Tuesday, March 14, 2023

A WALTZ WITH TRAITORS by A. L. Sowards, Reviewed by Winnie Thomas #ReleaseDay


“We just wanted to go home. The rest was forced on us.”

Set mainly in Russia in 1918 amidst the Revolution and the ending of WWI, this fascinating book details little known historical events involving the Czechoslovak Legion and their fight to get home and have a land of their own. With obvious impeccable research and rich historical detail, author A. L. Sowards has penned a riveting story of history and romance. Colorful, carefully-drawn characters pulled me right into this tale and kept me intrigued to the end. Nadia is a Russian aristocrat who narrowly escapes with her life as her family is killed by the Bolsheviks. She is rescued by Filip and his friends from the Czechoslovak Legion who are struggling to get across Russia and make their way home. Nadia and Filip enter into a sham marriage in order to protect her.

“Maybe all the darkness makes it easier to recognize the light.”

“God is always there, even when it’s too dark to see Him.”

With plenty of suspense, action, history, and a dollop of romance, this book is a good example of why I love historical fiction. I get to learn about historical events while enjoying a great story. The maps and glossary were very helpful in understanding what was going on and where the events took place, while the author’s notes in the back added interesting information. This is a well-written book which has earned a place on my keeper shelf. I’ll be looking forward to more from this author in the future.
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Covenant Communications through Interviews & Reviews. All opinions are my own.
 

BackCover Blurb:
Czech soldier Filip Sedlák never wanted to fight for the Austro-Hungarian Empire. So at the first opportunity, he defected to the Russians. Now he and others like him have formed the Czechoslovak Legion. Their goal: leave the chaos of Russia, sail to France, and help the Allies defeat the Central Powers, thereby toppling a hated empire and winning an independent Czechoslovakia.

With the fall of the tsar, Nadia Linskaya’s life is in ruins. Her family is dead, her lands are confiscated, and her aristocratic world is gone forever. But Nadia is determined to elude the Bolshevik agent who destroyed her family and find a way to survive in this changed world.

When Nadia takes refuge with the Czechoslovak Legion, the last thing she expects is an ally. But when Filip proposes a sham marriage to ensure her safe passage across Siberia, she takes it. Neither Filip nor Nadia expect real love, not when the legion has to take over the longest railroad in the world—and then hold it against Bolshevik counterattacks, partisan sabotage, allied intrigue, and a set of brutal Siberian winters. At risk is the future of Czechoslovakia, the fate of Russia—and their hearts. 

Covenant Communications, March 14, 2023
Available in digital ebook, paperback, and audiobook:

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