Customer Reviews

The Silver Rose

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

An avid reader, I have ALWAYS finished books, no matter how bad they are, but I didn't finish this one. You can guess just how bad this book is then. Things that really made me mad were:

-Ariel is not a virgin; she has a lover who doesn't love her and who she doesn't love. The guy is an S&M kind of guy and it sickened me to read about their "relationship." She is also bitchy and bratty and is totally under the control of her murderous, conniving, SOB brothers. (see below)

-Hawkesmoor (the hero) is not only scarred from battle, he is strangely naive in his dealings with Ariel's murderous brothers. Come on!

-Ariel's brothers. Perfect SOB chauvinists who would murder in cold blood. They brought up Ariel (ewww). They just totally dampened the story that I thought I'd drown in frustration and tears of anger.

Save your money. I wished I'd saved mine.

THE SILVER ROSE takes place in England during the early 1700s. Queen Anne has ordered that a marriage take place between two dueling families to unite them in hopes of extinguishing their deep-rooted loathing for each other. However, the cruel and vicious Ravenspeare brothers secretly want to kill Simon Hawkesmoor after his wedding to their sister, Ariel.

Compared to the beautiful story of Cordelia and Leo in THE DIAMOND SLIPPER, which was the first of Jane Feather's charm bracelet trilogy, THE SILVER ROSE was somewhat disappointing. From the very beginning there is no apparent passion or chemistry between Ariel and Simon. (Ariel even thinks that Simon is hideously ugly when she first meets him.) In fact, their attitudes and arguments give the impression that despise each other. Ariel is cold-hearted, stern, and lacks any sense of emotion. Nowhere in this story does she reveal any heart felt love for humans around her. She would rather breed champion horses in order to raise enough money to escape Ravenspeare Castle than pay attention to anyone, let alone her husband Simon. In retrospect, all her love is dedicated her two devoted wolfhounds, Romulus and Remus. However, her strange characteristics are not surprising because she has been raised by her cruel, vicious older brothers who have treated her like dirt since she was a child. In the end, neither Simon nor Ariel say "I love you" to one another.

Although Ariel was cold and dull, Simon was a well written character. He possessed warmth and selflessness, especially when he realizes that he loves Ariel even though she never really loves him back. His character alone makes this book worth reading.

Jane Feather is a WONDERFUL author, but this is probably her worst book, even though it wasn't remotely terrible. If you are easily irritated by loveless, selfish heroines and if you are squeamish when encountering Nazi-like cruelty, then I suggest you stay away from this book. Ariel's brothers are the cruelest, most evil humans I've ever encountered in a romance novel.

Like the rose in the haunting tale of "Beauty and the Beast," a silver rose on a charm bracelet brings together a beautiful young woman and a battle-scarred lord...Ariel Ravenspeare has been taught to loathe the Earl of Hawkesmoor and everything he represents. Their two families have been sworn enemies for generations. But it's one thing to hate him, and another to play the part her vicious brothers have written for her-trapping Hawkesmoor into a marriage that will destroy him, using herself as bait. Forced into the marriage, Ariel will find her new husband unexpectedly difficult to manipulate, as well as surprisingly-and powerfully-attractive.But beneath the passion lurk the strands of a long-hidden secret...a secret embodied in a sparkling silver rose. I was not into this story as much as the first in the series. Call me old fashioned but I like my herorines unsullied and the fact that Ariel came to her marriage bed not a virgin did not sit well with me. I just could not like her that much. Her only saving grace was the love of her animals. But Simon was a true hero, if alittle on the scarred side. He made the story tolerable. I hope the third book in the series is better.

okay, it's like this. this book is REAL. not fluffy, no bimbo stuff here. this book is absolutely realistic. i was reading it the other day, and i couldn't put it down until i finished it!! Touching story. Intriguing. so, why the 8/10 rating? i don't like the ending. i mean, jane feather should've made it a little bit longer to SOLVE the mystery in 'SILVER ROSE'.

I loved the book. It got bad reviews, but I thought it was very touching. The characters were flawed but we're all flawed.

I dont know what people think or want from their heroines but Ariel wasnt as good as I thought she was..although she did change later..but I guess what turned me off completely wasnt the fact that she took a lover and it took her so long to realise that she loved her husband..What sickened me was that she actually would sleep with someone so cruel..If you have any ounce of conviction in you..you would leave the cruel man. It wouldnt matter even if he could make me lust for him..That just sex and it only reflects Ariel's personality.. And what I can not understand is the secrecy. It's makes the whole scarifice seemly stupid. If I was Hawthorne I was would like to know why a woman I dont know would die for me.. Wouldnt you investigate the matter at hand..why would you just leave it? I guess that I dont like things unresolved and lastly, if you just had a life and death situation which involved somone you loved deeply wouldnt you want to confess your love to him/her and reassure her/him. Considering that life is too precious to lose, especially the person you love..I guess there were too many things on my mind..and again, it really annoyed me that Areiel would have such poor taste with her choice of lovers.. Well, I'm sure others might disagree with me but believe me..you wont be too disappointed if you give this one a miss

I read the reviews and found them to be quite harsh. I for one loved the book. Ariel and Simon's family were bitter enemies as a result of Ariel's mother and lover (a Hawksmoore...Simon's family)were murdered by Ariel's father. Each side blamed each other and it has passed on to the children.

I love reading about scarred heroes. I find them endearing and likable. Though a fine man inside and out, he had his insecurities. After years of battle, his body and looks had suffered. So I understood his reservations about marrying the beautiful Ariel.

Then there is Ariel...poor Ariel got the brunt of ridicule. I take a look at how she was raised. Her brothers were cruel and had no amount of tenderness for a young girl. They allowed a friend to take advantage of her and become her lover. She only lived how her brothers allowed her to live. When she learned that she was to get married to her family's greatest enemy, she acted how I expected her to. She hated him...so any negative thing out of her mouth was to be expected. He was ugly to her...he was from a family (that as far as she knew) took her mother away from her. Why would she fall into his arms?

Gradually as the book went on, she began to see Simon in a different light. He was not what she expected. Again the only men she knew was her digusting brother and equally digusting lover. She didn't see him as ugly anymore thus confusing her feelings. That coupled with her long wish to be free of any man's control. She wanted her independence and being married complicated things.

I find both characters flaw and thats what made them interesting. Yes, there was not great vow of "I love you" but if you look at there actions there was no doubt.

Now there are some of Ms. Feather's book that I can't get through but this wasn't one of them. I actually read this one a few times over. So if you're a first time reader of her books...give this one a chance before shucking it aside.

I really enjoyed the book until I started getting nearer to the ending.I didn't like it when no one found out about the secret. I also didn't like the way Ariel and Simon didn't say they loved eachother. It should have continued.

A great book (my first by Feather). She shaped the story well and the imagery. However, the ending was a bit abrupt, and I always feel unsatisfied when the 2 main characters never verbally say "I love you" to one another. Assuming that they do is not enough for me.

Okay, I really hate "romance book cliches" but really, a romance novel in which neither of the characters admits their love to each other!? Come on!!