Reading this book is like stepping back in time. The fashion, food, and locations in this story scream for it to be made into a movie. This spellbinding cinematic storytelling ignites the dreams of everyone that ever wanted to be a princess or Empress.

With chemistry that jumps off the page and has you fanning yourself the passion between Elizabeth and Franz ignites, they discover each other and themselves as only they could.

While Elizabeth feels she's found her true match in Emperor Franz she can't help but have certain feelings regarding her family and his.

Mesmerizing in its beauty and thought-provoking in its relationships with the perfect balance of light-hearted and soul-wrenching moments this book has everything you could hope for in a romantic drama and even more you didn't know you wanted.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for providing a copy of this ebook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Book Review…The Empress by Gigi Griffis

I actually enjoyed this one! I started in the afternoon and by that evening I was done. Elizabeth's character was one that I really enjoyed. She is a free spirit and isn't willing to be shaped into what society expects her to be. She ends up falling in love with the emperor but the problem is her sister is supposed to marry him. So you can imagine the problems this causes. I loved the descriptions of the settings and the chemistry between Elizabeth and Franz. The only thing is I wish there was a little more to the story. It was a good one and I enjoyed my time lost in the pages. I just wish there was a little more to the drama. Overall it was a fast refreshing and enjoyable read!

A contemporary bent on historical fiction....

Truth is stranger than fiction...and in the case of Elisabeth (Sisi), that is very true. In real life, she and Franz, Emperor of Vienna were star crossed. Franz was to be betrothed to Elisabeth's sister Helene. Instead, Franz chooses Elisabeth (she was just a very young teen) and then marries her instead of her sister. I enjoyed Elisabeth and Franz in this historical fictional read. The story follows their real life and timelines, with liberties taken with their emotions and thoughts and interactions in a very modern take on the harsh realities of court life, making them very real people, not just characters.
Recommend.

A reimagining of the courtship of Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria and Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria, this novella reads like a historical YA romance. It’s described as steamy, but there’s only one intimate scene, and it’s pretty mild.

Because it’s a novella, the first half has an insta-love / fated soul mates feel to it. The relationship is a little better developed in the second half. It’s a love triangle, so a lot of time is spent on Sisi’s relationship with her sister.

I love how Sisi rebels against the rigid expectations of her, how she’s determined to be true to herself. Franz is more devoted to duty but refuses to be led by others. They’re well suited and the story is ultimately uplifting. I look forward to the Netflix series!

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this book. It was a fun and quick read for me because I found the characters interesting and easy to connect to. Even though there weren't any huge surprises and you could often see the plot developments coming, it was still a good read.

The descriptions of the time and the people are so beautifully written that I feel like I'm a part of it. I enjoyed the romance between Elisabeth and Franz. I love that they were the "planned" couple but the ones who followed their hearts. There's just something to be said for a good old fashioned star crossed lovers vibe. I just realized that this book was written in conjunction with the development of the Netflix series that is coming out soon. Now I'm even more excited about it.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

There is a better series about Empress Sisi that I would recommend, over this. I found the story to drag and the characters one dimensional. I may be somewhat prejudice because I loved, The Accidental Empress, but I felt this book just needed something more to hold attention.

Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me to read and review an early copy of this book!

I love historical fiction books so when I found out I got an ARC of this novel I was so excited. Honestly I still am, it was so good. The romance, plot, the writing style, and the characters. I really enjoyed reading about the sisters especially and reading the family’s dynamic. I have nothing bad to say about this novel, overall a 5/5! :)

RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
STEAM: 🔥🔥🔥

It is sometimes hard to review fictionalized retellings about historical events or people, because you have to figure out how to approach the reading. Do you compare it to what actually happened and assess how far off the story is? Or do you just simply enjoy the ride?

Not knowing much about Elisabeth and Franz of Austria's story, I decided to take the latter approach and found myself enjoying the book. It reminds me a lot of The Other Boleyn Girl but this time, the more unconventional girl not only takes the man but also wins in the end.

Emperor Franz of Austria has decided to marry. Between fulfilling his royal duties and recovering from an attempt at his life, it was just time. He travels to Bavaria to meet his promised bride Helene, but along the way, his heart gets stolen by Sisi -- who turns out to be his bride-to-be's sister.

Sisi definitely did not expect a love like this. Sure, she has been coveting this kind of love, much to the chagrin of her practical mother and sister. She even scoffed at the arranged marriage between Helene and the Emperor. Isn't it ironic that the love of her life turned out to be the man her sister was promised to be wed to?

I loved the arc of Franz and Sisi's clandestine romance. Gigi Griffis does a great job of developing their intellectual and emotional connection from the get-go, and we get a nice angsty ride as they struggle between duty and love. There are definitely spicy moments in this historical read, but if you've known me long enough, you know that isn't a problem for me at all. 😅 #bringontheheat

I do feel like the ending just seems like it got cut off, and while I get that we could always hit the history books to find out what happens next, a little epilogue or notes of some sort would have been helpful to know what happens with their HEA.

** I am voluntarily reviewing an advance copy of this book. Thank you to Gigi Griffis, Zando Projects, and NetGalley for providing an ARC. **

Elizabeth was only going to marry for love, and her older sister Helene was ready to marry who ever her parents chose for her. It was Franz that they chose, and he had promised to romance her at his birthday celebration. When Elizabeth and Franz met in the palace garden, they had a strong connection. Franz had to decide if he would marry Helene or marry her sister, who he loved.
Elizabeth and Franz are strong, and tend to speak their mind, and do what they want to do. There are many who doesn't think she would be the right person to be the Empress. It is up in the air at times, if a marriage will even take place. I really like Elizabeth, who stood up for herself.
I received an ARC from Zando Projects through NetGalley.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC of this book in exchange for a review! This book follows Sisi as she navigates court life and romances to become the empress in 1850's Bavaria. I've never seen a collaboration like this before between Netflix and an author as this is already a pretty well known tv show. I really like the story line and Sisi as a character.. I felt fully immersed in the various relationships. That being said I was a bit frustrated with some of the fade-to-black moments which I guess might translate more in the tv version. Overall, a fun historical romance in an interesting time period!

2.5⭐

I think the story of Sisi and Franz is fascinating and there is a reason Sisi is still popular today. Her life makes for an excellent story and I was so excited that Netflix is exploring it in TV and book form. Overall there is so much character grow for Sisi and Franz that creates a compelling narrative of how they become two critical figures in Austrian history.

But honestly this book didn't work for me. I knew going in that it was a collaboration with Netflix but ultimately this book felt like it was written too much like TV and not enough like a novel with pacing that draws the reader into the story. There were so many abrupt scene shifts in the story that would be jump cuts in a TV show that just did not work for me in a book. I am definitely more interested in checking out the show because I think the book shows how much promise the show has.

The writing style is likely to appeal to a specific sort of reader who doesn’t usually frequent our libraries.

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando projects for the ARC.

I have been reading a lot of memoirs and nonfiction lately so I was excited to hop into a romantic historical fiction book. This is a mostly fictional story about the very real historical figures Empress Elizabeth and Emperor Franz of Austria. The book details the events leading up to their marriage from the perspectives of Elisabeth or Sisi, Franz, and Elisabeth’s older sister, Helene.

I was in a really good mood for a romance, but even so I thought it was the right balance of romantic and steamy without being too cheesy. And even though I have a strong dislike for incest I found myself able to ignore the fact that Franz and Elisabeth were cousins and focus on the love story for what it was. If you’re going to write a historical romance then chances are someone is related so I can’t fault the author for that.

I loved the historical aspects of this story, mostly because I am not that familiar with European history and I couldn’t wait to learn more about this empire and the people involved in running it. I was disappointed by some of what I learned in my research but I was surprised that the basis for this story was mostly true. Also, I liked the different perspectives that made the book very engaging and maintained distinct voices for each character.

I was excited that there was already a Netflix show for this book but confused that there was already a Netflix show for this book that hasn’t yet been released. I see they were created together as I’m guessing an attempt to bring some English speaking readers into the potential viewing audience for the non-English speaking show. Although I’m disappointed that the show is not in English I will probably still watch because I always watch with subtitles anyways so how hard can it be? I wanted to call this an Austrian version of Bridgerton but Bridgerton has a much lighter vibe and can be very funny at times, where this was more serious and sensual and from the looks of the preview it seems like the show will match that.

Overall, I really enjoyed learning about a different part of the world in a different time all while enjoying a pleasant romance and truly escaping from reality. I highly recommend anyone interested in a new historical fiction romance!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando projects for an ARC of this book.

The Empress by Gigi Griffis
Release Date: 9/27/22

The Empress follows Elisabeth, Princess of Bavaria as she accompanies her elder sister, Helene, on a journey to meet Helene's fiancé, Emperor Franz of Austria. Elisabeth struggles with wanting to be free and be herself despite everyone else's expectations that she behave otherwise. Franz is struggling with PTSD from an assassination attempt and constant pressures to pick a side and enter a war between France and Russia. When Elisabeth runs into Franz alone in the garden, the two share a connection that they cannot ignore.

I really liked this book but I was also very disappointed by it. There were so many things left unresolved at the end that it almost seemed like an unfinished book. I enjoyed the characters, the writing, and the story, I just wished it hadn't ended where it did. I'm curious as to if there will be a second book that will tie up the loose ends that the first one left or if any of this will be addressed in the series.

Thank you to @netgalley and Zando Projects for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for the advance copy (I believe this is a rerelease?). All opinions of my own.

The Empress tells the love story of Emperor Franz of Austria and Duchess Elisabeth of Bavaria. If you liked Reign, you’ll love this book. Really, there’s nothing more to say about it: this story is Reign, with a different couple, and in book form.

This story contains everything I usually can’t stand in a historical fiction novel. The author plays it fast and loose with historical fact. Dramatic historical events are replaced with even more dramatic fictional events. Elisabeth is naive and selfish to the point of frustration and enabled at every turn. Everything is melodramatic and a touch ridiculous. For some reason, every character has modern ideals. And yet, this book was such a fun read. Much like Reign, if you lean into the ridiculousness and the drama, you’ll have a good time reading this.

All in all, The Empress was a very enjoyable read if not necessarily a good read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who loved Reign. I look forward to the show!

"Coming soon to Netflix, The Empress is a captivating, vivid and remarkably modern tale about falling in love and finding one's voice. The year is 1853, and Princess Elisabeth "Sisi" of Bavaria has been very clear: She will wait for the head-over-heels love the poets speak of, or she will have no love at all. Just because her older sister, Helene, is eagerly heeding their mother's advice and preparing to marry Emperor Franz of Austria does not mean Sisi must also subject herself to such a dutiful existence. Sisi knows there is more to life than luncheons and corsets - if only someone would let her experience it all firsthand. Meanwhile, in Austria, the emperor is recovering from an assassination attempt that left him wounded and scared. In a bid to keep the peace, Franz has recommitted himself to his imperial duties - and promised to romance the pliant Helene of Bavaria at his upcoming birthday celebration. How better to unite the empire than with the announcement of a new empress? But when Sisi and Franz meet unexpectedly in the palace gardens, away from the prying eyes and relentless critique of the court, their connection cannot be denied. And as their illicit conversations turn into something more, they must soon choose between the expectations of their families and standing up for what they truly believe in..."

I have always been intrigued by Sisi, and now to have a Netflix show? Hold me back!

Thank you to NetGalley and Zando Projects for the opportunity to read an advanced reader's copy of this book for an honest review. (Publish Date: October 11, 2022)

“The Empress” by Gigi Griffis caught my attention right away with its description about a Bavarian princess and an Austrian Emperor caught up in a forbidden romance.

The beginning of the story started slowly, but once Sisi and Franz met, the story picked up some serious speed until suddenly it’s over and you’re left wondering where the rest of the book is. Honestly, I thought the book ended rather abruptly and am curious if the author intends for this book to be part of a series. I certainly hope so!

There were so many characters to love (and hate) in this book. Sisi was mesmerizing and such a thrilling character in contrast to your typical 19th century princess. To my delight, Helene transformed over the course of the story and I really loved her by the end. Franz had his shining moments of glory while equally showing his faults and seemed very realistic as a young man and not just spoiled royalty.

Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to any adult who loves historical fiction with a thrilling romance.

Very short.. like shockingly. Even though I could see how much progress I was making, I kept convincing myself my discalculia was tricking me and that the story wouldn't be over so soon.
Maybe this is how things went down irl, but for me, it did not feel realistic at all. I mean, I'm a big believer in love at first sight and all that, but you don't make choices that influence empires just like that.. practically overnight.
The drama felt forced and resolved too easily. Too many loose ends. Idk.. I'm still going to watch the netflix, but they don't have a lot of material to go on if they're basing it soley on this book.

I really enjoyed this so much I absolutely can not wait to watch the TV show I'd it's anything like the book it will be amazing

What happens when you family tries to arrange a match? The younger free spirited younger sister is so much more appealing.

The prim and proper title of Empress is not what one thinks of when it comes to Elisabeth. What I liked about her is that she just wanted to say and be herself including speaking out of turn and going on barefooted walks. Franz had been thorough a lot including a knife attack. All he wanted was to be seen as himself and not just his title. The drama that unfolded was all surrounding what others wanted to happen and that wasn't the Franz and Elisabeth romance.

I really liked the characters in this book, but I wanted more romance. I think that Elisabeth and Franz sneaking away from prying eyes could have been more frequent and steamy. I think that would have added a bit more excitement.

I am interested to see where the rest of the story goes from here since I left the end wondering "what next."

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me a copy of this ARC for my honest review.