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The Poppy & the Rose
1912: Ava Knight, a teen heiress, boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. During the journey she meets three people who will change her life: a handsome sailor, a soldier in the secret Black Hand society that will trigger World War I, and a woman with clairvoyant abilities. When disaster strikes the ship, family betrayals come to light.
2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary. With the help of the diary, a brooding chauffeur, and some historical sleuthing, Taylor must uncover the link between Ava’s past and her own….
A rich and intriguing tale, The Poppy and the Rose will appeal to readers of Jennifer Donnelly, Libba Bray, and Kate Morton.
2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary. With the help of the diary, a brooding chauffeur, and some historical sleuthing, Taylor must uncover the link between Ava’s past and her own….
A rich and intriguing tale, The Poppy and the Rose will appeal to readers of Jennifer Donnelly, Libba Bray, and Kate Morton.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2020
54 people are currently reading
2085 people want to read
About the author
Ashlee Cowles
5 books100 followersAshlee Cowles is the author of THE POPPY & THE ROSE (Owl Hollow Press, Oct 2020), the award-winning BENEATH WANDERING STARS (Simon Pulse, 2016), BELOW NORTHERN LIGHTS, and WISDOM FOR THE WAY. Raised in a military family without roots, Ashlee enjoys traveling the world almost as much as she loves telling stories. Learn more at http://ashleecowles.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 202 reviews
February 5, 2021
It is 1912 and Ava Knight is journeying with her father onboard the majestic and unsinkable new ship, the Titanic, when a figure offers her the chance to fulfil her one greatest wish, in payment for her eyes...
It is 2010 and Taylor Romano has ventured from America to the UK plagued with questions about the myriad of mysteries that surround her father, and which he can't himself answer for after his untimely demise.
How are these two perspectives interlinked, when so many years and tragedies separate them? That was a question that puzzled me throughout and which Cowles only saw fit to answer during the last 10% of the book. Everything that came before was permeated with my heightened intrigue and my attempts to theorize how past and present were tied together altered on every other page.
My interest in the Titanic is what initially intrigued me about this book and I was pleased to find an almost equal attention paid to both perspectives, after the first quarter. I found the author did an applaudable job of recreating high society of this time, the grandeur of the new ship, and the tragedy during the time of its sinking.
Whilst I was less immediately interested in Taylor's perspective, her quest did eventually win my intrigue over. This was especially so when so many similarities between this modern-day individual and the deceased historical one became more and more apparent. Her story became my own, just as Ava's did and both perspectives continued on an unguessable trajectory until their twisted conclusions saw them aligned.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Ashlee Cowles, and the publisher, Owl Hollow, for this opportunity.
It is 2010 and Taylor Romano has ventured from America to the UK plagued with questions about the myriad of mysteries that surround her father, and which he can't himself answer for after his untimely demise.
How are these two perspectives interlinked, when so many years and tragedies separate them? That was a question that puzzled me throughout and which Cowles only saw fit to answer during the last 10% of the book. Everything that came before was permeated with my heightened intrigue and my attempts to theorize how past and present were tied together altered on every other page.
My interest in the Titanic is what initially intrigued me about this book and I was pleased to find an almost equal attention paid to both perspectives, after the first quarter. I found the author did an applaudable job of recreating high society of this time, the grandeur of the new ship, and the tragedy during the time of its sinking.
Whilst I was less immediately interested in Taylor's perspective, her quest did eventually win my intrigue over. This was especially so when so many similarities between this modern-day individual and the deceased historical one became more and more apparent. Her story became my own, just as Ava's did and both perspectives continued on an unguessable trajectory until their twisted conclusions saw them aligned.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, Ashlee Cowles, and the publisher, Owl Hollow, for this opportunity.
August 12, 2021
(actual rating: 3.5/5)
Thank you to Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'The Poppy and the Rose' presents an interesting tale that is bound to interest most YA readers: mystery on the Titanic, family secrets, and a dash of romance. The story is told through two parallel timelines; Ava Knight, an aspiring photographer on the Titanic with her father, and Taylor Romano, who's just arrived in Oxford and is looking for the key to her father's past.
What follows is an interesting historical mystery with different characters and some unexpected twists, all of which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
I think that of the two timelines, I was much more interested and invested in Ava's. The writing was atmospheric, in a way that made you feel that you were there on the Titanic with her. There were some info-dumps, especially in the beginning, which made it a little difficult to get into. The best way I can describe the romance is as "meh". It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either; it was just there.
Taylor's perspective felt more like a way to tell Ava's story, without actually making the entire book about just Ava. While I really liked the concept of the dual timelines, I think that there should have been more detail about her story, rather than just the bare minimum, because it didn't explain some of her actions, as well as the eagerness she had to learn more about Ava.
The plot twists at the end, however, really made the whole book worth it all. It was interesting to see how the timelines converged, but also how a certain plot twist really put all the little details from earlier in the story together.
Overall, I think that my expectations might have simply been too high for this book. While I do think that it had an excellent concept, I think that it needed some more work, as well as some important details from Taylor's side of the story to make it more cohesive. That being said, this book definitely made for a relatively quick and enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book for others if you're looking for exactly that sort of mystery novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and Owl Hollow Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
'The Poppy and the Rose' presents an interesting tale that is bound to interest most YA readers: mystery on the Titanic, family secrets, and a dash of romance. The story is told through two parallel timelines; Ava Knight, an aspiring photographer on the Titanic with her father, and Taylor Romano, who's just arrived in Oxford and is looking for the key to her father's past.
What follows is an interesting historical mystery with different characters and some unexpected twists, all of which made for an enjoyable reading experience.
I think that of the two timelines, I was much more interested and invested in Ava's. The writing was atmospheric, in a way that made you feel that you were there on the Titanic with her. There were some info-dumps, especially in the beginning, which made it a little difficult to get into. The best way I can describe the romance is as "meh". It wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either; it was just there.
Taylor's perspective felt more like a way to tell Ava's story, without actually making the entire book about just Ava. While I really liked the concept of the dual timelines, I think that there should have been more detail about her story, rather than just the bare minimum, because it didn't explain some of her actions, as well as the eagerness she had to learn more about Ava.
The plot twists at the end, however, really made the whole book worth it all. It was interesting to see how the timelines converged, but also how a certain plot twist really put all the little details from earlier in the story together.
Overall, I think that my expectations might have simply been too high for this book. While I do think that it had an excellent concept, I think that it needed some more work, as well as some important details from Taylor's side of the story to make it more cohesive. That being said, this book definitely made for a relatively quick and enjoyable read, and I would recommend this book for others if you're looking for exactly that sort of mystery novel.
September 17, 2020
Are you obsessed with any of the following?
*The Titanic
*Downton Abbey
*Oxford University
*World War I history
*Gothic novels
*T.S. Eliot's poetry
*Glastonbury Abbey
*Women photographers
*A playful take on old-fashioned British murder mystery tropes
*Multi-generational family sagas
Then I wrote this story for YOU! Pre-order here https://amzn.to/2GVRYau . Join my community of readers to receive free bonuses like a photography scrapbook from Ava's journey on the Titanic! https://mailchi.mp/b57b151e1cec/the-p...
*The Titanic
*Downton Abbey
*Oxford University
*World War I history
*Gothic novels
*T.S. Eliot's poetry
*Glastonbury Abbey
*Women photographers
*A playful take on old-fashioned British murder mystery tropes
*Multi-generational family sagas
Then I wrote this story for YOU! Pre-order here https://amzn.to/2GVRYau . Join my community of readers to receive free bonuses like a photography scrapbook from Ava's journey on the Titanic! https://mailchi.mp/b57b151e1cec/the-p...
November 18, 2020
Spoiler free review
This book sold me at titanic. Come on, a titanic mystery book!? Of course I had to pick it up. The poppy and the rose has two separate timelines, one during the time of the titanic and one in modern time. I found myself being intrigued to solve the mystery and eager to learn more about Ava’s story. I’m new to books by Ashlee and this absolutely swept me away. I will definitely look into reading more books by her.
-PLOT-
The story starts with Taylor trying to find out who a mysterious girl is that is with her dad, in a photograph she found. Taylor moves to Oxford for a summer journalism course. She there meets Nathaniel and Mae Knight who claims to know Ava’s father and knows who the woman is. Taylor gets Ava’s memoir and starts reading it. There we meet out second perspective of Ava, a photographer who’s life changes on the titanic. Soon reading into the story we get more information on Ava’s life on the titanic and really get to know her character so vividly through the pages. PLOT: 5/5
-SETTING-
The book is set in Oxford and an old house for Taylor and the titanic for Ava. I loved the titanic and the book described it quite well. I liked the mood the story created through the setting. SETTING: 4/5
-WRITING-
One of the first things I noticed right from the first chapter was the poetic writing. I especially liked Ava’s point of view who I think the book more focuses on. For Taylor there wasn’t much vibrant personality to her in the writing so I think thats where it lacked a bit. The rising action part really didn’t start till around 70% of the book so from 0-60% ish it wasn’t that fast of a pace. Overall the writing was pretty good. WRITING: 4/5
-CHARACTERS-
In the end the characters were developed well. Ava’s story was told really good and I liked how her character learns and we get to see all her personality. But I kind of think Taylor didn’t have as much depth into her and her only purpose was really only to solve the mystery. I still liked her ambition. I adored our Shakespeare loving character Dalia and I wish there were more scenes with her in it. I did also like Nathaniel and Caleb too. I thought that the romance in The poppy and the roses was cute and fun. CHARACTERS: 4/5
-CONCLUSION-
Do I think you should read The poppy and the rose? Yes! If you like the titanic, mystery, dual povs, historical fiction I think you should read this. This book I believe is YA but I think all ages can read this book!
Reviewed 11/17/2020
I’ve requested and received an e-book copy of this book via netgalley. Thank you to the author, Owl Hollow, and Netgalley!
This book sold me at titanic. Come on, a titanic mystery book!? Of course I had to pick it up. The poppy and the rose has two separate timelines, one during the time of the titanic and one in modern time. I found myself being intrigued to solve the mystery and eager to learn more about Ava’s story. I’m new to books by Ashlee and this absolutely swept me away. I will definitely look into reading more books by her.
-PLOT-
The story starts with Taylor trying to find out who a mysterious girl is that is with her dad, in a photograph she found. Taylor moves to Oxford for a summer journalism course. She there meets Nathaniel and Mae Knight who claims to know Ava’s father and knows who the woman is. Taylor gets Ava’s memoir and starts reading it. There we meet out second perspective of Ava, a photographer who’s life changes on the titanic. Soon reading into the story we get more information on Ava’s life on the titanic and really get to know her character so vividly through the pages. PLOT: 5/5
-SETTING-
The book is set in Oxford and an old house for Taylor and the titanic for Ava. I loved the titanic and the book described it quite well. I liked the mood the story created through the setting. SETTING: 4/5
-WRITING-
One of the first things I noticed right from the first chapter was the poetic writing. I especially liked Ava’s point of view who I think the book more focuses on. For Taylor there wasn’t much vibrant personality to her in the writing so I think thats where it lacked a bit. The rising action part really didn’t start till around 70% of the book so from 0-60% ish it wasn’t that fast of a pace. Overall the writing was pretty good. WRITING: 4/5
-CHARACTERS-
In the end the characters were developed well. Ava’s story was told really good and I liked how her character learns and we get to see all her personality. But I kind of think Taylor didn’t have as much depth into her and her only purpose was really only to solve the mystery. I still liked her ambition. I adored our Shakespeare loving character Dalia and I wish there were more scenes with her in it. I did also like Nathaniel and Caleb too. I thought that the romance in The poppy and the roses was cute and fun. CHARACTERS: 4/5
-CONCLUSION-
Do I think you should read The poppy and the rose? Yes! If you like the titanic, mystery, dual povs, historical fiction I think you should read this. This book I believe is YA but I think all ages can read this book!
Reviewed 11/17/2020
I’ve requested and received an e-book copy of this book via netgalley. Thank you to the author, Owl Hollow, and Netgalley!
December 1, 2020
eARC provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. all opinions are my own
*3.5 stars*
rep :
🌹 side indian character
🌹 side black character
*
T H E P O P P Y A N D T H E R O S E
1912 : ava knight, a rebellious but slightly spoilt english heiress, boards the apparently unsinkable titanic with her father in order to pursue her dream of being a professional photographer in new york. once aboard, she meets a man who promises to satisfy the one thing she wants most in the world, as long as she meets a certain condition of his -- to spy on a suspicious woman. ava agrees, but little does she know that the trip is not going to go as she envisioned.
2010 : taylor romano arrives in england for a summer journalism program at oxford, and plans on uncovering the truth behind a secret of her late father. however, with her arrival, she is invited to the house of her benefactress, a seemingly senile old woman, who claims to know the answer to what taylor seeks.
contemporary and alternative historical fiction is interwoven together in this tale of family betrayals, love, chaos and war.
*
this is my very first time reading a book by this author, and i have to say -- ashlee cowles certainly didn't disappoint !
i liked the way she linked the past and present narrative together, and some of the sentences in ava's narrative were so beautiful, so moving, that i found myself reading some of them over and over again.
as the author has mentioned in the author's note at the end, some of the characters were inspired by real people who were aboard the titanic that fateful night. i think that's one of the things that appeals to me about this book -- it gives us a connection to people who actually lost their lives in reality as well. you realise that the people aboard the titanic weren't just spoilt, rich people but that there were others who were denied a chance at life due to their relatively lower class. you realise that the people who lost their lives that night weren't just a nameless, faceless swathe of humanity, but individuals with their own lives, hobbies, eccentricities, mannerisms, philosophies.
i really do appreciate this book and while the manner of linking both the past and present was deft enough, i also do think taylor's narrative was rather redundant. for me, her narrative wasn't really as gripping as ava's was, but it may serve as a breathing space for readers who usually prefer contemporary novels over historical fiction.
also, it doesn't make sense to me that taylor's college didn't make a bigger fuss out of the fact that she was missing for so long. one might say that dahlia was questioned about taylor's whereabouts, but what could she have possibly said that was so convincing ?
all that being said, i also felt like taylor and nathaniel's little romance was unnecessary. it didn't seem to add anything to the storyline, in my honest opinion.
would recommend if you're looking for a book that incorporates contemporary and historical fiction storylines based on the night the titanic sank -- all written in lyrical prose.
*3.5 stars*
rep :
🌹 side indian character
🌹 side black character
*
T H E P O P P Y A N D T H E R O S E
1912 : ava knight, a rebellious but slightly spoilt english heiress, boards the apparently unsinkable titanic with her father in order to pursue her dream of being a professional photographer in new york. once aboard, she meets a man who promises to satisfy the one thing she wants most in the world, as long as she meets a certain condition of his -- to spy on a suspicious woman. ava agrees, but little does she know that the trip is not going to go as she envisioned.
2010 : taylor romano arrives in england for a summer journalism program at oxford, and plans on uncovering the truth behind a secret of her late father. however, with her arrival, she is invited to the house of her benefactress, a seemingly senile old woman, who claims to know the answer to what taylor seeks.
contemporary and alternative historical fiction is interwoven together in this tale of family betrayals, love, chaos and war.
*
this is my very first time reading a book by this author, and i have to say -- ashlee cowles certainly didn't disappoint !
i liked the way she linked the past and present narrative together, and some of the sentences in ava's narrative were so beautiful, so moving, that i found myself reading some of them over and over again.
as the author has mentioned in the author's note at the end, some of the characters were inspired by real people who were aboard the titanic that fateful night. i think that's one of the things that appeals to me about this book -- it gives us a connection to people who actually lost their lives in reality as well. you realise that the people aboard the titanic weren't just spoilt, rich people but that there were others who were denied a chance at life due to their relatively lower class. you realise that the people who lost their lives that night weren't just a nameless, faceless swathe of humanity, but individuals with their own lives, hobbies, eccentricities, mannerisms, philosophies.
i really do appreciate this book and while the manner of linking both the past and present was deft enough, i also do think taylor's narrative was rather redundant. for me, her narrative wasn't really as gripping as ava's was, but it may serve as a breathing space for readers who usually prefer contemporary novels over historical fiction.
also, it doesn't make sense to me that taylor's college didn't make a bigger fuss out of the fact that she was missing for so long. one might say that dahlia was questioned about taylor's whereabouts, but what could she have possibly said that was so convincing ?
all that being said, i also felt like taylor and nathaniel's little romance was unnecessary. it didn't seem to add anything to the storyline, in my honest opinion.
would recommend if you're looking for a book that incorporates contemporary and historical fiction storylines based on the night the titanic sank -- all written in lyrical prose.
March 1, 2021
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ever since I saw The Poppy & the Rose was a book that really intrigued me. Mostly because of the cover and the title but once I read the synopsis - I was basically hooked and wanted to dive into the book.
In it, you will meet Ava and Taylor. They are living in different timelines and have pretty different lives. Sometimes the dual timelines works for me but this one seemed a bit odd because nothing was really meshing with me. I mean, the characters themselves were pretty interesting and entertaining at times. Plus getting to see someone on the actual Titanic is pretty cool. Yet, these two didn't have much in common so it was hard to connect with them at times.
Out of the two, I actually enjoyed Ava's parts a lot more than Taylor's. It wasn't hard to fall for her parts because of knowing the Titanic pretty well. At one point, Taylor does become a bit more interesting than she originally was but that was near the ending of the book. So long story short, her parts definitely dragged for me and I found myself just wanting to skim them at times.
In the end, it was still an interesting book but it would have been nice to have both parts being equally intriguing and entertaining for me.
Ever since I saw The Poppy & the Rose was a book that really intrigued me. Mostly because of the cover and the title but once I read the synopsis - I was basically hooked and wanted to dive into the book.
In it, you will meet Ava and Taylor. They are living in different timelines and have pretty different lives. Sometimes the dual timelines works for me but this one seemed a bit odd because nothing was really meshing with me. I mean, the characters themselves were pretty interesting and entertaining at times. Plus getting to see someone on the actual Titanic is pretty cool. Yet, these two didn't have much in common so it was hard to connect with them at times.
Out of the two, I actually enjoyed Ava's parts a lot more than Taylor's. It wasn't hard to fall for her parts because of knowing the Titanic pretty well. At one point, Taylor does become a bit more interesting than she originally was but that was near the ending of the book. So long story short, her parts definitely dragged for me and I found myself just wanting to skim them at times.
In the end, it was still an interesting book but it would have been nice to have both parts being equally intriguing and entertaining for me.
September 17, 2020
If this book had a single narrator I would have rated it much higher.
“The Poppy and the Rose” follows Taylor as she visits London to participate in an exchange program at Oxford but her real focus is to uncover the truth behind the photo of her late father with another woman. Along the way she meets her older benefactor who claims to know who the woman is and will share that information at the cost of listening to her story but when that older woman is found dead a larger plot is revealed.
This story is spilt between modern day Taylor and Ava a young woman as she boards the ill fated Titanic and apart from their daddy issues they don’t have anything else in common. These two stories are set up to parallel each other as both women try to figure out if their parent is having an extramarital affair only the former spends her chapters reading the memoir which features Ava’s story and doesn’t do much else.
Where Taylor’s narrative fades in and out of the details surrounding the sinking we never really get anywhere with her up until the ending where it’s all a rather basic and boring reveal and I hate to say it but this is the first time I actually read a large section of a multiple POV book by skipping over her chapters entirely as they offered nothing to the much larger story. I did eventually go back and read it through like it was written but all it did was cement the fact that you could jump over any chapter featuring Taylor and the end result would be a pretty great story and that’s not at all something you would achieve if you read it the opposite way.
Ava has a lot going on both with the pressure of society on a young woman and the lingering doubts she has about her father and the new friend he seems to have made onboard. Furthermore she is brought in by a mysterious figure to play spy for his purpose all the while it offers her a chance to obtain evidence and confront her father outright. This is so much more exciting than anything offered in the modern day as it touches upon the lengths one will go to protect their children, class warfare, the horrors of war and how history is shaped by people more so than the tragedies whether they are cowardly enough to jump into a lifeboat taking the seat saved for a child or smart enough to blackmail survivors into doing what’s right for victims. Each component of her story offered a lot of insight not only into that point in history but offered a new side to the story that we all know and love by letting us see the pure hatred of those left on board toward the elite who made it to a lifeboat as Ava is very much part of that group and her facing that hatred was an interesting foil to that of Rose Dawson going down with the ship.
This is such a hard book to rate because if I’m just going off Ava’s story it’s a solid 5 stars where Taylor’s would be a 1 but seeing as I have to judge the work as a whole piece it brings it down a considerable amount which is unfortunate.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
“The Poppy and the Rose” follows Taylor as she visits London to participate in an exchange program at Oxford but her real focus is to uncover the truth behind the photo of her late father with another woman. Along the way she meets her older benefactor who claims to know who the woman is and will share that information at the cost of listening to her story but when that older woman is found dead a larger plot is revealed.
This story is spilt between modern day Taylor and Ava a young woman as she boards the ill fated Titanic and apart from their daddy issues they don’t have anything else in common. These two stories are set up to parallel each other as both women try to figure out if their parent is having an extramarital affair only the former spends her chapters reading the memoir which features Ava’s story and doesn’t do much else.
Where Taylor’s narrative fades in and out of the details surrounding the sinking we never really get anywhere with her up until the ending where it’s all a rather basic and boring reveal and I hate to say it but this is the first time I actually read a large section of a multiple POV book by skipping over her chapters entirely as they offered nothing to the much larger story. I did eventually go back and read it through like it was written but all it did was cement the fact that you could jump over any chapter featuring Taylor and the end result would be a pretty great story and that’s not at all something you would achieve if you read it the opposite way.
Ava has a lot going on both with the pressure of society on a young woman and the lingering doubts she has about her father and the new friend he seems to have made onboard. Furthermore she is brought in by a mysterious figure to play spy for his purpose all the while it offers her a chance to obtain evidence and confront her father outright. This is so much more exciting than anything offered in the modern day as it touches upon the lengths one will go to protect their children, class warfare, the horrors of war and how history is shaped by people more so than the tragedies whether they are cowardly enough to jump into a lifeboat taking the seat saved for a child or smart enough to blackmail survivors into doing what’s right for victims. Each component of her story offered a lot of insight not only into that point in history but offered a new side to the story that we all know and love by letting us see the pure hatred of those left on board toward the elite who made it to a lifeboat as Ava is very much part of that group and her facing that hatred was an interesting foil to that of Rose Dawson going down with the ship.
This is such a hard book to rate because if I’m just going off Ava’s story it’s a solid 5 stars where Taylor’s would be a 1 but seeing as I have to judge the work as a whole piece it brings it down a considerable amount which is unfortunate.
**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
December 12, 2020
The Poppy & the Rose by Ashlee Cowles is a young adult historical fiction and mystery novel set in World War II times with the element of Titanic and mystery behind it. I did not know what to expect from this book when I started reading it, but as the story went by I was fully engrossed in the mystery in the characters.
We see two timelines - 1912 & 2010.
1912: Ava Knight, a teen heiress, boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. During the journey she meets three people who will change her life: a handsome sailor, a soldier in the secret Black Hand society that will trigger World War I, and a woman with clairvoyant abilities. When disaster strikes the ship, family betrayals come to light.
2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary.
How are these two characters linked to each other? We see a lot of layers unfold in this book but all of them are done at the perfect timing and that's what brings beauty to this book. A lot of family dynamics are explained in this book, along with some hint of royal British England rich families and their secrets.
I liked the concept in which Titanic is used in this book. Titanic was the reason I picked up this book and it truly did not disappoint. I liked how the story progresses and we see step by step solving of puzzles. I liked the character of Taylor Romano as well as the concept of that Lady Knight's house. All these small small things bought the perfect vibe as well as took be back to that era.
_______
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher - Owl Hollow for sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
We see two timelines - 1912 & 2010.
1912: Ava Knight, a teen heiress, boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. During the journey she meets three people who will change her life: a handsome sailor, a soldier in the secret Black Hand society that will trigger World War I, and a woman with clairvoyant abilities. When disaster strikes the ship, family betrayals come to light.
2010: When Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, something feels off. Not only is she greeted by a young, Rolls Royce-driving chauffeur, but he invites her to tea with Lady Mae Knight of Meadowbrook Manor, an old house with a cursed history going back to the days of Henry VIII. Lady Knight seems to know a strange amount about Taylor and her family problems, but before Taylor can learn more, the elderly woman dies, leaving as the only clue an old diary.
How are these two characters linked to each other? We see a lot of layers unfold in this book but all of them are done at the perfect timing and that's what brings beauty to this book. A lot of family dynamics are explained in this book, along with some hint of royal British England rich families and their secrets.
I liked the concept in which Titanic is used in this book. Titanic was the reason I picked up this book and it truly did not disappoint. I liked how the story progresses and we see step by step solving of puzzles. I liked the character of Taylor Romano as well as the concept of that Lady Knight's house. All these small small things bought the perfect vibe as well as took be back to that era.
_______
Thank You to NetGalley and Publisher - Owl Hollow for sending me an eARC in exchange for a honest opinion.
January 5, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. I thought it was so fun reading about Ava on the Titanic. That was so interesting. Also,the mystery kept me turning the pages! I wanted to find out how Taylor and Ava’s lives were connected! I did not see that ending coming. I got it wrong,but this was definitely a fun book. I did think Mrs.Lakovic was kind of eccentric. I wasn’t a fan,and that took away some of my enjoyment of the book. How she could see the future and read palms etc. Overall,I enjoyed reading about Taylor and Ava.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“Death can take a lot of things,but it can’t take your memories.”
“Moving around so much can make it feel like you’ve got no roots,but everyone is from somewhere. And it’s our memories of that somewhere that get us through the tough times.”
“The meaning,my dear, is in the trying.”
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
“Death can take a lot of things,but it can’t take your memories.”
“Moving around so much can make it feel like you’ve got no roots,but everyone is from somewhere. And it’s our memories of that somewhere that get us through the tough times.”
“The meaning,my dear, is in the trying.”
November 5, 2020
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book. This is such a great premise for a book. It is told in 2 timelines and that was well done. It grabbed me in the beginning but somewhere along the way, it lost that excitement. It tied together nicely but by that point, I really didn't care too much.
October 19, 2020
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
3.5*
I love a Titanic-inspired story! It's all so tragic and you know if nothing else, it's going to leave you feeling some stuff. And this book was definitely no exception! I mostly enjoyed it, though a few things were iffy, so let's dive into a round of "yays" and "nays"!
The Yays:
►The settings/time periods. So not only was the "past" part of the story obviously set in 1912 (because it'd be really fishy if a Titanic story happened some other year, ha), but the contemporary portion was also set about a decade ago, and in England!
►Ava and her story were phenomenal! I absolutely felt connected to Ava, and her experiences were harrowing, no question. I loved how many real Titanic passengers made appearances, but I also really loved the fictional passengers in the story as well. Tying the whole thing into the precursor events of WWI was an awesome choice as well. Not only did it add a layer to the story, but I learned some new stuff!
►I absolutely did want to know how Taylor's dad tied into it all! While I wasn't as connected to Taylor as I'd have liked (see below) I was so curious about what her dad had to do with these random folks in Oxford! Likewise, the mystery surrounding Mae and Ava had me so invested, as I wanted to know more about them!
►Both women's stories were quite emotional. I definitely felt for both women. Ava of course because of not only the Titanic, but because she'd had some other catastrophes befall her, and Taylor because my heart broke for the untimely loss of her father.
The Nays:
►Taylor's risky behavior just made no sense to me. I mean, I know some people are impulsive! But I didn't get that vibe from Taylor when the story began. Like, at all. So for her to ditch her program at Oxford to go chasing down random old ladies (and someone who may want to harm old ladies) seemed to be a stretch. Even the biggest risk takers among us would probably give pause when alone in a foreign country, right? I get that she needed answers about her dad, but the potential reward didn't seem worth the risk. So, I had to suspend some serious disbelief.
►I think this ties in to the above point, but I had a tough time connecting with Taylor. Maybe if I knew more about her, it would have made more sense? But I felt like her story was quite secondary to Ava's, which made sense, but it also lead to me wishing I knew more about her.
Bottom Line: Overall a really fascinating and emotive look into the Titanic and its contemporary legacy, definitely worth the read!
3.5*
I love a Titanic-inspired story! It's all so tragic and you know if nothing else, it's going to leave you feeling some stuff. And this book was definitely no exception! I mostly enjoyed it, though a few things were iffy, so let's dive into a round of "yays" and "nays"!
The Yays:
►The settings/time periods. So not only was the "past" part of the story obviously set in 1912 (because it'd be really fishy if a Titanic story happened some other year, ha), but the contemporary portion was also set about a decade ago, and in England!
►Ava and her story were phenomenal! I absolutely felt connected to Ava, and her experiences were harrowing, no question. I loved how many real Titanic passengers made appearances, but I also really loved the fictional passengers in the story as well. Tying the whole thing into the precursor events of WWI was an awesome choice as well. Not only did it add a layer to the story, but I learned some new stuff!
►I absolutely did want to know how Taylor's dad tied into it all! While I wasn't as connected to Taylor as I'd have liked (see below) I was so curious about what her dad had to do with these random folks in Oxford! Likewise, the mystery surrounding Mae and Ava had me so invested, as I wanted to know more about them!
►Both women's stories were quite emotional. I definitely felt for both women. Ava of course because of not only the Titanic, but because she'd had some other catastrophes befall her, and Taylor because my heart broke for the untimely loss of her father.
The Nays:
►Taylor's risky behavior just made no sense to me. I mean, I know some people are impulsive! But I didn't get that vibe from Taylor when the story began. Like, at all. So for her to ditch her program at Oxford to go chasing down random old ladies (and someone who may want to harm old ladies) seemed to be a stretch. Even the biggest risk takers among us would probably give pause when alone in a foreign country, right? I get that she needed answers about her dad, but the potential reward didn't seem worth the risk. So, I had to suspend some serious disbelief.
►I think this ties in to the above point, but I had a tough time connecting with Taylor. Maybe if I knew more about her, it would have made more sense? But I felt like her story was quite secondary to Ava's, which made sense, but it also lead to me wishing I knew more about her.
Bottom Line: Overall a really fascinating and emotive look into the Titanic and its contemporary legacy, definitely worth the read!
July 10, 2021
My Rating: Four and a Half Poppies out of Five
The Poppy & The Rose has made it onto my list of favorite YA novels. I meant to review this book WAY sooner (as in, closer to when it actually released), but college swept me up, and as my regular readers have seen, this blog and book reviews and really everything not related to my English major got pushed to the side. But I'm here now (finally) to share my thoughts on this beautiful book that I absolutely adore.
Please Note: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. Many thanks to Ashlee Cowles!
What I Loved About The Poppy & The Rose…
The blend of historical and contemporary fiction into a fun mystery. Historical fiction and contemporary fiction are two of my favorite genres, and they came together as an intriguing mystery that had me flipping the pages rather quickly.
The plot truly was one of my favorite parts of this novel. I loved the plot and mystery, and I enjoyed both points of view and storylines immensely, as well as how they connected in the end.
The settings of England and the doomed Titanic. The author did a fantastic job of immersing me as a reader in the settings of 2010 England and the Titanic’s fatal voyage. From Oxford to the Titanic, I read myself right into the world of English accents, luxurious cabins, countryside manors, the sound of a band playing one last time, and cups of Cadbury hot chocolate.
Taylor is a military kid. I love seeing children of service members and their experiences portrayed in fiction. Taylor is the daughter of a fallen soldier, and her experiences are described well. I truly appreciated seeing this representation in Taylor’s story, not just of military kids, but of military kids who have lost loved ones and are trying to heal.
The messages of hope, healing, and living to the fullest. I did not expect to find such beautiful messages in a mystery novel, but I was so pleased that I did. Here are a couple quotes relating to these themes that I loved…
“The meaning, my dear, is in the trying.”
– THE POPPY & THE ROSE BY ASHLEE COWLES
“We are the color splashed across the canvas. We are the melody while the music lasts.”
– THE POPPY & THE ROSE BY ASHLEE COWLES
The cover is absolutely gorgeous. I love pretty book covers, and this cover is one of the prettiest that I have seen. The flowers, the Titanic, the lettering… The bookstagrammer in me is excited to say the least, haha.
What I Didn’t Love About The Poppy & The Rose…
I do wish that the book were longer. I loved this book so much that I wish it were longer! It was a little over 300 pages, and as it drew to a close I wished that I could spend more time with Taylor Romano and Ava Knight.
I felt like some things were wrapped up too quickly. I’m going to avoid saying WHAT to avoid spoilers, but this kinda goes hand-hand with wishing that the book were longer. Maybe if it was longer some things would’ve been wrapped up a bit nicer? I still enjoyed the ending though, and I did NOT see it coming.
Overall…
Overall, The Poppy & The Rose is an intriguing, beautifully written YA novel that will be on my shelf for years to come. I highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy YA fiction, be it historical and/or contemporary, as well as a good mystery.
The Poppy & The Rose has made it onto my list of favorite YA novels. I meant to review this book WAY sooner (as in, closer to when it actually released), but college swept me up, and as my regular readers have seen, this blog and book reviews and really everything not related to my English major got pushed to the side. But I'm here now (finally) to share my thoughts on this beautiful book that I absolutely adore.
Please Note: I received an ARC from the author in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions. Many thanks to Ashlee Cowles!
What I Loved About The Poppy & The Rose…
The blend of historical and contemporary fiction into a fun mystery. Historical fiction and contemporary fiction are two of my favorite genres, and they came together as an intriguing mystery that had me flipping the pages rather quickly.
The plot truly was one of my favorite parts of this novel. I loved the plot and mystery, and I enjoyed both points of view and storylines immensely, as well as how they connected in the end.
The settings of England and the doomed Titanic. The author did a fantastic job of immersing me as a reader in the settings of 2010 England and the Titanic’s fatal voyage. From Oxford to the Titanic, I read myself right into the world of English accents, luxurious cabins, countryside manors, the sound of a band playing one last time, and cups of Cadbury hot chocolate.
Taylor is a military kid. I love seeing children of service members and their experiences portrayed in fiction. Taylor is the daughter of a fallen soldier, and her experiences are described well. I truly appreciated seeing this representation in Taylor’s story, not just of military kids, but of military kids who have lost loved ones and are trying to heal.
The messages of hope, healing, and living to the fullest. I did not expect to find such beautiful messages in a mystery novel, but I was so pleased that I did. Here are a couple quotes relating to these themes that I loved…
“The meaning, my dear, is in the trying.”
– THE POPPY & THE ROSE BY ASHLEE COWLES
“We are the color splashed across the canvas. We are the melody while the music lasts.”
– THE POPPY & THE ROSE BY ASHLEE COWLES
The cover is absolutely gorgeous. I love pretty book covers, and this cover is one of the prettiest that I have seen. The flowers, the Titanic, the lettering… The bookstagrammer in me is excited to say the least, haha.
What I Didn’t Love About The Poppy & The Rose…
I do wish that the book were longer. I loved this book so much that I wish it were longer! It was a little over 300 pages, and as it drew to a close I wished that I could spend more time with Taylor Romano and Ava Knight.
I felt like some things were wrapped up too quickly. I’m going to avoid saying WHAT to avoid spoilers, but this kinda goes hand-hand with wishing that the book were longer. Maybe if it was longer some things would’ve been wrapped up a bit nicer? I still enjoyed the ending though, and I did NOT see it coming.
Overall…
Overall, The Poppy & The Rose is an intriguing, beautifully written YA novel that will be on my shelf for years to come. I highly recommend it to all readers who enjoy YA fiction, be it historical and/or contemporary, as well as a good mystery.
August 18, 2022
Family secrets, treasure hunts, a very suspicious death, creepy old houses, a woman with clairvoyant abilities, the Titanic and a stunning cover. This story had every ingredient for awesomeness but, unfortunately, it didn’t deliver what I expected it to.
We follow Taylor as she arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, but the real reason why she’s in England is to find out more about her late father and the secrets he kept. Before she’s had the time to unpack her suitcase, she is invited to tea with Lady Mae Knight, who claims to have the answers she seeks. However, when the old lady is found dead, Taylor is left with a single clue: the story of what really happened aboard the Titanic as told by Ava, a 17 year-old socialite.
The first few chapters hooked me right away but then it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story is told in dual perspective by modern day Taylor and 1912 Ava, but nothing really happens on Taylor’s end other than her reading Ava’s diary in the span of a mere couple of days. Ava’s story at least had something going on. The real problem is that I didn’t connect with Taylor, Ava or any of the characters (except maybe Caleb) and the final reveals left me a little cold, kind of thinking that’s it?
My main thought is that this book left me feeling indifferent when it had the potential to be much more than what it was.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review
We follow Taylor as she arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, but the real reason why she’s in England is to find out more about her late father and the secrets he kept. Before she’s had the time to unpack her suitcase, she is invited to tea with Lady Mae Knight, who claims to have the answers she seeks. However, when the old lady is found dead, Taylor is left with a single clue: the story of what really happened aboard the Titanic as told by Ava, a 17 year-old socialite.
The first few chapters hooked me right away but then it didn’t live up to my expectations. The story is told in dual perspective by modern day Taylor and 1912 Ava, but nothing really happens on Taylor’s end other than her reading Ava’s diary in the span of a mere couple of days. Ava’s story at least had something going on. The real problem is that I didn’t connect with Taylor, Ava or any of the characters (except maybe Caleb) and the final reveals left me a little cold, kind of thinking that’s it?
My main thought is that this book left me feeling indifferent when it had the potential to be much more than what it was.
A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing an e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review
April 19, 2021
I listened to the audible edtiion of The Poppy and the Rose and was completely mesmerized. The dual timeline is done really well and I connected with both timeline heroines but the imagery from the Titanic scenes were gobsmackingly good so I might have enjoyed Ava's story a wee bit more. But I loved Taylor too and the way these heroines' stories connected. Lots of rich layering and mystery spice things up even more. A definite page-turner...or rabid listener, in my case. :-)
October 25, 2020
The Poppy & the Rose is a short, quick, enjoyable read - I read it in a matter of days, because I wanted to see how this story of the Titanic was different than what I already knew of the horrific tragedy. This is a YA/ historic fiction / Gothic mystery, so it’s got a lot going on, but honestly I enjoyed the story and learned quite a bit!
The story is told from two POVs in present day and in 1912 on the Titanic. Taylor (present day) sets off to England to learn about her fathers seemingly secret life, and Ava (1912) sails on the Titanic with her father and her beloved camera to study with a renowned photographer in America. Throughout the book, we meet several characters who were actually aboard the Titanic and learn of several events that happened leading up to WW1.
My biggest problem with the book was actually the historical, factual information. I like to think I know more than average of Europe in the early twentieth century, and I still struggled to follow along. Didn’t deter from the story per say, but I also just had to push through the information overload 😂🤷🏻♀️ I also thought some of the present day events were a bit far fetched, but it’s a book and I tried to not think too much into it!
I SO love when authors add a note at the end explained what is true, what is fictional, what inspired the book. It’s probably my favorite part of historical fictions. Despite being info overload someplaces, I did learn quite a bit reading this one.
This book was published earlier this month (Oct 6!), and I recommend picking it up if you are a history buff, lover of historical fictions, or want to read a Titanic setting novel! Thank you NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told from two POVs in present day and in 1912 on the Titanic. Taylor (present day) sets off to England to learn about her fathers seemingly secret life, and Ava (1912) sails on the Titanic with her father and her beloved camera to study with a renowned photographer in America. Throughout the book, we meet several characters who were actually aboard the Titanic and learn of several events that happened leading up to WW1.
My biggest problem with the book was actually the historical, factual information. I like to think I know more than average of Europe in the early twentieth century, and I still struggled to follow along. Didn’t deter from the story per say, but I also just had to push through the information overload 😂🤷🏻♀️ I also thought some of the present day events were a bit far fetched, but it’s a book and I tried to not think too much into it!
I SO love when authors add a note at the end explained what is true, what is fictional, what inspired the book. It’s probably my favorite part of historical fictions. Despite being info overload someplaces, I did learn quite a bit reading this one.
This book was published earlier this month (Oct 6!), and I recommend picking it up if you are a history buff, lover of historical fictions, or want to read a Titanic setting novel! Thank you NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
DISCLAIMER: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
2 STARS
Told through two timelines, The Poppy and the Rose explores questions of past, present, future, and fate.
On the one hand, we follow Taylor Romano in her journey to Oxford for a summer journalism program, where she meets an eccentric old woman who knows more about Taylor’s family history than she’s letting on. On the other hand, we spend the bulk of our time with Ava Knight, a passenger on the Titanic and a young woman on the brink of earth-shattering change. Darting between the two timelines unravels a mystery that spans generations, and with it come many questions about free will versus fate, and the price of knowledge.
Personally, this wasn’t the book for me, not by any means.
I’ll be absolutely up front about that. The Poppy and the Rose may appeal to more avid readers of historical fiction, but it left me feeling that I wasted my time. I initially requested it via NetGalley because the mystery element jumped out at me, something it didn’t do in the book. Sure, Taylor wraps herself up in discovering her father’s history without her mother’s shadow to hold her back, and Ava is up to her eyeballs in a life-threatening mystery surrounding her father, an apparently psychic woman, and the fate of Europe and beyond. But the elements to keep me guessing?
Well, I still haven’t found them, since the connections that our characters can’t make are apparent to the reader from the start.
Within the first fifth of the book or so, I had most of it worked out. It wasn’t lucky guesses so much as it was a heavy reliance on cliches that so readily prop up split timelines like the one The Poppy and the Rose utilizes. Nothing about it particularly surprised me, and I truthfully only kept reading it because I’m outrageously stubborn and have yet to DNF a book on purpose in my life.
A mystery should have solutions, too, not just questions.
Possibly my biggest gripe next to the perfectly average plot and characters is the roundabout nature of the ending. As ever, I try to avoid spoilers here, but I can say that it brings me little to no satisfaction. Key items and revelations never reach fruition, and a major plot point remains intentionally unresolved. On the one hand, the book is trying to interrogate fate versus free will, and whether knowledge can change one or the other. It also asks if that greater knowledge is even worth possessing.
On the other hand, it produces an effect that says to me that I wasted my time reading 260 pages for very few answers. It’s not a pleasant feeling, as a reader. And I certainly can’t give it a recommendation while I feel this way. Poetic justice only works when it’s satisfying, rather than vague.
“Well, I guess it’s lost forever” really doesn’t cut it when I’ve spent a whole book waiting to see how things pull together on all fronts.
I’ll admit I sound critical in this review, so let me be clear: this is not a good book, but neither is it bad.
Frankly, I think The Poppy and the Rose occupies a space of perfectly average. It attempts to ask lofty questions about life, love, and the intertwined nature of fate and time, but it forgets to create characters worth investing in, and presents a mediocre plot. As a light read for historical fiction fans who go in with the bar set low, maybe this will be worth the time. Going in with high expectations of any sort, however, will likely ruin the experience.
Maybe if this had been a different genre, I would have enjoyed it more despite its flaws. As things stand, however, The Poppy and the Rose did little to stand out in my eyes, and I’m not terribly concerned if it quickly falls into the realm of forgettable.
CW: loss of a loved one, racism, miscarriage, suicide, drug use, addiction, violence
2 STARS
Told through two timelines, The Poppy and the Rose explores questions of past, present, future, and fate.
On the one hand, we follow Taylor Romano in her journey to Oxford for a summer journalism program, where she meets an eccentric old woman who knows more about Taylor’s family history than she’s letting on. On the other hand, we spend the bulk of our time with Ava Knight, a passenger on the Titanic and a young woman on the brink of earth-shattering change. Darting between the two timelines unravels a mystery that spans generations, and with it come many questions about free will versus fate, and the price of knowledge.
Personally, this wasn’t the book for me, not by any means.
I’ll be absolutely up front about that. The Poppy and the Rose may appeal to more avid readers of historical fiction, but it left me feeling that I wasted my time. I initially requested it via NetGalley because the mystery element jumped out at me, something it didn’t do in the book. Sure, Taylor wraps herself up in discovering her father’s history without her mother’s shadow to hold her back, and Ava is up to her eyeballs in a life-threatening mystery surrounding her father, an apparently psychic woman, and the fate of Europe and beyond. But the elements to keep me guessing?
Well, I still haven’t found them, since the connections that our characters can’t make are apparent to the reader from the start.
Within the first fifth of the book or so, I had most of it worked out. It wasn’t lucky guesses so much as it was a heavy reliance on cliches that so readily prop up split timelines like the one The Poppy and the Rose utilizes. Nothing about it particularly surprised me, and I truthfully only kept reading it because I’m outrageously stubborn and have yet to DNF a book on purpose in my life.
A mystery should have solutions, too, not just questions.
Possibly my biggest gripe next to the perfectly average plot and characters is the roundabout nature of the ending. As ever, I try to avoid spoilers here, but I can say that it brings me little to no satisfaction. Key items and revelations never reach fruition, and a major plot point remains intentionally unresolved. On the one hand, the book is trying to interrogate fate versus free will, and whether knowledge can change one or the other. It also asks if that greater knowledge is even worth possessing.
On the other hand, it produces an effect that says to me that I wasted my time reading 260 pages for very few answers. It’s not a pleasant feeling, as a reader. And I certainly can’t give it a recommendation while I feel this way. Poetic justice only works when it’s satisfying, rather than vague.
“Well, I guess it’s lost forever” really doesn’t cut it when I’ve spent a whole book waiting to see how things pull together on all fronts.
I’ll admit I sound critical in this review, so let me be clear: this is not a good book, but neither is it bad.
Frankly, I think The Poppy and the Rose occupies a space of perfectly average. It attempts to ask lofty questions about life, love, and the intertwined nature of fate and time, but it forgets to create characters worth investing in, and presents a mediocre plot. As a light read for historical fiction fans who go in with the bar set low, maybe this will be worth the time. Going in with high expectations of any sort, however, will likely ruin the experience.
Maybe if this had been a different genre, I would have enjoyed it more despite its flaws. As things stand, however, The Poppy and the Rose did little to stand out in my eyes, and I’m not terribly concerned if it quickly falls into the realm of forgettable.
CW: loss of a loved one, racism, miscarriage, suicide, drug use, addiction, violence
dnf
June 22, 2021DNF at 12%
November 20, 2020
This book took my breath away. It wove together the story of a girl who doesn't know why she's been summoned to a manor and the story of a young woman on the Titanic, and their paths cross in the most inexplicable ways. As a reader, it felt like a mystery; some things I could figure out ahead of time and other I never quite puzzled out until the end of the book. There's an underlying urgency that's present throughout the book that weaves it's way into both the past and the book's present (speaking of which, those transitions were seamless).
As an avid fan of historical fiction, this book was perfect. There were so many nods to historical figures who were on the Titanic, and a good portion of Lady Ava's story was based on real historical evidence. The story was so intriguing that I genuinely hoped it was true. It was so easy to get lost in Cowles' writing that I could spend hours reading without realizing it.
There were so many profound messages in this book about the meaning of life and the lessons we learn from war, death, and tragedy. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone interested in the early 20th century, anyone who loves a good mystery, and any who likes to be invested in the books they read. This really was a fantastic story and I don't think I'll ever forget it.
As an avid fan of historical fiction, this book was perfect. There were so many nods to historical figures who were on the Titanic, and a good portion of Lady Ava's story was based on real historical evidence. The story was so intriguing that I genuinely hoped it was true. It was so easy to get lost in Cowles' writing that I could spend hours reading without realizing it.
There were so many profound messages in this book about the meaning of life and the lessons we learn from war, death, and tragedy. I would 100% recommend this book to anyone interested in the early 20th century, anyone who loves a good mystery, and any who likes to be invested in the books they read. This really was a fantastic story and I don't think I'll ever forget it.
October 6, 2020
Loved it! I just read practically non-stop from 60% on because I couldn’t put the book down! I love time-slip novels and I love YA fiction, but there aren’t many YA time-slip novels published at this time (at least not that I know of). I’m happy to say that this is an amazing YA time-slip novel and I’m so glad I read it! It can be hard to balance both the contemporary and historical sections of time-slip novels, but this book is beautifully done. I liked the main characters, the writing was evocative, and the storyline was gripping, all of which contributed to my enjoyment of this book. I also really appreciated that the romance was sweet and that there was only mild swearing in the book. I highly recommend this novel, and I look forward to reading more books by this author!
Content:
Mild swearing
Sweet romance with a few kisses
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Content:
Mild swearing
Sweet romance with a few kisses
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 8, 2020
Last year when I was mentally and physically preparing for a pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago route, I came across a memoir by Ashlee Cowles from her journey. I loved it and kept Cowles on my radar. So when I saw she had a new book being released this year, I pre-ordered it. She has two other novels that I haven’t yet read but will rectify shortly.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
I hope Cowles continues to write both fiction and nonfiction. I will read everything she writes.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
I hope Cowles continues to write both fiction and nonfiction. I will read everything she writes.
October 12, 2020
2.5 stars
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The Poppy and the Rose.
I don't read much YA fiction anymore but the premise was so intriguing, I was excited when my request was approved.
**Minor spoilers ahead **
Told in dual POVs set in the past and present, Taylor and Ava are teenagers who couldn't be more different yet similar.
When Taylor's father dies in Afghanistan, a search through his belongings yield a mysterious photograph with him and a woman who is not Taylor's mother.
An opportunity to study in Oxford on a scholarship brings Taylor closer to discovering the truth behind her lineage and facing the loss of a parent she sorely misses.
In 1914, Ava is a respectable, cultured and wealthy young lady whose path in life has already been carved out in front of her: marry well.
But, her journey on the Titanic to New York will alter the course of her life in ways she could never have imagined.
First, I loved the setting of the Titanic and the discussion between social class, hierarchies and status.
Yes, I was picturing Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as I was reading, but it couldn't be helped.
I also loved the supernatural elements, the concept of space and time, and would have loved more elaboration and discussion about these themes.
Second, I didn't like Taylor or Ava; both had Freudian issues about their fathers and the constant harping and fawning over their fathers was irritating, to say the least.
I understand Taylor and her father were close and spent a lot of time together, but Ava and her father were never close (she mentions it often enough) so I surmise she relied on him since her mother was an addict.
Ava's POV of the story was far more engaging and compelling; Taylor as a character wad one dimensional.
She speaks regularly about investigative journalism but she doesn't really do any investigating.
She spends 90% of the narrative reading Ava's memoir and is a passive observer.
There wasn't a twist I didn't see coming, and there was one 'revelation' that turned out to be an all too often used literary device I'm not fond of.
Overall, the writing was good, and Ava's perspective was interesting, as was the supernatural themes.
I would have enjoyed more focus on the supernatural elements and less on the romance-y parts, but I understand this is YA.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The Poppy and the Rose.
I don't read much YA fiction anymore but the premise was so intriguing, I was excited when my request was approved.
**Minor spoilers ahead **
Told in dual POVs set in the past and present, Taylor and Ava are teenagers who couldn't be more different yet similar.
When Taylor's father dies in Afghanistan, a search through his belongings yield a mysterious photograph with him and a woman who is not Taylor's mother.
An opportunity to study in Oxford on a scholarship brings Taylor closer to discovering the truth behind her lineage and facing the loss of a parent she sorely misses.
In 1914, Ava is a respectable, cultured and wealthy young lady whose path in life has already been carved out in front of her: marry well.
But, her journey on the Titanic to New York will alter the course of her life in ways she could never have imagined.
First, I loved the setting of the Titanic and the discussion between social class, hierarchies and status.
Yes, I was picturing Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio as I was reading, but it couldn't be helped.
I also loved the supernatural elements, the concept of space and time, and would have loved more elaboration and discussion about these themes.
Second, I didn't like Taylor or Ava; both had Freudian issues about their fathers and the constant harping and fawning over their fathers was irritating, to say the least.
I understand Taylor and her father were close and spent a lot of time together, but Ava and her father were never close (she mentions it often enough) so I surmise she relied on him since her mother was an addict.
Ava's POV of the story was far more engaging and compelling; Taylor as a character wad one dimensional.
She speaks regularly about investigative journalism but she doesn't really do any investigating.
She spends 90% of the narrative reading Ava's memoir and is a passive observer.
There wasn't a twist I didn't see coming, and there was one 'revelation' that turned out to be an all too often used literary device I'm not fond of.
Overall, the writing was good, and Ava's perspective was interesting, as was the supernatural themes.
I would have enjoyed more focus on the supernatural elements and less on the romance-y parts, but I understand this is YA.
June 14, 2021
*it's actually 4.25 stars
First, take a moment to appreciate the masterpiece on the cover.
Second, I love Caleb.
We follow two main characters in this book, Taylor and Ava. The chapters take turns between Taylor (presently) and Ava (1912) personally my favorites were Ava's chapters.
Taylor is a teenage girl who gets a spot in a summer journalism program in Oxford and is also there to find out who the woman is with her father in a photo and if her father was who she thought he was. Before she can begin to investigate, Lady Knight (a stranger to Taylor) invites her to tea and Lady Knight tells her things about her father through a letter and Taylor decides to go find out what Lady Knight wants to tell her, before that. Taylor can hear Lady Knight. Lady Knight dies. But Taylor finds Ava Knight's journey and how she survived the Titanic in hopes of finding out who the woman in the photo is and what is the relationship between the woman in the image and what is the relationship between them, she begins to read Ava's journey and everything comes to light.
Who is Ava Knight? Taylor's father is who she thought?
The book really puts you in the story, that is, while reading Ava's story, I really thought she was on the Titanic and that's what really happened to the Titanic.
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, the only thing I don't like at the end is that Taylor's story was left a bit unfinished.
*Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
“Even then, I understood that epitaphs mattered— a few lines that made the impossible effort to sum up a person, a life. The dead may be gone, but in the silence of a cemetery where time stands still, they continued to speak.”
First, take a moment to appreciate the masterpiece on the cover.
Second, I love Caleb.
We follow two main characters in this book, Taylor and Ava. The chapters take turns between Taylor (presently) and Ava (1912) personally my favorites were Ava's chapters.
Taylor is a teenage girl who gets a spot in a summer journalism program in Oxford and is also there to find out who the woman is with her father in a photo and if her father was who she thought he was. Before she can begin to investigate, Lady Knight (a stranger to Taylor) invites her to tea and Lady Knight tells her things about her father through a letter and Taylor decides to go find out what Lady Knight wants to tell her, before that. Taylor can hear Lady Knight. Lady Knight dies. But Taylor finds Ava Knight's journey and how she survived the Titanic in hopes of finding out who the woman in the photo is and what is the relationship between the woman in the image and what is the relationship between them, she begins to read Ava's journey and everything comes to light.
Who is Ava Knight? Taylor's father is who she thought?
The book really puts you in the story, that is, while reading Ava's story, I really thought she was on the Titanic and that's what really happened to the Titanic.
The plot twist at the end I didn't see coming, the only thing I don't like at the end is that Taylor's story was left a bit unfinished.
*Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
October 26, 2020
The Poppy and the Rose has all the elements of a classic BBC miniseries—an atmospheric house, intriguing characters, family curses, and mysteries that span generations. From the first pages, the characters captivate and the mystery spools ever wider, propelling the reader toward an unexpected twist both wrenching and poignant. The dual storylines interweave in a rich tapestry of historical threads, literary treasures, and supernatural elements to create a delightful take on the Gothic tradition. I slipped into these pages and lingered, relishing the story as I would a warm blanket on a cold autumn day.
I received a free advanced copy of this book with no obligation to post a review.
I received a free advanced copy of this book with no obligation to post a review.
January 1, 2021
i don't get the title but the content was surprising good
April 19, 2021
I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley and was immediately stricken by the beautiful cover and the captivating title.
The Poppy & the Rose is a short, quick, enjoyable read - I read it in a matter of days because I wanted to see how this story of the Titanic was different than what I already knew of the horrific tragedy. This is a YA/ historic fiction / Gothic mystery, so it’s got a lot going on, but honestly, I enjoyed the story and learned quite a bit!
We follow Taylor as she arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, but the real reason why she’s in England is to find out more about her late father and the secrets he kept. Before she’s had the time to unpack her suitcase, she is invited to tea with Lady Mae Knight, who claims to have the answers she seeks. However, when the old lady is found dead, Taylor is left with a single clue: the story of what really happened aboard the Titanic as told by Ava, a 17-year-old socialite.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world-class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
Frankly, I think The Poppy and the Rose occupies a space of perfectly average. It attempts to ask lofty questions about life, love, and the intertwined nature of fate and time, but it forgets to create characters worth investing in and presents a mediocre plot. As a light read for historical fiction fans that go in with the bar set low, maybe this will be worth the time. Going in with high expectations of any sort, however, will likely ruin the experience.
My biggest problem with the book was actually the historical, factual information. I like to think I know more than the average about Europe in the early twentieth century, and I still struggled to follow along. Didn’t deter me from the story per se, but I also just had to push through the information overload. I also thought some of the present-day events were a bit farfetched, but it’s a book and I tried to not think too much into it!
Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
The Poppy & the Rose is a short, quick, enjoyable read - I read it in a matter of days because I wanted to see how this story of the Titanic was different than what I already knew of the horrific tragedy. This is a YA/ historic fiction / Gothic mystery, so it’s got a lot going on, but honestly, I enjoyed the story and learned quite a bit!
We follow Taylor as she arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program, but the real reason why she’s in England is to find out more about her late father and the secrets he kept. Before she’s had the time to unpack her suitcase, she is invited to tea with Lady Mae Knight, who claims to have the answers she seeks. However, when the old lady is found dead, Taylor is left with a single clue: the story of what really happened aboard the Titanic as told by Ava, a 17-year-old socialite.
The Poppy and the Rose is the first novel of Cowles that I have read and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Wow! This book blew me away. Cowles writes beautifully and is a world-class storyteller. I had so much fun reading about Lady Ava and her journey on the Titanic and about Taylor and her sleuthing adventures. The structure, historical accuracy, main character arcs, and secondary characters of the novel are developed, brilliant, and imaginative. I felt swept away as I read, staying up way past my bedtime to finish the book because I was so invested. Cowles delivers wisdom and teaches history without the reader’s full awareness because the story is that good. This would be a great read for learners of any age.
Frankly, I think The Poppy and the Rose occupies a space of perfectly average. It attempts to ask lofty questions about life, love, and the intertwined nature of fate and time, but it forgets to create characters worth investing in and presents a mediocre plot. As a light read for historical fiction fans that go in with the bar set low, maybe this will be worth the time. Going in with high expectations of any sort, however, will likely ruin the experience.
My biggest problem with the book was actually the historical, factual information. I like to think I know more than the average about Europe in the early twentieth century, and I still struggled to follow along. Didn’t deter me from the story per se, but I also just had to push through the information overload. I also thought some of the present-day events were a bit farfetched, but it’s a book and I tried to not think too much into it!
Thanks to Owl Hollow Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. This does not influence my thoughts and opinions.
December 15, 2020
** Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc of this book in exchange for an honest review**
3.5 stars. I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader but the premise really intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. This story is about two characters: Ava and Taylor.
1912: Ava Knight boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. 2010: Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program but also to investigate a photograph of her father with a mysterious woman.
I had never read any of this authors previous works but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing of the novel. I was immediately hooked within the first few pages. At first I was not as interested in Ava's story because she came off as a bratty, spoiled, rich girl who's only on this boat because she has to be. As I kept reading I was sucked into the story of the Titanic and all the other cast of characters aboard this ship. I grew to enjoy Ava's chapters but her character did do certain things that annoyed me throughout the novel and I was not fond of the way she treated certain characters at certain times. I'm sure the author wrote her character this way to show how rich people thought of themselves and how they treated others back in those times, and if that's the case then she did an excellent job.
Taylor's chapters were shorter than Ava's but I felt that they could have been a bit longer and maybe could have let us in in what Taylor was thinking while reading and experiencing Ava's story and how it connected to her own search for answers. In the end we find out everything and I'm not sure if I liked the way it wrapped up. I enjoyed Taylor and Nathaniel's relationship but I felt that they became a "couple" way too quickly considering they've only known each other a few days.
All in all I enjoyed the book! I would recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction and the Titanic and enjoy some mystery.
3.5 stars. I'm not the biggest historical fiction reader but the premise really intrigued me so I decided to give it a shot and I was pleasantly surprised. This story is about two characters: Ava and Taylor.
1912: Ava Knight boards the Titanic to escape the shadow of her unstable mother and to fulfill her dream of becoming a photographer in New York. 2010: Taylor Romano arrives in Oxford for a summer journalism program but also to investigate a photograph of her father with a mysterious woman.
I had never read any of this authors previous works but I really enjoyed the writing and the pacing of the novel. I was immediately hooked within the first few pages. At first I was not as interested in Ava's story because she came off as a bratty, spoiled, rich girl who's only on this boat because she has to be. As I kept reading I was sucked into the story of the Titanic and all the other cast of characters aboard this ship. I grew to enjoy Ava's chapters but her character did do certain things that annoyed me throughout the novel and I was not fond of the way she treated certain characters at certain times. I'm sure the author wrote her character this way to show how rich people thought of themselves and how they treated others back in those times, and if that's the case then she did an excellent job.
Taylor's chapters were shorter than Ava's but I felt that they could have been a bit longer and maybe could have let us in in what Taylor was thinking while reading and experiencing Ava's story and how it connected to her own search for answers. In the end we find out everything and I'm not sure if I liked the way it wrapped up. I enjoyed Taylor and Nathaniel's relationship but I felt that they became a "couple" way too quickly considering they've only known each other a few days.
All in all I enjoyed the book! I would recommend if you're a fan of historical fiction and the Titanic and enjoy some mystery.
September 22, 2020
The Poppy and the Rose is historical fiction that weaves together the sinking of the Titanic, early 20th century spiritualism, and a modern girl's search to uncover the meaning behind a mysterious photograph of her father taken before he died.
In 1912, we follow Ava, spoiled aristocrat and aspiring photographer, onto the Titanic. She is pressed into helping a Serbian revolutionary spy on a fellow passenger in exchange for promised help with her mother's laudanum addiction and declining mental health.
These adventures unfold in Ava's memoirs, read by Taylor in the present after her elderly aristocratic scholarship benefactress, Lady Knight, winds up dead in suspicious fashion. Taylor is hoping that the memoirs will shed light on some secrets in her father's past.
My thoughts on the tale are this: the Titanic never fails to enthrall me even as it terrifies me and leaves me in tears. These emotions all came to pass right on schedule. However, the supernatural elements of the story seemed unnecessary and generic, bogging down the plot with forced urgency (I'm saying this as someone who loves a well-told paranormal angle). Additionally, the storyline in the present did not keep pace with the echoes of Ava's memories. While Taylor has a sympathetic story, most major revelations take place in the memoirs with the only action in the present serving as an interlude before Taylor picks up the next chapter to read. The plot and side characters are significantly less interesting than in the past. Ultimately, a book distilled down to Ava's story on the Titanic told in one timeline with no supernatural aspects would have been more powerful if less catchy in the synopsis.
Thanks to NetGalley & Owl Hollow Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!
In 1912, we follow Ava, spoiled aristocrat and aspiring photographer, onto the Titanic. She is pressed into helping a Serbian revolutionary spy on a fellow passenger in exchange for promised help with her mother's laudanum addiction and declining mental health.
These adventures unfold in Ava's memoirs, read by Taylor in the present after her elderly aristocratic scholarship benefactress, Lady Knight, winds up dead in suspicious fashion. Taylor is hoping that the memoirs will shed light on some secrets in her father's past.
My thoughts on the tale are this: the Titanic never fails to enthrall me even as it terrifies me and leaves me in tears. These emotions all came to pass right on schedule. However, the supernatural elements of the story seemed unnecessary and generic, bogging down the plot with forced urgency (I'm saying this as someone who loves a well-told paranormal angle). Additionally, the storyline in the present did not keep pace with the echoes of Ava's memories. While Taylor has a sympathetic story, most major revelations take place in the memoirs with the only action in the present serving as an interlude before Taylor picks up the next chapter to read. The plot and side characters are significantly less interesting than in the past. Ultimately, a book distilled down to Ava's story on the Titanic told in one timeline with no supernatural aspects would have been more powerful if less catchy in the synopsis.
Thanks to NetGalley & Owl Hollow Press for the opportunity to read and review this book!
September 17, 2020
I received this book as an ARC copy through Netgalley.
Wow, this book read extremely quickly for me! I barely noticed how fast I was flying throught the pages and finished it in one sitting. The Poppy and the Rose has an extremely intriguing premise, and promised me all of my favourite things - historical fiction, Gothic undertones, an unsolved mystery...
For the most part, it was extremely witty and fast-paced, sometimes to it's detriment. At times it was hard to keep up with everything that was going on! I liked the idea of the dual-POV, and I think it was executed neatly. It allowed the story to unfold in a more natural way, as opposed to an exposition-dump. The characters of Ava and Taylor were well-written and three-dimensional. The mystery element of the story was intriguing and gripping, enough to make me want to keep reading.
However, I do think that the book relied heavily on certain tropes and stereotypes. As a British person, it can be quite a pet-peeve to hear England depicted as a myriad of one-dimensional aggregates including, but not limited to: Oxford University toffs, Earl Grey tea and fry-up breakfasts. Some of the characters fell victim to this too, especially in the case of the characters surrounding Lady Knight. (The butler, chauffeur etc.)
Overall, I would rate this book a 3/5. This book was fun and well thought out, but fell through a little bit by relying on classic tropes and stereotypes.
Wow, this book read extremely quickly for me! I barely noticed how fast I was flying throught the pages and finished it in one sitting. The Poppy and the Rose has an extremely intriguing premise, and promised me all of my favourite things - historical fiction, Gothic undertones, an unsolved mystery...
For the most part, it was extremely witty and fast-paced, sometimes to it's detriment. At times it was hard to keep up with everything that was going on! I liked the idea of the dual-POV, and I think it was executed neatly. It allowed the story to unfold in a more natural way, as opposed to an exposition-dump. The characters of Ava and Taylor were well-written and three-dimensional. The mystery element of the story was intriguing and gripping, enough to make me want to keep reading.
However, I do think that the book relied heavily on certain tropes and stereotypes. As a British person, it can be quite a pet-peeve to hear England depicted as a myriad of one-dimensional aggregates including, but not limited to: Oxford University toffs, Earl Grey tea and fry-up breakfasts. Some of the characters fell victim to this too, especially in the case of the characters surrounding Lady Knight. (The butler, chauffeur etc.)
Overall, I would rate this book a 3/5. This book was fun and well thought out, but fell through a little bit by relying on classic tropes and stereotypes.
October 3, 2020
This is part suspense novel, part love affair with past Gothic novels, and part Titanic retelling with a supernatural twist. I love books with both historical and modern timelines.
Taylor travels to England to study journalism, but also to find a missing piece of her dead father’s past. He’s left behind a photograph of him on a secret trip to England with his arm around a red-haired woman. Conveniently, the past is looking for Taylor too, in the form of an aristocratic woman demanding to take Taylor to tea with a promise to shed light on her father’s secrets. Unfortunately, she dies just as Taylor arrives for the promised tea, and a rainstorm washes out the bridge, trapping Taylor with the staff - housekeeper, butler and chauffeur- in the crumbling manor.
Back in the past, Lady Ava Knight boards the Titanic and immediately finds trouble in the form of a Serbian officer demanding she spy on a fellow first class passenger, a woman named Galena, who has a secret document he wants. In exchange, he’ll help her get her mother help with her addiction issues.
In true Titanic story fashion, she also meets a cute sailor who turns up everywhere she goes, sometimes getting in the way of her spying.
Complicating things, her father seems to be entangled with Galena in some way, possibly through a deep interest in psychology and the supernatural. And Ava suspects the document she needs may be locked in Galena’s closely guarded jewelry box.
Then, of course, the Titanic hits the iceberg, sending all of the characters scrambling for their lives.
Like most stories with dual narrators, I found one voice to be more captivating than the other. Ava leaps off the page, but I enjoyed Taylor’s sections as well. I loved the bits of romance included in the book. That sailor was downright swoony.
The conclusion of a couple of the mysteries felt a little anticlimactic, but the book delivered one final twist that made up for it. This is one I want to reread.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Taylor travels to England to study journalism, but also to find a missing piece of her dead father’s past. He’s left behind a photograph of him on a secret trip to England with his arm around a red-haired woman. Conveniently, the past is looking for Taylor too, in the form of an aristocratic woman demanding to take Taylor to tea with a promise to shed light on her father’s secrets. Unfortunately, she dies just as Taylor arrives for the promised tea, and a rainstorm washes out the bridge, trapping Taylor with the staff - housekeeper, butler and chauffeur- in the crumbling manor.
Back in the past, Lady Ava Knight boards the Titanic and immediately finds trouble in the form of a Serbian officer demanding she spy on a fellow first class passenger, a woman named Galena, who has a secret document he wants. In exchange, he’ll help her get her mother help with her addiction issues.
In true Titanic story fashion, she also meets a cute sailor who turns up everywhere she goes, sometimes getting in the way of her spying.
Complicating things, her father seems to be entangled with Galena in some way, possibly through a deep interest in psychology and the supernatural. And Ava suspects the document she needs may be locked in Galena’s closely guarded jewelry box.
Then, of course, the Titanic hits the iceberg, sending all of the characters scrambling for their lives.
Like most stories with dual narrators, I found one voice to be more captivating than the other. Ava leaps off the page, but I enjoyed Taylor’s sections as well. I loved the bits of romance included in the book. That sailor was downright swoony.
The conclusion of a couple of the mysteries felt a little anticlimactic, but the book delivered one final twist that made up for it. This is one I want to reread.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2020
The Poppy & the Rose is a story told through dual perspective and timelines. In one timeline, we follow Ava as she boards the Titanic and is recruited to be a spy. In the other, we follow Taylor as she arrives in England nearly a decade later and is drawn into the mysterious world of Lady Mae Knight.
I didn't really care much for either of the main characters. I was much more invested in other characters, such as Mae, Taylor's father, Caleb and Nathaniel.
While the mystery aspect of the book was definitely intriguing and I found myself wanting to find out how the two characters are connected, I also often found myself quite bored with the story. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't time for the plot to properly develop, and parts of it felt weak. It reminded me of a children's book more than anything else.
I did love the settings. Reading about the people on the Titanic was very interesting, and I appreciate the fact that the author clearly did a lot of research. It was also a very atmospheric, almost spooky, read, which I enjoyed as well.
Overall, while it missed the mark for me in a few spots, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, and it wasn't a bad read at all.
(e-ARC provided by Owl Hollow Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
I didn't really care much for either of the main characters. I was much more invested in other characters, such as Mae, Taylor's father, Caleb and Nathaniel.
While the mystery aspect of the book was definitely intriguing and I found myself wanting to find out how the two characters are connected, I also often found myself quite bored with the story. It all happened so quickly that there wasn't time for the plot to properly develop, and parts of it felt weak. It reminded me of a children's book more than anything else.
I did love the settings. Reading about the people on the Titanic was very interesting, and I appreciate the fact that the author clearly did a lot of research. It was also a very atmospheric, almost spooky, read, which I enjoyed as well.
Overall, while it missed the mark for me in a few spots, I was intrigued enough to keep reading, and it wasn't a bad read at all.
(e-ARC provided by Owl Hollow Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)
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