Review: The Lost Season of Love and Snow by Jennifer Laam

The Lost Season of Love and Snow

by Jennifer Laam

Publisher: St Martin's Griffin

Pages: 352

Format: book

Buy the Book: Amazon

Goodreads:  The unforgettable story of Alexander Pushkin’s beautiful wife, Natalya, a woman much admired at Court, and how she became reviled as the villain of St. Petersburg.

At the age of sixteen, Natalya Goncharova is stunningly beautiful and intellectually curious. But while she finds joy in French translations and a history of Russian poetry, her family is more concerned with her marriage prospects. It is only fitting that during the Christmas of 1828 at her first public ball in her hometown of Moscow she attracts the romantic attention of Russia’s most lauded rebel poet: Alexander Pushkin. 

Enchanted at first sight, Natalya is already a devoted reader of Alexander’s serialized novel in verse, Evgeny Onegin. The most recently published chapter ends in a duel, and she is dying to learn what happens next. Finding herself deeply attracted to Alexander’s intensity and joie de vivre, Natalya hopes to see him again as soon as possible.

What follows is a courtship and later marriage full of equal parts passion and domestic bliss but also destructive jealousies. When vicious court gossip leads to Alexander dying from injuries earned defending his honor as well as Natalya’s in a duel, Natalya finds herself reviled for her alleged role in his death.


Kritters Thoughts:  A historical fiction book that takes you way back into history and at least for me across the globe.  It is 1828 and Russia.  A famous poet and a young girl meet and the story unfolds from there.

I love when historical fiction is based closely on facts.  It always makes me feel like I am learning and getting entertainment at the same time!  I especially love it when it is a time and place that I don't read about a lot and although I am completely intrigued by Russian folklore, tradition, and history, I just don't read about it a lot.  

The story is grouped in chunks of years and I loved how it was set up.  Of course, while I was reading, I was checking the wikipedia page to try to determine facto or fiction and of course I spoiled the ending for myself - stay away this one is too good to be spoiled!

Also while reading, I looked up the author and realized she has two more books set in Russia, I just may have to pick them up soon and enjoy!


Rating: absolutely loved it and want a sequel

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received one copy of this book free of charge from St Martin's Press.  I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.