The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Susanna Kearsley is a recent discovery for me and I have been slowly going through all of her backlist and simply adoring each new story. So it was with extreme joy that I began Kearsley's latest, The Firebird. Adding to my excitement was the fact that it was to be a continuation of the characters from not just one book - but two (The Winter Sea & The Shadowy Horses)! I just love it when authors overlap stories that are not originally connected.

Here's the synopsis (via Goodreads):

Nicola Marter was born with a gift. When she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When a woman arrives with a small wooden carving at the gallery Nicola works at, she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird—the mythical creature from an old Russian fable.

Compelled to know more, Nicola follows a young girl named Anna into the past who leads her on a quest through the glittering backdrops of the Jacobites and Russian courts, unearthing a tale of love, courage, and redemption.

The Firebird had all the potential for a book that I would absolutely love:

1. RUSSIA! 

2. an art historian heroine

3. one handsome Scotts hero

Not to mention one of the *best* opening chapters I have EVER read. Seriously, it was perfect. Read it here and see if you can resist the rest.

I am sorry to report that somehow all that fabulous potential just didn't connect for me in the end. Although I did LOVE Anna and her travels from Scotland to France to Russia; the historical background on St. Petersburg, usually distilled with such care and detail by Kearsley, seemed more like an info dump in this book. And while the relationship between Nicola and Rob was sweet, it just didn't have the same snap and sizzle that I've enjoyed in Kearsley's previous books. Thankfully, we are given a lovely conclusion to Anna's story but I really wanted more time with Rob and Nicola -- if only to clear things up between Nicola and her grumpy grandfather. If Ms. Kearsley wants to go back and do his story, I'd read that in a flash. In short, I just wanted more from Nicola. It was like this fascinating character was dangled before me but only part of my questions were answered in the end.

series reading order:

~ The Winter Sea(my review)

~ The Shadowy Horses(loosely connected)

because everyone likes a second opinion:
Between the Covers review

Dear Author review