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Lily Rose
Is blood truly thicker than water? After a desperate search for her birth mother, fashionista Lily Rose is forced to confront her turbulent past.
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in Cumberland Falls, high in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. But her perfect world falls apart when her beloved adopted parents are tragically killed and she is sent to live at Red Rose Farm, in the Bluegrass. Lily starts high school and meets her first love, who introduces the idea of a much bigger world to Lily. This relationship spurs her to pursue the grit and glamour of the New York fashion world and a marriage that will nearly cause her demise.
Lily Rose follows Lily as she grows into a New York fashion icon and battles abuse, power struggles, and infertility. In the shadows, we learn about the young woman who gave Lily up and how they will collide. Lily Rose is about love and marriage, infidelity, infertility, and identity. It also calls into questions the old adages blood is thicker than water and nothing is more important than family . Will Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in Cumberland Falls, high in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. But her perfect world falls apart when her beloved adopted parents are tragically killed and she is sent to live at Red Rose Farm, in the Bluegrass. Lily starts high school and meets her first love, who introduces the idea of a much bigger world to Lily. This relationship spurs her to pursue the grit and glamour of the New York fashion world and a marriage that will nearly cause her demise.
Lily Rose follows Lily as she grows into a New York fashion icon and battles abuse, power struggles, and infertility. In the shadows, we learn about the young woman who gave Lily up and how they will collide. Lily Rose is about love and marriage, infidelity, infertility, and identity. It also calls into questions the old adages blood is thicker than water and nothing is more important than family . Will Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
- GenresFiction
288 pages, Hardcover
Published August 25, 2020
5 people are currently reading
2593 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 31, 2020
My favorite thing about LILY ROSE is that it was based on the author Deborah Robinsons life and I found that to be quiet intriguing before reading.
Lately, I've been having all five-star reads and devouring each one in turn. I'm happy to say that LILY ROSE was no different from them.
Like Evelyn Hugo, Lily Rose was a strong willed and determined person. She either had it all on the outside but was finding it hard to deal with everything on the inside. Her abusive marriage, and the courage that she finally summed up to find her birth parents in the hope to connect with any family she has.
I found this hard to believe it was a debut novel, only because of how beautifully it was written.
LILY ROSE will have you in awe of her strength, so please yourself a favor and pick this one up if it's on your tbr already because it certainly will make a cozy fall read!
Lately, I've been having all five-star reads and devouring each one in turn. I'm happy to say that LILY ROSE was no different from them.
Like Evelyn Hugo, Lily Rose was a strong willed and determined person. She either had it all on the outside but was finding it hard to deal with everything on the inside. Her abusive marriage, and the courage that she finally summed up to find her birth parents in the hope to connect with any family she has.
I found this hard to believe it was a debut novel, only because of how beautifully it was written.
LILY ROSE will have you in awe of her strength, so please yourself a favor and pick this one up if it's on your tbr already because it certainly will make a cozy fall read!
September 18, 2020
Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “Lily Rose”. by Deborah Robinson, Skyhorse Publishing, August 2020 for Suzy Approved Book Tours
Wow! Deborah Robinson, the author of “Lily Rose” has written a captivating, memorable, intriguing, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are fiction and women’s fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and also in the past when it pertains to the characters and events in the story. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. One of the questions that come to mind from this novel is whether it is nurture or nature that defines a person’s personality.
Lily Rose has known a tremendous amount of love from her adopted family. When they pass away, she goes to live on a large farm with her aunt and uncle. She experiences her first love in high school and dreams about going to New York City. She does meet her the head of the company where she works, and marries him. This offers her the opportunity to open several stores. Lily works hard, and more than anything wants to have a baby. It just doesn’t seem in the cards for her and her troubled husband.
When devastating events occur, Lily is almost destroyed but finds a paper with a name in her suitcase. She remembers that the name was of her natural mother. Lily goes on an emotional journey to locate her birth mother and father.
Deborah Robinson vividly describes the characters and the events in the story. I appreciate that the author discusses such topics as alcohol and drugs, infertility, infidelity, and adoption. Also mentioned is the importance of family, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story.
Wow! Deborah Robinson, the author of “Lily Rose” has written a captivating, memorable, intriguing, and thought-provoking novel. The genres for this novel are fiction and women’s fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and also in the past when it pertains to the characters and events in the story. The author describes her characters as complex and complicated. One of the questions that come to mind from this novel is whether it is nurture or nature that defines a person’s personality.
Lily Rose has known a tremendous amount of love from her adopted family. When they pass away, she goes to live on a large farm with her aunt and uncle. She experiences her first love in high school and dreams about going to New York City. She does meet her the head of the company where she works, and marries him. This offers her the opportunity to open several stores. Lily works hard, and more than anything wants to have a baby. It just doesn’t seem in the cards for her and her troubled husband.
When devastating events occur, Lily is almost destroyed but finds a paper with a name in her suitcase. She remembers that the name was of her natural mother. Lily goes on an emotional journey to locate her birth mother and father.
Deborah Robinson vividly describes the characters and the events in the story. I appreciate that the author discusses such topics as alcohol and drugs, infertility, infidelity, and adoption. Also mentioned is the importance of family, love, and hope. I would highly recommend this thought-provoking story.
October 11, 2021
Wasn't expecting to like this novel as much as I did. It was hard to put down and very intriguing to continue reading from beginning to end. The cover didn't really do it justice in my opinion!
September 16, 2020
I am so so happy to introduce this fabulous book #lilyrose by @deborahrobinson
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lately, I have been devouring #womenfiction & am loving reading about powerful, strong, beautiful women!
____________
📌This book, although a work of fiction, has little of fictional element to it.
The author, reveals in the end, the book is inspired by her own story with bits of fiction.
I have always believed that nothing is actually pure fiction, it all comes for the experiences of the author, the real-life incidents..the emotions.. & the feelings.
I am glad authors have started coming forth with this wonderful genre which is a mix of memoirs & autobiography with a sparkle of fiction to land it in the fiction genre which makes it more appealing & interesting.
__________
📌This book, is about love, emotions, relationships, selfishness, money, power, prestige, crumbled marriages, also about good people which reiterate that goodness still exists, about mistakes, ramifications & amendments.
It also talks about biological parents & adoption. Giving birth to a child, does not make you a mother while bringing up an adopted child like your own, sure does make you a parent.
It also talks about kids from 💔broken homes..their insecurities & wants, wishes & dreams.
❤Most of us, it says..relationships cannot be solely because of blood connection but are more about what we feel from our heart.for another human being.
📌I loved the play of relationships & emotions in this read & loved the execution of 'the story'- the most, more than the story itself.
Although a debut, it doesn't seem like one. Writing with simplicity & clarity is the most difficult, I feel.
P. S. : I loved how Anna named her daughter, Lily Rose after Eric's mother Lillian Langwin.
The story is divided into 3 parts, total of 25 chapters, 275 pages, a fairly quick & a very engrossing read.
The prologue, is catchy, very engaging & leaves you wanting for more!
Here's the blurb;
Is blood truly thicker than water? After a desperate search for her birth mother, fashionista Lily Rose is forced to confront her turbulent past.
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in Cumberland Falls, high in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. But her perfect world falls apart when her beloved adopted parents are tragically killed and she is sent to live at Red Rose Farm, in the Bluegrass. Lily starts high school and meets her first love, who introduces the idea of a much bigger world to Lily. This relationship spurs her to pursue the grit and glamour of the New York fashion world and a marriage that will nearly cause her demise.
Lily Rose follows Lily as she grows into a New York fashion icon and battles abuse, power struggles, and infertility. In the shadows, we learn about the young woman who gave Lily up and how they will collide. Lily Rose is about love and marriage, infidelity, infertility, and identity. It also calls into questions the old adages blood is thicker than water and nothing is more important than family. Will Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
About the Author
Deborah Robinson is a fashion and lifestyle expert regularly appearing on the fifteen top media markets nationally and on cable talk shows. Previously, she was the national spokesperson for Petite Sophisticates, a retail chain of 350 specialty stores. She appeared regularly on national and regional television, as well as QVC, offering wardrobe and lifestyle trends. She was a contributing editor to Homes & Lifestyles Magazine and Palm Beach Style Magazine, and a regular fashion reporter for the WXIA NBC affiliate in Atlanta, GA. She was also the national fashion coordinator for Sarah Coventry, the largest costume jewelry company in the world. She lives in Palm Beach, Florida.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lately, I have been devouring #womenfiction & am loving reading about powerful, strong, beautiful women!
____________
📌This book, although a work of fiction, has little of fictional element to it.
The author, reveals in the end, the book is inspired by her own story with bits of fiction.
I have always believed that nothing is actually pure fiction, it all comes for the experiences of the author, the real-life incidents..the emotions.. & the feelings.
I am glad authors have started coming forth with this wonderful genre which is a mix of memoirs & autobiography with a sparkle of fiction to land it in the fiction genre which makes it more appealing & interesting.
__________
📌This book, is about love, emotions, relationships, selfishness, money, power, prestige, crumbled marriages, also about good people which reiterate that goodness still exists, about mistakes, ramifications & amendments.
It also talks about biological parents & adoption. Giving birth to a child, does not make you a mother while bringing up an adopted child like your own, sure does make you a parent.
It also talks about kids from 💔broken homes..their insecurities & wants, wishes & dreams.
❤Most of us, it says..relationships cannot be solely because of blood connection but are more about what we feel from our heart.for another human being.
📌I loved the play of relationships & emotions in this read & loved the execution of 'the story'- the most, more than the story itself.
Although a debut, it doesn't seem like one. Writing with simplicity & clarity is the most difficult, I feel.
P. S. : I loved how Anna named her daughter, Lily Rose after Eric's mother Lillian Langwin.
The story is divided into 3 parts, total of 25 chapters, 275 pages, a fairly quick & a very engrossing read.
The prologue, is catchy, very engaging & leaves you wanting for more!
Here's the blurb;
Is blood truly thicker than water? After a desperate search for her birth mother, fashionista Lily Rose is forced to confront her turbulent past.
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in Cumberland Falls, high in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky. But her perfect world falls apart when her beloved adopted parents are tragically killed and she is sent to live at Red Rose Farm, in the Bluegrass. Lily starts high school and meets her first love, who introduces the idea of a much bigger world to Lily. This relationship spurs her to pursue the grit and glamour of the New York fashion world and a marriage that will nearly cause her demise.
Lily Rose follows Lily as she grows into a New York fashion icon and battles abuse, power struggles, and infertility. In the shadows, we learn about the young woman who gave Lily up and how they will collide. Lily Rose is about love and marriage, infidelity, infertility, and identity. It also calls into questions the old adages blood is thicker than water and nothing is more important than family. Will Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
About the Author
Deborah Robinson is a fashion and lifestyle expert regularly appearing on the fifteen top media markets nationally and on cable talk shows. Previously, she was the national spokesperson for Petite Sophisticates, a retail chain of 350 specialty stores. She appeared regularly on national and regional television, as well as QVC, offering wardrobe and lifestyle trends. She was a contributing editor to Homes & Lifestyles Magazine and Palm Beach Style Magazine, and a regular fashion reporter for the WXIA NBC affiliate in Atlanta, GA. She was also the national fashion coordinator for Sarah Coventry, the largest costume jewelry company in the world. She lives in Palm Beach, Florida.
October 1, 2020
Lily Rose has always felt the pull of New York City and fashion since she was a little girl. She's not sure why, but she knew NYC was where she belonged. But, in order to understand Lily Rose and her story, we have to begin at the beginning with Anna James Jefferson, Lily's biological mother. This story unfolds from the time Anna gets pregnant until, years later, Lily finds her after years of love, loss, and tragedy. Will finding Anna give Lily the closure - and the family - that she so desperately craves, or will it just be another love lost for her?
I enjoyed the storytelling aspect of this story. I was interested in Anna (aka Jeff) and her storyline. Then, when it switched to Lily's, I was equally interested. This novel is based on the author's life, and I always love books like these because they have me questioning the whole time what is real and what is fiction. When things started coming together, like accidentally meeting her biological parents, I was like, hold up 😳🍿 and couldn't wait to see what happened. I hated her husband but secretly held out hope that he would be better than I expected. I wanted more for our girl Lily. I wanted the world for her. She lost everyone she ever loved so young, and I could relate, only having my sister left from my immediate family. This one definitely hit home for me. And that cover is beautiful enough to buy just to add a bit of city glam to your shelves!
I enjoyed the storytelling aspect of this story. I was interested in Anna (aka Jeff) and her storyline. Then, when it switched to Lily's, I was equally interested. This novel is based on the author's life, and I always love books like these because they have me questioning the whole time what is real and what is fiction. When things started coming together, like accidentally meeting her biological parents, I was like, hold up 😳🍿 and couldn't wait to see what happened. I hated her husband but secretly held out hope that he would be better than I expected. I wanted more for our girl Lily. I wanted the world for her. She lost everyone she ever loved so young, and I could relate, only having my sister left from my immediate family. This one definitely hit home for me. And that cover is beautiful enough to buy just to add a bit of city glam to your shelves!
October 14, 2020
Deborah Robinson is a debut author, and one that I am so happy that I had the chance to learn about. I loved the way she chiseled her characters and weaved a wonderful tale of finding ones true self. This story was raw, heart wrenching, mind blowing, filled with love, hope, pain and was down right captivating.
As someone who has a biological sister somewhere out there, I felt drawn to Lily Rose and her adoptive life. As someone who had a rough first marriage, I felt for Lily Rose when she was married. The mental struggles, the let downs…..all of it was as if I was Lily Rose for the time.
Simply put, this book was absolutely powerful in every way. Robinson created a novel that the reader can get lost in, needing to feel what the characters feel, needing to see how their stories play out. Each page turn was more in depth, each page turn filled with emotions that are undeniable as the reader becomes a part of the story. Definitely recommending this one to all my reader friends!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
As someone who has a biological sister somewhere out there, I felt drawn to Lily Rose and her adoptive life. As someone who had a rough first marriage, I felt for Lily Rose when she was married. The mental struggles, the let downs…..all of it was as if I was Lily Rose for the time.
Simply put, this book was absolutely powerful in every way. Robinson created a novel that the reader can get lost in, needing to feel what the characters feel, needing to see how their stories play out. Each page turn was more in depth, each page turn filled with emotions that are undeniable as the reader becomes a part of the story. Definitely recommending this one to all my reader friends!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Author/Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
September 26, 2020
I absolutely loved this debut novel and will definitely be looking to read her work in the future. The story is actually based on the authors life which I thought was a unique aspect to the story. I found myself being drawn into the story right from the beginning and quickly devoured the book. The novel was beautifully written, captivating, thought provoking read about love, loss, greif family, longing, hope, finding yourself and what truly matters. Robinson created relatable characters and a plot that was vividly described. The main character had me in awe of her strength as she took everything thrown at her in life as she worked through and overcame so many horrendous obstacles that would destoy many.
Jeff found herself pregnant after a summer of teen love. Jeff gives birth after hiding it from her mother and gives her daughter Lily up for adoption. Lily's adoptive parents name her Lily Rose and are such a loving family. However they die tragically and Lily Rose goes to live with her aunt and uncle at age 13. In highschool she finds her first love who suggests she have more dreams than just getting married and having children. Lily Rose then makes it her dream to go to New York City. Her dream comes true and she meets a very successful man that she marries. Her dreams come to life when she is given the opportunity to open her own stores, but she still longs to have a child of her own. However those dreams are destroyed by her troubled husband who destroys her. Lily Rose is alone and at a loss for what to do, with no family and figures she will try and find her birth parents. The journey to find her birth parents turns out to be very emotional. In the end Lily Rose might not have thought she got what she set out to find, but found so much more.
Jeff found herself pregnant after a summer of teen love. Jeff gives birth after hiding it from her mother and gives her daughter Lily up for adoption. Lily's adoptive parents name her Lily Rose and are such a loving family. However they die tragically and Lily Rose goes to live with her aunt and uncle at age 13. In highschool she finds her first love who suggests she have more dreams than just getting married and having children. Lily Rose then makes it her dream to go to New York City. Her dream comes true and she meets a very successful man that she marries. Her dreams come to life when she is given the opportunity to open her own stores, but she still longs to have a child of her own. However those dreams are destroyed by her troubled husband who destroys her. Lily Rose is alone and at a loss for what to do, with no family and figures she will try and find her birth parents. The journey to find her birth parents turns out to be very emotional. In the end Lily Rose might not have thought she got what she set out to find, but found so much more.
September 24, 2020
A heartbreaking true story based on its author's life.
Lily Rose is a thought-provoking and captivating Novel.
The story has a dual timeline and alternates between past and present. Lily Rose grew up with her loving adopted family. And moves to leave with her uncle and aunt in a huge farm after her parents die. Her dream, when she was in high school, was to go to New York City. Once she gets there, she gets a job as a fashion director for one of the most prestigious department stores and ends up marrying the owner. Lily becomes very successful in the fashion industry. But it won't take long until her marriage becomes abusive and she experiences a serious depression. At the height of her frustration, she remembers a piece of paper that her aunt gave her when she was leaving the farm. And it reminds her that this paper has her birth mother's name written on it. This is when she decides to look for her birth mother.
The storyline was beautifully created by the author. The characters and descriptions were perfectly penned. The details were vividly described. And I was able to connect with Lily easily.
Knowing that it was the author's life story made this book more exciting for me. I really enjoyed the prologue. It made me want to read the book right away. And the last chapter Was also very touching for me.
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Lily Rose is a thought-provoking and captivating Novel.
The story has a dual timeline and alternates between past and present. Lily Rose grew up with her loving adopted family. And moves to leave with her uncle and aunt in a huge farm after her parents die. Her dream, when she was in high school, was to go to New York City. Once she gets there, she gets a job as a fashion director for one of the most prestigious department stores and ends up marrying the owner. Lily becomes very successful in the fashion industry. But it won't take long until her marriage becomes abusive and she experiences a serious depression. At the height of her frustration, she remembers a piece of paper that her aunt gave her when she was leaving the farm. And it reminds her that this paper has her birth mother's name written on it. This is when she decides to look for her birth mother.
The storyline was beautifully created by the author. The characters and descriptions were perfectly penned. The details were vividly described. And I was able to connect with Lily easily.
Knowing that it was the author's life story made this book more exciting for me. I really enjoyed the prologue. It made me want to read the book right away. And the last chapter Was also very touching for me.
Blog
Amazon
September 16, 2020
This is Deborah Robinson's debut novel, a book about how family shapes us but doesn't define you.
This book covers so many themes and is an incredibly well-rounded women's fiction read. The author dives into hard issues such as family relations, abuse, and infertility, but ultimately this is a book about hope. Lily Rose preserves against many odds and I loved her journey.
The prologue gripped me immediately and I was ready to jump in and discover who Lily Rose was. The book begins with Anna, Lily Rose's biological mother. I was so drawn to her character but in the end she wasn't very likeable! Not because of the choice she made regarding her daughter, but because of her selfishness later in life. I understand that people need to choose the life that fits them best, but I think Anna's lies were too much for me to understand her.
Lily Rose had a childhood that was both happy and sad. Despite tragedy, she blossoms into an ambitious teenager and decides to leave rural Kentucky and head to NYC. We don't learn much of Lily Rose's years between her move and meeting her future husband, Peyton.
As Lily Rose's marriage unravels, her career takes off, and she finds herself needing to make difficult choices about what matters most.
The final chapters are filled with Lily Rose discovering more than she thought she'd ever know about her biological family, and about herself.
This book covers so many themes and is an incredibly well-rounded women's fiction read. The author dives into hard issues such as family relations, abuse, and infertility, but ultimately this is a book about hope. Lily Rose preserves against many odds and I loved her journey.
The prologue gripped me immediately and I was ready to jump in and discover who Lily Rose was. The book begins with Anna, Lily Rose's biological mother. I was so drawn to her character but in the end she wasn't very likeable! Not because of the choice she made regarding her daughter, but because of her selfishness later in life. I understand that people need to choose the life that fits them best, but I think Anna's lies were too much for me to understand her.
Lily Rose had a childhood that was both happy and sad. Despite tragedy, she blossoms into an ambitious teenager and decides to leave rural Kentucky and head to NYC. We don't learn much of Lily Rose's years between her move and meeting her future husband, Peyton.
As Lily Rose's marriage unravels, her career takes off, and she finds herself needing to make difficult choices about what matters most.
The final chapters are filled with Lily Rose discovering more than she thought she'd ever know about her biological family, and about herself.
September 9, 2020
This book follows two people and alternates between them: Anna James Jefferson (Jeff) , and Lily Rose .
Jeff is materialistic young girl when we meet her. And she doesn’t get any better throughout the story. In fact I audibly uttered “ew” at one point. Jeff gets pregnant and doesn't want anything to do with the baby.
Lily Rose is adopted at six months old to the most amazing parents and has an idyllic life for a time. When she’s 13 her beloved parents are killed tragically and age goes to live with her aunt and uncle on a horse farm.
The trajectory of her life takes her to the high fashion world in New York as well as a marriage to one of the most eligible bachelors in that world.
Even though she gets everything she wants professionally, her personal life gets challenging, sad and lonely.
So, I found that I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the imagery of beautiful Kentucky. And it also felt reminiscent of prime time soap operas like Dallas or Falcon Crest. Even though there were a few ends I’d like to have seen more tied up, the ending made me so happy.
Jeff is materialistic young girl when we meet her. And she doesn’t get any better throughout the story. In fact I audibly uttered “ew” at one point. Jeff gets pregnant and doesn't want anything to do with the baby.
Lily Rose is adopted at six months old to the most amazing parents and has an idyllic life for a time. When she’s 13 her beloved parents are killed tragically and age goes to live with her aunt and uncle on a horse farm.
The trajectory of her life takes her to the high fashion world in New York as well as a marriage to one of the most eligible bachelors in that world.
Even though she gets everything she wants professionally, her personal life gets challenging, sad and lonely.
So, I found that I couldn’t put this book down. I loved the imagery of beautiful Kentucky. And it also felt reminiscent of prime time soap operas like Dallas or Falcon Crest. Even though there were a few ends I’d like to have seen more tied up, the ending made me so happy.
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December 19, 2024I’m thrilled to feature 𝙇𝙞𝙡𝙮 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚, a magnificent debut by Deborah Robinson (@lilyroses4ever) on its publication day🌹!
Inspired by the author’s true life, Lily Rose is moving and heartbreaking, yet ultimately an uplifting story about family and learning to love yourself. After two days of reading, I’ve devoured the book and cannot wait to reach the end!
Alternating between the past and the present, Lily Rose unravels the life of two women tied by blood and tragedies. Their intertwined stories feature struggles with loss and abandonment, poverty and classism, infertility, marriage and lies. It is so endearing and will not be long forgotten.
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Is blood truly thicker than water? After a desperate search for her birth mother, Lily Rose is forced to confront her turbulent past.
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in the small town of Cumberland Falls, Kentucky. Adopted and happy, she loved her parents very much. However at 13, Lily’s life is shattered when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, and she is sent to live with her aunts and uncles in Bluegrass. After several years, she focuses on getting out of Kentucky and pursuing her dream of a career in fashion in New York City.
Lily becomes a successful New York fashion icon and marries one of Manhattan’s most coveted bachelors. But soon the marriage becomes abusive, and the challenges of her demanding career prevail, and she plummets into a deep depression.
It is at her lowest point that she decides to search out her birth mother, with hopes of a finding a family and feeling whole again. When Lily finally meets her, the result is very different from what she had imagined. Can Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
Thank you so much @lilyroses4ever, @Suzy approvedbooktours and @skyhorsepub for gifting me this beautiful debut! It is available on Amazon today - get your copy now!
Inspired by the author’s true life, Lily Rose is moving and heartbreaking, yet ultimately an uplifting story about family and learning to love yourself. After two days of reading, I’ve devoured the book and cannot wait to reach the end!
Alternating between the past and the present, Lily Rose unravels the life of two women tied by blood and tragedies. Their intertwined stories feature struggles with loss and abandonment, poverty and classism, infertility, marriage and lies. It is so endearing and will not be long forgotten.
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Is blood truly thicker than water? After a desperate search for her birth mother, Lily Rose is forced to confront her turbulent past.
Love has set the tone for most of Lily Rose’s young life in the small town of Cumberland Falls, Kentucky. Adopted and happy, she loved her parents very much. However at 13, Lily’s life is shattered when her parents are killed in a tragic accident, and she is sent to live with her aunts and uncles in Bluegrass. After several years, she focuses on getting out of Kentucky and pursuing her dream of a career in fashion in New York City.
Lily becomes a successful New York fashion icon and marries one of Manhattan’s most coveted bachelors. But soon the marriage becomes abusive, and the challenges of her demanding career prevail, and she plummets into a deep depression.
It is at her lowest point that she decides to search out her birth mother, with hopes of a finding a family and feeling whole again. When Lily finally meets her, the result is very different from what she had imagined. Can Lily Rose ever find what she has been searching for? And most importantly, will she be able to stay true to herself in the process?
Thank you so much @lilyroses4ever, @Suzy approvedbooktours and @skyhorsepub for gifting me this beautiful debut! It is available on Amazon today - get your copy now!
September 25, 2020
What I enjoyed most was how the story seemed to have a focus on staying true to yourself, even while going after your dreams. For a debut novel, I thought Lily Rose was full of great characters, and covered lots of issues within the story - death, relationships, domestic abuse, event minor mentions of suicide and abortion - packed into this particular title and creating a great, quick read.
Since she mentioned that it was based on her own story, I would love to know more about what parts were real and what was embellished & added into the story to make this wonderful read. If you were to write a fiction based on your life, what’s one thing you would add into your life to make it more exciting and book worthy?
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours & Skyhorse Publishing for this gifted copy in exchange for my personal review!
Since she mentioned that it was based on her own story, I would love to know more about what parts were real and what was embellished & added into the story to make this wonderful read. If you were to write a fiction based on your life, what’s one thing you would add into your life to make it more exciting and book worthy?
Thank you to Suzy Approved Book Tours & Skyhorse Publishing for this gifted copy in exchange for my personal review!
September 14, 2020
I love reading about rich people. Maybe some other readers will find that superficial of me, but I do. I can't imagine a life of mansions, jewels, or jet-setting for myself, but I enjoy living vicariously through book characters that have that life.
Lily Rose by Deborah Robinson is a book with characters who take that journey into the life of the rich and famous. I enjoyed the stories of Anna James Jefferson and Lily Rose Long and how they were intertwined. The setting is Kentucky and New York City, the bluegrass countryside and also big city glamour.
Author Deborah Robinson says this book started out as hers - "my story - but then it became fiction". I am very curious to know all the parts that are autobiographical!
Lily Rose by Deborah Robinson is a book with characters who take that journey into the life of the rich and famous. I enjoyed the stories of Anna James Jefferson and Lily Rose Long and how they were intertwined. The setting is Kentucky and New York City, the bluegrass countryside and also big city glamour.
Author Deborah Robinson says this book started out as hers - "my story - but then it became fiction". I am very curious to know all the parts that are autobiographical!
September 15, 2020
Lily Rose is by Deborah Robinson is based on true events. I very much enjoyed this book it was heartbreaking as much as it was inspiring.
The timeline that alternates between the past and present, 30 years apart help to tell the story of Lily Rose and the different events in her life.
Lily was adopted at six months old and lived a happy life until at age 13 her parents are killed in a fatal accident and she is sent to live with her aunts and uncles. She has a dream to go to the big city to have a career in fashion.
This is a well written story with complex, fleshed out characters that I very much enjoyed.
The timeline that alternates between the past and present, 30 years apart help to tell the story of Lily Rose and the different events in her life.
Lily was adopted at six months old and lived a happy life until at age 13 her parents are killed in a fatal accident and she is sent to live with her aunts and uncles. She has a dream to go to the big city to have a career in fashion.
This is a well written story with complex, fleshed out characters that I very much enjoyed.
September 17, 2020
This book...my gosh. I truly don’t know where to start. The main character, Lily Rose, was adopted at birth. I don’t want to give much away (I hate spoilers in reviews, would rather people experience the magic for the themselves), but after Lily’s life takes a few turns she decides to find her birth mom.
One of the things I loved most about this book is that it was inspired by the authors life. It is emotional, gripping and heartfelt. It is the story of staying strong and being true to yourself. It is breathtaking.
One of the things I loved most about this book is that it was inspired by the authors life. It is emotional, gripping and heartfelt. It is the story of staying strong and being true to yourself. It is breathtaking.
September 18, 2020
This is the first book I have read by this author which I won on Suzy Approved Book Tours. Its such a wonderful story based on mostly the authors life. The book is hard to put down and people from all generations will enjoy this book. It will stay with me for years to come. A truly inspiring story as to how a person can come out strong and resilient after hitting a low time in their lives. Deborah Robinson has done an amazing job telling this story. I am looking forward to reading more books by her.
October 16, 2020
This book follows the difficult story of Lily Rose. Adopted by amazing parents as an infant, Lily Rose's difficulties begin when her adopted parents die in a car accident. The aunt who then takes her in also dies while Lily Rose is in college.
What follows is a beautiful story of resilience and a search for identity. All I wanted while reading this book was for Lily Rose to finally be happy after all of the challenges she faced one after the other.
I found the story a bit difficult to believe, but was shocked to learn that it is actually based partly on the author's life.
While the prose was far from great, the story makes for an interesting read.
What follows is a beautiful story of resilience and a search for identity. All I wanted while reading this book was for Lily Rose to finally be happy after all of the challenges she faced one after the other.
I found the story a bit difficult to believe, but was shocked to learn that it is actually based partly on the author's life.
While the prose was far from great, the story makes for an interesting read.
January 17, 2025
This is an absolute must read.
I loved every inch of this book. The adoration I have for Deborah and this story, or should I say, her story.
I wept. I laughed. I felt every bit of emotion while reading through this book.
This book is a rollercoaster in the best way. I am in awe of the story of Lily. What an impeccable admirable woman she is. A fearless, determined woman. And the story she had to tell was beautifully written.
This book will take you through a journey, hope you're prepared. You will feel all the feels with this one!
I loved every inch of this book. The adoration I have for Deborah and this story, or should I say, her story.
I wept. I laughed. I felt every bit of emotion while reading through this book.
This book is a rollercoaster in the best way. I am in awe of the story of Lily. What an impeccable admirable woman she is. A fearless, determined woman. And the story she had to tell was beautifully written.
This book will take you through a journey, hope you're prepared. You will feel all the feels with this one!
November 10, 2020
I received a copy of this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I feel almost guilty rating this book so poorly because it's apparently based on the author's own life, but I could not force myself to suffer through it. I was turned off by the writing style and the borderline obscenity of it almost immediately, and by about 40 pages in I couldn't stand it any more. I'm glad it seems other people are enjoying this, but I definitely did not.
I feel almost guilty rating this book so poorly because it's apparently based on the author's own life, but I could not force myself to suffer through it. I was turned off by the writing style and the borderline obscenity of it almost immediately, and by about 40 pages in I couldn't stand it any more. I'm glad it seems other people are enjoying this, but I definitely did not.
November 17, 2020
I must say, that I liked this book very much! It is about love, hope, family, tragedy, heartbreak, class, money and ambition. This was definitely enough to keep me reading and it was a book that was hard to put down. What I liked, was that the timelines moved along and did not keep you hanging. The book is based on the author's life which makes the story even more compelling.
I received this book free from Goodreads for a honest opinion.
I received this book free from Goodreads for a honest opinion.
December 16, 2021
What can I say other than this book was poignant, heartbreaking as well as heartwarming, a little funny, a lot of mad and a lot of romance. A debut written by someone that I feel has written tons of other stories. I felt every emotion that Anna "Jeff" Jefferson felt as well as Lily Rose Long. There was a time when I gasped at a part. It was one of the most beautiful stories I've read in a long time. I look forward to more books by Deborah Robinson.
November 14, 2020
What a great novel this was ! A girl who gets put up for adoption been through so much loss her whole life , wants to find her sense of self and be something which she does but what she had to do to get there and just wants to be part of a family , to feel like she belongs ! What a great story and an even better ending ! Love, loss and family are all wrapped up into this book !
July 6, 2021
This book reminded me of something by Danielle Steele. I understand that the author's story here is somewhat biographical, but every character is wealthy, everyone is beautiful, everyone has business sense ... it was entertaining, but it didn't connect with me on a personal - or universal - level.
June 17, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Sometimes your life does not go as planned and the book Lily Rose showed how differently people handle this.
August 1, 2021
Loved this story !
April 26, 2023
A story about love, loss, and family. A cute little story about the author’s life. It was well written and a quick read. In a nutshell, after experiencing loss in her life over and over again, Lily decided to pursue searching for her birth mother. Life come full circle for Lily and shows that even when life is hard you can still have a happy ending.
September 1, 2020
Lily Rose is a debut novel based loosely on the author's real life experiences. The premise intrigued me and while this book is pretty interesting, it might be a little too matter of fact for the story presented.
We start with Jeff, a teenage girl living in Kentucky. She's very naive and VERY materialistic. I'm not sure if we're meant to dislike her from the start, but it's hard to sympathize with her.
We skip ahead to meet Lily Rose, a young girl that's been adopted by very loving parents. Tragedy strikes Lily Rose at a young age, and she spends her teen and adult years coping.
What I found difficult about this book: the time period is VERY hard to nail down. We know that our "present" day is 30-some years before the chronological beginning of this event (meeting Jeff as a teen) but we don't have a concrete decade to refer to when it comes to attitudes about...well, everything. The pacing is also a little inconsistent, until you realize that the story has jumped ahead a few years at some points.
There are a lot of "rich people problems" in this book. One character comes from a relatively privileged background, ends up inheriting a fortune and marries rich. The other acquires a substantial amount of money prior to graduating high school and, surprise surprise, marries rich.
And maybe the toughest part: Lily Rose doesn't really seem to have her own voice. She seems naive, even as an adult. When someone tells her something is right or something is wrong, she just shrugs and believes them. She's a little bit like a cardboard cutout that's becoming sentient.
There's a great story at the heart of Lily Rose, but the execution is a little off.
Content warnings: mention of suicidal thoughts, brief mention of abortion, parental death, toxic relationship/marriage, infertility, domestic abuse.
We start with Jeff, a teenage girl living in Kentucky. She's very naive and VERY materialistic. I'm not sure if we're meant to dislike her from the start, but it's hard to sympathize with her.
We skip ahead to meet Lily Rose, a young girl that's been adopted by very loving parents. Tragedy strikes Lily Rose at a young age, and she spends her teen and adult years coping.
What I found difficult about this book: the time period is VERY hard to nail down. We know that our "present" day is 30-some years before the chronological beginning of this event (meeting Jeff as a teen) but we don't have a concrete decade to refer to when it comes to attitudes about...well, everything. The pacing is also a little inconsistent, until you realize that the story has jumped ahead a few years at some points.
There are a lot of "rich people problems" in this book. One character comes from a relatively privileged background, ends up inheriting a fortune and marries rich. The other acquires a substantial amount of money prior to graduating high school and, surprise surprise, marries rich.
And maybe the toughest part: Lily Rose doesn't really seem to have her own voice. She seems naive, even as an adult. When someone tells her something is right or something is wrong, she just shrugs and believes them. She's a little bit like a cardboard cutout that's becoming sentient.
There's a great story at the heart of Lily Rose, but the execution is a little off.
Content warnings: mention of suicidal thoughts, brief mention of abortion, parental death, toxic relationship/marriage, infertility, domestic abuse.
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