Helen Rappaport turns her knowledge of the Romanov family to the mysterious Julie in The Rebel Romanov. I quickly got completely confused with Rappaport’s dive into the the Saxe-Coburg’s family tree at the beginning of the book (the actual family tree is not included in the advance copy I read) but the high profile connections are easier to follow throughout the book. In the most simplistic explanation, Queen Victoria’s grandmother, a duchess of Saxe-Coburg, was the first real instigator of marrying descendants off across the breadth of Europe. One of the first being her daughter Julie (Queen Victoria’s aunt) to Konstantin of the Russian Romanovs, granson of Catherine the Great and brother to Tsars Alexander and Nicholas. This doesn’t go so well for Julie as Konstantin is a crazy jerk, and when Catherine dies and Konstantin’s crazy jerk of a father, Tsar Paul, takes the throne it gets even worse. Julie is eventually able to leave, essentially living the rest of her life as a Russian Grand Duchess, in almost an exile situation. Not that she lives poorly - she lives in quite a bit of comfort that is financially perilous. I’m reminded that this didn’t seem to matter to this group of people, and while I certainly empathize with a young woman being married off to a abusive man with no say and little power to escape, I imagine there were plenty of women across time that didn’t receive the benefits that she did for the same kind of suffering. It is fascinating, and after (and probably before) being separated from Konstantin didn’t let it stop her from romantic liaisons. Knowing that her mother Auguste was the one that truly started the marriage arrangements was something astounding for me, and that Victoria’s machinations were a second layer that existed on top of a previous generation, all originating in a cash-strapped principality in Germany. The book managed to make me feel both sympathetic for a young girl taken away from her home to be treated cruelly in a foreign country and also somewhat unsympathetic for the life of luxury she got to lead when many other women of her time were in much more dire straits. It definitely serves as a chilling reminder of living a life without the autonomy to make your own decisions and be at the whim of others. The book reads fairly quickly but is sometimes limited on details because of the lack of historical sources available. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and thank them for the opportunity to read it. It tells the story of a Grand Duchess whose life was relatively unknown. Julie, later known as Anna, was the wife of one of Catherine the Great’s grandsons, Konstantin, a man that enthralled with his regiment’s much like his grandfather. Konstantin was a cruel and unstable man. Julie’s marriage and life are described along with her relationship with her family and her sisters who were part of the royal families of many nations. It was an excellent read.

The Rebel Romanov by Helen Rappaport was a fascinating biography, very interesting and well written.

Well researched book about Grand Duchess Anna Fyordornova considering there is not much that survives of her letters. She was very courageous for keeping her independence from the Romanov family.

I received a free copy of, The Rebel Romanov, by Helen Rappaport, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Julie of Saxe-Coburg was selected to marry Catherine the Great of Russia, grandson Considine. This was a deep read, unsettling at times.

The Rebel Romanov is the second book that I have read by Author Helen Rappaport.

I do thoroughly enjoy her books and writing style.

This story is a nonfiction tale about Julie of Saxe-Coburg who is matched in marriage by Catherine the Great of Russia to her grandson Constantine.

The young and innocent bride becomes alone in a world so different than how her life was in Germany.

She becomes a very strong woman and makes her own place in history.

The Romanov family is a very intriguing part of history, and this Author has done a great deal of research in her work.

I recommend this book to any reader who enjoys history, during this period.

Thank You to NetGalley, Author Helen Rappaport, and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Romanov Sisters comes the story of a courageous young Imperial Grand Duchess who scandalized Europe in search of freedom. A historical story of Russians will make you fascinated along the way.

4.5. I found this to be an interesting and intriguing book. I'm semi-obsessed with the entire Romanov family, so I was excited to read this book!

I thank my lucky stars that I'm not royalty. Poor Julie. She had to endure a grueling 40-day journey to meet a young man who was unruly and confrontational. After 8 torturous days, Konstantin picked Julie for his bride. Then her new life started at 14 years old. Her new husband was abusive, promiscuous, and unfaithful.

Fortunately, Alexander and Elise cared about Julie's welfare and helped her many times. In fact, Tsar Alexander allowed Julie a divorce after 24 years of marriage. The rest of her life was filled with joy and sadness.

This is the perfect book for anyone who has a love for history! The author's research is extensive. I'll definitely be reading more of her books!

I was provided a complimentary copy of the book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Rebel Romanov brought a new period of Russia to my attention. It was so interesting learning about history, but written in a completely understandable, and interesting manner.

I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading about history, especially with strong women we might not have heard of.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #TheRebelRomanov #HelenRappaport #StMartinsPress

I received a copy of The Rebel Romanov from Netgalley for an honest review. I was excited to read this book. I love history, but hadn't read much on Russia's prior the 1900's. I feel as though the author did a great job telling the story in a way that was relatable and informative without being overwhelming or too factual. The only thing I really struggled with were all the names and name changes and name spellings, which made it difficult to ascertain who was being talked about at times. I also found myself often distracted from the plot, and looking up the paintings discussed, Elfenau, and other information to supplement my reading, which was unnecessary but enjoyable.

Overall, an interesting and smart read.

The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport is a great nonfiction that shines a light on lesser known woman in history.

I really liked this one. I have read several books by HR and have always been impressed with her subject matter, passion, and level of research. And this one did not disappoint.

I have also read many books on the Romanovs and Julie is definitely not addressed as much as some of the other family members.

The eighteenth century was a volatile time in its own way just like this century is turning out, however the things that Julie of Saxe-Coburg experienced before, during, and after her marriage to Konstantin of the Russian Imperial Family are just fascinating (well maybe not for her). Knowing what I know of the surrounding historical figures related to her, really adds to this book. I loved learning something new.

5/5 stars

Thank you to St Martins Press for this wonderful physical arc and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 4/15/25.

This was an amazing read! I never knew of this aunt of Queen Victoria. It's such a tragic tale too! I never understood why European royals would sacrifice their children on the altar of political power. As we have learned time and time again, this has been the case in royal families. I understand the need to make allies. But at the expense of making your child unhappy? NO! And in Julia's case to be married to such a sadistic brute and expected to live with it? TRuly sad! This was a compelling read and I enjoyed it immensely!

Unfortunately, I just could not stand this. The writing was just so dry and I felt myself zoning out every few sentences.

The subtitle of this book (“Julie of Saxe-Coburg, The Empress Russia Never Had”) is a little misleading, because Julie (also known as Grand Duchess Anna Feodorovna of Russia) was never meant to be empress of anything. Her brother-in-law, Alexander, was the sibling directly in line for the throne when she married into the Romanov family, and by the time Grand Duke Konstantin could've become tsar of Russia (a job he enthusiastically declined), he and Julie were already divorced. I mean, I suppose in a way that does make her an “empress Russia never had,” but by that definition I'm also an empress Russia never had. If there's ever a biography written about me, I hereby request that it also be subtitled in the same manner as this one, mostly because it'd be hilarious.

Anyway. The Rebel Romanov is an entertaining glimpse into Julie's life and how the Saxe-Coburgs helped to shape the royal families of Europe. And, if I'm being completely honest, Julie is probably one of the least interesting characters in this book. That's not necessarily a bad thing – she certainly has a story worth being told – but her main claim to fame is marrying a Russian grand duke, a dysfunctional marriage that really only lasted a few years (they lived separated-but-still-technically married for a couple of decades, however). From then on out, she lived a relatively low-key existence, although not a poverty-stricken one as she still received a hefty allowance from the Russian government. Meanwhile, many of her relatives went on to hold extremely powerful positions across Europe – her brother, Leopold, became king of Belgium and her niece and nephew were Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of the UK. And that's just the tip of the iceberg as far as Saxe-Coburg royalty is concerned – to say they were an incredibly ambitious family is definitely an understatement.

And, yes, both Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert were relatives of Julie's. European royalty is so inbred, you guys. So many cousins marrying cousins, and one of Julie's brothers even married his niece. Blech. And don't even get me started on all of the infidelity … at least the resulting illegitimate children probably had a deeper gene pool, I suppose?

As the author says in the epilogue, “much of Julie's life remains hidden from us.” There are numerous “might haves” in her story, and many documents that would have shed light on her inner thoughts and feelings have been intentionally destroyed or lost to time. Rappaport, however, has done a tremendous job of compiling the information about Julie that remains, and the history of the Saxe-Coburg lineage is truly fascinating. Anyone looking to learn more about the Romanovs, German history, or even the history of European royalty as a whole will likely find this book informative and entertaining.

My overall rating: 4.25 stars, rounded down.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review. Its expected publication date is April 15, 2025.

Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press.

I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review

The story of a.German princess who finds herself married to a Russian prince. It becomes a clash of power as she fights to gain her freedom n a world dominate by male. Most do not remember much of her n history as she fought against cruelty of the times despite her linage. For those who like history will be interested in this book.

I read two chapters and lost track of who was who. You cannot write a historical novel and present fifty characters in the first two chapters. I lost all incentive to read this book. This kind of book demands simplicity to engage the reader. I was disengaged.

The Rebel Romanov is captivating. In today’s world, it is a pleasure to escape to the Eighteenth Century. This particular study of one woman who suffered the worst of all possible worlds, married off (as that is how social status, expansion of dynasties etc. was done) to a Russian mad man (Konstantine) who terribly mistreated her as well as his troops. It would be interesting to know what the suicidal rate was in the 1700’s. The story here could compete with any reality show or soap opera in the 21st century.. It’s a journey that takes the reader through the life of a remarkable woman..

Julie of Saxe-Coburg was married off at the age of fourteen to Konstatine, a Russian prince. She became a Grand Duchess. This is the story of her life.
I really enjoyed this book. The political assignations were fascinating. I had never heard of Julie before reading this, so I found it very interesting. Highly recommended.

Thanks in advance to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

Marriage is hard. It is especially hard when you are a nearly broke German princess and you get married to a Russian prince who, how shall I put this lightly, has a significant personality disorder. Welcome to the story of Julie Saxe-Coburg!

Helen Rappaport tells Julie's story in her book The Rebel Romanov. You may not have heard about Julie, but you probably did hear about many other people in this book connected to her like Catherine the Great, Queen Victoria, Tsar Alexander, and various other royalty. Julie was a major part of the truly weird game of intermarriage that European royalty loved to take part in.

My enjoyment and rating of this book is based mostly on Rappaport's writing. She balances numerous characters (who frustratingly usually have the same names) and gives an excellent picture of the time they all lived in. Major players are highlighted but never completely overtake the narrative.

My singular issue with the book is a big one but not the fault of the author. Julie is not a very interesting main character at least as far as we can tell. Much of her correspondence needed to be kept secret or destroyed to avoid the ire of the Russian monarchy. Her exile from court meant she did not have any major influence on world events. It didn't help that she was also sickly (which may have been her husband's fault) and thus didn't travel as extensively as might be expected. Rappaport works with what she has, and the book is still very good. However, I think non-history nerds might be underwhelmed by Julie's story.

(This book was provided as an advance reader copy by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press.)

Deeply researched and intelligently written. Chocked full of historical data but for me personally, it reads like an encyclopedia. I was expecting more of a story. Great for anyone needing research data.