The Rosebud Girls

The Rosebud Girls #1

by Julia Clemens

The very best of friends, the Rosebud Girls are about to embark on the adventure of their lives.

To own the Rosebud Lodge had been the dream of the Rosebud Girls since the summer after high school too many years before. The five of them promised that if it ever went up for sale, they'd buy it. Together. So when real estate mogul Callie sees it for sale, she knows it's time to pounce. Except that all of her friends seem to be holding back when they should be pressing forward. So Callie decides it's up to her to help them take the leap.

As part owner of one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco, Saffron is living the life. Well, if the life includes working fourteen hour days and having the work load of her partners heaped onto her while they sat back and accepted all of the accolades. But she's great. She is fine. She's still executive chef and doing what she loves. Except when she begins to realize that she isn't spending any time with the people she loves. So when Callie storms into Saffron's kitchen telling her that the lodge is up for sale, their lodge is up for sale, Saffron has to re-evaluate. Is she really living her dream?

As a high-powered CFO, Kenzie has achieved every success she could have imagined. She is married to the beautiful man of her dreams, is working the job she's always desired, and has a penthouse condo to boot. But when that man of her dreams drops earth shattering news, Kenzie is second guessing everything. She's where she's supposed to be, isn't she? Then why when the going got tough did home, the Rosebud Girls, and even the lodge call to her?

The only thing worse than a divorce...a public divorce. But when one is married to the biggest country star of the decade and then becomes no longer married to him, that's news. And while Hazel isn't too broken up about the end of her marriage, it was a long time coming, she is concerned about her two teenaged boys who love her and idolize their father. She knows tearing their family apart isn't what she would have wanted to do. And she didn't. But when Owen, her ex, asked for a divorce, Hazel wouldn't fight him. And she does come out of the divorce with everything she wants, including full custody of her boys. So she moves to the place that will heal them all, Rosebud. But when healing doesn't come fast enough for either of her children, Hazel isn't sure what to do, especially when her oldest, Chase, decides that everything wrong in his life is Hazel's fault. Will Hazel be able to fix things before Chase tries to leave Rosebud for good?

Laurel has a secret. One she can't even tell her friends. So even as the four of them decide that they need to buy their lodge, Laurel can't. Not without revealing what is about to blow not only her marriage and her life, but the maybe entire town of Rosebud apart. And she can't do that. Not yet. So it means she has to miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime with the girls she loves like family.

Meet the Rosebud Girls as they join back together to fulfill their childhood dream. Ups and downs are promised as well as an eventual happy ending. Because with women like this who always have one another's backs, if things aren't happy, the journey isn't quite at its end yet.

Genres: Fiction, Contemporary, Romance, Womens Fiction, Realistic Fiction

166 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 6, 2021

About the author

Julia Clemens always dreamed of putting stories to paper and now she gets to live that dream with her two adorable boys and one handsome hubby. From the sandy shores of Maui to the Rocky Mountains and then back to another island in the Pacific, serene Japan, Julia has lived around the world and found that even though all of these places are majestic with their natural beauty, the thing that makes every place so special...are the people. So she writes about those people and loves every minute of it.

Julia loves to hear from her readers so please reach out to her @ AuthorJuliaClemens@yandex.com

Reviews

[Analisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’ll convince you to read this book using one quote and one quote only…

“But when all was said and done, they each had the others in their little group.”

first of all, the goodreads app makes me want to throw up. i typed this whole review and then the app crashed and deleted the whole thing before i pressed post. and this is NOT the first time this has happened.

anyways, this book was Good not Great. i love reading about friendship. this one felt special because it was about these 5 girls who have been friends since they were kids, and i have a friend group that size who we have all been friends since we were kids. makes me excited to be an adult and continue these friendships :,)

that being said, the book didn’t wow me. it was short which was nice but i felt like it was building up to something that didn’t happen yet lol. like i have to read the next book to read about it.

all the characters are relatively likeable- i think maybe after the next one i’ll have stronger opinions on that.

the story was good just nothing out of this world. would recommend if you’re looking for a super simple and easy read that makes you reflect on the beauty of friendship!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick read. Importance of good friends and pursuing your dreams.

[Becky (beckyy.readss) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book during one of the Stuff Your Kindle Days last year. I bought it because it sounded interesting, and the cover was cute. The blurb is longer and more detailed than the actual book.

This book is based on the Rosebud girls, a group of girls who lived in Rosebud. They’ve had a dream since high school to own the Rosebud Lodge. The five of them promised that if it ever went up for sale, they’d buy it together. So, when real estate mogul Callie sees it for sale, she knows it’s time to pounce. Except all her friends seem to be holding back when they should be pushing forward. So, Callie decides it’s up to her to help them take the leap. There is Saffron and she is living her life, being the part owner of one of the hottest restaurants in San Francisco. But “living her life” means fourteen-hour days and having the workload of her partners heaped onto her while they sit back and accept all the awards. Saffron is beginning to realize that she isn’t spending any time with the people she loves. So, when Callie storms into Saffron’s kitchen telling her the lodge is up for sale, Saffron must re-evaluate. Is she really living her dream? Then there is Kenzie, and she is a high-powered CFO and has achieved every success she could have imagined. She is married to the man of her dreams, is working the job she’s always desired, and has a penthouse condo. But what happens when the man of her dreams drops the most earth-shattering news, Kenzie is second guessing everything. She's where she’s supposed to be, isn’t she? Then why when the going got tough did home, and the lodge call to her? Hazel is going through a divorce and its very public divorce. It's what happens when you marry to one of the biggest country stars of the decade and it would become news. However, Hazel isn’t too broken up about the end of her marriage, it was a long time coming, she is concerned about her two teenaged boys who love her and idolize their father. Now that she has full custody of her boys, she moves to the place that will heal them all, Rosebud. But when healing doesn’t come fast enough for either of her children, Hazel isn’t sure what to do, especially when her oldest, Chase, decides that everything wrong in his life is Hazel’s fault. The last of the Rosebud girls is Laurel and she has a secret. One she can’t even tell her friends. So even as the four of them decide that they need to buy their lodge, Laurel can’t. Not without revealing what is about to blow not only her marriage and her life, but maybe the entire town of Rosebud apart. And she can’t do that. Meet the Rosebud Girls as they join back together to fulfil their childhood dreams.

I liked the storyline and the concept of like a pact and the friends coming back for their town. I loved the friendship between the girls and how they would still defend each other no matter what they are going through and the kids calling the girls Auntie, it reminds me of my mates and their children. The message throughout this story is the importance of good friends and sticking to your promises but also making compromises based on a friend's situations. I feel like this book just puts the feelers out for the series – the girls, the families and the town are introduced. Saffron is my favourite; I wanted to hug her and wanted her to kick those partners asses.

I just wanted more. I wanted a few chapters of how they became friends, who introduced who, I wanted more of the town. Like a few chapters of them in school and why they loved Lodge so much, besides the promise of buying it if it was for sale, we don’t know why they wanted it so much. I wanted to know what was so special about Rosebud. I wanted to see them all making the pact, like Kenzie always wanted to be a mother, Saffron always wanted to be a chef, I would have loved that conversation to actual happen, even if it was a few chapters of them leaving school and why are they doing what they are doing. I felt like it was a bit rushed, I would have LOVED to see Hazel on that date and Dylan apologising to Sue and Sue telling the girls they can have the Lodge, it was like Chapter 11, they don’t know how they are getting the lodge, Chapter 12, Saffron figures out a way to maybe get the Lodge, Chapter 13, they are stood in front of the Lodge with the keys. You know, I was just hoping and rooting for more.

If you want an easy and short read (160 pages) on Kindle Unlimited, then this book would be you and hopefully the next book in the series will have more depth.

[Deborah Sherman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first series by Julia Clemens but I have another on my "To Read" list. I think this will be a good series based on the first book. They leave a lot out there so you have to read the next to find the answers to those loose ends. This book introduces the five women that make up the "Rosebud Girls" along with a little history about each one from their high school years together where they obtained that title. As the story goes on you realize how very different they are and that they all have their own problems to deal with. When they were 18 they made a promise that if the Rosebud Lodge ever went up for sale the five of them would purchase and run it together. They are now approaching 50 and the lodge is up for sale. What will they do?

Really enjoyed this first book and have already started on the second. I keep saying I will read just one more chapter but the need to find out more is way too great to put the book down. I may finish this on tonight.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Callie, Hazel, Kenzie & Saffron ❤️

🏡Four best friends growing up in small town Northern California. Their dream is to one day own the lodge property on the outskirts of town, tucked between acreage and the Napa vineyards.

🏡Now in their late forties, they have each lived their lives successfully, but now they find themselves at a crossroads. Can they change things to make a go of the lodge property?

✏️A short novel but not quite a novella, the story of the four friends goes along at a steady pace, introducing each of the friends and the issues they are dealing with, and then stops just as things start to get going. The series continues in instalments, which are included in Kindle Unlimited.

Read on Kindle
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Connect with me: http://www.instagram.com/read.athon2021

[Lizzie Wann · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was expecting much more, but since it's a series, I guess the author needs to save something for the next book(s). In this very brief book (104 pages on ebook), we meet the Rosebud Girls. Five women who were close friends in high school, and some before that, who now, some 30 years later, are trying to make the dream their 18-year-old selves had come true by pooling their money and buying their hometown's Rosebud Lodge. The author does a pretty good job individualizing each woman, and detailing each one's current lot in life that would make them turn toward changing their lives a bit to buy this lodge. I may read on in the series, but I'm not in a hurry.

Edited to add: If anyone is mildly interested in knowing how the story goes with these women, just read the synopses of the next books and you'll be all set (that's what I just did!)

[Dee Gurganus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you have that lifelong friend that you are always there for or they are always there for you? Even when life event separates you, you find your way back to each other. That's the way it is for the Rosebud Girls. Callie, Hazel, Saffron, Kenzie, and Laurel. This first book in the series introduces us to each girl and gives us a background for them. Each has their unique personality, but they are an awesome team. They reunite to purchase the Rosebud Lodge, something they have dreamed about since they were in high school. The story line will keep you turning the page, saying just one more chapter. I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

[Annette · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not realize that this book is just the first chapter of the story. The five wonderful characters are all introduced. Each of them has a dramatic event which is holding their attention. I liked the characters, and the plot seemed to hold a lot of possibilities.
Then it all stopped. So, if I want to find out what happens in each of these lives, I must get three more books. When I got this book, I was not bright enough to notice it was the first of 4 books. Now that I know, I will have to decide how badly I want to find out how things end.
Ms Clemens is a talented author. But, I will be much more careful about reading any of her books.

[Coffeebreakwhatever · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another series book.....

I didn't know that this was a series book. Apparently this is book one and you have to buy all the rest to know how the story ends. It was quite interesting how each of the five girls lives had changed since high School. Each of their lives was extremely out of the ordinary and was a welcome change to the usual problems authors give the people. So I was enjoying it until I noticed I was 96% through the book and I'd only been reading about 2 hours! While this book revealed all of the various problems they each had, as usual with the series book, you have to buy the next book to see how everything ends and I don't like Cliffhangers!

[Rita Nye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dreams

Even though friends go their separate ways and don't see each other as much, doesn't mean that a teenage dream that they once had can't come to fruition. Time and distance never changes what is most important. These five young women have found success and happiness in their present lives but also feel that something is lacking. When a chance to own the Lodge in their hometown arises they remember that dream of 5 eighteen year old girls and each in their own way needs this and each other.

[Wanda Compton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life-long friends

Five girls meet and became friends in kindergarten .They stay friends thru graduation when they go separate ways but remain close. At 18 they made plans to buy the local lodge and run it together. Now when they are middle age and the lodge is for sale. They are all in different places in their lives. I became very invested in their stories. Some were dramatic and heartbreaking but the friendship they shares supported each one as needed. .looking forward the the next in the series.

[Deb Blackbourn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changing Lives

5 friends from high school all had the dream back in high school to own & run the Rosebud Inn. Many years later, that becomes a possibility. Of course, there are the usual difficulties & hoops to jump through. Also, the girls all have things going on in their lives that add to the difficulties of purchasing the inn. Will they be able to fulfill their dream? Please read! The characters are well written & given believable conversations.

[Terrie Stamey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rosebud Girls

This was so sweet and at times sad too! I could relate to a lot of their lives, since I have three life time friends

that I still have from school! We have all moved to other states now and our children are gCouldn'trown and married with children of their own now! This was a dream that came true for all of them and we got to walk along with them on their journey!

Terrie Stamey

[Rowena Winfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rosebud Girls Bloom Beautifully

The Rosebud Girls is not your typical girlfriends book. Five friends since childhood are persuaded by one friend to buy and renovate the historic Rosebud Lodge. But there are five subplots as the author takes each woman through her own personal problem. The end of this book starts as the women are finally starting to see their personal strengths, and the challenges that owning and renovating the lodge will bring them.

[Dorothey Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rosebud Girls

This was a great story about five girls, who grew into women. They were best friends in school. They all planned to own the Rosebud Inn one day. When this old Inn went on the market, this was their chance. Each of the five had their personal lives and problems, which were part of this story. Just enjoy their adventure.

[Elizabeth Lefler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read

I'm glad this is a series because too much has been left unsaid! I plan to read more so I can find out the answers to those lingering loose ends. This initial opening introduces the five women, their various strengths and weaknesses, and the dilemma of owning a business. It should be a fun series to unravel. I look forward to reading the next book.

[Phyllis Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars

5 stars for The Rosebud Girls. Thoroughly enjoyed the story of five girlhood friends who reunite more than 30 years later, all with personal problems to try to fulfill an old dream. Well written!

[Betty Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship Connections

Such a wonderful book usually with thus many main characters I get lost but not these. Their friendship is so entwined you just get to know everyone quickly. Loved reading it and can’t wait until the next one.

[Carol Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Five incredible friendships

Five diverse ladies, characters developed well, then all of a sudden the story wraps up and leaves you thinking “what just happened”. Would have preferred more details on the ending.

[Gary Learned · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good refreshing book.

This book was a easy and quick read. Refreshing to know that people can still be friends and able to be a part of each others lives and dreams after so many years.

[Sharon Alexander]

Ok, but Kind of Predictable

This story was clean and easy to read, but very unbelievable. All problems were overcome and they all loved happily ever after. That doesn't happen. Sorry.

[Patricia]

Most of the book was setting the scene for all the characters to begin life together in their 50's after a strong high school friendship. The rest of the books will deal with all the problems that were set up in the first book.

[Joan Oliver · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rosebud Girls

I enjoyed the storyline. I don't care for it ending with leaving all their individual storylines up in the air with no closure. Plus this story seems to make the men the main 'bad guys'. That feels wrong and disappointing.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story

This is a book about 5 friends who had a dream years ago about owning the Rosebud Lodge. This first story gives us the background on the lives of the 5 friends. Now on to book 2

[Shirley Schrunk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends Forever


True friends are hard to find. Treasure them with all your heart. Keeping one for a lifetime is hard but for five friends to stay in touch is wonderful.. Loved every minute of the story.

[Penny Vogts · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting characters

This book introduces us to 5 very different ladies. Each with their own problems. They come together to save a mutual dream. I’m hooked , will keep reading series!

[Carole Sellman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rosebud Girls

A novel of lasting friendships. Life knocks you down, but true friends have your back. As you read this book you will grow to love each of these women. If you don't already have them you will wish for friendships like this.

[Julie G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Realistic

Well written, solid themes. Enjoyable to read about middle aged women who are successful in a variety of ways come together to create something new.

[Kathy Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed

This is the way women friends are supposed to be, building each other up, supporting, not judging. Feel good read!

[Jackie Simons]

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