9780062985774
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Bellagrand audiobook

  • By: Paullina Simons
  • Narrator: Nicol Zanzarella
  • Length: 20 hours 31 minutes
  • Publisher: HarperAudio
  • Publish date: March 17, 2020
  • Language: English
  • (1546 ratings)
(1546 ratings)
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Bellagrand Audiobook Summary

The sequel to Paullina Simons’ thrilling Children of Liberty, Bellagrand delves into Harry and Gina’s lives prior to the opening of Simons’s The Bronze Horseman

As Children of Liberty concludes with a stunning ending–the story is just beginning. Bellagrand follows Harry and Gina after the Happily Ever After.

After their whirlwind romance, Gina and Harry must learn what it really takes to mesh their families and their cultures. Listeners will be delighted to see exactly how these characters fit into the Bronze Horseman legacy.

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Bellagrand Audiobook Narrator

Nicol Zanzarella is the narrator of Bellagrand audiobook that was written by Paullina Simons

Paullina Simons is the author of Tully and The Bronze Horseman, as well as ten other beloved novels, a memoir, a cookbook, and two children’s books. Born in Leningrad, Russia, Paullina immigrated to the United States when she was ten, and now lives in New York with her husband and an alarming number of her once-independent children.

About the Author(s) of Bellagrand

Paullina Simons is the author of Bellagrand

Bellagrand Full Details

Narrator Nicol Zanzarella
Length 20 hours 31 minutes
Author Paullina Simons
Publisher HarperAudio
Release date March 17, 2020
ISBN 9780062985774

Additional info

The publisher of the Bellagrand is HarperAudio. The imprint is HarperAudio. It is supplied by HarperAudio. The ISBN-13 is 9780062985774.

Global Availability

This book is only available in the United States.

Goodreads Reviews

Marie

July 22, 2017

This book broke my heart in so many ways. Bellagrand is the prequel to The Bronze Horseman, I'm assuming if you're reading this review that you've read The Bronze Horseman. This is the story about Alexander's parents that spans over four decades. It's the story of a woman who loved a man too much, a man who didn't deserve her love. A man who was selfish, a man who thought only of himself and his goals. A man who was lazy, lived in wealth and never saw the irony of what he was promoting. A man who was given everything, yet turned his back on it. A man who destroyed his family and everything that mattered. While his wife does everything to try to stop it, to protect their son. Harry Barrington never deserved their love. It's good to get Alexander's back story, it's heartbreaking when you know where it's headed. This book is good and now I can't wait to re-read The Bronze Horseman.

Rachel

July 31, 2022

**SPOILERS**This is what I think of Harold/Harry Barrington:Selfish, unappreciative. Self absorbed. Ignorant. At first admired his passion, strength ability to fight for what he wanted. Ended up appearing immature, his arguments pointless and conflicting with his own beliefs. He made it difficult to read. Harry's only good point (in my opinion) is his sense of humour, which can be enjoyable at times, however he seems to blur the lines between when it should be appropriate and when it's time to be serious. It's hard to believe that at times that this the man who raised Alexander.This is what I think of Gina/Gia/Jane Barrington:She was blinded by her love for Harry. I don't think very many women out there would stand for what Harry put her through. At the end of the book we find out her heart was never really into the things that Harry believed, she merely put on a face to impress him, so that he would love her. She lost everything over the years. Her mother, her brother, pregnancies...This book was very heart breaking. Because you already know where there story ends up, there were many times something would stand out in the book that connected with something from The Bronze Horseman, and even though I KNEW what was going to happen, it still hurt. For example, with her first pregnancy, she tells her Mimoo the baby is due in October. My brain starts ticking...Alexander's birthday is in May - ah. There it is. Gina has an affair during one of Harry's long stints in jail. With Ben Shaw, Harry's childhood friend. The two become very close, and I believe that Gina did love him. There was a conversation of theirs that stood out to me:Ben: "Would you leave America for Harry? If he asked you?"Gina breathed heavily, regretfully. "Let's hope we never have to find out the answer to your terrible question."I'm not sure if Paullina's intentions were to make me hate Harry, but I nearly, NEARLY do. Gina never wanted to leave. She came to America, the promised land, an immigrant. Why would she want to throw that all away, and for Russia? She feared for her life, for Alexander's life, and still she bowed her head to her husband and followed him blindly to her death.A lot of that was negative. I don't think I ever imagined that this story was going to be anything but. I gave it 5 stars, because it was definitely deserving of it. One thing that impressed me most of all was the dialogue in this book. AMAZING! So many interesting conversations, all very long - yes, but so informative and necessary to the story. I feel like I learned a lot.

Natalie

January 28, 2019

4.5 EPIC STARS ⭐️ I never believed I could love a book by Paullina Simons that wasn't The Bronze Horseman this much. Bellagrand was both incredibly beautiful and epic. We all know how it ends for Gina and Harry. But it's not about the destination, it's the journey. And it was a fantastic experience. "I regret I have only one heart to love you with. I regret I have only one brief life to love you.Paullina Simons's writing is as beautiful and flowing as ever. It's beautiful, raw, heart stopping and honest. There are no rainbows and hearts here. And thank God for that. It's all about reality. No superficial "happy endings". The only reason it's not rated 5 stars is because nothing can top The Bronze Horseman."How could you bring me here, he wants to ask with his most frightened voice. Knowing my life was at stake, how could you come here with me? If I didn't believe I could possibly love Alexander more before, I do now. From the day he was born to that fateful day in Russia, my love only grow. He is my #KingOfMen. There are no words to describe how much love I have for him.Paullina Simons is my all time favourite author. Her books are complex, intelligent and challenging. Her characters are so well developed that they eventually feels like old friends. You will actually know them netter than most of your closest friends. Her books are anything but predictable, sometimes you love the choices they make and sometimes they will frustrate to no end.What's true about all of her books are that they will cast a spell over you and it's impossible not to continue reading. Bellagrand is definitely one of my new favourites of her. Mayans even my second favourite to TBH triology, and that says a lot. Getting to know Alexander's parents and their story has been wonderful and added so much to my love and understanding for the triology itself."I stay because I love him. I stay because he is my family. Because you deserve to have a father. Everywhere he goes, I go. He is the ship, Alexander. We are just passengers. Condividiamo l’amarezza. What if the ship goes down? We go down, too. When I am dead and opened, his mother had said, the bitter tears still wet in her eyes, you will find your father lying on my heartI could discuss Bellagrand for hours (and I have.) so many amazing things happened and so many amazing characters were introduced. But like In every novel by Paullina Simons, we also got heartbreak, grief and frustration."Who's going to save you this time, Harry?" she whispered, wrapping the hem of her skirt around her injured hand. "Who is left to save you?" "I don't need anyone to save me. I don't need saving." But who is going to save me, Gina wanted to ask as she crept out of the room like the war-wounded. Who is going to save your son?"Harry has got to be one of the stupidest people to ever walk this earth. When I thought he couldn't make more idiotic decisions, his stupidity reached new levels. He was briefly redeemed but fool me once...fool me twice. Maybe Gina was even stupider to stand by him through every dumb thing. It baffled me. At one point I actually felt they deserved what was coming to them. I had no remorse for either one. How many chances did they get to make things right? And every single time they chose the stupidest decision possible. Including taking Alexander to Russia. Esther (we meet her in The Summer Garden were so right when she said (view spoiler)[that Gina should be in prison! alongside with Harry, for endangering a minor. (hide spoiler)] I was so angry at Gina, I was livid. But at the final hour, I couldn't help myself, I wanted to spare both of them their fate. It was heartbreaking to live through. Don't let the ratings fool you, this is a magnificent book!

MK~ Picky Girl

August 23, 2015

Such a tragedy, but a story that needed to be told. Review to comeMy favorite author and the prequel to my fave series The Bronze Horseman!!!! I can't wait!!! March is going to be an amazing month!!

Tez

December 05, 2013

At first I was really excited to read this book as I wanted to read more about a young Alexander as The Bronze Horseman is my favourite book. However this book is not Alexander's story but Gina and Harry's story. I really felt for Gina, as an Italian immigrant she had her whole life of opportunities in front of her in America. But she was so blind for her love for Harry and the decision to marry him changed her life forever. After years of struggle, of living poor and with Harry in and out of jail they finally catch a break and get to live in beautiful Bellagrand with their beautiful child Alexander. Bellagrand is paradise.Gina finally has the life she dreamed of with the love of her life Harry and with her much loved son Alexander. But unfortunately this dream does not last. Once again Harry has turned their lives upside down. Gina's heartache, sacrifice and decision to stick by her husband even though she knows he is wrong costs her everything and eventually she pays the ultimate price - her life.The book ends with them going to Russia and I would have loved an extra chapter from Harry after years in Russia admitting that he was wrong and acknowledging what he gave up for his beliefs.A few conflicting feelings, as I can't be angry at Harry as his decision leads his family to Russia and ultimately leads us to the story of The Bronze Horseman. However if it wasn't for Alexander and Tatiana I would feel differently.

Kristy

December 26, 2013

I was disappointed in Children of Liberty because I was expecting more from the story. Bellagrand gives me the rest of the story that I was looking for. The only thing missing for me was a little more about their life in Russia but I think i need to re read the trilogy because I am sure it is all in there somewhere.Bellagrand is compelling and devastating all at the same time. I want to reach into the book and shake sense into Harry and I was willing Gina to leave him many times but I knew if she did the story we all love would not exist.For me the mark of a good book is when you are emotionally attached to the characters and story and miss the characters after you are finished reading. Well I finished this last night and I am still thinking about the characters and wondering about their choices ect.If you love The Bronze Horseman and need to know how Jane, Harold and Alexander Barrington came to be living in Russia then you need to read both Children of Liberty and Bellagrand. I also recommend Six Days in Lenningrad which is the story of Paullina's research/return trip to Russia with her dad.

Renee

October 15, 2020

Review to come. I'm still processing everything

Pamela

January 27, 2014

Oh sweet Bellagrand... I'm so glad Paullina Simons took the time to do these 2 prequels, because I love her writing - her characters are so real and you really feel for them, and it's great to know the backstory of how the broken parents we meet in The Bronze Horseman came to be so. On the flip side, this story is heartbreaking. Throughout this whole book, I wanted to beat Harry. He's just so out of touch with everyone and everything, and so self-righteous in his beliefs. I really didn't feel sorry for him in the least at the end; he got what he wanted, even if it wasn't what he thought it would be.Gina, both saint and martyr. I think no one, both in her time and ours, would have looked down at her had she left him, and God knows she should have, many times. How much she gained at Bellagrand, and then, how far a fall.And sweet Alexander, that poor innocent boy. He deserved the best, but instead that was ripped from him by his stupid father. Such suffering he will go through because of that man. At least it all works out in the end.

Cindy

April 18, 2017

This book has taken me forever to read. It made me so crazy at times I had to put it down for months on end. Bellagrand is a prequel to one of my all time favorite books, The Bronze Horseman. And logically, I knew what had to happen in this book to allow everything that will take place in the next. But that didn't stop my heart from wanting to knock some hella-sense into Harry Barrington's Socialists ASS! I kept yelling at Gina to kick him to the curb and go find Ben!! Also, even though these events took place in the early 1900's, they had so many parallels to today's political climate of "anti-Capitlism." Including the senseless rhetoric and pussy protests that it just fed my contempt for Harry's staunch liberal positions even more. Paullina Simons (like Diana Gabaldon) is a genius at weaving political truths into her storylines. That might be why they are my favorite authors! This book along with The Bronze Horseman should be on every American High School's required reading list!

Stephanie

December 02, 2014

Alexander is everything. And I loathe his parents more than ever. So, this book essentially didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. I did enjoy reading about Alexander's young life before Russia, and the writing style was beautiful as always-- even while I wanted to throttle Harry and Gina (which is always). It kills me a little that I can't hate Harry and Gina as much as I want to, because without their selfish, ridiculous actions, there would be no Tatiana and Alexander so... I don't think I have much more to say about this book to write a proper review. If you're a Bronze Horseman fan, read it. It provides so much insight into Alexander's family, but it is nothing short of infuriating.

Amie

January 03, 2014

Spoiler alert!!!Anyone who has read The Bronze Horseman will know that this book does not finish in a happy ending but it was a beautifully executed prequel. I preferred it to other books in the series, particularly The Bridge to Holy Cross, that relied too heavily on retelling the story, resulting in a repetitive and frustrating read. I have puzzled over and over again over why Gina/ Jane would "agree" to follow her husband to the Soviet Union and am somewhat more understanding- though no less frustrated- having been given this deeper insight into the actions that led to her decision.

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