A Waltz with Traitors by A.L. Sowards -- Blog Tour Review + Giveaway

About the Book

Sometimes the road to freedom is a six-thousand-mile-long railroad track. Sometimes the road to love is even longer.

The Former Russian Empire, 1918

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.

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About the Author

A. L. Sowards is the author of multiple historical fiction novels, with settings spanning the globe from the fourteenth to twentieth centuries. Her stories have become Whitney Finalists and won a Whitney Award, reached the number one spot across multiple Amazon categories, received praise from the Historical Novel Society, and been loved by readers from a variety of backgrounds. She has called both Washington State and Utah home, and is now in the process of adding Alaska to the list. She enjoys hiking and swimming, usually manages to keep up with the laundry, and loves it when someone else cooks dinner. She lives with her husband, three children, and an ever-growing library.

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Review

In a dark time, there can also be hope and romance.  Author A.L. Sowards has written an absolutely stunning, intriguing, and heart-wrenching story about a small piece of WWI history that is lesser known.  The story focuses on an aristocrat and a Czech soldier who is part of the Czechosolovakian Legion.  It’s about a marriage of convenience that will later be annulled, but an unexpected love blossoms between them and they have to choose to either fight for one another or let the war get in the way.  Sowards has obviously spent time in detailed research to learn about historical events so that she can portray them in her story.  In addition, the characters are realistic and relatable and readers will quickly come to know and fall in love with them.  Readers who pick up this story will devour it and will have a hard time putting it down after the turn of the last page.  Another excellent and beautiful story from Sowards.

Genre: historical, romance, suspense, WWI 
Publisher: Covenant Communications
Publication date: March 14, 2023 
Number of pages: 328

Disclosure statement: A complimentary review copy of this book was provided from tour groups, publishers, publicists, authors, and others, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, Or borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR borrowed from Deseret Bookshelf, OR pre-ordered/purchased for review, including Audible.  A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Giveaway

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