Customer Reviews

Rose House (La Rosaleda Series #2)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

As rose vines intertwine themselves, so does this offering full of twists, beauty, thorns and mystery. Set in the CA wine country, Ms. Forkner creates us such a beautiful location we willing walk inside the pages though we know danger lurks.

Lillian Diamon lost her husband and girl's in a tragic car accident. For months she holes up in LA, but eventually is drawn to the vineyard town of La Rosealeda where she takes up residence at bed and breakfast, quickly befriending the family. While strolling the grounds of the famous "Rose House" built as a monument of love, she feels she is being watched. Her grief is so raw it is palatable and unnerved she runs back to LA only to return two years later. As she visits an art gallery in La Rosealeda upon her return, she pursues a canvas that has captured Rose House and her grieving figure to a remarkable T. She was being watched her first visit. By whom? Who was following her and why are they painting her portrait of extreme distress? Is she still being followed now and observed and if so, why? Was her idyllic marriage and life much more sinister than she ever knew?

Mystery, intrigue, romance and colorful writing await you as you read this lovely book. The prose is flowery and I could smell the lovely scent of each word.

Beautiful book and an excellent summmer read. Treat yourself....you will be so happy you did.

When Lillian found herself plunged into grief at the sudden loss of her husband and children she retreated to a beautiful place of hope - the Rose House in the Sonoma's wine country. Returning to the Rose House four years later she finds a painting revealing her deep feelings in those wretched moments from her past. Suddenly she finds herself followed by strangers, plagued by confessions from her estranged sister, and swept into an unexpected romance.

Rose House is the second in a loosely connected series of novels tied to the Rose House, the Sonoma valley, and the families who live there. The first in this series is the widely acclaimed Ruby Among Us (which I have not read). This book can easily be read as a stand-alone though.

I was drawn to Rose House by the mystery of the story - who had painted Lillian? How had they witnessed her secret grief? Was this a God thing? Unfortunately what I found was a choppy and confusing story. Tina Ann Forkner jumps around in time and space during the early portions of the book in a way that was hard for me to follow. It took me awhile to understand the backstory because it was revealed so slowly and jumpily.

I also found Lillian's emerging romance somewhat unbelievable - I actually thought her love interest had very strange stalker, obsessive-type qualities. I really couldn't understand why she would go in for that (I certainly wouldn't).

This was my first exposure to Forkner's work and though I can't say for certain what I was searching for (it was the nebulous mystery that drew me in), I can't shake the sense if disappointment I felt after finishing this novel.

From the get-go, this book grabs you by the heart and doesn't let go. Part mystery, part romance, and full of suspense, you won't want to put it down! This book keeps you guessing and the surprises never stop.

Many books written by Christian authors such as Ms. Forkner have either lofty or dismal/desperate characters. All of the people in this book were ones to whom I could relate and envision in everyday life, like a friend I'd want to invite over for dinner.

Rose House is one of those books that is difficult to describe. It has an atmosphere of its own that is almost tangible - an exquisite portrayal of both setting and characters that made them come alive. In Rose House despair is tempered with love and hope, betrayal with forgiveness, unbelief with renewed faith.

After losing her husband and children in an accident, Lillian is drawn to the sanctuary of the Sonoma valley and the peace she finds there. However that peace is often broken by an unseen sense of menace. As Lillian learns that people in her life were not always the way she perceived them, she becomes increasingly unsure of who she can trust. When a fresh chance at love presents itself, can Lillian let go of the past and its pain and find new joy? Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Rose House today to find out.

Four years ago, Lillian stood at the Rose House amidst her anguish. She had just lost her husband and children in a tragic accident. Today she returns and finds a painting of herself in the local gallery, of her at the Rose House capturing the sadness and despair she was feeling that day four years ago. Who had painted her in a very private moment? The painting was given to the gallery anonymously. The painting was not for sale.
Not only is Lillian still getting beyond her grief, but now someone has been watching her. Her relationship with her only sibling, a sister, is nearly nonexistent. Will the Rose House bring her solace as it did on that day long ago? Will she be able to repair her relationship with her sister? Will she find love again? Did you think I would tell you? Not a chance, read it yourself to solve these mysteries.
This was a great book. It has a lot of unexpected twists, especially the end~ I never would have guessed! I could literally not put this book down until I finished it. I kept it in my car and purse so I could read it in little snipets of time I came across. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did.

This was an odd mix, though I really enjoyed it. It was a romance novel and a thriller wrapped in one. Though it could be scary at times, the tender moments overshadowed the fear. It was a good story with a great ending. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Tina Ann Forkner is another of my favorite authors, and this book did not disappoint in the least. This is only her second novel and it made me wish she has more than two books out there available.

I got this book from Paperback Swap based on this review. I am really glad I didn't pay for it! I thought the book was awful!

It never fully develops the mystery of the story.

There were no conclusions to the mystery of the story except that they arrested one person for doing what???? and why was he doing it? The author never says.

I found the story to be stilted and boring and I didn't think it developed the characters at all.

The storyline is good and this book could be so wonderful, but the author has taken what could be a great book, and made it into a short romance.

Though there are beautiful mental images, it is almost as though the author created a story through poems and written visuals. The editing is sloppy and, because of the way it was written, the story is hard to follow. One moment we are with Lillian shortly after an automobile accident takes away the family she has created, and on the next page we are watching her from someone else's perspective, I believe four years later. It was too flowery to follow. I ended up skimming the story, and I became annoyed when the sentences never got to the point. Beautiful concept, though, and a gorgeous cover.

Providence hasn't been very kind to Lillian Diamon. After losing her parents and brothers to a house fire as a child, she is forced to endure the death of her children and husband in a tragic car accident - an accident that may not have been so accidental. Lillian uncovers evidence that her husband may have been leading a double life and the only person who can answer her questions (and protect her from those who seek revenge) is the sister who betrayed her.

Lillian's journey through grief takes her to a small vineyard town where she is inexplicably drawn to a small cottage covered with roses and a sad history. Truman Clark, a local artist, finds himself inexplicably drawn to Lillian's pain. He mistakenly (and anonymously) finds himself privy to her private grief, and soon discovers that he has fallen in love this unknown woman who has inspired his artistic soul. An emotional painting and an unknown stalker set both Lillian and Truman on an adventure filled with intrigue and self-discovery.

Rose House is as story of betrayal, grief, redemption, and love. It's set in the same Sonoma Valley that Forkner's first novel, Ruby Among Us, takes place and continues on with the lives of its residents. Aiming to inspire, Tina Ann Forkner creates a world and characters that are just as strong, delicate, and endearing as a rose.