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Monday, October 10, 2011

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley

The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley (Rated: P)
Sourcebooks Landmark
ISBN: 978-1402258589
Published Oct 2011
Trade Paperback, 448 pages

Take a great cast of characters, add the setting of an old house on the Cornish coast, throw in some time travel and romance, and finally put it all between the pages of a beautiful book cover. And voilà! You get Susanna Kearsley's new novel, The Rose Garden--a book I got lost in so easily, that transported me away and left me sad that it ended. I didn't want it to end!

I simply loved this book. From Kearsley's beautiful writing to the mysterious time travel. When Eva Ward's sister dies, she returns to their childhood summer place in Cornwall, England to scatter her ashes. Mark, Susan and Claire are like family to her and they welcome her back. As Eva finds comfort in the childhood memories stirred from returning, she experiences periods where she believes she is hallucinating. Instead she is time travelling back to 1715 where she meets Daniel Butler, a smuggler caught up in the dangers of political intrigue.

Kearsley weaves a fantastic tale as she blends the present with the past, keeping the reader guessing as to how it will all work out. In time travel novels there is always the question as to how going back in time will actually change the future. Kearsley handles this well with plot twists and a wonderful cast of interesting characters that add great dimension to the whole story. Everything in the story is essential to its satisfying ending. In time travel novels I tend to like the story in the past better than the one in the present, but Kearsley does such a wonderful job of melding the two together. When the story ended and stayed in my mind, I was able to discern how every scene was important.

I have been eyeing Kearsley's Marianna for awhile now, and Sandra's high regard for Kearsley's last novel The Winter Sea (read her review here) has now elevated these books on my list of must-reads. Susanna Kearsley has now made my list of favourite authors. If you're itching to read a well-written “I need to escape into” novel, look no further. This one is a winner.

Note: There are a few religious expletives in this novel.

Disclosure: Thanks to Sourcebooks for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.

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10 comments :

  1. I'm reading this one now. I loved her other novel The Winter Sea. I recommend that on as well. Glad to read that you enjoyed this one.

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  2. I really liked The Winter Sea so this is on my must read - glad you liked it!

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  3. I've been wanting to read this author for awhile (I have a couple of her books sitting on my TBR pile) so I'm happy to hear that someone else is liking her books. Great review!

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  4. The fact that you didn't want the book to end speaks volumes to me.

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  5. I love when a book leaves me sad to see it end. I haven't read this author yet but I do have The Winter Sea on my Nook. I'm glad to see you enjoyed this one.

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  6. I'm dying for this book! She's tops on my list of authors. Still working my way through her backlist. I've got The Shadowy Horses coming up next.

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  7. This is also new to me. I haven't read The Winter Sea as yet so two additions to my TBR list.

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  8. I'm glad to see you really enjoyed it. I received a surprise copy, and while I can't wait to read it, I don't know when I'll get to it. Knowing how much you loved it, I'll keep my copy handy, though.

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  9. I tend to enjoy time travel stories and this sounds like a great one!

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  10. Hi Laura, back from my travels and trying to catch up with all my favourite bloggers. Your review makes this sound so appealing I have added it to my wishlist, thankyou.

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Thank you for commenting! I appreciate your feedback.

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