From Russia, to France, and then Scotland. The Ice Swan is an absorbing story that involves the Great War, Russian nobility, and the murderous plots of the Bolshevik Party. To escape execution, Princess Svetlana Dalsky, her mother, and sister are forced to free from their life of luxury in Petrograd, Russia. What follows is an exciting tale of danger, intrigue, and a marriage of convenience. It also shows the difference in the attitudes of affluent people. Svetlana's mother is a snob about being a member of Russian aristocracy, and her influence on her daughters is very apparent. Thankfully, Svetlana meets Dr. Wynn MacCallan and her mindset undergoes a change. He is a Duke who chooses to serve his fellow man by being a doctor, and his family in Scotland chooses to use their titles to help others less fortunate. I was truly smitten with Wynn, but will Svetlana recognize his remarkable values?

She felt the steady beat of his heart. That's what he had always been for her, the steady beat that give her courage. A beat that she would never have to do without again.

Author J'Nell Ciesielski paints a vivid picture of two very different people who struggle to overcome their pasts to work toward a brighter future. Can Wynn melt away her layers of loneliness and self-protection, and help Svetlana become more than an ice maiden, or as the title implies, an ice swan?

I enjoyed learning more about the Russian Revolution and the Great War era. I recommend The Ice Swan to all who enjoy historical fiction and clean romance.

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and Celebrate Lit. There was no obligation for a positive review. These are my own thoughts.

The Ice Swan blew me away with its amazing characters and descriptive detail. J'Nell Ciesielski never ceases to amaze me with her ability to draw me into the time and place of her stories. Svetlana was a bit hard to like at first. She has perfectly good reasons for being cold and difficult toward Wynn, but seeing their relationship blossom through his dedicated work made it exceptional. I felt like I was there with these characters as the story unfolded. The emotions were so powerful throughout. It was difficult for Svetlana to trust Wynn, again, she had good reasons, and the opposites attract was on full display here. I highly recommend this book if you're looking for a rich novel filled with lessons on learning to trust and rising up when all seems lost. I received a copy of this book via NetGalley through Celebrate Lit. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

With each book I come to love J’Nell’s writing more and more. This has been probably been my favorite book so far. I wasn’t sure at first if I would like it but I easily fell into this book.

J’Nell’s skill with character development and dialogue is so well done. Wynn was a charming and strong man. He had a sassy remark for Stevlana’s spunkiness. He also never took things too personally with her.

Stevlana is a tough character to like at first but you will come to appreciate her strength and she is a wonderful leader for her community.

This takes place during WWI. I don’t know much about it and I know even less about what was happening in Russia.

I really can’t say enough about this book…well, I could be then it would be way too long of a review. So take my word for it, if you like historical romance read this book!!


A copy of this book was given to me through Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

My thoughts

The Ice Swan was a riveting page turner that kept me up later than I needed to be and distracted from my obligations. The way J’nell Ciesielski used her words to put the reader right in the middle of Petrogad, Paris, and Scotland at the end of World War I and the Russian Revolution was simply inspiring. I could feel the fear, heartbreak, and yes, love, as Svetlana traversed from Russian aristocracy to destitution. Her fear of the Bolsheviks was palpable as much as her growing admiration for a certain hero.

Wynn was definitely a bit cocky, but who wouldn’t be if they saw a flaw in a system and had a way to fix it. but he wasn’t full of himself, he was confident in what he knew and stood behind it. No matter the cost. Though Svetlana gave him a run for his money, I still think it was a good match. The best teams are polar opposites, right? His wild Scot paired with her proper princess was the perfect pairing.

Now, let’s talk about her mother. Now, I apologize if what I am about to say sounds harsh. As I read each scene with Svetlana’s mother, I search my memory for a way to get her away from her daughters. I recall thinking “Will someone please lock her bedroom door from the outside?” I know, it’s mean, but she had me irritated to no end. I understand it is about up bringing, but wow!

There was one lesson that stood out to me through this book. “Just because it is something you have always known to be true, does not mean it is good for you.” Svetlana had a hard time trusting anyone not Russian, and at that, she was still questioning. the more she became comfortable with a “Russian rescuer” the more she saw how shady his life and practices were. She went to him because she thought she could trust him, because he was a displaced Russian like herself. Poor Wynn had an uphill battle with this one.

I knew when I finished The Socialite, I would forever enjoy anything J’nell Ciesielski published. The Ice Swan proved my hunch to be spot on. She is an author worth reading.

***I was given a copy of this book from the publisher through CelebrateLit Publicities. All views are strictly my own and a positive review was not required.

To be honest, before starting this book... I was a bit torn on if I wanted to read it or not. Here's the thing: I absolutely adore this author. Everything I have read from her has been absolutely fantastic, so seeing her name certainly caught my initial interest, as did the stunning cover. On the other hand, I have said in the past that I have struggled with stories with Russian names as I tend to struggle to keep them straight and it impacts my ability to keep caught up with the story and truly enjoy them as much as I could. So, despite the author and intriguing premise, I was a little worried that the same might happen here.

I am happy to say that I had no issues at all with this book! While there were certainly many Russian names throughout, I felt that they seemed both more readable than many others I had seen in the past (though admittedly I couldn't say if I was reading them correctly) and different enough from one another that there was no confusion. Already, this was quite the win in my book. Beyond that, the story itself was absolutely captivating and unlike any I had ever read! Filled with danger and drama and romance, it kept me drawn into the story from start to finish. I could not get enough of this beautifully written story!

If you enjoy historical romance, this is an absolute must read!

The Ice Swan is a historical romance that is written by J’Nell Ciesielski. I have been reading a lot of books that have focused on the Great War recently, from different authors, and different perspectives. This book focuses on a Russian Princess. While, I have a masters in military history, I really did not know how the Great War affected Russia. I learned a lot through reading this book. The author did some amazing research.

Svetlana Dalsky, her mother and sister have fled to Paris for refuge. The Bolsheviks want to erase all the Russian nobles - even those who have gone into hiding. Paris has become a city for many that are fleeing their worn torn countries. Svetlana knows that she has to be careful who she trusts.

Wynn MacCallan, who is son of a duke, does not care about that title. He cares about the fact that he is a surgeon. He is in Paris due to the war. He meets Svetlana to fix a minor injury and he can tell that she is not like others. He is drawn to her. He finds out that she has been supporting her family dancing and she confides in him the real reason they are in Paris. He proposes a marriage of convenience. He sends his new bride, her mother and sister to his Scottish estate. Will Svetlana and her family be safe? Will the Bolsheviks find them?

I am impressed with the well written characters. I am impressed by the well researched story line. I really enjoyed this book. I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a copy of this book through the Celebrate Lit blogging program, all thoughts are my own.

I have always considered myself to be a fan of all historical Christian fiction, no matter the setting or the time period. After spending time with The Ice Swan, I may have to amend that last statement.

I managed to read a quarter of the story before I realized I couldn’t go another page. I was never able to identify with the two main characters, nor make myself believe their unlikely introduction and subsequent meetings. Wynn was the most likable of the two with his sense of humor, but I couldn’t find much more beyond that to hold my interest.

The one thing that I truly loved was the book cover. That alone was what initially drew me in, along with Svetlana’s ballet training. The latter was barely mentioned in the first quarter of the book which was another disappointment.

As of right now, I regretfully have to put this one in my DNF stack. I may come back to it at a future date as I’ve read several other reviews which state that the story eventually moves away from France into Scotland, and Wynn and Svetlana’s relationship progresses into something more. Somehow though, I don’t know if that will be enough to redeem it for this reader.

This story is set during such an interesting time in history and I felt like I learned so much! I really liked the plot and setting of the story and greatly enjoyed discovering more about this time in history. The characters are engaging and fascinating. I really liked their growth in the novel. I loved the romance in this story and reading about how it developed during a marriage of convenience. There are a lot of unexpected twists and the story easily kept my attention. The writing drew me in so well! I greatly enjoyed this novel and highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celebrate Lit Tours. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Open the Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski and be deeply immersed in the fearful world of the Bolshevik Revolution combined with WWI. Look over your shoulder every step with Princess Svetlana as she runs for the lives of herself and her family. Whom does she dare trust? Can she support her histrionic mother without enabling her erratic behavior? What of her own dreams?
“I had hope once.” ... “Such notions belong to ruins of the past.” Can she find this hope amid tragedy or will fear and distrust win for life?
I love Ciesielski’s suspenseful, smooth style of writing that places the reader smack-dab in the middle of the action, and even in the mental indecision of both Svetlana and Dr. Wynn. I love the witty, excellent repartee between Svetlana and Wynn.
I love Dr. Wynn for his persistence, great desire to help people, and his desire to push medical boundaries to improve medicine.
I think of books like this, comparable to the book of Esther in the Bible. Not a lot of reference to God or prayers, yet the discerning reader can see His fingerprints all over the final masterpiece. Well done, Ms. Ciesielski!! Anxious for your next book!!
I received a copy of this book from the author and publisher through Celebrate Lit via NetGalley. All opinions are my own and no positive review was required.

Just a beautifully written book, the story is captivating and thorough. Russian history is a fascinating subject as the world changes. The characters are all well developed and the story is one to savor. I enjoyed the book very well.

This is the first book I have read by this author. I must say that if you enjoy historical fiction then you are in for a treat as you can tell that this is her forte. The Ice Swan revolves around the Russian Revolution at the conclusion of WWI. If you have ever read or watched the animated movie Anastasia then you will find this story very similar to that.

The characters were well written even if I could not get connected to them which makes me feel bad because they are well written but something was missing for me. This story is also quite lengthy as well which its understandable as the author is painting a picture with words but at times it felts like it was dragging. That being said the story does pick up and when it does you will have plenty of drama, romance and danger to keep you reading. It also wraps up nicely and I didn't feel like it left any loose ends.

Overall I thought it was good historical fiction book and I would definitely read more of her books!

I received a copy of this book for review. I was not required to post a positive review All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

“For some, the agony would never end. For some like Svetlana, a war still raged in a distant country that no longer wanted her. She had been cast into the shadow, left searching for where the light might shine.”

The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski is a complex literary masterpiece with many different facets that come together flawlessly. Russia, Paris, Scotland, a revolution, the Great War, Russian mobsters, ballet, and cardiology all converge in this emotional rollercoaster. It is written in a poignant, yet succinct style. The page is stripped bare of any superfluity, and what is left is a clear and beautiful portrayal that at once holds captive the emotions and immerses the reader in each very different setting.

One of my many favourite things about this book was Svetlana’s character. She is truly unlike any character I’ve come across before. While such an austere character could easily be off-putting, her personality was brilliantly handled. With the combination of her up-bringing and the experiences that led her to Paris, her beyond-jaded outlook on life was completely necessary. Had she been given a softer temperament, it simply would not have fit with her history, culture, and character.

Another thing I loved was the way Wynn’s light-heartedness proved the perfect counterpoint to Svetlana’s mistrust. Their romance was not rushed, but was allowed time to develop properly and for that, it was all the better.

I also adored the medical aspect of the story and was fascinated to learn so much about the origins of cardiology. Wynn’s passion for saving lives and improving methods of medical practice were exquisitely displayed. It was clear that a huge amount of research went into writing this book, yet not once was there an information overload; everything enriched the plot, never distracting from it.

The cast of supporting characters was excellent. They provided the perfect amount of comic relief, wisdom, and blunt honesty at the times when they were most needed. It just wouldn’t have been the same without them, especially Mrs Varjensky and Leonid.

I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in revolutionary Russia, or the history of cardiology, as well as fans of Historical Romance, WWI Romance, Kate Breslin, Rachel McMillan, Kimberly Duffy, Roseanna White, and Joanne Bischof.

I honestly don’t remember hearing of this author, prior to this book coming across my screen one day, as I sought a different book to read. This one definitely seemed to fit the bill, being set in Paris during the Great War and surrounding a Russian princess fleeing her own war. I hadn’t a clue what to expect, so this was definitely something different.
I can’t fault the author at all in her storytelling abilities. I found myself easily drawn into the story, despite not particularly caring for the characters, at least in the beginning. Svetlana is standoffish and cold, though I was expecting that from the description. I greatly liked Wynn and his mostly easy-going nature. I absolutely loathed Svetlana’s mother, maybe even more than Sheremetev, which is saying something. She is childish and selfish, hardly a mother at all to Svetlana or Marina, and I was honestly kind of hoping something would happen and remove her from the story. Her only redeeming moment is at the very end of the book, making it a sometimes tedious 400 pages, with her so frequently a part of the story. Leonid was a surprising character and most often the comic relief, something this tale greatly needed. I realize it was a very difficult time in history, but I wasn’t anticipating how drab the story could be, with so few light-hearted or positive moments.
I honestly kept reading because I’m a sucker for “marriage of convenience” stories and was desperately hoping there would be a happy ending. Thankfully, there was! But I’m not sure I’d really recommend pushing through the heaviness to get there, unless that’s the kind of book you’re looking to read.

*My thanks to the publisher for my copy of this book! I was not required to write a review, positive or otherwise, and have not been compensated for it in any way. All opinions expressed are my own.

J'nell Ciesielski is a new-to-me author, and I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Ice Swan. The tidbits of information regarding ballet throughout the story and the historical aspect of the Russian revolution of 1917 and the Bolsheviks were quite interesting. The author gives a realistic portrayal of what some Russian royals had to endure, the continued dangers even after they fled the country, and the severe societal and financial reversals. Marriage of convenience stories are a favorite of mine, and I found the changing and development of Svetlana and Wynn's relationship throughout the story very satisfying. I loved both of these characters--Svetlana for her strength and loyalty to her family, and the responsibility she shows in fulfilling her roles in life, despite the huge changes in her life, and Wynn for his protectiveness toward Svetlana, and the way he handles the unexpected challenges he faces--both learning to thrive even though things are not as they wished or had been taken from them. Several twists to the plot with some wow-I-did-not-see-that-coming situations kept my interest high. Readers who enjoy historical romance will not want to miss The Ice Swan. I will be looking for more of Ms. Ciesielski's books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book via CelebrateLit. I was not required to write a favorable review, and the opinions are my own. This review is part of a CelebrateLit blog tour.

The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski is an intense story — one that keeps the reader turning pages well into the night. This is an overwhelming story in that SO much happens (this is not a bad thing). A reader going into this 400-page story will need to have their wits about them or they might miss key details. In this story, Ciesielski does an impeccable job of capturing the horrors of war and the evils of Communism. As Svetlana and her mother and sister are forced to flee their beloved Russia in the middle of the night or else die at the tortuous, evil hands of the Bolsheviks, the reader is right there with them. I could feel the fear and tension coursing through Svetlana and her family members. I was terrified imaging all that they had to escape. And, just because they made it to France in one piece didn’t mean they could let their guard down. Nope, it was a constant looking over their shoulders because Bolsheviks came to France purposely searching for Russians who had escaped their wrath. There was never a minute to breathe! In fact, I was so tense reading this story I had to remind myself to breathe from time to time. The historical detail in this novel is AMAZING — I was transported to 1917-1919 Russia, France, and Scotland and I thoroughly loved every terrifying minute.

Because this novel is so intense and in-depth, no review will ever be able to do it justice. The Ice Swan is a book that simply needs to be read. But, there is one idea discussed in this book that I really love. I’m not going to lie, Svetlana kind of drove me crazy. She is a BIG snob. I actually was offended for Wynn throughout a large portion of this novel … OK, like through most of the story. I get Svetlana’s need to put up a wall of protection around her heart. I get that she is a princess and grew up a very particular way. And, I get that war is scary and trusting others can be tricky. But when someone risks his own neck and saves your life and the lives of your family members time and time again, you do what you got to do to show respect and gratitude. It’s not that Svetlana doesn’t say, “Thank you.” She does. It’s that her actions don’t really say, “Thank you.” Some of her words to Wynn are downright mean and she is continually cutting him out of her life. The hardest quality though is her inability to show grace. Everyone has to be perfect and make the right choice, or Svetlana sees you as the villain. Who can live like that? Wynn does something in the story, he thinks out of love, but Svetlana blows it WAY out of proportion and almost destroys their relationship. I kept thinking to myself, “Man, Svetlana, you have got to learn grace or you are going to be one lonely gal.” But this leads to the message I LOVE. There is a lovely older Russian emigre who sets Svetlana to rights: “One time he let down, you cut him out … You have mistake. He have mistake. All us make mistake. Holding on to mistake is pride. Pride enemy to love.” It takes a moment for these wise words to sink in, but once they do, Svetlana sees the error of her ways. What a wise reminder. We are all human and we all make mistakes. As Paul writes in Romans 3:10, “none of us are righteous, no not one.” Because of this, we must lend grace and forgiveness to others, not demand perfection. Life will be really disappointing if all we ever do is expect other humans to be perfect in all their interactions with us.

As I stated above, no review can do The Ice Swan justice. The story is just too big to be bound by one blog post. This is a novel I highly recommend devoting some serious quality time to. It’s a historical fiction tour de force you will not want to miss!

I received a review copy of this novel in eBook form from the author, J’nell Ciesielski, via Celebrate Lit through NetGalley. In no way has this influenced my review. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

The Ice Swan was a good book. I liked the story in general, with its solid and detailed historical worldbuilding. The character I loved most was Wynn, who was kind, charming and ironic. Svetlana, on the other hand, was a bit too hard to connect with. Not to mention the mother, so annoying. Consequently, I didn't fully enjoy the story. Plus, sometimes the pacing was too slow to my liking. All in all, it didn't disappoint me but I expected to enjoy it more.

The story begins in 1917 while the Russian Revolution is happening. Princess Svetlana Dalsky her mother and sister Marina flee from their home in Russia to Paris as refugees leaving behind her father, brother and her betrothed.

Svetlana meets Scottish surgeon Edwynn MacCallan who is the the second son of the Duke of Kilbride but he tries to hide this fact from most people. Edwynn is a surgeon in a Paris hospital treating the many wounded soldiers. Svetlana seeks Edwynn’s help and is more than happy to oblige.

This is a historical romance story of an impoverished Russian royal Princess and a Scottish surgeon. There is a lot to like about this book: the history, the love story and quite a bit of adventure.

I've always wanted to read a novel by J'nell Ciesielski, but never managed to pick one up until now. What drew me in was the mix of the Russian aristocracy in Paris and the continuation of the story in Scotland, hinting at a clash of cultures, so to speak. This was handled so well, as were other aspects of the plot, that it is unfair to define this novel as just a romance. For me, this novel offered much more from a historical perspective, but also acquired thriller status as it raced to its exciting conclusion.

There is an immediate clash of cultures when Svetlana first meets Wynn and he willingly becomes entangled with Svetlana and her family despite her attempts to deter him. Wynn, warm, charming and humorous, is the perfect foil to Svetlana's cold and haughty facade. I enjoyed the humorous exchanges between Wynn and Svetlana, although these were often one-sided as Svetlana either ignored or misunderstood what Wynn said due to her unfamiliarity with the vagaries of the English language. There were times when Svetlana used Wynn's own words against him, which did reveal a sense of humour beneath that cold and haughty demeanour she hid behind. Wynn, too, is often perplexed by Russian customs, their language and their pessimistic view of life. A further clash comes when Svetlana and her family embark on their new life in Scotland.

Ciesielski also draws the reader into the sad lives of the Russian Emigrées in Paris struggling to cope with the drastic reversal of fortunes that escape from the Bolsheviks has brought. While being taking advantage of by unscrupulous fellow countrymen and viewed with distrust by others in a city already crippled by war, they survive on vodka, gambling, memories and the hope that the defeat of the Bolsheviks will allow them to return to their homeland. Some, like Svetlana's mother Ana, refuse to relinquish their position in society despite their reduced circumstances and amass large debts. While Svetlana works to pay off the family's debts, her efforts are scuppered by her mother's irresponsible and selfish acts.

Advances in medicine, especially heart surgery, are also woven into this wonderful story. A risky procedure that Wynn performs on a patient jeopardises his career and the subsequent decision he makes does not bode well for his future with Svetlana.

And Svetlana's love of ballet is another thread to the story. The five basic ballet positions are used by Svetlana as an aid to calm her in moments of stress, especially those times when her mother was finding fault and being unreasonable.

The Ice Swan is a great introduction to a new author. I shall certainly seek out more of J'nell Ciesielski's novels.

The Ice Swan by J’nell Ciesielski is suspenseful WWI romance. Princess Svetlana Dalsky, her mother and sister escaped the revolution in Russia only to struggle to survive in war-torn Paris. Dr. Wynn MacCallan is a cardiac surgeon who only wants to see his patients survive another day. And spend more time in a certain princess’ company, if she’ll let him.

The Ice Swan is my first book by J’nell Ciesielski. I’ve seen good reviews on her other books, so when I had the opportunity to read and review this one, plus the unique twist of Russian Revolution and WWI, I jumped at the chance. I love the tone of the story. the author’s writing is epic and beautiful. The story did feel like two separate books since Wynn and Svetlana seemed like opposite people from part one to part two and the conflict switched focus from one to the other. But I loved Wynn’s character and equally loved reading about an early 1900s heart surgeon, before cardiology was a separate discipline. Very fascinating!

I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading another by J’nell Ciesielski. It’s hard for me to pass up a good historical romance tinged with suspense!

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I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with FTC guidelines.

What I liked:
🦢 Most of the time I loved Wynn. He was so funny and a wonderful hero. Passionate and in tune with himself, self-depricating but confident.
🦢 The mix of Russian/British/Scottish/French cultures...so fun!
🦢 The level of action without any graphic details. As a sensitive reader, I've steered clear of histifc recently bc things are just way to graphic for me. I appreciated that this story was impactful and exciting without being gratuitously violent.
🦢 Particular scenes, like Svetlana dancing (at a certain pivotal moment) really stand out in my mind.

What I didn't like:
🦢 Because I liked Wynn's character so much, I was disappointed that his mistakes were used clearly to move the plot at certain points of the story. Twice, he left at really idiotic moments and it felt disloyal to the way in which he was displayed the rest of the story.
🦢 Svetlana bothered me. She had major issues with her pride and unforgiveness. The haughtiness really annoyed me to no end, and coming from a Christian publisher, I was disappointed that there was absolutely no faith aspect to her (quite sudden) change in heart. I found the whole thing unbelievable and that part really solidified this in the 3 star category for me.

Overall, I'm not mad I read it. I'd recommend it to someone specifically looking for a clean historical fiction story with a Russian focus and heavy romance. But I'd definitely recommend I Was Anastasia for a Russian histfic first, although that one is darker.

Thank you to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson for the eARC. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

⭐⭐⭐/5