REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY: The Rose Garden by Susanna Kearsley
A- Reviews / Book Reviews / Recommended ReadsContemporary / Cornwall / giveaway / Time-Travel113 Comments
Dear Ms. Kearsley,
Your novel, The Winter Sea, blew me away last year. It was one of my Best of 2010 books, and I’ve recommended it not only to everyone I know, but to total strangers as well. When I was offered the chance to review your new novel, of course I jumped at it. But while that decision was easy, it was a little more difficult to decide just how to approach it as a reader and reviewer. A book that completely hits every mark for me is a rare and precious experience, but it also means that it takes extra effort to keep those memories from overshadowing the next read.
The Rose Garden is very much a Kearsley novel. Your voice is unmistakable, and there are aspects of structure and style that are similar to The Winter Sea. But it is also quite different in some ways. It would be wrong to categorize it as a genre romance novel, even though there is a very satisfying romance at the core of it and several smaller romantic sub-plots. It feels like a cross between a romance, a journey story (although not exactly women’s fiction), and a straight fiction novel with a strong sense of place and a wide variety of characters.
Eva, our narrator, journeys to Cornwall after the death of her movie-star sister, Katrina, in order to scatter Katrina’s ashes, grieve, and then decide what she wants to do with her life. Although their family had lived in several different countries, their summers in Cornwall held a special significance for both sisters. A successful public relations executive, Eva had settled in Los Angeles to be near to and work with Katrina. Now she is alone, and when the Halletts invite her to stay at Trelowarth while she considers the future, she accepts. She is drawn in to their world: Mark, the son and proprietor of Trelowarth Roses; Susan, his younger sister whose plans to help Trelowarth achieve a sounder financial footing make Mark uncomfortable; and Claire, their artist stepmother who provides a loving home and a link to the past.
As Eva settles in and picks up the threads of her old life, she suddenly finds herself briefly thrown back in time to Trelowarth in an earlier and more dangerous era (which readers of The Winter Sea will recognize, albeit from a different angle). At first she thinks she’s hallucinating from stress, grief, and exhaustion. But the episodes continue, and soon Eva meets the 18th-century inhabitants of the house: Daniel Butler, a sea captain, and his Irish friend and collaborator, Fergal. Daniel, Fergal, and Daniel’s charming and erratic brother Jack are enmeshed in Jacobite plotting against the Crown, as well as more run of the mill smuggling, and as Eva involuntarily goes back and forth in time her risk of being captured as a confederate of the two grows. But so does her attraction to Daniel and her friendship with Fergal, and even though she knows a great deal about what might happen to them, as well as tantalizing details about their individual futures, she falls in love with Daniel, and she is increasingly drawn to life in that period. But how can she stay in the early 18th century, and what will happen to the Eva of the 21st century and the people around her if she succeeds in going back permanently?
I am not a fan of time-travel novels as a rule, but I’m happily making an exception for your books. I really appreciate the way you deal with the small and not-so-small details, like Eva’s clothing. When Eva goes backward and forward in time, she arrives wearing time-inappropriate attire. This is manageable in the present, but the stock of clothing available to her in 1715 is much smaller. Not only do you pay attention to the dangers and ramifications of this problem, but you use it to show how Eva and Daniel’s relationship progresses, and it leads to a lovely moment in the story. When Eva is finally wearing clothing that is intended for her alone, it means something.
Equally insightful and appealing to me is how you portray gender issues. While time-travel romances tend to focus on the differences for women across the centuries, here Eva and Daniel discuss the constraints and opportunities for both men and women. Eva is frustrated by the limitations she faces in the early 1700s, but Daniel reminds her that although he has more freedom to make decisions and take public action, he too is constrained in ways that Eva realizes are different that those men face in the present:
‘I assure you, Eva, I do have a high regard for liberty.’
‘I know you do.’
‘And whatever custom may decree in public, in my family every woman has been free to speak her mind.’
‘Behind closed doors.’
He smiled and said, ‘I’ve found that there are many things more safely done behind closed doors than in the public view, by men as well as women.’ Then, more serious, ‘Do you think I am free to say exactly what I please, and when? In truth you’d be mistaken. If I stated my opinion of the current state of politics, I’d soon be clapped in irons for treason.’
He was right, I knew. ‘But even if you can’t state your opinions, you can act on them.’
‘Not openly. No, you and I are both confined to showing but one part of us in public, and another to our friends. As for the whole of us … well, that must be reserved for those few people we are fortunate enough to love and trust.’
The 18th century is so exciting, both for Eva and for the reader, that the contemporary story pales somewhat by comparison. The potential secondary and tertiary romances are enjoyable but not particularly gripping, but the Hallett family is well drawn and their individual and collective stories are engaging.
As always, the setting is beautifully depicted. I could smell the sea of Cornwall and feel the walks up The Hill, and the historical background is terrific. There is a strong sense of context without any dreaded infodumps, and the reader is immersed in the period without feeling like she’s attending a lecture.
The most difficult aspect of time-travel romance is finding a way to have an HEA that seems to make sense and that doesn’t cause too much sadness for those who are left behind. You come up with an ingenious and surprising solution to this problem, but one that is sufficiently complicated that I had to go back and read it again. So readers, be warned: when the book nears the end and the suspense is killing you, make sure to slow down while you read. I can’t explain without massive spoilers, and I’m not sure I entirely buy it, but hey, it’s a time-travel, so I can live with that. Readers can rest assured that Eva and Daniel have a satisfying HEA, and a couple of the secondary threads wrap up with happy surprises.
This novel is an example of how a story can be utterly, completely romantic in tone without having explicit sex or even many romantic interludes between the hero and heroine. It is worth keeping in mind that it does not follow the conventions of a genre romance. A key focus of the story is on Eva’s journey from a grieving sister to a woman who looks forward to her future with the man she loves (however unusually she’s reached that point), and her friendships with Fergal, Claire, and the rest of the Halletts are critical parts of that journey. The first part of the novel is accordingly quite sad, although I didn’t find it depressing. As Eva recuperates at Trelowarth and becomes involved in the Hallett’s lives, and then even more entwined in the lives of Daniel, Fergal, and Jack, the sadness recedes (although it never goes away completely, and how can it?).
The first line of this story is devastating, but the last line is filled with happiness. They make powerful bookends to a memorable novel.
Grade: A-
~ Sunita
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Yay! I’m truly happy that the criminally underrated Susanna Kearsley’s The Rose Garden gets an A from you, Sunita.
I loved The Winter Sea and cannot wait to read more Kearsley!
Another author to add to TBR. Your reviews are extremely helpful.
Outlander was the last time travel I read and I’ve refused to go near any since, yes it’s been that long. This review is tempting me to add to my TBR pile, I really like the idea of seeing both genders limitations that the characters face in the past.
I still haven’t picked up Winter Sea, but this review makes me want to read both now. Thanks.
I enjoyed that Kearsley books that I’ve read, but I haven’t read The Winter Sea and now I want to read both of these books.
The Winter Sea was a lovely surprise – I went in with low expectations – glad to hear that The Rose Garden seems to live up to it.
The Winter Sea was a wonderful read. Looks like The Rose Garden will be equally good…
Susanna Kearsley is a new to me author. Am truly intrigued by your description of her storyies.
Thanks, everyone! It’s so difficult to do this book justice; I could have written another thousand words. But I’d rather you read her words than mine. It’s quite different from The Winter Sea, but it is richly textured, intelligent, and enjoyable.
And in a lovely bit of planning or serendipity, Amazon has The Winter Sea as its Kindle Daily Deal: http://amzn.to/pN2At3
I remember seeing everyone chatting about “The Winter Sea” last year but for some reason never got around to picking it up. Will have to check both books out!
Despite all the rave reviews here and elsewhere, Kearsley’s books have always come across as too women’s fictiony for me to pick one up. The Amazon deal though has made me seriously consider picking up a copy of The Winter Sea.
I don’t normally go for general fiction (I love my genre fiction), but between your glowing review and the setting on Cornwall, I’ll have to look into this one. Thanks for the review, Sunita!
I loved The Winter Sea and can’t wait to read The Rose Garden!
Thanks for the review. It sounds likes a wonderful books.
I wavered on purchasing The Winter Sea when Amazon kept popping it into my recommendations. Now with your review I think I’d enjoy it and The Rose Garden, too. Thanks for the info! :)
I really love Kearsley’s books and am excited that there is a new one out.
I loved, loved, loved The Winter Sea. I can’t wait to read more books by Susanna Kearsley. I would love to win a copy of The Rose Garden!!!!
You make these sounds wonderful, I must try them.
I have The Winter Sea by my bed in my to-be-read pile. I carried home a copy from RWA Nationals this summer. Now I can’t wait to dive into the story (and the sequel)!
This sounds outstanding! I recommended this to my History Prof husband, since he’s currently teaching a Long 18th Century British HIstory class. I suspect his students will love it.
I haven’t read any of Joanna Kearsely’s books before but they sound really interesting so I’m going to give them a try.
Sourcebooks’ offer of a print bundle of Winter Sea and
The Rose Garden is a real treat! I’m new to this author, but her stories sound intriguing.
Both The Winter Sea and The Rose Garden are on my wishlist. I discovered them randomly without having ever heard of the author or seeing them talked about in the reading community. I can see now it has received a lot of great reviews and I want to read them more than ever. Thank you for The Rose Garden giveaway.
How serendipitous that The Winter Sea is today’s Amazon Kindle deal. I was just looking at it this morning and trying to decide whether to one click. Now I’m convinced that I should go ahead and get it. For $1.99, how can I go wrong? Thanks for the great review and the giveaway.
I’ve had Winter Sea sitting in my TBR for some months, now. I guess I should dust it off, since The Rose Garden sounds so very excellent, but I need to find out if Keasley’s writing style resonates with me before buying it.
Nice review! I enjoyed The Winter Sea and look forward to reading The Rose Garden.
I would love a copy of this book in e-format, or the bundle of two books in print. I don’t often do time-travel books, but these sound wonderful.
I have read Winter Sea and enjoyed it. I am always scared away from time travel so this would be a way for me to jump in.
I’m so thrilled to read that you enjoyed this novel! I’m a huge Kearsley fan and have been anxiously waiting to hear about this newest book! Now I can’t wait to read it myself!
Thanks for the review! :)
OOOH! Thank you so much for your review! I just purchased The Winter Sea as it is only &1.99. This is for today only since it is Amazon’s Daily Deal in the Kindle Store.
Now I really, really want to read it! And The Rose Garden. Thanks for the giveaway!
I meant $1.99.
Thanks for the giveaway. If I’m chosen, I’d prefer print.
I am so happy to see more romance readers trying Susanna Kearsley. She wrote one of my all time favorite books bar none “The Shadowy Horses” which is a fantastic romance/mystery. I cannot recommend it highly enough.
More Kearsley! I’m excited, but I’m not actually going to read the review because with her books I know I want as few hints as possible before I start.
I LOVED the Winter Sea so I have been eagerly anticipating the release of The Rose Garden. So glad you liked it, Sunita! I have been trying to find some of Kearsley’s backlist titles but it’s not been easy. I did manage to find a copy of “The Shadowy Horses” in a UK bookstore and very much enjoyed that story, too.
Great giveaway! I loved The Winter Sea and I am excited on reading her newest book.
Oh, yes! So excited to read this positive review here. I can’t wait to read THE ROSE GARDEN. And thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for the review.
I want to love time-travel romances, but it’s hard to find any that manage to make the past seem real. And thanks to the raves in the comments, I’ll be looking for Susanna Kearsley’s books next time I’m at the bookstore.
I’ve loved Susanna Kearsley’s books since I read The Shadowy Horses – she writes compellingly readable books. And Sunita’s review just adds to the urgency. Must Read Book Now!
This seems like an amazing book. I’ve never read Susanna’s books before, but I will now.
[email protected]
Wow. I’m certainly intrigued and want to read more. Thanks for the review and giveaway.
Please count me in. Sounds so good!
This book is definitely on my tbr list!
I’ve had The Winter Sea in my TBR pile for a while. Looks like I’ll have to move it up in order to read The Rose Garden now!
Looking forward to reading this one; been on my Amazon wishlist since it was announced.
Print or ebook fine, if i ever actually win one of these ;-)
I am so glad to see such a good review of this book here! I loved The Rose Garden so much. I think The Winter Sea will always be my favourite Kearsley, but this was very, very close!
No need to enter me into the prize draw as I already own and treasure both books!
I love reading this site and getting new ideas for books to read. I also just got a Kindle for my birthday, so I’m really looking for digital books to read. Thanks for the review!
I’ve enjoyed Kearsley’s books and cannot figure out why they’re so underappreciated. Most of my local libraries don’t carry her more recent titles so how are people going to get hooked on her books???
Somehow I did not think before that this is a time travel book. But now I am intrigued.
I have this on my wish list, but a free copy would make room there for another book y’all are going to make me want.
I would love to try Kearsley’s writing out!
Susanna Kearsley is a new author to me but your review makes me want to read her books :-)
smaccall AT comcast.net
I actually already own both books but just wanted to thank Sunita for another well done review. I read The Winter Sea b/c of her review, went in with high expectations and ended up loving the book. In fact, I enjoyed it enough to get past my strong dislike of TT (Outlander is at the top of my “books-others-love-that-I-don’t-get” list) and buy The Rose Garden. Now I’m feeling better about reading it and moving up my tbr pile!
Oh, goody!!! I loved ‘The Winter Sea’ and can not wait to read ‘The Rose Garden’.
I am not usually a fan of time travel stories but this looks like a story I would enjoy.
Love, love, love the Winter Sea and am very excited about reading the Rose Garden! Thanks to those who posted about the kindle daily deal – will have to download the snook as well!
I loved Mariana, and am looking forward to reading more of SK’s books.
The Winter Sea was an amazing read. I cannot wait for more by this author. Thank you for the giveaway and in letting me know this was being released.
I was stocked to participate in the Smart Bitches author chat and Book Club for Winter Sea now I cannot wait for this release. This author created a fantastical world with rich characters! Thank you for the opportunity.
Susanna Kearsley is fast becoming a favorite of mine too! I just finished The Whispering Horses last week and enjoyed The Winter Sea last year. Plus I met her at RWA in June and was thrilled to meet her in person and have her give me travel tips for Scotland! I’m adding this book to my TBR list, sounds great!
Having read The Winter Sea, I’m eager to read her next book!
This is a terrific review – thanks. Can’t wait to read more of Susanna Kearsley.
I didn’t discover Winter Sea until sometime middle of this year, and it’s definitely one of my favorite reads of the year. I’ve been looking forward to The Rose Garden—it would be awesome to win a copy!! :)
Me! Me! *Jumps up and down*
Someone gave me a copy of one of Kearsley’s earlier books and I LOVED it. So when The Winter Sea was available in the US, I promptly bought it in print, and because I really preferred digital, I bought it for my Sony. Now there’s another one? Hot diggity!
Sounds fantastic! I could use a book to curl up with a read slowly now that the nights here are getting chilly.
What a great review. The last time travel books I’ve read were Outlander and Time Traveler’s Wife and those were some great books. Would love to try this one.
These books sound so wonderful – I’ll put them on my Christmas list if I don’t win! I’ve heard great things about this author’s attention to historical detail and her lyrical prose. Please count me in for the print versions as I’m in Australia. :)
Sounds like a winner. I’ll be adding Kearsley’s books to my TBR list.
Love, love, love the Winter Sea and am very excited about reading the Rose Garden! Thanks to those who posted about the kindle daily deal!
The winter sea has been in my TBR for way too long! Looks like this one will be getting added and hopefully read sometime soon!
These sound like two books that I would thoroughly enjoy!
I have had THE WINTER SEA in my TBR for awhile sounds like THE ROSE GARDEN is another not to be missed book. Can’t wait to dive in! Thanks for the opportunity to win one :)
I loved ‘The Rose Garden’. I think I liked it even more than ‘The Winter Sea’, which is saying a lot. Thanks for the review. (No need to enter me in the contest.)
I also really recommend The Winter Sea to anybody who hasn’t read it yet. I look forward to reading this one too. :)
Please enter me in contest. I would love to read this book. [email protected]
Sounds intriguing!
Would love a copy of the Rose Garden to share with my many friends in Japan who love the thought of love in the past, connected to the present. A door into history which is always fascinating.
Entering the contest. It’s been out in the UK on the kindle for ages, but I want a print copy to lend to my mum…
Thanks for the opportunity! I have The Winter Sea, but I haven’t read it yet – need to bump it up in the TBR stack(s).
I’m really looking forward to reading this. Like Sunita I’m not much of a TT fan, but SK writes such good stories that I am not bothered by the thought of it in this book.
Great review — I’ve heard wonderful things about this book but you’ve got me especially excited! Thank you for the giveaway!
For those who like audiobooks, The Rose Garden is on audible.com read by Nicola Barber. Unfortunately it’s not being given away, but I’ve put it in my cart so please don’t add me to the contest. I would rather someone else get a chance at learning about Ms Kearsley, whose books I have enjoyed forever or at least since the last century.
I grabbed Winter Sea based on your review and the great price yesterday, and gobbled it up in one afternoon. It was as beautiful as promised, and I can’t wait to pick up The Rose Garden and get more of Ms. Kearsley’s lovely prose.
I’d love to win this book to go along with my as yet unread copy of The Winter Sea. I suspect I’m going to love both of them.
Would love a chance to read both books. They sound wonderful.
Oh, what an exciting review! This is an unknown to me author but with a grade like that and with one of my favorite topics – time travel, these books definitely go on to my wishlist ;) Please enter me for print copies as I’m a UK reader.
Time travels are not a big favorite with me either but with the recommendation you give, I might have to pick both of these up soon.
Lovely review Sunita! I frequently have trouble with time-travel romances – there are just too many issues that throw me out of the stories – but this sounds like a wonderful story and I am intrigued.
I loved The Winter Sea, which I didn’t expect at all, and look forward to this new story. Thanks for making the giveaway possible.
Loved The Winter Sea, I’m eager to read this one. Yay, giveaway!
halfway through the winter sea, love it, bought on sunita’s review. love to read the rose garden also! (not in north america- plse enter me for print copy).
I’m a huge Susanna Kearsley fan. When I ran across The Winter Sea last year (I didn’t know she had a new book out), I immediately downloaded it. I then re-read every book of hers that I have and ordered The Rose Garden from Amazon.ca, which released it earlier this year. I plan on doing that with the book she’s currently writing. I’m way too impatient to wait for the US releases!
I first saw this book on the Sourcebooks website. My interest was picqued enough that I read the first chapter or so on Amazon and I was immediately taken by the lovely writing. Knowing Kearsley’s “The Winter Sea” was as loved by readers as well means my “books to buy” list has grown by two.
So excited about the new Kearsley book! I have literally recommended The Winter Sea to everyone I know since I read it a few months ago, and everyone has, in turn, loved it. I’m, frankly, a little apprehensive about this new one since I loved the previous one so much…and time travel is a little weird to me, but hey, I scoffed at the “historical memory” idea initially and found she did it incredibly well.
I’m about half way through The Winter Sea and I LOVE IT!!! Can’t wait to read more by this author :)
Terrific review! I’ve never read any Kearsley before, but it sounds like I should.
Thanks for the great giveaway!
Great review! I loved Winter Sea and can’t wait to read this one!
I have not (yet) read The Winter Sea – but this makes me ready to read both books back to back. I, too, am not big on time travel books, but I do love historicals. A review like this overcomes any hesitation on my part!
Dear Sunita:
I would like to win this book because I’m pretty sure I have a big ol’ girl-crush on Ms. Kearsley.
Thank you.
ooh! Now I want to read. Pick me!
This book sounds really interesting! Can’t wait to read it.
This looks like a fabulous read – do please enter me! Thank you :) x
ohh…sounds interesting – i hope i win.
would love to try these books – thanks for the review and the contest!
I’m just “discovering” Susanna Kearsley but have already fallen in love from the excerpt I read of THE ROSE GARDEN. Your review just makes me want to read ALL her books even more! Thank you Sourcebooks for offering copies for this giveaway.
Winter Sea has been on my to read list for a while – I’d love to win these!
This book sounds really interesting! Congratulations all!
Just wanted to say congratulations to all the winners.
Thank you, Sunita, for such an amazing review — I’m always in awe of how much time you spend with a book and how thoughtfully layered your final analysis is.
And thanks also to everyone here for the wonderful comments. I’m honoured and flattered by all your kind words.
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