Finding Rose

by Julie Ryan

When three sisters, Ginny, Sally and Molly are brought together at their father’s hospital bed, they are forced to confront not only the prospect of a future without him but also the secrets of the past that have kept them apart.Their father, Eddie Matthews, drugged up on morphine, seems to be rambling but could he in fact be reliving previous lives as a Tudor monk and as a soldier on the Front in WW1? Struggling to speak he reveals that he has a secret and urges his daughters to ‘Find Rose’. Can the sisters put aside their differences to fulfil his last wish?

273 pages, Paperback

Published October 22, 2018

About the author

Julie Ryan was born in a small mining village in South Yorkshire. Not venturing too far from home, she studied French Language and Literature at Hull University, where she also trained as a teacher. Then the wanderlust kicked in and she lived and worked in France, Poland, Thailand and Greece. This broadening of the mind has had an enormous impact on her writing. She now lives in rural Gloucestershire with her husband, son and two cats. She is a bookaholic with a one-click addiction.
Her Greek Island Mystery series includes 'Jenna's Journey' newly republished by Booktrope , 'Sophia's Secret' and 'Pandora's Prophecy'. Each can be read as a standalone.

Reviews

[Jéssica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been quite amaze at all the amazing books I have been reading, and every one of them had a different tone in the writing style, a creative plot and theme of the storyline, an amazing flow that took me on different adventures each time. This book was another one of those books that made me happy I got to read it, because it surprised me.

After reading the blurb I knew I was going on an adventure with the three sisters, trying to discover with them the answers behind the mysteries and following all the information that's unfolding. So I was quite excited when I started reading and the novel was told in various points of view and jumped through different time periods.

The present day does indeed center around those three sisters and their day-to-day life and their journey through trying to understand everything their father told them. And I liked the sisters and I could connect with them in some ways, but for me the real wonder was reading about the other time periods. From modern times to World War I to Tudor England... it was fascinating and each sub-storyline had it's own set of engaging characters that made me even more curious to read one more page, chapter after chapter.

It was an emotional book, full of brilliant moments, with vivid descriptions and characters, in a writing style that made the book unexpected, enjoyable and refreshing.

[I want to thank Rachel, at Rachel’s Random Resources, and Julie for the eCopy of this book and for allowing me to join in the fun and by being a part of the blog tour with my honest review of the book.]

[Darque Dreamer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding Rose was a beautiful, heartfelt story about life, love, loss, struggle, and learning to appreciate what’s right in front of you. It had beauty and intrigue, and even a little mystery. It was very emotional and captivating.

I loved getting the story about the three sisters and their struggles with, not only dealing with their father’s sickness and impending passing, but with their own complicated lives and relationships. Each character was unique, interesting, and realistic. I also loved getting the time jumps back to the 1500’s AND the early 1900’s. Those jumps in themselves were quite intriguing, and they were woven in so well with the current time period of the book.

This one was very well done. It was a quick read, but had a lot of sustenance to it. Each detail made the story come to life, and the writing was very vivid and elegant. What adored the most was the message of the importance of family and sisterhood. I’d definitely recommend it to anyone who enjoys meaningful contemporary’s with some interesting twists.

Thank you to Rachel’s Random Resources and the author for providing me with this free e-copy in exchange for my honest review and as part of the blog tour.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always a total pushover for a book with a couple of timelines, but I was particularly spoilt with this one because there are three! I particularly liked the present day story, three sisters at their dying father’s bedside, the issues of their pasts not forgotten, their day-to-day lives so very different and so well described. Their father’s words – initially thought to be drug-induced nonsense, but his instruction to “find Rose” totally clear – begins a search that changes lives, with an unusual emerald ring as the catalyst.

And I very much liked the theme of past lives and echoes from the past, with fascinating stories unfolding in Tudor England around the dissolution of the monasteries, and on the home front during the First World War. It’s not very often that a book opens in a smelly toilet in the 1530s, but I rather liked it, and the story that followed – unquestionably history-lite, but very well done. But I was more taken with the WW1 story – the horrors of the front and the waste of life, the insight into the dangerous lives of the canary girls, the very touching relationships that developed and were torn apart.

The whole is very well done, the storylines nicely tangled and sorted, and the outcome well plotted and quite unexpected – and it’s a really enjoyable read. I actually read it in a single sitting – total escapism on a wet Bank Holiday weekend, set aside at the end with a sigh of satisfaction. Very well written, and refreshingly different – I really enjoyed it.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotional story of three sisters, Ginny, Sally and Molly.  Their dad is dying, and he doesn’t have much time.  The sisters haven’t really got on in the past few years, but they are now forced to spend time together while they sit and wait.  They also all have their own personal issues going on and they find that these and being back together is causing a bigger strain on their relationships.  Whilst waiting, their father tells them to ‘find Rose’.  Assuming it to be morphine-induced ramblings, this instruction leads them on a search that will change their lives.  The story switches timeframes from Tudor England, to the First World War and finally ending in present day.

I was asked if I wanted to fill the last remaining slot of the Blog Tour for this book by the Blog Tour organiser, Rachel.  I have to be honest and say the cover didn’t really strike me as something I would have normally chosen, but the blurb sounded interesting so I said yes!  I really didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, in fact once I started it I was hooked!

This story was very emotional and it did have me in tears for most of the book!  I could relate to the sisters story with my dad passing away after a short illness, and it brought back so many memories of sitting around hospital beds and endless cups of coffee.  This part of the story was obviously heart-breaking and really pulled at the heartstrings, but nestled in between was two stories from other times, one from Tudor times and another set around the First World War.  Initially I wondered how on earth these three stories could connect to each other, but by the time you get to the end you realise how.  The connection was all cleverly done and it had me gripped to the page, to the point that I had lost track of everything going on around me!

A very enjoyable (and very sad) story, but I was so glad I read it.  It does go to show that you do not have to be a multi-million bestseller author to write a very good book!  This author had an original storyline, captivating writing and wrote a book which kept me gripped until the very last page. A beautiful story, thank you!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m always filled with a little trepidation when I enter a time-slip book but I couldn’t resist the cover of this one, just look at that beautiful hair. So I figured if one of the characters looked like that then there must be some hope. Who says covers don’t work!?

Spread across a wide time era this is a book with substance and will keep the reader engrossed throughout. Even the Tudor period which I wasn’t particularly looking forward to managed to capture my imagination.

Present day sister’s having to confront their father’s demise and listen to all his near death ramblings, how much was reality and who was Rose? My favourite bits were definitely around WW1, so many facts meant I learned a few things as well but it isn’t so bogged down with history that it forgets the main elements.

I found Finding Rose to be a most enjoyable story, full of compassion, intrigue and secrets. Above all it reinforces the importance of honesty and keeping family close. Fabulous writing from this author the descriptions pulled me into the settings and I was able to appreciate the fascinating aspects of time.

This deserves to be enjoyed by multi genre readers because there is something for everybody. Thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel at Random Resources. I read and reviewed voluntarily.

[Mary Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

FINDING ROSE
AN INTRIGUING AND ENTHRALLING READ

I so enjoyed this book. My title says it all. FINDING ROSE is intriguing and enthralling from the first to the last page.

This is three books in one as Julie effortlessly takes you into the lives of three families of three centuries - the 1500's - the 1900's and the present day. And in each you have a real sense of the era.

Each family has a gripping story -

Mary, Rose and a mystery monk of the 1500's

Mathew and Rose of the First World War

And the dying Eddie and his daughters, Sally, Molly and Ginny of the present day.

There is a link between each of their lives and the lives of the present day family - The finding of the the thread that binds them is triggered by Eddie's last words - 'Find Rose.'

These words send his daughters on a mission of discovery - what they find out is so unexpected, but their journey has an impact on their strained sibling relationship.

We take a journey with each one too, as they unravel heir own personal, emotional lives, and loves.

All of the characters are richly drawn and their issues are sensitively handled.

IF YOU HAVE EVER ENJOYED BARBARA ERSKINE OR PAMELA HARTSHORNE - YOU WILL SO ENJOY JULIE RYAN - HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told from various viewpoints and over several different time periods, this is a wonderful tangled tale about a family mystery. The present day viewpoint centers around three sisters sadly awaiting the passing of their father. Life has taken each of them down different paths but present moment's events cause them to spend time in each other's company.
Told with great compassion and emotional turmoil, this story will draw you in, each time period having its own appeal.
Elements that connect the time period include the name Rose and a special emerald ring.

This book will be fascinating to readers of historical fiction, women's fiction, family dramas, and mysteries. It was hard to put this book down.

[Hannelore Cheney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
An immensely good read, FINDING ROSE takes place in three timelines: the 1500's, WWI and today. Three sisters attend their father at his deathbed, where his last words are: 'find Rose'.
As they embark on research trying to solve this puzzle, they end up finding answers that are remarkable, changing their lives in wonderful ways.
Was their father a monk in Tudor 's England and a soldier during WWI? And who is or was Rose? The answers will irrevocably change their lives in wonderful ways.
I loved this book, it's a grown-up fairytale that took me out of myself. I liked the characters and thoroughly empathized with them all. Highly recommended!

[Jenny O'Brien · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book. A tale of three sisters drawn into a tale of intrigue and romance by the confused garbles of their dying father’s bedside. Is it truth or lies? A multi-layered time slip tale that is beautifully written. As a reader I like a good plot. As an author I admire and appreciate great writing in others. This book has both. Well done, Julie.

[Booklover BEV · Rating 5 out of 5]

sisters Ginny,Sally and Molly, at their fathers bedside he's asking to find rose. this book has it all. i especially enjoyed the ww1 story in this book, it goes back and forth finding out different things and all that happened in the past. i actually found myself just saying just one more chapter,a well written book by this author that i would thoughly recommend. I LOVED IT

[J.B (Debbie) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must admit to being a bit confused when I first read the blurb to this. And then, I became fascinated by the entire concept of someone living a past life. I'm really glad I gave this book a chance because I did enjoy it. The three sisters in the book do not have a great relationship. But, being brought together around their father's death bed almost forces them to confront the issues that brought them to this point in their lives. Three very different people, each with their own issues, unified by the imminent death of their father. However, when their father starts to talk about people they've never heard of, things take a rather strange turn and the sisters soon find things taking a very different path for them and might this just be what finally brings them together once more?

Julie Ryan has handled the different timelines beautifully. While set in different historical periods, the story doesn't become at all confusing. In fact I found it totally intriguing. This book is a great example of how to write a novel in multiple timelines well! It doesn't feel like a history lesson but more like a mystery that makes it very difficult to put down and draws the reader into the lives of the people involved. The reader becomes invested in the characters and their situation. Some of the scenes were quite harrowing such as the WW1 story. Julie Ryan has captured the true horrors of war and the effect on people's lives and relationships.

The author's writing is excellent as always. I'm a real Julie Ryan fan and she doesn't disappoint with this book. The book is well paced and has enough clues thrown in to keep you desperate to solve exactly what is going on. This is a real story with a twist with a whole host of interesting characters and scenarios. This book just has that little bit of something that makes it hard to put down. I really don't want to say too much more for fear of giving the story away with spoilers, suffice to say I loved it. A highly recommended read from me.

[Nicola Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is it bad that the first thing that drew me to this book was the cover image? I'm seriously coveting that hair! But a very close second was the blurb which intrigued me so much. I thought the idea of a man on his deathbed, possibly reliving his lives as a Tudor monk and as a WW1 soldier, sounded fascinating.

We have three sisters, Ginny, Sally, Molly. There are the usual sibling dynamics, with Ginny, as the eldest, being quite dominant. Molly, the youngest is fairly submissive, whilst Sally, as the middle child, ends up trying to please everyone. When the book begins their dad, Eddie, is in hospital and is expected to pass away fairly soon. But it's clear something is preying on his mind and his final words are that the sisters should "find Rose".

This present day storyline is the most prominent but we also follow the story of William and Rose in Tudor times, and Matthew and Rosie in 1916. The first half of the book is scene setting, introducing all the threads and letting them run alongside each other. It's only later that they are weaved together and we get to know how they are all linked, and it's only then that the sisters set about finding Rose.

I thought this was an excellent read, a story of family with an ending that surprised me. I read it in a day and found it such an easy read, and a compelling one. It's much more about the sisters and their lives than I expected. I did expect the three strands to be more linked, but it all came together in the end quite splendidly.

If you're after a time slip or historical novel then this isn't it. What this is is a book about relationships, finding yourself, repairing fractured connections, with hints of the past coming into play. I thought it was warm-hearted and a really satisfying read.

[Caroline Venables · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting book told from many points of view.  The story follows three sisters and how they cope with the impending death of their father.  No longer close they all think their own lives, are not as good as those of the other siblings.  It takes this family tragedy for them to realise that they all have their secrets.
Interwoven with this story, are two others.  One is that of a monk in 1539 who survives his monastery being burnt down.  He is left with nothing but a ring.  The other is that of Matthew a young man who lies about his age to get enlisted to fight in the first World War.  Injured, he returns home, struggling to cope with his memories and loss.  How do these two stories link to the three sisters and their father?  Has their dad been keeping secrets from them?  What will they do when he urges them to ‘Find Rose’?  Weighed down by their own lives will Rose prove to be the biggest secret of all?

[KT · Rating 4 out of 5]

The possibility of the novel involving past lives caught my eye. It is a topic I am intrigued by so I was eager to read when I was offered an advanced copy by Rachel's Random Resources. I was not disappointed. From the beginning I was drawn into the all the three stories – the present with the sisters coping with their father’s declining health and their complex relationships, the lives of those in 16th century and the horrors of World War One – making me read chapter after chapter. I cared for all the characters in the different timelines and was eager to know the answers to the mysteries the novel revealed as the sister’s dug into their father’s past. Unlike some books with a historical fiction slant it is not a heavy read bogged down with detail but it keeps the magic of the genre. There were moments I will always remember and facts from the past I never knew. It is a beautiful, heartfelt tale of love, acceptance and reflection.
The subjects touched by the book would make it a perfect book for discussions in book clubs.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think the premise of this book was OK, but I don't think it was well executed. The "is he reliving past lives" question was never resolved, or if it was I totally missed it.
Unfortunately the poor spelling, lack of punctuation, completely wrong words, poor grammar and the changing between American and British spelling was a big distraction. If spellcheck is going to be used then it still needs proofreading. More than once the words "from" and "form" were mixed up. "Vigorous" is not spelled "vigourous" which happened more than once. There was even a mix up of character names where "Ruth" came into the story instead of "Rosemary".
This book could do with a serious edit.
I read this courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[BranDee Wenzl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Finding Rose is a story that revolves around three sisters and their father who is dying. It tells the story through three different timelines, taking you to different places in time. I found the writing a little choppy and a few times hard to follow. I felt the characters could have been more developed. In general it was a good concept and it had a good message of living life and being grateful for what is right in front of you. I did feel like there could have been more to the story.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three sister, Ginny, Molly and Sally are there for their dad as he is dying. They have not always been there for each other but this is the time they need to put aside their problems and help dad. He keeps asking them to find Rose and they do not have a clue who that could be so decide he is just not himself. The story takes us into the problems each of the girls have and what broke up their close life growing up. Can they solve the mystery? Can they repair the close relationship they once had?

[Cherry London · Rating 3 out of 5]

A heartfelt story, as Siblings do bed vigil at their father’s bedside as they watched him succumb to the fatal disease that took him away. I, find the flashbacks to the past a bit too much, I got lost in between at times. This was a rather interesting and puzzling tale, with a hidden secret that ended up to be a great surprise for the girls.

[C bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

good solid well written read. I liked.

[Kivalina Mauck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Rose . This book starts out with 3 sisters and their Dad in a Hospital . Dad is dying. They are listening to him mutter things about his life. He says something about a brother they never knew and a girl Rose they have no idea who she is His last words are Find Rose. When cleaning out his stuff and they find his diary they find out they had a Sister given away . They do find Rose in a strange way.
This is a very good book. I liked it very much and recommend it,