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賴賲爻乇 倬賳賴丕賳蹖

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賰鬲丕亘 芦賴賲爻乇 倬賳賴丕賳蹖禄 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 丕夭 丿賵 夭賲丕賳 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 乇丕 乇賵丕賷鬲 賰乇丿賴 賵 亘賴 賴賲 倬賷賵賳丿 賲蹖鈥屫操嗀� 賰賴 賷賰蹖 丕夭 爻丕賱 郾酃郾鄞 賵 丿乇 丿賵乇丕賳蹖 丌睾丕夭 賲蹖鈥屫促堌� 賰賴 乇賵爻賷賴鈥屰� 鬲夭丕乇蹖 丿乇 賰卮賲賰卮 噩賳诏 賵 丌卮賵亘 賵 丿乇 丌爻鬲丕賳賴鈥屰� 爻賯賵胤 賯乇丕乇 丿丕乇丿 賵 丿乇 丕賷賳 诏賷乇 賵 丿丕乇 芦鬲丕鬲賷丕賳丕禄貙 丿賵卮爻 亘夭乇诏 乇賵賲丕賳賵賮貙 丿賱亘丕禺鬲賴鈥屰� 丕賮爻乇 爻賵丕乇賴 賳馗丕賲 賲蹖鈥屫促堌�. 賵 丕夭 爻賵蹖 丿賷诏乇 賲丕噩乇丕賷蹖 乇丕 丿乇 爻丕賱 鄄郯郾鄱 賳賯賱 賲蹖鈥屬冑嗀� 賰賴 芦賰賷鬲蹖 賮賷卮乇禄 亘毓丿 丕夭 倬蹖 鈥屫ㄘ必� 亘賴 禺賷丕賳鬲 賴賲爻乇卮 亘賴 賰賱亘賴鈥屫й� 賰賴 倬丿乇 噩丿卮 亘賴 丕賵 亘賴 丕乇孬 乇爻賷丿賴 倬賳丕賴 賲蹖鈥屫ㄘ必� 鬲丕 丕賮賰丕乇卮 乇丕 賲乇鬲亘 賵 丌乇丕賲 賰賳丿貙 丕賲丕 亘賴 胤賵乇 丕鬲賮丕賯蹖 诏乇丿賳鈥屫①堎娯槽� 乇丕 賲蹖鈥屬娯жㄘ� 賰賴 丕賵 乇丕 亘賴 爻賵蹖 乇賲夭诏卮丕賷蹖 丕夭 乇丕夭蹖 賮乇丕賲賵卮 卮丿賴 賵 禺丕賳賵丕丿诏蹖 賴丿丕賷鬲 賲蹖鈥屬嗁呚з娯�. 丕賷賳 賰鬲丕亘 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 爻乇卮丕乇 丕夭 毓卮賯貙 賮賯丿丕賳 賵 鬲賱丕卮 亘乇丕蹖 乇爻賷丿賳 亘賴 賲毓卮賵賯 乇丕 亘賷丕賳 賲蹖鈥屬冑嗀� 賰賴 賲丕噩乇丕賷蹖 賱匕鬲鈥屫ㄘ� 賵 賮乇丕賲賵卮 賳卮丿賳蹖 乇丕 亘乇丕蹖 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴 亘賴 丕乇賲睾丕賳 賲蹖鈥屫①堌必�

496 pages, Paperback

First published August 25, 2016

10k people are currently reading
40.6k people want to read

About the author

Gill Paul

52books1,777followers
Gill Paul is the international bestselling author of thirteen novels, many of them reevaluating extraordinary twentieth-century women whom she believes have been marginalized or misjudged. Her novels have reached the top of the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and Toronto Globe & Mail charts, and have been translated into twenty-three languages.
Her latest novel, Scandalous Women (2024), is about trailblazing authors Jackie Collins and Jacqueline Susann battling their way to the top in the misogynous boys' club of 1960s publishing. A Beautiful Rival (2023) is about the infamous feud between beauty tycoons Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein. Jackie and Maria (2020) was longlisted for the Historical Writers鈥� Association Gold Crown. The Collector鈥檚 Daughter (2021) was named a Times 鈥榟istorical novel of the month鈥� and The Manhattan Girls (2022), was reviewed in The Sun as a 鈥渟weeping, evocative tale鈥� and in The Book List as 鈥淲itty, emotional and intelligent鈥�.
Gill also writes historical non-fiction, including A History of Medicine in 50 Objects and a series of Love Stories. Published around the world, this series includes Royal Love Stories, World War I Love Stories and Titanic Love Stories.
Gill lives in London where she swims year round in a wild pond, and speaks at libraries and literary festivals on topics ranging from Tutankhamun to the Romanovs.

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5 stars
20,866 (43%)
4 stars
17,859 (37%)
3 stars
7,278 (15%)
2 stars
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665 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,166 reviews
Profile Image for Candace.
1,179 reviews4,887 followers
August 2, 2017
'The Secret Wife' was a nice, enjoyable historical fiction/romance. Although it lacked the "wow" factor, I found it to be a good story overall. It was interesting and I enjoyed the details related to the time period. However, given the subject matter, the book lacked the suspense that I would have expected.

The story alternates timeframes, as well as locations. In 2016, Kitty Fisher discovers that her husband is having an affair. She has recently inherited a cabin in the United States from a great-grandfather that she never knew existed. Given the recent revelations about her marriage, she packs her bags and leaves her home in London, setting out for the cabin at Lake Akanabee.

Soon after her arrival, Kitty discovers some old writings in the cabin. She becomes consumed with uncovering the story of her great-grandfather, Dmitri Malama. The more she unearths, the more apparent it becomes that Dmitri's life was anything but unremarkable.

Through the writings, a new look at Russia in 1914 and the downfall of the Romanov family is offered. Unlike many other stories centered on the Romanov family, which tend to speculate about Anastasia's fate, this book focuses on Tatiana Romanov. I found this part of the story to be fascinating and highly entertaining. I lavished in every detail of this era in Russian history.

Dmitri was a cavalry officer who meets Tatiana when he is injured. Tatiana volunteers at the hospital where he is sent for treatment. The two fall in love, only to be separated thereafter by the overthrow of the Russian Tsar and the subsequent restrictions placed on the Romanov family.

Even after the reported murder of the Romanovs, Dmitri holds out hope that Tatiana is alive. Eventually, he gives up hope. He goes on to start a family of his own and relocates to America.

However, things aren't always what they seem. When fate thrusts Tatiana back into his life, Dmitri is forced to make some very hard choices. Can he reconcile his love for Tatiana with the new life that he has made for himself and the wife that has stuck by his side throughout the years?

All things considered, I expected this to be a much more emotional read. Instead, it felt sweet and maybe even a little sad. Even with Tatiana's reappearance, the story failed to elicit the tremendous emotional highs and lows that I expected. Things just fell together too perfectly.

Dmitri's wife was just too accepting and almost complacent. I even felt the same way about how things worked out for Kitty and her husband. It was like these characters had been given a heavy dose of a sedative. Where was the anger and sense of betrayal?

Overall, it ended up being a good but not great type of story for me. It had a lot of unrealized potential. I needed more emotion and a stronger connection to the characters. It felt kind of "flat" to me, for lack of a better descriptor.

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Profile Image for Dem.
1,245 reviews1,378 followers
March 13, 2021
1.5 Stars

Dear Book

I feel we have come so far in our relationship that I can now be honest with you.
I think it is time we parted company, despite our mutual friend pairing us together with the hope that our relationship would be the one that would be the talk of 2017. You probably think I am going to say the usual " it's me and not you". But let me assure you it's all "YOU". Despite your handsome facade, you just don't have any depth or knowledge that I require for a long term relationship. In fact I found you rather twee and your lines cliched and wasted on me. Despite the many lovers you boast about I certainly will not become a dog ear on your page. I know you will find many more admirers more deserving of your romance than me therefore I don't feel so bad parting on bad terms. I have my standards and you just don't meet them. My words may seem harsh as many of your previously lovers raved about you but I feel honestly is the best policy and I know you will be partnered with someone else who will appreciate your romantic lines much more than me. Xx
Profile Image for Julie .
4,209 reviews38.1k followers
March 22, 2017
The Secret Wife by Gill Paul is a 2016 Avon publication.

This book is an amazing, epic love story, unlike any I鈥檝e read in a long time!

When Kitty Fischer makes a shocking discovery about her life and marriage, she flees England in search of the property in the Adirondacks she recently inherited. The place is in horrible disrepair, but she sets to work restoring it, while searching out her personal connection to her great-grandfather, Dmitri, the original owner of the property. This is a journey that will take the reader all the way back to 1914 where Dmitri is recovering from a war wound, and meets the great love of his life, Tatiana Romanov.

Like most of you, I have heard stories about the Romanov family. Most of us are familiar with Anastasia, but this novel features her sister, Tatiana, which is a refreshing change of pace. I have not thought about the Romanov family in a very long time, and for some reason, books based on the family or this period in history never seems to show up on my radar. So, because it was so unlike other historical fiction, I normally read, this one really captivated me.

While Kitty does the research into her family tree and discovers the shocking truth about her grandfather, she is feverishly restoring the cabin she inherited, and avoiding contact with her husband until she figures out how to get her life back on track. Her story is the contemporary thread that links the past with the present, but it鈥檚 Dmitri and Tatiana鈥檚 story that held me prisoner, and broke my heart into a million pieces.

The author obviously did a great deal of painstaking research, providing incredible and lush details that put me right there in the midst of royal opulence, only to later find myself experiencing the fall of the Tsar and the horrors of war, right along with Dimitri and Tatiana. We follow their tragic, but, powerful love story, and Dmitri鈥檚 years following the war. I was absolutely on the edge of my seat, riveted, and mesmerized!

I also enjoyed Kitty鈥檚 personal growth, her journey toward self-discovery, her awakening, so to speak. Although, she could have worded it a little better, I was happy she decided to use a negative experience as a chance to take stock of her life and made something good come from something bad.

Those of you who have followed my reviews, know that on occasion, I whine about the demise of the sweeping romantic historical sagas of old, so you can imagine how very much I loved this story!

The only thing left to say is: READ THIS BOOK!!


5 stars!!
Profile Image for Peiman.
603 reviews181 followers
February 17, 2024
亘賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕賲鬲蹖丕夭 鄞 丿丕丿賲 賵賱蹖 賵丕賯毓丕 賳賲蹖鈥屫堎嗁� 趩乇丕! 亘賴 賳馗乇賲 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭卮 丿乇爻鬲 亘賵丿 丕丨鬲賲丕賱丕賸 賲乇囟 丿丕乇賲 讴賴 鄣 賳賲蹖鈥屫�. 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿乇 丿賵 夭賲丕賳 賲鬲賮丕賵鬲 亘賴 胤賵乇 賲鬲賳丕賵亘 鬲毓乇蹖賮 賲蹖卮賴. 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 爻丕賱賴丕蹖 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 丕賵賱 賵 丌卮賵亘鈥屬囏й� 乇賵爻蹖赖鈥屰� 鬲夭丕乇蹖 卮乇賵毓 賲蹖卮賴 賵 亘爻鬲乇蹖 卮丿賳 丿蹖賲蹖鬲乇蹖 丿乇 亘蹖賲丕乇爻鬲丕賳 賵 倬乇爻鬲丕乇蹖 丿賵卮爻 乇賵賲丕賳賮鈥屬囏� 丕夭 丕賵賳 賵 鬲丕 爻丕賱鈥屬囏� 亘毓丿 丕丿丕賲賴 倬蹖丿丕 賲蹖鈥屭┵嗁�. 賵 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿賵賲 丿乇 爻丕賱 鄄郯郾鄱 卮乇賵毓 賲蹖卮賴 噩丕蹖蹖 讴賴 讴蹖鬲蹖 丕夭 禺蹖丕賳鬲 卮賵賴乇卮 賲胤賱毓 卮丿賴 賵 亘蹖鈥屫ㄘ� 丕夭 賱賳丿賳 亘賴 讴賱亘賴鈥屫й� 丿乇 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 爻賮乇 讴乇丿賴 讴賴 丕禺蹖乇丕賸 亘賴 丕乇孬 亘乇丿賴. 丕蹖賳 丿賵 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 丿乇 賴賲 鬲賳蹖丿賴 賲蹖卮賴 鬲丕 丕賳鬲賴丕 亘賴 賴賲 亘乇爻賴. 丕蹖賳 讴賴 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 蹖讴 爻乇蹖 丨賯丕蹖賯 鬲丕乇蹖禺蹖 乇賵 亘丕 鬲禺蹖賱 賲禺賱賵胤 讴乇丿賴 賵 趩賳蹖賳 丿丕爻鬲丕賳蹖 亘丕 鬲賲 毓丕卮賯丕賳赖 賳賵卮鬲賴 賵丕賯毓丕 亘乇丕賲 噩匕丕亘 亘賵丿. 賴蹖趩 賲賵囟賵毓 丨賱 賳卮丿賴鈥屫й� 丿乇 丌禺乇 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 亘丕賯蹖 賳賲賵賳丿 賵 丕蹖賳 賴賲 蹖讴 丕賲鬲蹖丕夭 賲孬亘鬲 亘乇丕蹖 讴鬲丕亘蹖 亘丕 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓 亘賵丿. 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳卮 賱匕鬲 亘乇丿賲.賴
Profile Image for *TANYA*.
1,002 reviews409 followers
September 7, 2017
Great book!!! "Something" in this book didn't sit well with me. I was going to knock off a star as soon as I came across "it". My mind was made up however my opinion changed towards the end. I'm not saying "it's" okay but I understand. The heart wants what it wants!!!!
Profile Image for Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede.
2,021 reviews869 followers
August 28, 2017
I had already decided that this was a book that I really wanted to read before I got an email about participating in a blog tour for the book. I been interested in the Romanovs for years and reading a mystery book about Grand Duchess Tatiana was too tempting to resist. I was especially thrilled about reading about Tatiana instead of Anastasia who otherwise seems to be the most popular sister to write about.

The Secret Wife has two storylines. One in the present time with Kitty leaving her husband in London settling in her great-grandfather's remote cabin in America. There she discovers that her grandfather was a writer and she finds a pendant that once belonged to a dog whose owner was a Russain Grand Duchess. And, in the past storyline, we get to met her young grandfather when he wounded is taking care off by a very special nurse.

This is a what if story. What if Dmitri and Tatiana had really fallen in love and what if he had tried everything to save her life? What would be the consequences? I looked up Tatiana and Dmitri on Wikipedia and was surprised to learn that Dmitri really had existed and that Tatiana had nursed him when he was wounded. So, even thou the book is fiction, does it have some historical bearing. I especially like that the story took some surprising turns, that it turned out to be darker and sadder story than I had expected when I started to read the book. The people in this book make rash decisions and some decisions will have ramifications years later.

This is a book where both storylines are good. I liked reading about how Kitty discovered more about her great-grandfather life and thus learning more about her family. And, Dmitri's storyline is just as intriguing.
Profile Image for Lynn.
410 reviews1 follower
April 7, 2017
I could not get into this story at all. It felt like there was no character development and because of that the story felt completely fake and made the characters unlikable. Not to mention the fact that the characters in this story said and did things that seemed so out of the norm of what any rational person would do or say. I had to force myself to finish this book.
Profile Image for Margitte.
1,188 reviews646 followers
April 8, 2017
This is a big ... fat ... preposterous ... WHAT IF. But a good read nevertheless.

A mystery built around the Romanovs of Russia. A fantasy built around one of the daughter's, Tatiana's, romances with a soldier. And then it becomes a story within a story when Kitty Fischer, one of the descendants, inherits a remote cottage at a lake and tries to find out more about her great-grandfather. Decide on the Romanoff connection as the axle, and then add the rest of the story in the American idiom, and you get this book. Relationships run parallel and wisdom from the past solve the problems of the present.

The novel is what it is. I enjoyed it as such. Some little peeves got me into sleuth-mode. For instance: 'Dmitri had lost touch with his daughter Marta when he died and I have no idea why.鈥� Huh? Perhaps he was too dead to get in touch with her? **laughing here**. Oops!
(Shouldn't the sentence read: 'Dmitri had lost touch with his daughter Marta LONG BEFORE he died ...?)

Another one: Kitty's computer sent an email from her drafts ... No m'am it ain't gonna happen, unless someone is lying, or it is a novelist fantasy like this one. :-))

Aside from that, it was a good read, for those who did not know much about the Romanovs. A light-ish kind of read, with serious, serious, shocking, brutal undertones. It gives the story substance. Lots of it. And yes, a perfect example of successful modern polygamy. Endearing and heart-breaking.

This story is written in the same style as The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah. So yes, try it on for size. It's gripping and relaxing in the almost chick-lit style, but absolutely and definitely worth it.
Profile Image for Marguerite Kaye.
Author听250 books341 followers
Read
November 20, 2016
Oh dear, this is one of those books that everyone seems to love, and that simply didn't work for me. Since I skim-read the vast majority of it, I can't rate it but I'll try to explain why.

Basically, I liked the premise, I usually like Richard and Judy recommendations, having just finished Simon Sebag Monefiorie's brilliant Romanovs, I was ready for a time-slip involving one of the grand duchesses. But...

Firstly, I simply couldn't buy the premise. Rightly or wrongly, Tatiana seemed all wrong compared to what I've read of her, and she didn't come to life at all in the book.

Ms Paul is clearly a huge fan of the history of the period, and she's read masses. It shows, though for me not in a good way. There was way, way too much of the history put in there in a factual and very passive way. For example, lots of details about WWI battles 'read' from newspapers that was pretty unnecessary to the story. And lots of little snippets that were tell don't show - one that comes to mind is the comment about Catherine's dead dogs being buried in a garden. These are the kind of things almost every other reviewer seems to have enjoyed but for me they jarred, they read like the author had so many facts at her fingertips she wanted to put them all in. And although we definitely needed history for context, in my view, we didn't need so many lectures.

Next up was the modern character of Kitty. I absolutely loathed the woman. She discovers her husband has been playing away in a horrible way. She confronts her best friend, who knows about it but she then runs away from her and from her husband. She doesn't really seem to care much for her husband, but then she becomes like a dog with a bone - she doesn't want anyone else to have him, so she wants him back. But does she do anything about it? Nope, she just hides, and hides, and hides. And does she really love him - frankly I didn't buy that at all. When finally this part of the story is resolved, Kitty goes back to London, meets up with Tom for a night, they talk about what she's been doing, she decides she's going to be a carpenter - and that's it!!!! No discussion of their relationship, no discussion of the effect each other's behaviour had on the other, just - okay, it's done now, we really love each other, now let's get on. As I said, I skim read much of this, so this might be a complete mis-interpretation, but it's how it came over to me.

In a timeslip, one of the conventions is to draw parallels between the front and back story. It's one of the things I really enjoy about the genre, how history teaches us. I didn't feel that it worked in this story. Maybe my expectations were wrong.

And finally, something I've already touched on, was the very passive narrative style. Again, I can't find any other reviewers who commented on this, maybe it's just a bugbear with me, but I found it distanced me from all of the characters, and I'm afraid I didn't even empathise with poor Tatiana.

I'm a lone voice. Just ignore me, and try this one for yourself.
Profile Image for Erin.
3,629 reviews470 followers
August 15, 2017
3.5 I gulped this down faster than an ice cold beer on a hot summer day stars.

Those poor Romanovs! Aren't we ever going to let their souls rest in peace? However, just like I couldn't help but get swept up in a huge historical "what if?" The whole premise is a dual narrative. The first, takes place in Russia/Germany/America between 1914-1986 and introduced readers to soldier, Dmitri Malama, who meets the Grand Duchess, Tatiana, daughter of Tsar Alexansr. The two fall in love, but history is about to play its hand. Or will someone in the Romanov family escape their fate?

The contemporary storyline, takes place in 2016 and centers around Dmitri's great grandaughter, Kitty. Kitty flees her cheating husband in England and heads to America and Dmitri's cabin. Soon she will stumble upon a long buried family secret.

Gosh, I just couldn't put this bloody book down. Highly readable even if the "romance" is so cheesy and the dialogue a bit like a 70's romance. But I loved this cotton candy for my brain!

Perfect read for a getaway to the cottage or lounging on the beach.
Profile Image for Karen.
986 reviews572 followers
August 31, 2016
Having loved Gill鈥檚 previous book (No Place For a Lady) I was very much looking forward to reading this and I wasn鈥檛 disappointed. I鈥檝e always had a fascination for the Russian Romanov family and it鈥檚 well documented in history how they met their fate. What the author has done with The Secret Wife, and so very well, is to combine fiction with fact to make a spellbinding tale of love and loss.

I love dual narrative and timeslip but quite often prefer one period to another 鈥� as I thought would be the case here. Initially, I thought that Kitty鈥檚 story would be the weakest of the two but as the story progressed and her investigations led to more being known about the later years of her long lost relation together with the discovery of family secrets, I found that I enjoyed both timelines equally. Although Kitty was mainly the vehicle for the telling of her great-grandfather鈥檚 story, she became a stronger character in her own right. I was very impressed with her carpentry skills whilst repairing the remote lakeside cabin that she inherited!

The story primarily focuses on cavalry officer Dimitri Yakovlevich Malama and his love for The Grand Duchess Tatiana. Although he had been an Imperial Guard for the family, their most personal encounter was in a converted hospital ward at the Catherine Palace at Tsarskoe Selo when Dimiti, aged 23, was recovering from injuries suffered during the fighting at the front between the Russians and Germans. Tatiana together with her sister Olga and their mother were helping to tend the wounded and the brief times that Dimitri and Tatiana spent together was the beginning of a love that would be both wonderful and the cause of so much heartache and danger.

This is a story spanning the years from 1914, including the Bolshevik revolution in 1918 and then in later years up to 2016. The research has been meticulous and the setting, the characters and the turmoil and brutality of the revolution were all bought to life. From the extravagance and opulence of the Tsar and his family 鈥� they gave each other Faberge eggs as presents and, later, with the Romanov women sewing their precious jewels in their underclothes for safekeeping; to the dreadfully harsh conditions suffered by the poorest of Russian citizens giving rise to the revolution and then the cruelty and determination of the Red Army to take control and to rid Russia of the wealthiest and most hated families 鈥� particularly the Romanov Royal family.

I became completely absorbed in the lives of Dimitri and Tatiana. Dimitri was a brave soldier but with an impulsive nature who was later to regret certain decisions he had made. Tatiana we knew slightly less about although she appeared to be a very brave and resilient young woman if a little naive and unworldly due to her family鈥檚 extreme wealth. Reference is made to her mother鈥檚 (Alexandra, the Tsarina) dependence on the healer and mystic, Rasputin, and the influence he had over the family. With her husband, the Tsar, away commanding his army, she was left in control. Because of her German ancestry, she was regarded with suspicion and thought by some of being a traitor during Russia鈥檚 war with Germany.

I don鈥檛 want to go into too much detail about the rest of the story and risk spoiling it but I absolutely loved The Secret Wife and it will be on my top books of the year list for 2016. This is only the second book I have read by Gill Paul but what I love about her writing is the way her vivid descriptions bring the story alive, you can鈥檛 help but be pulled into the story and feel an emotional attachment to the characters.

The Secret Wife is a captivating and often emotional story of a fascinating and brutal period in history. Gill Paul has woven into history her own view of events. I would love to believe that her version is the true one.
Profile Image for Skorofido Skorofido.
292 reviews204 followers
December 23, 2018
危蔚 未蠀慰 蟿伪渭蟺位蠋 畏 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪鈥�
蟽蟿慰 蟽萎渭蔚蟻伪 蠈蟺慰蠀 畏 螝委蟿蟿蠀 伪谓伪魏伪位蠉蟺蟿蔚喂 蟺蠅蟼 蟿蟻蠋蔚喂 鈥樜何佄毕勎库€� 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰谓 蟽蠉味蠀纬慰 魏伪喂 伪谓蟿委 蠄蠀蠂慰胃蔚蟻伪蟺蔚委伪蟼, 伪蟺慰蠁伪蟽委味蔚喂 谓伪 蟺维蔚喂 蟽蟿畏 位委渭谓畏 螒魏伪谓维渭蟺喂 蠈蟺慰蠀 慰 蟺蟻慰蟺维蟺蟺慰蠀蟼 蟿畏蟼, 蟿畏蟼 苇蠂蔚喂 魏位畏蟻慰未慰蟿萎蟽蔚喂 渭喂伪 蟺伪蟻维纬魏伪鈥�
蟽蟿慰 渭伪魏蟻喂谓蠈 蠂胃蔚蟼鈥� 蟽蟿畏谓 蟺蟻慰蔚蟺伪谓伪蟽蟿伪蟿喂魏萎 巍蠅蟽委伪, 蟽蟿慰 蟽蟺委蟿喂, 位苇渭蔚 蟿蠋蟻伪 蟽蟺委蟿喂, 蟿蠅谓 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁鈥� 魏喂 蔚谓蠋 苇蠂慰蠀谓 纬蟻伪蠁蟿蔚委 蟺慰位位维 魏喂 苇蠂慰蠀谓 蔚喂蟺蠅胃蔚委 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委伪 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿蠅谓 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁, 蟿畏谓 螒谓伪蟽蟿伪蟽委伪 (渭苇蠂蟻喂 魏伪喂 蟺伪喂未喂魏萎 蟿伪喂谓委伪 苇蠂蔚喂 纬蠀蟻喂蟽蟿蔚委), 蔚维谓 纬位委蟿蠅蟽蔚 萎 蠈蠂喂鈥� 蟺慰位蠉 位喂纬蠈蟿蔚蟻伪 蔚委谓伪喂 纬谓蠅蟽蟿维 纬喂伪 蟿畏谓 韦伪蟿喂维谓伪 (蟿畏 未蔚蠉蟿蔚蟻畏 魏蠈蟻畏 蟿慰蠀 蟿蟽维蟻慰蠀)
螤维谓蠅 蟽蔚 未喂维蠁慰蟻伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏维 纬蔚纬慰谓蠈蟿伪 魏伪喂 伪魏蠈渭伪 蟺蔚蟻喂蟽蟽蠈蟿蔚蟻蔚蟼 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏苇蟼 蠀蟺慰胃苇蟽蔚喂蟼, 蠂蟿委味蔚喂 畏 蟽蠀纬纬蟻伪蠁苇伪蟼 蟿喂蟼 未蠉慰 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委蔚蟼鈥� 蟺慰蠀 蠁蠀蟽喂魏维 魏维蟺慰蠀 魏维蟺蠅蟼 魏维蟺慰蟿蔚 蔚谓蠋谓慰谓蟿伪喂鈥�
螣喂 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁 蟽蟿慰谓 螒鈥� 螤伪纬魏蠈蟽渭喂慰 螤蠈位蔚渭慰, 慰喂 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁 蠁蠀位伪魏喂蟽渭苇谓慰喂, 慰喂 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁 魏维蟿蠅 伪蟺蠈 蟿慰 蠂蠋渭伪, 慰喂 蠁萎渭蔚蟼 纬喂伪 蟿慰蠀蟼 巍慰渭伪谓蠋蠁 伪谓 谓蔚魏蟻伪谓伪蟽蟿萎胃畏魏伪谓鈥�
螤维胃畏, 渭蠀蟽蟿喂魏维, 蟿蠉蠄蔚喂蟼, 蠄蠀蠂慰位慰纬喂魏苇蟼 魏伪蟿伪蟻蟻蔚蠉蟽蔚喂蟼鈥� 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓 伪谓维纬谓蠅蟽渭伪 蠂蠅蟻委蟼 谓伪 伪蟺慰纬蔚喂蠋谓蔚蟿伪喂 伪位位维 未蔚谓 渭蔚蟿维谓喂蠅蟽伪 蟺慰蠀 蟿慰 未喂维尾伪蟽伪鈥� 螝伪位萎 蟽蠉谓未蔚蟽畏 蟿蠅谓 未蠉慰 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂蠋谓, 蟿伪 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏维 蟽蟿慰喂蠂蔚委伪 未蔚谓 魏慰蠀蟻维味慰蠀谓, 未苇谓慰谓蟿伪喂 蠅蟻伪委伪 渭蔚 蟿畏 渭蠀胃慰蟺位伪蟽委伪 蟿蠈蟽慰 蠋蟽蟿蔚 魏维蟺慰喂伪 蟽蟿喂纬渭萎 渭蟺慰蟻蔚委 魏伪喂 谓伪 蟺喂蟽蟿苇蠄蔚喂蟼 蟺蠅蟼 蠈谓蟿蠅蟼 苇蟿蟽喂 苇纬喂谓伪谓 蟿伪 蟺蟻维纬渭伪蟿伪鈥�
螠慰蠀 魏苇谓蟿蟻喂蟽蔚 蟺维谓蟿蠅蟼 蟿慰 蔚谓未喂伪蠁苇蟻慰谓 谓伪 未喂伪尾维蟽蠅 魏伪喂 魏维蟿喂 蟺喂慰 喂蟽蟿慰蟻喂魏蠈谓 纬喂伪 蟿慰谓 蟿蔚位蔚蠀蟿伪委慰 蟿蟽维蟻慰 蟿畏蟼 巍蠅蟽委伪蟼鈥�
Profile Image for Lisa Huffaker.
24 reviews14 followers
March 18, 2017
A good idea, but poorly executed

The story regarding the Romanov's, somewhat held my interest, but I didn't care about the modern day characters. When a woman apologizes

to her husband for writing an ugly email, upon learning of his affair, it's just not plausible in my world. I just don't think they're too many women out there who would apologize for giving their husband a little grief after finding naked pics of another women on his cell phone. She continues to chastise herself and I'm thinking I would have been giving him hell. Then among the historical characters there is a women Dimitri uses to console himself while he pines away for another, but no worries she's perfectly ok with that. It's really hard to believe a woman wrote this book.
Profile Image for 陼� Ange_Lives_To_Read 陼�.
843 reviews
April 17, 2018
Fascinating historical fiction

This was one of those "can't put it down until it's finished" books. The story of the last Tsar of Russia and his family has always been completely fascinating to me - from their early lives of unbelievable wealth, to their brutal slaughter after the revolution. But could any of them have survived? One possible answer to this mystery is imagined by the author in a beautiful, heartbreaking story about Grand Duchess Tatiana and the soldier she falls in love with shortly before the revolution.
Profile Image for Stephanie Kline.
Author听4 books39 followers
October 24, 2018
You know鈥� this is a hard book to review. On one hand, I want to give it five stars, just because it introduced me to the wonderful (horrible) lives of the Russian Romanovs, and their tragic execution in 1918. This is a family 鈥� and an event 鈥� that is entirely new to me. Sure, I鈥檇 heard of the Imperial Family before, and I knew they鈥檇 come to a bloody end at some point, in some place, for some reason. But I didn鈥檛 know any specifics, and this book pulled me into their world and story. I have this author to thank for getting me interested in them and making me want to read more novels about these fascinating characters! However, the other part of me struggled through a lot of this story, because the main character, Dmitri, is a complete tool (NO, you won鈥檛 convince me otherwise, I鈥檓 sorry). Other reviews on here, saying that he鈥檚 SO romantic and sweet, and you can鈥檛 possibly help but fall in love with him yourself鈥� I just don鈥檛 understand you. Dmitri was an unlikable character (in my opinion) from the get-go, and he only became worse and worse as the book went on. I literally could not root for him as a character, and that killed a lot of the book for me.

In essence, this novel is a gigantic 鈥渨hat if鈥�, and that鈥檚 fun in a historical fiction work. What if Grand Duchess Tatiana 鈥� second daughter of Tsar Nicholas and Tsarina Alexandra 鈥� survived the grisly execution of her entire family, because her true love gallantly rescued her? What if she went on to live decades and decades longer, finding actual happiness after escaping such a tragedy? This is an interesting story line (and a controversial thought, since 鈥� until relatively recently 鈥� it was considered possible that at least one of the Romanov children might have avoided execution). The author has done some impressive research, by using Tatiana鈥檚 real 鈥渞elationship鈥� with a man named Dmitri, whom she tended as a nurse during WWI, before the height of the Russian Civil War. Using real diary entries written by Tatiana herself, this author created a true, all-consuming romance between the two characters 鈥� and this factual element is the best part of the whole book. The fact that Tatiana and Dmitri really DID know each other is fascinating (he even appears on her Wikipedia page).

Cue the fictional element of the story: Dmitri attempts to save Tatiana from the Ipatiev House where her family is held captive by the rebel government. He does heroically plan to save the rest of the family as well, but Tatiana is the priority. Well, she escapes 鈥� yet she鈥檚 soon separated from Dmitri, and her entire family is executed as a result of Dmitri鈥檚 plot. Now he鈥檚 apart from Tatiana, AND he鈥檚 caused the Imperial Family鈥檚 destruction. Yikes.

I won鈥檛 give too much away, but let me fast-forward to why and when this book went way downhill. In this novel, Dmitri hardly knows Tatiana. I鈥檓 sorry, he DOESN鈥橳. They鈥檝e spoken for like 5 minutes (a slight exaggeration, but not by much). He fell in love with her in about 2.5 seconds, and became weirdly obsessive and borderline creepy in his jealousy over her right from the beginning (not romantic). Now that they鈥檙e separated and Dmitri is in the midst of escaping Russia during this horrible political upheaval, he holds onto this obsession and 鈥渢rue love鈥�... even when he meets another woman in Germany and gets her pregnant.

Dmitri: You don鈥檛 know if Tatiana is even still alive. You barely know her. Now you have a family and a woman who truly loves you (and only wants you to love her back more than anything in the world), yet you refuse to ever show her any kind of real emotion. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

Of course, this is a 鈥渞omance鈥� novel, so we haven鈥檛 seen the last of Tatiana and Dmitri. At this point, I feel it鈥檚 important to yell at Dmitri that ADULTERY IS NOT ROMANTIC. This dumb man throws every good thing in his life away because he鈥檚 held onto this obsessive love that took approximately 2 seconds to develop FORTY YEARS AGO. No wonder he runs into so many problems as the story continues. He deserves them all.

I have no sympathy, and that kills this story for me. While I really did appreciate the amount of research put into this book, and I loved the subject matter of the Romanovs, I just hated where it went. I found myself completely disengaged by the end, and feeling like I really didn鈥檛 care what happened to Dmitri.

All in all, while some people might find this to be incredibly romantic, I found him and his outlook on life to be disrespectful, selfish, and obsessively creepy. This book warrants 1 star for content/characterization, but a solid 3-4 for research. Therefore, I鈥檓 settling on 2.
Profile Image for Abbie.
248 reviews164 followers
September 4, 2016
Wow! I adored this book! I studied A Level History as a teenager and since then have had a real fascination with Russia and Russian history, so I jumped at the chance to read this book. I鈥檓 not sure I鈥檓 going to be able to describe just how much I enjoyed it!

The Secret Wife has a dual storyline and is set in Russia from 1914 onwards and present day America. Told through the eyes of Kitty Fisher, who has fled from Britain to her great-grandfather鈥檚 cabin in America following relationship difficulties, and Dmitri Malama, a Russian cavalry officer, who is in a military hospital during the first world war.

Kitty鈥檚 side of the story centres around her coming to terms with her relationship difficulties and her finding out more about her great-grandfather, who she previously knew nothing about. I loved the genealogy aspect of the story and the unfolding of Kitty鈥檚 family secrets.

Dmitri鈥檚 side of the story tells the tale of his love affair with Grand Duchess Tatiana Romanov against the backdrop of the political instability of Russia at that time. This is the start of a beautiful but tragic love story that had me in tears by the end of the book.

Gill鈥檚 characterisation is fantastic, Dmitri is portrayed wonderfully. He is heroic and brave with the melancholia often associated with the Russian character. His passion and deep love for Tatiana is beautifully described and portrayed by Gill and you cannot help but adore him and go through his emotions with him.

It is clear that a lot of research has gone into The Secret Wife. Gill provides an accurate portrayal of Russia at this time. The difficulties faced by the Russian troops against the Germans despite their large size, the feelings of discontent towards the Romanovs who lived in luxury while their people struggled and lived in poverty, the build up to the revolution and the dire consequences of it鈥檚 success. The brutality in the way the Red Army dealt with the Romanov family is distressing but historically accurate. Gill has made this fascinating period in history understandable and interesting.
Kitty鈥檚 story is equally enjoyable. The profound impact the discovery of her great-grandfather鈥檚 life has on her is touching. Hers is a tale of learning to understand relationships, how they change with time and how to nurture them.

The Secret Wife seamlessly moves between the centuries, and as the past and present come together, you cannot help but be moved. Gill is an extremely talented writer, she has brought the story of the Romanovs vividly to life. I love the slant she has taken, drawing on past actual claims that some of the Romanov children where still alive, it really sets your imagination on fire.

I highly recommend this book. It is beautifully written, fascinating, largely historically accurate and leaves you with the thought 鈥榳hat if鈥�?鈥�

A huge thank you to Gill Paul and Helena Sheffield from Avon Books for the copy in exchange for my opinion.

Published 25 August 2016 by Avon Books.


Profile Image for Zahra.
219 reviews69 followers
April 6, 2024
禺賵丿禺賵丕賴 鬲乇 丕夭 卮禺氐蹖鬲 丕氐賱蹖 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賳丿蹖丿賲 鬲丕丨丕賱丕!!!
Profile Image for Maria Roxana.
581 reviews
April 6, 2024
O carte ce mi-a amintit cumva de Sa葯enka, o carte pe care am citit-o cu sufletul la gur膬!


鈥漇膬 sim葲i c膬 o alt膬 fiin葲膬 卯n葲elege cu adev膬rat esen葲a fiin葲ei tale 葯i c膬 iube葯te ceea ce vede, 卯n timp ce 葯i tu sim葲i acela葯i lucru pentru ea-aceasta era cea mai grozav膬 senza葲ie.鈥�

鈥滳omunicarea sincer膬 era singurul mod de a traversa un impas emo葲ional. Cugetarea sumbr膬 nu ajut膬 pe nimeni s膬 se vindece, dar vorbitul, da.鈥�
Profile Image for Zahra.
163 reviews19 followers
February 25, 2024
噩賵乇蹖 讴賴 賳賲蹖卮賴 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 賵 夭賲蹖賳 诏匕丕卮鬲.
丿乇 賳诏丕賴 丕賵賱 丕夭 丕爻賲 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賮讴乇 賲蹖讴賳蹖丿 蹖賴 乇賲丕賳 禺蹖丕賳鬲 賲丨賵乇賴 丕賲丕 丕卮鬲亘丕賴 賲蹖讴賳蹖丿 趩賵賳 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 卮诏賮鬲 夭丿鬲賵賳 賲蹖讴賳賴.
禺賵亘.....
丨丕賱丕 賯囟蹖賴 丕夭 趩賴 賯乇丕乇賴責責
丕蹖賳 乇賲丕賳 丿乇 丿賵 亘丕夭賴 夭賲丕賳蹖賴: 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 丕賵賱 賵 夭賲丕賳 丨丕賱.

诏匕卮鬲賴: 鬲丕鬲蹖丕賳丕 賮乇夭賳丿 丿賵賲 鬲夭丕乇 乇賵爻蹖赖 賳蹖讴賱丕爻 丿賵賲貙 毓丕卮賯 丕賮爻乇 乇賵爻 丿乇 夭賲丕賳 噩賳诏 噩賴丕賳蹖 丕賵賱 賲蹖卮賴 賵 丕蹖賳 毓丕卮賯丕賳赖 鬲丕 倬丕蹖丕賳 讴鬲丕亘 亘丕 亘爻蹖丕乇 賮乇丕夭 賵 賳卮蹖亘 賵 賳丕讴丕賲蹖 乇賵 亘賴 乇賵 賲蹖卮賴.
夭賲丕賳 丨丕賱: 夭賳蹖 亘賴 禺蹖丕賳鬲 賴賲爻乇卮 倬蹖 賲蹖亘乇賴 賵 亘乇丕蹖 倬蹖丿丕 讴乇丿賳 丌乇丕賲卮 亘賴 讴賱亘賴 丕蹖 賲蹖乇賴 賵 亘丕 丿丕爻鬲丕賳 诏匕卮鬲賴 倬蹖賵賳丿 賲蹖禺賵乇賴.
(丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 乇賵 亘賴 毓丕卮賯丕賳 丕丿亘蹖丕鬲 乇賵爻 賵 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇丕賳 乇賲丕賳賴丕蹖 毓丕卮賯丕賳赖 鬲乇丕跇丿蹖 倬蹖卮賳賴丕丿 賲蹖讴賳賲)
Profile Image for Deacon Tom F.
2,411 reviews210 followers
February 9, 2022
The Secret Wife is fabulous!

Fast paced, gripping, romantic and perfectly balanced placed into the historic timeframe.

It is well researched and beautifully written. The characters are crafted and relatable.

Great story!
Profile Image for Denisa Arsene.
394 reviews62 followers
April 3, 2019
So good to read it. It had all the ingredients for an astonishing book: war, love, royalty, friendship, betrayal, betrayal, drama and the list still continues.
The story intersects to different storylines which, at the end, interconnect. It is the wonderful love story, so pure and fort, magical and grateful between Tatiana Romanov, the second daughter of the Tsar, and Dmitri, a soldier who was shot in the first days of the First World War. She, as a sister of charity, took care of him and they discovered that they had the same visions of life, tastes and feelings. They fell in love with each other. Their love is so pure and strong and they have to fight a lot in life, take different ways, live separately, have their own experiences before they have the chance to meet again and to have an idea of "what if". Both with their own regrets, with their own backgrounds and life, will take the chance of knowing each other and to complete a marriage made decades ago.
The second plan of the story is about Kitty, who, deceived by her husband, runs away to the USA, to the chalet that her grate-great-father, the same Dmitri, let her. During the month she discovers step by step the life of her ancestor and, lead by her feelings, she will discover the story of her family. She learns about Dmitri and Tatiana, about her grandmother, and somehow, on this path, she learns about herself and her own marital life. She discovers herself and her lost love for her husband.
I really like happy ends.
I didn't approve Dmitri's double life, but (and there is always a but in life) I can understand his love for those wonderful women (each one in her way). I have a big respect for Rosa - I felt that her love was so complete. To agree to share the man you love, because you understand his life and the entire life situation...
This fictional history mixes real events (as you can read at the end of it) with a good imagined story about "what if...".
I recommend this reading to everybody and I give it 5 stars with all my heart.
Profile Image for Soraya Anvari.
35 reviews6 followers
November 29, 2023
丿丕爻鬲丕賳 賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 鬲賵蹖 丿賱 蹖賴 賵丕賯毓賴 鬲丕乇蹖禺蹖 乇賵丕蹖鬲 賲蹖卮賳 禺蹖賱蹖 亘乇丕賲 賱匕鬲 亘禺卮賳
賵丕賯毓丕 讴蹖賮 讴乇丿賲 丕夭 禺賵賳丿賳卮
丕诏賴 讴鬲丕亘蹖 賲卮丕亘賴 禺賵賳丿蹖賳 亘賴賲 倬蹖卮賳賴丕丿 亘丿蹖賳 禺賵卮丨丕賱 賲蹖卮賲
Profile Image for Cititor Necunoscut.
475 reviews100 followers
September 21, 2019
Sotia secreta mi-a placut surprinzator de mult. Am inceput-o fara a avea prea multe pretentii de la ea, doar pentru ca s-a anuntat aparitia celei de-a doua carti a autoarei tradusa in limba romana. O aveam de mult in biblioteca, dar titlul nu prea ma indemna sa o aleg.

Mi-a placut mult cum au alternat planurile, intre prezent, unde o sotie inselata pleaca din UK sa isi revendice mostenirea, si Rusia anilor 1917-1918 si inlaturarea 葲arului. Misterele care inconjoara disparitia Romanovilor nu vor inceta sa atraga atentia scriitorilor, iar aceasta fictiune istorica mi-a placut. Mi-a placut si nota de final a autoarei, care explica ceea ce este veridic din roman si unde incepe fictiunea.

Autoarea a ales-o pe Tatiana Romanovna sa fie eroina acestei carti si a inzestrat-o cu multe calitati care o fac sa supravietuiasca macelului care a pus capat imperiului.

Mi-a placut mult povestea de dragoste dintre Tatiana si Maluma si mai ales finalul.
Profile Image for Jennifer S. Alderson.
Author听159 books750 followers
July 8, 2017
The Secret Wife is a brilliant historical fiction romance that kept me up and reading way past my bedtime!

It is the fascinating story of what could have happened, had one of the Romanov鈥檚 children managed to escape their captors and flee Russia. I love how the author used several real characters and events as the basis for her characters and plot line, then created an alternative reality that seemed truly authentic.

The politics, struggles between social classes and daily life in Russia during the 1900s are also well described and interesting. This novel must have been a joy to research and the author鈥檚 diligence to details and astute observations about this turbulent time lends credibility to her story.

There is a mystery in the past and present that needs to be solved. Only in the final chapters are the connections between the two eras and story lines united. Every time I thought I knew what was going to happen next, the author proved me wrong.

I really enjoyed reading this book and highly recommend it to historical fiction buffs.
Profile Image for Denise.
762 reviews106 followers
June 28, 2017
The Secret Wife by Gill Paul is a romantic historical fiction novel about the Romanov family. This intriguing novel revolves around Tatiana, the second daughter of the Tsar Nicholas and Dimitri Malamn, a cavalry officer. Even though I personally knew little about the Romanov family or Russian history, I found the plot, setting and characters well researched. There have been many speculations as to their fate and this is another. Highly enjoyable and I look forward to reading mire books by this author.
Profile Image for Violeta Petrovska.
104 reviews31 followers
January 6, 2018
袛械褎懈薪懈褌懈胁薪芯 薪邪 褋邪屑懈芯褌 锌芯褔械褌芯泻 薪邪 2018, 芯胁邪 械 屑芯褬芯褌 褉芯屑邪薪 薪邪. 谐芯写懈薪邪褌邪!!! 袘械蟹 锌邪褉写芯薪...
Profile Image for Iustina Dinulescu.
186 reviews54 followers
February 5, 2019
Romanul lui Gill Paul are la baz膬 卯ntrebarea 鈥濩e-ar fi fost dac膬?鈥�. Ea 葯i-a 卯nchipuit cum a luat na葯tere povestea de dragoste dintre Tatiana (Romanova) 葯i Dmitri 葯i a dezvoltat-o. I-a 卯mpins dincolo de probabilit膬葲i 葯i le-a oferit o 葯ans膬, 葯ansa pe care 卯n realitate nu au avut-o. Acela a fost momentul 卯n care autoarea s-a 卯ndep膬rtat de cursul istoriei tragice 葯i a s膬dit o s膬m芒n葲膬 a speran葲ei. Cum ar fi fost dragostea lor? Pe unde i-ar fi purtat pa葯ii 葯i care ar fi fost urm膬rile? Rezultatul a fost unul excep葲ional. Eu am fost 卯ntru totul cucerit膬 de poveste. C芒nd nu am citit m-am g芒ndit 卯ntr-una la ea 葯i mi-am creat tot felul de scenarii. E ciudat cum mintea uman膬 se ag膬葲膬 de un fir at芒t de sub葲ire de speran葲膬 chiar 葯i atunci c芒nd 葯tie c膬 istoria nu poate fi schimbat膬 卯n niciun fel.

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Profile Image for Maria Jo茫o (A Biblioteca da Jo茫o).
1,333 reviews224 followers
June 23, 2018
9,5 de 10*

Fiquei totalmente rendida a este livro! Com uma escrita de qualidade e uma narrativa muito bem constru铆da, a imagina莽茫o da autora complementou as falhas na Hist贸ria conhecida dos Romanov criando um livro que ser谩, seguramente, um dos melhores deste meu ano liter谩rio!

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Profile Image for Ana.
521 reviews355 followers
August 29, 2016

Originally posted on

* Copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Oh god, THIS book! Just so many feels!

The Secret Wife is a book that made me realize two things:

1) I really should read more historical fiction, and

2) I MUST check Gill Paul's previous books as I TOTALLY loved this one!

The Secret Wife is one of these beautifully written, exceptional books you just don't know how to review. I love it so much I fear no matter what I say it won't do the book justice. But I'm willing to try anyway.

The Secret Wife is a wonderful historical novel with plot that spans for a bit over a century. Going back and forth, from 1914 to 2016, and traveling different locations (Russia to America) we follow two stories. The first story is about the famous family of Romanovs, their rise and fall on the night of 16/17 July 1917. Through the love story of Tatiana (the second of the duchesses) and Dmitri Malama (a Russian soldier) we follow the life of the Romanovs in a very turbulent Russia. Tatiana and Dmitri meet after he's been shot and brought to the hospital, where Tatiana and her older sister, Olga are helping out as nurses. From the moment they meet, they feel an instant chemistry between them. Now I have to say that after reading about 20% of the book I immediately had to check (advise google) about how much of the historical facts were interwoven in Gill's story. And you should have seen my surprise when I did find a picture of Tatiana and Malama online (wikipedia) which only made this story even more enjoyable and amazing.

Fast forward 100 years and we meet Kitty who's having a bit of a rough time in her relationship and finds out she's inherited a cabin on the shores of Lake Akanabee. The cabin seems like the perfect place to hide and heal and she's off from London to America on what will surely be a surprising adventure. What is the connection between Kitty and Tatiana or Dmitri? As you continue to read you'll see the link and feel the romance of Tatiana and Dmitri unfolding before your eyes.

There's so many things about this book which make it a must read. The past and present are beautifully blended, as well as fiction with the historical facts. To be honest, I haven't read that many books on one of the most famous Russian families, but this book did feel like a short course on that historical period. Gill's writing is so beautiful I was in awe of her talent and knack for keeping me totally engrossed in the story. As you can see, it's not a short book, on the contrary there's quite a bit of pages, but I swear I've never read a book faster.

In a way, The Secret Wife reminded me of the great Russian Classics, but not because of the topic it exploits. Strong feelings of undying love, that great love that inspires and doesn't leave you to rest, even feelings of melancholy, they're all perfectly blended making this book a true masterpiece.

As I was reading about Dmitri's numerous attempts to free Tatiana and his hope to one day be reunited, I couldn't help but feel goosebumps. I won't lie, there were parts that brought a tear to my eye and got me so emotional I had to put the book down and calm down. Yes, this is one of these books you'd be crazy not to read and it's also one of these books I can't imagine anyone not loving. It's that brilliant! Wonderful, emotional and exceptionally written, The Secret Wife is definitely one of the best books I've ever read and easiest 5* I've ever given.
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