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Alchemy and Rose
1866. Will Stewart is one of many who have left their old lives behind to seek their fortunes in New Zealand's last great gold rush. The conditions are hostile and the outlook bleak, but he must push on in his uncertain search for the elusive buried treasure.
Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and her ship is wrecked. Just when all seems lost she is snatched from the jaws of death by Will, who risks his life to save her. Drawn together by circumstance, they stay together by choice and for a while it seems that their stars have finally aligned.
But after a terrible misunderstanding they are cruelly separated, and their new-found happiness is shattered. As Will chases Rose across oceans and continents, he must come to terms with the possibility that he might never see her again. And if he does, he will have to face the man who took her . . .
Rose is about to arrive on the shores of South Island when a storm hits and her ship is wrecked. Just when all seems lost she is snatched from the jaws of death by Will, who risks his life to save her. Drawn together by circumstance, they stay together by choice and for a while it seems that their stars have finally aligned.
But after a terrible misunderstanding they are cruelly separated, and their new-found happiness is shattered. As Will chases Rose across oceans and continents, he must come to terms with the possibility that he might never see her again. And if he does, he will have to face the man who took her . . .
379 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2021
168 people are currently reading
1266 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Maine
9 books432 followersSarah Maine was born in England and emigrated to Canada with her family at the age of ten. A small northern Ontario community was home for the next two years before the family moved south, and Sarah went to high school in Toronto. She returned to England to study archaeology, stayed on to do research and work, married there and has two sons.
Books were always important. She grew up on a diet of Arthur Ransome and Robert Louis Stevenson but also the classics, Jane Austen and the Brontés and, of course, Daphne du Maurier - but now enjoys a wide range of contemporary fiction.
She has publlished three books - The House between Tides, Beyond the Wild River and Women of the Dunes and is currently working on her fourth, set partly in New Zealand.
Books were always important. She grew up on a diet of Arthur Ransome and Robert Louis Stevenson but also the classics, Jane Austen and the Brontés and, of course, Daphne du Maurier - but now enjoys a wide range of contemporary fiction.
She has publlished three books - The House between Tides, Beyond the Wild River and Women of the Dunes and is currently working on her fourth, set partly in New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
November 27, 2022
I picked this book up as I've read and really enjoyed Sarah Maine before - I read Women of the Dunes last year. I thought that book has a really great blend of mystery, a touch of modern-day romance and historical fiction. This story is completely set in the past, and has a prominent romance premise. I'm not a romance reader at all, but I figured I was in good hands with this author so gave it a try.
This is the story of Rose and Will, who meet when Will jumps into the treacherous water to save her from a shipwreck, off the beach of a New Zealand gold-mining town in the 1800's. Will has come to New Zealand from Scotland, where in desperation he committed a crime to pay his way to join the gold rush. Rose has been sent away by her employers, after a scandal in the household she was a maid to in Australia. Will then saves Rose again, this time from a life of prostitution in the town's hotel, by asking her to marry him. This story follows Will to a newly discovered gold-field, trying to find enough to give him and Rose the life they both dream of. Whilst Will is away, Rose finds work with the local photographer, Fraser, until Will is established enough for her to join him. But a misunderstanding sees Will left for dead after a fight with the photographer, and Rose blackmailed into a life on the run with Will's former gold-mining partner, the rough and dangerous Robbie. We follow Rose as her situation goes from bad to worse, and Will as he chases her from New Zealand, to Australia and back to Scotland - the country he thought he would never be able to return to.
As I had hoped, Sarah Maine didn't let me down in this book. Whilst this does have a romance at its core, this book is not dominated by that one element. It is compulsively readable, full of historic fact from a period of history I knew nothing about, and is really more about the jeopardy that Rose finds herself in. Maine is incredibly good at setting a scene, and each character had a really strong presence. I particularly enjoyed the character of Rose, who we meet when she has been beaten down by life, but who grows in both confidence and courage. This book isn't particularly deep in comparison to my usual choices, but it still covers a lot of themes and is a fun read.
My only quibble was with the ending. Not in how it came about, but how it played out. For me, after the build up, the ending itself felt a bit stunted and not the thrilling climax I was hoping for. I'd have loved to see both that and the aftermath given more page time to really feel like a conclusion.
I was sent a Netgalley of this title from Hodder and Stoughton in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
This is the story of Rose and Will, who meet when Will jumps into the treacherous water to save her from a shipwreck, off the beach of a New Zealand gold-mining town in the 1800's. Will has come to New Zealand from Scotland, where in desperation he committed a crime to pay his way to join the gold rush. Rose has been sent away by her employers, after a scandal in the household she was a maid to in Australia. Will then saves Rose again, this time from a life of prostitution in the town's hotel, by asking her to marry him. This story follows Will to a newly discovered gold-field, trying to find enough to give him and Rose the life they both dream of. Whilst Will is away, Rose finds work with the local photographer, Fraser, until Will is established enough for her to join him. But a misunderstanding sees Will left for dead after a fight with the photographer, and Rose blackmailed into a life on the run with Will's former gold-mining partner, the rough and dangerous Robbie. We follow Rose as her situation goes from bad to worse, and Will as he chases her from New Zealand, to Australia and back to Scotland - the country he thought he would never be able to return to.
As I had hoped, Sarah Maine didn't let me down in this book. Whilst this does have a romance at its core, this book is not dominated by that one element. It is compulsively readable, full of historic fact from a period of history I knew nothing about, and is really more about the jeopardy that Rose finds herself in. Maine is incredibly good at setting a scene, and each character had a really strong presence. I particularly enjoyed the character of Rose, who we meet when she has been beaten down by life, but who grows in both confidence and courage. This book isn't particularly deep in comparison to my usual choices, but it still covers a lot of themes and is a fun read.
My only quibble was with the ending. Not in how it came about, but how it played out. For me, after the build up, the ending itself felt a bit stunted and not the thrilling climax I was hoping for. I'd have loved to see both that and the aftermath given more page time to really feel like a conclusion.
I was sent a Netgalley of this title from Hodder and Stoughton in return for a review. All opinions are my own.
November 25, 2020
If it were possible to side-eye a book, Alchemy and Rose would get a full dose of it. You. I was supposed to love you.
Here’s why.
I am a Scot living in Edinburgh with New Zealand duel nationality who spent a lot of time scooting around gold mines whilst on a trip there. Somewhere in my mum’s attic is a photo of me holding a GIANT nugget of gold and I even bought my own (you never know when you might strike lucky) gold pan. Layer on the fact it’s an historical fiction and this was meant to be MY BOOK.
Scene setting time:
✨ 1870s New Zealand coated in gold
✨ Shitty situations which just get worse and worse and w-o-r-s-e
✨ One super fascinating women trying to survive said shitty situation
Now, this is a story all about how Will’s life got flipped upside down. And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, and I’ll tell you all about how he found a woman in the ocean and became her rescuer on multiple occasions in a town called Hokitika. Will (our main lad) ditched his former life in Scotland for the gold-laden hills of New Zealand where he moved around depending on where the next batch was uncovered.
Rose (to put it bluntly) has had a shit life, growing up in time period known to be cruel to women and, as a result, gets shipped around. A LOT. In order to save Rose from a life of prostitution, Will swoops in and marries her the next day. And they say romance is dead? Everything goes sideways and before you know it, Rose is hopping from country to country being dragged along by her blackmailer.
Let’s start with the bits I’m a big fan. This is a wonderful setting. The entire thing sucked me in straight away and I genuinely struggled to put it down. It’s insanely easy to read and whilst I was 100% more interested in Rose’s story than Will’s, I never got bored of them.
Yet I have two major bits that I noped out on and just can’t get past.
There is no way in hell that two people could conveniently keep finding each other whilst moving from country to country. Yes, I know books can take liberties (blah, blah, blah), but this ain’t no fantasy book.
I just cannot get past the ending. I am massively aware that I can’t have everything my own way, but Rose DESERVED more. The build-up was so dramatic and I was 100% there for the bonfire. I was handed a match. Book betrayal.
Contrary to what I said above, this is a good book. I just can’t forgive it for the gut-punch.
Here’s why.
I am a Scot living in Edinburgh with New Zealand duel nationality who spent a lot of time scooting around gold mines whilst on a trip there. Somewhere in my mum’s attic is a photo of me holding a GIANT nugget of gold and I even bought my own (you never know when you might strike lucky) gold pan. Layer on the fact it’s an historical fiction and this was meant to be MY BOOK.
Scene setting time:
✨ 1870s New Zealand coated in gold
✨ Shitty situations which just get worse and worse and w-o-r-s-e
✨ One super fascinating women trying to survive said shitty situation
Now, this is a story all about how Will’s life got flipped upside down. And I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there, and I’ll tell you all about how he found a woman in the ocean and became her rescuer on multiple occasions in a town called Hokitika. Will (our main lad) ditched his former life in Scotland for the gold-laden hills of New Zealand where he moved around depending on where the next batch was uncovered.
Rose (to put it bluntly) has had a shit life, growing up in time period known to be cruel to women and, as a result, gets shipped around. A LOT. In order to save Rose from a life of prostitution, Will swoops in and marries her the next day. And they say romance is dead? Everything goes sideways and before you know it, Rose is hopping from country to country being dragged along by her blackmailer.
Let’s start with the bits I’m a big fan. This is a wonderful setting. The entire thing sucked me in straight away and I genuinely struggled to put it down. It’s insanely easy to read and whilst I was 100% more interested in Rose’s story than Will’s, I never got bored of them.
Yet I have two major bits that I noped out on and just can’t get past.
There is no way in hell that two people could conveniently keep finding each other whilst moving from country to country. Yes, I know books can take liberties (blah, blah, blah), but this ain’t no fantasy book.
I just cannot get past the ending. I am massively aware that I can’t have everything my own way, but Rose DESERVED more. The build-up was so dramatic and I was 100% there for the bonfire. I was handed a match. Book betrayal.
Contrary to what I said above, this is a good book. I just can’t forgive it for the gut-punch.
February 19, 2021
This was a slow start, for sure. It took me until about 30% in to really be interested in the characters and their journey and even then I never really felt truly invested. This is a mostly character driven story and they fell a little flat for me.
The writing was well done, if a little dry at times.
The ending was really unsatisfying. I felt that the conflict was wrapped up too quickly.
I don't really have much to say about this, honestly. It was enjoyable enough but a little unforgettable.
The writing was well done, if a little dry at times.
The ending was really unsatisfying. I felt that the conflict was wrapped up too quickly.
I don't really have much to say about this, honestly. It was enjoyable enough but a little unforgettable.
December 16, 2020
It was the book cover that first drew my attention to this novel by Sarah Maine. The foliage and flora that populate it and that image of a sailing ship in the middle of the top half echo a newly discovered lush distant land in a distant past. It’s evocative and enticing as if daring one to visit such a place. Intrigued, I read the description. It confirmed the impression I’ve formed in my mind and decided that I must read it.
"Alchemy and Rose" promises to be ‘a beautiful and sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from the west coast of New Zealand, to Scotland and Melbourne in the 1870s’. I will say that it has delivered on point in large part.
For Will Stewart digging and panning for gold nuggets in an almost spent goldfield is a hard slog with little to show for it. He had left his old life behind in Scotland after a petty crime to start anew and seek his fortune in New Zealand’s last gold rush in the 1870s.
His life dramatically takes a turn one day when, risking his own life, he saves Rose, one of the passengers of a ship that floundered off the coast of the gold-mining town, from drowning. Rose recovers and is about to be sucked into a life of prostitution but is dissuaded from it when Will proposes to marry her.
For a while it seems their life together is a bliss until Will decides to leave for a newly discovered goldfield to earn more money for them both, and Rose is left alone in the town to fend for herself. She befriends Fraser, a photographer whom Will also knows. She’s fascinated by how the photos are taken and developed in a dark room. She learns the tricks of the trade from Fraser and very soon is persuaded to pose for some revealing photos.
After a terrible misunderstanding and a fight over one such photo, Will is left for dead and Rose is snatched away by Robbie, Will’s gold digging partner, jealous of their marital union.
After recovery Will learns the bitter truth about Robbie and Rose. Not only have they disappeared but the gold nuggets he’s saved up as well. He is determined to rescue Rose and sets about looking for them.
With Fraser’s help, his search takes him across towns and cities in New Zealand and across oceans to Melbourne and Scotland. By some sheer (almost cruel) coincidences their paths almost cross but just as soon as these happen, the trail suddenly turns cold again. Feeling frustrated by the day, Will realises he has to come to terms with losing Rose forever. Resigned to this prospect, he is persuaded by Fraser to return to Scotland to help manage the latter’s farm.
Then another coincidence happens that will change the fates of Will, Rose and Robbie finally...
Author Sarah Maine spins a pretty good yarn set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s gold rush. For some such a setting often conjures up tales of how people had become insanely rich after a bout of gold digging. But life for most of the gold hunters then was hardly a bed of roses. Working conditions were often hostile and they had to put up with back breaking work for long hours and live in squalid conditions, as the novel grimly depicts. It really was quite an eye-opener for me.
No doubt the novel is of the historical fiction genre but it’s also a romance story of love lost and found. Well written, and with excellent character development, the plot is engaging with many twists and turns. It’s quite slow and draggy in the early part but thankfully it picks up speed when Will goes about his search for Rose.
As I read quickly the final few chapters, eager to find out how the story will end, the quickening pace of the action has a palpable effect on me. So I expect the story to end with a great flourish. Alas, it turns out to be not the case. It was quite disappointing for me. Hence, the 3-star rating for this review.
I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher and NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
"Alchemy and Rose" promises to be ‘a beautiful and sweeping historical novel that takes the reader from the west coast of New Zealand, to Scotland and Melbourne in the 1870s’. I will say that it has delivered on point in large part.
For Will Stewart digging and panning for gold nuggets in an almost spent goldfield is a hard slog with little to show for it. He had left his old life behind in Scotland after a petty crime to start anew and seek his fortune in New Zealand’s last gold rush in the 1870s.
His life dramatically takes a turn one day when, risking his own life, he saves Rose, one of the passengers of a ship that floundered off the coast of the gold-mining town, from drowning. Rose recovers and is about to be sucked into a life of prostitution but is dissuaded from it when Will proposes to marry her.
For a while it seems their life together is a bliss until Will decides to leave for a newly discovered goldfield to earn more money for them both, and Rose is left alone in the town to fend for herself. She befriends Fraser, a photographer whom Will also knows. She’s fascinated by how the photos are taken and developed in a dark room. She learns the tricks of the trade from Fraser and very soon is persuaded to pose for some revealing photos.
After a terrible misunderstanding and a fight over one such photo, Will is left for dead and Rose is snatched away by Robbie, Will’s gold digging partner, jealous of their marital union.
After recovery Will learns the bitter truth about Robbie and Rose. Not only have they disappeared but the gold nuggets he’s saved up as well. He is determined to rescue Rose and sets about looking for them.
With Fraser’s help, his search takes him across towns and cities in New Zealand and across oceans to Melbourne and Scotland. By some sheer (almost cruel) coincidences their paths almost cross but just as soon as these happen, the trail suddenly turns cold again. Feeling frustrated by the day, Will realises he has to come to terms with losing Rose forever. Resigned to this prospect, he is persuaded by Fraser to return to Scotland to help manage the latter’s farm.
Then another coincidence happens that will change the fates of Will, Rose and Robbie finally...
Author Sarah Maine spins a pretty good yarn set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s gold rush. For some such a setting often conjures up tales of how people had become insanely rich after a bout of gold digging. But life for most of the gold hunters then was hardly a bed of roses. Working conditions were often hostile and they had to put up with back breaking work for long hours and live in squalid conditions, as the novel grimly depicts. It really was quite an eye-opener for me.
No doubt the novel is of the historical fiction genre but it’s also a romance story of love lost and found. Well written, and with excellent character development, the plot is engaging with many twists and turns. It’s quite slow and draggy in the early part but thankfully it picks up speed when Will goes about his search for Rose.
As I read quickly the final few chapters, eager to find out how the story will end, the quickening pace of the action has a palpable effect on me. So I expect the story to end with a great flourish. Alas, it turns out to be not the case. It was quite disappointing for me. Hence, the 3-star rating for this review.
I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher and NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
January 24, 2021
This is really a very ordinary, even banal, historical adventure tale, set mainly in the New Zealand goldfields of the 1860s, peopled with stereotypical characters – the romantic but headstrong hero, his treacherous friend, the fey photographer, the greedy madam, the rapacious and usually drunk diggers – whose paths cross over the years as Rose, rescued form a shipwreck, and Will, the main protagonist, face love and its consequent trials and tribulations and many misunderstandings while fate seems to toss them hither and thither over the years. Full of twists and turns and an astonishing number of coincidences the book rambles along to its unsatisfactory conclusion, and failed to engage me.
January 11, 2023
To quote Patrick Verona: "What's with this chick? She got beer flavoured nipples?"
This novel is set in 18th century New Zealand and follows Will McAuley and Rose, a woman washed up after a shipwreck and the relationship between them, as well as some stuff about the gold rush and Will having some mysterious past he's running away from.
I found this book to be very... "meh". It's not terrible but it's just so bland. All the characters have potential to be interesting but they continuously spin their wheels for most of the book and I found myself getting quite bored with the plot, since there wasn't all that much to speak of - it's mostly Will and Rose navigating their new relationship after they very hastily get married. Every man who comes into contact with Rose (who gets nicknamed "Flotsam Rose" for a bit, even though the author kind of drops that midway through the book and brings it up later at a point that's meant to be dramatic) starts lusting over her because she's apparently gorgeous and also mysterious as she washed up after a shipwreck and has no memories beyond that. I found it a little ridiculous how they're all panting over a pretty uninteresting woman, I guess she's so pretty her comparative lack of personality doesn't matter
to them, but seriously, they all act like they've never seen a woman before.
Will's...okay? He's just a gruff, kind of hot-tempered guy who decides to marry Rose, partly out of growing feelings for her but also because he wants to protect her from other lecherous men in town. Fraser Ulqart is a photographer who convinces Rose to model for him and I actually kind of liked those sections of the book where Rose learns how to develop photographs and starts hoping to have a little more to her life than simply being either a barmaid, whore or "Will's Wife", but after a romcom-level misunderstanding occurs, that plotline gets kinda dropped until the author clumsily picks it up again to set up the climax. I liked Fraser to start off with since, ambiguously gay as he is, he's the only man who isn't obsessed with trying to bed Rose, but midway through the book he went from eccentric to unbearably pretentious.
Anyways, Rose is an idiot. The author tries her best to make her a bit more than just a useless damsel in distress, but all of Rose's attempts to escape are laughably pathetic and then when she's given the opportunity to slip away and/or kill the man who has been holding her captive, sexually assaulting her and purposefully stole her away from her husband, what does she do? She decides to look after him while he's on death's door and even willingly kisses him. WHAT?! Rose, why are you so stupid?! It's bad enough that Robbie easily outmanoeuvres you every time you try to run away, but the one time there's literally nothing stopping you and you choose not to? And before you say "Oh, Rose didn't know Will was alive at that point and was scared of how she'd survive," she had all the gold she'd hidden from Robbie - she could have easily left him for dead and build a life for herself and she doesn't do it. Bear in mind Rose angsts for much of the second half of the book about being pregnant with Will's child and worrying that Robbie will figure that out, yet somehow she forgets about these concerns when she's got him utterly at her mercy. What a MORON. Any hanging thread of sympathy I had for her was demolished in that moment. I just...I can't.
Robbie is a hilariously cartoonish character, he's set up as a rival of sorts to Will and then he steals Rose away when an accident leaves Will thought to be dead, then proceeds to drag Rose all around the globe to keep her away from Will because...he's jealous? Because he can? His motives are vague beyond "Robbie wants what he can't have" and he keeps insisting he's better than Will and Rose will come to love him eventually, all the while threatening to beat Rose for lying to him, coercing her into having sex with him every night and parading her around like a doll. Yet the climax of the book where there's this big confrontation over who gets Rose is so laughably anticlimactic, I couldn't believe the author just kind of let Robbie go with zero comeuppance. I'll give Sarah Maine credit for having Will tell Rose she has a choice at the end of the book if she wants to be with him or "live independently" (set up by Fraser, so not really independent at all, but I guess in the 1800s you took whatever W you could as a woman), but to be honest Rose proves herself to be so stupid I don't really trust her to survive on her own either way.
There's a few other subplots going through this book to do with gold mining and Will attacking a young boy in his youth and some other stuff but to be honest I really didn't care, the characters failed to bring out any emotions in me at all and I really only finished the book to pad out my reading goal.
2/5 stars
This novel is set in 18th century New Zealand and follows Will McAuley and Rose, a woman washed up after a shipwreck and the relationship between them, as well as some stuff about the gold rush and Will having some mysterious past he's running away from.
I found this book to be very... "meh". It's not terrible but it's just so bland. All the characters have potential to be interesting but they continuously spin their wheels for most of the book and I found myself getting quite bored with the plot, since there wasn't all that much to speak of - it's mostly Will and Rose navigating their new relationship after they very hastily get married. Every man who comes into contact with Rose (who gets nicknamed "Flotsam Rose" for a bit, even though the author kind of drops that midway through the book and brings it up later at a point that's meant to be dramatic) starts lusting over her because she's apparently gorgeous and also mysterious as she washed up after a shipwreck and has no memories beyond that. I found it a little ridiculous how they're all panting over a pretty uninteresting woman, I guess she's so pretty her comparative lack of personality doesn't matter
to them, but seriously, they all act like they've never seen a woman before.
Will's...okay? He's just a gruff, kind of hot-tempered guy who decides to marry Rose, partly out of growing feelings for her but also because he wants to protect her from other lecherous men in town. Fraser Ulqart is a photographer who convinces Rose to model for him and I actually kind of liked those sections of the book where Rose learns how to develop photographs and starts hoping to have a little more to her life than simply being either a barmaid, whore or "Will's Wife", but after a romcom-level misunderstanding occurs, that plotline gets kinda dropped until the author clumsily picks it up again to set up the climax. I liked Fraser to start off with since, ambiguously gay as he is, he's the only man who isn't obsessed with trying to bed Rose, but midway through the book he went from eccentric to unbearably pretentious.
Anyways, Rose is an idiot. The author tries her best to make her a bit more than just a useless damsel in distress, but all of Rose's attempts to escape are laughably pathetic and then when she's given the opportunity to slip away and/or kill the man who has been holding her captive, sexually assaulting her and purposefully stole her away from her husband, what does she do? She decides to look after him while he's on death's door and even willingly kisses him. WHAT?! Rose, why are you so stupid?! It's bad enough that Robbie easily outmanoeuvres you every time you try to run away, but the one time there's literally nothing stopping you and you choose not to? And before you say "Oh, Rose didn't know Will was alive at that point and was scared of how she'd survive," she had all the gold she'd hidden from Robbie - she could have easily left him for dead and build a life for herself and she doesn't do it. Bear in mind Rose angsts for much of the second half of the book about being pregnant with Will's child and worrying that Robbie will figure that out, yet somehow she forgets about these concerns when she's got him utterly at her mercy. What a MORON. Any hanging thread of sympathy I had for her was demolished in that moment. I just...I can't.
Robbie is a hilariously cartoonish character, he's set up as a rival of sorts to Will and then he steals Rose away when an accident leaves Will thought to be dead, then proceeds to drag Rose all around the globe to keep her away from Will because...he's jealous? Because he can? His motives are vague beyond "Robbie wants what he can't have" and he keeps insisting he's better than Will and Rose will come to love him eventually, all the while threatening to beat Rose for lying to him, coercing her into having sex with him every night and parading her around like a doll. Yet the climax of the book where there's this big confrontation over who gets Rose is so laughably anticlimactic, I couldn't believe the author just kind of let Robbie go with zero comeuppance. I'll give Sarah Maine credit for having Will tell Rose she has a choice at the end of the book if she wants to be with him or "live independently" (set up by Fraser, so not really independent at all, but I guess in the 1800s you took whatever W you could as a woman), but to be honest Rose proves herself to be so stupid I don't really trust her to survive on her own either way.
There's a few other subplots going through this book to do with gold mining and Will attacking a young boy in his youth and some other stuff but to be honest I really didn't care, the characters failed to bring out any emotions in me at all and I really only finished the book to pad out my reading goal.
2/5 stars
April 29, 2021
Sarah Maine writes with a particular attention to detail when it comes to evocatively recreating life within an historical era and setting. A true sense of time and place could be felt whilst reading this novel, everything from the biting cold of a South Island New Zealand winter to the cloying damp of Scotland.
The powerlessness of women is explored in depth through Rose’s story. I found it honestly so bleak to contemplate her situation, the manner in which she could so easily be held against her will, society believing her captor’s stories about hysteria, as opposed to the truth she spoke. The vulnerability of women in the colonies was particularly startling. A poor man had the ability to have more agency over his own life than a woman with money.
I really enjoyed the way in which photography played such a part in the story. Fraser’s passion for capturing the darker side of life, the un-staged everyday occurrences, the grief and tragedy, the startling contrast between wealth and poverty; this was conveyed with such vivid realisation, I felt as though I could really see his photos. Without early photography pioneers, how much history would we not be able to see? The suspicion surrounding photography was interesting, so hard to imagine now that such a thing could ever be suspect, but back then, when photography was in its infancy, I suppose it must have seemed fantastical and, on another level, indulgent, even voyeuristic perhaps.
It was terrific to read a novel of historical fiction set in New Zealand. I hadn’t read anything about the New Zealand gold rush previously and it was fascinating to contemplate it in comparison to Australia. The weather would have certainly offered greater challenges but in many ways, it also seemed like the same type of people living in the same sort of squalid conditions all chasing the same dream, yet never really achieving it.
Alchemy and Rose was an entirely enjoyable read and one that I would highly recommend to fans of adventurous historical fiction.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of Alchemy and Rose for review.
The powerlessness of women is explored in depth through Rose’s story. I found it honestly so bleak to contemplate her situation, the manner in which she could so easily be held against her will, society believing her captor’s stories about hysteria, as opposed to the truth she spoke. The vulnerability of women in the colonies was particularly startling. A poor man had the ability to have more agency over his own life than a woman with money.
I really enjoyed the way in which photography played such a part in the story. Fraser’s passion for capturing the darker side of life, the un-staged everyday occurrences, the grief and tragedy, the startling contrast between wealth and poverty; this was conveyed with such vivid realisation, I felt as though I could really see his photos. Without early photography pioneers, how much history would we not be able to see? The suspicion surrounding photography was interesting, so hard to imagine now that such a thing could ever be suspect, but back then, when photography was in its infancy, I suppose it must have seemed fantastical and, on another level, indulgent, even voyeuristic perhaps.
It was terrific to read a novel of historical fiction set in New Zealand. I hadn’t read anything about the New Zealand gold rush previously and it was fascinating to contemplate it in comparison to Australia. The weather would have certainly offered greater challenges but in many ways, it also seemed like the same type of people living in the same sort of squalid conditions all chasing the same dream, yet never really achieving it.
Alchemy and Rose was an entirely enjoyable read and one that I would highly recommend to fans of adventurous historical fiction.
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of Alchemy and Rose for review.
October 12, 2021
Visit the locations in the novel
I bought this for Independent Bookshop day and read it immediately. I was really immersed in the story of Will and Rose and it was a whirlwind of an adventure based in and and around the gold fields of New Zealand.
Will rescues Rose from a life of prostitution and they marry and go to New Zealand. Tragedy and misunderstanding separates them and the main story is Rose’s journey from then on. What a story this is! I was captivated by the misfortunes that she goes though and her reactions to them as then another man ‘rescues’ her and she ends up in Melbourne and then Scotland. Meanwhile, what has happened to Will?
The anticipation and excitement around the potential wealth that the discover of gold could bring is fascinating to read. Rose’s story was particularly interesting as although she is rescued by two men the story, her fate is not really her own. I admired her strength and resourcefulness but was saddened at her harsh reality too.
This was a cinematic read with colours and landscapes as vivid as that stunning cover. Scene setting Booktrail style was a treat as you get to see the goldfields and villages which are still there today. Life in a gold rush town was interesting and the characters fully fleshes and realistic.
There were the odd gripe in that I didn’t understand how two people could keep bumping into each other in such remote places but maybe everyone had the same idea to go to the Gold Rush hotspots. The ending too was a bit abrupt after such a complex journey. Still a very immersive and pleasurable reading experience getting there though.
March 14, 2021
Beautifully descriptive- a sweeping epic which takes us from the gold mines of New Zealand to the Scottish Highlands. I loved the characters and the fascinating details about early photography. How this new 'alchemy' is received by these hardy pioneers is powerfully rendered. Another emotional, compelling read from Sarah Maine.
January 9, 2021
New Zealand in 1866 and Will Stewart has left behind his past in Scotland to search for gold. Life is hard but the rewards could be great. One evening a huge storm drives a ship onto the rocks and Will rescues a young woman. To save her from a life of prostitution he marries her and builds a cabin by his claim. Will finds a cache of gold which he hides from his partners but, when he disappears after a fight, Rose is taken by another man. Will determines to reclaim his Rose even if it means confronting the sins of his youth.
This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the beginning of the book based around the gold rush shanty towns and the life there but as the photography theme crept in the realism seemed to fade. By the time the action moved to Australia I was less armoured and the final chapters in Scotland I found underplayed. That's not to say that Maine isn't a good writer and certainly has a feel for a stunning start to a book.
This book is a bit of a mixed bag for me. I loved the beginning of the book based around the gold rush shanty towns and the life there but as the photography theme crept in the realism seemed to fade. By the time the action moved to Australia I was less armoured and the final chapters in Scotland I found underplayed. That's not to say that Maine isn't a good writer and certainly has a feel for a stunning start to a book.
August 14, 2021
A good historical novel that doesn't deviate too far from how it would have been. Well written and easy to read!
March 25, 2022
Another winner from Sarah Maine. Her writing is compelling and her storylines compulsive. Rose and Will’s romance was so touching, but it’s sweetness perfectly balanced by the dark, threatening shadow of Robbie. I found Fraser to be an intriguing character. He was the catalyst for much of the action but remained something of an enigma himself.
I recommend this book to readers who have enjoyed Kate Greenville’s books.
I recommend this book to readers who have enjoyed Kate Greenville’s books.
June 30, 2023
A wonderful story about independence and adventure taking you from port to port showing how one relationship can change so much! Rose, what a queen we love! Will, what a stupid loveable little man, bless his little heart! Fraser, icon in the making and Robbie… we don’t talk about Robbie! Anyways would recommend as is a fun read with lots of twists and turns!
April 20, 2021
A descriptive historical story.
It could be called 'a series of unfortunate events', but the writing is descriptive, the characters are detailed written with empathy.
It could be called 'a series of unfortunate events', but the writing is descriptive, the characters are detailed written with empathy.
Read
September 2, 2024I’ll come back for it
December 18, 2022
This book dragged and dragged for me as we follow the poorly developed characters Rose and Will in their lacklustre love story.
I found there was very little basis for their relationship to warrant the years of searching and torment that followed.
The ending with Robbie was very abrupt and dissatisfying after everything he had done. Fraser was an unusual side character.
I just found the story really boring. It just felt like we were waiting the whole time for them to be reunited which they weren’t until the last few pages. Nothing happened to Rose or Will really in the meantime so it felt like there was no progress or story.
I found there was very little basis for their relationship to warrant the years of searching and torment that followed.
The ending with Robbie was very abrupt and dissatisfying after everything he had done. Fraser was an unusual side character.
I just found the story really boring. It just felt like we were waiting the whole time for them to be reunited which they weren’t until the last few pages. Nothing happened to Rose or Will really in the meantime so it felt like there was no progress or story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2023
actually really enjoyed it but the ending was a bit of a cop out lolz
March 25, 2023
📚 Why I chose it:
I randomly saw this and was drawn to the cover.
🤷🏼♀️ What it's about:
Set in the mid 1800s following the Gold Rush in NZ, Will rescues Rose after the ship she is arriving on is destroyed close to shore. After a marriage of convenience they develop feelings for one another, but a complex sequence of events tears them apart.
✨️ Why I recommend it:
There were so many aspects that made this book special - the description of the various worlds we encountered across three continents, even down to the local birdlife and beautifully poetic language hidden within the dialogue. A real contrast between three of the main character's dispositions and societal expectations/norms made a nice touch - Rose found empowerment through self exploration, Will was a more devoted and respectful man/husband than the time expected and Fraser was everything but. I especially loved the way the author brought elements full circle within the story (I can't say much without a spoiler). This story was interesting, heartwarming, and gut-wrenching at times. It took me a while to fall in love with it, but I did nonetheless. After such a well-built climax, I did want more from the ending and epilogue, but that's likely just an indication of me not being ready to leave Rose and Will behind.
🤩 Read if you like:
Historical fiction with a strong undercurrent of romance, unexpected heroes, heart thudding conflict, books set across multiple parts of the world, marriage of convenience.
📖 E-book or physical book?
Although you could really get away with either, I'm going to say physical book this time so you can appreciate the stunning cover.
I randomly saw this and was drawn to the cover.
🤷🏼♀️ What it's about:
Set in the mid 1800s following the Gold Rush in NZ, Will rescues Rose after the ship she is arriving on is destroyed close to shore. After a marriage of convenience they develop feelings for one another, but a complex sequence of events tears them apart.
✨️ Why I recommend it:
There were so many aspects that made this book special - the description of the various worlds we encountered across three continents, even down to the local birdlife and beautifully poetic language hidden within the dialogue. A real contrast between three of the main character's dispositions and societal expectations/norms made a nice touch - Rose found empowerment through self exploration, Will was a more devoted and respectful man/husband than the time expected and Fraser was everything but. I especially loved the way the author brought elements full circle within the story (I can't say much without a spoiler). This story was interesting, heartwarming, and gut-wrenching at times. It took me a while to fall in love with it, but I did nonetheless. After such a well-built climax, I did want more from the ending and epilogue, but that's likely just an indication of me not being ready to leave Rose and Will behind.
🤩 Read if you like:
Historical fiction with a strong undercurrent of romance, unexpected heroes, heart thudding conflict, books set across multiple parts of the world, marriage of convenience.
📖 E-book or physical book?
Although you could really get away with either, I'm going to say physical book this time so you can appreciate the stunning cover.
November 23, 2020
Very well written; I was immediately absorbed into 1870s New Zealand at the beginning of the book, which sees Will Stewart prospecting during the gold rush of the 1860s, when a ship bringing new arrivals breaks on rocks and he finds himself rescuing a girl named Rose from the clutches of the sea. It’s not an easy town to be in for a woman however and soon Rose finds she needs rescuing again... Will’s kindness stands out in an environment which is unkind to women and a romance blossoms. However jealousies are evoked elsewhere which threatens to undo everything. Rose is snatched away to Melbourne and then Scotland and from then on we are following the two parallel journeys of Will and Rose separately, as they struggle to make their lives what they had once hoped and dreamed for. There are a lot of (cruel) coincidences in the book which, while unrealistic, make for a riveting story, and I found myself reading quickly particularly in the latter stages as I was keen to find out what happened to Rose. The book title also refers to photography, of which Rose develops an interest during the pioneering days of the profession: as with ‘To the Bright Edge of the World’ I found the information on the early days of photographs very interesting. I would also recommend this to fans of Outlander as it felt similar in some ways, minus the time but not the travel.
My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher Hodder and Stoughton, for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
My thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher Hodder and Stoughton, for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
December 28, 2020
🌊Fascinating tale of love, separation and hardship in 1800's New Zealand🌿
4-4.5🌟 stars
With lots of action and movement between a Scottish, New Zealand and Australian historical setting, I really got caught up in this tale of hardship and survival of a young Australian woman sent off in disgrace to the gold fields of nineteenth century New Zealand. Frontier living, limited prospects for work outside the hotels and bars serving rough and tumble gold miners, constant badgering from her new husband's mining partners: young Rose faces it all. Her destiny keeps her on the move and constantly on edge as her HEA proves more elusive with every new twist. I loved the geographical and the historical setting.
But, for me, the strongest draw was the human drama between Rose, her rescuer Will, their photographer friend Fraser and Will's mining partner Robbie. Will, my favorite of the group, is a heroic, self-sacrificing figure from the moment he is introduced. He's definitely not without faults but he is trying his best to overcome them while making a secure home and future for Rose.
Although the denouement of the book was brief and ended on a bit of a whimper, the journey there was exciting, informative and a really enjoyable read.
Thanks to Hodder Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
4-4.5🌟 stars
With lots of action and movement between a Scottish, New Zealand and Australian historical setting, I really got caught up in this tale of hardship and survival of a young Australian woman sent off in disgrace to the gold fields of nineteenth century New Zealand. Frontier living, limited prospects for work outside the hotels and bars serving rough and tumble gold miners, constant badgering from her new husband's mining partners: young Rose faces it all. Her destiny keeps her on the move and constantly on edge as her HEA proves more elusive with every new twist. I loved the geographical and the historical setting.
But, for me, the strongest draw was the human drama between Rose, her rescuer Will, their photographer friend Fraser and Will's mining partner Robbie. Will, my favorite of the group, is a heroic, self-sacrificing figure from the moment he is introduced. He's definitely not without faults but he is trying his best to overcome them while making a secure home and future for Rose.
Although the denouement of the book was brief and ended on a bit of a whimper, the journey there was exciting, informative and a really enjoyable read.
Thanks to Hodder Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.
February 13, 2021
I have loved all of Sarah Maine’s books so I was seriously excited when this one appeared on the bookshop shelf! Alas, I was a bit disappointed. It was written well, and the settings in New Zealand and Scotland were vivid and atmospheric as always, but I found the storyline of this one a little too depressing for me.
It’s 1866 and Will Stewart flees to the gold fields of New Zealand to escape his hopeless lot in Scotland. When a ship is wrecked off the shore of his new home, he risks his life to save a woman clinging to debris in the waves. The woman is Rose, who has been sent over from Melbourne to fend for herself after being seduced by her employer’s son. The two seem fated for each other, but when a fistfight results in a terrible misunderstanding they are separated and Will is left scrambling across oceans to find her.
The book captures the experience of the influx of migrants crossing the seas to Australia, NZ and Canada in the late 1800s in search of the next big gold rush. The settings are therefore bleak and gritty, and certainly not as beautiful as in Maine’s other books (until of course they reach the Highlands of Scotland!). Will and Rose are lovely though; it’s just their circumstances and some of the other characters I found hard to stomach!
It’s 1866 and Will Stewart flees to the gold fields of New Zealand to escape his hopeless lot in Scotland. When a ship is wrecked off the shore of his new home, he risks his life to save a woman clinging to debris in the waves. The woman is Rose, who has been sent over from Melbourne to fend for herself after being seduced by her employer’s son. The two seem fated for each other, but when a fistfight results in a terrible misunderstanding they are separated and Will is left scrambling across oceans to find her.
The book captures the experience of the influx of migrants crossing the seas to Australia, NZ and Canada in the late 1800s in search of the next big gold rush. The settings are therefore bleak and gritty, and certainly not as beautiful as in Maine’s other books (until of course they reach the Highlands of Scotland!). Will and Rose are lovely though; it’s just their circumstances and some of the other characters I found hard to stomach!
December 14, 2020
Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.
4.5 stars
I would said it is well-written. I used to stumbled upon on this kind of story. Love and betrayal. This can be consider romantic genre but nonetheless it is not that so romantic. It's nice to learn on what happened in New Zealand of 19th century. Some historical background were provided.
Because of the plot situation just get worse and worst that made me read non-stop. I need to know more on what's going on after that. It also reminds me of soap opera on TV too which I like to watch. I really love Rose. She is definitely a strong woman and also deserved better. She needs to have a complete family ! But what to do, in 19th century was a tough time.
Somehow this story reminds me of one of romantic genre that I used to read, it's only lack of romance which is fine since it is not for romance genre. This book is literally wants to describe the life of white people in Australia and New Zealand which they were generally came from Europe and a little bit of spice, which was the drama.
4.5 stars
I would said it is well-written. I used to stumbled upon on this kind of story. Love and betrayal. This can be consider romantic genre but nonetheless it is not that so romantic. It's nice to learn on what happened in New Zealand of 19th century. Some historical background were provided.
Because of the plot situation just get worse and worst that made me read non-stop. I need to know more on what's going on after that. It also reminds me of soap opera on TV too which I like to watch. I really love Rose. She is definitely a strong woman and also deserved better. She needs to have a complete family ! But what to do, in 19th century was a tough time.
Somehow this story reminds me of one of romantic genre that I used to read, it's only lack of romance which is fine since it is not for romance genre. This book is literally wants to describe the life of white people in Australia and New Zealand which they were generally came from Europe and a little bit of spice, which was the drama.
September 23, 2022
If you love historical fiction, and are a fan of the likes of Stacey Hall and Bridget Collins then check this out.
Starting in 1866, New Zealand, the narrative splits between Will, a digger joining the gold rush and seeking to make a fortune, and Rose, a young woman whose passage to NZ was paid for and arranged by her baby daddy's family after falling pregnant out of wedlock. The pair meet for the first time in the beginning few pages as Rose's boat shipwrecks and Will saves her from drowning. Oh, how dramatic 🥺 Rose suffers a miscarriage and her future may lead to the unsavory as she has very little to her name. Will is determined to save her in every way and the two form an initially unsteady alliance, which eventually becomes something more meaningful. Fate rips them apart and the story details Will's search for Rose, who's in the dark. Even more drama ensures.
I found it to be a nice romantic story, and I loved the settings, covering NZ, Australia and Scotland, making a change from Victorian England. I found the ending satisfactory and the will-they-won't-they twists kept me hooked. Not a taxing read and had enough drama to keep the pages turning.
Starting in 1866, New Zealand, the narrative splits between Will, a digger joining the gold rush and seeking to make a fortune, and Rose, a young woman whose passage to NZ was paid for and arranged by her baby daddy's family after falling pregnant out of wedlock. The pair meet for the first time in the beginning few pages as Rose's boat shipwrecks and Will saves her from drowning. Oh, how dramatic 🥺 Rose suffers a miscarriage and her future may lead to the unsavory as she has very little to her name. Will is determined to save her in every way and the two form an initially unsteady alliance, which eventually becomes something more meaningful. Fate rips them apart and the story details Will's search for Rose, who's in the dark. Even more drama ensures.
I found it to be a nice romantic story, and I loved the settings, covering NZ, Australia and Scotland, making a change from Victorian England. I found the ending satisfactory and the will-they-won't-they twists kept me hooked. Not a taxing read and had enough drama to keep the pages turning.
January 15, 2021
I enjoyed this book but wasn’t as captivated as I expected it to be.
Will Stewart leaves Scotland to go to New Zealand and meets with Robbie who becomes his partner in the gold mines of New Zealand.
Will rescues Rose from a shipwreck and seems to like her. She ends up working in a hotel but to pay her way she may have to do something she doesn’t want to. Will asks her to marry him to save her from this way of work she doesn’t want to do.
Will & Robbie end up joining forces with another lot of gold miners and they work together but Will also starts to build a cabin for him and Rose. Rose starts working with Fraser who is a photographer. Rose moves to the g9ld mine where Will is. Somethings happen and Rose ends up with another man who then go to Melbourne leaving New Zealand and then eventually end up in Scotland.
I found the book good in places but sometimes it was a bit long winded. Thank you for letting me read it.
Will Stewart leaves Scotland to go to New Zealand and meets with Robbie who becomes his partner in the gold mines of New Zealand.
Will rescues Rose from a shipwreck and seems to like her. She ends up working in a hotel but to pay her way she may have to do something she doesn’t want to. Will asks her to marry him to save her from this way of work she doesn’t want to do.
Will & Robbie end up joining forces with another lot of gold miners and they work together but Will also starts to build a cabin for him and Rose. Rose starts working with Fraser who is a photographer. Rose moves to the g9ld mine where Will is. Somethings happen and Rose ends up with another man who then go to Melbourne leaving New Zealand and then eventually end up in Scotland.
I found the book good in places but sometimes it was a bit long winded. Thank you for letting me read it.
January 28, 2022
ENJOYABLE, BUT NOT BELIEVABLE
•
This book is, at first, set in New Zealand during the gold rush which is a big reason I wanted to read it. It starts off really gripping - how Will and Rose meet, gritty depictions of gold rush town & the diggers - and Maine does a great job of building the tension as you sense something bad will happen and keep turning the page to find out what. But then for me it fell flat. Although technically the action increases, the characters reactions just didn’t seem believable! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but Rose’s response to what happens to her to me was so disappointing; likewise the friendship Will develops seemed so unlikely.
This story had potential, but after the first third I found myself getting frustrated at character decisions and stuck around mainly to see if Will would get his happy ending.
•
This book is, at first, set in New Zealand during the gold rush which is a big reason I wanted to read it. It starts off really gripping - how Will and Rose meet, gritty depictions of gold rush town & the diggers - and Maine does a great job of building the tension as you sense something bad will happen and keep turning the page to find out what. But then for me it fell flat. Although technically the action increases, the characters reactions just didn’t seem believable! I don’t want to give any spoilers, but Rose’s response to what happens to her to me was so disappointing; likewise the friendship Will develops seemed so unlikely.
This story had potential, but after the first third I found myself getting frustrated at character decisions and stuck around mainly to see if Will would get his happy ending.
November 12, 2022
Alchemy and Rose – Sarah Maine it is 1866 Will Stewart is one of many who have fled their old lives to seek their fortune in the gold rush in New Zealand. The conditions are hard and life is brutal. Rose is about to land on the South Island when a storm hits and the ship is wrecked, Will is on the shore and sees someone clinging to some wreckage so he jumps in and saves her. They then seem to be drawn together and for a while it seems that everything is going their way. Then a terrible misunderstanding happens and they are separated, Rose thinks Will is dead, she has to makes choices and decisions for her and the baby. Will desperately tries to find Rose, but she is no longer in control of where she goes, Will they ever be reunited. I enjoyed the this story and finding gold might sound glamorous but life in the gold fields sounds rough.
April 22, 2021
Life in the late 1800’s was harsh especially in the goldfields. Add to this mix lost love, traitors and misunderstandings and there you have it. Will has fled Scotland for New Zealand and later rescues Rose from a stormy sea. A tantalising cover leads the reader into this adventure. Great descriptions of what life was like back then, doing those things in a new country. But the same sort of characters have turned up - eg a hard “madam” with her eye on the main chance, people you trust but shouldn’t so it’s as if you’ve already read the book before so therefore predictable. Then there are all the coincidences! I liked it but not as much as The House Between Tides. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2021
Essentially a (somewhat melodramatic) romance, but beautifully evocative of New Zealand’s West Coast, which I know well, and with some interesting glimpses of Melbourne & Sydney in colonial times. There is some of the feeling of Eleanor Catton’s 2013 Booker prize winning novel The Luminaries, in the atmosphere evoked and the cast of characters.
Sarah Maine has developed a compelling narrative with solid, convincing characters. The narrative drive essentially eschews loftier considerations apart from some brief references to the importance of art and mild discussion of race and gender in colonial times. Nonetheless, it’s a very pleasant and diverting world in which to spend a day escaping from everyday life.
Sarah Maine has developed a compelling narrative with solid, convincing characters. The narrative drive essentially eschews loftier considerations apart from some brief references to the importance of art and mild discussion of race and gender in colonial times. Nonetheless, it’s a very pleasant and diverting world in which to spend a day escaping from everyday life.
October 9, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I listened to the audio version and it was great. Story takes place mostly in Hokitika, the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, and then Melbourne and Scotland. The story was exciting and the characters were very believable. One character "Robbie" so reminded me of Stephen Bonnet, the Irish smuggler and pirate from "Outlander" TV series. This character was so real that I wanted to throw something at him or slap his face or even stab or beat him to death. Such a smarmy, cruel, evil man. He was great! Mind you, so were all the others.
I read Elanor Catton's "The Luminaries" and liked it but, for me, this book Alchemy and Rose beats it, hands down, for a yarn much easier to read and understand and much more exciting. Go for it!
I read Elanor Catton's "The Luminaries" and liked it but, for me, this book Alchemy and Rose beats it, hands down, for a yarn much easier to read and understand and much more exciting. Go for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 13, 2022
"it's portrayal of life in a gold-rush town is vivid and Rose's story is absorbing"
I found the beginning of this book to be a bit slow and wordy. However once Rose began to blossom (no pun intended!) as a character I got hooked. It is a very well spun story and the characters were all very unique.
I only give this 4 stars because there were some points I was getting frustrated with how things were just constantly going WRONG. And because the ending came too abruptly, leaving me wanting more and wishing for a sequel. Which there easily can be a sequel.
Also I base my 5 star ratings for books that bump my previous #1 book down to #2.
All in all, this was a good story, full of emotion and action. I'm glad I read it!
I found the beginning of this book to be a bit slow and wordy. However once Rose began to blossom (no pun intended!) as a character I got hooked. It is a very well spun story and the characters were all very unique.
I only give this 4 stars because there were some points I was getting frustrated with how things were just constantly going WRONG. And because the ending came too abruptly, leaving me wanting more and wishing for a sequel. Which there easily can be a sequel.
Also I base my 5 star ratings for books that bump my previous #1 book down to #2.
All in all, this was a good story, full of emotion and action. I'm glad I read it!
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