This was a really good historical fiction by A. L. Sowards. I really enjoyed learning about the history of Russia at this time. I thought the story was well researched and was well told. Although there were moments of the story that were sad, I liked that she included them so we could see how people who were experiencing these things would have felt. I liked the romance between Nadia and Filip. I thought they were wonderful characters who you couldn’t help but cheer for. Overall, I thought this was a very well written story.

I received a complimentary book from publishers, publicists, and or authors.  A review was not required and all opinions and ideas expressed are my own.

A Waltz With Traitors is a history lover's delight. The rich history and setting of this book were not familiar to me but I found it so interesting and learned a lot. A.L. Sowards is such a wonderful storyteller with her colorful descriptions and engaging characters that you quickly bond with.

The setting is Russia where the Czechoslovak Legion is fighting the Bolshevik army during the time period of the Great War of WWI. Filip and Nadia come together because of tragic circumstances and their love develops in a slow, and unusual way. Amongst so much hurt and scars they learn to trust one another.

There is violence in this book as this is about a war, but nothing is described too graphically. At times there was a lot going on as you try to understand the many groups of people fighting and trying to stay alive. I'm always amazed at the amount of research that goes into Soward's writing. I usually am led off into my own research about the topic once I finish the novel.

The ugliness of war is shown in this book and your emotions ride high during the story. Nadia describes war like this, "It is danger and chaos and misery," and you see all of this throughout the pages. This novel is gritty, with brief accounts of violence and assault.

Filip and Nadia's love goes through so many ups and downs but as a reader you are there rooting for them all the way. Their love and devotion feel real.

I enjoyed having the maps, the vocabulary guides, and the beginning and ending author notes. You need to read them all. Overall, historical fiction readers will love this epic and fascinating novel as the characters make their way across frozen Siberia in the thick of war.

A World War One story?! Say no more I’m here for it! Also, Ukraine. Part of my heart is there, so I’m always happy to read about it.

Sowards crafted a fascinating & heartbreaking glance into this era of history, taking the reader on a journey across the frozen landscape of Siberia.

Nadia & Filip are brought together by a marriage of convenience as Nadia is fleeing for her life. I enjoy this trope, and they were lovely. However, I wished we had actually seen more of them together in order to form a relationship. By the time the declaration of love was made around 60%, they had spent most of the book separated (due to Filip’s missions) & did a good portion of their “falling in love” apart from each other. As such, I found it a little hard to accept.

The plot was riveting & fast paced. Just when I paused to catch a breath—boom!—off to the next crisis! And I seriously learned a lot.

Lastly, I love Dalek. He was a hilariously perfect (& imperfect) wingman & my favourite character!


Content: off-screen SA; mentions of miscarriage; brief mentions of marital intimacy (nothing described)


*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.

One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that I learn things I didn't know about. In this amazing book I learned about the Czechoslovakian Legion and the Trans-Siberian railroad and their part in WWI. "We just wanted to go home. After three hundred years of Hapsburg subjugation, we wanted a country of our own. And this is the story of how we got it, fighting for it half a world away along six thousand miles of snow-covered rail line."

A.L. Sowards intertwines the true story of the Czech soldiers' fight for a country of their own with the tale of a marriage of convenience and survival that turns into love. I don't think my words can do this beautiful story justice. Nadia is from an aristocratic family and has lost everything including all of her family. She's basically running for her life when she sees Filip, a Czech Legion soldier she briefly met before. He offers to marry her so she can escape and we get a tale of what life might have been like for them. I loved watching them interact and fall in love, and although they suffered things most of us can not imagine they also had some wonderful and happy times.

The characters in this book are all amazing and show us what courage and strength look like and that we're capable of handling difficult things, especially when we stand together. The author has a way of bringing her books to life so that I can picture everything and almost feel the Siberian cold.

You can tell how much care the author puts into her research. I love that she includes a glossary of terms and some maps at the beginning of the book to help the reader. There are also amazing author notes at the end which you will not want to skip. If I could give more than 5 stars I would.

I received a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

If I could give this 10+ stars I would! This is such a fabulously written historical with a sprinkling of romance throughout. I am in awe of Ms Sowards’ ability to research and write a historically accurate fictional story. A piece of lesser known history can be in your hands and on your heart soon. I believe this is an absolute must read for all. Thank you Ms Sowards for writing a part of history that sticks with you!

Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books for review from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including Netgalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.

This book...all I can think to say is wow!

I love the way A.L. Sowards can take a historical event that I've never even heard of and write a story set there that makes me want to read more. She's very talented at making her story, characters and settings jump off the page. This book is just amazing.

I loved Nadia. Nadia dealt with a lot of hard things. How she ever kept going after seeing her family murdered right in front of her, I don't even know. But she did. And she was courageous enough to marry Fillip so that she could stay alive, be protected and have something to eat. She still had to learn to do all the things like cook, clean, laundry, and even to do her own hair.

I loved that we saw things from Fillip's perspective too. He was busy fighting the Russians. And he was fighting his own feelings for his wife, as well as trying to protect her from those that still wanted her dead.

This story had so many hard things. I'm not going to do a content warning, but there's one at the beginning of the book that does a good job of describing what they are. This is a war time and bad things happen during wars. But they were dealt with tastefully.

I loved this book! I can't wait to read the next one by this author.

Even though nothing goes as planned, Nadia and Filip overcome so many obstacles to find each other. Married the night the met, they learn that fighting for what is right, isn't just about the war. Sometimes it is better to forget the awful things that happen and go forward with your life.

I really appreciate the author’s research and attention to historical detail. Wow! It’s a lot! Unfortunately maybe too much as the story itself seemed to get bogged down a bit by all that detail. I liked that’s it was set in an arena that you don’t see as often in historical romance. I think that and the gorgeous cover drew me to the book in the first place.

A. L. Sowards has written another amazing historical romance here! She is a master of talking little known stories in history and weaving it into a story that will have you hooked from the first page. This is a story with tragedy and heartbreak, but also of hope and triumph.

A.L. Sowards has a talent for drawing you into parts of history you didn't really know anything about before. Her historical fiction "A Waltz with Traitors" is another of those tales, following the Czech Legion during World War 1. If you're looking for romance, she's got that in there as well and does a great job of creating loveable characters, showing the hardships of war, and spinning a tale that is believable and enjoyable. This is a book worth your time and you'll struggle to put it down.

A beautifully written novel with yarns of sufferings and hope skilfully interwoven.
Waltz with Traitors has the elements of history, romance, war, faith, and hope all woven together to form a heart wrenching yet beautiful novel. The author clearly has done extensive homework on the fight for independence by the Czechs and Slovaks. The historical aspect of this novel really drew me in, and it was insightful to learn the struggles faced by the Czechs and Slovaks to attain independence. There were periods in the novel where it felt like the author had been physically present and was giving a vivid account of what was seen and heard.
The characters of Nadia and Filip were beautifully developed. Nadia and Filip, two people from different life spectrums finding love amid war. The secondary characters were very well developed, Dalek and Anton will always be remembered. I must confess that I almost stop reading at a certain point in the novel as the unending sufferings faced by Nadia were overwhelming and gut-wrenching. What kept me reading on was the fact that some people in this world have gone through worse sufferings and a desire to know the end. In the end, I am glad I finished reading the novel. The ending of the novel made the reading of the novel to the end worthwhile. The note of faith in God and perseverance during immense suffering is well echoed in this novel.
If one is looking for a novel that gives hope during adversity, along with a touch of faith and strong dose of history and romance then this is a definitely a book to read.
I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Covenant Communications through NetGalley and Interviews & Reviews for my honest opinion.

A.L Soward has penned another stunning historical fiction about a time and people who are relatively unknown to most but whose story of bravery and sacrifice deserves to be told.

This is the story of a legion of Czech soldiers in 1918, far from home and caught in the middle of a war that is not their own.

Their only wish is to return home to fight for freedom in their homeland but first, they must survive crossing thousands of miles on the Trans-Siberian railway through enemy territory.

This is the story of a Filip, a corporal in the legion, and Russian aristocrat Nadia, who accepts Filip's offer of a marriage of convenience since she is on the run for her life.

Told from multiple POVs, this intense story of tragedy and triumph, of heartbreak and hope, took me on an emotional rollercoaster of the very best kind.

Even in the midst of the horrors of war, we see the resilience of the human spirit and feel the beautiful light of their faith. This is mainly historical fiction but we also get to see romance blossom between Nadia and Filip and oh my, it is so very sweet!!

Undoubtedly one of my top reads this year, this story held me captive from the first chapter and it is still living rent-free in my head a week later. This truly is a must-read for any fan of historical fiction!

Note: This is a story of war and the author's content warnings (listed below) are no joke, but there was nothing graphic on the page and I would absolutely consider this a clean read. I also appreciated the maps as there are a lot of foreign names of towns so don't miss those at the beginning of the book!

CW: depictions of warfare, war injuries, disease, miscarriage, kidnapping, off-page sexual assault, executions, and implied intimacy between married couples

I received a complimentary copy but a positive review was not required.

The first thing that drew my attention to this book was the cover, and the second thing was the title. I thought it sounded and looked intriguing. I have read a couple of books by this author, and have been impressed with her writing technique and ability to transform history into gripping and spellbinding stories. And a waltz with traitors is just such a story. The history is intriguing, but weaving in the characters makes the story pop off the page. Nadia and Filip’s story is captivating and sweet, The love that endured the trials they each went through is beautiful. Their faith grew as the trials intensified, “ God is always there, even when it’s too dark to see him”. Endurance,
perseverance, faith, and love are key traits that stand out to me. They make this a wonderful and touching read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Read it for the:
-Warfare
-Sweet romance
-Emotional plot
-Well-researched historical notes
-Light Faith themes

Romance/Steam: Closed-door
Content Warnings: war, violence, death, rape (not described), attempted rape, miscarriage, death
Final Rating: 4 / 5

This was my first A. L Sowards novel, and I was not disappointed. This book was emotional, and fast-paced, tackling heavy topics with realism and tact. The plot kept surprising me, especially the second half. The characters felt like real people, and their lives played out in my mind as the story progressed. I enjoyed the four povs that were featured and found each story fascinating.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the romance between Nadia and Filip. Their moments of friendship and developing love brought light to the plot and balanced out the darker moments. Their relationship was built on trust, and while the romance was sweet, it was emotionally intense. I found myself rooting for them, haunted by their struggles, and happy with their relationship.

This is a story that is heavy in war content. It does not shy away from the battles, and tactics used during that time. However, this plot is unique in that the setting for most of the story is a train, carrying soldiers and their families. Historical research truly shines in these areas.

This book reminded me of the very real horrors of life during the war, and the hope found only in love.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

This is my first book I’ve read by A.L Sowards , and oh my goodness her writing is absolutely incredible! Her storytelling skills are excellent and make you able to visualize and feel everything. I will definitely be reading more of her books!

Nadia watches her parents and aunt get shot by the Bolsheviks because they are aristocrats and Czar Nicolas II sympathizers. She is next to be executed but the men decide they want her for other things first, luckily a servant is hiding and saves her from that fate. She quickly escapes to the railway. There she is desperate to get away from the Bolsheviks who are chasing her. She tries to get a ride on the train but it is just for the Czechoslovak Legion soldiers and family and they won’t let her on. Overhearing her dilemma, Filip offers to marry her in name only so she can escape. She agrees and they marry and she gets on the train. She goes with the women and him with the men. From then on out it’s war and tragedy with a little romance thrown in.

This is a story with a lot of death, it is war after all. Also other tragedies occur. Check out content below. Even though there is a lot of tragedy I really enjoyed the story. Filip and Nadia are such a great characters. I really enjoyed watching Nadia go from practically helpless aristocrat to such a strong resilient woman. The growth her character has is amazing and all she endures to get there is heartbreaking. Filip is very brave and strong. He is always there to help his fellow soldiers and Nadia. His growth was very good too. I loved watching Filip and Nadia grow together in friendship and then love. I also enjoyed Dalek, Anton and Veronika. Overall a fantastic read and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Content: contains depictions of warfare, war injuries, disease, miscarriage, kidnapping, off-page sexual assault, executions, and implied intimacy between married couples. The rape is not described but the pain and illness afterwards is so be aware of that.

I can't stop thinking about this book- the characters, the setting, the situations. It's just, WOW. This author did an amazing job at creating a world with emotion, conflict and purpose. I'm overwhelmed by it all in the best of ways.

Historical fiction is a favorite of mine because I love learning about events in history in a less "history lesson" sort of way. I had no idea about any of these events or the people of Czechoslovak legion who fought so hard and gave so much for the dream of a country of their own. What determination and endurance. What suffering, sorrow and loss. War is brutal and unfair. It was hard to read that part of it but necessary because we need to remember these brave people. I loved reading the author's notes at the back of the book too. Don't miss those.

Filip and Nadia are fantastic characters. I grew to love them so much. It's slow going for their relationship but I'm glad they really came to know each other through their actions. Neither one had a life they thought they would, but the way they adapted with grace and honor just swelled my heart. The whole cast of characters around them were all so good. There were multiple points of view throughout the book and I really enjoyed that.

I loved this book, I love this author. Oh! And I love this cover. It's beautiful and represents the story perfectly.

Content: violence (this is high because this is a war story), peril, death. Mention of rape and abuse with no details. Intimate relations between and husband and wife with no details. Kissing.

Hold onto your seat, because this book is action from the very get go!
A Waltz of Traitors tells a version of WWII I never knew about. And wow, it’s fascinating! This book tells a story of people that were brave and daring.

Now, for the story itself, it has characters that are interesting and pragmatic.
The history is told in a realistic and accurate way, and the romantic subplot is sweet and tender.

Definite recommend!

“Trapped in Russia, Filip and the Czechoslovak Legion are determined to win a new country for their people. When Nadia, an aristocratic refugee, stumbles across his path, he offers her the only protection he can: a sham marriage. Their perilous journey across Siberia will put at risk the future of Czechoslovakia, the fate of Russia—and their hearts.”

WOW. Just WOW.

This is my second A.L. Sowards book and I am blown away yet again! This story was completely riveting! I couldn’t put it down!

I love how the author explores pieces of history that might not be well known to a lot of people. I can’t even imagine the research that went into this but it was so worth it in my personal opinion! This book, although a work of fiction, really gave us a grasp on this period in time and what these groups went through. Blending real stories and people with the fictional in such a seamless way that stays true to the past and gives us new characters to fall in love with and follow on their journey. I was totally hooked!

One of the things I most enjoy about A.L. Sowards is her attention to detail and the MANY characters that we follow throughout the story. Having multiple POVs is incredibly helpful to understand the whole picture, especially during battle scenes. We get a clear description from multiple angles. And we become invested in many people and what they’re experiencing. It’s such a great feeling!

If you enjoy historical fiction I highly recommend that you give A Waltz With Traitors a try. It’s an emotional roller coaster throughout that will likely leave you exhausted but the effort will be worth it and the ending will surely satisfy!

Content warning:
Depictions of warfare, war injuries, disease, miscarriage, kidnapping, off-page sexual assault, executions, and implied intimacy between married couples.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author on NetGalley. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

“Maybe all the darkness makes it easier to recognize the light.” A.L. Sowards is one of my favorite historical fiction authors who really makes history come alive. A Waltz with Traitors is perhaps one of her best works. It’s an instant classic that sweeps the reader back in time to the early 1900’s during Russia’s upheaval and WWI. She weaves a beautiful, tragic tale around the true story of the Czechoslovakian Legion, who were hoping to march to France to join the allies and gain independence for their homeland. It’s a story of love, loss, and faith as two unlikely people enter a marriage of convenience while facing the brutalities of war amidst freezing Russian winters.

Czech soldier Filip Sedlak, along with many others, has put his lot in with the Russians. Their goal is to take over and control the Russian railroad which stretches across the expanse of the empire. Fighting against the Bolsheviks, saboteurs, and even their own allies to secure their way across Russia makes for never a dull moment as each stretch of train track brings new danger and worries.

When he meets Nadia, she’s on the run after witnessing the deaths of her entire family. As an aristocrat, her life is forfeit if caught. Filip tries to save her the only way he knows how, by offering her a sham marriage that will be annulled once she reaches the safety of Ukraine. But along the way, they begin to realize despite their differences, that they care for each other and both want the marriage to be real. As with any good Slavic story, the road to happiness is fraught with tragedy and danger and this is true for Fillip and Nadia. They must overcome nearly insurmountable odds to find hope and love.

I absolutely loved Nadia! She is a true heroine who endures so much. Through it all, she never loses hope or her faith despite the awful things she goes through. Filip is a brave, courageous man who easily falls for the beautiful Nadia. He is so kind and thoughtful of her, but isn’t secure enough in himself to believe she could love him. I loved when they waltzed together and found simple things to enjoy when they were together and Filip was not off fighting. Without saying too much, my heart ached for them both during some of their trials. Be assured though, this is not the typical Russian tragedy, and there is a hopeful ending.

The author’s meticulous attention to detail and historical accuracy makes this a thoroughly interesting, hard to put down read. While she takes special care to include only enough detail for the reader to understand what’s going on, she doesn’t shy away from the tragedies of war. Those sensitive to assault, miscarriage, and violence may want to read the author’s note at the beginning.

I found myself thinking about this book long after reading it. Highest of recommendations to this amazing historical fiction masterpiece and encourage anyone who enjoys history to read this. The author includes maps, vocabulary guides, and a wonderful author’s note at the end that was particularly interesting. This is definitely one you’ll want to put on your must read list. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and I was not required to provide a positive review.

"A Waltz with Traitors" is a historical suspense/romance set in Russia starting in March 1918. So much is going on that we need 3 male and 1 female point-of-view characters to tell the story of the Czechoslovak Legion. Between war, retribution, starvation, and disease, people were dying all over Russia, so this is a warning that a lot of bad things happen to the main characters and that non-POV characters may die. But the main characters hold on to hope even in the darkest times, so it's not depressing to read.

Vivid historical and setting details were woven into the story, bringing it alive in my imagination. The main characters were engaging, complex, and felt like real people. Though, at the very end when Nadia drives the car, things started feeling exaggerated to the point of being unrealistic. The action scenes went on forever with "if it can go wrong, it will go wrong" in full effect while the reconciliation scene resolved a world of hurt in no time.

Nadia held on to her faith in God and heaven throughout all she endured and lost, and Filip grew in his faith by witnessing hers. There was no sex or bad language. Overall, I'd recommend this interesting, suspenseful historical novel.