Wrapped in the Stars + Giveaway!

Wrapped in the Stars by Elena Mikalsen

Publication Date: February 19, 2018
The Wild Rose Press
Paperback & eBook; 384 Pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Struggling with guilt over her sister’s death and the stress of her medical residency, Maya Radelis runs away to Scotland. She gets lost in an alley, where a robin mysteriously appears, leading her to an antique shop where she buys a century-old moonstone engagement ring. After having a dream about the ring’s former owner, Maya quickly realizes that there is a mystery associated with the ring, and it was not an accident that she was led to buy it.

The novel follows Maya from Edinburgh to Paris to Bern, and, finally, to New York as she discovers why she was meant to find the ring and learn about Rebecca, a young Jewish woman practicing medicine in Bern as the Great War unfolded and the Russian Revolution was planned in Switzerland. Maya especially wants to learn about the love story between Rebecca and Mark, a young surgeon from Ukraine, who Rebecca fought to keep safe during this turbulent time in Europe.

While in Paris, Maya meets David Fischer, a fellow American, who helps Maya learn Rebecca’s story. The attraction between David and Maya grows, and they discover that their meeting was not by chance. As Maya returns to New York from her travels, Rebecca’s courage and strength help her face her own troubles.

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Praise for Wrapped in the Stars

“Written with passion and expertise, Elena Mikalsen’s WRAPPED IN THE STARS is an intelligent and beautifully crafted story that proves the power of love while illuminating the historical struggles of women in medicine. I love books that teach me something while also being thoroughly entertaining, and Mikalsen’s debut does just that.” -Kelli Estes, author of The Girl Who Wrote in Silk

“Mikalsen effortlessly weaves past and present in this engaging tale. WRAPPED IN THE STARS spans countries and centuries, testing the boundaries between love, loyalty, fate, and following your heart. A delightful debut!” -Jessica Topper, author of Louder Than Love

“Mikalsen’s debut draws you in and takes you on a richly detailed journey, from Edinburgh to Bern, to Paris and New York. A tale of aspirations and familial pressures, of serendipity and the choices we make, WRAPPED IN THE STARS thoughtfully explores how we can take control of our lives.” -Amanda Stauffer, author of Match Made in Manhattan

“In WRAPPED IN THE STARS, with a touch of magical realism and a sprinkle of quantum physics, Elena Mikalsen blends the present with the Belle Epoque past, deftly weaving two points of view into two timeless romances into a can’t-be-put-down novel.” – Suanne Schafer, author of A Different Kind of Fire

My Review: This book is exactly what I love about dual time-line storylines. Seriously. I LOVED this book!

(Also, Wrapped in the Stars is not only amazingly good, but is Elena Mikalsen’s debut novel. *mic drop*)

The book follows the story of Maya; living in the modern day, a resident in medical school and carrying around the weight of some heavy heartache. She travels to Europe, where she discovers a ring in an old, musty shop. She is drawn to it, purchases it, and that’s when things start getting interesting.

The book also follows the story of Rebecca; living 100 years earlier than Maya, a medical student against the wishes of her family, and the original owner of the ring.

Okay seriously, I am a huge fan of dual time-line plots. (Here’s looking at you, Anna B. and Amalia C.) But one thing that tends to happen with dual time-lines for me personally, is that I end up enjoying one character’s story more than the other. This absolutely was not the case, however, with Wrapped in the Stars. I adored both Maya and Rebecca equally, thoroughly enjoying their stories and getting to know them better. I loved how brilliantly the author weaved the two time-lines together, and how she set the stage for character and reader alike. The characters grow in depth as the storyline progresses, and the book itself kept me obsessed until the very end. It is a book that stays with you, with characters that feel familiar and a story that comes alive with the possibility of magical hope. A definite recommend.

About the Author

Elena Mikalsen was born in Ukraine and came to New York City as a refugee with her family at age 17. She is somewhat obsessive about travel, but, when at home in San Antonio, can be found browsing through bookstores or antique shops with her family and two adopted pups. When not writing stories, she is a Pediatric Psychologist, working at a Children’s Hospital, helping children cope with chronic medical illness. She actively blogs and gives interviews on issues related to child and adolescent mental health. WRAPPED IN THE STARS is her first work of fiction. She has two other works in progress.

For more information please visit Elena Mikalsen’s website. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads.

Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, February 19
Review at Donna McCabe

Tuesday, February 20
Review at Pursuing Stacie

Wednesday, February 21
Excerpt at Short Book and Scribes

Friday, February 23
Excerpt at What Is That Book About

Monday, February 26
Interview at Passages to the Past

Tuesday, February 27
Review at History From a Woman’s Perspective

Thursday, March 1
Feature at A Bookaholic Swede

Monday, March 5
Review at Donna’s Book Blog

Wednesday, March 7
Feature at Teaser Addicts Book Blog

Friday, March 9
Review at Cup of Sensibility

Giveaway

During the Book Blast we will be giving away a signed copy of Wrapped in the Stars and a Book Scents Candle! To enter, please enter via the Gleam form below.

Giveaway Rules

– Giveaway ends at 11:59pm EST on March 9th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
– Giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only.
– Only one entry per household.
– All giveaway entrants agree to be honest and not cheat the systems; any suspect of fraud is decided upon by blog/site owner and the sponsor, and entrants may be disqualified at our discretion.
– Winner has 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.

Wrapped in the Stars