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Jennifer Donnelly

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The Tea Rose: A Novel Kindle Edition

by Jennifer Donnelly (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

4.5 3,815 ratings

Book 1 of 3: The Tea Rose

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The Tea Rose is a towering old-fashioned story, imbued with a modern sensibility, of a family's destruction, of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph.

East London, 1888-a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths.

Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, a bright and defiant young woman dares to dream of a life beyond tumbledown wharves, gaslit alleys, and the grim and crumbling dwellings of the poor.

Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.

But Fiona's dreams are shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man take from her nearly everything-and everyone-she holds dear. Fearing her own death at the dark man's hands, she is forced to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit-and the ghosts of her past-propel her rise from a modest west side shopfront to the top of Manhattan's tea trade.

Authentic and moving, Jennifer Donnelly's The Tea Rose is an unforgettable novel.

Book 1 of 3

The Tea Rose
Print length

772 pages
Language

English
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On Kindle Scribe
Publisher

Thomas Dunne Books
Publication date

April 1, 2007
File size

987 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"When you start reading Jennifer Donnelly's The Tea Rose give yourself plenty of time because this is a most seductive novel. You will travel from the rough, often savage, back streets of London to the glossy sophistication of New York's Fifth Avenue. You'll be charmed by the novel's heroine, Fiona Finnegan-her intelligence, her courage, her great heart. Despite her suffering-a lost love, a tragic family-there are moments you will want to cheer. It's the kind of novel where the writing is so fluid you feel the author simply loves telling her story. This is a splendid heartwarming novel of pain, struggle, decency, triumph-and just what we need in these times." -Frank McCourt

"I loved this vividly atmospheric and wonderfully rumbustious yarn-brilliantly told, great fun to read." -Simon Winchester, author of The Professor and the Madman

"Bold, brisk, and beguiling. The Tea Rose is splendid brew of a book." -Samuel H. G. Twining, LVO, OBE, director of Twinings Tea

"The Tea Rose is the kind of book that calls for a rainy day, a cozy chair, and a good, steaming cup of tea. It's strong and satisfying, with a taste that lingers in the memory." -Paula Cohen, author of Gramercy Park

"Steeped in melodrama, revenge and a maddeningly star-crossed romance, The Tea Rose is a fine yarn." --People

"An ambitious tale of love, betrayal, murder, revenge and triumph. . . . Full of warmth and rich period detail, The Tea Rose begs for a comfy, overstuffed chair and plenty of time to keep turning those pages." --Dallas Morning News

From Publishers Weekly

Donnelly indulges in delightfully straightforward storytelling in this comfortably overstuffed novel. In 1880s London, the squalid Thames-side neighborhood of Whitechapel is home to Fiona Finnegan, spunky daughter of Paddy Finnegan. Both are employed by unscrupulous tea merchant William Burton, but Fiona is saving to start a shop with her love, Joe Bristow. Just as her future seems assured, a string of tragedies toppledher hopes. Joe is tricked into marriage to another woman, Burton has Paddy killed for supporting a labor union, Fionas mother is murdered by Jack the Ripper and Fionas distraught brother is found dead in the Thames. Fiona had been attempting to get compensation from Burton for her fathers death, but when she overhears his boasts of killing Paddy, she must flee for her life with her sole remaining brother, five-year-old Seamie. She rushes to a seaport, but cannot get passage until the wealthy dandy Nicholas Soames offers it, pretending she is his wife. The scene switches to New York City of the Gay 90s, to the glitter of Delmonicos, the elegance of Gramercy Park and the crowded tenements of downtown. Fiona lodges with her alcoholic Uncle Michael and saves both him and his grocery on her way to making her fortune in the tea industry. But she never forgets her familys fate, and when she can, she returns to England to revenge herself on Burton. Though Donnellys indomitable heroine steps out of period character from time to time¢her easy acceptance of Soamess homosexuality is particularly unlikely¢the novels lively plotting, big cast of warmly drawn characters and long-deferred romantic denouement make this a ripping yarn. In the final dramatic settling of scores, Donnelly even ventures to unmask Jack the Ripper.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Booklist

In the tradition of Barbara Taylor Bradford, Donnelly has written the saga of one woman's remarkable rise from poverty to wealth. Growing up in London's bustling East End, feisty Fiona Finnegan is a member of a respectable working-class family. When her beloved father becomes involved in organizing a dockworker's union, he is brutally murdered, forcing her mother and siblings to abandon the comfort and security of their modest home. After her family is shattered by tragedy and she loses the love of her life, Fiona flees to America, vowing to destroy the man she holds responsible for her father's death. During the course of an eventful 10 years, she forges a tremendous business empire based in the tea trade and acquires the financial means to wreak her painstakingly plotted revenge. Returning to London, she must face the heart-wrenching ghosts of her own past in order to reshape her destiny and reclaim her future. Steeped in romance and authentic period detail, this exquisite melodrama will appeal to fans of epic historical fiction. Margaret Flanagan
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From Library Journal

In 1888, Fiona Finnegan and Joe Bristow hoard shillings and pennies so that they can marry and open a shop. But Jack the Ripper stalks the streets of London's East End, and poverty threatens from the shadows. Setting the story in motion is the murder of Fiona's father, a dock worker whose union activities angered his tea-company boss. Fiona and her younger brother must flee to New York City to avoid their own murders. Through hard work and luck, Fiona and her beloved Joe prosper on opposite sides of the Atlantic. Misunderstandings and mistakes keep them apart as they build separate lives and incredible fortunes. Children's book writer Donnelly effortlessly takes her narrative through slums and high society while intertwining a number of subplots without tangling them. Both major and minor characters capture and hold interest and sympathy. Although the number of Fiona and Joe's near encounters stretches the imagination, readers will forgive the tease once the lovers' reunion and Fiona's revenge for her father's death converge in an action-packed ending. Public library readers will relish this rags-to-riches romance. Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

About the Author

Jennifer Donnelly writes books for children and adults. She lives in Brooklyn and Callicoon, New York, with her husband and two greyhounds. She has a passion for tea and roses.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

From the Back Cover

Following in the footsteps of such beloved epics as "A Woman of Substance," "The Thornbirds," and "The Shell Seekers" comes this towering story of murder and revenge, of love lost and won again, and of one determined woman's quest to survive and triumph...
The Tea Rose
East London, 1888-a city apart. A place of shadow and light where thieves, whores, and dreamers mingle, where children play in the cobbled streets by day and a killer stalks at night, where bright hopes meet the darkest truths. Here, by the whispering waters of the Thames, Fiona Finnegan, a worker in a tea factory, hopes to own a shop one day, together with her lifelong love, Joe Bristow, a costermonger's son. With nothing but their faith in each other to spur them on, Fiona and Joe struggle, save, and sacrifice to achieve their dreams.
But Fiona's life is shattered when the actions of a dark and brutal man take from her nearly everything-and everyone-she holds dear. Fearing her own death, she is forced to flee London for New York. There, her indomitable spirit propels her rise from a modest West Side shop-front to the top of Manhattan's tea trade. But Fiona's old ghosts do not rest quietly, and to silence them, she must venture back to the London of her childhood, where a deadly confrontation with her past becomes the key to her future.
.
"Full of warmth and rich period detail, "The Tea Rose" begs for a comfy, overstuffed chair and plenty of time to keep turning those pages." "-Dallas Morning News"
"Steeped in melodrama, revenge, and a maddeningly star-crossed romance...a fine yarn." -"People"
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Review

'This is a most seductive novel. You'll be charmed by the novels heroine - her intelligence, her courage, her great heart. Despite her suffering - a lost love, a tragic family - there are moments you will want to cheer. It's the kind of novel where the writing is so fluid you feel the author simply loves telling her story. This is a splendid, heartwarming novel of pain, struggle, decency, triumph - and just what we need in these times.' Frank McCourt 'I loved this vividly researched and wonderfully rumbustious yarn - brilliantly told, great fun to read.' Simon Winchester 'The Tea Rose is the kind of book that calls for a rainy day, a cozy chair and a good, steaming cup of tea. It's strong and satisfying, with a taste that lingers in the memory.' Paula Cohen 'Bold, brisk and beguiling, The Tea Rose is a splendid brew of a book.' Sam Twining --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Prologue
Polly Nichols, a Whitechapel whore, was profoundly grateful to gin.
Gin helped her. It cured her. It took away her hunger and chased the chill from her joints. It stilled the aching in her rotten teeth and numbed the slicing pains she got every time she took a piss. It made her feel better than any man ever had. It calmed her. It soothed her.
Swaying drunkenly in the darkness of an alley, she raised a bottle to her lips and drained it. The alcohol burned like fire. She coughed, lost her grip on the bottle, and swore as it smashed.
In the distance, the clock at Christ Church struck two, its resonant chime muffled in the thickening fog. Polly dipped her hand into her coat pocket and felt for the coins there. Two hours ago, she’d been sitting in the kitchen of a doss-house on Thrawl Street, penniless. The landlord’s man had spotted her there, asked for his fourpence, and turned her out when she couldn’t supply it. She’d cursed and screamed at him, telling him to save her bed, he’d get his doss money, telling him she’d earned it and drunk it three times over that day.
“And I got it, too, you bastard,” she muttered. “Didn’t I say I would? Got yer poxy fourpence and a skinful to boot.”
She’d found her money and her gin in the trousers of a lone drunk wending his way down the Whitechapel Road. He’d needed a bit of coaxing. At forty-two, her face was no longer her fortune. She was missing two front teeth and her pug nose was thick and flattened across the bridge like a fighter’s, but her large bosom was still firm and a glimpse of it had decided him. She’d insisted on a swig of his gin first, knowing a mouthful would numb her throat, get up her nose, and block the beer and onions stink of him. As she drank, she’d unbuttoned her camisole, and while he was busy groping her, she’d slipped the bottle into her own pocket. He was clumsy and slow and she was glad when he finally pulled away and staggered off.
Christ, but there’s nothing like gin, she thought now, smiling at the memory of her good fortune. To feel the weight of a bottle in your hands, press your lips against the glass, and feel the blue ruin flowing down your throat, hot and harsh. Nothing like it at all. And close to full that bottle had been. No mean thru’penny swig. Her smile faded as she found herself craving more. She’d been drinking all day and knew the misery that awaited her when the booze wore off. The retching, the shaking, and, worst of all, the things she saw—black, scuttling things that gibbered and leered from the cracks in the walls of the doss-house.
Polly licked her right palm and smoothed her hair. Her hands went to her camisole; her fingers fumbled a knot into the dirty strings threaded through the top of it. She tugged her blouse together and buttoned it, then lurched out of the alley and down Bucks Row, singing to herself in a gravelly, gin-cracked voice:
“Oh, bad luck can’t be prevented,
Fortune, she smiles or she frowns,
’E’s best off that’s contented,
To mix, sir, the ups and the downs . . .”
At the corner of Bucks Row and Brady Street, she suddenly stopped. Her vision blurred. A buzzing noise, low and close like the wings of an insect, began in her head.
“I’ve the ’orrors of drink upon me,” she moaned. She held her hands up. They were trembling. She buttoned her coat up around her neck and began to walk faster, desperate for more gin. Her head lowered, she did not see the man standing a few feet ahead of her until she was nearly upon him. “Blimey!” she cried. “Where the ’ell did you come from?”
The man looked at her. “Will you?” he asked.
“No, guv’nor, I will not. I’m poorly just now. Good night.”
She started to move off, but he grabbed her arm. She turned on him, her free arm raised to strike him, when her eyes fell upon the shilling pinched between his thumb and forefinger.
“Well, that changes things, don’t it?” she said. His shilling plus the fourpence she already had would buy booze and a bed tonight, tomorrow, and the day after, too. As sick as she felt, she couldn’t turn it down.
Polly and her client walked back the way she’d come in silence, past tumble-down dwellings and tall brick warehouses. The man had a powerful stride and she found herself trotting to keep pace. Glancing at him, she saw he was expensively dressed. Probably had a nice watch on him. She’d certainly have a go at his pockets when the time was right. He stopped abruptly at the end of Bucks Row, by the entrance to a stable yard.
“Not ’ere,” she protested, wrinkling her nose. “By the metal works . . . a little ways down . . .”
“This’ll do,” he said, pushing her against two sheets of corrugated metal, secured by a chain and padlock, that served as the stable’s gate.
His face shone weirdly bright in the thickening darkness, its pallor broken by eyes that were cold and black. A wave of nausea gripped her as she looked into them. Oh, Jesus, she pleaded silently, don’t let me be sick. Not here. Not now. Not this close to a whole shilling. She forced herself to breathe deeply, willing the nausea to subside. As she did, she inhaled his scent—Macassar oil, sweat, and something else . . . what was it? Tea. Bloody tea, of all things.
“Let’s get on with it then,” she said. She lifted her skirts, fixing him with a look of weary expectation.
The man’s eyes were glittering darkly now, like shiny pools of black oil. “You filthy bitch,” he said.
“No dirty talk tonight, pet. I’m in a bit of an ’urry. Need some ’elp, do you?” She reached for him. He slapped her hand away.
“Did you really think you could hide from me?”
“Look ’ere, are you going to—” Polly began. She never finished. Without warning, the man grabbed her by the throat and slammed her into the gate.
“Leave off!” she cried, flailing at him. “Let me go!”
He tightened his grip. “You left us,” he said, his eyes bright with hatred. “Left us for the rats.”
“Please!” she rasped. “Please don’t ’urt me. I don’t know about any rats, I swear it . . . I . . .”
“Liar.”
Polly never saw the knife coming. She had no time to scream as it plunged into her belly, biting and twisting. A soft gasp escaped her as he pulled it out. She stared at the blade, uncomprehending, her eyes wide, her mouth a great, round O. Slowly, delicately, she touched her fingers to the wound. They came away crimson.
She lifted her eyes to his, her voice rising in a wild, terrified keen, and looked into the face of madness. He raised his knife; it bit into her throat. Her knees buckled and all around her darkness descended, enveloping her, dragging her into a thick and strangling fog, a fog deeper than the river Thames and blacker than the London night that swirled down on her soul. Copyright © 2002 by Jennifer Donnelly. All rights reserved.
--This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0010SKTX4
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Thomas Dunne Books; 1st edition (April 1, 2007)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 1, 2007
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 987 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
Print length ‏ : ‎ 772 pages

Best Sellers Rank: #91,282 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #335 in Historical British Fiction
- #417 in Historical Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Fiction
- #528 in American Historical Romance (Books)

Customer Reviews:
4.5 3,815 ratings

About the author

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Jennifer Donnelly

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Jennifer Donnelly is the author of thirteen novels - Poisoned, Stepsister, Beauty and the Beast: Lost in a Book, These Shallow Graves, Sea Spell, Dark Tide, Rogue Wave, Deep Blue, Revolution, A Northern Light, The Tea Rose, The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose - and Humble Pie, a picture book for children. She is a co-author of Fatal Throne, which explores the lives of King Henry VIII's six wives, for which she wrote the part of Anna of Cleves, Henry's fourth wife.

Jennifer grew up in New York State, in Lewis and Westchester counties, and attended the University of Rochester where she majored in English Literature and European History.

Jennifer’s first novel, The Tea Rose, an epic historical novel set in London and New York in the late 19th century, was called “exquisite” by Booklist, “so much fun” by the Washington Post, a “guilty pleasure” by People and was named a Top Pick by the Romantic Times. The Rose trilogy continued with The Winter Rose and The Wild Rose.

Her second novel, A Northern Light, set in the Adirondacks of 1906, against the backdrop of an infamous murder, won the Carnegie Medal, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Borders Original Voices Award, and was named a Printz Honor book. Described as “rich and true” by The New York Times, the book was named to the Best Book lists of The Times (London), The Irish Times, The Financial Times, Publishers Weekly, Booklist and the School Library Journal. In 2015, TIME Magazine named it one of the 100 best young adult books of all time.

Revolution was named a Best Book by Amazon, Kirkus, School Library Journal, and the Chicago Public Library, and was nominated for a Carnegie Medal. The audio edition was awarded an Odyssey Honor for Excellence.

In 2014, Jennifer teamed up with Disney to launch the bestselling Waterfire Saga, an epic series about six mermaids on a quest to rid the world of an ancient evil. The first book in the series, Deep Blue, was released in May, 2014; the second, Rogue Wave, launched in January 2015; the third, Dark Tide, came out in October 2015; and the fourth, Sea Spell, was released in June 2016.

In November 2015, Jennifer released the historical novel These Shallow Graves, which received starred reviews from Booklist, Publishers Weekly and Shelf Awareness, and was named a Junior Library Guild Selection.

Jennifer worked with Disney again in 2017, when she released the NY Times bestselling "Lost in a Book," an original novel set in the world of the blockbuster film, "Beauty and the Beast."

Jennifer's 12th novel, 2019's Stepsister, begins where the classic tale of Cinderella leaves off. It follows Cinderella's wicked stepsister Isabelle as personifications of fate and chance battle for control of her life, hinting that there may be hope after all for a girl labeled "ugly" since her first appearances in literature. Jennifer followed this up in 2020 with Poisoned, which looks at the Snow White fairy tale a whole new way -- proving that even the darkest magic can’t extinguish the fire burning inside every girl ... and that kindness is the ultimate form of strength.

Jennifer is busy at work with the third novel in this series of retold fairy tales -- stay tuned for more information.

Jennifer lives in New York's Hudson Valley with her husband, daughter, and two rescue dogs.

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M. K. Farrington-Lorch

An Epic Story of Love through the Ages

Reviewed in the United States on June 1, 2013

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I did enjoy this book, primarily because the story kept moving. I have given it a five star rating, not because the writing is so outstanding, but because there is merit and a forward movement of the story. I will confess, that there are some parts of the story, which, at the time I read them seemed a bit far-fetched, but overall, it worked with the storyline and characters.

No doubt this book is a bit of an epic. The number of pages is probably a dead give away on that score. But, to tell the entire story, it needs to be. I wll say, that when I finished the book, a few days ago, I was disappointed to see it end. I want to know what the next story is for Fiona and Joe.

This book has it all. There is murder, in all its gore and horror. In fact the first chapter or so, does not really lead you to what the story is truly about. However, it is important to set the scene and give you that certain sense of dread for what the people of Whitechapel were experiencing at the time London was haunted by Jack the Ripper. But, Jack the Ripper, though a theme to this book, which has some level of import is not the real story. This is really a family story and a love story. It is a story of love for the ages. Joe and Fiona have grown up together in a poor part of London. But, they have dreams -- big dreams. Dreams that are wider than their experience, but they also have love. We meet them when they are planning and saving for a time when they will open a store and make it the finest London has ever seen. Of course, those plans also call for them to be married.

But, Joe is offered the great opportunity to work for one of the largest buyers and sellers of produce in London. He takes that job. While he propers and is pursued by the boss' daughter, Millie Petersen, Fiona's life takes a turn for the worse and all that is dear to her begins to disappear. That would include Joe, for one night, after consuming too much alcohol at a party at the Petersen's home, Millie entices Jack to her bed. After that one night a baby is on the way, and Joe is forced to marry Millie.

Fiona is in despair. As her life spins out of control, she suddenly finds herself in the killing sights of her father's former boss. She grabs her young brother, Seamus, and they escape aboard a White Star ship for America. Upon landing in New York, Fiona finds not all is well with her uncle.

With her spirit and drive she works to pick him up and recover his business. Her hard work pays off. As time passes things change for Joe and Fiona, but they always "miss" each other. Fiona eventually marries, in New York and succeeds at her dreams, but with someone else by her side. Eventually her husband dies, and Fiona finds herself back in London to seek the revenge on her father's employer which she has planned for nearly her entire adult life. With the help of good lawyers and Joe, Fiona succeeds, but nearly losses her life and others dear to her in the process.

When she learns Joe is now a free and successful man, their love is rekindled. But, it is not always an easy road to attain the dreams and happiness born in youth.

5 people found this helpful

Helpful

Historical Fiction Jam-Packed with Action Drama and Romance

Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2011

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NOTE: The Tea Rose is the first book in the Rose Trilogy. Having read all three of the books, I wrote my review of the entire series and included it as one review for the series.

Don't take this the wrong way, but the books in the Rose Trilogy reminded me of the Danielle Steel books I used to devour when I was 14-years old ... and I mean that in the very best way!!

I used to love Danielle Steel's books (though I've "outgrown" them after being exposed to a "better" class of books) because they featured heroines who experienced all these ups and downs but who eventually triumphed over difficulties to have amazing lives. Plus they also had complicated and often tragic love lives. The Rose Trilogy has all these same elements ... except with better writing and historical detail!!

The Rose Trilogy focuses on the Finnegan family--a close-knit family from the hardscrabble section of London known as Whitechapel. Family members include: family patriarch Paddy, whose leadership in the nascent union movement leads to tragedy; his wife Kate, who struggles to keep the family together despite multiple difficulties; Fiona, the oldest daughter, who is in love with the boy down the street; Charlie, the oldest son, who contributes what he can to family finances, even when that means walking on the edge of what is legal; and Seamus, the youngest son, who is just 5 years old in the first book but is featured front and center in the final book of the series.

We first meet the Finnegans in The Tea Rose. It is the 1880s in East London, and a murderer named Jack the Ripper is terrorizing the area. (Donnelly even goes so far as to unmask Jack's "true" identity in the book.) The Tea Rose of the title refers to Fiona Finnegan, the feisty daughter who is in love with a coster (veggie salesman) named Joe Bristow. They are saving every bit of their meager wages to open up a shop of their own. However, tragedy hits the family and Joe betrays Fiona in the worst way possible--leaving Fiona and Seamus in desperate straits. Fleeing to America, Fiona struggles to survive in New York City, where she vows revenge on the man who ruined her family.

The opening book sets the tone for the entire trilogy: star-crossed lovers; continual setbacks and obstacles; rich historical detail (Donnelly isn't afraid to incorporate real-life historical figures such as George Mallory, Jack the Ripper and Lawrence of Arabia into her books), and a plot that keeps you wondering what will befall her beleaguered characters next. (Some pretty hot and heavy sex scenes are sprinkled throughout too!) Although there is a fair amount of coincidence that strains the limits of believability, just forget all that and enjoy the ride.

The second book, The Winter Rose, has a new "rose" as its center--Dr. India Selwyn-Jones, an idealistic young doctor who dreams of opening a clinic for women and children in poverty-stricken Whitechapel. Just like Fiona in the first book, India must deal with an evil man set on ruining her life while struggling with her attraction to a criminal named Sid Malone. The book moves from London to Africa and also introduces readers to Seamus as a young man. Fiona makes periodic appearances but isn't the primary focus of the book. Although it sounds like the book doesn't focus as much on the Finnegan family, I'll leave you to discover why that isn't true!

The third and final book, The Wild Rose, features Willa Alden, the great love of Seamus Finnegan's life, as its rose. "Wild" is the right word to describe Willa, who readers first meet in The Winter Rose. She is a fearless mountaineer who defies expectations of what women can and should do, despite a significant handicap after an accident on Mt. Kilimanjaro (which takes place in the second book). Like the other two books, this book starts in London before moving the action to Arabia during World War I.

Each book is a chunkster (all of them are 500+ pages) and requires a fairly decent time commitment, but they are the type of chunksters that move along at a steady clip. My biggest criticism is the amount of coincidence that propels the plots, but don't let that stop you from reading the books. This was historical fiction at its best: fast-paced, far-ranging and drama-filled. I enjoyed the series immensely, and thank Jill at Rhapsody in Books for turning me on to this series. I would have never picked these books up on my own as historical fiction isn't my preferred genre and the staid covers don't give you a full sense of all the action, drama and romance that pack the pages inside. Highly recommended!

11 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

John O'Neill

Book

Reviewed in Canada on December 28, 2023

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As described

Paul Hitches

A second reading

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 5, 2022

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Like Fiona in the story it is 10 years since I last read this book. It has still held the same fascination now as it did then. Now looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a fast moving page turner.

Bev B

Great Read

Reviewed in Australia on May 21, 2023

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Loved this book, bought the other two.

Vandy

Bad condition

Reviewed in India on August 3, 2018

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Bad condition of book. Returned.

Rasa Misjunaite

The Tea Rose, a pageturner!!!

Reviewed in Germany on August 20, 2013

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This book become my favourite one. It is so thrilling and suspense that I couldn't stop reading even if was so tired that my eyes closed every second. I had to know what happens next.
I am a bit surprised that the triology of the Tea Rose isn't so popular (at least not here in Germany) because this book is for me a masterpiece. Really!! During the week while I was reading the story, I always had to think about the characters and the plot.
Even when I was at a party I had to tell everyone about The Tea Rose (didn't care if they didn't want to hear it :D)
I am a person who doesn't like every book and read a book till the end although it is very bad and boring and I have looked for a book just like this one - and found it, luckly :)
Mrs. Donnelly knows exactly how to keep the readers attention. It is also so emotional at some points, that I had to cry with the character or laugh.

For me, the best book I've ever read!

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The Tea Rose: A Novel Kindle Edition

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Jennifer Donnelly

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