Happy Friday! It’s time for another First Line Friday linkup hosted by Reading is My Superpower, and today I”m featuring The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart.
St. Petersburg, Russia, 1917
“He walked quickly down the narrow staircase, hand pressed against the cold wall to steady himself.”
The Master Craftsman by Kelli Stuart
The Basics
Title: The Master Craftsman
Author: Kelli Stuart
Publication Date: April 5, 2022
Genre: Split-time historical/contemporary
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
From the Back Cover:
In 1917, Alma Pihl, a master craftsman in the House of Fabergé, was charged to protect one of the greatest secrets in Russian history–an unknown Fabergé Egg that Peter Karl Fabergé secretly created to honor his divided allegiance to both the people of Russia and the Imperial tsar’s family. When Alma and her husband escaped Russia for their native Finland in 1921, she took the secret with her, guarding her past connection to the Romanov family.
Three generations later, world-renowned treasure hunter Nick Laine is sick and fears the secret of the missing egg will die with him. With time running out, he entrusts the mission of retrieving the egg to his estranged daughter, Ava, who has little idea of the dangers she is about to face. As the stakes are raised, Ava is forced to declare her own allegiance–and the consequences are greater than she could have imagined.
My Review
Kelli Stuart is a new-to-me author; the beautiful cover and premise of this book drew me in. I wanted to like it, but I never felt connected with the characters in either timeline. The treasure hunt in the present day seemed a little unrealistic to me, especially towards the end. Even so, I did enjoy learning some history about the Russian Revolution and Fabergé eggs. I know that many readers loved this story, so if you enjoy treasure hunts and early 20th century history, this book might be for you!
Now it’s your turn! Please share the first line of the book you’re reading in the comments below. Don’t forget to head to Reading is My Superpower to see what first lines other bloggers are sharing, or to share your own!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!
Oh this sounds so lovely and definitely something I will enjoy reading.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Elza Reads
Thanks for stopping by!
I have seen this one around but wasn’t drawn to it. Sorry it was not as enjoyable as you hoped. Have a good weekend!
I know lots of people love it, just not my cup of tea apparently 🙂 Enjoy your weekend!
The Master Craftsman was a great book. I consider it a clean read. Not a Christian Fiction book, though.
My first lines come from Fatal Code by Natalie Walters which comes out next month. :
Maple Valley, Iowa
“Death has no sting.”
He studied the pastor speaking from the stage, a giant cross hanging behind him and smirked. Depends on how you kill someone.
I can’t wait to read that one, and what a great beginning!! Happy reading!
Happy Friday!
I’m currently reading Blind Date with a Billionaire Reality Star by Evangeline Kelly. It’s super good!
“I wasn’t sure if they were his actual favorite or not, but it thrilled me that Abby and I would have two hours with him on a sunset boat ride. The thought was absolutely heavenly.”
I hope you have a fantastic weekend!
Sounds interesting! Happy reading and have a great weekend!
I love the cover of this book; it always catches my eye. Hope you have a great weekend!