ROSES: REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY ENDED
ROSES
BY LEILA MEACHAM

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Spanning the 20th century, the story of Roses takes place in a small East Texas town against the backdrop of the powerful timber and cotton industries, industries controlled by the scions of the town's founding families. Cotton tycoon Mary Toliver and timber magnate Percy Warwick should have married but unwisely did not, and now must deal with the deceit, secrets, and tragedies of their choice and the loss of what might have been--not just for themselves but for their children, and children's children.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:



Leila Meacham is a writer and former teacher who lives in San Antonio, Texas.



REVIEW:

ROSES is sweeping family saga that spans the twentieth century and has been compared to GONE WITH THE WIND. Full of passion, mystery, tragedy, and excitement, it doesn’t fail to live up to such an esteemed comparison.

The three families at the heart of the story are the Tolivers who are in cotton farming, the Warwicks in timber, and the DuMonts of clothing department store fame. They founded the town of Howbutker,Texas generations ago. As descendants of the Lancasters and Yorks who were the key families during the War of the Roses, the Toliver and Warwick families continue the tradition of giving a red rose when asking for forgiveness, a white rose when granting forgiveness, and a pink rose if all is not forgiven. This of course plays an essential part in the story and thus the title.

Mary Toliver DuMont decides on her death bed to make changes in her will as she believes it will spare future generations from the “Toliver curse.” These changes have lasting ramifications for sure.

This first part of the story then goes back to Mary’s youth in 1916 on her families’ cotton plantation to answer the mystery of the curse. Readers will learn what happens to Mary to bring her to the decision she makes on her death bed in this first part of a story of her amazing life shaped by the battles she has in life and love. One thing is for sure and that is her love of the land of Somerset is never in question, and she recognizes that same devotion in her great-niece, Rachel. The second part of the novel is Percy Warwick’s story, and the third part of the novel is set back in 1985 with Mary’s Great-Niece Rachel’s story and where Meacham draws the three parts together.

ROSES is a 600-plus page publication that author Leila Meacham has delivered as an amazingly unanticipated fast read. I got so involved with the characters and especially finding comparison to those in my all-time favorite novel, GONE WITH THE WIND, that it didn’t seem so big. I thought the character development was the strongest part of Meacham’s work as the plot was a little thin in the end, and at times parts were a bit exaggerated. Even with that, it was still a satisfying page turning delight!

GIVEAWAY

THANKS TO MIRIAM AND THE
HACHETTE BOOK GROUP, I
HAVE FIVE COPIES OF THIS
WONDERFUL BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!

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