The Stanislaski Sisters: Natasha and Rachel

The Stanislaskis #1,3

by Nora Roberts

Though they were raised in the Old World traditions of their loving immigrant family, tempestuous Natasha and cool, classy Rachel are ready for a new world of love....

Stormy Natasha's wild, fiery beauty captivates Spencer Kimball. But will the handsome single dad prove the one man capable of breaching her well-fortified heart and Taming Natasha?

When rugged Zack Muldoon needs a tough, no-nonsense lawyer, Rachel's not what he has in mind— till he discovers there's more to this long-legged beauty than meets the eye.and finds himself Falling for Rachel.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Fiction, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Anthologies, Adult

436 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

About the author

Nora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.

Reviews

[jenjn79 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains books #1 & #3 of the Stanislaski series and features the 2 Stanislaski sisters, Natasha and Rachel.

Natasha's book, Taming Natasha, is one of my favorite Nora Roberts category romances and a favorite of hers overall. It's a sweetly endearing, classic romantic tale that just makes me want to smile and sigh.

The Stanislaski family, first introduced in this book, is one of my favorite all time series families. Nora Roberts excels at writing about families.

I love everything about this book: the characters, the romance, the storyline. It's a very simple story, but the classic romance of it all just captures the heart and the mind. I enjoyed reading about the progression of Natasha and Spence's relationship. Generally, I don't like to read books with children in them, but it works for this story. Plus I liked reading about Freddie's beginning since she is featured in the book Waiting for Nick.

As for Rachel's book, Falling For Rachel, I enjoyed it almost as much as Natasha's. It's a bit different in tone as there is a side-storyline aside from the romance (the beginnings of Nick's tale). And it lacks a little bit of the Ukranian charm that Natasha's story has since Rachel is a little more Americanized because she was born in the U.S.

But overall, it's still a great short romance. Rachel and Zack have a good chemistry and the blending of Nick's story works really well. The supporting cast (the rest of the Stanislaskis) is fantastic. I love reading the scenes where there are family gatherings. They're a great bunch.

If you're a fan of Nora Roberts or simple, classic romance, I highly recommend this book (or any of the Stanislaski books).

(note: the Stanislaski books were recently reissued in new anthology combinations - Natasha & Mikhail, Rachel & Alex, and Frederica & Kate)

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

2020
Natasha and Rachel are two fantastic women with wonderfully romantic stories. I like that both of them are just fun to read about, but that they also have flaws. And that they always do there best to find the right path for themselves.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read these books five times and still enjoy them immensely. Taming Natasha is both heart-rending and heart-warming. I loved the description of her toy store and her effect on Spence. The Stanislaskis have a family dynamic that is priceless, which weaves through all four of the books. I wonder how much is based on Ms. Roberts own family. She tells us in a note at the back that she is the youngest of five, with four - count them - FOUR - older brothers. No wonder there is so much roughhousing and the verbal banter is quick and to the point. You can see the love behind the tough talk, but it is a wonderful peek into a big family with big hearts. Natasha and Spence work through funny moments and sad to come to a good point in both their lives. A poignant and moving story.

Rachel is a woman who knows what she wants and that is to be a judge after serving as a public defender. When she gets assigned to Zach and Nick's case, she nearly gets derailed. Zach, former Navy, is tough, but so is Rachel, and she knows what she wants. Doesn't she?

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I used to read Nora Roberts books religiously when I was in high school and would sneak them from my mom's reading basket. I fell in love with the Stanislaski family and haven't revisited them in years. I have to say that I am not sure it was a good thing to revisit. This book was a sign of the times and a lot of things that I thought was oh so romantic are kinda problematic today. Like Spence not taking no for an answer and insisting she is hiding her feelings of love after only knowing each other for 3 months. I get it, things change and so do writers, thats why I stopped with the first novella, and decided not to go on to the second story in the book. Maybe things are sometimes best left in the past where the good memories are. It makes me think about my collection of Nora Roberts books in a different way thats for sure.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taming Natasha: title not accurate/I hate it. Liked the characters and story, but Natasha was too melodramatic and in her feelings for me. 3/5

Falling for Rachel: blech-typical/generic-romance novel title; BUT I loved this story. Rachel reminds me of myself in a lot of ways, so I appreciated her story more than Natasha's. I'm crazy about Zach and I fell for Nick too. This was an easy 4.5/5 for me, bringing the whole book average up to 4/5 stars.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taming Natasha is an inspiring tale of love. It starts off with Natasha being afraid to love again and with Spencer falling in love so quickly that it seems unreal, it ends with the two so deeply in love with each other it seems like a fairy tale. Throughout the novel you could see Natasha pushing Spencer away because she was afraid to love again after what happened with her last relationship and losing her child but being around Spencer and Freddie helped her to realise that falling in love is not such a bad thing. Natasha saying, “I could never hate anyone as much as I hate you.” to Spencer shows just how far she would go to hide her true feelings and to push Spencer away so she wouldn’t fall in love with him but right from the beginning it is clear that they had a special connection straight from their first meeting.
Such a great story of love and family and journeys that come with falling in love.

Falling for Rachel, the third instalment in this series brings yet another rush of romance. The love between Rachel and Zack is clear from the start unlike the previous two novels, they run into a bump in the road when Nick’s feelings come into view but that doesn’t completely throw them off. The part that was narrated “This was a mistake. Any minute she’d remember why it was a mistake. She was sure of it.’ was near the beginning of their relationship when Rachel was adamant that she doesn’t want the relationship with Zack because he was linked to the case.
Nora Roberts has yet again done an amazing job with the next novel in this series. Yet again there is a compelling story of romance for another one of the Stanislaski siblings.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro está dividido en dos, la primera es la historia de Natasha Stanislaski, quien se muda a una pequeña ciudad de Virginia, dejando atrás a su familia en New York, para comenzar una nueva vida. Conoce a Spencer Kimball, un reconocido compositor y padre de una pequeña niña, y comienza una historia de amor.
La segunda parte es la historia de Rachel Stanislaski, abogada en New York, quien debe defender a un chico de 19 años de un intento de robo. Pero ella ve que detrás de eso no hay un delincuente, sólo un chico un poco perdido. Por una orden judicial debe ser coguardiana por unos meses, y con el hermanastro del chico, Zack Muldoon empieza un proceso de acercamiento que terminará en algo mucho más allá de lo que todos esperaban.

[Lillie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading these stories! Two strong female main characters with flaws and a backstory but they end up falling in love!
I have to say my favourite of these two was taming natasha such a sweet story that makes me want to sigh and smile happily everytime i think about it!
I also very much enjoyed falling for rachel and the chemistry between zack and rachel i could feel it through the book and loved the backstory of nick it fit the story so well and was lovely to see how his character developed! Overall i thoroughly enjoyed both these stories two classic romance stories you can get lost in i did not want to put the book down

[Gayathri Venkat · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a classic romantic love story, may be I would have enjoyed a lot when I was in college days, this is why we should finish reading the book when we pick anything in that mood. May be I lost interest in reading this kind slow classic romantic novel. But while reading this book I felt like watching an old classic movie. Nora Roberts Writing is always so simple and beautiful. It’s just not my cup of tea!

[Rainelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well now, I was on the fence about this book. Can I say that it blew me away. Both stories blew me away. I love the family. I love Freddie. And I love both Rachel and Zack. I recommend this book to all who love the happy endings.

[Linny Kirwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was an average NR book. Nothing crazy amazing stood out to me. I thought Rachel’s character was kind of odd, having “fallen in love” with two brothers. But I pretty much always enjoy NR!!

[Venus Strange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Feels real. The characters are relatable and the romance feels really good! I love Professor Kimball!

[Janine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inoffensive set of two Nora Robert's stories about two key sisters in a family. Not really looking for love - oh there it is!

[Julie Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Nora Roberts characters. Really enjoyed getting to know this family.

[Julie Vettraino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great series great read.

[Presly Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favourite books of Nora Roberts. Lady is an incredible storyteller

[Donna Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another Nora Roberts easy and enjoyable read!

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good old fashioned romance Nora Roberts style.

[Janine Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have now read all the books in this series except for Luring a Lady. Trying to get a copy of this book, as a last resort I will have to buy it on the Amazon kindle app

[Taylor Barron · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars. I have reread this book, and the entire series, several times since I was a kid. Just did a reread in 2023 for comfort. Love the characterization and sibling relationships so much.

[Jen Stanislawski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good, easy read. I like the separation of the stories. But the families get mentioned throughout.

[Cynthia DiNunzio · Rating 4 out of 5]

2 stories in 1 book. They were pretty good.

[Fictional Musings · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stanislaski Sisters is a beautiful romance series written by Nora Roberts. The book contains two stories in one. The first chapter is about Natasha and Spence’s love story. The plot is written so beautifully that I was completely engrossed in it. The series brought a fresh breath of air in the romance genre after reading so many Mills & Boon books. This was the first time I experimented with reading romance series by Nora Roberts as I devoured all Nicholas Sparks novels too.

I am glad that I chose this series and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I absolutely liked the author’s writing style. The characters and setting are elaborately described and that’s what I love the most about novels if they are well-described. Although the novel also consists of a lot of clichés, the story and writing style made me enjoy this series thoroughly.

When I say clichés means the protagonist mentioned in this novel is beautiful, has curves in all the right places. I don’t understand why all the authors are so obsessed with physical beauty. Yes, they do help readers imagine all things perfect but then isn’t beauty also lies in imperfections? Anyway, we can debate this some other time.

The second chapter introduces Rachel and Zack’s love story. I love the way both the stories come together in the end and how beautifully Nora places the family setting in both the stories.
Yes, I totally recommend it to those who love reading romance fiction.

[Mirela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another book by Nora Roberts that I love! This collection has Taming Natasha and Falling for Rachel which are books 1 and 3 respectively.

Taming Natasha

Her story hit me on so many levels and I found her so relatable. A women scorned who has built up walls around her life and heart. I loved her caring nature and her conversations with the people around her were so balanced and getting her personal insight was a great addition. I love the shifting first person books. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a realistic romance.

Falling for Rachel

This spunky younger sibling keeps you laughing throughout the whole book! Her strong personality only wavering a couple of times. This is no damsel in distress and being a public defender keeps her on her toes. I love her awkwardness and pure heart. She does not back down and her dialogue is unique; a brashness while still being feminine. I felt like the story kept twisting and turning and at one point I had to stop and yell at the book because you know something bad is happening but no one is noticing the subtle ques. This is book three in the series but totally worth getting to.

[Bridget · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not going to review every Nora Roberts book that I have read in the past because she is quite prolific and it would get redundant and I honestly cannot remember all the plots. I think someone finds someone else attractive but at least one cannot admit it so there is sexual tension, then lots of sex, and then they live happily ever after? Sometimes there is some magic , a family legacy, or a mystery. Certainly not great works of literature (however still 100% better than “the grapes of wrath”). I think I have read every one of her books to date because despite the cheesy nature, the ending is always happy and the read is easy. Frankly, I like these books and will continue to read each one that comes out. I am going to post this same review for each of her books that I have read in the past.

[Mridula Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two sisters, different lives. Natasha is the rebellious kind, she will do as she pleases. She hates men but ends up falling for one man. How did he tame her is a journey filled with self-realization, secrets, and love. A lot of it.

Rachel is a lawyer and she falls in love with the one man she never wanted to fall for. She is smart, responsible and sexy.

Both their paths cross sometimes in the story but Roberts has definitely managed to keep their world apart and different. Each with their own characteristics and flaws. And each man handsome in their own way.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

i just re-read this book, and it is even better than i remembered. the stanislaski family, a ukranian family that escaped to come to america, is a wholly original romance book premise. the family is loud, colorful, and extremely lovable. natasha and rachel, a toy store owner and a public defender respectively, are also very unique protagonists, very strong women and protagonists that you can respect. when they fall in love it is that much more compelling.

[Kasey · Rating 3 out of 5]

I checked this out from the library so I could continue the Stanislaski series. (I had already read about Natasha and this was the only book that offered Rachel's story.) All in all it was good. Again, it's kind of fun to read a book that touches back to characters you remember and there is a little continuation to their story as well as the newer characters and their goings on. I haven't been able to decide yet on a favorite but I do have one more of the siblings to read about. We'll see!

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nora Roberts' romance of two Stanislaski sisters and their ways to romance. Natasha runs a toy store but runs from love. New to town music professor Spencer Kimball has definite interest and a young daughter who loves the toy store as well as the owner.

I actually preferred the second story about her younger sister Rachel the lawyer. Here she comes into contretemps with Zack Muldoon over keeping his younger brother out of jail.

Two for one. fun and entertaining.

[Pesky · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this as a very young girl, maybe like 5th grade. A lot of the things that bothered me about it on reread as an adult, completely slipped by me back then. Natasha's was one of the very first romances I remember and she's the reason I went crazy for Nora Roberts. Even though there are issues in it, as with any romance, it remains one of my favorite reads. Along with Mikhail, Alexi, and Rachel, I just really loved the Stanislaski family.