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A troubled concert pianist searches for a new inspiration among the hidden back hallways of Carnegie Hall in bestselling author Fiona Davis’s bold short story of artistic ambition in 1950s New York.

World-renowned pianist Gloria Banderas is at the height of her career when a curious ailment forces her to cancel a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall. The same day, she befriends one of the many free-spirited artists inhabiting the warren of apartments above the theater. With her career and marriage at a standstill, Gloria moves into an empty studio and convalesces among the poets, photographers, and dancers who eke out a living with total dedication to their art. As a return to her old routine beckons, Gloria must decide which parts of her life are worth fighting for.

Fiona Davis’s A Wild Rose is part of A Point in Time, a transporting collection of stories about the pivotal moments, past and present, that change lives. Read or listen to each immersive story in a single sitting.

36 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 28, 2022

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About the author

Fiona Davis

13 books9,201 followers
Fiona Davis is the New York Times bestselling author of several historical fiction novels set in iconic New York City buildings, including The Stolen Queen, The Magnolia Palace, The Address, and The Lions of Fifth Avenue, which was a Good Morning America book club pick. Her novels have been chosen as “One Book, One Community” reads and her articles have appeared in publications like The Wall Street Journal and Oprah magazine.

She first came to New York as an actress, but fell in love with writing after getting a master's degree at Columbia Journalism School. Her books have been translated into over twenty languages and she's based in New York City.

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5 stars
783 (26%)
4 stars
1,026 (35%)
3 stars
870 (29%)
2 stars
200 (6%)
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37 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
Profile Image for MarilynW.
1,891 reviews4,385 followers
March 26, 2023
A Wild Rose (A Point in Time #5)
by Fiona Davis, narrated by Lisa Flanagan

World-renowned pianist Gloria Banderas can hardly go any higher with her career. She's at the point where she is performing all the time at all the most coveted places. She has the career that others can only dream of having. But now her body is rebelling in a way that makes playing the piano to perfection impossible.

Before her latest performance, Gloria is practicing in Carnegie Hall when she meets an extraordinary ballerina. This ballerina invites her to the warren of apartments above Carnegie Hall. There Gloria meets the most amazing people who are living in the most humble of conditions while they pursue whatever art that means the most to them. Here Gloria will live while her body hopefully heals, leaving her husband and her career behind, knowing her spirt is what is healing, too.

At some point Gloria must make a choice. To get back on the path of fame and pressure or to be true to the music in her heart, paving a new path that has more meaning to her. Glamour, glitz, or happiness with less.

This story takes on even more of a punch with the author's note about Carnegie Hall, the warren of apartments, and the real life famous artists that lived in those apartments at some time in their lives. I definitely want to read more about Carnegie Hall's history when it comes to the apartments above it.

Pub July 28, 2022

This short story is a Kindle Unlimited audiobook selection from the A Point in Time collection.
Profile Image for Rosh ~catching up slowly~.
2,377 reviews4,893 followers
April 24, 2023
In a Nutshell: An interesting short story but would have worked far better in a longer format.

Story Synopsis:
Gloria Banderas, a world-renowned pianist, is at the peak of her career, moving from one venue to another and one show to another. However, a strange ailment forces her to cancel on a special performance at Carnegie Hall, on what would have been the twentieth anniversary of her debut. As she is fiddling around on the piano in the hall the night before the performance, she meets a woman who lives above the theatre in the apartments meant for artists alone. With her career facing a question mark and her marriage too verging on uncertainty avenues, Gloria moves into an empty studio apartment above the theatre. Her interactions with the other resident artists make her question what’s important in life – career & fame or personal satisfaction.


At 36 pages long, this is a quick read. Keeping in spirit with the theme of the ‘A Point in Time’ collection, this tale also features a specific moment when the central character’s life pivots in a different direction. However, of the three stories I have read so far in this collection, this was the weakest in terms of impact, though it still provided plenty of points to ponder upon.

I enjoyed Gloria’s confusion over her life choices, as well as the free spirited artists who lives in the apartments above Carnegie Hall in the 1950s. (I never knew that there were residential facilities available about the famed theatre.) The quandary between career and personal satisfaction from an art is also touched upon interestingly.

At the same time, there are too many characters in this little tale who are interesting but cannot be explored in detail, simply because of the format of the story. The ending left me feeling as if I would have enjoyed knowing them better, but alas!

The author’s note at the end provides further details on Carnegie Hall and the many illustrious names it provided a shelter too in the 1950s. Having a novel based on this unknown aspect of Carnegie Hall would make for an entertaining read.

I haven’t read any novel by this author, but based on this little story, I think I would love to try her full-length historical fiction novels in future.

A one-time read, but not a must-read.

3 stars.


This is the fifth story from the ‘A Point in Time’ collection, available for free to Amazon Prime subscribers.




———————————————
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Profile Image for Linda.
1,652 reviews1,703 followers
November 6, 2022
What if something that ultimately defined you was taken away?

Would you tear through every highway to retrieve it once again? Or would you search for a completely different highway?

Fiona Davis presents a very creative short story as part of the A Point in Time (#5) series of short stories. Though not a big fan of short stories, I've read several in this collection. They need not be read in any particular order.

Davis takes us to New York City in the 1950's where concert pianist, Gloria Banderas, is practicing for that night's piano rendition at Carnegie Hall. Gloria has made the rounds of all the famous auditoriums on the arm of her third husband and manager, Henry.

But Gloria is trying to outrun the cramping in her right hand. It's now become more than just bothersome. It's affecting her performance and the possibility of future performances.

It's here that she meets Adrienne who is a permanent fixture in the apartments in the Hall. Gloria closes the cover to the keyboard. Perhaps she needs time away. Henry is not pleased. What will transpire in the coming months will present Gloria with a myriad of decisions.

Be sure to read the Author's Note at the end which gives readers some insight into the history of Carnegie Hall and its near demise. Through Davis' character of Gloria, we will get a better understanding of New York City in the 1950's and the impact of a weighty decision.
Profile Image for Angela M .
1,456 reviews2,115 followers
August 24, 2022
Fiona Davis writes about New York City buildings of historical significance and about the people who inhabit those buildings also reflecting on the times in which they live. This one is about the studio apartments above Carnegie Hall and the eclectic people who live there. It’s about the connection that a pianist makes with some of them when her career is on hold for a while. Ultimately about what is really important in life. I’ve read two of Davis’ books and I enjoyed this short story the best .

( One of Amazon Original Stories , A Point in Time Collection. All seven stories on kindle + the Audible are included with a Prime membership.)
Profile Image for Magdalena aka A Bookaholic Swede.
2,061 reviews886 followers
January 7, 2023
A Wild Rose is a short story that I would have loved to be longer. I loved reading about Gloria, who finds herself unable to perform and then how she rediscovers what she loves in life and how she reflects on what she wants in life. Sometimes a story doesn't have to be long, but sometimes the characters are so interesting you don't want to turn the last page. I felt that way with this book, despite the satisfying ending.
Profile Image for ♥ Sandi ❣	.
1,637 reviews70 followers
August 16, 2022
3 stars

This is a short novella (36 pages in print form) by Fiona Davis. It is part of the Point in Time digital series from Amazon.

As most people know Davis' mark as an author is to write about buildings, usually making them a character in her books. This being a novella - very short - her building did not come across as easily as in most of her novels. However it was still prominent in the story.

This story was about Carnegie Hall and the studio apartments that were built above the hall. As normal for Davis she also includes a not well known woman who had a prominent standing in the community during the time frame of her story. In this one it is world-renowned pianist Gloria Banderas who moves in, canceling her tour due to a paralysis of two of her fingers. Amongst all the other well known artists, actors, painters and musicians Banderas must decide her future, before they commence to raise Carnegie Hall.
Profile Image for Celia.
1,437 reviews245 followers
January 4, 2024
A Point in Time is a transporting collection of stories about the pivotal moments, past and present, that change lives. Read or listen to each immersive story in a single sitting.

This book is #5 in the series:

I have read 3 and plan to read all 7.

A concert pianist suffers from a debilitating hand condition. How will she solve her problem or if not solvable, live with it?

Fiona Davis is one of my favorite authors. I have read three other of her works and all 4 reads have been 5 stars. Thank you Ms. Davis.

5 stars
Profile Image for Obsidian.
3,230 reviews1,146 followers
December 6, 2022
A Wild Rose by Fiona Davis (4 stars)-This story follows a character named Gloria Banderas who is performing at Carnegie Hall during the 1960s I think. Gloria has a hand injury  though which causes her to cancel a performance and she ends up befriending someone (Adrienne) who lives above the theater. The same day, she befriends one of the many free-spirited artists inhabiting the warren of apartments above the theater. I just thought this one was kind of boring compared to the stories before it. The authors' note was good though. 
Profile Image for Annissa Joy Armstrong.
352 reviews104 followers
July 30, 2022
This short story by Fiona Davis is set at Carnegie Hall and it might be short but it is very powerful story!!

Gloria Banderas is a concert pianist who is to play at Carnegie Hall but she is having problems with one of her hands. She meets some of the people who live in the studios at the top of Carnegie and she begins to see her career and life differently. Will she be able to play again? Does she want to play again?

Great story and make sure you read the Author’s note at the end.
Profile Image for Rebecca Rosenberg.
Author 9 books891 followers
November 19, 2022
What a fine short story

Fiona Davis crafts an exquisite profile of a renown pianist who loses her ability to play. Satisfying Resolution and message!
Profile Image for Sacha.
341 reviews102 followers
November 11, 2022
A Wild Rose by Fiona Davis

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)

That was my second book within the „A Point in Time“-Collection and same as Mother Swamp this book wasn‘t for me either… 😕

World-renowned pianist Gloria Banderas is at the height of her career when a curious ailment forces her to cancel a sold-out performance at Carnegie Hall. The same day, she befriends one of the many free-spirited artists inhabiting the warren of apartments above the theater. With her career and marriage at a standstill, Gloria moves into an empty studio and convalesces among the poets, photographers, and dancers who eke out a living with total dedication to their art. As a return to her old routine beckons, Gloria must decide which parts of her life are worth fighting for.

It was a fast and easy read but other than that there were several issues for me: The beginning went way too fast… I couldn‘t fully understand what her problem was, when she already took action and ran away from her life. And secondly, the whole story seemed a bit unfinished or rather unpolished. It felt like the base for a great story and a lovely book but it was only the framework which had to be filled with more information and more „story“… Besides that it was a sweet short-story which won‘t last very long.

So I can‘t really recommend this story either… 😕
Profile Image for Toni.
821 reviews265 followers
August 1, 2022
Beautiful story of Carnegie Hall's Residents

Fiona Davis, the Queen of Historical Fiction , writes a beautiful short story about the artists of many genres, that lived in the Lofts above Carnegie Hall. She entwines the story of a pianist with troubled hands that is not sure about continuing her career as a concert pianist touring worldwide.

Most notable of the residents for me, was the intrepid photographer, Bill Cunningham, who took hundreds of photos of regular people all over Manhattan, many featured in the NY Times.

When owners of the Hall wanted to sell it to developers who would tear it down for a large office building, the residents and many others protested to save it.

Thank goodness they did.
Profile Image for Kasa Cotugno.
2,755 reviews586 followers
August 20, 2022
Enjoyed this entry in amazon's A Point in Time series. Each of these novellas addresses a matter of importance, and in this case the background of Carnegie Hall and the effect on a prominent pianist of expectations and immersion.
Profile Image for Deborah.
633 reviews103 followers
November 25, 2022
Short stories don’t often make sense to me in that they are more like essays if that 🤷🏼‍♀️This is mostly about musicians - ballerina and pianist. Sounds good but. I took ballet and piano and this still wasn’t interesting to me.
Profile Image for Tracy.
690 reviews55 followers
September 11, 2022
A short story. I liked learning something about Carnegie Hall that I didn't know before....
Profile Image for Stephanie.
423 reviews117 followers
January 12, 2025
3.75 stars

Rather too quick short story about Carnegie Hall and the inhabitants living in the top floor. Historical note that some of these people included Marilyn Monroe and Norman Mailer.

Would love a full book on this as it’s very interesting!
Profile Image for Susie Schnall.
Author 6 books552 followers
August 1, 2022
I love everything Fiona Davis writes. She always finds such fascinating nuggets of history and weaves them into her stories and novels so beautifully!
Profile Image for Dedra ~ A Book Wanderer.
1,113 reviews76 followers
July 28, 2022
While I haven’t read anything by Fiona Davis before this short story, I have several of her books on my TBR and own The Masterpiece. Reading A Wild Rose made me even more excited to pick it up. This fascinating peek into a piece of New York history at Carnegie Hall, brought to life through a compelling story, gave me a glimpse of what Davis can do.

“‘Do you know Camille Saint-Saëns’s The Dying Swan?’

Startled, Gloria Banderas looked up from the Steinway where she’d been grappling her way through Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto. A Middle-aged woman in a stretched-out, feathered tutu emerged from the wings of Carnegie Hall’s darkened stage.”

It’s a tale that wonderfully intertwines history and the emotional story of Gloria as she grapples with the loss of her ability to create. It’s through this loss that she begins to see some of the world around her and the people that make up that world.
Profile Image for Mica's Reads.
542 reviews13 followers
August 6, 2022
Gloria Banderas is a concert pianist at the top of her game until a mysterious ailment stops her hand from working properly. Despite seeing multiple doctors, the problem remains and she resigns herself to never being able to work again. After making friends with the artists who live above Carnegie Hall where she is slated to play, she feels sorry for herself as she tries to determine what to do next with her life. When her husband finds a doctor to get help with her hand issue she reluctantly goes only to realize days later that she is getting better and must decide if she wants to continue to perform or move on to a new life.

Lisa Flanagan did such a wonderful job voicing Gloria as well as her friends at Carnegie. She was a joy to listen to. I have yet to find a Fiona Davis book that I do not like. She wrote a beautiful short story that also would have made an enjoyable full-length novel.
Profile Image for Meg.
2,461 reviews36 followers
August 25, 2022
Another short story highlighting the artist's lofts at Carnegie Hall and the saving of the hall from demolition in the 1950's. Told through the story of Gloria, a concert pianist with a sudden hand condition that prevents her from playing, we learn of the artistic and quirky occupants of the Studio Towers. Some are unknown, up and comers and some are just down on their luck while still others are washed up, has-beens. Gloria rents a space for 6 months while she tries to sort out her life, decide if she wants to divorce her third husband and figure out how to fix her hand. Eventually the fix comes in the form of an injection of botulism and she is elated until her debilitating stage fright kicks into high gear at her first performance. She decides that the beauty of music is in the playing, not the performing, so she ends her concert career.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Bibliophileverse.
701 reviews43 followers
August 28, 2022
A Point In Time is a collection of some amazing short stories. If I talk about my favorite story, then it would be Landing by Olivia Hawker. The plot has emotions, responsibility and love for family. Other stories are also good, it was just that some of them had a very complex ending. Although, the characters are lovely. But, still the book is not meant to skip. And, the best part is you can finish the book within a day.

I would like to give the book 4 stars. Thanks to the authors for providing me an opportunity to read and review the book.

Read more on bibliophileverse.blogspot.com
Profile Image for Tanja Walker.
273 reviews
September 13, 2025
Gloria is a world renowned pianist in the 1950s whose Carnegie Hall concert—and career—are in jeopardy as two of her fingers quit working. As she contemplates what to do, she finds out about the studio apartments upstairs in Carnegie Hall and the people living there who befriend her. They convince her to move in, and while there, she starts figuring out what’s important to her.

Like others have said, this probably needed more than 36 pages to be properly told. I did learn that people once lived in Carnegie Hall and that it was once slated for demolition. (Glad that didn’t happen!) A nice, quick read, but not one that is going to stay with me.
Profile Image for Melanie.
2,704 reviews14 followers
January 29, 2025
I would have enjoyed this story as a book. Being inside Carnegie Hall was amazing and to find out there were apartments at one point for artists. Wow! Gloria was an interesting person I would have enjoyed learning more about as well.

How did this story find me? I saw it was available on Audible when I was looking up all of Fiona Davis' work. I saw her in Kansas City on January 12, 2025 thanks to Rainy Day Books. She is amazing to listen to on a book tour.
Profile Image for Jessica.
219 reviews5 followers
July 30, 2022
An interesting historical fiction story about artists living above Carnegie Hall. I enjoyed the artistic character of the artists referenced, but never cared about the main character. My favorite part was the Author’s note at the end which included historical references.

I received a free ebook with audio option and listened to this short story while housecleaning.
Profile Image for Jane.
550 reviews17 followers
October 15, 2022
A snippet in the life of a pianist

A pianist set to perform at Carnegie Hall is having issues with her fingers. This short story tells the struggles a performer feels when they can no longer perform. Is there more than music to her existence she will have to find out. I enjoyed this short story. I am already a fan of Fiona Davis's work.
Profile Image for Sue Boahn.
56 reviews1 follower
July 29, 2022
Love!!!!

Once again Fiona Davis gives us another wonderful story which centers itself around a famous building. This time it was Carnegie Hall. I loved the character Gloria and everything about her story. The decisions she faced concerning her career and her future are ones that many of us face as we get older. A definite must read!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews

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