The Tsarina's Daughter (House of Romanov Book 2) by Ellen Alpsten

The Tsarina's Daughter (House of Romanov Book 2) by Ellen Alpsten.

Published 8th July 2021 by Bloomsbury.

From the cover of the book:

When they took everything from her, they didn’t count on her fighting to get it back...

Born into the House of Romanov to the all-powerful Peter the Great and Catherine I, beautiful Tsarevna Elizabeth is the world’s loveliest Princess and the envy of the Russian empire. Insulated by luxury and as a woman free from the burden of statecraft, Elizabeth is seemingly born to pursue her passions.

However, a dark prophecy predicts her fate as inexorably twined with Russia. When her mother dies; Russia is torn, masks fall, and friends become foes. Elizabeth’s idyllic world is upended. By her twenties she is penniless and powerless, living under constant threat. As times change like quicksand, an all-consuming passion emboldens Elizabeth: she must decide whether she is willing to take up her role as Russia’s ruler, and what she’s willing to do for her country – and for love.

A story of a powerful woman fighting back against all odds, a girl who is isolated and impoverished because of who she is, yet who still doesn’t give up. An epic historical tale and a sweeping romance, prepare to lose yourself in The Tsarina’s Daughter.

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Having loved the first book in the House of Romanov series Tsarina, The Tsarina's Daughter had a lot to live up to for me, but oh boy, it manages to not only fulfil the promise of book one, but goes leaps and bounds beyond in every regard.

This is the story of Tsarevna Elizabeth Petrovna Romanova, daughter of Catherine I and Peter the Great, who only really appears in the first instalment as a child, except for a very late appearance as a wild and wayward character when the succession of Catherine to Tsarina is decided at the end of the book.

As in the previous book, this story begins with a pivotal moment for our main character, where the line of succession is being decided, and before we know the outcome Ellen Alpsten weaves her magic by going back to tell us all about the path that has brought Elizabeth to this point in time. What follows in the pages of The Tsarina's Daughter allows us to get to know who she really is and what she must do to survive after the death of her mother, when her destiny as Crown Princess of all the Russias is brutally brought to an end. 

And so the game of thrones begins once more, as those who should owe her family allegiance take the opportunity to seek to be the power behind the throne, and by throwing the old story of Elizabeth's illegitimacy in her face, manage to engineer the succession of others who promise to be more tractable. 

If you thought the intrigue and manipulation laid out in Tsarina were spellbinding enough, then hold onto your cossack hats, because this is a book that does not let up for a minute - and there is quite a stream of crafty candidates vying to take the Imperial throne before the wheel of fortune finishes revolving. Being born on the right side of the blanket is the name of the game here, and is much more important that the ability to rule an empire, which after all those who wish to hold the real power will do for themselves, even if madness lies in your inbred bloodline - and anyone with a claim to the throne that rivals their own, has to be very wary indeed. 

Elizabeth carries the blood of her mother and father in her veins, and as a true Romanov she will do whatever it take to regain her birth right, but her attempts to garner advantage often bring her pain as her air-punching successes are followed by episodes of brutal retaliation and heartache. As those who have left her penniless and at the mercy of their whims empty Russia's coffers in pursuit of vanity projects that will never be completed, amuse themselves with callous acts of folly, and allow their enemies to prowl the borders of the Empire, Elizabeth is forced to watch her country burn, and her people starve. Time and time again, my heart bled for her, and an icy feeling gripped my gut as events played out, as she seemed forever doomed to be friendless and alone - but she knew how to play the long game dear reader, and when she rose from the ashes of her sorrow it was wonderful.

This is a book that blends fact and fiction into an engrossing adventure that encompasses everything you need in a story, with pages that run over with love, passion, loss and folly in all their glory. And if that was not all, the way Alpsten writes her characters so well, with delicious degrees of light and shade is superb - loyalties turn on the toss of a die, and many an apparently friendly bosom hides a nest of vipers. I adored it and am bereft to have reached the end. Ellen Alpsten has worked her way onto my auto-buy list and I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

The Tsarina's Daughter is available to buy now from your favourite book retailer in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and Becky Hunter at Midas PR for sending me a proof of this book in return for and honest review and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Ellen Alpsten was born and raised in the Kenyan highlands, before attending L'Institut d'Etudes Politiques de Paris. Whilst studying for her Msc in PPE she won the Grande École short story competition with her novella Meeting Mr. Gandhi and was encouraged to continue writing. Upon graduating, she worked as a producer and presenter for Bloomberg TV in London. She contributes to international publications such as Vogue, Standpoint and Conde Nast Traveller. Her debut novel Tsarina was published by Bloomsbury in 2020. She lives in London with her husband and three children.