Amid the violent last days of the glittering Russian monarchy, a princess on the run finds her heart where she least expects it.
1917, Petrograd. Fleeing the murderous flames of the Russian Revolution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky hopes to find safety in Paris with her mother and sister. But the city is buckling under the weight of the Great War, and the Bolsheviks will not rest until they have erased every Russian aristocrat from memory. Svetlana and her family are forced into hiding in Paris’s underbelly, with little to their name but the jewels they sewed into their corsets before their terrifying escape.
Born the second son of a Scottish duke, the only title Wynn MacCallan cares for is that of surgeon. Putting his talents with a scalpel to good use in the hospitals in Paris, Wynn pushes the boundaries of medical science to give his patients the best care possible. After treating Svetlana for a minor injury, he is pulled into a world of decaying imperial glitter. Intrigued by this mysterious, cold, and beautiful woman, Wynn follows Svetlana to an underground Russian club where drink, dance, and questionable dealings collide on bubbles of vodka.
Out of money and options, Svetlana agrees to a marriage of convenience with the handsome and brilliant Wynn, who will protect her and pay off her family’s debts. It’s the right thing for a good man to do, but Wynn cannot help hoping the marriage will turn into one of true affection. When Wynn’s life takes an unexpected turn, so does Svetlana’s—and soon Paris becomes as dangerous as Petrograd. And as the Bolsheviks chase them to Scotland, Wynn and Svetlana begin to wonder if they will ever be able to outrun the love they are beginning to feel for one another.
“The Ice Swan is a ray of light in the middle of a Europe that was sinking into darkness. Ciesielski’s talent for storytelling from the heart is a feast for the readers’ eyes.” —Mario Escobar, international bestselling author of Remember Me and Children of the Stars
- Adventurous World War I historical romance
- For fans of Kate Quinn, Beatriz Williams, and Aimie K. Runyan
- Full-length, stand-alone novel (approx. 120,000 words)
- Includes discussion questions for book clubs
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Sexual Content - 1/5
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Violence - 1/5
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Language - 0/5
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Drugs and Alcohol - 1/5
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Summary
From: Rebecca Maney
Book Title: The Ice Swan
Book Author: J'Nell Ciesielski
What do you like about this book:
4.5 stars
"There was something about her that called to a lost part of him. She possessed a strength of character that bolstered his own. . . . . . She inspired him."
The ice swan . . . beautiful in an intoxicating kind of way and yet controlled . . . to the point of dismissing any emotion that would threaten the frozen state of her heart; a defense mechanism at best and calculating at worst. Her official title was Her Serenity the Princess Svetlana Dmitrievna Dalsky and army surgeon Doctor Wynn MacCallan was instantly besotted.
Their chance meeting altered the course of their lives; Svetlana, along with her mother and sister, had been forced to flee Russia, along with many other aristocrats trying to escape execution during the Bolshevik Revolution. Living like beggars, Svetlana was introduced to a powerful Russian businessman operating in Paris, whose attentions turned dangerous enough that Svetlana felt a tremulous relief when Wynn made his generous offer of protection; marriage. Whisked off to her husband's native Scotland, Svetlana's life began all over again. Would she and Wynn, who was becoming a recognized leader in the emerging field of cardiology, ever have the opportunity to explore their bruised and buried feelings or would they forever be waiting along the walls of the ballroom, never to share the dance?
"Loving you isn't an entanglement. It's a privilege."
Whisk yourself away into the pages of this lovely story which showcases this author's ability to dig deeper and soar higher than ever before.