A stunning portrayal of war and the hard decisions that have to be made by individuals affected by it.
I admit to being lost in the historical details every now and then, but that only made me want to adjust my ignorance and get back into the story.
I loved that though the author didn’t sugar coat the circumstances, she beautifully wove the realities of the legions’ situations with hope and faith.
Even with those realities this book was hard to put down. I loved how the author was able to take an event spread out over so many miles of track and so much time and condense it into such a compelling account.
She shed light on an event that needs to be remembered and gave life to the individual struggles and emotions they may have experienced.

I am a huge fan of historical fiction. I am also a huge fan of Author A.L. Sowards and her latest story. A Waltz with Traitors is captivating! WWI on the Eastern front is not something that I knew much about and I found it fascinating, enough to google for more information after finishing the story. The meticulous research shines through and A.L. Soward's talented storytelling pulls the reader in from the very beginning. From the first line "All we wanted was to go home." to the last line, I couldn't stop turning pages. I highly recommend A Waltz with Traitors for lovers of historical fiction!

"We never intended to take over the Trans-Siberian railway, prolong a civil war, spark the most infamous tsaricide in history, or end up in charge of the Russian Imperial Treasury. We just wanted to go home. The rest was forced on us."

Czechoslovak Legion- "Their brotherhood and their aim to win a country of their own-that was unequivocally the most important goal any of them could ever work toward."

"Terror, tragedy, and a bargain with Filip."

"Prayers gave her comfort, and work with the wounded kept her busy, but he came to mind again and again as the legion fought for control of the railroad."

"God is always there, even when it's too dark to see Him."

From the death of her family members, the loss of her home, to finding the Czechoslovak Legion, to the military campaigns, the camaraderie of the soldiers, the marriage of convenience between a noble soldier and a former Russian aristocrat, a journey of faith, and all the interesting history, I thoroughly enjoyed A Waltz with Traitors!

Thank you to the author for allowing me to read an early copy. All opinions are my own.

A very interesting story of a time period I didn't know much about.

Nadia and Filip both have lost and seen/lived through hard things. It's the end of WW1 but there's still war going on all around them. For her to have safe passage, he offers her marriage and she accepts.

It's a story of resilience through unsurmountable obstacles and also hope and love. The historical research is fantastic.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley and this is my honest opinion.

I really enjoy historical fiction and I have been pulled in completely by every book that A.L. Sowards writes. Her attention to detail is evident throughout the book in her beautiful writing. I love see what aspect of history she will write about in each subsequent book. I have learned so much from reading her books. Some of the topics she writes about I've heard of and known some about it, whereas others I didn't know about. Such as the Czechoslovak Legion. What an incredible story of perseverance and determination to save their home and country and people.

This book had a great cast of characters. We were able to read from the point of view of several of them and it wasn't confusing or distracting at all. I really thought it was great and added a lot to the story giving us the chance to see more of what was happening in and around this group of characters.

Of course we have our two main characters, Nadia and Filip. Both of them trying to navigate a life that ended up different than they had planned. Seeing many hardships and death and terrors. When their paths cross, Filip can see that Nadia is in trouble and running for her life. His offer of protection comes in the only way he knows how, a shame marriage, so she can have access to passage away from where she's at on the train with his Czechoslovak Legion. She agrees and these two are whisked away on the journey of a lifetime. That is still fraught with danger and challengers. But I loved watching the friendship grow, not only between them but also between his fellow legionnaires and their spouses. They are united in their purpose and care of each other.

This is definitely an incredible journey and ride. One that I was unable to step away from until I read the final page. Even then, my heart was so full of these characters and their stories. And thinking about the true historical people who lived out this time and the real horrors and terrors and heartaches that were experienced. My heart aches for all that was seen and felt. It aches for those living today experiencing similar moments. But even with the hard things, I loved seeing light and hope woven throughout the story of this book. There was beauty and friendship and family and love and healing and so much more! Powerful and inspiring story!

Content: This book is about war and hard moments in these characters' lives. I consider it to be written cleanly but there are some hard things in here dealing with the subject matter. If you are one that is triggered by books dealing with war and death and violence, attempted rape (written very sensitively and attempted, the character is not raped) and other similar things, then I would suggest not reading this one. The author does have a content warning for the book that you can look at as well if you're wanting more info.

I received a copy from the publisher, Covenant Communications, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

Wow! A.L. Sowards knows how to write historical fiction. While this is fiction it is based on some real events. I love that this about a part of history of which I was unaware. I even found myself looking up things Czechoslovakia and it's history afterwards.
I loved the characters especially Nadia, Filip, Dalek, Anton, Emil and Veronika. This story has it all; adventure, happiness, sorrow, struggles, triumphs, faith and romance. I loved reading about this part of history. I would highly recommend this book.

A Waltz with Traitors has a riveting love story set in an exhausting war torn Russia. The romance is sweet and as a reader I became invested in the lives of the characters. I wanted their lives to be happy ones and cried at the sad moments. There were times when the war descriptions got long, but I was more interested in the romance. I did like the historical information in the story.

What an incredible read. These are the kinds of characters that stay with you. A. L. Sowards is a marvelous storyteller, and I will always read anything she has available.

#AWaltzwithTraitors #NetGalley

This book is set in World War I on the Eastern front. A.L. Sowards, knows how to not only research well, but write characters that I came to love.
Nadia is Russian and has lived a life of ease. When circumstances beyond her control, force her to find another way. She finds herself among soldiers, trying to survive. Nadia's, determination and courage touched me.
There were quite a few characters in this book, that I cared about, Filip, Delek,, and Veronika. The story was one that kept me reading, and staying up late.

If I could I would give this book way more than a five star rating! It's absolutely brilliant! Not only did I learn about something I had no idea about but I became very attached to the four main characters. I know that isn't super common in well written stories, but I've never felt so much empathy and sympathy for a fictional character as I did for Nadia. What truly sets A. L. Sowards apart is her dedication to her research! She finds something in history that sometimes is well known and other times not and brings it to life. I had no idea that the Czech legion existed, but I would like to learn more about it because this story was so captivating!

The characters are incredible! Filip and Nadia are adorable and watching them grow together is beautiful! Anton was an interesting character for me at the beginning and by the end I loved him too! Dalek was also amazing! I honestly can't say enough about this book! It does deal with some hard topics such as miscarriage, but it does it in a beautiful way. I sometimes think writers make these topics rather more uncomfortable, but I didn't feel that way in this book. Brilliantly done!

Nadia and Filip are embroiled in the ever changing landscape of war torn Russia, and their allies and enemies are changing constantly. The Russia Nadia has known is crumbling around them and all she dreams of now is starting a new life with Filip in the fledgling country of Czechoslovakia. With all of the danger and heartache and separation, hope is hard to hold on to.

A.L. Sowards researched her heart out to tell this story of the Czech Legion in Russia, and the story was based on facts and events (described in the afterward.) If you love a story with solid basis in facts, this book might be for you!

I found myself bogged down by the enormous cast of characters, the many names of cities and villages and train stations, and sometimes wished for the constant movement to stop so that we could know more of the beautiful characters. I can only imagine how difficult it is to tell a compelling story, while still including all of the facts in a book such as this!

This book is dark. It is a sad story of struggle, and I truly had a difficult time getting through it, in spite of my admiration of the author and her work and research.

I received an arc from #netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

World War I on the Eastern Front, not a topic most Americans know about beyond the assassination of the czar’s family. It wasn’t a healthy time for anyone in the upper class. Nadia watched the execution of her parents, starting a very dark time for her.
The whole novel has a grimness as the Czech legion is routed all over Asia, along with Nadia in a marriage of convenience to Filip to keep her safe. She realizes she’s not the first to experience hardship and despair, nor the last. Trust in God. He is there and He is real and will make everything right. The darkness makes it easier to recognize the light.
Meticulously researched.

4.5 stars
This was a well-researched novel about an aspect of WWI that I knew absolutely nothing about previously. I enjoyed learning that history while following the main characters through the ups and downs of their experiences. I appreciated that the author didn't try to sugarcoat the atrocities of war, and I also appreciated her inclusion of finding hope, forgiveness, and resilience in the midst of trials and heartache.

A WALTZ WITH TRAITORS is the second novel I have read by A L SOWARDS and it most definitely will not be the last! Not only is the book full of interesting information about what went on during the first world war in Russia and the surrounding nations, but it is exciting, with truly unforgettable characters, and some sweet romance in the midst of the horrors of war. There is also a message of hope as Nadia and Filip learn to put their trust in God.
Undying love, courage and commitment are shown against the backdrop of the brutal war taing place in Siberia.
i like to see the friendship between Filip and his fellow soldiers in the Czechoslovak Legion, who are fighting to free their country. There is betrayal, hatred for the aristocracy, poverty and starvation. I also like to see Nadia’s courage and determination when she is stripped of everything she has known as an aristocrat…..
I am not going to tell you any more for fear of spoiling things for you.
The author has obviously done a great deal of research. I highly recommend A Waltz With Traitors as an exciting and inspirational read.
I was given a free copy of the book by NetGalley from Covenant Communications. The opinions ins this review are completely my own.

One of the things I admire most about A.L. Sowards is the research she puts into her novels. I know very little about Russian and Eastern European history during WWI and WWII. It was a confusing, chaotic time in history. I'm so impressed with her ability to take all that information and turn it into a story that I couldn't put down. I still have a lot of confusion about all the different groups, but I know a lot more than I did before reading this book. The glossary and maps were so helpful!

The fictional part of the story features Nadia and Filip, and I came to love them both. War often brings out the worst in humanity, but they and their group of friends were a source of light and goodness. Despite the conditions, they showed compassion and friendship to each other.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves historical fiction, and enjoys a time and place that aren't written about as often!

Thank you to Covenant Communications, NetGalley, and A.L. Sowards for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinions.

A historical novel of a tumultuous time.
This is a good historical romance but be aware the emphasis is more on the history than the romance. The book is set during the time of major upheavals as Austria- Hungary, Germany and factions within the Russian empire are at war with each other with alignments sometimes switching for expediency, deserters joining the enemy, POW’s changing sides or being forced to take a side they may not actually support to stay alive. Into this tumult Nadia, the daughter of a Russian aristocrat, is forced to flee for her life after losing her family. Finally, she finds some safety in a sham marriage to a Czech soldier, Filip. But life is still not easy as she follows her husband across the battlefields. Watching him leave time after time and never knowing if he will return; or if she will be discovered by the group hunting for her. As they spend more time as a couple and begin to work together feelings develop but with the war in the background, will they ever have a chance for the life they dream of? Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the copy. This is my review and all thoughts are my own.

Loved everything about this book. The attention to detail is fantastic and it sucked me into the story from the very beginning.

This book was very well written, the research well done. The time frame is a difficult time for those wanting independence for Czechoslovakia. The soldiers did so much, with so little, as they we're led around as pawns. War is very interesting, not always in a good way.
The characters were well developed and you wanted to cheer for them and hope for their future.