"Stealing Rose" (Fowler Sisters, #2)
Written by Monica Murphy
Note: this ebook was generously provided to me by Wordsmith Publicity, via Net Galley, in exchange for an unbiased and honest review.
A Bit of Background
I got the ARC of this book in early January, shortly after I had reviewed "Owning Violet". I ended up reading the book in one night, and absolutely loving it. I have been dying to talk about it, and publish the review, because I enjoyed the book so much, but I have had to hold off until the book was actually released, almost 2 months later.
"Stealing Rose" is the second book in the Fowler Sisters series by Monica Murphy. It is preceded by "Owning Violet", and will be succeeded by the forthcoming novel, "Taming Lily". In my view, the books can be read separately, as each is about a different sister, and the storylines are not terribly intertwined. However, I do believe that the enjoyment of the series is enhanced by reading them together.
The Story
Everyone seems to think that being the youngest means that you've got it made, and life is a cakewalk. But anyone who comes last in the birth order knows that that's not true at all. In fact, in some cases, being the youngest is the most difficult role to play, and that's certainly the case for Rose Fowler.
All three of the Fowler women are strong and unique, but Rose feels like she is the one who is the least appreciated. Lily, the oldest, is the wild child, who steals the spotlight wherever she goes, and with whatever she does. Violet, the middle daughter, is the responsible one, who is the star of the show at the family corporation, Fleur Cosmetics. Rose feels like no matter what she does, or how hard she tries, she's always relegated to the background... and she's finally had enough of it.
At the premiere of a documentary about the Fowler empire in Cannes, matriarch and grandmother, Dahlia Fowler, lends Rose an incredible pink and white diamond necklace, which is prominently featured in the film, to wear to the afterparty. The moment the jewels touch her skin, something sparks within Rose, and it's like she comes alive as a result of that.
When an absolutely gorgeous stranger locks eyes with her from across the room, the nice girl suddenly has an urge to become naughty. Rose decides to go skinny dipping in the hotel pool, and mysterious Caden comes out and takes her breath away. Suddenly, however, he's disappeared from her life just as quickly as he breezed into it, and she can't get her mind off the handsome stranger.
Fueled by her newfound confidence and independence, Rose decides to turn down her father, leave Fleur Cosmetics and step out from her sisters' shadows. She finds herself in London, unsure of what to do next, when she runs into Caden once again, and this time, he isn't going to disappear from her life.
But what if Caden isn't what she thinks. What if all the warnings about the danger of running off with strangers that we all heard when we were younger actually have some truth to them? What if Caden and Rose didn't meet by accident, and there's something larger at play? Rose decides that she's already gotten on the exciting ride, and she doesn't want to get off just yet, no matter what the consequences.
My Thoughts
WOW! It has been SOOOO DIFFICULT to keep a lid on this review. Seriously. I am not quite sure how I was able to keep quiet about how AMAAAZING this is for this long! I'm so glad that I can finally share this with you!!!
First off, Monica Murphy is brilliant. I haven't read too much of her work, but I fully intend to read each and every piece she has ever published, including those under the pen name Karen Erickson. Seriously. She's that good. If I had more time (boo, law school!), I would have done this already... but as it stands, I've got a lot of Monica Murphy / Karen Erickson to look forward to this summer. Yay!
I like how we catch a glimpse of what's been happening in the lives of Violet and Ryder here, too, and a little taste of what's to come with Lily. What I like the most about this is the fact that they don't get in the way of Caden and Rose's storyline. In fact, their presence only serves to enhance the storyline, which is fantastic.
I love Rose, because we get to see her development from being hardworking, but timid and shy (shown in small doses in Owning Violet), to this open minded woman living intentionally out loud, and following her heart and her passions. I think that women like her don't get enough credit in the real world, because people are so obsessed with obligations and responsibilities, that the women who have the courage to give those things up in order to pursue what they really want out of life are shunned, rather than praised. I, for one, have so much respect for Rose, for just taking a massive leap of faith and trusting that things will work out as they should. Part of me wishes that I could be more like that, too.
For some reason, Caden doesn't quite appeal to me as much as Ryder did. That isn't to say that he doesn't appeal to me at all -- he does, but how could a sexy international con artist like him not appeal to me? But there's something about how Ryder planned everything so meticulously that appealed to me in a way that Caden didn't. Having said that, I think that Caden is a better fit for Rose, though. So maybe I understand why he turned out the way that he did, and I appreciate his character for what he is. I guess he's just not going to be MY book boyfriend, but that isn't to say that he won't end up being someone else's... or a lot of other women's... possibly even YOURS.
I really enjoyed the chemistry and interplay among all the characters. While the tension and heat between Caden and Rose felt so real that it almost became its own living and breathing thing, and I think that was the biggest treat here, I feel it's also important to mention that the strength of the supporting cast of characters is what really made this book a remarkable experience and a joy to read. From the introduction to matriarch Dahlia, to the painfully needy Whitney, to the reformed versions of Violet and Ryder, to the introduction of Caden's mentor and his mother, and finally to the pre-development of the character of Lily, each character we meet here leaves a strong impression on the reader, and is memorable in his or her own way. These characters are so strong, in fact, that they could likely each support their own book, or series of books in this universe. I'd definitely spring for the chance to read more about all of them.
Taken together, this book was every bit as amazing as I had hoped it would be. I can't wait until "Taming Lily" comes out, so I can finally sink my teeth into her character and story. For now, I'm just glad that I can finally talk about how much I loved loved loved "Stealing Rose"! :)
Overall Rating
FIVE BIG BRIGHT SHINY STARS!!!
Extremely highly recommended!!!! And while you're at it, go get Stealing Violet and pre-order Taming Lily, too!
No comments:
Post a Comment