Title: The Frost of Springtime
Author: Rachel L. Demeter
Genre: Historical Fiction, Romance
Rating: 4,5 stars
Purchase: Amazon (Kindle eBook) | Amazon (Paperback) | Barnes & Noble | Black Lyon Publishing
Review copy provided by Enchanted Book Promotions.
To rescue her was to rescue his own soul.
On a cold Parisian night, Vicomte Aleksender de Lefèvre forges an everlasting bond with a broken girl during her darkest hour, rescuing her from a life of abuse and misery. Tormented by his own demons, he finds his first bit of solace in sheltering little Sofia Rose.
But when Aleksender is drawn away by the Franco-Prussian war, the seasons pass. And in that long year, Sofia matures into a stunning young woman—a dancer with an understanding of devotion and redemption far surpassing her age.
Alongside his closest friend, Aleksender returns home to find that “home” is gone—replaced by revolution, bloodshed, betrayal—and a love always out of reach. Scarred inside and out, he’s thrust into a world of sensuality and violence—a world in which all his hours have now grown dark, and where only Sofia might bring an end to the winter in his heart.
Inspired by the 1871 Paris Commune, The Frost of Springtime is a poignant tale of revolution, redemption, and the healing power of love.
I have a soft spot for broken, tortured souls. Even from the moment I first encountered Aleksender de Lefèvre and Sofia Rose in The Frost of Springtime, I knew they’d be the kind of characters that would tickle my soft spot – and they are. Sofia was my favorite of both of them – she was so innocent, so pure, I could not help but like her. Alek is a more troubled character, less black-white, a lot more grey. In a way, this makes him more intriguing. I also liked how he fought his feelings for Sofia, there was a constant struggle going on, and Alek tried to deny his feelings constantly, which made for an interesting dynamic.
I kind of felt sorry for Elizabeth though, Alek’s wife. He didn’t love her, since they were married in an arranged marriage, but he didn’t wish her ill either. He just fell in love with another woman. This makes Alek a more troublesome character to understand – sometimes he acted arrogant and selfish toward his wife. He idolized Sofia, made her into the kind of woman she could never truly be, a goddess, a woman that isn’t real. And by turning her into that, no other woman could ever compete. It makes for interesting character development though.
The setting was France at the time of the Franco-Prussian war. I loved the setting, and found it very intriguing, and well-described. I could picture myself back in the Paris Commune of 1871, alongside the characters. While some might find there’s slightly too much hisotrical information, I didn’t mind – I like books in which I can learn a thing or two, even in fiction.
The Frost of Springtime offers a heart-breaking romance story in an intriguing historical setting with dynamic, interesting main characters. Ideal for fans of historical romance.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review my book! I’m so happy you enjoyed! 🙂