Book: The Tsarina's Legacy

Author: Jennifer Laam

Genre: Fiction/Historical/Political

Summary: Then. . . Since the moment he first saw her on the night she seized the throne, Grigory "Grisha" Potemkin has loved Empress Catherine of Russia. Their love was forged first from passion and then from friendship, as they began a long and prosperous political association. Now older, they face treacherous new threats, both from outside of Russia and from within their intimate circle. Haunted by the horrors of his campaign against the Muslim Turks, Grisha hopes to construct a mosque in the heart of the empire. Unfortunately, Catherine's young new lover, the ambitious and charming Platon Zubov, stands in his way. Grisha determines that to preserve Catherine's legacy, he must save her from Zubov's dangerous influence and win back her heart.

Now. . . When she learns she is the heiress to the Romanov throne, Veronica Herrera's life swiftly turns upside down. Even as she gains a noble legacy, she loses everything she once thought important. Heartbroken and seeking purpose, Veronica agrees to accept a ceremonial position as the new tsarina and to act as an advocate to free a Russian artist sentenced to prison for displaying paintings critical of church and government. For her efforts, she is both celebrated and chastised. As her political role comes under fire, Veronica is forced to decide between the glamorous perks of European royalty and staying true to herself. -St. Martin's Griffin, 2016.