Having read books, both fiction and non-fiction about the Romanov family, I was quite pleased to read about Olga instead of Anastasia. The author did a splendid job of weaving together a fictionalized story of this historical time in Russia based on factual events. The dual time story gives readers a better understanding of before the revolution and then the family's captivity. Highly recommended!

Thanks to Netgalley and HARLEQUIN Trade Publishing for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Those who have been reading my reviews for a few years know that I love history and one of my favourite subjects is the family of Tsar Nicholas II. Or more particularly his four daughters! The Last Grand Duchess is the story we know but through the eyes of eldest daughter Olga. This is a great protagonist to have because as the eldest daughter in the family, Olga would serve as a confidant to both her parents as well as interacting with many of her family members. As the novel bounces back and forth from the final year of the Romanov family's life to events of the past, I felt deeply immersed once again in this particular historical period.

Bryn Turbull really humanizes each member of the Romanov family and throughout the novel, it is always that sense of tragic irony even as the narrative begins, we all know how it will end. I absolutely loved the author's note which is absolutely rich with details, further reading suggestions, and a glossary.

Publication Date 08/02/22
Goodreads review published 11/02/22
#TheLastGrandDuchess #NetGalley

Disclaimer: I received this e-arc from the publisher for a book tour. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: The Last Grand Duchess

Author: Bryn Turnbull

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 3/5

Recommended For...: historical fiction, Russian history, the Romanovs

Publication Date: February 8, 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Relevance: 16+ (grief, death, violence, gore, religion, romance, mass death implied)

Explanation of Above: The book is about the endtimes of the last ruling Russian Tsar, so there is mentions of death, a murder shown, and grief. Their mass death is implied at the end and the gore is very very slight. The book also mentions violence. The book focuses on Olga’s romance and feelings with a Russian soldier. The book also focuses a lot on the religious aspects of the family and Rasputin.

Publisher: MIRA

Pages: 400

Synopsis: Grand Duchess Olga Romanov comes of age amid a shifting tide for the great dynasties of Europe. But even as unrest simmers in the capital, Olga is content to live within the confines of the sheltered life her parents have built for and her three sisters: hiding from the world on account of their mother’s ill health, their brother Alexei’s secret affliction, and rising controversy over Father Grigori Rasputin, the priest on whom the Tsarina has come to rely. Olga’s only escape from the seclusion of Alexander Palace comes from her aunt, who takes pity on her and her sister Tatiana, inviting them to grand tea parties amid the shadow court of Saint Petersburg. Finally, she glimpses a world beyond her mother’s Victorian sensibilities—a world of opulent ballrooms, scandalous flirtation, and whispered conversation.

But as war approaches, the palaces of Russia are transformed. Olga and her sisters trade their gowns for nursing habits, assisting in surgeries and tending to the wounded bodies and minds of Russia’s military officers. As troubling rumours about her parents trickle in from the Front, Olga dares to hope that a budding romance might survive whatever the future may hold. But when tensions run high and supplies run low, the controversy over Rasputin grows into fiery protest, and calls for revolution threaten to end 300 years of Romanov rule.

At turns glittering and harrowing, The Last Grand Duchess is story about dynasty, duty, and love, but above all, it’s the story of a family who would choose devotion to each other over everything—including their lives.

Review: Overall, this was an ok book. The book did well to present the barebone facts and to show how the Russian princesses lives were before their tragic end. The topic is a special interest of mine and I liked reading about it. The characters were well developed and the world building was well done. I also enjoyed seeing Anastasia from a different perspective as most books about this time period are from her viewpoint.

However, I found the book incredibly dull and boring. The book didn’t really grab my attention and I found it hard to continue reading it. The book was also so confusing with jumping back and forth between time periods and places. The book would have probably been better chronologically and better developed story and plot wise.

Verdict: It was ok, but not a fave.

Grand Duchess Olga Romanov comes of age amid a shifting tide for great dynasties of Europe. As the eldest child of the Tsar of Russia, she is under the public eye. War is approaching and her family’s rule is being threatened. For those who do not know the story ending for the Romanovs, in 1918 they were executed by the newly formed Soviet Government.

This book is probably one of my favourite Romanov novels I have read. For Fiction, it is beautifully written and well researched. I found the split timeline to be a bit odd, mainly because it was so close in time, but once I got into the groove of the book, I came to appreciate it. The Romance timeline was not too out of place and I liked it. Olga does not often have her own story, and I really appreciate the focus being on her rather than her sister, Anastasia, or sickly Alexei. I do think this is an incredibly important book to read if you enjoy historical fiction.

The history of the Romanovs, the last Royal Russian Family, is so fascinating, but heartbreaking. Usually, either the youngest daughter Anastasia, Alexei, the sickly brother who would never become Tsar, or even the mystical priest Rasputin steal the show. But 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐬, tells the story of Olga Nikolaevna, the eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II and Tsarina Alexandra.

Olga was raised in opulence but terribly isolated, especially after her father’s abdication. She had a strong sense of loyalty, but she longed for love. She had to endure many heartbreaks and much uncertainty, but she still volunteered as a Red Cross nurse during the Great War and tried to understand the political atmosphere.

The overthrow of the Romanov Dynasty and the eventual collapse of Imperial Russia is humanized as the Grand Duchess Olga and her family take center stage in this beautifully written narrative.

There is no happy- ever- after here, but it is a story of a family devoted to one another. They were real people, with hopes and dreams, not just names in a history book.

Reading the Author’s Notes, you will realize 1). how well-researched this book is, but 2). how Bryn Turnbull has taken a tragic event in history and has masterfully woven it into a portrait of a woman cut down in her prime.

Thank you for @_mira_books_ @harpercollins and @brynturnbullwrites for a spot on tour and a gifted ebook.

I have always been fascinated by the Romanov family and their horrific demise. I like how the author took the focus away from the execution and instead focused on the lives of the children, primarily Olga, the eldest daughter. Centering on the last two years of their lives, with the revolution swirling ever nearer, Olga becomes a real person for the reader. I went to St Petersburg in 2019 and saw Catherine Palace, Winter Palace.

Often books about the last Russian Czar and the Romanov family focus on his son Alexei or his daughter Anastasia. Having read several previous books about his family, The Last Grand Duchess: A Novel of Olga Romanov, Imperial Russia, and Revolution by Bryn Turnbull caught my attention for two reasons. One, it is a time period I enjoy reading about and two, it focused on Olga, the oldest daughter which is a viewpoint often not covered.

Author Bryn Turnbull tells the story through flashbacks, alternating between when the royal family was placed under house arrest in the palace and several years earlier when World War I just atarted. This tactic allows the reader to understand how choices the royal family, but particularly the Czar and Czarina, made created the conditions that were ripe for the Russian Revolution to take place. While depicting Rasputin as having the Czarina wrapped around his fingers and being quite manipulative, Turnbull also shows the royal family to be quite loving and totally devoted to each other. Simultaneously, she portrays the royal family as being woefully out of touch with the real world but convinced they are caring and looking after the Russian people. Often princesses or grand duchesses are portrayed to be individuals who are waited on hand and foot and only interested in the next ball. However, Olga and her sisters were engaged in a variety of volunteer work including serving as nurses at the imperial hospital, slept on army cots, and had a regimen of daily chores to complete.

Turnbull provides a new and interesting look into the Romanov family. The love shown for each other through the bitter end is inspiring. Highly recommended for those who enjoy historical fiction and particular those are interested in Russia.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Harper Collins Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The eldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia, Grand Duchess Olga Romanov lives with her parents and siblings in the Alexander palace far from the glitter and intrigue of St Petersburg’s court. They have all led a very sheltered and secluded life, owing to their mother’s dislike of high society, but also to hide the secret of their brother Alexei’s hemophilia. The only one who can check his illness is the mystic Rasputin, whom the Tsarina has come to increasingly rely on, turning a deaf ear to the unsavoury rumours and rising controversy surrounding him, which also contributes to the unrest stirring in the capital. As war breaks out, Olga and her sisters devote themselves to nursing the wounded Russian soldiers returning from the front, but the people are dissatisfied and no longer happy with the Imperial rule, especially not with the severe shortages due to the war. When the unrest explodes in violence, it brings revolution to their doorstep, threatening to topple generations of Romanov rule.

Most historical fiction novels based on the Romanovs during the Russian Civil War tend to focus on Anastasia, and I’ve read one other novel with Tatiana as the main character, so I was really excited when I saw that this one was from Olga’s perspective. My favourite part about this book was how the Romanovs were portrayed. In previous books I’ve read about them, their story was always portrayed from the more tragic angle, which it absolutely was, but I’ve never seen the lead up to the events delved into much. Whereas here, it is clearly portrayed how incompetent and terrible a pair of rulers Nicholas and Alexandra actually were, and how their poor decisions and refusal to see the truth led to the grim fate of their family. At the same time, it also shows that they were devoted parents, and how close knit a family they all were.

Olga’s arc was marvellously written. Though she was the oldest, her sheltered upbringing did her no favours, and she comes off as rather immature initially. The vicious rumours flying around the capital regarding her family do eventually make it to her ears and she sees glimpses of how bad things really are for the common people, but continues to believe that her parents are doing their best for Russia. As time goes on and her character grows and matures, we see that she is more aware of the political situation than is evident at first. She remains staunchly loyal to her parents and family even as she begins to understand what their choices will cost them all in the end. Going into this book, you already know what’s going to happen, but seeing it from this angle is what made it so impactful.

I didn’t expect this to be a dual timeline narrative going in, but I would say that this style of narration had both advantages and disadvantages in this particular book. The mood of the book is pretty tense right from the beginning, so going back and forth from a time when World War I was just starting to break out to the time immediately following Nicholas’ abdication with the Romanov’s fate looking increasingly bleak by the day, was an excellent contrast. On the other hand, these two timelines are barely 5 years apart, even lesser by the end of the book, and it made it harder and harder to differentiate which timeline a chapter was in without turning the pages back to look at the start of the chapter.

From a factual perspective, I didn’t really come across anything I didn’t know in this book and based on other books I’ve read set in this era, it stuck to the known narrative pretty closely except for the few deviations noted by the author in the afterword. The Last Grand Duchess took a unique approach to this well known story in a beautifully written, well researched and gripping read. This would be a great choice for historical fiction fans, especially anyone interested in the last Romanovs. Highly recommended!

Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review! The Last Grand Duchess is about Olga who is the daughter of the last tsar in Russia. I have not read much at all in the area of history so it was very informative and well done!

Thanks #NetGalley @HarlequinBooks @HTPBooks for my complimentary eARC of #TheLastGrandDuchess upon my request. All opinions are my own.

The Last Grand Duchess is the story of Olga Romanov and the Romanov family in their last years. We hear about Olga’s sheltered life living with her parents and siblings. Often present is Grigori Rasputin, a controversial priest and friend of the tsarina. As Olga divides her time between suitors, home, elegant ballrooms, and hospitals, she and the family face increasing danger from political unrest and home confinement.

Readers who enjoy Russian history will appreciate the historical details, well-drawn characters, and excellent writing. This was an interesting reading experience because I felt I guarded against becoming too attached to this tragic family because I know their future. I enjoyed the many vivid details the author used to portray their life and the dangerous circumstances.

The Ending (***Spoilers***): I’m grateful that the author relayed the ending in the broadest of terms without graphic details (you can read those on Wikipedia). Fear of a graphic ending need not discourage you from reading this story. It’s handled as delicately as possible and stops short of the actual execution.

I enjoy a story with complicated family dynamics. Olga and her sisters were extremely loyal to their closeknit family as they face betrayal, poor decisions by parents, pressure from extended family, a controversial family friend, a sickly brother, political unrest, house arrest, and romance.

I enthusiasticly recommend The Last Grand Duchess for fans of well-researched and well-written historical fiction and for those who are fascinated with the Romanov family and Russian history.

***contains spoilers***
Content Consideration: a family under house arrest, a murder, graphic hospital scenes, a family fearing their execution

This was an interesting story. If you are interested in how Nicholas ll and his family handled the last years of his reign from 1913-1918 you will like this story. This concentrates on the oldest daughter Olga and what she is feeling as her families reign is slowly destroyed by socialism and the tsar believing he is led by God. This shows the family as real people not just autocrats. This was a very tragic tale and there did not seem like there were a lot of happiness for this family in the last years of their lives. I did like Olga but I was not fond of her parents. I received a copy of this book from Mira Harlequin for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

I love the history of the Romanov family, so I knew I had to read this one. In fact, I had just come off reading a nonfiction (The Romanov Sisters by Helen Rappaport, who is quoted in the author's note.) This would be perfect for adults who grew up on the Royal Diaries series as children.

Having Olga as the main character is a smart choice; she was a very interesting person and it's nice to see focus on another sister besides Anastasia.

The pace is slow, which I didn't mind. There are also a lot of characters, even though the author did consolidate somewhat. I do worry that some readers would be confused. (I had just read the nonfiction so I was fine.)

Olga is on the periphery of much of the story; overhearing important conversations but not being a part of them. However, this changes as the books goes on, which I appreciated, and I realized it was part of her character growth. I was also impressed by how hopeful the ending was, despite the inevitable tragic ending.

The Last Grand Duchess is a beautifully-written novel that humanizes Nicholas II and his family. I found myself rooting for Olga even though I already knew her tragic end. Moreover, Turnbull has done her research. It’s clear she loved her subject and wanted to present as accurate portrait as possible. So many great details!

It was also nice to read about a different Romanov daughter. So much has been written and discussed about Anastasia, but all of Nicholas’s children had stories that died with them.

I recommend this book. Thanks Netgalley for the advanced copy. This is my honest review.

The Last Grand Duchess A Novel of Olga Romanov, Imperial Russia, and Revolution by Bryn Turnbull is a masterful work of historical fiction. It is a heartrending story that skillfully uses fiction to further our understanding of the Romanov dynasty, its fascinating players, and its tragic end.

Read if you like: Russian history and the royal family.
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This book follows the lead up to WW1 and the Russian Revolution through the eyes of Grand Duchess Olga. This time period has always interested me and I love reading about the Romanovs, so I was hooked from the beginning.
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I also liked the back and forth in time so that we could read about the lead up to the revolution and Olga's experience of her father's abdication. Also loved reading about her relationship with her siblings and other love interests.
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CW: war, violence, poverty, death.

This well researched and written historical novel puts a face on Olga, oldest daughter of Tsar Nicholas, who, along with her family, was killed in 1918. Those unfamiliar with the story of the Russian Revolution and the Romanovs will learn a great deal and those who know at least the outlines of what happened will enjoy it for how Olga has been brought to life. This moves back and forth over a short period of time (keep in mind that she was 25 when she was killed), which is a tad distracting at first but then works well. I found myself pulled in and engaged even though I knew what was going to happen- it's the small details that make it. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. For fans of historical fiction.

Beautifully written, a perfect read for anyone obsessed with Anastasia but wanting a fresh perspective and not the classic fairytale take.

The Last Grand Duchess is a compelling, incredibly well-researched novel following the Grand Duchess Olga Romanov's life. I love reading about the Romanov's, whether fact or fiction, and this is absolutely perfect if you are at all interested in the Romanov's–or even if you're not! This story has a split timeline that is executed wonderfully, and I think both times worked together in a way that really bolstered the plot and made sense. Turnbull's writing is eloquent and wonderfully readable, which made this both a highly enjoyable and entertaining reading, as well as an informative and fascinating one. I highly recommend this one to any fans of historical fiction and/or the Romanov family!

The Last Grand Duchess by @brynturnbullwrites is a fascinating historical fiction about Olga Romanov, the eldest daughter of the last Tsar of Russia. We all know the story of Anastasia and Alexi but I've never really heard a lot about the older sisters so I was looking forward to reading this book about the end of Imperial Russia though the eyes of Grand Duchess Olga.

I really enjoyed reading this book. The author does a great job of bringing history to life though Olga and her sisters and the family relationships. I feel like I learned a lot more about the family and everything happening around them. My only complaint with the book was the dual timeline of 1917/1918 and then going back a few years prior was a little confusing. I wish it had been a little more linear but it did show how WWI and some of her father's decisions along with her mother's reliance on Rasputin led to the demise of her family and the Russian Revolution.

I loved the author's note and how much research went into this book. Plus the list of characters really helped keep everyone straight!

If you're looking for a great historical fiction or want to learn more Russian history I highly recommend this!

Bryan Turnbull has returned with another breathtaking work of historical fiction.
Much has been written about the Romanov’s and I am always fascinated by their story. This novel is very different from others I have read. The spotlight shines brightly on Olga Romanov, the eldest daughter of Nicholas, the last Tsar of Russia,
Told through her eyes and in her voice, the reader is taken within the palace walls and witnesses the family’s sheltered existence. Alexei’s hemophilia, the allure of Rasputin and the ailing Alexandra. When Olga receives invitations from her aunt to attend tea parties, she gladly accepts and frees herself from the confines of Alexander Palace if only for awhile. There she meets the charming naval officer Pavel Voronov and is instantly smitten. Pavel shares those feelings and they will share in each other’s company occasionally.
As war looms closer, Olga and her sisters change from finery to nurses uniforms attending to wounded Russian soldiers. However, Olga is struggling with a changing world, a blossoming romance and her dedication to family.
Told with wonderful prose, historical detail and great passion for the triumphs, failures and unfortunate ending of the Romanov family, this is a highly recommended read.
Thank you NetGalley, MIRA Publishing and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest book review.