The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons

It’s somewhat difficult to explain how absolutely amazing this book is. I went into it expecting it to be a quick read, and one possibly containing some good loving. Sure, I did finish it in about 2 days, but it wasn’t just because of some steamy love scenes. The writing was so superb and convincing that I felt like I was actually reading a real tale of war, true love and tragic loss.

Tatiana is a young girl, on the brink of becoming a woman, and living with her family in Leningrad when German forces invade her country during WWII. However, on the day that war begins, she meets a handsome young soldier named Alexander, who she quickly falls in love with. As if she didn’t have enough problems to deal with, Alexander is actually dating Tatiana’s sister.

One factor which contributed to the greatness of this novel was the setting. A bleak communist country in the midst of war. It is a constant shadow following closely behind our young love birds who can’t seem to escape it’s grasp. As I mentioned earlier, this novel is not only a love story, but also a story of great loss. Lives are lost. Not just of soldiers on the battlefield, but of close friends, family and loved ones. It takes a lot to get me to cry while reading a book, but I’ll admit that this one had me in tears multiple times. The author is able to brilliantly portray a landscape where it seems that all hope is lost, and yet the feelings that these two characters have for each other help them to never give up.

As you can tell, a lot is going on this novel. So much so that our two love birds don’t get the chance to bump and grind until about half-way through the book. But trust me, there’s enough sexual tension, as well as an intriguing story line to keep you entertained until then. And once you get there, holy crap! Be sure your air conditioning is working, and you have a fan nearby because these two are hot together!

In my opinion, this novel is almost perfect, although the ending does seem a bit rushed. However, it remains intense throughout the entire thing, with a brief respite near the middle so you can catch your breath. I remember staying up until about 2:00am one night in order to finish this book it was so intense. When it was done I literally had to take a deep breath to get my bearings straight. The Bronze Horseman is the first book in a trilogy, and although unfortunately the subsequent novels aren’t as good as the first, they are definitely worth reading.

Series: The Bronze Horseman, book 1 of 3

Should you read it: Absolutely, but be sure to have some tissues nearby. Just in case.

Smut Level: Will definitely keep you warm during a long Russian winter.

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