Black Rose: In the Garden, Book 2 Author: | Language: English | ISBN:
B001AZT96K | Format: PDF
Black Rose: In the Garden, Book 2 Description
A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night.
At 45, Rosalind Harper is a woman whose experiences have made her strong enough to bend without breaking - and weather any storm. A widow with three grown sons, she survived a disastrous second marriage, and built her In the Garden nursery from the ground up.
Through the years, In the Garden has become more than just a thriving business - it is a symbol of hope and independence to Roz, and to the two women she shares it with. Newlywed Stella and new mother Hayley are the sisters of her heart, and together, the three of them are the future of In the Garden.
But now that future is under attack, and Roz knows they can't fight this battle alone. Hired to investigate Roz's Harper ancestors, Dr. Mitchell Carnegie finds himself just as intrigued with Roz herself. And as they begin to unravel the puzzle of the Harper Bride's identity, Roz is shocked to find herself falling for the fascinating genealogist.
Now it is a desperate race to discover the truth before the unpredictable apparition lashes out at the one woman who can help her rest in peace.
- Audible Audio Edition
- Listening Length: 10 hours and 58 minutes
- Program Type: Audiobook
- Version: Unabridged
- Publisher: Brilliance Audio
- Audible.com Release Date: June 10, 2008
- Whispersync for Voice: Ready
- Language: English
- ASIN: B001AZT96K
BLACK ROSE, the second installment in the GARDEN trilogy, is a big improvement over the premier of the series (BLUE DAHLIA), includes snappy dialogue, interesting characters, a satisfying romance and very few thorns to mar the reading experience. While I recommend the book, particularly to those who were disappointed in BLUE DAHLIA, at times there seemed to be too many characters cluttering up each scene, scenes including the main couple were not as plentiful as hoped, and the hero's unrealized desire to rescue the heroine was a little disappointing.
BLACK ROSE continues the story of three women drawn to Rosalind Harper's historic southern home to run a nursery/landscaping business and solve a ghost story. ROSE is Roz's story, and follows the forty-something owner while she struggles to build her business, overcome a bitter second marriage to a philandering con man, and track down the truth about the resident ghost with the help of visiting genealogist, Mitchell Carnegie.
The most appealing feature of this book was Roz's character. All too often it seems that authors leave romance to the twenty and thirty-somethings, and when they do try to write more mature heroines, they often read like a twenty-two year old with too much mileage and not enough wisdom. In ROSE, it was clear from the beginning that Roz was strong, independent and, despite the blow to her self respect dealt by her last husband, had the confidence to claw her own way out of her problems. Love-interest Mitchell was not as clearly drawn, but was appealing both because of his willingness to take responsibility for mistakes in his first marriage, and in the way he obviously respected as well as loved Roz.
Black Rose, the second in the In the Garden series, focuses on Rosalind (Roz) Harper; head of Harper House; owner of the In The Garden nursery; mother to luscious Harper (as well as Austin and Mason); close friend of Stella Rothchild; distant cousin by marriage (on her late husband's side) and friend to Hayley Phillips; hot babe; temperamental; difficult. I could go on, but you probably get the picture. Roz is a powerful woman who works at maintaining control of her life. This can be difficult when ex-husband (#2...a mistake), Bryce Clerk, makes a serious effort to make her life miserable.
When the situation with the Harper Bride (the ghost) turns very dangerous in Blue Dahlia, Roz decides to hire a professional to find out what's up with the ghost (whose name we learn is Amelia). Enter genealogist, Dr. Mitchell Carnegie, in Black Rose. Mitch's arrival on the scene adds new energy to Roz's life (though she seems to have plenty of that already), some anxiety, and a growing passion for the handsome (of course), brilliant, kindly man who has come into her life.
At the same time, Hayley Phillips, who came to Roz about six months pregnant in Blue Dahlia, gives birth to baby Lily, named after the red lilies Harper Ashby (Roz's eldest son) brings to the birthing room just before Lily arrives. There's an underlying sexual tension growing between these two as the story develops and, by the end of Black Rose, the stage is set for Red Lily, Hayley's story.
Meanwhile, the ghost continues to act up as Roz and Mitch's relationship heats up. Mitch spends more and more time at Harper House studying journals, photos, and other Harper family records and documents, which upsets Amelia. She has a healthy hatred for men. "They lie. They all lie" (she mind talks to the women).
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