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.

Gigi Griffis has created a sweeping narrative with a sumptuous setting and complex characters that totally sucked me in! You can't help but root for Sisi as she navigates love, loss, and the political intrigue of 1800s Austria -- and did I mention the steamy romance? Griffis is now an auto-buy for me!

Thank you to Zando Projects for the ARC in return for an honest review.

!Trigger warning for animal death!

"The Empress" is a sweet love story between a Duchess Elisabeth and Emperor Franz. Elisabeth can be a bit childish at times, but is typically a loveable free spirit. Franz is butting up against his sense of duty versus his heart and desires, particualrly in the aftermath of an assassination attempt that leaves him with lasting trauma. My heart went out to Franz throughout the novel as he dealt with the expectations of his position whilst his nightmares and panic attacks leave him feeling vulnerable and weak. Elisabeth is able to help him thorugh this and discover his inner strength, which was very touching.

In addition, the book alternates perspectives between Elisabeth, Franz... and surprisingly, her spurned sister, Helen. Helen's journey from subservient to anger to, ultimately, forgiveness, is compelling and beautiful, and I am so glad it was included.

Now... is it spicy? Not really! But is it sweet? Absolutely. And I will definitely be tuning in to Netflix to see these two come to life.

I knew very little about these historical figures and was drawn to the story because of the upcoming Netflix release. This was a nice introduction to Elisabeth and Franz. The novel describes the beginning of their relationship, and their desire to choose love over duty. We see the challenges in their roles in spite of their love for each other. The novel ends with their marriage so it felt somewhat anti-climactic. We see all the potential problems ahead and must wait for the next install ment to see what happens.

A quick read. It looks like this book is already being made into a Netflix Series - before the book has even been released. I guess it makes sense. The characters are one dimensional and the plot formulaic, but the details of the costumes and settings are vivid and stunning. We have good guys and bad guys, love triangles, sibling rivalry, royal weddings and an impending war. Historical fiction gold. This will make a great show, but as a book it will be forgotten soon after I write this review.

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

Historical fiction is my new favorite genre and this book certainly did not disappoint. From the beginning I was hooked and intrigued by the storyline. Elisabeth was a well rounded individual and I love how she spoke her mind. I finished this book in less than a day and loved every page. I did not realize this would be a Netflix show as well and just saved this to my list. I can’t wait to read more books by this author. Thank you net galley and publishers for the advanced copy. I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. I feel as though there needs to be another book so we can learn more about their love story.

Reading this because I heard it's going to be a netflix show and I love royalty shows! Actually getting into it, it's easily readable and reading from the perspective of the fiery Elisabeth got me on board SO QUICK! Excellent work~

3 Stars!! Interesting historical romance. I’m not sure how much of this was fact and what was fiction but it was entertaining nonetheless. I really enjoyed the first half of the book but at times it felt a bit drawn out and had me skimming through some of the book. The second half was irritating. I didn’t like how the book just abruptly ended either. I was waiting to see Elisabeth stand up for herself and Franz to stand by her. So many unanswered questions that leave me wondering what happens after they get married?! The book could’ve been great if it condensed a lot into the first half and the second half could’ve been about after Franz and Elisabeth/Sisi got married and how they make their own rules, together, making their empire a better place. Not sure if that’s how it really happened but it would’ve made for a great book.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

"The Empress" by Gigi Griffis is a fictionalized account of Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria meeting Emperor Franz, ruler of the Habsburg empire, and the two falling in love and marrying. Griffis does a beautiful job capturing the emotions of both Elisabeth (better known as Sisi) and Franz. Each is in a gilded cage, aching to be free, yet unaware of how to achieve that freedom. They find in each other a kindred spirit, a sense of truly being seen and being accepted, warts and all.
As in all love stories, there is a pickle. Franz's mother chose Sisi's elder sister Helene to be his bride, and Helene had spent a great deal of time preparing to take on the role of wife and empress. Therefore, when Franz chooses Sisi to be his bride, it creates a fair bit of ruckus. His mother is angry; Sisi's mother is shocked (which annoyed me, because no parent should act like their child is inferior in any way); Helene feels betrayed; and Franz's brother Maxi is jealous. Despite all this, Franz remains firm--he and Sisi marry.
Now, I enjoyed reading this book. The time-period, the setting, the characters -- all were combined in just the right way to keep me engrossed from start to finish. I liked how Franz and Sisi brought out the best in each other without even trying. Their emotional connection is everything!
What, or rather who, I did not like: the two mothers, Helene, and Maxi. All four of these characters displayed an air of selfishness that really irked me. Both mothers come off at times as cruel and controlling, particularly Franz's mother Sophia. While she is his mother, what she fails to fully comprehend and accept is that Franz is the emperor and he has the final say. Sisi's mother is miserable and she holds her misery like a sword, ready to wield it when it suits her. As for Helene, I don't believe she was in love with Franz; rather she was in love with the life she imagined herself having as his wife and empress. Therefore, her sense of betrayal seemed a bit overblown to me, as he could have rejected her anyway. Finally, to me, Maxi is the 19th century version of present-day Prince Harry. He's the spare who was born with the proverbial silver spoon in his mouth, lives a luxurious life, yet he's thoroughly jealous of his brother. What Maxi (and Harry) fails to see is the level of freedom he has that Franz does not have, nor does he truly realize what an asset he can be to his brother and to the realm. His behavior is petty at times, but in some instances, one can have a little sympathy for him. (You have to read to see those moments.)
The books end in the HEA mode, which is fine. However, I feel that Griffis should have included an afterword explaining factual details about Sisi, Franz, their mothers, Helene, Maxi and how the marriage ultimately turned out. A short bibliography of relevant books would have been helpful as well. In spite of this, the book is a great read, and it will keep the reader engaged and lead them to want to learn more about the empress and her world.
Thanks to NetGalley, Gigi Griffis, and Zando Projects for this advanced copy, which I voluntarily read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was dubious of this book, but also excited about it. I have been fascinated by the Empress Elisabeth since I visited Vienna at age 13, but disappointed at how few resources there were in the US to find out more about her. For that reason, I am very glad that this book and show will soon exist. On the other hand, I am always wary of historical dramas that try to "sex up" historical figures to make an interesting story after having been burned by The Tudors and Reign. After reading this book, I am still undecided about this book. On the one hand, I am pleased that they kept certain features: Elisabeth's love for riding, her poetry, her pride in her incredible hair. On the other hand, I am afraid that they have sexed up the relationship between Elisabeth and Franz, as well as the private lives of her father and Franz's brother, Maximilian. Then again, there aren't many US sources for me or other consumers to find out more, either. There were many references to Elisabeth not wanting to be "pinched in" or "corseted into" a certain look or role in the Imperial Court, but that to me overlooks Elisabeth's undiagnosed but very striking eating disorder (her 19-inch waist, strict diet, obsession with exercise). I realize that including it could be triggering for younger viewers and readers, but to overlook it is to overlook a large part of her life and character. It is a very bingeable book, as is the series one can presume, but I would have liked a few more nods to historical research.

I could not get in to this at all - I'm not sure if it was the writing, the characters or what. I think it just felt forced to me. I generally love historical fiction, but I think it can be really tough to write fiction about well known/notable characters and for me this just didn't work.

I really liked the first 50% of this book, it was realistic, I really believed we were reading something the historical figures could have actually thought.

I'm sad to say the further into the book we got, the worst it got.

The author totally just tried to push aside the fact that they had barely seen eachother. Less than 48 hours total on their wedding day. Also, Sisi is 16, he is 23. Never is this mentioned nor does it change anything.

There is no way Sisi would actually say some of the things she said at court. There is no way they would've kissed before marriage. Or sex? The day before the wedding? That's so weird especially when we know in reality their honeymoon did not go so well....

I prefer realistic historical books. This is not realistic.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free ebook in exchange for my honest opinion.

Imagine a world where two sisters who are completely different one Helene the oldest who is ready to be married off to whomever her parents chose. While her younger sister Elisabeth is the wild child who wouldn’t mind marrying someone but only if its for love and not obligation. Luckily for Elisabeth its Helene who’s hand has been asked for from an emperor who is only marrying for obligation and duty more than for himself. Both sisters whom are best friends must now live their own lives apart but not as they originally thought. Also Emperor Franz must figure out how to go on marrrying Helene when he no longer wants to go with that obligation his mother has set upon him.

I completely fell in love with this story and each of the characters. The author had me hooked on Elisabeth and her story from the very beginning. This was a 1 day read for me which is how I know a book is worth it. I got lost in the story and needed to know how it played out. Also since this book will soon be coming to Netflix I can’t wait to relive this story and see it come to life like it did in my mind. The only reason I’m rating this a 4.5 star and not 5 star read is because I felt like I wanted to know more about Franz and what he calls his nightmare. I would have liked to hear more about that situation. Maybe this will be a series of books and not just the single read.

An interesting take on Empress Sisi. This book appears to be part of a series as it ends right after her wedding. There is much more to her story. Fast paced and a very good harmony between narrative and dialogue. I look forward to more from this author. Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publishers for an e-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

An absolute must read for historical fiction fans! When I saw this book I was immediately excited. The podcast Noble Blood had done an episode on Princess Sisi and I was excited to learn more about her, knowing of course that much of this is fictionalized.
I don't have any criticism for this book. It was well written and the execution of it plot is very strong. Additionally, the characters are written in a very compelling manner.
While it's not my favorite genre, this book is definitely a winner!

It had been a long time since I had read any historical fiction, and The Empress did not disappoint ! Elizabeth and Franz have an effortless and beautiful love that overcomes so many obstacles. They both have duties to their country and family that cannot be ignored., but love always prevails The dynamic of both of their families is interesting and heartbreaking with addition of Helene's point of view. I wanted to read this initially because it was a series on Netflix, then to discover it is not in English, if it has subtitles I will give it a try. After finishing I looked up Franz and Elizabeth's actual history and it was an interesting that some real aspects were incorporated as fictions. I love historical fiction based on real people and this was a good one to read!

Talk about steam! 🔥 This was a beautiful story about love and passion and I absolutely devoured it! The chemistry between the main characters, Franz and Sisi just jumps off the page and you can’t help rooting for their love. I also appreciated the fact that the story focuses on another relationship that I consider just as important, and that is the one between Sisi and her sister Helene. Having two sisters myself I really connected to their story and how the relationship between siblings can evolve and grow.

I feel like a lot of historical fiction books can be slow but this one was fast paced and very entertaining. I’m not too familiar with this part of history so it was a nice change from the usual WWII novels you see so often in this genre. If you’re a fan of historical fiction or romance (or both 😆) this is the book for you as it perfectly combines them into the story. Check out this book when it’s out in October!

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced copy and to the author for such an enjoyable read!

I had a great time reading this, I love the historical fiction genre as a whole and love when I can learn about someone new. This had what I was hoping for when I read the description, Gigi Griffis has a great writing style and it works so well for the time period. The historical characters were fascinating and I had to learn about them after reading this. This was a great time and I could see why it was a opted for Netflix.

"Falling in love with Elisabeth had been easy. But Louise was used to getting what she wanted and avoiding her—with her heartsick looks and veiled threats about revealing their dalliance— that had been impossible."

I really enjoyed this book! It was captivating and beautiful, and I just really enjoyed reading this one.

This book got me so incredibly excited for the fact that this is going to be a Netflix special. I can wait to see how true to book it ends up being.