Lost Roses

Lost Roses follows the parallel stories of Eliza Ferriday and Sofya Streshnayva in the years surrounding the Russian Revolution. The narrative takes place across New York, Paris, and Russia as these two women from different worlds forge a deep friendship. When the Bolsheviks rise to power in 1914, Sofya's aristocratic family faces persecution in Russia, while Eliza works from America to help Russian émigrés find safety. A third woman, Varinka, becomes entangled in their story through her connection to Sofya's household in Russia. Each woman must navigate survival, loss, and courage as war reshapes their lives and homelands. The novel moves between their perspectives to create a portrait of friendship and resilience during a pivotal moment in history. The novel examines class divisions, female relationships, and the human capacity to maintain hope in the darkest circumstances. These themes emerge through Kelly's portrayal of real historical events and her focus on the often-overlooked experiences of women during wartime.

Readers found this prequel to Lilac Girls offered rich historical details about WWI-era Russia and the plight of aristocrats fleeing the revolution. Many appreciated the three female narrators and their interconnected stories of survival. Liked: - Authentic portrayal of Russian culture and customs - Strong character development, especially Sofya - Educational value about a less-covered historical period - Continuation of the Caroline Ferriday family story Disliked: - Slower pace than Lilac Girls - Some found the multiple perspectives confusing - Several readers noted the ending felt rushed - Some character decisions seemed unrealistic "The details about White Russian refugees were fascinating" - Goodreads reviewer "Took too long to get going" - Amazon reviewer Ratings: Goodreads: 4.04/5 (54,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (3,800+ reviews) BookBrowse: 4/5 (89 reviews) Barnes & Noble: 4.3/5 (450+ reviews)

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🌹 Lost Roses is inspired by real historical figures, including Eliza Ferriday, whose daughter Caroline would later become the protagonist of Martha Hall Kelly's bestseller Lilac Girls. 🌹 The novel takes place during World War I and the Russian Revolution, weaving together the stories of three women across Russia, Paris, and New York. 🌹 Author Martha Hall Kelly spent three years researching for Lost Roses, including travels to Russia where she visited many of the locations featured in the book. 🌹 The book highlights the little-known story of White Russian émigrés who fled to America during the Russian Revolution, many of whom were aristocrats forced to rebuild their lives from scratch. 🌹 The Ferriday family home, which features in the novel, still exists today as the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden in Bethlehem, Connecticut, and is open to the public.