4.5*

I truly enjoyed this latest offering from author J'nell Ciesielski. The previous book I had read of hers was good but it was a little slower for me. Or maybe I read it when life was just so busy that I wasn't able to enjoy it as much as I normally would have. Regardless of that, I was completely pulled into the story of Princess Svetlana Dalsky and the Russians' revolution and the Great War.

There were so many wonderful scenes. There were several scenes that were hard to read due to me thinking about what the circumstances were like for so many people who were displaced from their homes and lives during this time period, and during our current time. But I thought the author did a great job portraying that and evoking emotion from the reader.

I had a character that I really struggled with. And I know she was written that way. And as much as I struggled with her, there was a lot of truth written into Svetlana's mother's character. You'll understand if you've read it or are going to read it. I had many moments when I just wanted to reach into the pages of my book and slap her. (I promise, I'm not a violent person. I just struggled with so many of this woman's choices. Ugh!!!!) So just be warned that if you read it you're going to probably feel the same way about her.

Wynn MacCallan was a character I really liked in the book. I liked his tenacity and his desire to help and do good for his patients and for those people he meets in connection with Svetlana. The love story was sweet. It definitely had its ups and downs and back and forths and going round in circles. But I enjoyed it. These two characters were so good for each other, even if sometimes they didn't realize it.

This book is a mix of historical and historical romance. Probably more so historical romance, so if you're going into reading this for all the historical aspects only then be ware that that's not the main focus of the book. But that being said, there are definitely a lot of historical aspects.

One aspect I just adored was the dancing. Wow! It swept me away.

Content: Clean. There is moments of mild peril, this is set during a war time and refugees and a doctor working to save patients and perform surgery. It doesn't get overly graphic. There are some kissing scenes but nothing further and a couple mild innuendos.

I received a copy from the publisher, Thomas Nelson -- Fiction, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

3 stars. The romance in the first several chapters felt forced, but otherwise, an interesting read.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

Title: The Ice Swan
Author: J’nell Ciesielski

Ch: 33 Plus epilogue

Pg: 400

Genre: Historical fiction, Historical romance

Rating: 4.5 stars

Publisher: Thomas Nelson



The Ice Swan is the newest book by J'nell Ciesielski and is set in Paris during The Great War though we get one chapter in Russia. Sventlana Dalsky is a Russian Princess who's also a Ballerina who has fled to Paris to escape the Red Army and the Russian Revolution with her sister and mother. She ends up needing help, help that comes in the form of Doctor Wynn MacCallan and a a marriage of convenience. She accepts.


This is the second book of J'nell's that I've read, and I haven't been disappointed yet. She knows how to thread romance through a story without it being too much. The Ice Swan to me was a bit of an Anastasia retelling but with a happier ending more like the animated movie from the 90s Though I wanted a little more Russia I understand why we only got a chapter. But I loved the Paris and later Scottish setting. Not mention it had one of my favorite historical romance tropes marriage of convenience or as I like to call it marriage of necessity a trope I only recently discovered I loved and now I can't get enough of books with it. The Ice Swan like most of J'nell's Ciesielski lean more towards main stream historical but they are clean no language and any implied steamy scenes are off the page and not mentioned. The Ice Swan was a wonderful read and I look forward to J'nell's next book The Brilliance of Stars that proposes the question of What if the Winter Solider fell in love, what can I say that tagline has me hooked.





I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

I've always been interested in the Russian Revolution, and while this doesn't take place in Russia, the struggle from the Bolsheviks and the old aristocracy are present. I'd categorize it as a historical romance more than anything else, and I enjoyed that aspect greatly. I've recommended this book for our library as I think many of our patrons will like reading it.

The beginning of this book was a bit slow for me, and I almost gave up on it. Im glad that I didn't. Svetlana is Russian royalty. She and her family flee the Russian revolution and end up in Paris. She falls in love with a surgeon named Wynn. I enjoy historical fiction and in the end found myself enjoying this book which I almost gave up on. I haven't read much about historical Russia or World War I so that was a nice change as well. Overall I would recommend this book to fans of historical romance or historical fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed reading this book with its elements about World War I, the Russian Revolution and evolving medical practices of the time as well as the romance between Princess Svetlana and Wynn. But I was puzzled as to how it is the publisher chose to publish it without any faith element and I would not tag it as Christian Fiction. So, it was a good read but not what I was expecting. I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

While the world outside is cold, Wynn MacCallan takes the Dalsky's under his wing. Protecting Princess Svetlana and her family from the Bolsheviks, Lana's frozen heart begins to thaw. Jeopardizing his safety and career, Wynn falls in love with the Russian refugee and hopes one day, she'll feel the same way.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the early edition of #TheIceSwan in exchange for an honest review. Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres and Wynn and Lana's rocky romance blends romance with a period piece. Readers will find themselves swept away by the story and rooting for the young couple.

I have many thoughts about this novel.

First off, the cover. I'd buy the book for the cover alone. 😍 It's purely magical.

I love the concept of this story - Russian royalty fleeing during the turbulent Russian Revolution meets Scottish dukedom in Paris near the end of the Great War. Although there was a lot going on in the story, The Ice Swan did stand out among the many other historical books I've read.

I lived for Svetlana and Wynn's intellectual back-and-forth. Seriously, Wynn's comments and Svetlana's quick wit made their chemistry so much more real. This is a marriage of convenience story, yet the romance isn't at the forefront driving the plot. I mean, in the first half at least. Which, considering Svetlana's on the run and Wynn has important issues to deal with, makes me very happy because there's nothing I despise more than a story rife with danger and intrigue and the couple decides the most important issue at present is the state of their relationship. The second half is a bit slower as it focuses more on the romance, but I liked seeing the character growth on both sides as they navigated married life and discovered what they want from the marriage.

The characters felt a bit... characterized to me. Like, Svetlana and her icy demeanour, Wynn and his 'I hate titles, just let me operate', and don't get me started on Her High-and-Mighty-Highness mother. Because of this, I couldn't warm up to the characters properly. Wynn's singleminded pursuit of Svetlana didn't make much sense other than to drive the plot forward.

Speaking of titles, Wynn's distaste for them did make sense. It was interesting seeing how passionate he was as a surgeon, how safe he felt from aristocratic duties being the second son, only to have that taken away from him when he inherits the dukedom. Watching him grapple with the fact that life doesn't always play out how we demand made him feel more human to me than any other character.

While The Ice Swan is published by Thomas Nelson, it's more historical romance than christian.

Content-wise, the romance is very clean.

J'Nell Ciesielski takes an otherwise bleak landscape and paints over it in vibrant colours to create this vivid story of an ice princess on the run. This is my first book from her but most certainly won't be my last!

*I received a complimentary copy of The Ice Swan through the publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. A positive review is not required.

In The Ice Swan, Svetlana Dalsky has escaped Russia during the Russian Revolution with her mother and sister and are taking refuge in Paris. Hiding from the Bolsheviks in war-torn Europe, Svetlana and her family must hide their royal identities to stay safe. They seek help from a local Russian man who has connections, but have they placed their trust in the wrong man? Wynn McCallan is a surgeon stationed in Paris during the war. When he sees a beautiful Russian girl in need of help, he wants to come to her rescue, but she rebuffs him at every turn. When she finally comes to him in desperation he will offer everything he has for her safety. But if he offers her his love, will she ever return his feelings?

For me, this book started off slowly. I struggled to get through the first third of the book. It there was a lot of conversation (in broken English, due to the Russian characters not speaking English well), and there wasn’t a lot of action. I didn’t feel a particular connection to the characters, and I felt a frustration that Wynn kept pursuing Svetlana when she wasn’t even nice to him. The story did pick up, and I enjoyed the last two-thirds of the book. I appreciate that the author keeps language and romance clean. Over-all a good story, just a slow start.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A magical marriage-of-convenience story that takes the readers from the opulence of the Russian court to the underworld of refugees in Paris, then to a remote Scottish highland estate. Fleeing from the dangers of the Russian revolution, Svetlana finds that the greatest challenge and journey of discovery may be in opening her heart to her husband.
Ms. Ciesielski's expert research skills combined with a skillful pen, paint a glittering masterpiece of the demise of a distant court, the violence of war, the bitterness of betrayal along with unexpected love that brings the hope of new beginnings.

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

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

Svetlana and her family flee Russia, ending up in Paris. There she meets Dr Wynn, a Scottish surgeon. Lots of intrigue, history and even a little romance!!!

I have read three of J’nell Ciesielski’s novels and each one has been absolutely fantastic! I love how well she writes romance as well as historical fiction and I always seem to breeze through her books because I am so captivated. When I saw this one was coming out, I knew it was going to be an easy ‘yes’ for me. I mean—take one look at that cover and tell me you would pass? No. The author as well as this cover are truly sunning!

This one is set in Russia which I thought brought some variance to the historical fiction genre. The last novel I read by Ciesielski was set in Scotland, and I was eager to see how she would describe the opulence of the Russian court as well as the streets of Paris. And you all know how much I love WWI so having this book set during a very uncertain and tumultuous time in Russian history.

So yes, I was chomping at the bit to read this one and with good reason—-this one was excellent! Ciesielski writing just keeps getting better and better. This book has been seen on a number of ‘most anticipated books’ this summer and with good reason! While it might have a cold setting, it’s the perfect book to cool off with this summer!

Summary
Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian monarchy, a princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.

1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape.

Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter. Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and beautiful woman, Wynn follows Svetlana to an underground Russian club where drink, dance, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.

Out of money and options, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of convenience with the handsome and brilliant Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her family’s debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn cannot help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. When Wynn’s life takes an unexpected turn, so does Svetlana’s—and soon Paris becomes as dangerous as Petrograd. And as the Bolsheviks chase them to Scotland, Wynn and Svetlana begin to wonder if they will ever be able to outrun the love they are beginning to feel for one another.

“The Ice Swan is a ray of light in the middle of a Europe that was sinking into darkness. Ciesielski’s talent for storytelling from the heart is a feast for the readers’ eyes.” —Mario Escobar, international bestselling author of Remember Me and Children of the Stars (summary from Goodreads)

Review
I think what surprised me about this book was it was actually not set in Russia really. After reading the summary I just somehow had it in my mind that it would be set in Russia as well as Paris. I assumed that a book featuring a Russian Princess, Svetlana Dalsky would actually be set in Russia beyond the opening chapters but ultimately it worked so well to have it set in Paris and I became completely lost in the story and setting. I did manage to learn more about Russian history beyond just the Romanov family. For instance I didn’t know that many Russian aristocrats fled to Paris amidst war and conflict in Russia. Nor did I realize how this lead to the rise of the Russian mob in Paris. So that was interesting for me and I would recommend this novel based on that alone—–however it isn’t just the history that is on point and outstanding in this one. There was interesting culture, lovely characters and a great romance.

I love the marriage of convenience troupe (not as much as I love enemies to lovers but close!) and this one did not disappoint on that front. I loved watching Svetlana and Wynn get to know one another and have their affection for one another turn into true love was so satisfying. Wynn is my new favorite book boyfriend. I loved his charm and wit. I mean how could Svetlana not be swooning over him?! They were so great together. It has suspense and chemistry and I think readers will find themselves cheering for their romance throughout the book. This book has mystery and suspense not just in the romance part but in the larger narrative which I think makes this one read super fast and will keep readers engaged and interested in the story.

While I loved the romance and the mystery of the book, ultimately what kept me interested and rapidly turning pages was the history. Ciesielski has a gold mine of interesting things to cover in this book. I loved exploring the Russian culture and history, and Ciesielski has a knack for bringing the WWI era to life. I can tell she truly loves the period as much as I do and that alone would have brought 5 stars for this book, but once you throw in the romance and chemistry between Svetlana and Wynn—-well there was really no reason to give it anything less than 5 stars. I loved it and I cannot wait for Ciesielski’s next book. If you only read on historical fiction novel this year, let it be this one!

Book Info and Rating
Format 400 pages, Paperback

Expected publicationJuly 6, 2021 by Thomas Nelson

ISBN9780785248422 (ISBN10: 0785248420)

Free review copy provided by publisher, Thomas Nelson in partnership with HFVBT in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: historical fiction

MY THOUGHTS ON THIS BOOK

First of all I love the cover of The Ice Swan and its the main reason I wanted to read this book, though I have read others by this author and they were amazing. And I found The Ice Swan to be another amazing read by author J’Nell Ciesielsk. The story is written during World War I, and for me, it started out very slow. But never fear, after a while it spikes and you will not want to put the book down.

The characters were so well crafted and their development throughout the story was phenomenal. The plot flows so well, I love Svetlana Dalsky and Wynn MacCallan’s story. It flows so well, from the time Svetlana leaves Russia on until the end. Historical Paris and Scotland was fun reading about, and Russia history was interesting as well. I’ve only read a few book with the setting in or around WWI so there is a lot of intriguing history for me here. So if you love historical fiction set in this era, I highly recommend this book to you. There are lots of twists and turns, much tension, but the author does a fantastic job of weaving everything together and coming up with a great ending

A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

I thought this was historical fiction, but it ended up being historical romance, with a strong focus on the building relationship between Wynn and Svetlana. I did enjoy the history that was included. I also enjoyed Wynn’s occupation as a surgeon and his struggles with some of the outcomes of his surgeries. I thought both characters had satisfying growth throughout the course of the book. Fans of the genre with an interest in this era will likely enjoy this one.

let's be honest, i wanted to read this because the description reminded me of anastasia, and honestly? it worked for me. it's not intricate like kate quinn, who's my go-to historical fiction writer, but it's well put together and emotional. i cared about the characters! we love to see it

I love J'nell Ciesielski's books and The Ice Swan will be a welcome addition to anyone's bookshelf! It had such a dramatic setting with very intense characters. It had more of a dark, somber feel than her other books and the firework-like romance I'd come to expect from her books was replaced with a more serious slow-burn one. I loved learning about the interesting history of the displaced Russians and their attempts to rebuild their lives after the world's they had known were torn down. If I offered one critique, it would be that the combination of Russian, French, and Scottish words, mixed with broken English made the dialogue difficult to follow at times. I wish all the characters in a book could be pleasant to read but alas, that would not reflect the real world which meant there was one extremely irritating character in the story. Read the book and you'll know exactly who I'm talking about! Both Wynn and Svetlana had very intense personalities and I enjoyed watching their character development and that they were equally flawed. J'nell Ciesielski's romance scenes were as spectacular as ever and are some of my favourite literary kiss scenes!

Set in 1917 during World War 1, we first meet Princess Svetlana as she and her family are forced to flee their homeland of Russia. The shock of going from living an opulent lifestyle of privilege and honor to complete poverty and begging for bread is a heartbreaking change, but Svetlana is determined to make sure that her mother and younger sister survive. When an accident brings their family to the attention of Doctor Wynn MacCallan, Svetlana’s life takes a turn she could never have imagined. There’s an undercurrent of tension as the danger continues for Svetlana and her family all throughout the storyline. There’s some suspenseful moments to this story that kept me turning pages to find out what new turns Svetlana’s story would take.

Doctor MacCallan’s character was quite interesting, and his story had some heart-touching moments, too. This is a story of two complete opposites in personality trying to establish a life together, and the sparks between them were more than just romantic. The change in setting from wartime in France to peace in Scotland also was quite drastic, but the author successfully made the smooth transition. I thought this book was very well-written, and I enjoyed reading it.


I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

To write a really good book, is like baking a cake. Yes, all cakes have a basic recipe, just like all books have a basic plot. But to get your book to be devoured like Russian Tea Cakes, you need the basics plus a few little extra secret ingredients. Something sweet, something bitter, something spicy, something frozen, something alluring and something whimsical. J'nell Ciesielski combined a few secret ingredients from the following pantries to bake the perfect Russian Tea Cakes:

Anastasia (movie 1997) - Saint Petersburg/Petrograd 1917 - A Princess flees with the clothes on her back (a princess knows to invest and stitch in good undergarments) in die dead of night to the City of Light. Paris holds the key to her heart.

Anna Karenina - The Russians sure have a thing about their social status and religion, don't they? And vengeance. Oh and trains. Good grief. What is it with all the trains??

Doctor Zhivago - Russia. Revolution. Disillusionment. A Doctor torn between love, passion, truth and responsibility..

Downtown Abbey - The Duke of Kilbride's gorgeous mother is American born and the new Duchess and Lady Mary will definitely get on splendidly. They both come across as cold and aloof, but deep down, they really do care. Also tea. They do drink a lot of tea.

Frozen (the movie) and Swan Lake (the ballet) - I believe Svetlana looks just like Elsa. She is gorgeous and regal and always puts others before herself. Her love for her sister and loyalty to her crazy Mama is enduring. But she struggles to let it go and just be happy. The cold never seem to bother her very much. She is also a tragic Princess Odette who has to pirouette and jeté like a swan for an evil sorcerer a very bad man. Will her handsome prince/duke/doctor be able to save her, or will they both end up in the lake?

This perfect Russian Tea Cake Book is one of our highlights for this year. The blend between history, romance, intrigue, family dynamics, self preservation and humor was simply splendid. Although the pace might be a bit slow here and there, try to think of it as The Dance of the Cygnets. It's mostly upbeat and in perfect rhythm, but every now and then there's just the slightest dip in tempo. But it still remains a beautiful performance.

J'nell Ciesielski is a new-to-us author and The Ice Swan is the first book that we read from her masterful pen. Somehow I don't think it will be the last. Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Publishers for this remarkable read.

"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

It took me awhile to get into this one but overall I enjoyed it. I found the characters and narrative interesting and I enjoyed learning more about the fate of noble Russians in France during WWI.

Svetlana is a strong and intelligent woman that fights for her family and makes necessary sacrifices. Her childhood and trauma (the Russian revolution and exile) turned her into a bit of a hard-hearted woman. Enter cute Scottish war doctor Wynn who helps remove her from a dangerous situation and to start a new life. I liked that this is a snapshot of unique population affected by WWI and contains a sweet romance.

The Ice Swan
By J'nell Ciesielski
4 stars

I'll start off by saying I was definitely swayed to read this novel by the gorgeous cover. I've never read anything by this author and was curious to try her out. I liked the history of World War 1 and the war that was going on inside Russia while the rest of the world was fighting. Something I didn't know about.
The main characters were interesting. Sventlana was definitely the ice princess as you can guess by the title. She was inspiring in her steadfastness. Though her pride is her downfall.
Wynn the passionate but kindhearted surgeon is sure to melt her icy heart.
I give it four stars. It kind of started out slow. But as the story progressed so did the characters. The danger of war and the Russian mafia kept it interesting. I liked the romance. It did have some flaws. Immediate attraction. As there romance goes along there isn't anything explicit but there is some heat. I won't put a spoiler here but there is one scene that might make some blush.
This book is under the Christian fiction market but there really isn't any faith content.