Helen Rappaport does a fantastic job in writing this book, it was a strong follow-up to the Romanov Sisters and had that element that I enjoyed from that book. The research was so well done and was invested in what the history was telling. It was written well and had that history element that I was looking for, I hope to read more from Helen Rappaport.

This book required an incredible amount of research. However, the book was far too detailed in the drudgery of day to day living. There was a lot of repetition (God help the Russian royalty with their boredom) and not a lot of movement. I got to point where I felt I should be close to finished, but it wasn't even to the halfway point yet. I stuck it out, though, and finished the book. I set it down a few times to read something else but always picked it back up again. Such an interesting time in history and this book gives you a very intimate view of life in St. Petersburg and Eastern Europe. So many names and so many places that I am not familiar with. Sometimes the story got lost with the sheer volume of detail. I admire Ms. Rappaport for her research capabilities and knowledge of the subject. Four stars for one heck of a research paper.

I was sent a free copy of this book, as I had read previous books on NetGalley by Helen Rappaport. I'm definitely interested in royal families, and this book about Julie, a woman who had married into the Russian royal family. While this book seemed to be very well researched, a lot of it felt like speculation, because there just isn't information out there about Julie, so it was hard to take it seriously. It also felt very dry and it was hard to keep interested. Had it been written in another style, and had it not seemed so hesitant in saying anything really, I would have been much more engaged. This was a bit of a disappointment to me.

In 1795, Catherine the Great of Russia was in search of a bride for her grandson Constantine, who stood third in line to her throne. In an eerie echo of her own story, Catherine selected an innocent young German princess, Julie of Saxe-Coburg, aunt of the future Queen Victoria. Though Julie had everything a young bride could wish for, she was alone in a court dominated by an aging empress and riven with rivalries, plotting, and gossip—not to mention her brute of a husband, who was tender one moment and violent the next. She longed to leave Russia and her disastrous marriage, but her family in Germany refused to allow her to do so. Finally, Tsar Alexander granted her permission to leave in 1801, even though her husband was now heir to the throne. Rootless in Europe, Julie gave birth to two—possibly three—illegitimate children, all of whom she was forced to give up for adoption. Despite entreaties from Constantine to return and provide an heir, she refused, eventually finding love with her own married physician.

At a time when many royal brides meekly submitted to disastrous marriages, Julie proved to be a woman ahead of her time, sacrificing her reputation and a life of luxury in exchange for the freedom to live as she wished. The Rebel Romanov is the inspiring tale of a bold woman who, until now, has been ignored by history. I am not very familiar with Russian history so this was very informative for me. However, for me, it was a difficult read at times trying to get all the names straight and who belonged where. Once the story settled into the life of Julie, it was much easier for me to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for introducing me to an era in Russian and German history and especially to a bold Grand Duchess the was determined to life the life she wanted, safely and away from Russia.

The Rebel Romanov (This review is from an ARC sent to me by Netgalley)
by Helen Rappaport
Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (23 September 1781 – 12 August 1860),
Helen Rappaport is a prolific writer of Russian history and the British Empire. Her detailed research is evident in this book.
This is the story of a courageous young Imperial Grand Duchess, an innocent young German princess, Julie of Saxe-Coburg who scandalized Europe in search of freedom.
In 1795, Catherine the Great of Russia was in search of a bride for her grandson Constantine, who stood third in line to her throne. Julie had a disastrous marriage; her husband Constantine was a brute and a womanizer.
Tsar Alexander granted Julie permission to leave Russia in 1801, and she eventually settled in Switzerland.
Julie eager to have a family, found solace in clandestine affairs. She had two illegitimate children.
Finally, on 20 March 1820, after 19 years of separation, Anna's marriage was officially annulled by a manifesto of Emperor Alexander I of Russia.
Julie never lost her “exquisite grace in the smallest of her actions and she showed the greatest care and concern for all those who depended on her.”
There is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book.

*The Rebel Romanov* is a beautifully researched and long-overdue biography of Anna Feodorovna—born Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld—who was married at just 14 into the powerful Romanov dynasty. As the granddaughter-in-law of Catherine the Great and the first wife of Grand Duke Constantine Pavlovich, Anna’s story is one of both geopolitical significance and deeply personal struggle.

Helen Rappaport masterfully traces how Juliane’s marriage to the Russian imperial family dramatically elevated the status of the tiny duchy of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, laying the groundwork for her family’s future influence across Europe. But behind the royal pomp was a young girl trapped in a brutally abusive marriage. After years of mistreatment by her husband, Anna fled the Russian court with the tacit support of Emperor Alexander I, following the assassination of his father, Emperor Paul.

Her defiance made her a scandal in the eyes of many—but a heroine to others. She later reinvented herself in Switzerland as a fiercely independent figure and intellectual, admired by her niece, Queen Victoria, who remained fascinated by her unconventional and strong-willed Aunt Julia.

While the narrative occasionally detours into broader historical exposition, Rappaport’s work is a triumph in reclaiming Anna’s voice from the margins of history. This is not just a story of personal resilience, but a fascinating lens into imperial politics, family dynamics, and the high cost of self-determination for women in royal circles.

An evocative and rewarding read for lovers of European history and those drawn to the untold stories of royal women who refused to conform.

Rappaport has presented readers with a well-researched, well-written story of political intrigue, convoluted marriages, and insight into the time period surrounding the life of Julie of Saxe-Coburg.
I think I expected something different based on the title, but I did find the book highly informative and entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the dARC of this work in exchange for my honest review.

The Rebel Romanov is a well written, layman accessible monograph biography/history of Julie of Saxe-Coburg written by historian Dr. Helen Rappaport. Released 15th April 2025 by Macmillan on their St. Martin's imprint, it's 336 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out from the same publisher first quarter, 2026. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout.

Napoleonic (and post-Napoleonic) European royals were a dizzyingly interconnected lot, and the author does a pretty good job of untangling the interweaving threads. In the case of Julie of Saxe-Coburg, having been alllied into the Russian royal household, she was given a host of alternative monikers including Grand Duchess Anna Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Konstantin, and diminutively as Jülchen to family.

The author is an academic and this is a layman accessible history. As an academic work, it is *full* of annotations, references, and minutiae (in a good way). The author definitely "shows her work" in full. Especially considering that the bio subject is relatively obscure (even among royal records of the time period), this has clearly been a task requiring more than the usual level of dedication and reference chasing. That said, for readers who aren't dedicated to the history genre, the facts and family crossovers can be overwhelming (and necessarily a bit dry). Dr. Rappaport has included family trees and exhaustive chapter notes to help keep the players straight in the retelling.

Five stars. It's an exhaustive, very well annotated history of post-Napoleonic European noble houses, and interesting (if not quite riveting) biography of an interesting, willful, strong minded, strategic, and intelligent woman who made an effort to live her (relatively) long life on her own terms.

It would be an excellent choice for public or university library acquisition, home use, or possibly gift giving for recipients who are particularly interested in the subject matter and time period.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I like historical novels, but unfortunately this one didn’t work for me. The writing resembled more a textbook than a novel. As such, I was not able to finish it.

I dnf'd at 47%. With the title Rebel Romanov, I was expecting a different book This is reading more like a dissertation than a biography of any sort.

When I first picked up The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had, I assumed it was a historical novel. A few pages in, my eyes started to glaze over—and that’s when I realized it was actually a biography. Still, I was curious about Julie’s life, so I pressed on.

Helen Rappaport, known for her royal deep dives, tells the little-known story of Princess Julie, aunt of Queen Victoria and one-time bride-to-be of Grand Duke Constantine. Handpicked by Catherine the Great, Julie entered a dangerous court full of rivalries, gossip, and a husband who alternated between cruel and charming. Her courage to walk away from an abusive marriage and royal duty in the early 1800s is the most powerful part of her story.

But despite the fascinating premise, the book doesn’t quite deliver on its potential. The pacing is uneven, and at times it veers more into speculation than solid history. There’s a fair bit of repetition, and some chapters feel padded with tangents about court life that distract from Julie’s personal journey. The writing is also dry—bordering on textbook—and the flood of noble names makes it hard to follow. The author’s research, however, is impressive.

If you are into Russian history, by all means give this a try. It just wasn’t my jam.

** Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a comp. All opinions are my own.

This tome shows exhaustive research. It reads like a college textbook. I found the life of the main character Julie very interesting , although there was so much extraneous unnecessary information that made the reading that much more difficult. It is a sad tale of a life that could’ve been so productive and happy.

A very young German princess married off to a Russian Tsar’s son., isolated from her family, and not nurtured by her mother-in-law. Julie was mistreated by her husband who was a maniac. She left Russia and was estranged from him for many years before a divorce was ultimately granted. She was unhappy her entire life. Unfortunately, there remains little of her letters and even her grave can no longer be found.

There is truly very little I love to read more than a non-fiction book about a historical female figure I hadn’t previously read about. (Or that I had previously read about, honestly!) When I saw the title of this one, I was instantly intrigued. I was one of those preteens who was absolutely obsessed with the Romanovs, and I’ve spent a lot of my years reading about them. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read much of anything about this particular “Rebel Romanov”.

Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was so fascinating, and Helen Rappaport once again crafted a compulsively readable book that I genuinely could not put down. She brought the characters back to life, and I learned so much! My sweet husband did too, since he got about 17 texts over my lunch hour as I read. I won’t talk much about Julie, because I think you should read this to discover more about her for yourself, but she was such an interesting figure!

There was a lot of information packed into this book, but it never felt dry or too long. If you have any kind of interest in this subject, I highly recommend picking it up!

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Helen Rappaport for this free ARC in exchange for my review. The Rebel Romanov is out now!

I picked this book up because I love royal drama and interesting lively women. Well, Julie is actually pretty boring. There are some interesting characters, but Miss Julie is a snore. I do find it interesting how she was so interconnected to royalty.

Some parts of this book were very dry. Like, almost give up dry. It took a little for me to pay attention at parts.

That being said, the book itself is well researched and well written. If you’re a history nerd, this is for you!

Helen brings her story back to life as the Romonav that history and time forgot. This is the perfect book for anyone interested in women’s nonfiction, Russian history, or royal history.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book! I am always looking for great non-fiction books to read and knew I wanted to read this one when I saw it. I was thrilled when I received a free copy of it and was not disappointed one bit.

I don't know about other people, but I have always been horrified when learning how these girls were forced to get married for money, power, and even to keep peace in their countries. Their lives basically traded away. I have never wanted to live in the past like some people, although I do love the dresses. Would not mind traveling in the Tardis, though (I am now on a tangent that has nothing to do with the book, so will move on, I guess).

I had never even heard of Julie of Saxe-Coburg (at least that I can remember) but have been fascinated by the story of the Romanov family since I was young, even more so Rasputin (ever since my dad told me the story of all the ways they tried and failed to murder him). So I love reading all about their drama, although it has been years since I have picked up a book about them. This is the very first book I have read by Helen Rapport and will be looking for more by her in the future!!!

This is a story of one kind of suffering—that of a noble girl sacrificed on the altar of family ambition. It’s a biography of of a little know Romanov-by-marriage. Julie of Saxe-Coburg is the sister of the one-time future Prince Consort of the UK–i.e. Prince Leopold, husband of Princess Charlotte of Wales, only legitimate heir in the male line to the British throne. Her father was the Prince Regent. Her death after childbirth (and the death of her infant son) set of the marrying stakes that gave the world Queen Victoria, her cousins “Fat Mary” and George Cambridge, and in a later generations, Edward VII, both George V and his wife Queen Mary, George VI, his elder daughter Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Philip, and more. Oh, and Leopold? He became King of the Belgians. And is remembered as a tyrannt who took all the wealth found in the Congo. Catherine the Great wanted some sweet, innocent young “wives,” for her grandsons Alexander and Constantine. Julie got Constantine. He had erratic moods, a vile temper, and never succeeding in “begatting” an heir with her. She left him.

At a time when many royal brides meekly submitted to disastrous marriages, Julie proved to be a woman ahead of her time, sacrificing her reputation and a life of luxury in exchange for the freedom to live as she wished. The Rebel Romanov is the inspiring tale of a bold woman who, until now, has been ignored by history.I never really found out that much about Julie. I did find while reading that I was completely fascinated with what Julie did or didn’t do

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book! It took me a bit to get into the story here (and honestly to keep all of the characters straight!). Once I did get into it though, it turned out to be a really interesting story; one that I'm surprised hasn't gotten more publicity. Good read for others looking for biographies on 19th century royals, especially those interested in Queen Victoria or Empress Elisabeth.

Like most members of the royal families of Europe, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld came from a very complicated family tree. Since the royalty had a penchant for marrying their cousins, which often produced unfortunate results in regards to mental instability, medical diseases, or physical characteristics. In order to improve a families finances princesses were trafficked to wealthy royal houses. Love was rarely part of the equation. This was the case of Princess Juliane of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld also known as Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia, a forgotten member of the Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld family. The Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld family was broke, but they had 3 daughters whose marriages would hopefully revive their finances. As luck would have it, Russia's Catherine the Great hoped to get her unstable grandson, Constantine, married before she died. He would be the second in line to Russian throne, and she hoped it would improve his mental disposition. Fourteen year old Julianne, and her 2 older sisters made the 40 day trip from Coburg to St. Petersburg, and out of duty, Constantine chose Juliane. She was renamed Anna, converted to Russian orthodox, and then married Constantine in 1796. Unfortunately, Constantine was an abomination as a husband as he was mentally unstable, violent, and sadistic. In 1799, pleading illness, Julie/Anna fled to her home in Germany, but was coerced by her family and the Russian Court to return. In 1801 she again fell ill, and her mother brought her home to Germany. This time Julianne refused to return to the Russian court. She spent time in Germany but finally settled in Switzerland and had two children by two different men. In 1820, she was finally granted a divorce. I didn't find her rebellious but I did find her persistent in her quest for self preservation. Dr. Rappaport's in depth descriptions of people, places and events is fully supported with documentation and footnotes, and brings to life Juliane, so she will no longer be forgotten.

I read and listened to this book simultaneously. The non-fiction book provided a wealth of information about the interwoven royal families I didn’t know much about. I’ve read several of this authors books and she is a thorough researcher and that is evident in her writing. I’d never heard of this Princess Julia who was married off to an awful Russian husband in Konstantine. I was so relieved when she wa# able to get away from him and live a better life, though still restricted.