O, I loved loved loved this book. It had everything: plots, intrigue, war, world travel, love stories, secrets and a little bit of magic. And the stories of the past and present were so perfectly intertwined, and the mirroring of each other added a little bit of cheeky fun to the story as a whole. Also, I was so glad to revisit some of the characters from The Winter Sea. I really connected with the Moray family and was so happy to be able to follow their journey further (and what an exciting one it was!). And I have always had a soft spot for historical Russia, so it was fun to add that in as well. Plus, I adore a "ruffian" that grows on you as a protagonist male and in this case, Edmund fit that darker role perfectly. I wish he were real. Honestly, this was just a superbly enjoyable read!