Thank you to NetGalley and Blue Box Press for providing me with an advanced reader copy of The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first of M.J. Rose’s books I’ve read, but it won’t be the last! This story takes off with the discovery of a hidden tiara, and unraveling the mystery of its origins and how it came to be in Isobelle Moon’s possession. This is a captivating story, filled with intrigue, history, perseverance and love as it follows two women, each on a separate but related journey.

Told in a dual timeline that follows Isobelle Moon when we meet her in 1948, an architect focused intently on her career in New York City and dealing with the recent loss of her mother, Sophia Moon, who we learn about though her own story beginning in Russia in 1915. I enjoyed how Ms. Rose introduced us to these women and built their characters, sharing their emotion with us through their struggles and their triumphs, allowing the reader to really get to know them and their motivation. Through well-crafted prose, we experience their passion and love, longings and loss, and strength to keep moving forward and find themselves in the process. I also truly enjoyed the mystery of the tiara woven throughout each of their stories, which kept my interest and fed my need to know more! I had honestly never heard the true story of the lost tiara involved in this book, which is one of the reasons I really enjoy historical fiction, because you learn about real life events while the author creates a beautiful story you can get lost in. I highly recommend you pick up this book when you can – you won’t be disappointed!

There's no rest in reading this book as it's a page turner with romance and history. The question is: what happened to a beautiful tiara with diamonds and stones that was gifted to Sofiya Petrovitch in Russia at 19 years old from her best friend, Grand Duchess Olga Nikolaevna? And who was the young man that stole her heart while she was a nurse during the war? With the dual time frame, the reader follows the life of her the mother, Sofiya and daughter, Isobelle Moon, in NY years later.

Every woman reading this book sympathizes with the female workers in predominantly male fields. Sofiya works to restore paintings and her daughter is an architect - both with challenges. While the romance was predictable, there's many elements that kept my interest with the movements of the revolution and so many secrets. It's books like this that remind us of the horrors of war with the hopes that it won't happen again. "You cannot focus on the present until you understand the past."

My thanks to the publisher and NetGallery for allowing me to read this advanced copy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and happily give it five stars. I loved the alternating points of view between Sophia and her daughter, Isobelle. The mystery of the tiara, and why it is so valuable is secondary to the love story of Sophia and Carpathian, my favorite part of the book. We learn early on that the duo are separated -- but not what happened and whether or not they were ever reunited, until the end.

The story takes the reader through the Russian revolution, with Sophia, and then across the ocean to New York after WWII, with Isobelle. The author captures the eras very well and creates a second love story with Isobelle and a jeweler who helps her solve the tiara's mysterious secret.

While the ending seemed a bit forced, I found this a satisfying read. I even would love to see this turned into a movie as I could picture the various scenes.

I found this book on NetGalley in return for an honest review.

In The Last Tiara by M.J. Rose, you will be taken back to the time of the last tsar of Russia.. Sophia Moon had not told her daughter about her life in Russia before she emigrated to America. When she was killed on a wintery evening in New York, Isobelle thought all her mother's secrets died with her. While renovating her mother's apartment, she discovered a silver tiara with the jewels missing.

Her research into the tiara's provenance keeps leading her to dead ends until she meets a young jeweler who wants to help her. He is torn between his loyalty to the Midas Society, a secret international organization sworn to return missing jewelry and art work to their original owners, and his growing attraction for Bella.

It is told in alternating stories of Sophia and Isobella. Sophia Petrovitch and her best friend the Grand Duchess Olga Nikolavena, and Isobella. These young women work in the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg treating the wounded of the 1915 revolution. It is here Sophia finds the love of her life. In 1948 New York, Isobella works against the sexism in the male-dominated field of architecture. Sophia's story is told incrementally as Isobella works to solve the mystery of the Romanov tiara (which is based on an actual Romanov artifact that is still missing). I enjoyed the book much more than I thought I would. The only negative is I wish the author had not included a few descriptive love scenes.

First of all, I have had a lifelong obsession with anything concerning the Romanov family and this book just fits right in with that. I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved the dual point of views enter-twining. I will say that I found myself for most of the book a little mad at Sophia for keeping so much from her daughter. I loved the entire book until the end. I think it could have ended better, but overall I did enjoy this book.

Thank you to Netgalley fir the chance to read and give my honest review.

Intrigue, history, and love? Count me in! The book's premise was interesting and it did not disappoint! I love how not one element overwhelmed another (not too romancy or dry history) but they worked off one another well.

After reading, I started Googling some of the people and even the history of the jewels. Definitely hooked!

The book is why I am in love with historical fiction.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

I loved the atmosphere in this book. It was so much. I loved the plot and storyline in the book. I loved the characters in this story. It gave me all the feels I was looking for when I started reading this. I highly recommend this author. I loved the writing. I will be looking for other works in the future from this author.

THE LAST TIARA-M.J. ROSE

I received this free for the purpose of review.

What a great story with intrigue, action and excellent storytelling. Rose does a great job of setting up the story of Sofiya and Isobelle. Mother and daughter told from both viewpoints and yet tied together.

Sofiya, a Russian immigrant has come to America with her six month old baby Isobelle. Sofiya has changed their last name because of the time in history 1917. WWI is raging and life in USA was challenging. Due to Sofiya's time in Petrograd (St. Petersburg) she has not shared anything of her heritage, family or information with daughter, Isabelle.

Sofiya dies suddenly and puts Isobelle on a trajectory after her death. Hidden boxes in dry wall and wallpaper over them opens an entire question and asking session for Isobelle. Unfortunately Sofiya has died.........

Great book. Keeps your interest and the story is refreshing.

The book started out strong and interesting but began to lag in the middle. However, it did pick up again towards the end. I really enjoyed the character of Jules but I found the extent of Isobelle's insecurities to be a real distraction to the story, in addition to being frustrating. She was a woman who seemed to be having some real success as an architect in a man's world so I didn't quite understand why she had such a lack of confidence.

Overall, I did find this to be an interesting book with good historical detail, especially Sophia's storyline. I would have liked the mystery to have been revealed a little more evenly instead of everything coming together with a bang at the end.

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC!

Juxtaposing timelines between the present (Isobelle) and the past (Sofiya) really kept me curious about the story, I really enjoyed that style of writing.

A mother is determined to keep the past on the past and the daughter is just striving for answers after she (the mother) passes away. So many unanswered questions by Isobelle and the reader can't help but ask similar questions along the way. The descriptive way the author explains the decorations and the setting of the brownstone her mother had purchased are so vivid I really felt as if I was IN the story.

Thouroughly enjoyed this book overall. This was my first book by M.J Rose, which compells me to check out the other titles Rose has written in the hopes that they are just as good as The Last Tiara.

Thank you to NetGalley and BlueBoxPress fpr this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

While this book started out slow, it picked up in the middle and ended up being really enjoyable. A story of multiple layers of grief and love that transcends generations.

M.J. Rose never disappoints, and her latest does not either! The Last Tiara is full of likable characters and a storyline that will hook you from the first page. Loved how the ending tied up the loose ends, but in a very believable setting. The Last Tiara will keep you engrossed and highly entertained!
Thank you to netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Tiara, M J Rose, St Petersburg, Russia 1915. Sofyia Petrovitch, a friend of Grand Duchess Olga Romanov, meets the love of her life while volunteering at a hospital for wounded soldiers in New York City, 1948. Isobelle Moon, the daughter of Sofyia Petrovich, discovers the skeleton of a tiara hidden in her mothers bedroom shortly after her mothers death.
The stories of both young women, Sofyia's life during and after the Russian Revolution and Isobelle's search to discover the truth of her mother's life in Russia and the origin of the tiara make for a fascinating story.
M J Rose has written a "curl up with a good book and beverage" winner.

I was so thankful for the type of chapter headings...name and date. With this book’s multiple generation theme and Russian, London and American settings it helped me to enjoy the book that much more. I loved the brownstone in New York. I live in one in KS! I loved how most of the characters met and watching them mature. Many stories don’t always tie up loose ends. This one did and left room for a nice twist! You will enjoy this book.

THE LAST TIARA is a captivating novel about a woman, Isobelle Rose, searching for her mother’s past during the Russian Revolution. Isobelle is a New York architect in the 1940s, who discovers a hidden Tiara after her mother’s death. Her research reveals the hardships in Russia that her mother and dead father endured just to survive. As she uncovers the truths behind her mother’s lies and omissions about her life in Russia, she begins to understand the truths about herself. The author has created well developed characters, whoI felt I understood. Intrigue, romance and deception are woven into this mesmerizing revelation of how our ancestors’ histories influence who we really are. I received an ARC copy of this book for an unbiased review.

The premise is believable, but characters, although clearly described, trust one another too quickly.

Interesting book. Loved the story line. Nice mystery. Characters are well written. Could not put this book down.

This is my first book by this author and was quite a fascinating read. It had me guessing! The fact that there was really a missing tiara peeked my interest. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Thank you NetGalley, Blue Box Press and MJ. Rose, The Last Tiara

The book is told with dual timelines and points of view - the first being 1916/1917 around the time of the Russian revolution and the second being after WW2 in the 1940s. The fact that I learned that there really was a missing Romanov tiara made the story even more interesting for me. No spoilers - but the tale captured my interest and kept me guessing until the end. This was the first book I have ever read by this author and I look forward to reading more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Last Tiara by M.J.Rose is a historical story told by two different people,the mom and the daughter. As you read the story at first I got confused at the stories but as the story went on,it started to make sense as it is really hard to tell or write this kind of book when you have two different stories going on at the same time. You can tell much research went into the telling of the stories. Fascinating story of the tiara that came up missing but then where did the jewels go? Mystery happens as the daughter traces back her mother's life. Will she be able to get all of the true story? It was slow for me at first but started to get better as it went on. It's a must read for sure,just take your time in letting the story sink in! Received from Net Gallery,they always have the best books to review!