Black Rose (In the Garden) Review
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I should admit I'm not a big-time romance reader, so when I say I've never seen something in a romance before it doesn't carry as much weight as if I'd read a whole ton instead of three or four dozen (a pittance in this vast and varied genre!). That said? I love _Black Rose_, and a lot of what I love about it are the things that make it different from many, many books on the shelves beside it.
My favorite thing of all was Roz Harper. Whether you enjoy Roz or can't stand her will probably determine whether you like the book or not, because it's Roz's story from start to finish. As established in the first book, _Blue Dahlia_, Roz is the mistress of Harper House and the owner of In the Garden Nursery, a relatively new, growing business that turns one of the loves of Roz's life--gardening--into her full-time profession. Roz's other loves are her three grown sons, her home, and her deceased husband John Ashby. There isn't much room for self-doubt in Roz; there isn't much fear, even when the ghost with whom she's shared her home all her life changes from peaceful curiosity to a violent threat.
Since I'd never read a romance with a lead female past her childbearing years and with a loving marriage and family already behind her, I was fascinated by the difference in Roz's attitude--she's not concerned at all with finding that Special Someone and certainly not with who will father her children. That ship has sailed. She doesn't need a man's love or desire to reinforce her self-esteem. Roz has plenty of self-esteem, to the point where it may work against her for some readers, but I loved that she loves herself and has no shame about being herself. Roz has money and privilege and uses them to indulge her personality. It's fun to see what she'll do, knowing worry will never make her choices for her.
Compared to the force of Roz's personality, the ongoing ghost plot with Amelia (the backbone of the trilogy) takes a backseat. The quest to learn Amelia's fate is what brings Mitchell Carnegie into Roz's life: a respected genealogist, Mitchell may know nothing about annuals and perennials but he's a master of family trees. Yet it won't be until _Red Lily_ that Amelia occupies center stage, and by that time Nora Roberts gets to be pretty heavy-handed with her--here the ghostly mystery is still mostly mystery.
There's just one thing about _Black Rose_ I found kind of weak. And as with its predecessor--strange though it is--that's the romantic pairing. I liked Roz and Mitchell very much as friends and didn't find their love affair as unlikely as Stella and Logan's, but Mitchell fades into the background a lot more than strong, dynamic Roz does, and he just didn't seem to match up to her. I wish he'd been a little more lively and interesting. On the other hand, I liked that he accepted Roz as she is (mostly) and didn't decide that because he loves her he has the right to take control of her life. That's different from other romances I've read, too. Unfortunately.
This is the best book of a rather good Nora Roberts trilogy. Start with _Blue Dahlia_, then if you like that, enjoy _Black Rose_--the fun, fast, engaging story of a truly colorful woman.
Black Rose (In the Garden) Overview
A Harper has always lived at Harper House, the centuries-old mansion just outside of Memphis. And for as long as anyone alive remembers, the ghostly Harper Bride has walked the halls, singing lullabies at night...
At forty-five, Rosalind Harper is a woman whose experiences have made her strong enough to bend without breaking - and weather any storm. A widow with three grown sons, she survived a disastrous second marriage, and built her In the Garden nursery from the ground up. Through the years, In the Garden has become more than just a thriving business - it is a symbol of hope and independence to Roz, and to the two women she shares it with. Newlywed Stella and new mother Hayley are the sisters of her heart, and together, the three of them are the future of In the Garden.
But now that future is under attack, and Roz knows they can't fight this battle alone. Hired to investigate Roz's Harper ancestors, Dr. Mitchell Carnegie finds himself just as intrigued with Roz herself. And as they begin to unravel the puzzle of the Harper Bride's identity, Roz is shocked to find herself falling for the fascinating genealogist. Now it is a desperate race to discover the truth before the unpredictable apparition lashes out at the one woman who can help her rest in peace...
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