Interesting story where you learn more about Faberge than you probably already knew. He was a master craftsman who designed the first Faberge egg that was a gift to the Tsar. It brought him great success and notoriety. 50 plus eggs were created over the years. He didn't design them all, and even of those he did design, he didn't make all of the components. He employed other master craftsmen who each specialized in a skill. He loved all of his employees like family and was good to them. When the Tsar was deposed all who were associated with him were as well. Russia was not friendly to them, and they had to flee.

This is a time skip story to modern day. Ava's father is a treasure hunter and wasn't around much when she was growing up. She goes to him as he's dying and learns of an unfinished quest to find a lost Faberge egg. Since she's like him, she jumps at the chance to find it. Excellent mystery, learning about St Petersburg, Russia and Faberge. Danger and murder thicken the plot.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheMasterCraftsman #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HistoricalFiction @KelliStuart

I love this book . It was an excellent historical fiction book . I loved learning more about this time period and the Russian hx behind it . It was a good read!

There was something about Kelli Stuart's The Master Craftsman that pulled at me from thefirst time I saw the cover. There's something about the mystery of the end of the Romanov era. There's also something tantalizing aobut the what-ifs of history. This story blends both along with a dual time narrative that wraps a hunt for a possible unknown Faberge egg with the history of the Master Craftsman. It has moments of National Treasure blended with the poignancy of a black and white film. I really enjoyed this novel and think readers who love Kristy Cambron's split time novels will also enjoy it.

The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart is a work of art, blending history and imagination together flawlessly. Karl Faberge was a master craftsman who was commissioned to make eggs for the tsar and his family in Russia in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. There are 52 known eggs that he created along with his team of designers. But, what if there were some that weren’t known? What would that mean? And, alas, we have our story. Ava is mid twenties, was raised by her mom, and isn’t sure what to do with her history degree. When her treasure hunter father is dying, he enlists her help to find one last egg that nobody knows about. Join Ava, her mom Carol, Zack the tech whiz, and Xander, the bodyguard, as they travel to Russia and Finland to find the answers. This was a great book. I really enjoyed it. I actually got to listen to the audio version also and the narrator is one of my favorites. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review. All opinions are my own.

The book unspools a treasure hunt in dual timelines: Peter Karl Fabergé's Russia (the final years of the Tsar) and modern day.
Ava Laine barely knows the father who left her and her mother when she was a small child--the famous treasure hunter Nick Laine. But now he's dying and he needs her help to find one last treasure. So Ava, her mother, and Ava's neighbor Zack fly to Russia to join a team and find the treasure Nick is sure is waiting for them: a lost Fabergé egg worth millions.
The story of the egg is set three generations earlier, when Fabergé was still making exquisite eggs for the Tsar and his family. Then the Russian Revolution tears his life apart and he and his family flee, as do many of his master craftsman, including Alma Pihl and her husband. But did she flee carrying a dangerous egg previously unknown to the world? It turns out there may be people ready to kill Ava and her team in order to find out.
The dual timeline did make the story more interesting, especially because the period leading up to the Russian Revolution is fascinating to me (and, admittedly, I don't know much about it). There were lots of historical details around Fabergé, his workshop, and especially his famous Easter eggs, which were made every year for the Tsar and his family.
Beyond those details, however, I found the characters to be somewhat flat. There wasn't much development or progression, and the turning points in the plot were somewhat predictable. Overall I found it to be a nice historical piece, with the characters serving mostly by providing structure to relate that historical information.
I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and the publisher

This novel is packed full of interesting history and fascinating facts about Faberge eggs. What a unique story! I learned so much. I really liked the dual timeline and thought the author did a great job connecting the two storylines. The treasure hunt aspect of the novel brought some suspense to the story and kept my attention. I thought it was neat that parts of the mystery extended over both time periods. There are heartbreaks in the book that bring real emotion to the storyline, and I found myself connecting well with the characters. This is my first novel by this talented author, but it certainly won’t be the last! Highly recommended!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

I adored this book! It had everything, historical fiction with a touch of romance and some mystery. The pace was great and so were the characters!

Wow! Have you ever sat back and wondered how someone could write such a story, one that keeps you engaged and causes you to go to Google over and over to see what the author is talking about. TheMaster Craftsman was such a book. In the manner of true historical fiction, The Master Craftsman is based on a true story, that of Peter Karl Faberge and the Imperial Eggs he created. I loved the three timelines that Ms. Stuart used in the story. She created three storylines all focused on an egg that Faberge might have created. It also demonstrates the true value of treasures, both monetary and otherwise. And the ending was not at all what I expected but was the perfect ending.

I recommend you brew a pot of chai. find a cozy nook and prepare to be whisked away to a world of jewels and plots and suspense...The hunt is on!

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

Very interesting story about the House of Faberge and a missing egg. This story is a mystery, a treasure hunt, the art of making the faberge eggs, a little romance and historical fiction about the Russian Revolution. The book swings back and forth between present day and the years of1904-1917. Great book, easy to follow and well written. One feels like they really know the characters. There are lots of twists and turns that you don’t see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

I loved the historical aspects of this story and the current parts. This has a lot of suspense and keeps you wondering where this missing Faberge egg might be. It was interesting to learn about Alma Phil and about how and why the Faberge eggs are worth so much. I enjoyed getting to know Ava and her father Nick. This will keep you on your toes at times. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

This is a beautiful story about treasure hunting, family, love and history.

I didn’t know much about this time in Russia and the history of the Faberge eggs so I was completely wrapped up in this book. I was googling various things throughout and will definitely continue to do so. I think that’s one mark of a great historical fiction book - it gets the reader interested in that time period beyond the pages of the book.

This book captivated and transported me. The dual timelines worked well and I read this in one sitting. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction but I always enjoy it when I do. The Master Craftsman was no exception!

Secrets kept across the decades...

I have been fascinated by the Faberge Imperial Eggs for years. Probably as long as I've been equally as fascinated by the story of the ill-fated royal family of Russia. That was the reason I picked up The Master Craftsman as soon as I read the back cover blurb. Kelli Stuart is a new-to-me author and I find it fun to discover authors that I've never read before – it was also a real bonus that this is a dual timeline story!

Dual timeline stories have become a real favorite of mine. The blending of my two preferred genres, suspense and historical, in carefully crafted layers that allow the overarching mystery to play out over the course of decades – or even centuries – is the cat's meow for me.

As anticipated, The Master Craftsman was quite an interesting story. The international treasure hunting adventure was probably my favorite part of the story. Though, the poignant moments of loss, regret, betrayal, the revelation of human frailty, and the hope of second chances were as moving as the adventure was exciting.

I will confess that there were a few minor things that annoyed me a little bit, however, I really did enjoy the story overall. Kelli Stuart more than kept me intrigued by the story of the Faberge family, a story that I didn't really know much about and has now sparked more than one Google search. For one thing, did you know that women were a part of the House of Faberge's design as well as their success?

If you enjoy dual timeline stories or a good treasure hunting adventure tale, Kelli Stuart's The Master Craftsman might just be right up your alley. I know I found it to be quite interesting....

(I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are entirely my own.)

Drawing upon the life and craftsmanship of Peter Karl Faberge, Kelli Stuart wraps the history of the Faberge Easter egg and Russian Revolution in the intrigue of a modern treasure hunt in The Master Craftsman. The kicker is that our treasure hunter is a struggling restaurant hostess who is reluctant to reconcile with her estranged father, a man who chose the thrill of the hunt over his family. At death’s door, he faces some hard realities and seeks out the wife and daughter he left so long ago. A fantastical proposal is made and the search for a fabled mystery Faberge egg ensues.

Stuart carefully takes the golden history, enamels it in mystery, and bejewels it with sparkling intrigue. I greatly appreciate the way she crafts each timeline and each family’s story. It is not until the very end that most precious theme is revealed. Her writing is smooth, her storytelling exquisite.

Thank you to the author and publisher for allowing me a copy to read and review. All opinions expressed here are my own and are completely genuine.

"History is one of our greatest assets. Knowing where we've been as a human race helps us navigate where we're going."

The Master Craftsman is told from two different time periods and from several different points of view.
In Russia during the 1900s-1920s, we have Peter Faberge and Alma a woman who works for him in the shop making designs. Through them, we get to learn how the eggs were made, and all the details that went into them, and we see the unrest that Russia was going through at that time with the revolution. We also see a secret egg that was never shown to the public, that must always stay hidden because of what is inside of it. Alma is entrusted with the egg and told to get it and herself out of Russia, if she does that or not though is the question we spend the book trying to find out.
In the present day, we have Ava who is the daughter of Nick who is a treasure hunter. Ava didn't grow up knowing Nick, but on his deathbed, she is now tasked with finding his last hunt before it's too late. Ava is told to meet up with two people who have worked with or know people that have worked with Nick before on treasure hunts. So the group ends up being Xander, Zak, Ava, and Carol, as well as the driver. Things start seeming a little weird and off from the start within the group though because Zak, Ava, and Carol knew each other but they did not know Xander or the driver. This created kind of a different dynamic and Ava ended up working a lot with Xander when they would go out because they had to be undercover as they looked for clues. The group did keep checking in with Nick who was stuck back in Florida and gave him updates on what they were finding.

Overall I did enjoy and like this book. It was fun and an interesting concept with hunting for a Faberge egg that no one knows exists really. The flashbacks to what was happening in the 1900s and led up to the secret egg having to be hidden fit in seamlessly with the present-day happenings. Its relevant to the clues and the pieces they are putting together in the present day and gives a little bit more background. I personally liked the characters and how they were interacting with each other. The last half of the book is very fast-paced once they get to Russia, and the last quarter especially is fast-paced. Will they or won't they find it, and how did the egg get from here to there. Was so interesting to me and I love that part of mystery books when it comes to finding things. The ending itself while it was explained did let me down a little bit from what I was hoping would happen, but I'm still happy with it.

I personally would love to see this one turned into a series and follow Ava and Zak go on other treasure hunts together and continue on Nicks side of the families legacy.

The Master Craftsman delivered an interesting premise with a bit of a historical “what if” and a contemporary treasure hunt. I learned many things about the true history of Fabergé and his craftsmen through this story — if you read it, be sure to Google the different eggs mentioned along the way. They are stunning!

I enjoyed the historical chapters more, with Fabergé and Alma, somewhat of an apprentice craftsman, sharing points of view. Their rise to Imperial status and the subsequent perils of the Bolshevik revolution were gripping and heart wrenching.

The contemporary story was good, with Ava and her family, then an unlikely treasure hunting crew (complete with a sweet, heroic nerd with a big crush on Ava), learning more about the history of Faberge and the revolution. Parts of it were a bit predictable for me, and some of the time spent setting up the search for the egg felt tedious with little action. I did like the ending, though, and how a theme of treasure in relationship came to the forefront.

Thank you to Revell Reads for the review copy. This is my honest review.

I found the concept and the story of this intriguing book fascinating as it explores the early twentieth century in Russia through a search for a lost fine-crafted egg from the house of Fabregé. It jumps back in forth in time from the past to the present and back as the tale unfolds. Present-day treasure hunters seek this rare treasure, which forms the main plot. Along the way these believable characters must process the pain from the past and the struggles of personal relationships. The novel engaged my interest since I enjoy suspense and history and discovering hidden items. I think those who delight in such things will also enjoy this well-developed fictional account that reads like it could be true. I received a copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own. #TheMasterCraftsman #NetGalley

In this time split novel, the story is a little bit different as we get to go along on a treasure hunt for Faberge egg, that may or may not exist. Hopping back and forth between timelines, we are given a story that there was a secret egg that Faberge made and tasked with one of his craftsmen, a woman, by the name of Alma Pihl with hiding and keeping it safe. Especially as 1917-1918 grows dark and closes in on the Russian Romanov family.

Present day Ava, daughter of a renowned treasure hunter and absentee father, is struggling putting her life in some sort of sense. After hardly any contact, her mother and she are called to her father's death bed. What happens is beyond her wildest dreams, but they form a sort of treasure hunting team, along with a few others to try and find this last treasure for her father.

In the course of this adventure, Ava learns a lot, and whether or not she finds this mysterious egg and its treasure, she does find another treasure.

I did enjoy this story; the treasure hunt was intriguing, and the history was mesmerizing. I looked up these famous eggs and their intricate beauty and pondered the dark history in which they were made. In both timelines I also felt for the characters, of their broken relationships, time lost, and the fact that it seemed that for some love had died. The atmosphere combined both artistic beauty with the dark and encroaching death and destruction that was coming as an empire that would not listen was going to be turned on its head. This was a very interesting and gripping historical read.

I was provided a copy of this novel from the publisher. I was not required to post a positive review and all views and opinions are my own.

Stuart has written a masterful story set in the present time and the early 1900s. I loved the multiple POVs and being able to watch both ends of the story unfold. Stuart grabs ahold of the reader and just holds them there until the very end of the book. The mystery of the last Easter egg in the past and the race to find it in the future makes for an unputdownable story. I needed to know how the relationship between Ava and her dad would pan out. Could she put aside the hurt of the past to help fulfill his final wish? Would she be able to piece together the clues from the past?

I am still thinking about this book days after I finished it. I immediately had to search the internet for the Easter eggs designed by Faberge. They are phenomenal. The historical details were so interesting and the present day story was so suspenseful that it made for the perfect blend. If you like historical fiction and suspense with mystery, then this is a must read book! I received a copy of this book for free; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Master Craftsman is a modern day treasure hunt combined with a historical plotline that depicts the Russian Revolution. I enjoyed the Russian setting in both timelines, and have always found the Romanov era very interesting. I had never read about the Fabergé eggs before, which made this read feel fresh and new. Kelli Stuart's extensive research was evident, but information shared was well integrated and didn't feel forced in. As for the characters, I confess I didn't particularly love any of those in the contemporary timeline. Ava, the main character, felt juvenile at times and I failed to connect. I did enjoy the historical characters a bit more (and appreciated the level of historical accuracy), but the plot line felt a bit slow. That is not to say I didn't enjoy the story. I did like how it all came together and in a way that was not cliché. Overall, I think this is a good read that most dual timeline fans would enjoy. I probably wouldn't categorize this as Christian Fiction, as would be the assumption for most readers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Onions expressed are entirely my own.

I am not at all a fan of this growing trend of big name publishers releasing and promotion distinctly NON-Christian books! This is one of a handful of 2022 releases already with foul language, little to NO faith elements or themes, and even the storyline and writing is anti-biblical or is in contrast to what the Bible teaches. Depressing, hopeless, without love or respect or anything resembling true faith or redemption.

They end up sad, depressing and just lacking in many ways. I was intriguing by this one too! A Historical story that pairs a parallel time line what Russian history and a treasure hunt? These all are things that I’d normally LOVE reading about, and while I’d have loved for this to be a ‘Christian’ book, I might have even enjoyed it still if it had been a somewhat cleaner read and was not affiliated, published, or promoted by a Christian publisher, especially one so we’ll know as Revell… which totally gives off the wrong expectations and ideas when it turns out that the story is NOTHING like what they promise and have been publishing for years beforehand… Just leaves a bad taste, and is made worse because even as a secular historical fiction/parallel timeline story between the foul language, choppy pacing, and seemingly two only slightly related storylines, I wasn’t a fan of the overall end product, but would have likely given it closer to 3 stars if it had been a cleaner reading experience. Unfortunately, I was left unsatisfied and disappointed after this one.

I received a ecopy from Revell. This does not affect my review. This review is voluntary.