If you liked Lilac Girls you will like Lost Roses. Martha Hall Kelly keeps the same format of multiple female POV characters that alternate chapters. And one is not a heroine of the story. While Lilac Girls focus on Caroline Ferriday in the World War II era, Lost Roses is about her mother Eliza Ferriday and set during World War I. Your POV characters are Eliza, her friend Sofya (a White Russian), and Varinka (a Russian peasant). The bulk of the story takes places in Russia between 1916 & 1919 during the Bolshevik revolution. Sofya's family is very well off with her father being a cousin of the Czar and the Minister of Finance. One night her estate is taken over by two criminals who give the property back to the people and hold the family captive. However, Varinka has been working as a nanny for Sofya and saves Sofya's son Max from the intruders. In the meantime Eliza is concerned because she has not heard from her friend.

Each of the women have distinct driving forces. Eliza becomes obsessed with finding out about Sofya that she starts helping the White Russians that are in New York. Sofya escapes her home and spends the next year making her way to Paris where she can find help and possibly her son. Varinka has this need to keep Max for herself and repeatedly keeps him from his family.

I really liked the book but there were a couple of things I wanted or was frustrated about. First, I kept wanting Varinka to be better. She is linked in this story not just through Max but her guardian is one of the criminals who attacks the estate (Tarus). That relationship is designed to help you feel sympathy for Varinka, and you do in the beginning, but over time any hope you have for her chips away until you wish she would meet a horrible end. Secondly, is Tarus's nature. Tarus is the hardened criminal who has no issue with killing anyone yet he lets Varinka keep this child, that while she says is another peasant's child he knows is deep down is not. Also while there is something not right about their relationship, he keeps dragging Varinka around and drags her mother too. Now while you might say well a psychopath might like the thrill of control you get the feeling that that is not the reason. You do get an explanation in the end (ish) but some of these things still never feel like the fit with Tarus's nature.

I would definitely recommend this book to any one who reads historical fiction. The women are all interesting and it is a WWI novel that is not about the war but what else was happening at that time.

This most recent installment from Martha Hall Kelly focuses on Eliza Ferriday, Mother to Caroline from Kelly's first novel, Lilac Girls. The world is on the brink of WWI and Eliza's best friend, Sofya Streshnayva (cousin to the Romanovs) is living in dangerous times in Russia. A young bride with a little boy, she is forced to survive perilous times in Russia, especially for the aristocracy. When Sofya's letters stop arriving to Eliza, she becomes worried. With her mother, they start an organization to help Russian women and children that flee from the dangers of the Russian Bolsheviks. Eliza ends up traveling to Paris to try to locate her friend and help her.

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I can't say this enough. Lilac Girls was one of my all time favorite books, and this one did NOT disappoint or let down at all. It is written in the same fashion in that it follows several main characters and a few others as well. Similar to Lilac Girls, Lost Roses had that character who you can sympathize with but still made bad choices that hurt innocent people. Kelly's research and mastery of this period of time was spot on. And what REALLY made me tickled pink was the author's note... Turns out she is writing another book about Eliza's Mom. That will be on my auto buy list.

This is a 5 star read for me. If you like Historical Fiction at all, get this book. Thanks to Ballantine Books and Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The author of Lilac Girl has written another winner. This prequel will engage her many fans and will keep them turning the pages.

I typically love historical fiction, but this one was a struggle for me. The first half barely kept my attention, and it wasn't until I reached 54% that I was invested in the characters. Once I was was invested, I devoured the remainder of the book in one sitting. I'm not exactly sure what about the book wasn't for me, but I was bummed I didn't enjoy it more. Even though I struggled with the book, I really enjoyed the character Sofya and how her character grew throughout the book.

I'm glad I finally continued on with this story.

I really struggle with Historical Fiction; usually, synopses will really intrigue me, but when I start reading I have trouble fully engaging in the stories. That wasn't the case for me this time. I surprised myself with how quickly I got through the story and how often I thought of it when I wasn't reading. I'd say give this a try, even if you aren't the biggest Historical Fiction fan. The writing is intriguing and descriptive. I liked getting a glimpse of what it may have been like in Russia for both the lower and upper classes during WWI.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for the eARC. This review will be posted on Goodreads, and to Amazon's and Barnes and Noble's websites.

This beautiful story is told by three main characters: Eliza, Sofya, & Varinka. I loved Eliza & Sofya! If you read this, you'll understand why I don't say the same about Varinka. Historical Fiction is one of my favorite genres, and Kelly captivated my attention with Lost Roses just like she did with Lilac Girls. This one is set in Russia during the revolution in the early 1900s. It's filled with plenty of drama, love, and loss. It was hard to put down! Thank you, Netgalley, for an advanced reader copy of Lost Roses!

Martha Hall Kelly has done it again! A great read based on the Russian Revolution (and post WWI in America) and involving the Ferriday family that readers will remember from Lilac Girls. A story of friendship and love during such an important moment in Russian history. I eagerly await our next read from Martha!

Thank you, Random House and NetGalley for a digital ARC!

Such a beautiful historical novel that embodies so much of the era of the Russan revolution and its impact on people.

This book was enjoyable, but I figured it out pretty quickly. I like the author, so will read anything else that is released, but I hope she gets away from some of the cliched writing she tends to use. She has a good talent!

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to preview this ARC of Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly.

I absolutely LOVED Lilac Girls, it moved me deeply, and then even more after I learned about all the research that Kelly did for the story. In Lilac Girls we learn all about Caroline Ferriday, a heroine who helped so many during the tragedies of WWII. Lost Roses takes a step back in history, telling the story of Caroline's mother Eliza.

Eliza meets Sofya, a relative of the royal Romanov family, the summer of 1914. They quickly become friends, and a few years later Eliza is ecstatic to go to St. Petersburg to reunite with her friend. But political tensions quickly rise, forcing Eliza to flee back to the states, and Sofya's family back to their old money estate. While getting situated, and it need of help, Sofya's mother hires a young Russian girl Varinka. Varinka is poor, her mother is sick, and she is tethered to an abusive man. Sofya's family has seemingly brought relief to Varinka and her family, but as Russia continues to struggle, tables will turn for Sofya and Varinka.

I have to admit, while I was able to dive headfirst into Lilac Girls, and devour it whole, Lost Roses was a lot harder for me. For some reason it took almost halfway into the book until it was really able to hold my interest, and even then it was patchy. I struggled to invest in the characters, and the story itself. I honestly can't say why, I just know that it didn't capture me at all in the same way her debut did.

What a great book! One of my favorite things about historical fiction is that I learn about history of other countries. The characters in this book, while fictional, were set beside actual historical figures, and that made the story ring true. This is definitely one I will be recommending!

Ballantine Books and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Lost Roses. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Inspired by true events, Lost Roses features real-life heroine Eliza Ferriday. The mother to Caroline, who was introduced to readers in Lilac Girls, Eliza lives in the time of World War I. The story is written in a multiple perspective format, following the lives of Eliza, her friend Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanovs, and the local fortune-teller’s daughter, Varinka. When danger and tragedy strikes in America and abroad, will the lives of the three women be in peril?

Lost Roses is very slow to start, not picking up until well into the second half of the book. I am glad I pushed through, as the author intertwines the plot lines of the three main characters and brings the main story into sharp focus. The author does not do the time period justice, however, as the rich history of the Russian Revolution and World War I did not come to life in this novel. The story was overly dramatic at times, but understated in others. Lost Roses misses the mark in regards to the history and the characterization, so I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

Kelly presents another well-researched historical novel that shines a light on a subject I didn't know much about. I really enjoyed the stories of Eliza and Sofya, as the former helps White Russians in the U.S. and the latter, a Romanov cousin, must make her way in a new and cruel world. I didn't find Varinka's storyline as compelling, and I can't decide why. I don't know if it felt less realistic or if her behavior was frustrating or what, but her sections often threw me off a bit. Overall though, I quite enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it, especially if you're looking for something a bit different in subject matter with strong research behind it.

It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorkers treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanov's. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes.

Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia's Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller's daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household.

On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya's letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend.

From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian émigrés who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history.

Historical Fiction is my favorite genre, especially if it is inspired by true events. I’ve always found Russian history especially intriguing, and for this reason I was excited to read Martha Hall Kelly’s Lost Roses.

Lost Roses candidly captures this agonizing time in history, where the near genocide of a people took place. Kelly does an amazing job pulling the reader into the fear-soaked minds of the characters as they struggled for survival and the preservation of the lives they once knew.

The story is written from alternating perspectives, giving the reader a comprehensive view of all that transpired in the lives of these women. You come to love and mourn for each of them as they go through the trials and tribulations that shape them into the strong, resilient woman of this story.

The fact that these characters are based on real women who actually lived through this time in history, who actually faced obstacles such as these, made me love this story even more. I loved how Kelly kept me guessing and hoping for miracles, had me rooting for the antagonist Varinka, yet also had me desperately empathizing for Sofya and Eliza as they fought to protect and reestablish their lives, pick up the scattered pieces, and try to put them back together.

There is a lot of feel-good, shock and surprise, and down right disbelief in this story and it is one I would read all over again. Lost Roses is an eye-opening experience of a read, one that will make you proud to be a woman, and grateful for the life you have.

Thank you, NetGalley, Martha Hall Kelly, and Ballantine Books for opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

Thank you to the publisher and author for a chance to read a digital copy of this book! I absolutely loved Lilac Girls, so I was beyond thrilled when I saw that Martha Hall Kelly had a new book coming out. This book truly lived up to the hype and my expectations! It is hard to say which book I loved more; I think I loved both of them equally. If you haven't read Lilac Girls, I think Lost Roses could be read as a standalone. It could also be read before reading Lilac Girls, as it meant to be a prequel anyways. The history is rich, and I felt like I learned so much without it feeling like a history lesson. The characters and plot were equally as rich. I would definitely recommend this one!

3.5 stars!

Lost Roses, the prequel to Lilac Girls, tells the story of 3 different women during the time period surrounding World War 1. The story is told switching between each woman's perspective, similar to the way Lilac Girls is written. One of the characters, Eliza, is the mother of Caroline, who is the main character in Lilac Girls, but the connection is not needed to follow the story, you can read either book independent of each other. The story spans both the United States and Russia during the war and I really enjoyed reading about this time period; it was obvious that there had been a lot of research done and I appreciated all the historical aspects. I was a history major in college and it's one of my very favorite things. It's so important, in my opinion, to read about the past and learn from those experiences. I so appreciate the author's note at the end of the book, explaining her research and the real life people she has based these wonderful characters on!

I rated Lilac Girls the same, 3.5 stars, but I liked this book just a little bit more. If you enjoy historical fiction, I would recommend this series!

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me the chance to read and review, "Lost Roses"by Martha Hall Kelly. What an extremely beautiful work of historical fiction. This was my first book I have read from Martha Hall Kelly. I was completely blown away. The story follows Eliza Ferriday and Sofya Streshnayva through years of their lives. These women are truly strong and endured so much in a short time. I was captivated by the beautiful writing and attention to detail whether it was in America or Russia. My emotions were all over the place. I was happy, sad and everything in between. I also love books that are told from multiple view points. This was a home run for me and I looked forward to more Martha Hall Kelly in the future.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an eARC of this book.
This book deals with WWI and is a prequel to Lilac Girls. I definitely had high expectations and all in all the books did not disappoint. The same fine character development and interesting plot based on real events told as fiction. I totally appreciate the amount of research that has gone into both books.

Lost Roses # NetGalley
Martha Hall Kelly
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was the first WW Historical Fictional novel that I have read in which the storyline reflected the war in Russia in 1916, 17 and 1918 and how it affected the Russians. It was nice to have that perspective for a change in reading. The book is broken into 3 strong women whose lives overlap. I did have a little bit of a hard time keeping up with the different characters as there were so many. The author has done a great deal of research on this book and it shows. If you like this period of history, you will like this book. I definitely will recommend this book to friends and family who like historical fiction. I rate it 4 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy read of this book for an honest review of this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is described as the prequel to The Lilac Girls, and it is to the extent that Caroline Farraday is a character in both books. Beyond that, I didn't feel that there was much connection between the two books. This was disappointing to me.

I really wanted to like this as much as The Lilac Girls, but I just did not connect with any of these characters nor with the story line. Part of it was that I have little interest in the Russia of the period - Revolution and end of the aristocracy - or, really, any time, nor am I overly fond of reading about the wealthy and privileged families in the US of the era. While the latter was part of The Lilac Girls, I was able to get past it there, inexplicably not so much here.

There were parts of the plot that felt improbable to me. It's hard to enumerate without giving away too much of the story, but the reunion between Sofya and Varinka just didn't seem likely to me. I realize that this is based on some historical facts, and maybe what I perceived as coincidence and far-fetched story lines are actually part of the things that happened.

One aspect I DID find intriguing was how the wealthy American contingent undertook to help the Russian emigres by purchasing hand made crafts and icons and then selling them in sort of "Tupperware party" events to their friends. Apparently, this really did occur, which is quite amazing when you consider how difficult communications would have been between the US and France, for instance. No internet or email then!

I understand another book, a prequel to Lost Roses, is planned but I doubt I will read it based on how I feel about this book, but I will check it out when it is released. I like the author's style, just didn't care for the subject this time around.