learning about Russian revolution and Fabrege eggs etc from the perspective of contemporary people was a nice experience, though one needs to exercise caution in separating facts from fiction. The book touched my heart in ways I hadn't expected. The pacing was good enough too.

While there are many things I liked, the book sometimes felt too long and at times I found my attention wandering. Not much happens except Isobelle's constant search for secrets. Sophia's story is more enjoyable though.

Rate: 4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Do I recommend: Yes , for those who enjoy comfortable books based on historical mysteries.

'The Last Tiara' is a heart breaking story about long lost love, aristocratic jewels, and frozen memories. It follows the story of Isobelle Moon, the daughter of an immigrant from Russia with a mysterious past and an even more mysterious tiara that sends Isobelle on an intricately woven journey to uncovering the secrets of her Mother’s past. From the royal palaces of Russia to the South of France, 'The Last Tiara' is a bejeweling story about survival and hardship amidst the backdrop of revolution and fine art.

The hopeless romance between the characters added a multi-faceted aspect to the mystery of the tiara. The pacing of the story was perfect and kept me on the edge of my seat, and the craftsmanship of jewelry making served as a precious magic that bound the lives of characters together across continents and time. I enjoyed the dual storylines and thought the author did a great job at bringing both together at the end. The inclusion of the secret society was a clever idea and I hope to see it again in a future book.

This was the first M.J. Rose book I’ve read and I will definitely be reading more of her work because the magic and mystery that she wove into the story was heartwarming and intriguing.

The Last Tiara is Historical Fiction at its finest. Set during The Great war in Russia in 1915 and also New York City in the late 1940's this duel timeline/POV story starts off running.

I was immediately drawn to this story due to the strong female protagonist, Isobelle. A female architect in a mostly male-dominated profession gave me high hopes.

The story is told from two POVs. Isobelle, the daughter of Sophia realizes that her mother has been hiding her past from her all these years. After her mothers death, Isobelle discovers a tiara among her belongings and her desire to find out the meaning behind it and all of her mothers secrets lead her on a treasure hunt of love and self discovery.

This story was very easy to get lost in solidified my love for historical fiction. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!