A thoroughly interesting look into the life of Julie Saxe-Coburg, The Rebel Romanov surprised me as I listened. This is a great read for fans of untold/unpopular historic stories!

<b>eBook ARC - 3 Stars</b>
While this is clearly a well-researched [given the limited information about much of Julie's life and the absence of letters and diaries], and quite a bit of it was really fascinating, I am afraid I that overall, I really struggled with this one. Yes, I learned things [my knowledge of Russian history does not extend this far back an the only player I was initially familiar with was Catherine the Great], but it was just so dry in parts [and everyone was just SO...extra? Even more so for the Russian aristocracy I found], that by the end, I found I just didn't care that much anymore.

I will say that Julie herself was an interesting characters, in that she was FOURTEEN when she was married [to a pretty vile human being], despised bother her husband [who gave her what they now believe was syphilis, because he continually diddled in so many other ponds] AND the spotlight [which is tough when one is a Royal], and just wanted to live quietly [BUT not poorly! ;-) ], all which seemed to completely infuriate the Russian Court of Royals.

One of the things that was interesting to me was that, with all the inter-marrying [one relative on the Saxe-Coburg side married his teen NIECE - EWWWWWWWW!!!!!!], I was still surprised that Julie was Aunt to both Queen Victoria AND to Prince Albert [I had forgotten that they were cousins. Also, ew.], and that part of the book and the history reminder was both gross AND fascinating.

Overall, this book was just not what I was expecting [Julie was neither a rebel nor was she ever in line to be Empress, so the title is extremely misleading], and I was just left mostly disappointed.

<b>Audiobook ARC - 4 Stars</>
I absolutely love Jennifer M. Dixon as a narrator and she does an excellent job here. There is a lot of French, German, and Russian names and places, and she handles it deftly, like she speaks both those languages, names, and places on a regular basis. I highly recommend listening to her read this book as she makes even the dry parts better and she is the reason I was able to continue and not DNF.

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Rappaport, Jennifer M. Dixon - Narrator, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing the eBook and audiobook ARC's in exchange for an honest review.

Very informative read on the life of a woman whose story has been largely lost to time, but had a great impact on history. Her life was tumultuous but full and I was tantalized by her spirit and determination. Unfortunately the tone of the book suffered in the way Russian literature often does with a dryness that undid the compelling narrative. The treatment did not underscore the dramatic life she lead in the way I felt it should.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

I will honestly admit, I know very little of Julie (also known as Juliane), despite my solid knowledge of the Romanov family. And Rappaport directly addresses why this might be the case for others- Julie is largely unknown despite just how well-connected she was because there are relatively few sources left documenting her life. She was an aunt of both Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, the sister-in-law of Tsar Alexander II, and a grand-daughter-in-law of Catherine the Great: it is difficult to think of a better-connected royal in the first half of the nineteenth century. However, The Rebel Romanov does a fantastic job of explaining how we’ve ended up where we are now.

Julie’s life changed massively after marrying into the Romanov family. Rappaport thoroughly expounds on the complexities of Catherine the Great’s court and family and helps the reader understand why Julie struggled so much. Not only was her husband a difficult and mercurial person, Catherine had very specific ideas on how her children and grandchildren would be raised. (Spoiler alert: it did not lead to Constantine, Julie’s husband, being a particularly easy individual to get along with.) However, despite the lack of sources, we are able to dig into Julie’s life and learn how she escaped her very structured life.

This biography also somewhat doubles as a wonderful introduction to the royals of Saxe-Coburg. We’ve all heard the name thanks to Prince Albert, but they were impressively well-connected given that they were from a small and relatively poor German duchy. Rappaport easily works in a history of the duchy, and she keeps the reader updated on what other family members are doing during this period. However, it is still a very readable book- it never feels laboured or boring!

I've listened to several books narrated by Jennifer M Dixon, and she is still one of my favourites!

Honestly, I only listened for a short time. I did not like the narrator’s voice or way of reading so I moved on to a different audiobook.

I love this time period in history. It just amazes me how much we actually know and how much is missing.

Julie led a very unique life. She married so very young to the an heir to the Russian Throne. She married Constantine, Catherine the Great’s grand child. But life was not easy for her. She had to deal with learning a new religion and all the new rules for an Empress of Russia. Plus, her husband was very abusive. She begged to leave on numerous occasions. She was finally granted her wish to leave Russia. Julie proceeded to live her life as she wanted.

I had no idea about Julie. She was a person who went after what she wanted when she was supposed to conform and be submissive. I loved learning about her and everything she went through to live her life.

The narrator, Jennifer M. Dixon, had some tough pronunciations to tackle. She handled it like a pro!

Need a well researched book about a woman ahead of her time…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this audiobook from the publisher for a honest review.

I really enjoyed this. It was my first book written by Helen Rappaport and her writing style really sold me on this story. I had never heard of Julie Saxe-Coburg before, and it was fascinating to listen to her story. She was so interconnected with so many well-known royalty figures across Europe and it really highlighted the intermarriage of the European royal families.

Thanks to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for my audio arc!

I learning new historical facts and especially learning a lot about one very specific person or subject and not only was this all new info for me it was presented really well and I learned a ton that I didnt know previously which I always appreciate.

I enjoyed this account of Julie’s life. However, I felt like I learned more about those surrounding her through the years than I actually did her.

I really enjoyed this book! A great historical rendering of Julie of Saxe-Coburg. Thank you, NetGalley for the ARC!

The Rebel Romanov offers a fascinating history of Julie of Saxe-Coburg, a German princess who married Grand Duke Konstantin, the second son of Czar Paul I and grandson of Catherine the Great. Julie was also the aunt of both Queen Victoria (through her mother, the Duchess of Kent) and Prince Albert (through his father, Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha).

Helen Rappaport brings new life to a largely overlooked figure, presenting Julie as a woman who defied the rigid expectations of 19th-century royal life. Married at just 14, Julie endured an unhappy and controlling marriage, prompting her to seek independence in a world that allowed little room for female autonomy. The biography explores her personal struggles—including the births of two illegitimate children—and offers broader insight into the complexities of European dynastic politics and the limited agency available to royal women.

This is a thoroughly researched and compellingly told biography of a remarkable woman who refused to conform.

Thank you to Helen Rappaport, Tantor Audio, and NetGalley for the advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Learning about a new-to-me player in the Romanov empire was entertaining and informative. Julie's story is one that absolutely deserves a spotlight, if for nothing more than to create empathy for her situation. Her story of a loveless yet politically advantageous marriage is not new, nor will it every be. But what is refreshing, and maybe not explored enough at length, is her sheer bravery at contemplating and escaping her horrible life in the Russian royal court. At barely more than a teenager she manages to escape from under her despotic mother-in-law's thumb and tried to scratch some happiness out for herself.

I am so grateful to have read this book! A huge thank you to NetGalley and MacMillan for an ebook and Tantor Audio for an audiobook copy of this!

This was like a juicy gossipy insider's look to the all the royal courts in the late 1700s-1840s. I really loved how interconnected the story was with Queen Victoria's family, the Russian Romanovs, and the other courts.

This was a fascinating biography on the life of Julie Saxe-Coberg who became married to Konstantine, the grandson of Catherine the Great (through her son's Paul's line). While Konstantin abdicated his thrown to his younger brother Nicholas 1, Julie became known as the Empress who Russia could have had. Born to a financially failing royal like of Saxe-Coberg, Julie secures financial support through her marriage with Konstantin who sadly mistreated her so much to the point she fled within their early years of marraige (married in her teens). I was fascinating by the political moves from her mother Auguste and Catherine the Great and loved how Auguste secured advantageous marriages for nearly all of her children (Victoire- Queen Victoria's mother), her son Leopold (married Princess Charlotte), etc.

The audiobook read really easy and well and while there were a bunch of characters, the author did a good job at refreshing us who they were.

A fascinating look at history during this period and was the PERFECT context for reading War & Peace and those interested in the life and politics of the time. Especially loved the inside view of the Romanov courts! I really loved the footnotes as well as the journal entry passages that were shared. Having been to Riga Lativa it was fun to hear about the descriptions of the city from the late 1700s.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and eager to learn more about Princess Juliane and her remarkable story. The historical details are clearly well-researched, and there’s no shortage of fascinating material about her life and the challenges she faced. However, I found the combination of the writing style and narration to be a bit dry for my taste. It was difficult to stay engaged, and I struggled to maintain momentum as I listened. While I didn’t finish the full audiobook, I did listen to a substantial portion and feel that this book will appeal most to readers who enjoy detailed, fact-focused biographies. Thank you to Tantor Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this advance copy.

Very well researched I can’t even image how many sources the author read and went through getting information for this book.
It is also well written and interesting I have never heard of Julia, Royal history isn’t something I would normally read so it was hard to keep up at times.
I really enjoyed learning about Julia and her relationships and awful marriage.
Royals were and still looked up today but this really highlighted how marriages were more political and for making connections. Not for love, and woman couldn’t just leave.

As someone who studied all things Russian in university, I was instantly intrigued by The Rebel Romanov. Catherine the Great and her son Paul are often front and center in pop culture—especially with recent portrayals in shows like The Great and Catherine the Great—but Julie of Saxe-Coburg? Not nearly as well-known, despite her fascinating life. Enter Helen Rappaport’s latest, which shines a much-deserved spotlight on this complex and bold woman.

I received an advanced audiobook copy via NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, and narrator Jennifer Dixon did a fantastic job. She moved seamlessly between English, Russian, French, and German, making the story feel immersive and authentic.

While the early chapters focus more heavily on Catherine and Paul, and I found myself slightly distracted at first (a common issue for me with nonfiction), once Julie's story took center stage, I was fully engaged. Rappaport strikes a great balance between scholarly research and compelling storytelling—it never felt too dry or overly academic.

If you're interested in the Romanovs and want something a little off the beaten path, this is a great pick. It’s a poignant portrait of a woman who defied the constraints of royal life in pursuit of her own freedom. And as always, I support women’s rights—and more importantly, women’s wrongs.

As someone who has long been captivated by the history of the Romanovs, I was immediately drawn to The Rebel Romanov. This book delves into the life of Julia Romanov, a figure whose existence has often been overshadowed by the more prominent members of the Romanov family. Tragically, little is known about her life, and even more so about her final resting place, however, Helen Rappaport does an amazing job of piecing together the information that there is still available.

Despite the title suggesting rebellion, I didn’t find Julia to be the rebellious figure I expected. Instead, her story paints a portrait of a woman who endured an incredibly painful and difficult existence. Her life was filled with hardship, and the book poignantly highlights this lesser-known side of the Romanov legacy.

After finishing this book, I found myself reflecting on the many layers of the royal family’s history—one that often resembles the drama of a soap opera or a modern-day reality show, especially when considering the numerous illegitimate children and secretive affairs that emerge throughout the pages.

I would highly recommend The Rebel Romanov to anyone with an interest in royal history. It covers not just Julia’s story but also provides insight into the broader intrigues and mysteries of the royal families.

I'm a 90s child. Give me anything involving the Romanov's and I will eat it up.
I love reading all crumbs about Catherine the Great, always and seeing all the political connections of the 1800s throughout Eurasia
And history is always great because it reminds ones that no matter what, people have always been people