The Romanov Brides by Clare McHugh

Book Blurb

They were granddaughters of Queen Victoria and two of the most beautiful princesses in Europe. Princesses Alix and Ella were destined to wed well and wisely. But while their grandmother wants to join them to the English and German royal families, the sisters fall in love with Russia—and the Romanovs.

Defying the Queen’s dire warnings, Ella weds the tsar’s brother, Grand Duke Serge. Cultivated, aloof, and proud, Serge places his young wife on a pedestal for all to admire. Behind palace gates, Ella struggles to secure private happiness.

Alix, whisked away to Russia for Ella’s wedding, meets and captivates Nicky—heir apparent to the Russian throne. While loving him deeply, Alix hears a call of conscience, urging her to walk away.

Their fateful decisions to marry will lead to tragic consequences for not only themselves and their families, but for millions in Russia and around the globe.

My Review
I have had a fascination with the Romanov’s for many years, the rich and beautiful family that ended in tragedy. I was very grateful to Anne Cater and Harper 360 for my copy of The Romanov Brides as part of the blog tour, but the passing of my Dad has meant that I was unable to post on my designated day. The Romanov Brides focuses on Alix, Nicholas and Alix’s sister Ella as children, and how both sisters married in to the Russian Royal Family. I didn’t know much about their childhood, how Alexandra and Nicholas met, or how their relationship was viewed by their families, and the difficulties they faced.

Historical Fiction is still my favourite genre, I love learning new things and The Romanov Brides was a fascinating and enlightening read. The brides mentioned in the title are Alix (Alexandra) and her sister Ella, but their other sister Victoria also played an important role in their stories. It was intriguing to see Alix as a child; she was intelligent, fun and took her responabilities seriously. We see her through the eyes of her family, as a dutiful daughter to her father the Grand Duke of Hesse, as a sister who was always full of fun and as the grandaughter to the formidable Queen Victoria. I found her to be as captivating as a child and young woman as she was as an adult, resilient, intelligent, loving and as formidable as her grandmother. Clare HcHugh really brings these characters to life, making their feelings and situations relatable so that you become invested in their story even though you know what happens.

The historical detail and research is superb, with a lot of the information coming from letters between Alix and Nicky and excerpts from their diaries that have survived. There is a lot of detail in this book, and I loved the descriptions of the very different royal courts of Britain and Russia; the restrained world of Queen Victoria and the flamboyant extravagance of the Russian court. Clare McHugh has included the family trees at the beginning of the book which I found helpful in keeping track of the royal houses and their characters, most of which were descended from Queen Victoria. The combination of historical fact and fiction blends seamlessly making it feel like Clare McHugh was an fly on the wall to the conversations and interactions of her characters, and seeing what they saw.

If you are a fan of historical fiction, or the Romanov’s, then The Romanov Brides is a must read. At the heart of this book is an epic love story of a young couple whose relationship had ramifications across Europe. Beautifully written, taking us to a world of the decadence of a bygone era, this is a stunning and sumptuous read.