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Gather Ye Rosebuds
When Zoie Barron’s painting studio is being readied, a stolen necklace is discovered. She decides to return it on the sly, but Lord Weylin is suspicious, especially when the necklace is found to be fake. Seldom trusting each other, Zoie and Lord Weylin set out to solve this mystery that involves her uncle, his aunt, and secrets from the past.
204 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
About the author
Joan Smith
360 books156 followersJoan Smith is a graduate of Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, and the Ontario College of Education. She has taught French and English in high school and English in college. When she began writing, her interest in Jane Austen and Lord Byron led to her first choice of genre, the Regency, which she especially liked for its wit and humor.
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
Her favorite travel destination is England, where she researches her books. Her hobbies are gardening, painting, sculpture and reading. She is married and has three children. A prolific writer, she is currently working on Regencies and various mysteries at her home in Georgetown, Ontario.
She is also known as Jennie Gallant
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
December 2, 2016
3.5 stars
When a stolen diamond necklace made an appearance in her deceased Uncle Barry's belongings, aspiring artist, Miss Zoie Barron, was determined to return it to its rightful owner. But trying to return it the original source proved a little more difficult.
Lord Weylin thought his neighbor was, at minimum, a thief, or possibly a golddigger. Nothing could be further than the truth. And Zoie told him.
I couldn't help but think of some of those old black and white mysteries with a comical subplot where the husband means well by keeping things from his wife. But she is not only aware that something is wrong, she is one step ahead pursuing the matter. Yes, Weylin and Zoie clash at the beginning but before long his lordship realizes having her around is not half bad. In fact, it is more than nice.
Ms. Smith's love for animals, the offbeat humor and a morsel of mystery make this an engaging historical romance.
When a stolen diamond necklace made an appearance in her deceased Uncle Barry's belongings, aspiring artist, Miss Zoie Barron, was determined to return it to its rightful owner. But trying to return it the original source proved a little more difficult.
Lord Weylin thought his neighbor was, at minimum, a thief, or possibly a golddigger. Nothing could be further than the truth. And Zoie told him.
I couldn't help but think of some of those old black and white mysteries with a comical subplot where the husband means well by keeping things from his wife. But she is not only aware that something is wrong, she is one step ahead pursuing the matter. Yes, Weylin and Zoie clash at the beginning but before long his lordship realizes having her around is not half bad. In fact, it is more than nice.
Ms. Smith's love for animals, the offbeat humor and a morsel of mystery make this an engaging historical romance.
February 9, 2018
A rather short charming Regency romance with a family mystery to solve.
A nice, enjoyable reading.
A good historical accuracy, as always with Joan Smith novels.
At the beginning, I thought it would have been even better romance. The two first meetings of hero and heroine were great (and so funny), in the best style of P&P. But there was no place for the marvelous romance. The book was too short to include it together with solving the mystery.
It was a good book of the genre. I just regret that the potential of the story (the romance, characters and the mystery) wasn't used more, deeper.
If you want to know more, read QNPoohBear's review.
A nice, enjoyable reading.
A good historical accuracy, as always with Joan Smith novels.
At the beginning, I thought it would have been even better romance. The two first meetings of hero and heroine were great (and so funny), in the best style of P&P. But there was no place for the marvelous romance. The book was too short to include it together with solving the mystery.
It was a good book of the genre. I just regret that the potential of the story (the romance, characters and the mystery) wasn't used more, deeper.
If you want to know more, read QNPoohBear's review.
January 15, 2015
A swiftly and tightly paced regency romance/mystery, replete with witty dialogue, a naughty dog, a bogus Italian art instructor, a trip to Tunbridge Wells, and an array of hilarious secondary characters. A definite keeper!
May 13, 2024
A strange little book, an intriguing mystery combined with the usual (for this era) unconvincing romance. It gets a bit convoluted, but very funny as the principals are supposedly working together but also trying to keep vital clues secret from each other.
Here’s the premise: Zoie Barron is an aspiring artist, planning to renovate a room of the family home to use as a studio. It was her late uncle’s room, and while clearing it out, she discovers a valuable diamond necklace, reported stolen by a neighbour some five years ago, just when the uncle returned from India and moved in with the family. Is he a thief? And if so, how can she return the necklace to the family of the owner (now dead) without any awkward questions being asked? Her attempts become increasingly awkward, and the whole scheme is soon uncovered by Lord Weylin, the head of the neighbouring family, and nephew of the necklace’s owner.
From then on, Weylin and Zoie join forces to solve the mystery of the necklace, and the strange history of the lady who owned it originally and the man who ended up with it. Or at least, they claim to join forces, but repeatedly they conceal information from each other that would reflect badly on their own family. The comedy arises from their various lies, together with the discovery of them. Probably this fell into the category of ‘Regency romp’ in its day, but there’s an element of silliness that had me veering towards three stars some of the time. But there are also some stronger moments, and the romance, while overshadowed by the mystery, is allowed to develop slowly over much of the course of the book, and I always give credit for that, since it isn’t always the case for books of this vintage. There is a nice kissing moment in the rose garden by moonlight, too, so brownie points for that. An interesting and (for me) unexpected ending to the mystery, but quite logical. It’s a quirky read that won’t suit everyone, but being generous, I’ll settle for four stars.
Here’s the premise: Zoie Barron is an aspiring artist, planning to renovate a room of the family home to use as a studio. It was her late uncle’s room, and while clearing it out, she discovers a valuable diamond necklace, reported stolen by a neighbour some five years ago, just when the uncle returned from India and moved in with the family. Is he a thief? And if so, how can she return the necklace to the family of the owner (now dead) without any awkward questions being asked? Her attempts become increasingly awkward, and the whole scheme is soon uncovered by Lord Weylin, the head of the neighbouring family, and nephew of the necklace’s owner.
From then on, Weylin and Zoie join forces to solve the mystery of the necklace, and the strange history of the lady who owned it originally and the man who ended up with it. Or at least, they claim to join forces, but repeatedly they conceal information from each other that would reflect badly on their own family. The comedy arises from their various lies, together with the discovery of them. Probably this fell into the category of ‘Regency romp’ in its day, but there’s an element of silliness that had me veering towards three stars some of the time. But there are also some stronger moments, and the romance, while overshadowed by the mystery, is allowed to develop slowly over much of the course of the book, and I always give credit for that, since it isn’t always the case for books of this vintage. There is a nice kissing moment in the rose garden by moonlight, too, so brownie points for that. An interesting and (for me) unexpected ending to the mystery, but quite logical. It’s a quirky read that won’t suit everyone, but being generous, I’ll settle for four stars.
January 21, 2015
Zoie Barron is taking over her late uncle's room and turning it into an art studio. While renovating the room she discovers a diamond necklace that a neighbor had reported stolen! While trying to discreetly return the necklace to the late Lady Margaret Weylin's family, Zoie is caught by the current Lord Weylin and practically accused of being a thief. Lord Weylin takes an interest in the affair of the missing necklace and together they set out to solve the mystery that involves Zoie's late uncle Barry and Weylin's late aunt Margaret. What they find is not what they expected - in more ways than one. The pair must solve the mystery before the butler bleeds them dry or runs off with the clue.
Joan Smith is hit or miss with me usually and while I liked this one, I didn't love it. The story is told in first person present tense and first person past tense. The first person narrative is really limiting in a romance because you never get the other person's point-of-view. I got used to it after awhile and didn't really miss the head jumping. The focus of the story was on the mystery anyway. I liked the mystery once it got going but it seemed really stupid of Zoie to try to return a necklace without a)checking to see if it was real and b)checking to see if it WAS indeed the missing necklace and c)trying to return it without getting caught. I wasn't surprised much by the reveal. Once the clues started to come together, I figured it out. I wasn't surprised by the final clue though it wasn't something that had crossed my mind in the last several chapters. There are a whole lot of coincidences in this book but the story is not improbable. The romance doesn't really develop strongly. The clues are there but the reader has to guess what the characters are feeling. I don't really get what Zoie sees in the hero.
I liked Zoie for the most part though she's pretty stupid at first. She's resourceful and strong but not foolhardy. Weylin didn't really appeal to me much. He's high handed a bit and quit top lofty. Zoie keeps putting him in his place a bit like Elizabeth Bennet does with Darcy. I preferred the kind artist Count Borsini for the same reasons Zoie did. My two favorite characters are the servants: Bradogan, the tough Irish housekeeper and Steptoe, the thieving butler. P.G. Wodehouse would also be amused by Steptoe. Steptoe is one of those people you love to hate but enjoy because he's the comic relief.
This is a pleasant, entertaining story for a bit of mindless fluff. It was available through OverDrive media at my local library.
Joan Smith is hit or miss with me usually and while I liked this one, I didn't love it. The story is told in first person present tense and first person past tense. The first person narrative is really limiting in a romance because you never get the other person's point-of-view. I got used to it after awhile and didn't really miss the head jumping. The focus of the story was on the mystery anyway. I liked the mystery once it got going but it seemed really stupid of Zoie to try to return a necklace without a)checking to see if it was real and b)checking to see if it WAS indeed the missing necklace and c)trying to return it without getting caught. I wasn't surprised much by the reveal. Once the clues started to come together, I figured it out. I wasn't surprised by the final clue though it wasn't something that had crossed my mind in the last several chapters. There are a whole lot of coincidences in this book but the story is not improbable. The romance doesn't really develop strongly. The clues are there but the reader has to guess what the characters are feeling. I don't really get what Zoie sees in the hero.
I liked Zoie for the most part though she's pretty stupid at first. She's resourceful and strong but not foolhardy. Weylin didn't really appeal to me much. He's high handed a bit and quit top lofty. Zoie keeps putting him in his place a bit like Elizabeth Bennet does with Darcy. I preferred the kind artist Count Borsini for the same reasons Zoie did. My two favorite characters are the servants: Bradogan, the tough Irish housekeeper and Steptoe, the thieving butler. P.G. Wodehouse would also be amused by Steptoe. Steptoe is one of those people you love to hate but enjoy because he's the comic relief.
This is a pleasant, entertaining story for a bit of mindless fluff. It was available through OverDrive media at my local library.
December 9, 2016
This was a fun book and I enjoyed it more than I was expecting.
But, really...I have to call out this cover art. I LOVE it! Period, appropriate to the plot, and inviting. Even the clothing is correct as far as I can tell. Kudos. (Added later 12/9/16: I found out that this cover painting is actually real contemporaneous art. A self portrait of the artist and her mother by Rolinda Sharples. Is that cool or what? I love that!!!)
But, really...I have to call out this cover art. I LOVE it! Period, appropriate to the plot, and inviting. Even the clothing is correct as far as I can tell. Kudos. (Added later 12/9/16: I found out that this cover painting is actually real contemporaneous art. A self portrait of the artist and her mother by Rolinda Sharples. Is that cool or what? I love that!!!)
September 4, 2013
Very entertaining! I enjoyed the intrigue. This was a well-developed storyline with interesting characters including an eccentric Irish housekeeper, a fake Italian Count working as an art instructor, the haughty English Lord on the adjoining estate who turns out to be nicer than first appearances suggest, a 25-year-old fiery spinster who intrigues said Lord, as well as other individuals who make up this tale. It is well-paced, humorous at times, and engrossing. Well worth the read.
May 6, 2014
This tried to be a romance and a mystery in one. It wasn't long enough to do both though so it felt like it was a rushed romance and a silly mystery.
July 16, 2024
A lot of Smith's books involve stolen necklaces: usually diamond ones but on one occasion, a ruby one. The author ties herself in knots with hocked jewelry, secret babies, etc. We never really get to know what makes Steptoe the evil butler, tick.
February 16, 2020
Very entertaining; had me laughing aloud.
February 20, 2023
A fun, if slight, classic regency. A little too complex in the plotting, and a few lapses into modern english were all that marred it.
January 31, 2016
Light, fluffy Regency romance.
A no longer young woman discovers that her deceased uncle was apparently a thief, when she discovers a missing necklace that used to belong to a neighbour while going through his effects.
As ususal in this type of book, there is a suspicious eligible bachelor for her to get involved with while solving the mystery.
A no longer young woman discovers that her deceased uncle was apparently a thief, when she discovers a missing necklace that used to belong to a neighbour while going through his effects.
As ususal in this type of book, there is a suspicious eligible bachelor for her to get involved with while solving the mystery.
June 17, 2014
Interesting premise but it felt a little forced, the romance seemed to be thrown in at the end.
As always, Ms. Smith's secondary characters are well-drawn and interesting.
Clean.
As always, Ms. Smith's secondary characters are well-drawn and interesting.
Clean.
February 2, 2016
Boring
June 7, 2017
4.45 stars - pg13?
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews