The Dark Rose [Kindle Edition]

Denise Rossetti (Author)

Book Description

Duty and passion are a dangerous combination in the paranormal world of Denise Rossetti, author of The Flame and the Shadow, Thief of Light, and Lone Warrior…

Rosarina of the Garden is the most famed—and desired—courtesan of her time. She is also a spy, the heir-apparent of Caracole’s Spymaster, sent on a deadly mission to Green IV. She cannot afford to trust anyone, least of all a man with his own agenda—and the ability to crack her cool composure.  

Technomage Quintus is on Green IV to repair the great Machine that keeps that planet habitable. He doesn’t expect to encounter the Dark Rose again, but he’s determined to make the most of it. She’ll be a most pleasing lover… once he convinces her to accept his offer.

But there is more in play on Green IV than either know. The Necromancer is waiting for the perfect moment to exact his revenge. If Rose and Quin cannot learn to trust each other then the Necromancer will rule—and even love won’t be enough to save them.

Product Details

• File Size: 719 KB
• Print Length: 375 pages
• Publisher: InterMix (September 11, 2012)
• Sold by: Penguin Publishing
• Language: English
• ASIN: B007P7HYZ0
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Not Enabled
• Lending: Not Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #105,599 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars not my favorite February 19, 2013

By Vicky Menzies

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Love Denise Rossetti
but this book is not my favorite .I could not connect with the mane characters.
I would give every other one of her books 5 stars.

4.0 out of 5 stars end of the pentagram January 28, 2013

By bibliofan

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I was sorry to come to the end of the elementals story, After the previous books I was really looking forward to Dark Rose. However she was not quite as fleshed out as the previous heroines. I was ecstatic that the necromancers doom came at the hands of the woman he had tortured for so long. Hopefully we will see these characters again as they try to conquer a new planet with their elemental powers.

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific end to the series!!! January 14, 2013

By SJ

Format:Kindle Edition

In Denise Rossetti's THE DARK ROSE, Noblelady Rosarina of Caracole, also known as the Dark Rose of Caracole, is known for her astonishing beauty and social grace. She used to be one of the most sought after courtesans in the land and now runs a school instructing others in the fine art. But she's much more than a pretty face. Rose is a woman with deep secrets and an agenda as one of the queen's top spies. She's on a mission to take down the Technomage Quintus, a man immersed in science, and one who might be a real danger to the planet. Problem is, he intrigues her, attracts her, and irritates her in equal measure. She knows she can't afford to want him, yet she does. And that's a tough pill to swallow considering she's supposed to kill him.

THE DARK ROSE is Rossetti's stunning conclusion to her Four-Sided Pentacle series. The book is best enjoyed after reading the previous novels to fully appreciate the complexity of world building, but you can also read the book as a stand-alone for enjoyment. There's magic, technology, and a generous blending of the two that's at once mesmerizing. I'm not sure how Rossetti does it, but her descriptions are so vivid and her characters so alive, I didn't want to leave that world. I've never read a book so in depth and creative, yet one that adhered to a deep and fulfilling romance as well.

Rose is a complex heroine. Strong and vulnerable, beautiful and with the same wants and needs to be loved that we all have. Quintus, the hero, is a mix of human and machine, yet it's his humanity that makes him so rich. The machine in him ties him to a world he feels responsible for, and it's that machine that can save everyone...or kill them all. Only Quin can make that decision, and at great cost to himself.

Older characters from the previous Pentacles books return, but not to overtake the central plot or steal the show from Rose and Quin. The villains are dastardly, the stakes high, and the love and growth between the protagonists enthralling.

I'm only sorry this book ends the series. But it did make me go back and reread the others on my keeper shelf, starting with THE FLAME AND THE SHADOW, THE THIEF OF LIGHT, and then THE LONE WARRIOR before this one. I can't wait to see what Rossetti comes up with for her next series. She's definitely an auto-buy for me.

If you want a story with rich characters, incredibly believable world-building, and a blend of magic and realism that will manage to knock you off your feet so that you can't put the book down until it's done, don't miss THE DARK ROSE and the rest of the Four-Sided Pentacle series. Your only regret will be that you didn't read this sooner.

A recommended read and a 5++ star rating.

SJ
Romance Junkies Reviews

More About the Author

When I was very small, I had an aunt who would tell me the most wonderful fairy tales - all original. I grew up, as little girls do, but the magic of story still dazzles and enthralls me. On the good days, I like to think of myself as Scheherazade's sister. On the bad days - not so much.

I remain an incurable romantic who loves happy endings, heart-pounding adventure and the eventual triumph of good over evil. All hail the guys in the white hats - unless the ones wearing black are more...um...interesting?

I live in a comfortable, messy old house in the Australian suburbs. I'm small, noisy and tend to wave my hands around a lot, which can be unfortunate if the tale I'm telling happens to have explosions in it.