This book is a retelling of Anastasia and was written by Susan Weyn in 2009. It is about a girl named Nadya who has amnesia and doesn't remember her past. She looks exactly like the lost princess Anastasia.
This story is set a few years after the Russian revolution.

Main characters

Nadya is a 17 year old waitress in a tavern and has a stubborn personality. She doesn't remember her life, but dreams of having a family. She is mischievous because she likes to joke and play pranks. It is believed that she is Anastasia because Nadya knows things that only Anastasia knew. and also they never found the body of the real princess.
Nadya lives in Yekaterinburg, a town in the middle of nowhere.

Ivan is a young man of approximately 19 or 20 years of age who used to be a guard and serves as Nadya's love interest. He has a sarcastic personality and at times is kind of full of himself. Originally he and his partner Serguei just wanted the reward for finding Anastasia but he ends up bonding with Nadya.

Serguei is Ivan's partner and is in his mid twenties. He has a fun-loving personality and serves as an older brother figure to Nadya.

Rasputin's assistant is the main villain. He is a creepy man with a scar and a mysterious personality. He is a mercenary who is on the Bolsheviks' side.

Marie Ferodorovna is Anastasia's grandmother and has a snarky personality. She lives in Paris, France.
She is looking for her granddaughter because she loves her, and also because Anastasia is the last heir to the Romanov fortune.

The Conflict:

Nadya has to decide between staying with her grandmother or ending up in a relationship with Ivan. She has to make a choice in her life: freedom or responsibilities.

In the story there are two rewards, one from Anastasia’s grandmother and one from Lenin. Lenin is looking for her because she is a threat and a symbol of counterevolution. Also she represents the continuation of the monarchy.

My opinion: I generally like the author because I enjoy her writing. I like this book because the cover is nice and the characters are fun because they are likable because they have flaws, dreams, and personalities. I like the plot because it's a retelling of the story of Anastasia. I think Anastasia is cool because she is strong and has big dreams. In my opinion it's a good story despite having cliches. Cliche example 1: The main character has amnesia. And cliche example 2: there is a bit of romance. Overall, I think it's a good book.
I think this book is appropriate for people ages 12 and up because some parts of the story are complicated, meaning that there are a lot of things going on at once.
I recommend this for fans of the movie or musical versions of Anastasia.

References:
goodreads.com/book/show/5928862-the-diamond-secret.
amazon.com/Diamond-Secret-Once-upon-Time/dp/1416975306
suzanneweynbooks.com/the-diamond-secret.html.