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The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning
From 18th Century France to 20th Century San Francisco, the Promise of the Rose Crystal both empowered and mystified Grace Moreau and her daughter Rose Wyndham.
They fought for women’s rights, suffered prejudice and conspiracy theorists, and blazed their way through a male-dominated world to define their own roles in society. Through it all they poignantly resisted romantic desire, for if they fell in love the power of the Rose Crystal would be impotent and they - and their lovers - would die.
A romantic adventure spanning 250 years, B. Roman's 'The Immortal Rose Wyndham' is a story where the power of music, and the belief in a purpose greater than oneself, provide the mystery and magic that creates miracles.
The Immortal Rose Wyndham is an inspiring story of women’s empowerment and the personal choices they make to live their own destiny.
They fought for women’s rights, suffered prejudice and conspiracy theorists, and blazed their way through a male-dominated world to define their own roles in society. Through it all they poignantly resisted romantic desire, for if they fell in love the power of the Rose Crystal would be impotent and they - and their lovers - would die.
A romantic adventure spanning 250 years, B. Roman's 'The Immortal Rose Wyndham' is a story where the power of music, and the belief in a purpose greater than oneself, provide the mystery and magic that creates miracles.
The Immortal Rose Wyndham is an inspiring story of women’s empowerment and the personal choices they make to live their own destiny.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 10, 2023
40 people want to read
About the author
B. Roman
15 books118 followersFeel free to contact me on Twitter
@BMoonSinger1
follow me on Facebook
Read about my books at Next Chapter Publishing:
https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/b...
I hope you will enjoy my latest book: "The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning" (Moon Singer Series Book 4) a multi-generational saga about women blazing their way in a male-dominated world to define their own role in society.
For Christmas-themed books that inspire all year long, please look for my two children's books, (under the name Barbara Roman) available in print, e-book and audio book editions:
"Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13." Beautiful illustrations by Vladimir Cebu. A wonderful story of friendship and achieving your star potential through the magic of believing.
"Hubert in Heaven - a hi-tech angel gets his wings" a delightful children's book with a Christmas theme but with a timely and ageless message for all of us.
My latest children's book, "The Prince Who Was A Piccolo" is a metaphorical tale about an unhappy Prince who seeks his own musical identity to save the kingdom from disaster.
Since childhood, I've been torn between two worlds: writing and singing. It's difficult to serve "two masters," as they say, but I was compelled to do so. When I was not singing, I was writing; when I was not writing, I was singing.
I've learned, for me, that one creative expression nurtures the other. Much of my writing has a musical theme somewhere in the plot, or is the plot. Whether it's in my non-fiction writing about the power of music itself, in picture books and stories and, of course, in writing music and lyrics for songs.
It is natural, therefore, that my trilogy of adventures for young readers, "The Moon Singer" series has its roots in musical theories and metaphors,entwined with the magic and mystery of metaphysical concepts and matters of ethics, faith, compassion, love, and heroism.
Most of all, I hope my books inspire readers to know that, whatever their circumstances in life - just as my young "hero" David Nickerson learns - their greatest challenges are opportunities for growth and strength, and that their "disability" can be their greatest gift.
In my long life (won't tell you how long!), my path has gone every which way but straight to my goals, but I believe that my time for dream and soul fulfillment is NOW. Perhaps my books will inspire that belief in you as well.
@BMoonSinger1
follow me on Facebook
Read about my books at Next Chapter Publishing:
https://www.nextchapter.pub/authors/b...
I hope you will enjoy my latest book: "The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning" (Moon Singer Series Book 4) a multi-generational saga about women blazing their way in a male-dominated world to define their own role in society.
For Christmas-themed books that inspire all year long, please look for my two children's books, (under the name Barbara Roman) available in print, e-book and audio book editions:
"Alicia and the Light Bulb People in Star Factory 13." Beautiful illustrations by Vladimir Cebu. A wonderful story of friendship and achieving your star potential through the magic of believing.
"Hubert in Heaven - a hi-tech angel gets his wings" a delightful children's book with a Christmas theme but with a timely and ageless message for all of us.
My latest children's book, "The Prince Who Was A Piccolo" is a metaphorical tale about an unhappy Prince who seeks his own musical identity to save the kingdom from disaster.
Since childhood, I've been torn between two worlds: writing and singing. It's difficult to serve "two masters," as they say, but I was compelled to do so. When I was not singing, I was writing; when I was not writing, I was singing.
I've learned, for me, that one creative expression nurtures the other. Much of my writing has a musical theme somewhere in the plot, or is the plot. Whether it's in my non-fiction writing about the power of music itself, in picture books and stories and, of course, in writing music and lyrics for songs.
It is natural, therefore, that my trilogy of adventures for young readers, "The Moon Singer" series has its roots in musical theories and metaphors,entwined with the magic and mystery of metaphysical concepts and matters of ethics, faith, compassion, love, and heroism.
Most of all, I hope my books inspire readers to know that, whatever their circumstances in life - just as my young "hero" David Nickerson learns - their greatest challenges are opportunities for growth and strength, and that their "disability" can be their greatest gift.
In my long life (won't tell you how long!), my path has gone every which way but straight to my goals, but I believe that my time for dream and soul fulfillment is NOW. Perhaps my books will inspire that belief in you as well.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 17, 2023
An eloquent and meaningful novel
Author B. Roman shares that ‘since childhood, I've been torn between two worlds: writing and singing. Now I do both. (While still working a day job!).’ Roman’s gift for expression of her beliefs she wishes to impart to a young adult audience stem from this combination of music and pen. Her singing is evident in her writing and her philosophy is the bride of both gifts – allowing music to assume flight when words fail. Her Moon Singer series (now that trilogy is superbly augmented with Book 4) has its roots in musical theories and metaphors, entwined with the magic and mystery of metaphysical concepts and matters of ethics, faith, compassion, love, and heroism.
Roman’s lyrical prose provides an overture in the Prologue: ‘A delicate petal from the mystical Hawthorne tree flutters down with the gentleness of a butterfly and brushes her face, then falls to the ground, damp with her tears. “What’s wrong, Mama?” “Nothing is wrong, Dearest,” Grace assures her daughter. “These are tears of joy. Soon, everything will be right. But there will be some changes that may startle and confuse you...’ Having secured our attention, the story launches, distilled by Roman as follows: ‘From 18th Century France to 20th Century San Francisco, the Promise of the Rose Crystal both empowered and mystified Grace Moreau and her daughter Rose Wyndham. They fought for women’s rights, suffered prejudice and conspiracy theorists, and blazed their way through a male-dominated world to define their own roles in society. Through it all they poignantly resisted romantic desire, for if they fell in love the power of the Rose Crystal would be impotent and they - and their lovers - would die.’
Though a successful paranormal fantasy, this fourth volume, written seven years after the ‘trilogy,’ blends the contemporary women’s rights issues into a splendid postscript that deserves attention. Said before, and here repeated, symphonic in structure and in mastery of themes and variations, B. Roman has created a tale for young adults that is not only an uplifting tale but also one with philosophical grounds that should encourage all readers to view life anew. Brava, B. Roman!
Author B. Roman shares that ‘since childhood, I've been torn between two worlds: writing and singing. Now I do both. (While still working a day job!).’ Roman’s gift for expression of her beliefs she wishes to impart to a young adult audience stem from this combination of music and pen. Her singing is evident in her writing and her philosophy is the bride of both gifts – allowing music to assume flight when words fail. Her Moon Singer series (now that trilogy is superbly augmented with Book 4) has its roots in musical theories and metaphors, entwined with the magic and mystery of metaphysical concepts and matters of ethics, faith, compassion, love, and heroism.
Roman’s lyrical prose provides an overture in the Prologue: ‘A delicate petal from the mystical Hawthorne tree flutters down with the gentleness of a butterfly and brushes her face, then falls to the ground, damp with her tears. “What’s wrong, Mama?” “Nothing is wrong, Dearest,” Grace assures her daughter. “These are tears of joy. Soon, everything will be right. But there will be some changes that may startle and confuse you...’ Having secured our attention, the story launches, distilled by Roman as follows: ‘From 18th Century France to 20th Century San Francisco, the Promise of the Rose Crystal both empowered and mystified Grace Moreau and her daughter Rose Wyndham. They fought for women’s rights, suffered prejudice and conspiracy theorists, and blazed their way through a male-dominated world to define their own roles in society. Through it all they poignantly resisted romantic desire, for if they fell in love the power of the Rose Crystal would be impotent and they - and their lovers - would die.’
Though a successful paranormal fantasy, this fourth volume, written seven years after the ‘trilogy,’ blends the contemporary women’s rights issues into a splendid postscript that deserves attention. Said before, and here repeated, symphonic in structure and in mastery of themes and variations, B. Roman has created a tale for young adults that is not only an uplifting tale but also one with philosophical grounds that should encourage all readers to view life anew. Brava, B. Roman!
March 2, 2023
This is a fabulous fantasy tale as it follows the life of the women who wear the Rose Crystal and live for incredible long years as they try to discover the reason they must keep it safe and hand it on to the next one. You follow their lives as they achieve incredible prestige for their times without the benefit of marriage, but the romance and heartbreaks are there. This tale will take you into the twentieth century without divulging its secrets. The author has done a superb job of research and has written a fantastic ending. I had feared this might be a novel for the very young. I am happy to say, I was very wrong.
December 8, 2023
The Immortal Rose Wyndham mixes magical realism and social commentary to recount the praeternaturally long lives of the wearers of a magical stone, which passes - for the duration of this book - down the female line of a prosperous family over a period of two and half centuries.
The demands of the stone's magical powers include that the wearer must eschew romantic love and marriage, which enables the story to illustrate the constraints facing single women throughout this period. In the thrall of the magical stone, the ever-young women at the heart of the story forge lives not defined by marriage and motherhood - though they have their share of yearning as they turn away from the attractions of romantic love.
Instead they build successful businesses on the edges of high society: in fashion, entertainment, gambling... Their careers are peppered with moments of virtuous social principle, but also sometimes cross the line into seedy activities. One woman creates a fashion house which deliberately avoids the toxic dyes which destroyed the lives of many seamstresses during that period - but she also builds up a profitable sideline making alluring frocks for a high class brothel that trafficks child prostitutes. As well as keeping the wearers perpetually young, the stone has the powers to heal or to mitigate the effects of illness - though these powers are only uncertainly understood by the wearers and within the remit of this story used only occasionally, and only to help friends and acquaintances to recover from illnesses or have less painful deaths.
The book is engaging as a standalone - constantly enlivened by colourful incident and sparkling settings, with the mystery of the stone weaving it's magic throughout. It is also a prequel to the Moon Singer series, and will have a particular resonance to readers who have enjoyed those books and know more of the stone's ultimate destiny.
The demands of the stone's magical powers include that the wearer must eschew romantic love and marriage, which enables the story to illustrate the constraints facing single women throughout this period. In the thrall of the magical stone, the ever-young women at the heart of the story forge lives not defined by marriage and motherhood - though they have their share of yearning as they turn away from the attractions of romantic love.
Instead they build successful businesses on the edges of high society: in fashion, entertainment, gambling... Their careers are peppered with moments of virtuous social principle, but also sometimes cross the line into seedy activities. One woman creates a fashion house which deliberately avoids the toxic dyes which destroyed the lives of many seamstresses during that period - but she also builds up a profitable sideline making alluring frocks for a high class brothel that trafficks child prostitutes. As well as keeping the wearers perpetually young, the stone has the powers to heal or to mitigate the effects of illness - though these powers are only uncertainly understood by the wearers and within the remit of this story used only occasionally, and only to help friends and acquaintances to recover from illnesses or have less painful deaths.
The book is engaging as a standalone - constantly enlivened by colourful incident and sparkling settings, with the mystery of the stone weaving it's magic throughout. It is also a prequel to the Moon Singer series, and will have a particular resonance to readers who have enjoyed those books and know more of the stone's ultimate destiny.
February 3, 2025
“What could make life worthwhile when love is forbidden?”
The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning (Book IV) by B. Roman is curious tale of the benefits and troublesome complexities of having eternal life. Grace Moreau, a young Frenchwoman living with her parents at the court of Versailles in 1750, comes into possession of a rose crystal pendant. The crystal gives its bearer the power of healing and immortality – providing the bearer never shares her life, romantically, with anyone. From the first moment we see how Grace suffers under the suspicion of having supernatural powers and the tragic effects of envy as her acquaintances grow old, yet she has not a wrinkle. The story takes the reader through the ‘Terror’ following the French Revolution, across the Channel to England, then on to San Francisco, where, now a centenarian, Grace hands the crystal to her young daughter Rose, who was conceived through rape. In many respects this is a tale of mothers and daughters, but it also includes the plight of much less fortunate women working in the garment industry and on the stage.
The book contains a number of informative sections on historical living conditions, which young people should find of interest, but as an older reader the didactic content distracted me from the other-worldly-ness of the story. I also struggled with anachronistic modern idioms and concepts such as ‘spin’ and ‘networking’. Despite this, the novel is quite an old-fashioned in that it tells a story, giving the reader little chance to form their own opinions. Given that the plot covers two centuries, characters aren’t developed or complex, and we only see the world as it affects Grace and Rose. Nevertheless, this is a curious and interesting chocolate-box read many young women – and not so young – can enjoy.
Jane Harlond - iWIC Reviewer
The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning (Book IV) by B. Roman is curious tale of the benefits and troublesome complexities of having eternal life. Grace Moreau, a young Frenchwoman living with her parents at the court of Versailles in 1750, comes into possession of a rose crystal pendant. The crystal gives its bearer the power of healing and immortality – providing the bearer never shares her life, romantically, with anyone. From the first moment we see how Grace suffers under the suspicion of having supernatural powers and the tragic effects of envy as her acquaintances grow old, yet she has not a wrinkle. The story takes the reader through the ‘Terror’ following the French Revolution, across the Channel to England, then on to San Francisco, where, now a centenarian, Grace hands the crystal to her young daughter Rose, who was conceived through rape. In many respects this is a tale of mothers and daughters, but it also includes the plight of much less fortunate women working in the garment industry and on the stage.
The book contains a number of informative sections on historical living conditions, which young people should find of interest, but as an older reader the didactic content distracted me from the other-worldly-ness of the story. I also struggled with anachronistic modern idioms and concepts such as ‘spin’ and ‘networking’. Despite this, the novel is quite an old-fashioned in that it tells a story, giving the reader little chance to form their own opinions. Given that the plot covers two centuries, characters aren’t developed or complex, and we only see the world as it affects Grace and Rose. Nevertheless, this is a curious and interesting chocolate-box read many young women – and not so young – can enjoy.
Jane Harlond - iWIC Reviewer
January 20, 2023
Having previously read the author's Moon Singer series I was interested to see how this prequel would shape up in relation to the earlier books.
In short, it took my breath away in places as Barbara Roman took me back in time nearly 3 generations in a story that told of love, though unrequited, of personal grief and tragedy, mingled with artistic and musical talent across the years. The magical crystal we would later meet in the Moon Singer books is here, and the gifts it bestows on those who inherit it leads us through the theatre and music halls of pioneering America to a river boat of sheer unadulterated luxury, though in the background there is a terrible jealousy that threatens whoever possesses the crystal, and those they hold dear. This is not just a bit story for young adults, it reaches out to all ages and at times, I could almost feel the power of the crystal, being unable to put the book down late into the night, when I should have been asleep. I felt drawn to go on reading, pulled by the power of the words on the pages. In the end, I felt a great sadness at reaching the book's conclusion. I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time and I wish I could award it more than the five star rating I have given it. I feel sure others will feel as I do, pulled in by the power of the crystal. A wonderful read, and highly impressed and recommended.
In short, it took my breath away in places as Barbara Roman took me back in time nearly 3 generations in a story that told of love, though unrequited, of personal grief and tragedy, mingled with artistic and musical talent across the years. The magical crystal we would later meet in the Moon Singer books is here, and the gifts it bestows on those who inherit it leads us through the theatre and music halls of pioneering America to a river boat of sheer unadulterated luxury, though in the background there is a terrible jealousy that threatens whoever possesses the crystal, and those they hold dear. This is not just a bit story for young adults, it reaches out to all ages and at times, I could almost feel the power of the crystal, being unable to put the book down late into the night, when I should have been asleep. I felt drawn to go on reading, pulled by the power of the words on the pages. In the end, I felt a great sadness at reaching the book's conclusion. I haven't enjoyed a book so much in a long time and I wish I could award it more than the five star rating I have given it. I feel sure others will feel as I do, pulled in by the power of the crystal. A wonderful read, and highly impressed and recommended.
February 10, 2023
The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning (The Moon Singer Book 4) by B. Roman. While this story is categorized as an historical fantasy, I would challenge that as somewhat marginalizing - it's more than that. The story doesn't read like a typical fantasy, in fact, despite the "fantastical" aspect of the Rose Crystal which imparts special powers to the holder, the rest of the story is a fascinating historical ride across a time span of 250 years. It begins with Grace Moreau, who, as a young lady coming of age, receives a crystal from her father as a gift. The father is told by the man who gave it to him as payment for a debt owed, that the crystal gives the holder immortality and other powers of healing, but there's a catch; they can never become romantically involved with anyone, not ever, or the power of the crystal ceases. We live through lifetimes of events as Grace Moreau and later, her daughter, Rose Wyndham, take the reader through twists and turns, romance and "almost" romance, and considerable real-life drama threaded in this well-written story. We see through the eyes of these two women, what life and the world looks like, moreover, what it feels like to cheat death. It leaves one pondering this question: is immortality, on a purely human level, actually a desirable thing, or is it a curse. Read the book - it's a good one.
February 7, 2023
The Immortal Rose Wyndham: The Beginning, by B. Roman
The story is a fantasy about what might have been in France if women had been treated as equals. It takes place after the revolution that removes the monarchy. Trying times for women especially. Very interesting and hard to put down. Many hard choices have to be made and the women are wonderful. Barbara Roman is an awesome writer, really enjoy her books.
The story is a fantasy about what might have been in France if women had been treated as equals. It takes place after the revolution that removes the monarchy. Trying times for women especially. Very interesting and hard to put down. Many hard choices have to be made and the women are wonderful. Barbara Roman is an awesome writer, really enjoy her books.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews