Tropical Rose

by Debbie Sands

"Tropical Rose" is inspired by the author's maternal grandmother, the charming and adventurous Therese. The book chronicles the heroine's coming of age on Mauritius, a troubled, colonial, tropical island located in east Africa, and her subsequent move to England with her soldier husband. Therese grows into a bold and confident young woman. During the course of two world wars, she often assumes a leadership role. She is up for a challenge and faces perilous dangers in occupied France, while attracting admirers everywhere she goes. While fiercely coming to the aid of friends and family who are in difficult situations, she remains a loving wife and devoted mother.

354 pages, Paperback

Published November 10, 2023

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of reading this book in the tropics, which was the perfect start to my holiday and this story. I think my biggest pleasure was to read about a real life that I had no idea existed. I didn’t know that this area of the glove was so rich with life, untouched by the rest of the world. I admire the main character in her strength of a first born woman, standing up against her father’s poor decisions and then creating a beautiful family of her own, miles away from family support. It’s a story of a strength to persevere, and one that we forget about in the luxury of modern life. Really this story is so thick with adventures that it could be several books, but I was lucky enough to have the entire story on my vacation and happily pass it on it to the next eager reader. Thank you for a peek into your family history.

[Colleen Belyea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story about a young girl growing up on a tropical island with a large and well-off family. It roams through the years with meeting an English soldier. After moving to England she goes through huge adjustments (think weather) and growing her family. With all the changes and joys she makes she also helps the war effort in a very heroic and exciting way.
From romance to adjusting to a new life to helping the war effort this well-written book captivated me from beginning to end.

[Fran L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. It weaves true historical facts into the life of its courageous fictitious heroine, Therese. Her adventures were many and exciting! A great read!

[Rae-Lynne Byerley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Debbie Sands for the book.

This book is a telling of Therese’s life story in a novel. Some of the story line is based on real life events while some fills the gaps, hence the novel. I really enjoyed reading this book, I found it very interesting. An added bonus is talking to the author about her grandmother who sounds very adventurous and kind.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Debut novel based on the life of the author's grandmother. In it we follow Thérese from her homeland of Mauritius, to England and her early married life between the two world wars, and finally to her work with the French Resistance. Well written and nicely flowing prose.

[Gail Sherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book very much. Therese is indicative of so many women in history that stood out because they couldn’t live with the rules society insisted they live by. My thanks to the author for breathing life back into her grandmother, and honoring her by her story. Libraries are full of books about the bravery of men through war, it was refreshing to read about a woman’s journey to find her courage.