The Jewel of St.Petersburg by Kate Furnivall+GIVEAWAY!!

Russia 1910: Valentina Ivanova is a young girl, living is one of St. Petersburg old aristocratic families.
Her parents want her to marry someone who is a member of the aristocracy to, and they have found and eligible husband for her, captain Chernov, a count.
But at one of her piano recitals, Valentina has met the Danish engineer Jens Friss, and they fall in love.

The book is set during a period in Russia full of turmoil in Russia
The tsar and the duma are at each others throats, and the Bolsheviks are complotting attacks in the city of St. Petersburg. Valentina's family is also a target for the Bolsheviks.

One of their servants, Arik, is at the Bolshevik's side, and undercover with his comrades, he is planning attacks. It is easy for him to attack Valentina's family, and no one seem to notice that he is behind it. The family is many times during the story in great danger for their lives.

In spite of all the turmoil, Valentina keeps fighting for her love with Jens, the life of her younger sister Katya, and her dream to become a professional nurse.
But it is the question if she can fulfill all of her dreams in the midst of this time of great danger and change for Russia.

The Jewel of St.Petersburg is a classy. elegant and very impressive novel that brings you back to the last tsaristic days of Russia.
Even if you don't know much about this specific period in the history of Russia, the story is very easy to get into and to read. and you wil learn during the story what happened then.

the story of Valentina and her family is very gripping, the characters are brilliantly worked out by the author, Kate Furnivall. and the reader also gets a good view in the life of one of the Bolsheviks, Arkin. The story switches in point of view, but that only makes the book more lively.
It is just a jewel of a novel, both historic, realistic and romantic. One of the best, outstanding reads of this year!

This book really reminded me of the exhibition 'At the Russian Court' which I recently visited at the Hermitage in Amsterdam (the dutch 'little sister' of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg) Even the dress shown at the front cover of the book reminds me of the gorgeous dresses that where shown in the museum.

FIVE STARS!

MarjoleinBookBlog is giving away one copy of the Jewel of St.Petersburg to one lucky commenter. How to enter: comment on this post to be entered, and leave an email to contact you if you win. You get an extra entry if you become a new follower of my blog. The contest is open to US and Canada entrants, and is open to August 1. Good luck!
(special thanks to Penguin Publishers)