Russian historical fiction??

In a couple of weeks we get to go . . .

(I can hardly believe this myself)

. . . to the coast for a whole week!

My Gift and the children and I are going for a Friday-Monday jaunt to Pacific Shores Nature Resort on the east coast of Vancouver Island, which is of course, on the southwest corner of Canada. On Monday, he has to go back to work and my Mom will come up to spend the rest of the week with us.

"I can't believe I'm bathing in the sea in autumn."

It gets better.

Pacific Shores Nature Resort has childcare! Oh my goodness. Do you know when was the last time my husband & I went out for a nice dinner? A year ago tomorrow, on my birthday, at Scalini's in Russia, before we were parents. I'm not counting the 1:30a.m. crummy meal we had at Applebee's after Jamie got discharged from ER after his TIA last December.

Last time I was at Pacific Shores, I overheard a woman say, "I can't believe I'm bathing in the sea in autumn." I loved this. I love the regional variation in phrasing. Locals would use swimming, ocean, and fall.

Anyway, I'm trying to gather up a pile of books to read while the children play in the kid's pool. I would really love to read some quality historical fiction about Russia. That is, I'd like to know more about Russian history, but I can't abide reading history straight-up. I need it packaged in a nice story. What can you recommend?

I'm pulling Dandy out of a week of school. The teacher will not be pleased, but we will be making good use of the time. We'll be beach-combing in the tide flats, toodling about in the complimentary kayaks, wandering on the nature trails in the estuary, and bathing in the sea in autumn.

What's this little button, you ask? The childcare fees at a resort are not for the faint-of-heart. This is your chance to help fortify us.