There's a couple of interactions throughout the years and then off scene letters between the MCs that we were showed a couple of them that were as bland as they can get and then there's the big reunion that left me unimpressed. Owlcrate did a theme a while back, ‘Courtly Intrigue’, a lot of this book was very much giving that. Given the other books this author has written, I find it inappropriate to try to capitalize on this tragedy into anything of a “spicy” nature.

In this world it’s filled with magic and there is tons of different types from fire welding to scrying. How she tells about her life mixing it with actual history , but with a twist, I love the fact that Rasputin could have been a vampire, that was very clever . The development of her character and the relationships she shared with the people in her life added layers and depth.It was more like historical metafiction rather what it was advertised as, that’s romantic/ spicy retelling. I didn’t have much expectations, just that it was one of my most anticipated read and I was excited. I mean, the depth of her characters is so heart-warming, it makes you want to rally for them, cry with them and support them in every way. I even like to go as far as this is my favorite Anastasia retelling, not that I have read too many of them, Anyways. I enjoyed seeing facts I was familiar with included in the story along with the spin the author put on certain aspects to incorporate the fantastical and supply explanations for some things we will never truly know.

We do get time jumps with them aging as the story goes on but for most of the story Anastasia is like 16 (like the 20-65%-ish range that is her age). They often took lovers, especially the unwed girls, but sometimes the married ones, too, if their husbands annoyed them or stayed away too long. And, this is a really thick book, so I thought that it would definitely be able to touch upon the several areas of the story. I do feel like I have to temper expectations because I feel like I was expecting something totally different. This story is the story that I never knew I wanted to read, I was familiar with the Romanov's history and how they met their brutal end and what followed afterwards, but I loved the world that Sophie Lark has created, filled with love, magic and tragedy.Of the five books I’ve read this is her only fantasy-retelling and her most recent work, the others were dark mafia romances that I liked a lot, even though the subgenre isn’t exactly my favorite. One thing I expect from Fantasy Romance, no matter what the scenario, is that the two parts are equally represented. Their moments as a couple are touching and meaningful, but again I do not think their relationship is the biggest story line. If you want to read a better written fantasy romance that has similar elements as Lark’s: magical powers passed through a bloodline, do yourself a favor and just read Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series. Like so many other people, Anastasia was one of my favourite films as a little girl, when I heard Sophie was writing a retelling I hoped it was going to be great, it’s my first read by Sophie so I had no idea what to expect in terms of her writing.

Sophie divided the book into six parts that are all needed to complete the story, but do not expect to get through them quickly. If you’re writing a fantasy story that’s based on real life history – that’s actually using historical figures that lived and breathed as your characters – you have to have changes. That NEVER happens lol, I just wanted Damien and Anastasia to have everything because they deserve the absolute world. A dark epic fantasy romance, enemies to lovers with heartache, a gripping plot, and characters you become utterly attached too, Anastasia is a must add to your TBR. This is a chunky 600+ page book and I flew through it like it was nothing, it held me captive for hours.i remember watching as a kid but i wasn't thinking "yeah but what if her and the floppy hair dude BONED" ya know? The prose in this book far surpasses what she’s ever written, my heart ached while I read it and i cried simply from how strongly i felt the love and devotion of these characters coming off the page. People who know Russian history don't need that much of a recap, especially from an uncomprehending amateur, and people who don't - kinda don't expect it to be that fake deep. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products.