Die Wildrose

Feb 20, 2012 Evangeline Holland rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I revised my star review because I'm not crazy over GR's review system (I consider 5 stars=I loved it (A), 4 stars=It was a good read (B), 3 stars=It's Okay (C), 2 stars=I didn't like it (D), and 1 star=I hated it (F)) and to me, 1 star means the story, the characters, and the writing were horrible. The Wild Rose was not an entirely irredeemable book, but I grew to hate Seamus and Willa, and the numerous plot twists were at turns outlandish and much too coincidental.

This is book three in a tril...more I revised my star review because I'm not crazy over GR's review system (I consider 5 stars=I loved it (A), 4 stars=It was a good read (B), 3 stars=It's Okay (C), 2 stars=I didn't like it (D), and 1 star=I hated it (F)) and to me, 1 star means the story, the characters, and the writing were horrible. The Wild Rose was not an entirely irredeemable book, but I grew to hate Seamus and Willa, and the numerous plot twists were at turns outlandish and much too coincidental.

This is book three in a trilogy following the Finnegan family, whose story begins in 1888 (The Tea Rose) when the Finnegan matriarch and patriarch are murdered (the former by Jack the Ripper, the latter by a political rival). I found The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose enjoyable, as Donnelly wrote strong female leads, mixed a lot of historical detail into the books, and included nice romances in the plot.

All three were missing in The Wild Rose:
1) Fiona, her daughter Katie, and Aunt Eddie were the exceptions
2) The historical detail felt wallpaperish and the historic character walk-ons grew ludicrous
3) All throughout the book I hoped Seamus and Willa's relationship remained doomed

Since I'd read The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose so long ago, the finer details were a bit hazy, so I entered The Wild Rose with no expectations beyond curiosity about what Donnelly would do with a book set in 1914. On that front, there is plenty to chew upon, from the war-mongering of Parliament for more dreadnoughts over social programs for Britain's poor (Joe Bristow, Fiona's MP husband), to the latest exploration advances (Seamus, Willa, and real life explorers like T.E. Lawrence and Ernest Shackleton), to the Bloomsbury Group, to women's suffrage (Katie Bristow), to life for the physically disabled (Willa and Joe), to the early days of British espionage, and so on. Unfortunately, as stated above, all of these amazing details were written as info-dump and the more real personages trotted onto the page to engage in engrossing and detailed discussions with the characters--who were the best of the best, naturally--the more my credulity stretched to an alarming degree.

This lack of credibility stretched also to the characters, who never felt very real to me. I was further confused and irritated by the attempt to give every POV character a nuanced story, because most of them were thoroughly unlikable and detestable.

Which brings me to my main gripe with The Wild Rose: Seamus and Willa.

The Winter Rose left off about eight years before 1914, where the climbing-mad pair get into an accident on Mount Kilimanjaro, which cost Willa her leg (the way she moans about it for most of the book, I was under the impression she'd had her entire leg amputated and not just below the knee). The first introduction to the Seamus of 1914 is in bed with a floozy. This little device used to be common in romances to show how rakish and virile the hero is, so I rolled my eyes once because it was so clichéd, and rolled them once more because I didn't buy it at all, mostly because it took a good 100 pages or so for Donnelly's writing to shake this vaguely "YA" quality about the prose (perhaps it was calling the hero "Seamie", the diminutive version of his name from The Tea Rose).

Moving on from that point, I never could warm up to Seamus and grimaced at the fact that he was this handsome, wealthy, charming, well-connected, superstar explorer. He had no faults, and the ones he did have were largely shrugged off by everyone. Circumstances place him in the path of a fierce suffragist and vicar's daughter named Jennie Wilcot, and he instantly lusts after her, convincing himself he's over Willa. Willa, in the mean time, has spent those eight years trekking around the world, taking the most amazing photographs and writing the most wonderful travelogues. Her leg pains her so she takes opium, yet never manages to become an addict. She's also the only white person allowed to roam about Tibet as she plans to climb Mount Everest, and even the Dalai Lama loves her to pieces. While there, she meets a German mountaineer named Max von Brandt, who falls instantly in love with her.

Willa returns to London when her father dies, which sets off a chain of events that should have been interesting. Max von Brandt is a German spy who ropes Jennie and a poor spinster named Gladys into his schemes, all the while he's living it up in Edwardian high society. Jennie falls in love with Seamus, and after their marriage, turns into a spineless ninny with a contrived secret. Fiona and Joe are largely shunted to the background until the plot needs them, and India and Sid are treated in the same manner. In the center of this maelstrom are Seamus and Willa, who cannot stay away from each other and feel their "love" is justified (the first love scene makes me sooo angry--"Let's go somewhere private to figure out how we can keep apart!").

As the plot thickens (or rather twists and turns), Willa and Seamus remain perfect and shining specimens of humanity even as their self-centeredness wreaks havoc on the lives of those close to them. Since there are so many plot twists and characters, I think I could write three or four pages summarizing this book, so I'll spare you my endless frustrations with The Wild Rose.

Willa and Seamus are allegedly the heart of this book, and because I found them thoroughly detestable, they ruined the entire book for me. Fans of the Finnegan clan and their outlying family, friends and enemies will enjoy The Wild Rose for tying up the loose ends stretched across the three books, but I personally found this an aggravating and unenjoyable book I was glad to finish.(less)

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Apr 24, 2011 Misfit added it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5 stars.

SPOILER WARNING. Those who have not yet read to the end of book #2, The Winter Rose, might find this review slightly spoilerish.

The Wild Rose begins about eight years after the close of The Winter Rose. Seamie Finnegan is now a famous explorer and the pride all of England. Willa Alden, on the other hand, still carries a lot of emotional baggage from her climbing accident on Mount Kilimanjaro, and when not drowning her sorrow and misery in alcohol and drugs, she lives by and climbs th...more 3.5 stars.

SPOILER WARNING. Those who have not yet read to the end of book #2, The Winter Rose, might find this review slightly spoilerish.

The Wild Rose begins about eight years after the close of The Winter Rose. Seamie Finnegan is now a famous explorer and the pride all of England. Willa Alden, on the other hand, still carries a lot of emotional baggage from her climbing accident on Mount Kilimanjaro, and when not drowning her sorrow and misery in alcohol and drugs, she lives by and climbs the *foothills* surrounding Mt. Everest. Just when Seamie thinks he can put Willa behind him and move on with life, Willa's father passes away and she returns to England for the funeral...

So as not to spoil, I'm not going to reveal anything else that happens in the book. This is another big ole’ fat soap opera in the same style as the first two, cliff hanging chapters and all. I really liked the way Donnelly brings back characters from the earlier novels, plus she gives them an actual story instead of a quick nod and fade to black like you see in other series (although I would have like more of Fiona and Charlie after...). I also appreciate the way Donnelly brings social issues and prejudices into her stories and involves her characters in them, you can see that these are issues she cares a great deal about. That said, I do have a few quibbles.

One of the greatest aspects of the first two books were the strong female characters. No matter what adversities and crappy things life dealt them, Fiona and India always picked themselves back up, dusted themselves off and got on with life. Not so with Willa. She's self-destructive, pouty and some times just gawd-awful miserable, and she spreads that sunshine to everyone around her. Yes, I know it sucks she lost a limb, but Joe's in a wheelchair and gets on with life quite nicely thankyouverymuch. Willa would have been more sympathetic (and interesting), if the woe-is-me attitude was dropped and we see her carving out a new life dealing positively with her handicap.

As for the handicap itself? Willa has a prosthetic leg in lieu of the one she lost after her climbing injury at the end of book two. Unfortunately, there are times when that limb virtually disappears from the storyline for lengthy periods of time. While I don't want to be clubbed over the head with constant reminders of her artificial limb, I'd have preferred seeing more of the day-to-day impact it has on her. Does she take it off when she showers? Goes to sleep? What about when making love, and why is it when we do get *the big love scene*, is there no discussion/mention of it between the pair? Seriously, it wouldn't be far-fetched to imagine Willa being a bit sensitive about her partner's first look at it in the *flesh*, nor that her partner could reassure she's beautiful to him as she is. Why doesn't she worry about damage to it whilst hiking those dangerous slopes around Mt. Everest? After arresting a dangerous fall, all that's mentioned are a couple of broken fingernails??!!

I did enjoy this a lot, but just not as much as the first two books (which I loved to bits) and I'm knocking off a half star for the quibbles listed above. Fans will definitely lap this up like kittens with cream and I do recommend it, but I just wanted a little bit more. 3.5/5 stars.

FTC disclosure, I obtained a copy of this book from Net Galley.
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Aug 08, 2011 Caitlin rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, 20th-centuy-wwi, england

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Nov 15, 2012 Tazza added it · review of another edition

I cannot wait to read this one!!! OMG!!!!

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Oct 10, 2012 Melissa (ladybug) rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Historical fiction/romance lovers

Shelves: fiction, romance, team-read

Was a good read, but I just could not get into it like I did The Tea Rose. As I was reading it, all I could think of is I wish this book/series would just end. Willa's problems with her leg did not seem believable with the time period and her drug addiction (that never affected her) was also very questionable. I disliked her and Seamus' illicit affair where because "They were in love" it was ok to cheat on Jennie and hurt friends and family. They could just not help themselves. (can you see my s...more

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Feb 16, 2012 Chanpreet rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a whopper coming in at over 600 pages and set in locales across the world from 1914-1918. But let me tell you, do not be discouraged by its size. This is an amazing book. It's the third book in the Rose series by Jennifer Donnelly and its release has been very much waited for.

I don't even know where to begin. Ms.Donnelly has done such an amazing job with her research. She was very thorough and included some very important and relevant historical facts. And she did justice to them.

W...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Naomi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow...how depressing...I can't believe I am giving this only two stars. I have been waiting for this book to come out and was INCREDIBLY excited to see it on NetGalley and even more priveledged that I was allowed to read an ARC. On that note, this isn't Jennifer Donnelly's finest work. Her other books, including her YA books have received nothing less than 4 stars from me. I found this one disappointing, forced and predictable though..and def. not up to her "standard" of writing.

Second, there w...more

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Apr 24, 2013 Pamela rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: victorian-era, historical-fiction

This is book three of the Tea Rose Trilogy. This books takes place in the time before World War 1, and after it's start.I really liked Willa, and Seamus as characters, and I thought the book excellent. To be honest my favorite was the first, and then the second,and then this one.I loved the defiance of each strong willed character in these wonderful books, and their willingness to overcome, and do something wonderful with their lives. This is an excellent series, and if you love engrossing books...more

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Dec 30, 2012 Emmy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, historical-fiction, edwardian, europe, british-fiction, 20th-century

The Tea Rose was fluff, pure, unapologetic romantic fluff, with some dubious and convenient plot twists thrown in to keep the story from collapsing in on itself. The wild Rose tries this formula again, but I found myself audibly snorting as I read my way through it.
The characters are tired and two dimensional. The families are heroic, forward thinking, altruistic, intelligent, years ahead of their time, and of course, good-looking. What amazing people. Let's see what counters this perfection, wh...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Herlyani Ramlan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The final book of The Tea Rose trilogy.

One thing I really love about this series is that Jennifer Donnelly doesn't stick to just a couple of characters' perspective. The first book revolved mainly around Fiona Finnegan (sort of like, the book's main character), second book was focused on Charlie Finnegan/Sid Malone while this last book felt like it was mostly about Seamie Finnegan. The way the author shifted the perspective and the prominence of each character in every book and chapter was remar...more

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Dec 16, 2012 Sx rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012

All of the previous Rose books have received nothing less than a 5 star review from me but the third installment just fell a little flat. Maybe it was because I was rushing to finish the book instead of slowly savouring the time and place I had been transported to, but Willa and Seamie just didn't appeal to me at all.

What constantly irked me about the book was Donnelly's frequent use of Fahrenheit instead of Celsius when referring to temperature. For a book about Europe, largely set in European...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Shonna Froebel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third book in the Rose series, with the first being The Tea Rose (read before I started blogging), and the second The Winter Rose. Here the story focuses around Seamie, Fiona's younger brother, an adventurer, and the woman he loves, Willa Alden (the Wild Rose). Their story started in the Winter Rose, and continues here. It is an ill-fated love affair, with the two separated time again through either their own actions, or through other circumstances. With locations from London to Nepa...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Allison rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wonderful! A great final installment in the Rose trilogy. To anyone and everyone (male and female) who has NOT read this series, READ IT. The titles may make you think these are romance novels, but that would be a little like calling The Princess Bride a 'Romance movie'. Well-researched historical novels, grand adventure spanning most of the continents, gripping drama, yes, and romance, too make this trilogy the best books I have read in years. If you read nothing else this year, pick these up,...more

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Aug 16, 2012 Afton Nelson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult

I hated just about every character in this book. But I especially disliked Willa; selfish, reactionary, overly dramatic, self-destructive, stupid Willa. When she and Seamie started their adulterous affair, I hated him too. In fact, I kind of hoped that one of the other or both would just die and let me finish the book in peace, maybe with the focus on Sid and India's military rehabilitation hospital, or on Katie's overly ambitious personal goals. But no. Spoiler Alert: they didn't die. They kept...more

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Aug 13, 2012 DefinitelyMaybe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-gelesen

Die Herzen von Willa Alden und Seamus Finnegan schlagen für die Gipfel der Welt – und füreinander. Doch auf einer schicksalhaften Bergtour erleidet Willa einen Unfall und ist fortan für ihr Leben körperlich gezeichnet. Voller Vorwürfe wendet sie sich von Seamus ab – die Trennung bricht ihm das Herz. Die Handlung setzt acht Jahre nach diesem Vorfall ein. Seamus ist ein berühmter Antarktiserforscher und ist jetzt zurück in London, während Willa in Tibet lebt – beide leiden und Kämpfen innerlich mi...more Die Herzen von Willa Alden und Seamus Finnegan schlagen für die Gipfel der Welt – und füreinander. Doch auf einer schicksalhaften Bergtour erleidet Willa einen Unfall und ist fortan für ihr Leben körperlich gezeichnet. Voller Vorwürfe wendet sie sich von Seamus ab – die Trennung bricht ihm das Herz. Die Handlung setzt acht Jahre nach diesem Vorfall ein. Seamus ist ein berühmter Antarktiserforscher und ist jetzt zurück in London, während Willa in Tibet lebt – beide leiden und Kämpfen innerlich mit ihrer Sehnsucht nach dem anderen.
Ich liebe das London zu Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts, genau wie die Abenteuer in Arabien. Die Geschichte passt perfekt in diese Zeit. Dieser Roman ist so abenteuerlich, so unglaublich spannend und zugleich voller Gefühl.
Im Vordergrund steht natürlich die Liebesgeschichte zwischen Willa und Seamus. Die Beziehung zwischen den beiden war leider von Anfang an schwierig und hatte nie die besten Aussichten. wie man es in dem Vorgänger „Die Winterrose“ leider schon miterlebt hat. Man liebt und leidet mit den beiden, versteht ihre Gefühle und Ansichten und will gleichzeitig schreien, dass alles gar nicht so ist wie es vielleicht gerade scheint. Als Leser bangt man nicht nur mit den beiden und hofft, dass alles irgendwie gut wird, man erlebt den Ausbruch und die Folgen des Krieges, von denen irgendwie die ganze Familie Finnegan betroffen ist. Der Leser hat glücklicherweise die Möglichkeit noch einmal einen Einblick in das Leben von Fiona und Joe und India und Sid zu bekommen. Man erfährt wie sich die einzelnen Familien entwickelt haben und jetzt zusammen diese schwierige Kriegszeit meistern. Mir persönlich gefällt es nämlich ausgesprochen gut, dass die Personen aus den Vorgängern auch hier wieder eine Rolle spielen, immerhin hat man auch mit ihnen mitgefiebert und tolle Dinge erlebt. Außerdem mag ich all die Handlungsstränge und Figuren, die irgendwann zusammenlaufen und ein großes Ganzes ergeben, sehr gerne.
Der Schreibstil von Jennifer Donnelly ist unfassbar gut, er passt sich jeder Situation und allen Charakteren an. Sie schafft es mir ihren Sätzen die Liebe, die Sehnsucht, den Krieg, den Verlust und einfach alles so unglaublich lebendig werden zu lassen, man ist immer mitten im Geschehen und lernt durch ihre Worte jede Figur kennen. Als Leser merkt man gar nicht wie schnell die stolzen 748 Seiten an einem vorbeifliegen, einen in den Bann ziehen. Ich habe mich nicht ein einziges Mal gelangweilt, um ehrlich zu sein, war es sogar viel zu schnell vorbei. Es war nicht eine Seite zu viel.
Die Charaktere in dem Roman wirken durch den wundervollen Schreibstil sehr authentisch und erhalten zudem emotionale Tiefe. Alle sind mir sehr sympathisch - Willa, die Wilde, die das Abenteuer braucht und auch sucht, gleichzeitig aber innerlich so schmerzerfüllt ist, weil sie sich nach Seamus sehnt. Seamus, der immer mehr entdecken will und sich Leer fühlt, ohne sein Herz und seine Seele – Willa.
Fionas und Joes Familie, welche alle für ihr Ziel kämpfen. Vor allem Fiona mag ich sehr, da sie, obwohl sie große Verluste erlitten hat, eine so liebevolle und starke Person ist. India und Sid, die trotz aller Hindernisse und Probleme einen Weg zueinander gefunden haben. Ich finde alle einfach nur klasse!
Die Aufmachung: Wie auch die Cover der beiden Vorläufer „Die Teerose“ und „die Winterrose“ ist auch dieses wieder schlicht, aber auf seine eigene Art und Weise wunderschön, sie erzählen ihre eigene Geschichte. Zudem finde ich es sehr gut, dass der Titel ins Deutsche übersetzt und sich nicht irgendetwas völlig anderes aus den Rippen geleiert wurde, wie es leider oft der Fall ist. Die Gestaltung der Kapitel ist schlicht und einfach, ohne viel Schnick Schnack, man findet ausschließlich die Nummer des Kapitels vor. Meiner Meinung nach benötigt dieses Buch aber auch keine großen Kapitelüberschriften oder eine auffällige Covergestaltung. Die Geschichte spricht ganz und gar für sich selbst.
Fazit: Der letzte Band der Rosentrilogie steht seinen Vorgängern in nichts nach, er war fast noch besser. Es ist wirklich schade, dass dies der letzte Band ist und ich nicht mehr von der Familie Finnegan lesen darf. Die ganze Trilogie ist einfach wundervoll und ich finde man sollte die beiden ersten Bände unbedingt vorher lesen, damit man den ganzen Zauber der Trilogie erleben kann.
Der Roman „Die Wildrose“ ist viel mehr als nur eine Liebesgeschichte, er ist ein riesiges Abenteuer.(less)

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Sep 23, 2011 Christa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook-arc

Jennifer Donnelly is a very good storyteller, and while I didn't always admire the main characters in this book, I got so caught up in the story that I just couldn't put the book down. I thought that the two main characters, Willa and Seamus, both made many mistakes, but I still wanted both of them to be happy. There were many great secondary characters, mostly from the previous books in the series, and I enjoyed reading about all of them.

A terrible accident separates Willa Alden and Seamus Finn...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Karen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Author Jennifer Donnelly beautifully brings her "Rose" trilogy to a lovely and fine ending with The Wild Rose. Donnelly smartly recaps the history of the saga's characters and stories so that a new reader is not lost, and anyone who read the prior books, The Tea Rose and The Winter Rose are reminded of where we left those characters.

Again, in this Rose book as in the previous two, Donnelly's attention to period detail paints a vivid picture of the world between 1913 and 1919. I enjoyed the mult...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third book in The Tea Rose Series, which is a historical fiction saga of the Finnegan family beginning in the late 1800s with The Tea Rose, continuing with The Winter Rose, and ending, with this book, just after World War I. To punctuate the story's grandeur, many of the chapters end with highly suspenseful cliffhangers. It is written as a stand alone, so the background from the first two books is filled in throughout the story. Nevertheless, one wouldn’t want to skip the first two,...more

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Aug 19, 2011 Dinjolina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Tear jerker lovers

Shelves: adventure, arc, bipolar-alert, book-that-has-my-heart, crime-adventure, crime-romance, different-social-classes, drama-queens, evil-other-woman, favourite-books, hero-gets-other-woman-pregnant, hero-i-wanted-dead, hero-married-a-freak, hero-overly-angsty, historical-romance, horribly-wrong-ending, kid-that-was-supposed-to-be-cute, love-your-fellow-man, married-couple, maybe-i-should-not-try, ripped-my-heart-out, superb-heroine

I have to warn you:
You will be offended by my rew. Especially people that are firmly in the 'Jenny rocks/Willa is selfish' camp.

(view spoiler)...more I have to warn you:
You will be offended by my rew. Especially people that are firmly in the 'Jenny rocks/Willa is selfish' camp.

(view spoiler)

So, we have come to the end of my rant. What say I? This whole book was fabulous. It was worth reading even thou it had almost 700 pages. I even finished it in one day, never stopping, not even to eat. Yes I wish the ending was more detailed. And I wish to know will Willa and Seamus ever have kids of their own.....but still, this journey was a emotional one and I would go on it again in a heart beat.

This arc was provided to me by NetGalley, which makes me utterly gratefull.(less)

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Aug 18, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-fiction

3 1/2 stars. Once again, I am not satisfied with giving a book an even number of stars. Since Goodreads won't allow me to do that, I've chosen to round down as it didn't feel like a 4 star book to me.

This book had a few too many coincidences for me. As a family, the Finnegans are continually plagued with loss and heartbreak as well as bad decisions that have been borne from misunderstanding. At the same time, they are continually saved by lucky circumstances that turn the tide for them. If only...more

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Aug 06, 2011 Jennifer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

NOTE: This review is a review of all three books in the Rose Trilogy.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but the books in the Rose Trilogy reminded me of the Danielle Steel books I used to devour when I was 14-years old … and I mean that in the very best way!!

I used to love Danielle Steel’s books (though I’ve “outgrown” them after being exposed to a “better” class of books) because they featured heroines who experienced all these ups and downs but who eventually triumphed over difficulties to have am...more NOTE: This review is a review of all three books in the Rose Trilogy.

Don’t take this the wrong way, but the books in the Rose Trilogy reminded me of the Danielle Steel books I used to devour when I was 14-years old … and I mean that in the very best way!!

I used to love Danielle Steel’s books (though I’ve “outgrown” them after being exposed to a “better” class of books) because they featured heroines who experienced all these ups and downs but who eventually triumphed over difficulties to have amazing lives. Plus they also had complicated and often tragic love lives. The Rose Trilogy has all these same elements … except with better writing and historical detail!!

The Rose Trilogy focuses on the Finnegan family—a close-knit family from the hardscrabble section of London known as Whitechapel. Family members include: family patriarch Paddy, whose leadership in the nascent union movement leads to tragedy; his wife Kate, who struggles to keep the family together despite multiple difficulties; Fiona, the oldest daughter, who is in love with the boy down the street; Charlie, the oldest son, who contributes what he can to family finances, even when that means walking on the edge of what is legal; and Seamus, the youngest son, who is just 5 years old in the first book but is featured front and center in the final book of the series.

We first meet the Finnegans in The Tea Rose. It is the 1880s in East London, and a murderer named Jack the Ripper is terrorizing the area. (Donnelly even goes so far as to unmask Jack’s “true” identity in the book.) The Tea Rose of the title refers to Fiona Finnegan, the feisty daughter who is in love with a coster (veggie salesman) named Joe Bristow. They are saving every bit of their meager wages to open up a shop of their own. However, tragedy hits the family and Joe betrays Fiona in the worst way possible—leaving Fiona and Seamus in desperate straits. Fleeing to America, Fiona struggles to survive in New York City, where she vows revenge on the man who ruined her family.

The opening book sets the tone for the entire trilogy: star-crossed lovers; continual setbacks and obstacles; rich historical detail (Donnelly isn’t afraid to incorporate real-life historical figures such as George Mallory, Jack the Ripper and Lawrence of Arabia into her books), and a plot that keeps you wondering what will befall her beleaguered characters next. (Some pretty hot and heavy sex scenes are sprinkled throughout too!) Although there is a fair amount of coincidence that strains the limits of believability, just forget all that and enjoy the ride.

The second book, The Winter Rose, has a new “rose” as its center—Dr. India Selwyn-Jones, an idealistic young doctor who dreams of opening a clinic for women and children in poverty-stricken Whitechapel. Just like Fiona in the first book, India must deal with an evil man set on ruining her life while struggling with her attraction to a criminal named Sid Malone. The book moves from London to Africa and also introduces readers to Seamus as a young man. Fiona makes periodic appearances but isn’t the primary focus of the book. Although it sounds like the book doesn’t focus as much on the Finnegan family, I’ll leave you to discover why that isn’t true!

The third and final book, The Wild Rose, features Willa Alden, the great love of Seamus Finnegan’s life, as its rose. “Wild” is the right word to describe Willa, who readers first meet in The Winter Rose. She is a fearless mountaineer who defies expectations of what women can and should do, despite a significant handicap after an accident on Mt. Kilimanjaro (which takes place in the second book). Like the other two books, this book starts in London before moving the action to Arabia during World War I.

Each book is a chunkster (all of them are 500+ pages) and requires a fairly decent time commitment, but they are the type of chunksters that move along at a steady clip. My biggest criticism is the amount of coincidence that propels the plots, but don’t let that stop you from reading the books. This was historical fiction at its best: fast-paced, far-ranging and drama-filled. I enjoyed the series immensely, and thank Jill at Rhapsody in Books for turning me on to this series. I would have never picked these books up on my own as historical fiction isn’t my preferred genre and the staid covers don’t give you a full sense of all the action, drama and romance that pack the pages inside. Highly recommended!(less)

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Aug 06, 2011 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Willa Alden and Seamus Finnegan, soul mates who cannot seem to find their way back to each other, are strong forces that propel the reader into a maelstrom that threatens to overwhelm at times. The Wild Rose is poignant, compelling and often heartbreaking. It takes the reader into the World War I era when social structures and ways of waging war changed forever. It is an amazing love story bit it also encompasses a world of social woe...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Ashley rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: my-favorite-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Well, Jennifer Donnelly didn't disappoint. I can think of no other author that could write about people in situations that make your heart ache, people who suffer deeply, and yet keep me wanting to know more and more. There were so many things that frustrated me... where I was like... "Geez... can't they ever have a break?!"... yet it made the ending that much sweeter. I felt like this book was a wonderful compliment and ending to the series. While the Tea Rose remains my favorite, this book fel...more

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Jul 07, 2011 Natalie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It took me a while to get into this book. It started abysmally with both of the main characters, Willa and Seamie, sleeping with people they didn't care about because they weren't with each other. I never really came to like either of them. Willa really annoyed me with her stupidity and Seamie with his selfishness. And poor Jennie (Seamie's wife), though she started out all right, was ruined by the pair of them. (With some help from Max von Brandt.)

Max von Brandt is what I would call a smooth op...more It took me a while to get into this book. It started abysmally with both of the main characters, Willa and Seamie, sleeping with people they didn't care about because they weren't with each other. I never really came to like either of them. Willa really annoyed me with her stupidity and Seamie with his selfishness. And poor Jennie (Seamie's wife), though she started out all right, was ruined by the pair of them. (With some help from Max von Brandt.)

Max von Brandt is what I would call a smooth operator, and I mean that in a slimy, unpleasant sort of way. I could understand his motives, but his methods made me hate him. There were times when I felt like the author wanted me to feel sorry for him, but I just couldn't.

Now that I have complained about all of the main characters, I have to admit that I really liked the minor ones. Fiona and Joe (Seamie's sister and her husband) are lovely, likable people with a fun daughter. They stand up for what they believe in and support their family. Likewise, Sid and India (Seamie's brother and his wife) are about ten times more likable and interesting than Willa and Seamie.

The Wild Rose has an interesting story set in a fascinating time. The characters rub elbows with Winston Churchill, Ernest Shackleton, and Lawrence of Arabia to mention only a few. The amount of name-dropping in this book borders on the ridiculous. World War I is one of my favorite time periods to read about, so I enjoyed the history. The plot is complicated and involves just a few too many coincidences for my taste, but it was still, for the most part, enjoyable. What I did not like was the adultery. I really, really dislike adultery. I don't care that he loved her before he loved his wife, that is no excuse for such behavior.

All in all, this book was okay. I disliked the main characters but the minor characters were good enough to keep me reading. There were some aspects of the story that I hated but others I really liked. I haven't read The Tea Rose or The Winter Rose yet, but I think I will like them better because they tell the stories of Joe and Fiona, Sid and India, who are my favorite characters in this book.

I would recommend this book to people who like long, complicated historical romances. I don't highly recommend it, but it wasn't bad. I would probably give it three stars.

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Mar 28, 2011 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Got my hands on an advance copy and all I can say is … WOW!! If Tea Rose and Winter Rose were turned up to 11 in terms of drama, emotion, plot twists and unforgettable characters, Wild Rose is turned up to – I don’t know – 12? 20?? This absolutely lives up to its predecessors, and then some. It’s tied with Winter Rose for my favorite of the three … but everyone has a different favorite for different reasons!

I could gush for pages, as this is very fresh on my mind – but I don’t want to steal ever...more Got my hands on an advance copy and all I can say is … WOW!! If Tea Rose and Winter Rose were turned up to 11 in terms of drama, emotion, plot twists and unforgettable characters, Wild Rose is turned up to – I don’t know – 12? 20?? This absolutely lives up to its predecessors, and then some. It’s tied with Winter Rose for my favorite of the three … but everyone has a different favorite for different reasons!

I could gush for pages, as this is very fresh on my mind – but I don’t want to steal everyone’s pleasure of reading it for themselves. So I’ll just cover some of the big, general questions I had while waiting (and waiting … and waiting) for this book.

First, everyone is back! Joe and Fiona, Charlie and India, and of course Seamie and Willa (whom the story is centered on). It’s like a family reunion! There’s a very lovely scene on a happy occasion where Fiona is looking out at (almost all of) her extended family and I must say I had tears in my eyes taking it all in through her perspective. I felt like it was my family, I know them all so well. These characters don’t just make an appearance, either – they all have real roles in the plot … which, as you can imagine, is a huge, sprawling story. (I think it’s the most complex plot of the three – and that’s saying something!)

Real history – and real historical figures – are present in a big way. Biggest yet, I think. See if you don’t fall in love with Tom Lawrence (THE Tom Lawrence … of Arabia)!

The villain is creepy and great. It’s hard to top Jack the Ripper for badness, but we get closer to the bad guy in The Wild Rose – and he’s a really compelling character. Which makes him even more scary somehow ...

There are big plot twists, of course -- as you’d expect (and I won’t spoil). Some I saw coming a mile away, some took me completely by surprise.

It’s an emotional rollercoaster. The love story is very hard won (as usual) – but this one is grittier and maybe a little bittersweet (but no less powerful – their love is deep and intense). There’s more emotional weight to their relationship and less of the protagonists just missing each other. They’re not perfect; everyone is scarred and flawed. This all occurs amidst the horrors and heartbreak of World War I, and the suffering of that conflict is laid bare. The ending is as lyrical as the others, and knowing I was at the conclusion of such a long and engrossing three-volume story left me feeling like I was saying farewell to a dear old friend.

This is the most sequelly of the three – you can read this one first, or even by itself, but I think it’s best read after the others in the series. There are so many characters coming back into this one that you’ll miss out if you don’t know their history.

Finally, maybe this is just wishful thinking and I know there are only supposed to be three books in this series. But, see, Joe and Fiona have this beautiful, feisty and ambitious daughter -- and she, it turns out, is a chip off the old block …

I have read so many thirds/lasts in a series that were disappointing. I’m very happy to say this isn’t one of them. I think Donnelly took the time to do this one right. I guess that’s why it took so long!

Enjoy this – if you enjoyed the other Rose books, I’m sure you will. And thank you Jennifer Donnelly for this unforgettable, epic tale.
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Apr 27, 2011 Lisarenee rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Notes: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book will be published on August 2nd.

Eight years ago Willa Alden had it all. She was on a climbing expedition (climbing being her passion) with the man she loved beside her. In a moment, everything changed. Tragedy struck, and an accident claimed her leg and almost her life. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, in the rage of passion, or in the midst of an uncontrollable sadness or anger a person may say something they would otherwis...more Notes: I read the ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book. The book will be published on August 2nd.

Eight years ago Willa Alden had it all. She was on a climbing expedition (climbing being her passion) with the man she loved beside her. In a moment, everything changed. Tragedy struck, and an accident claimed her leg and almost her life. Sometimes in the heat of the moment, in the rage of passion, or in the midst of an uncontrollable sadness or anger a person may say something they would otherwise never have thought or said. The latter was Willa's case. Devastated by the realization she would never be able to climb the peaks she so loved, she lashed out at her soul mate, Seamus Finnegan - Seamie, for saving her. Feeling he should have let her die, rather than let her live a life in which she could not pursue her passion, she left him. Almost immediately upon stepping on a train, she realized what she'd done. Sometimes a person may wish they could take back the cruel words they utter, but facing the one they said them to and the possibility of not being forgiven, well, it seems like an utterly impossible thing to do.

Flash forward to present day. The year is 1914. England is on the cusp of WWI, the South Pole has recently been discovered, and women still do not have the right to vote. Willa's father is dying, and she will finally need to deal with the man she left over eight years ago. The world is about to change and no one will be left unscathed by it.

This book will engage all your emotions. You'll find yourself laughing, crying, smiling, and sighing. Given from different vantage points so you can know what is happening to the main characters, there are twists and turns. While the story does include a romance, it does not define the book, hence, I listed it as both Historical Fiction and Historical Romance. Donnelly explored the era and paints an informative view of what was going on at the time. There are spies, political struggles, and glimpses of a world in the midst of change.

Willa was my favorite character. Able to make it in a man's world when women were not highly regarded, I kept waiting to hear what would happen to her next. Forcing myself not to jump ahead to the next chapter or chapters that would bring me back to her portion of the story was difficult.

The book is wonderfully written. I was impressed by the seven pages worth of bibliography the author listed at the end. I did not read the previous two books, but did not feel lost because of it. This is a book I HIGHLY recommend. I gave it 5 out of 5 stars. I now have the first two books on hold at my local library and will hopefully find time in the next couple of busy months to read them. While you could read this one without the benefit of the previous two books, I feel I need to go back and read the stories of the other characters who were in this book, but not the focus of it. I would like to know their histories as well. This is another book I'll need to buy the hard copy of to add to my keeper shelf. Thank you Hyperion for allowing me to be one of the first people to read this ARC.

If you would like to read more of my reviews please check out my blog at www.seducedbyabook.com (less)

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Jul 15, 2011 Holly Weiss rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-release, historical-fictionistas, to-review

Jam-packed with history, romance and adventure

Called by The Washington Post Book World as “a master of pacing and plot,” Donnelly paints with a vivid palette of espionage, blackmail, steamy romance, exotic places, women’s suffrage and politics. She is a born storyteller. The Wild Rose, her final installment of a trilogy is jam-packed with historical fiction, romance and adventure.

Drink mint tea in a Bedouin tent after desert wanderings sustained only by water, dates and courage. Ride an omnibus...more

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Aug 30, 2012 Mj rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction

The Wild Rose is the third book in Jennifer Donnelly’s Rose Trilogy. I postponed reading it because I didn’t want the series to end. I have always enjoyed multi-generational sagas and this series has strong female characters, lots of twists and turns, great love interests, challenges to overcome, wonderful settings, evocative descriptions and attention to period detail. I get to learn about the culture and history of a period and feel its atmosphere while at the same time enjoying a really good...more The Wild Rose is the third book in Jennifer Donnelly’s Rose Trilogy. I postponed reading it because I didn’t want the series to end. I have always enjoyed multi-generational sagas and this series has strong female characters, lots of twists and turns, great love interests, challenges to overcome, wonderful settings, evocative descriptions and attention to period detail. I get to learn about the culture and history of a period and feel its atmosphere while at the same time enjoying a really good story.

The Wild Rose did not disappoint. It is another great historical fiction and kept me interested throughout and wanting to read more.

The prominent female in this story is Willa Alden, aptly called the Wild Rose because she is passionate and fearless - a mountain climber who lost her leg in a Mount Kilimanjaro climb with her good friend who grew into her great love and soul mate - Seamus Finnegan. She ran away from him in an earlier book, angry that he saved her life. Willa wanted to die rather than lose her leg and not be able to climb the highest peaks again. Despite their separation, the two of them are still very much in love and much of the book is about their stories.

The Wild Rose starts just before World War 1 in London, England where the suffragettes are working actively to win the right to vote. The story focuses on the politics of the time as well as the lifestyle and living conditions contrasts between the rich and the poor.

Willa spends much of her time in the Far East in Tibet and Arabia. We get immersed in the mystery and tribal culture of the region and even get introduced to Lawrence of Arabia. Seamus returns to England occasionally but hasn’t settled down yet and is still pursuing a life of exploration and adventure.

Despite their love for each other – their passion and love is palpable, they can’t seem to work things out. It doesn’t seem meant to be. Both move on with their lives separately and far apart

After the war does break out we get to meet and read about many of the real characters involved in the war. Seamus gets married and serves as a naval officer during the war. Willa works as a guide in the Far East and later as a photographer in Paris. All the movement and action keeps things very interesting and make the book hard to put down.

Most of the previous characters in the other two books again are back again and I was glad. I enjoyed getting to know them even more and getting caught up on what’s been happening in their lives. A new generation is getting pretty grown up and I am hoping that might mean some more books to continue this family saga. Donnelly introduces some new interesting characters integral to the story’s plot.

Jennifer Donnelly writes wonderfully (characters, descriptions and plot development). She is particularly good in the historical fiction genre and her research and attention to detail add a great deal. Why read a story that could take place anywhere, anytime when you can read a story that teaches you a great deal about a specific place and period of time and the story doesn’t suffer at all? In fact the story is enhanced. The Wild Rose is an excellent book and I recommend it but for the most enjoyment you should start with book one – The Tea Rose first.
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Jun 18, 2012 CookieDemon rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, historical-fiction

Bit of a disappointing end to the trilogy- 3.5 stars

I *loved* The Tea Rose, and I mean LOVED it. I liked its predecessor The Winter Rose well enough too- though I admittedly found it a bit contrived in parts, so I wasn't quite sure what the third in the trilogy would be like at all.

I'm sorry to say, that for me it just doesn't quite live up what I'd anticipated. I think this is because I didn't really like the two main protagonists here very much; for me, Fiona Bristow (Tea Rose) is a cracking f...more Bit of a disappointing end to the trilogy- 3.5 stars

I *loved* The Tea Rose, and I mean LOVED it. I liked its predecessor The Winter Rose well enough too- though I admittedly found it a bit contrived in parts, so I wasn't quite sure what the third in the trilogy would be like at all.

I'm sorry to say, that for me it just doesn't quite live up what I'd anticipated. I think this is because I didn't really like the two main protagonists here very much; for me, Fiona Bristow (Tea Rose) is a cracking female lead and none of the other female characters in the rest of this series have ever quite filled her shoes!

Set in the early twentieth century, shortly before the outbreak of World War I, we catch up with Fiona Bristow's brother Seamie Finnegan. Seamie is a renowned global explorer but is still emotionally suffering following an accident on Kilimanjaro that claimed the leg of the love of his life and his fellow explorer- Willa. Willa has fled and no one has seen anything of her for years, but Seamie is unable to put her out of his mind. Set against the backdrop of a country on the brink of war, the novel encompasses politics, women's rights, exploration and of course- romance, mingling historical fact with fiction.

The writing flows very well, the author has clearly done a lot of research into the time period and I did find some aspects really fascinating- particularly the `Lawrence of Arabia' plot line which had a great balance of adventure and intrigue. There were also some great villains in this book and it was really good catching up with the lives of some of the characters from the earlier novels- though for me there just wasn't enough Joe or Fiona (put that down to personal preference though).

In terms of character development I have to say that I didn't particularly like Willa or Seamie very much- and it's never a good thing when you don't care about the characters. I found both of them to be very selfish- and even as the book went on and Willa grew as a character, I still didn't like her. I think for me, another aspect of these books that I don't particularly enjoy is that the notion of `true love' is very much forefront and centre to the stories, only in the authors case that ensures that the protagonists are NEVER able to love anyone else but their intended. They can never forget them and no one else can ever live up to them- they are completely put on pedestals, despite their numerous flaws. It just feels a bit cliché. Talking of clichés, there were also some rather contrived plotlines in here again- I was left wincing in a few places, I must admit. It just never felt like real life- too many miracles going on for me to believe in.

I suppose my overall consensus is that though I found this book an enjoyable, entertaining enough read- just like `The Winter Rose' before it, it never quite lives up to the excellent precedent set by `The Tea Rose.' Still, fans of the two previous books should appreciate it enough and Donnelly's efforts at weaving in history with fiction too- but as far as I'm concerned it is unfortunately a bit of a disappointing end to the trilogy. My advice would be to read these books in their intended order as well- though this can be read as a standalone and back-story is provided, it makes sense starting with The Tea Rose first, a far superior book in my opinion. (less)

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Jan 16, 2012 Lindsey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was a little disappointed in this book after having read the first two and fallen in love with them. After reading others' reviews, I see that I am not alone in my opinion and it all seems to be the fault of Seamie and Willa. I didn't like either one of them from the start and I never grew to care about them. It was not like in the first two books where I wanted to see Joe and Fiona or India and Sid end up together. I could never root for Seamie and Willa. They were, to me, almost as villainou...more

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impatiently awaiting...	7	80	Jul 19, 2010 08:55pm

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Die Wildrose (The Tea Rose #3)

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